The Newsies
Chapter 15
Now from what we know, Jack has had a pretty messed up past. He obviously has love hidden in that deep heart of his, but is too prideful to show it... Until this day.
"Mr. Kelly....Mr. Kelly?" A soft voice called. Jack heard his name but saw only black until his caramel colored eyes opened wide to reveal the young lady, Belle, trying to awaken him from his sleep.
"Yeah?" Jack asked, finding the strength to prop himself up on his elbows.
"I was wondering if you were hungry, because I made you breakfast!" She said, holding up a plate of steaming breakfast foods. (Such as bacon, eggs, toast, etc.) Smiling Jack finally answered with a look of thankfulness on his shifted face.
"Nah, thank you though..." Jack slowly pushed himself to sit and took a deep breath. "Look, Belle..." He began, not making eye contact. "I appreciate your help... but--" His speech was interrupted by the calls of the now awakened young boys playing "Cowboys and Indians."
"RRAAAH! You shall never escape the hands of I, Jack Belasco!" Said Thomas, the younger boy, with a scowling look on his small scrunched up face.
"Oh, really?" Said Joseph, holding up a wooden sword. "Hiy-ya!" He shouted plunging it towards "Jack Belasco." "Jack Belasco" was a made up cowboy character from a comic book called "The adventures of Jack Belasco in Santa Fe." Thomas blocked the forward plunge with a left swing. They began fighting with their swords (looking almost professional) and hollering loud cowboy and Indian cries.
"Boys! BOYS!" Mama shouted. "Please, not in the house! You'll break something! My goodness, where has your common-sense gone?" She clutched her stomach in worry. Looking over at Belle, she saw Jack. Mama noticed that Jack was obviously feeling better so she spake: "Mr. Kelly! How have you recovered? This is miraculous. I told Papa that you were only dehydrated!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"Yeah... I'm feeling much better." Jack replied. He stood up and stretched out his arms. He smiled but it faded when he saw the mysterious look on Mama's face. She was smiling with sweet excitement.
"Sweetheart, hurry to the main room!" Marge called. Swiftly, Papa obeyed. He ran to Mrs. Williams and, smiling very politely, placed his arm around her shoulder. Both Mr. and Mrs. Williams now look at Jack with a curious twinkle in their eye. Finally, Mr. Williams said,
"Jack... We were thinking... About how you told in those stories of a Lodging House," Papa smiled bigger, "Uh-- Well... We were wondering if-- uh-- you'd allow us to make the biggest change in your life..." Papa's smile shifted into a curious one. "We were wondering if you'd like to be.... Our son--" He held his hand out and placed it on Jack's shoulder. Jack's eyes twinkled with delight. A enormous shine danced around in the dark colors inside his curious eyes as he thought of all the things he would gain! A family, a house (not to mention it being in Santa Fe), a ranch and people to care and love!--- But his thoughts suddenly were interrupted by the opposite requirement: He'd have to leave his original home and-- all of his friends. Jack began to sweat. He couldn't decide if leaving his friends forever was worth living in Santa Fe with a whole new family. Wendy, Thomas and Joseph scurried toward the main room and smiled at Jack. Wendy and Thomas realized what commitment he was being asked to make and immediately bent down and pleaded, very silly-like. Thomas wrapped around Jack's lower leg and began to pitifully murmur the words, "Please stay!" Wendy, however, bent down and pulled on his shirt then began hopping up and down pleading for him to stay. Jack smiled at them but looked up and said,
"Look, I appreciate all you've done for me..." He looked at Wendy and Thomas and patted their heads, "All of you..." Wendy wiped a tear from her small eye while Thomas stood up and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck to hug him. He let go and smiled. "Wendy, Thomas... Thanks for being the entertainment and the helper--" Jack said. He turned to Joseph and smiled. "Thanks for being patient--" Joseph smiled and looked down at his hands, knowing Jack was more apologizing then thanking. Jack turned to the parents, "And thanks for being so kind to help a pathetic stranger like me." Mrs. Williams squeezed her husband's hand tighter. Jack turned to Belle and smiled brightly, "Thanks, Belle... Thank you for showing me how much caring for others really means..." Belle smiled. A small sparkly tear ran down her cheek. She threw herself forward and hugged him tightly. Letting go, she looked him in the eye and said,
"I don't understand! Why must you leave us?" Belle asked. He smiled and turned to face the whole room. Reaching behind him he pulled his hat up ontop of his head and pulled it tight.
"Because--" He opened the front door but did not leave. "I have some unfinished business to attend." Jack smiled and winked. "Goodbye, Williams." He waved and shut the door behind him, leaving the sad family to wonder if he'd ever return.
