Queens of New York

Chapter 10

They decided to wait out a week before organising the rally at Medda's. Their tactic was to make Hearst and Pulitzer think that they had stood down and then come back in full force. Not to mention, it took Bertie a while to find security. His father probably made sure he couldn't hire anyone seeing how he was involved with the strike.

The week went by as per normal except that there was a love fest going on in Lizzie's Home. The day after the district leaders' meeting at Davey's place, Sarah took up Genie on her offer and came to the lodging to fix up the girls. While she was bandaging up Ringer, Genie took the other girls aside and spilled the beans on Ringer and Sarah.

"It is painstakingly obvious that they like each other. We need to do something about it!"

"Shouldn't we be focusin' on the strike?" Freckles frowned ever so slightly. There were mumbles of agreement. Genie turned to them and grinned with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Of course the strike is our main priority but who's to say we can't have little love affairs here and there? Imagine telling your kids that you met your partner during a strike. It'd be romantic." The girls fell into a fit of giggles. All of them saying the same thing; Only Genie would say that.

This gave Kitty slight hope to act on her crush on the eldest girl. Before she could even open her mouth, the door opened and someone came rushing in. Katherine Plumber, always the one rushing. It was like the woman could run a marathon with her words. Genie soon left the gossip circle and was by Katherine's side with an easy grin. Kitty glared, hoping to burn a hole into Katherine's head.

"Hey Kathy, you're early. The rally isn't until tonight." Genie was happy to see her anyways. She was hoping to ask her out after the rally. Kathy might just be the one to tame Genie. The Hearst heir was then taken back by surprise when she saw that the journalist was staring her with wide eyes. Genie immediately knew something was wrong.

"I know, your - um Bertie asked to see you. He said it was urgent." Kathy squeaked and Genie knew right away that the former knew who she really was. She turned to the girls to instruct them. She told them to come later while she dealt with whatever Bertie wanted. Before she could leave for the door, Sarah spoke up.

"You're still hurt." She pointed out. Genie had learnt to numb the pain after Millie, her stepmother, used to hit her regularly. Nonetheless, Sarah was right. She was badly bruised and had never taken a beating quite like that before with Millie.

"I can fix her up on the way, could you pass me some of the supplies." Kathy volunteered. While they were walking to Medda's, Kathy confronted her while bandaging her up.

"I knew you looked familiar the first time I met you. It was your brother Elbert out of all people who recognised me and then I made the connection!" Genie frowned, dumbfounded. Why would her brother recognise her? She repeated this question back to her. Kathy became almost shy which the Hearst girl found amusing because the journalist always seemed so confident. One of the reasons that Genie found her attractive.

"Don't you recognise me, Regina?" Kathy looked up at her from her lashes. Nothing was clicking in Genie's mind so she just shrugged.

"Let me give you a hint. My last name isn't Plumber and our fathers know each other."

"Firstly, Miss Smarty-pants, that was two hints and Jaysus H Christ. Kathy Pulitzer, is that really you?" Now it was all coming back to her in bits and pieces. Kathy used to be her playmate when they were younger and when their fathers were still business partners. She hasn't seen her since their fathers went their separate ways. No wonder she couldn't recognise her, they haven't see each other all grown up.