My Poor Head Is Spinning

Chapter 16

The next few weeks were busy. Wallop Books moved to just outside Newsie Square and the boys moved in for a week or two. Or three. They've only been here for a few days. I slept in an armchair in the house portion of Wallop, surrendering my bed to a few boys. The new location was bigger. Every morning, Winnie stopped by to bring them a basket of bread; Her parents own Moulin Bakery a few stores down from Wallop. All the boys try to slip a penny into her pocket when she wasn't looking to return the favor. Romeo never ceased to flirt with her, and I don't think she hates it. She instantly caught on with the Crutchie situation and promoted it. 

And now they're renovating the Lodging House. Or, should I say, E.M. Lodging House. The Delancey's have taken upon themselves to be my suitors since I'm no longer a 'dirty little street urchin'. Whenever the boys see the brothers in the store and not browsing they'd be chased off. Only once did Oscar force Morris to buy a book so they could linger at the counter. That was when the boys were out selling, but Winnie was there and scared them away. 

And now, Winnie is bussing tables at Jacobi's Deli and the boys were selling. I was selling books left and right since Christmas was a week away. Crutchie seemed exceptionally jittery around me, which I found odd. He still hung out around me without issue, though. Whenever he was around, Winnie would slink away with some stupid excuse. 'My dad wants me to milk the pig' or 'Mom told me to salt the butter' or 'I have to turn the rolls'. But they always believed her, even after she winked at me.

"Hey, Emilia." It was Morris. I stifled a groan and looked up. 

"Good morning." I said through gritted teeth. "Looking for a gift for your brother or something?"

"Of some sort." He shrugged. "I wanted to apologize."

"What?" That was not what I expected him to say.

"For my brother, we've been way out of line." He stated. "You're more successful than us and we still treat you like you'd benefit from being with one of us. I'm going to try to get him to stop."

"That's..." I trailed off. "Very big of you."

"And we're both sorry about your brother." He finished sorrowfully. "He was a good person and he didn't deserve to die."

"I know." I nodded. "He didn't."

"That's everything." Morris concluded, stepping away from the counter. "Do you have any books about gardening?"

"Yes." I smiled, leading him to the gardening section. He thanked me and I went back to the counter.

The boys got back at different times during the sunset.

"You should hire folks so you can have a break." Jack suggested.

"Nah." I shook my head.

"You should hire Winnie!" Crutchie nodded in agreement. "Or one of her family since she works at Jacobi's."

"She has an older sister?" I tried, humoring them.

"Great." Jack grinned as Winnie came in. "Hey Winnie, your sister got  job?"

"Not that I know of." She shrugged. "Why?"

"We was just sayin' that Emilia should hire some new folks." Jack filled her in.

"She'd love to." Winnie agreed. I guess we just hired an employee.

"And onto another topic," Jack dramatically whipped his head around to face Crutchie. "When're you gonna ask?"

"What?" He froze. Winnie sat beside me, looking over the situation.

"Y'know," Jack grinned mischievously. "Ask Millie out?"

No-one's really called me that since my brother died.

"I... I have no idea what you're talkin' about." Crutchie stammered. (The way Jesse Tuck said it in Tuck Everlasting, Story of the Man in a Yellow Suit)

"I think you know." Jack winked at him, then turned to look at me.

"I too think you know." Winnie added.

"Okay, uh, okay." Crutchie breathed, then stepped up to the counter, crutch thudding rhythmically on the floor. "I was talkin' to Jack this mornin'. He said somethin' and I agreed--"

"What'd I say?" Jack leaned forward.

After shooting Jack a glare, Crutchie said, "You, Jack, said 'I could totally see you and Emilia together'."

"Me too!" Winnie chirped. I elbowed her and she grinned. Then her eyes widened. "You agreed? Aww!"

Crutchie nodded slowly then glanced at me. I could almost feel my eyes twinkling. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Emilia. I want you to me mine. Not-- Not that you belong to anyone, I just meant--"

"I know what you meant." I smiled. Jack was trying so hard to stifle laughter, Winnie the same. "And I accept."

"You do?" His hazel eyes widened and Jack looked up with a bright red face from holding his breath. Winnie held back a squeal (I think you know who this character is based off of, XD. You know who you are.) of excitement by covering her mouth and taking a loud gulp of water.

"Of course." I nodded. Jack gave his friend a high-five.

"Yes!" Winnie squeaked, then shook me in my seat.

"Okay, okay!" I smiled.

"Kiss her!" Jack instructed Crutchie quietly.

"No!" He shook his head. 

"I wanna be there for the first kiss!" Jack argued. Crutchie glanced at me. Jack gasped. "No! Without me?"

"Unfortunately." I said hesitantly.

"How could you?" Winnie demanded, punching me in the shoulder.

"Ow!" I yelped. "I didn't even know you then!"

"It was before Winnie?" Jack swung his head to stare at Crutchie. I turned and whispered in Winnie's ear.

"I kissed him in July, he kissed me in November." I hissed. 

"July...?" She breathed. "Wasn't that when...?"

"The day before, yes." I nodded.

"Good to know, good to know." She said slowly, shooting Jack a smug smile.

"What?" Jack jumped up from his seat. Just as he was about to speak again, the bell rang. That meant there was someone else in Wallop.

"Oh, look!" I said in mock pity for Jack. "A customer! I gotta go help!"

"That's Mr. Jacobi!" Jack retorted.

"A customer!" I rushed out from behind the desk to talk to Mr. Jacobi.

"Is there anything you need help finding?" I asked hopefully.

"Millie!" He said, shocked. "Ain't you a Newsie?"

"Not anymore, sir." I shook my head.

"Good for you!" He smiled warmly. "All this is yours now?"

"That's right." I nodded, thinking a quick prayer for Clarise and Clyde.

"Anyway," He shook his head. "I'm looking for something I can give my son for Christmas."

"Since when do you got a son?" Jack looked up from talking to Winnie and Crutchie.

"Since nineteen years ago, Jack." Mr. Jacobi rolled his eyes. "He likes books, but I dunno what he'd read."

Clarise and I rehearsed this kind of question. "Well, what does he talk about a lot?"

"He likes talking about animals?" Mr. Jacobi tried.

"Right this way," I smiled, leading him to a biology section.