I was sitting on top of the news carriage as always, watching all the newsies get their papers after the crowd of kids had left the same day. It had only been a few minutes since Jack left and it felt like hours. David was at the window with Mr. Wiesel. David held up a quarter and slapped it down on the table.
“Hundred paps,” he said.
The boys congratulated him and I smiled. Just then, there was a distant noise. It sounded like a crowd of people. We all turned our attention to the gates of the paper stand. There was a crowd of people coming our way. They came through the gates still yelling and screaming. Following behind them was Roosevelt’s carriage with Jack still in it. I smiled and hopped off the news carriage. I pushed through the people to get to Jack. He climbed out the carriage.
“So why did ya decide to come back?” I asked, “Santa Fe boring already?”
“Nah,” Jack said, “I still got a lot to do. Besides, I got family here.”
He picked me up in a hug. I hugged him back happy and giggling that he wasn’t leaving. Jack walked over to David who was walking down the stairs. He hugged Les who was already at the bottom of the steps. He and David looked at each other for a moment.
“So how’s the headlines today, Davey?” Jack asked.
“Headlines don’t sell paps,” David said, “Newsies sell paps.”
Jack smiled and shook hands with David. I saw Sarah pushing her way through the crowd. She got to Jack and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to her. Suddenly, he kissed her. The newsies around them started cheering. My mouth dropped open, but I smiled. They pulled away from each other and there was a group hug between Sarah, David, Les and me. I was so happy to have my brother back. I looked up from the hug. Spot was standing on the platform where the news window was. I pushed through the crowd to him.
“So, Jacky-boy is back,” Spot said.
“Yeah,” I said, “For good this time. He has family here. He decided he shouldn’t leave.”
“Good kid.”
“So, I guess ya goin’ back to Brooklyn now.”
“I have ta. I got paps to sell.”
I looked at my feet on the ground. I didn’t want him to go back to Brooklyn. That meant he wouldn’t be close to me. Now he would be so busy selling papers, he wouldn’t have time for me anymore. Spot put his finger under my chin and tilted my head up so I could look into his eyes.
“So how ya feel about bein the queen a Brooklyn?” Spot asked.
“Do I get a crown?” I smiled.
We kissed. I forgot about all the bad things in my life. The orphanage, my parents deserting me, everything. It was only me and Spot and Brooklyn. Spot pulled away and grabbed my arm. He dragged me through the crowd to Roosevelt’s carriage. He stood on the side of the carriage and got Roosevelt’s attention.
“Hey, Mr. Roosevelt,” Spot yelled, “Could ya take us somewhere?”
“Sure, son,” he said, “Where?”
“Da Brooklyn cemetery.”
Roosevelt nodded and opened the carriage door. Spot helped me inside and then got in himself. The carriage took off down the road. Jack waved goodbye. I waved back at him. The newsies were on their way out, papers in hand ready to sell. The carriage took us to the cemetery. We got out and waved goodbye to Roosevelt.
“What are we doin’ here?” I asked Spot.
“I want ya to meet someone,” Spot said taking my hand in his.
He led me through the cemetery until we got to these two graves next to a big cherry blossom tree. Spot stopped in front of the graves and stared at them. I looked at the names on the graves. James Conlon & Sandra Conlon.
“You’re parents?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Spot said, “I like to come here and talk to ‘em. It helps me feel better. I tell ‘em everythin’ like I used to when I was little.”
“You tell ‘em about me?”
“Of course. They know more than any of the newsies in Brooklyn. I just miss ‘em, ya know? They was my family.”
A tear fell down Spot’s face. I had never seen him so vulnerable, so needing to be cared for and loved. It made my heart hurt for him and it made me love him even more. Spot wiped away his tears. I turned his face to me. I wiped another tear that fell down his cheek with my thumb.
“I know ya miss ya folks,” I said, “But ya got somethin’ now to help ya fill the hole they left behind. Ya got me, and I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
“Promise?” Spot whispered.
“Promise.”
“I love ya, queen of Brooklyn.”
“I love ya too, king of Brooklyn.”
He hugged me tightly like he didn’t want me to slip out of his fingers. I smiled with my head on his shoulder.
When you’re an orphan in New York in 1899, you’re either one of two things. You’re a newsie or you’re in jail. Unless, of course, you’re a girl. That’s what I am. And that means the only thing I am is an orphan. I’ve lived in an orphanage since I was born. I don’t know who my parents are and why they left me. All I know is they left me alone and for 14 years, I felt like there was no dream for me and no freedom. That is, until I met Spot Conlon, the wise cracking, badass king of Brooklyn. He was a street rat and so was I. But we were different, we had each other. He called me his queen, he called me pretty face. He got on my nerves, he made me love him. And every day, when the streets were aloud with newsies carrying the banner and every night, when the lanterns cast by couples in love illuminated the sky, I was reminded that Spot was the key to my heart and we had to seize the day while we could before it was gone.
*THE END*
*THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ THE STORY!! I HOPE, LIKE ME, YOU ARE NO AND FOREVER WILL BE A NEWSIE! I HOPE YOU’LL STAY TUNED AND READ THE SEQUEL TO THIS NEWSIE FAN FICTION: RACETRACK’S NEWSIE RACES (A RACETRACK HIGGINS LOVE STORY)!!!*
YOU ARE READING
Newsie Baby (A Spot Conlon Love Story)
FanfictionLeslie is a 14 year old orphan in New York. She’s stuck in an awful orphanage until she’s 18 years old. The only thing that makes life bareable is her big brother, Jack, who comes to talk o her through the orphanage windows. That is until Jack gets...