"Mr. Kelly....Mr. Kelly?" A soft voice called. Jack heard his name but saw only black until his caramel colored eyes opened wide to reveal the young lady, Belle, trying to awaken him from his sleep.
"Yeah?" Jack asked, finding the strength to prop himself up on his elbows.
"I was wondering if you were hungry, because I made you breakfast!" She said, holding up a plate of steaming breakfast foods. (Such as bacon, eggs, toast, etc.) Smiling Jack finally answered with a look of thankfulness on his shifted face.
"Nah, thank you though..." Jack slowly pushed himself to sit and took a deep breath. "Look, Belle..." He began, not making eye contact. "I appreciate your help... but--" His speech was interrupted by the calls of the now awakened young boys playing "Cowboys and Indians."
"RRAAAH! You shall never escape the hands of I, Jack Belasco!" Said Thomas, the younger boy, with a scowling look on his small scrunched up face.
"Oh, really?" Said Joseph, holding up a wooden sword. "Hiy-ya!" He shouted plunging it towards "Jack Belasco." "Jack Belasco" was a made up cowboy character from a comic book called "The adventures of Jack Belasco in Santa Fe." Thomas blocked the forward plunge with a left swing. They began fighting with their swords (looking almost professional) and hollering loud cowboy and Indian cries.
"Boys! BOYS!" Mama shouted. "Please, not in the house! You'll break something! My goodness, where has your common-sense gone?" She clutched her stomach in worry. Looking over at Belle, she saw Jack. Mama noticed that Jack was obviously feeling better so she spake: "Mr. Kelly! How have you recovered? This is miraculous. I told Papa that you were only dehydrated!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"Yeah... I'm feeling much better." Jack replied. He stood up and stretched out his arms. He smiled but it faded when he saw the mysterious look on Mama's face. She was smiling with sweet excitement.
"Sweetheart, hurry to the main room!" Marge called. Swiftly, Papa obeyed. He ran to Mrs. Williams and, smiling very politely, placed his arm around her shoulder. Both Mr. and Mrs. Williams now look at Jack with a curious twinkle in their eye. Finally, Mr. Williams said,
"Jack... We were thinking... About how you told in those stories of a Lodging House," Papa smiled bigger, "Uh-- Well... We were wondering if-- uh-- you'd allow us to make the biggest change in your life..." Papa's smile shifted into a curious one. "We were wondering if you'd like to be.... Our son--" He held his hand out and placed it on Jack's shoulder. Jack's eyes twinkled with delight. A enormous shine danced around in the dark colors inside his curious eyes as he thought of all the things he would gain! A family, a house (not to mention it being in Santa Fe), a ranch and people to care and love!--- But his thoughts suddenly were interrupted by the opposite requirement: He'd have to leave his original home and-- all of his friends. Jack began to sweat. He couldn't decide if leaving his friends forever was worth living in Santa Fe with a whole new family. Wendy, Thomas and Joseph scurried toward the main room and smiled at Jack. Wendy and Thomas realized what commitment he was being asked to make and immediately bent down and pleaded, very silly-like. Thomas wrapped around Jack's lower leg and began to pitifully murmur the words, "Please stay!" Wendy, however, bent down and pulled on his shirt then began hopping up and down pleading for him to stay. Jack smiled at them but looked up and said,
"Look, I appreciate all you've done for me..." He looked at Wendy and Thomas and patted their heads, "All of you..." Wendy wiped a tear from her small eye while Thomas stood up and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck to hug him. He let go and smiled. "Wendy, Thomas... Thanks for being the entertainment and the helper--" Jack said. He turned to Joseph and smiled. "Thanks for being patient--" Joseph smiled and looked down at his hands, knowing Jack was more apologizing then thanking. Jack turned to the parents, "And thanks for being so kind to help a pathetic stranger like me." Mrs. Williams squeezed her husband's hand tighter. Jack turned to Belle and smiled brightly, "Thanks, Belle... Thank you for showing me how much caring for others really means..." Belle smiled. A small sparkly tear ran down her cheek. She threw herself forward and hugged him tightly. Letting go, she looked him in the eye and said,
"I don't understand! Why must you leave us?" Belle asked. He smiled and turned to face the whole room. Reaching behind him he pulled his hat up ontop of his head and pulled it tight.
"Because--" He opened the front door but did not leave. "I have some unfinished business to attend." Jack smiled and winked. "Goodbye, Williams." He waved and shut the door behind him, leaving the sad family to wonder if he'd ever return.