Brooklyn's Girl (A Spot Conlon love story)

Chapter 9 - Francis

"All rise. All rise. Court is now in session. Judge E.A. Monahan presiding." A man called out. I was standing with the other newsies, in the front with Spot. Since no one knew where Jack was and David was absent, I was now in charge of the strike with Spot. 

"Are any of you boys represented by council?" The judge asked. "No? Good, that will move things along considerably." Spot frowned.

"Hey, yer honor, I object!" He said. I smirked, and the judge gave him a look.

"On what grounds?" Spot glanced over at me and gave me a crooked smile before turning back to the judge. 

"On the grounds of Brooklyn, yer honor." The other boys started laughing, and the judge banged on his desk. 

"I fine each of you five dollars, or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge." He told us, causing people to call out in protest. 

"Whoa. We ain't got five bucks." Race told him.  "We don't even got five cents. Hey, yer honor, how 'bout I roll you for it. Double or nothing?"

"Alright. Move along, move along." the judge said, but before we could protest more, David, Les and Denton walked in. 

"Your honor, I'll pay the fines. All of them." He told him. David walked over to us. "Hey, you fellas alright?" He looked over at me. "Where's Jack?"

" Look, we've got to meet at the restaurant. Everybody. We have to talk." Denton told us before he was rudely interrupted by the judge. This guy was getting on my nerves.

"Pay the clerk. Move it along." He told Denton, then the doors opened and Jack was led inside in handcuffs. 

"Heya fellas!" He called to us. "Hey cowboy!" Race yelled back. "Nice shiner!" Jack shrugged.

"Hey, Denton. I guess we made all the papes this time. So, how's my picture look?" He asked, but Denton shook his head. 

"None of the papers covered the rally. Not even the Sun." I looked over at him in confusion when Snyder walked in. 

"Case of Jack Kelly. Inciting a riot. Assault. Resisting arrest." A man announced. 

"Judge Monahan, I'll speak for this young man." Snyder said. Jack glared at him. 

"You two know each other. Ain't that nice."

"Just move it along, Warden Snyder." The judge told him and Snyder nodded. 

"This boy's real name is Francis Sullivan. His mother's deceased. His father's a convict in the state penitentiary, and his sister Monica has been missing since she ran away from the Manhattan Orphanage, where she was to be placed until she was of age.  He's an escapee from the House of Refuge where his original sentence for three months was extended to six moths for disruptive behavior."

Most of the boys were staring at Jack in disbelief, but Spot, Race and Mush were all looking at me, clearly confused. I however, kept eye contact with Jack, knowing that I couldn't give anything away about who I used to be. I was lucky enough that I looked like our mom while Jack looked more like our dad, meaning that no one could see the similarities unless we were standing next to each other. 

I was too busy trying to appear unimportant that I missed part of what had been said, and I spaced back in right when Snyder said;

"Therefore, I ask that he be returned to the House of Refuge." Jack looked furious. 

"What? For my own good, right? Move it along? For my own good and for what he kicks back to you!" He shouted. Snyder ignored him. 

"I ask that the court order his incarceration until the age of twenty-one, in the hope that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life." The judge nodded. "So ordered." 

"No!" Les yelled out as Jack got led away, followed by Snyder, who was wearing an slimy, evil smile. 

.

.

.

I was sitting in one of the booths at Tibby's with Race David and Les, as we all waited for Denton. When he walked in, David walked over without a greeting and asked; "Why didn't the Sun print the story?"

"Because it never happened" Denton told him, sitting down. Race looked outraged. 

"What do you mean it never happened? You were there!" He asked. "You wrote it!" Kid Blink chimed in. 

"It's not in the papers, it never happened." Denton explained. "The owners decreed it not be in the papers, therefore... I came to tell you fellas good bye." I looked at him worriedly.

"Did you get fired or something?" I asked. He shook his head. 

"No, I got reassigned back to my old job as the Sun's ace war correspondent. They want me to leave right away. The owner thinks I should only cover the really important stories. Wish me luck fellas. At least half of what I wish for you. They don't always fire. I would be black balled from every paper in the country. I'm a newspaper man. I have to have a paper to write for." He handed David a piece of paper.  "This is the story I wrote about the rally. I want you to read it at least. This should cover it." 

Denton paid the waiter and walked out. David glanced down at the paper, and crumpled it up before throwing it onto the table. He then turned to us, 

"We get Jack out of the Refuge tonight. From now on, we trust no one but the newsies." As the boys started leaving, I noticed Les use the paper to wrap up his hot dog. The newsies all started walking back to their lodging house when Spot stopped me and David. 

"They'se don't know where youse are, right?" He asked me. I nodded. David looked at me. "Your real name is Monica?" He asked me. I shook my head. "There used to be a goil named Monica Sullivan, who had an older brother named Francis. That goil was weak, scared of her own shadow, and couldn't do anything to help her brother once both her parents was gone." 

The boys were looking at me sadly, but I continued. 

"That girl was taken to the orphanage, and while she was there, she was forced to grow up in a day. Her first night there, she was sitting in her basement room when she died, and someone else took her place. Ise the goil that took her place. My name is Joss Kelly, and I will never be Monica Francis." 

I looked at the boys, and they each seemed to be having a diffrent reaction. David looked a little scared of me, Spot looked angry for some reason, and Les... seemed to be trying not to cry. I knelt down and wiped away one of the tears falling down his face. He sniffled ad hugged me. I gave a soft smile and rubbed his back before pulling away. 

"Youse alright Les?" I asked him softly. He nodded. I stood up again and looked at David. He stared back at me. "I didn't think it was possible for you to be tougher, but here we are." He said, causing me to laugh. I turned to Spot who still looked angry. 

"Spot?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. His face softened slightly before turning to David. "Youse going to get Jacky boy tonight?" He asked and David nodded. "When he gets out, tell him Joss is with me." I looked at Spot in surprise.

"How come?" David asked, voicing my own thoughts. 

"Since they don't know where she is, they'se probably goin ta come lookin' for her, but they wont think to check Brooklyn." David nodded in understanding, but I was slightly annoyed. 

"Youse really think that Ise cant take care of myself?" I asked them. 

"I know you can normally," David responded, "But this isn't some street fight. If Snyder decides to use the police to help him search, that will just be more amunition for him to use against both you and Jack." I looked over at Spot to hear what he thought.

"Ise'd just feel better if youse was in Brooklyn with me instead of wandering around the city." I rolled my eyes. 

"Fine, but Ise still need ta get new clothes from the lodging house." Spot shook his head. "Youse can just borrow some o my clothes. Better than travlin back n' forth." I rolled my eyes again, but I could feel myself blushing at the thought. 

"Lets just go then." I told him. I looked over at David. "Youse better save my brudda." He nodded, looking scared again, and I began walking off in the direction of Brooklyn.