Extra, Extra! (A Newsies fanfiction)

Seventeen---Esther

After another day of selling, we all came back for a party at the Lodging House. Race, Davey, Les, Specs and I were the first people to come home.

"Let's get some things straight before people get here. We are not putting Henry in charge of the food." Specs says, tidying up a bit. Davey is in the kitchen getting cups and everything else we need for tonight. I'm sweeping and Race is holding the pan we put the dust in.

The door opens as Henry walks in. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure that people are gonna want more than pastrami on rye with a sour pickle."

"Okay....ham?"

Jack walks through the door before Henry and Specs can continue to bicker. Crutchie hobbled in behind him.

"Hey guys! Ise got some decorations!" Jack holds up a box. He opens the box to reveal some sort of streamers. He also has a picture frame along with one of the newspapers from today.

We made the front page again.

"And look at this!" Crutchie turns, showing us his crutch. There is a banner on it but instead of strike, it says Once and For All.

"Wow." Les says. He has been helping Davey as much as he could with his cast. Before, he tried to sweep but that was a little hard with one arm, so we switched jobs.

"That's great, Crutchie!" Henry remarks. "Hey, Jack...can I be on food duty tonight?"

"Sure!"

We all groan. Guess it's a sandwich night.

"I got the food!" Albert announced as door shut behind him. Henry slumped in disappointment.

"Nice. The deli?" Specs inquires. Albert shakes his head.

"No. A new place called Tibby's down the street." Albert answered.

"I got plates!" Davey yells from the kitchen.

We all snicker. Jojo comes in next followed by Smalls.

"I got huge tips today so I got a bottle of seltzer for the party." Jojo says.

"I will put that and the food in the kitchen!" Davey comes out and takes the seltzer and the food. He disappeared back into the kitchen.

"I'm saving my money." Romeo starts as he walks in. "I got a hundred papes this time and guess how much I made? With the rest I got left over, I'm almost at a dollar!"

"Great!"

"Man, I should start doing that." Race says, lighting another corona.

"Yeah, then you could by back your muddah!" Elmer says. He shuts the door behind him and enters the room with Finch. Mush comes in soon after Finch and Elmer.

Someone knocks at the door.

We are all puzzled. Nobody knocks.

Smalls answers the door.

"Hello. Is Esther Kelly here?"

"Yes she is." Smalls motions me to come.

Standing outside the door is Harvey.

"Hey."

"Hi there. Where's Cole?"

Harvey points. "Over there. He wanted to explore a bit. I wanted to tell you congratulations on the strike. You won. You got me out." He seems close to tears. "Thank you so much."

"Remember when you said you wanted to be a newsie?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I'm inviting you to come to the party tonight. We're getting it ready right now."