Brooklyn Baby | Spot Conlon ¹

Chp. 39: Three Months Later

"Mushy, will ya get the eggs?" Jack asks, leaning on the kitchen counter. It was roughly seven am, the daily wake up hour on the ranch.

"But it's cold outside and I lost my coat! Isn't it Kenny's turn?"

"This is nothin' compared to February in New York!" Race laughed. "Kenny's out in the field anyway,"

"This early?" David asks.

"She's been goin' out earlier and comin' back lata'," Jack frowns.

"She ain't alone at least," Race points out.

"She's wit--"

"Someone get eggs!" David said impatiently. He was a master in the kitchen.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it," Blink gets up to walk out of the screen door. The backyard was large with a chicken coop to the right. The acres of land stretched out towards the mountains, giving the yard a spacious feel.

"Crutch is the only one who can milk the cows without them killin' somebody, so someone wake 'im up." Jack laughed. It was true. The cows only liked Crutchy.

If anything should've taught the boys responsibility, it was living on their own for their whole life. Feeding and caring for themselves. During this time in Santa Fe, they had to care for other living creatures and again, feed and care for themselves.

It wasn't easy adjusting to the farm life. They showed up, planning to party and relax, living easy with each other. It was the opposite. They didn't know the first thing about chickens, much less how to sneakily take their eggs without feathers flying everywhere. What do pigs eat? They didn't have a clue. You could imagine how they first attempted to milk one of the cows. Jack had a black eye for two weeks.

Like anything, they got the hang of it. They took turns doing chores. David cooked and did laundry with Les' help. Mush and Kenny switched off with collecting eggs. Crutchy milked cows. Skittery was obsessed with the pigs for unknown reasons, so he fed them. Take a guess at who took care of the horses.

Kenny, in addition to egg collecting, took care of the horses as well. They were fascinating to her. She jumped on and rode to the mountains and back on the second day on the farm. Race watched in admiration as she finally found what she was truly good at. She took a liking to a black horse named Benson.

The owner of the ranch came by once a month to check on things. Every time he did, he was beyond impressed with the kids.

They hadn't completely let go of New York, but every newsie in that house was willing to take a long break from it. Kloppman had sent a letter last month, and so did the Vanderbilts.

Bucky had read Kenny's letter the day they left. He was beyond confused. Where were the going? When would they be back? He checked with Ace every day to see if they came back. They just never did. Everyone knew that the Manhattan newsies had just left, which rarely ever happened with newsies.

"Les, go get those hanging clothes, would you? Mush, these eggs aren't gonna get themselves!" David yelled out the window where Mush was cautiously approaching the chicken coop. Jack laughed. David was such a mother figure.

"What's tha update on Rocky's salt lick?" Race asked. The horses had run out of some supplies and had been trying to get some new ones.

"Austin was supposed to go into town and get supplies," David said. "I think he's actually going this morning,"

"Kenny ain't goin' too, is she?" Jack says.

"She never said, but she's always wit Austin, so I'd count on it,"

"She beta' not,"

"When have you eva' stopped her from leaving?" Blink laughed.

"Or goin' somewhere you didn't want her too?" Race added, insinuating the time they went to Brooklyn.

"She spends too much time with him,"

"Let your sista have a life," Race defended.

"You said the same about Spot,"

"I--"

"And how'd that turn out, huh, Race?" Jack snapped. "Look, she just don't know this place as well as she knows New York. I don't wanna lose her,"

"Austin knows this place," Race says. "Ya sista's in good hands,"

Everyone had known about what happened between Spot and Kenny. She told them. They had bonfires every week, had barbecue and s'mores, courtesy of Mush. This trip had also brought the gang closer together.

"Look at 'em go," Race leaned against the back door, which was open and overlooked the fields.

Kenny clutched the reigns of Benson's bridle, hunched in a riding position as they flew across the field. Benson leaped over a fence, and Kenny laughed, adrenaline pumping through heir veins.

"She could be a damn good jockey,"

"No, Race. You know how those riders get hurt,"

Race just laughed. Kenny, hurt? She'd gotten so banged up in her life, she could take a beating from anyone.

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"Gooood afternoon!" Austin called through the house later that day in his country accent. He dropped some groceries in the kitchen. "I got salt lick and pig food!"

"Austin pulled through," Race says excitedly, going to the barn.

"Kenny didn't go with ya?"

"She's a little busy out there,"

"What's she even doing?" Jack says. Kenny always sat against this one willow tree that faced the mountains. When she wasn't riding, that is.

"Thinkin'," Austin flashed a charming smile. "Very time consumin',"

"Yeah, we can see that."

"Heya Jackie, were we expectin' anyone?" Mush called.

"No, why?"

Jack and Race walk out to the porch to see a pickup truck pulling up to it. Austin went out back to probably find Kenny.

"Who that be?"

Both boys were not expecting who was about to step out. The door opens and out steps two boys.

"Bucky?" Race's eyes widen.

"Spot?!"

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I'm so sorry this is so bad I'm sorry I'm sorry

Sorrysorrysorry ily guys

Why do my chapters always end like this

Cliff heh

Ily guys sm thx for reading this trash

I'm trying my hardest to update and IK that sounds stupid but school is v busy so!!

:)