BACKBEAT LOVE

Chapter 15

(The next morning Morgan woke up. She opened her eyes. Morgan went into the bathroom, when she came out she headed to the bedroom. Jeffrey woke up, he went into the bathroom and then got dressed. he set the pillow and folded the blanket on the end of the couch. Morgan came back out dressed. She quietly made Jeffrey and her some coffee and they sat down at the kitchen table to talk in whispers.)

Morgan: About last night Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: Maybe we should keep it to ourselves.

Morgan: I was just going to say that.

Jeffrey: We should talk about tonight.

Morgan: Well tonight is the newsie rally.

Jeffrey: Yeah.

Morgan: Jeffrey I wasn't going to tell anybody this, but I have a feeling that something is gonna happen.

Jeffrey: Like what?

Morgan: I don't know.

Jeffrey: All we can do is make sure the newsie rally happens.

Morgan: I know.

(Morgan and Jeffrey drink their coffee in silence. Morgan didn't know what to say, she didn't want to tell Jeffrey that the bad feeling had to do with Jack.)

Jeffrey: I should go, I gotta help the newsies with their signs and last minute details with Medda and Tony.

Morgan: I'll walk you out Jeffrey.

(Morgan walks Jeffrey to the door)

Jeffrey: See you at the newsie rally.

Morgan: Yeah, be careful of the delancey brothers.

Jeffrey: Ok.

(Morgan quickly grabbed Jeffrey and kissed him on the mouth. Jeffrey smiled down at Morgan)

Morgan: See you later.

(That afternoon Morgan helped Mrs.Jacobs with chores, while David and Les helping the newsies get ready for the newsie rally. They had passed out flyers to all of the newsies in New York and were hoping that they would all show up to support it. Morgan helped Mrs. Jacobs do the laundry. Morgan didn't realize how hard it was until she was rubbing the clothes against this weird board, but she wanted to be useful. Mrs Jacobs understood why Morgan wouldn't hang clothes on the roof with Her. Time flew as they worked, but then when they did take a break, Mrs Jacobs made some lemondade and they sat down to have some special cake that Mrs. Jacobs made at the kitchen table.)

Morgan: Thanks for the lemondade, this cake is really good.

Mrs.Jacobs: It's a family recipe.

Morgan: My mom had some of those, they were handed down from generations.

Mrs.Jacobs: Those are the best recipes.

Morgan: Yes, this cake reminds me of my mom.

Mrs. Jacobs: Your parents sound like they were very nice Morgan.

Morgan: The best, they loved each other so much, you could tell, even if they disagreed, it didn't take long for them to be making up. I loved it when they did make up, they would call each other pet names. Dad use to call me "Lit'l Bit", he hardly called me Morgan. I loved it when he called me that.

Mrs. Jacobs: The nickname does fit you.

Morgan: Yeah, he told me about the day I was born.

Mrs. Jacobs: Les use to ask me about that day, but he doesn't anymore.

Morgan: I never got tired of hearing the story, but Les is a boy and well boys tend to grow out of things like that.

Mrs. Jacobs: I know, he wants to be just like David and Jack now. A newsie and now a striking newsie.

Morgan: Yeah.

Mrs. Jacobs: I wish you would stay Morgan, it's been so nice having you here, it's like I have another daughter.

Morgan: Really?

Mrs. Jacobs: Yes.

Morgan: I can't, I wish I could, but Jeffrey and I have to meet up with Olivia and Bogg in New Hampsire.(Morgan lied)

Morgan: But I'll never forget any of this and how kind you and your family have been to me.

Mrs.Jacobs: Your parents would be proud of you Morgan.

(Morgan didn't say anything, she got up and took her glass and plate, she put them in the sink)

Morgan: We should finish so I can get dressed for the newsie rally in a couple of hours, is it ok if I take a bath and wash my hair?

Mrs. Jacobs: Of course.

(Morgan and Esther finished the rest of the chores, it was already 4pm and Morgan sat in the tub, she laid in it thinking about what Esther had told her. Morgan wished she could stay with the Jacobs in their time, but she was so anxious to get back to Olivia and voyaging. Morgan was worried about Olivia and Bogg. Morgan waited for last to wash her hair, she dunked her head and then rinsed out her hair, she carefully got outof the tub and dried off, she didn't have to do much with her hair, since it was chin length and curly. Morgan put some powder on and then carefully slipped on her undergarments. she pulled the plug on the tub and watched as the water drained out. Lost in her thoughts another memory slipped in. She was 2 years old. Her mother had her wrapped in a towel and was reading her a bedtime story, while rocking in the chair. Her fingers wrapped a thick strand of her mothers hair, she felt so safe in her mother's arm. Morgan didn't even know that Sarah had been knocking on the door for a few minutes and finally came in, she waved her hand in front of Morgan's face and then snapped them.)

Sarah: Morgan.

Morgan: Huh, what?

Sarah: Are you ok?

Morgan: Yeah, sorry.

Sarah: You looked like you were miles away, are you sure you're ok?

Morgan: Yeah.

Sarah: Well I'll be there in about 15 minutes to help you get dressed, ok?

Morgan: Ok, I want to towel dry my hair alittle bit more.

(Morgan left and went into the bedroom, she carefully towel dried her hair, she didn't rub it but squinched it with the towel, it was the keep the curls in it. Morgan stared in the mirror that as she sat on the chair, she finished with her hair and then slipped the necklace that Olivia gave to her back on. Esther came in)

Mrs. Jacobs: How was the bath?

Morgan: Great.

(Esther went to the hook and took off their dresses. she put them on the bed, she carefully took Morgan's dress and handed it to her.)

Morgan: Thanks.

