Spot Conlon: A New Adventure [2]

Chapter 14

*Spot's POV*

Ise race ova to da 'Hattan newsie lodge jus' before nine thirty. Roosevelt is already there, Jazzer sittin' in 'is carriage. Ise run ova. 

"Youse okay? Youse look pale." Ise say. 

"Yea, Ise fine. Jus' tired and a little outta breath foi doin' nutin'." She forces a laugh. 

Race comes out, and walks ova to us. 

"Ise gonna be prayin' foi ya." He says. 

"Me too." Ise say. Most people are surprised Ise a Christian because Ise a fighta and a king and da most feared, but Ise is a Christian and Ise ain't scared ta show it. 

Ise can feel Race given me a look, but Ise ignore it. 

"See youse at da hospital?" Jazzer asks me. 

"Yea. Afta da surgery." Ise whisper. 

"Afta da surgery." She whispers back. Race is now givin' both of us a look, but wese both pretend not ta see it. Da carriage starts forward, and Ise stare afta it. 

"C'mon." Ise say. "Let's get da odda bois." Ise start toward da lodge, but Race grabs me. 

"Stay away from me sista. Ise already lost 'er once. Ise can't lose 'er again." He says. 

"Relax, Race. Ise only gonna see 'er when she's wit one of youse. It wouldn't be right. 'Sides, Ise ain't gonna be around afta she makes it through da surgery. Ise a friend. Nutin' more." Ise assure him. 

Right? 

Ise make me way into da lodge, dodgin' Boots and Snipeshooter. 

"Spot!" Jack calls. Ise walk ova. 

"Wese gonna head to da hospital in ten minutes. Wese would go now but Mush can't find his suspendas and Blink lost his eye patch last night." 

"How could they lose somethin' they use everyday?" Ise ask, frustrated. "Wese ain't got time foi them ta look all ova New York ta find their dumb suspendas and eye patches." Suddenly, Blink comes up from behind a bunk. 

"Found it! Right unda Jazzer's bed." 

"Jazzer's? Why would it be unda Jazzer's?" Boots asks. Wese all look at each odda in confusion before it hits me. 

"She didn't want us at da hospital, not yet. Ise don't know why, but Ise shore dat's da reason." Ise say. Wese all help Mush find his suspendas which Boots finds in da bathroom unda da sink, and all head to da hospital. Jazzer is in a room, waitin' ta be transferred to da operation room. 

"Youse good?" Ise ask. She nods. Two doctors come in wit a rollin' bed and a tray o' medicines or whateva youse call 'em. 

They give Jazzer a sleepin' pill thing and she becomes drowsy. Before she's rolled off, Ise grab 'er hand.

"Youse promise Ise gonna see youse afta da surgery?" Ise ask. 

"She nods her head and her hand becomes limp as 'er eyes close. Ise let go and watch as they move 'er. Wese are told ta wait in da waitin' room. Ise stand, allowin' everybody else ta sit, but hardly anyone does. Wese all too nervous. 

"Youse think she'll be okay?" Ise ask Race ova and ova. He keeps sayin' yes, but he don't seem so shore. Wese wait foi about seven hours until a doctor comes up to us, nervous. 

"What? What's wrong?" Ise ask immediately. 

"Well, we performed the surgery, but... it doesn't look good. We don't think she will live that long, even now. She had two surgeries in two days, and that isn't normal. Losing that much blood in two days weakens the body and the heart. We don't think she can make it."