A New Deal For Christmas-Newsies

Chapter 5-The Kelly Mansion Gardens

He paced in his bedroom. He needed to talk to Katherine. He glanced at his clock. Midnight, just past. The staff should be in their quarters by now, but not Katherine.

Jack Kelly left his room carefully and went down the staircase, his hand stroking the cold wooden banister.

It wasn't a surprise to him when he found Katherine still sat on the back step.

"It's late. What are you still doing up?" She said, not even having to turn around to know he was there. 

Jack gestured for her to move over as he sat on the step beside her. "I could say the same to you."

She sighed and put her head in her hands, not answering.

"I'm not mad, you know." He said, unsure of how to comfort her.

"I know. If you were mad, you would've ignored me for 24 hours. It's happened before, remember?" It was hard for him not to chuckle at the memory.

"I know, Kath."

"You're wrong, you know," she spoke up, "to not want Crutchie here. You've barely anything to do over Christmas and you're getting distant, maybe it's a good thing to have someone to spend time with." Typical Katherine, always arguing her point.

"What am I gonna do? Tell the kid my every problem?" Jack didn't have to see her face to know she was rolling her eyes.

"Well-" for once, her voice was quiet. "You could tell me, you know, it's in my job description. But you never do."

Unsure of what to say in reply, Jack started looking around him at the gardens. "Walk with me." He said, standing up.

"You're not the boss of me after 10pm you know, I still get 10-8 off work." She said, standing up anyway.

"Sorry, I... I meant to ask it as a question." He chuckled nervously and stepped inside to quickly grab their coats.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, past the dozens of flower beds and fruit trees and vegetable patches, until Katherine broke the silence.

"It's beautiful! I can't believe I've never even come out and seen this before!" She said, her hot breath leaving a trail of warm air.

"You should come and see it in summer, when it's bright." Jack said, glad to see Katherine smiling.

"I don't get the time." Something in Jack's chest strained at her words.

"I'm sorry."

Katherine laughed loudly and unlike her usual chuckle. "It's not you're fault. You're a busy man."

"I ought to give my secretary a few minutes to step outside and enjoy the garden." He said, no longer questioning why she got so annoyed with him sometimes. "You've been working for me for plenty of time. I owe you this much."

She shrugged. "I like working hard."

"Maybe I'm working you too hard." She just chuckled breathily. "I know, how about you and I go on a day out tomorrow. With Crutchie of course, but that way we can spend time together. And I don't have to work you to death." Jack suggested, trying to hide his apprehension.

Katherine tucked her hair behind her ear so that Jack could see her bright smile. "I'd like that very much." She said, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

Before he lost his nerve, Jack put his arms around her and pulled Katherine to his chest.

In all their times of working together, Jack had never held her like this.

————

Crutchie was up and out of bed at the crack of dawn, Mr Kelly found him in the dining room enjoying a nice nutritional breakfast for once.

"Crutchie.." Jack smiled, taking a seat beside him. "How would you like to come on a day out around the city with Katherine and I?" The young boys smile only widened.

"Oh, yes please, sir!"

"Call me Jack, kid." Jack struggled to hide his grin. "Oh!" He remembered. "I had my carpenter fix you up a new crutch, so you've not got that old walking stick."

Crutchie nodded and thanked Jack, not quite as enthusiastic as before.

————

Jack and Crutchie were waiting by the door for Katherine to come and join them. Jack was in his old trench coat and Crutchie was wrapped in a new coat, specially bought this morning.

Katherine suddenly ran over and Adelaide hurried to give her her coat. "Sorry, sorry, I'm here."

"What took you so long?" Jack chuckled as Katherine tucked her hair behind her ear revealing her very flushed face.

"Fell asleep."

"How...?"

"I was up till 5 finishing sorting the files that I didn't do last night because I was sulking." She laughed at the thought.

"Katherine, you shouldn't have done that, filing really isn't that important." Jack said, his brows furrowing in concern.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Katherine hid her yawn in her coat as she put it on. "Let's go."