(Morgan started to put it on, she was careful, but struggled in it, Mrs. Jacobs helped her and then buttoned up the back and smoothed it out. She handed Morgan some stockings.)

Mrs.Jacobs: You can wear these, they use to be Sarah's when she was younger, they should fit you.

Morgan: Thanks.

(Morgan slipped them on, they fit her just right, she then carefully got up and let the dress fall back down. she turned to Esther.)

Morgan: How do I look?

Esther: Beautiful, now we need to do the finishing touches, come and sit down in the chair.

(Esther took her hand and pulled her to the chair and gently set her down and turned her around from the mirror. Morgan watched as Esther pulled out a buff and something beige)

Esther: Ok, close your eyes.

(Morgan closed her eyes and then coughed slightly when she felt something press on her face. Morgan opened
her eyes and Esther was using her fingers to caress Morgan's face. she pulled out some lipstick)

Morgan: Esther, I don't wear makeup.

Esther: Well you should on special occasions and this is one of those.

(Morgan tried to argue with Esther, but finally Morgan gave in and let her apply the makeup. Esther slipped on some clipon earrings on Morgan's ears.)

Esther: Ok you can open your eyes.

(Morgan opened her eyes and Esther turned her so she could see herself in the mirror. Morgan didn't recognize the person in the mirror.)

Esther: You look even more beautiful Morgan.

(Morgan noticed the earrings and started to take them off, when Esther stopped her.)

Esther: No, they go with the cameo and I want you to wear them tonight.

Morgan: After the newsie rally I'll make sure you get them back.

Esther: Ok.

(Sarah came out and gasped at Morgan, she smiled widely.)

Sarah: Boy Jeffrey sure is gonna be smiling alot when he sees you.

Morgan: More like running in the other direction.

Sarah: Oh no Morgan, he's gonna want to kiss you.

Esther: Sarah.

Sarah: Sorry mama, it's just that Morgan looks so beautiful tonight.

Morgan: Is it ok if I go sit down and wait for everyone?

Esther: Sure.

(Morgan left the bedroom, she walked into the livingroom and sat down, she slipped on the shoes and then waited for the others. Morgan, David, Les and Sarah arrived at Irving Hall.Denton saw them and made them stand still, he took their picture. Denton even complimented Morgan on how pretty she looked. Morgan blushed. David left them to find the others, he was gonna be helping Jack with his speech. Morgan stood with Sarah as Les went to find Jack. Morgan searched for Jeffrey and then smiled when she saw him. Jeffrey had spotted Sarah and Morgan and walked up to them. Jeffrey smiled widely when he saw Morgan.)

Jeffrey: Hi, you made it.

Morgan: Yes, we did.

(Jeffrey looked Morgan up and down)

Morgan: What, you don't like it?

Jeffrey: No, it's not that, how did you manage to get Morgan to wear a dress Sarah?

Sarah: It wasn't hard, she just needed some incouragement from mama and I.

Jeffrey: Morgan you beautiful.

Morgan: Thanks.

Jeffrey: Let's find a table.

(Jeffrey held out his arms and Sarah and Morgan took one of each and went to look for a table. Some of the newsies spotted Morgan and whistled at her. Jeffrey gave them looks and they laughed behind their hands as they walked by. Jeffrey found them a table and sat down next to Morgan.)

Morgan: So how was organizing the newsie rally Jeffrey?

Jeffrey: Not bad, we got alot of newsies from all over and Jack has a great speech to give and Spot will be on stage with him and so it should go according to plan. Denton is the only one here to cover the newsie rally. He's all ready to take pictures.

Morgan: We know he took our picture when we arrived.

(It didn't take long when Les sat down next to Morgan and the newsie rally went into full swing. Jeffrey got up and headed to the stage.)

Jack: Carry'n da Banner!

Newsies: Carry'n da Banner!

Jack: We've come a long way, but we ain't there yet. It' sonly going to get tougher from now on, and that means we got to get tougher too. We have to get smarter to and listen to my pal Davy and stop soakingthe scabs.
Race: What are we suppose to do wit da bums, kiss em?

(The newsies laughed at that. Spot Conlon sitting in the front row, jumped onstage and shouted)

Spot: Any scab I see, I soak em.

David: That's just what they want you to do, then they can say we're just thugs, if we behave like them, we're going to turn into them.

Spot: I don't care, some of us just ain't mad to take it, I say anybody hurts us, we hurt em worse, who's wit me?

The audience divided into two factions and began to debate. Jack saw the tempers growing hot and he shouted as loud as he could.

Jack: Go ahead and fight each other, theat's what Pulitzer and the rest of em want us to prove. that we're street rats, street rats with no brains and no respect for nothing, including ourselves!

(Everyone stopped fighting and listened as jack continued)

Jack: Here's how it is, if we don't stick together, we're nothing. so Spot what's it going to be Spot, do we stick together, do we fight as one?

Spot: I say what you say, is what I say!

(Spot and Jack spit sealed it with a handshake. That very moment the band started to play. the curtain rose and Medda came on stage and started to sing. All the newsies started to whistle and stomp as they joined in the song. Unaware that the police had circled the front of Irving Hall, they had a paddy wagon and the crips with chains and clubs. Synder, Weasel and the Delancey brothers had joined them so they could make sure that Jack was taken into custody and back to the refuge. Everyone joined Medda on stage. Morgan and Sarah sat at the table. Jack and Jeffrey who were sitting next to them, looked at them smiling widely and then got up to join Medda. Jack took Medda's hand and started to sing with her. Morgan noticed Jeffrey on the other side and smiled that he was enjoying himself. It wasn't until David had noticed Synder entering Irving Hall that something was wrong. Morgan watched as David quickly ran up to the stage.)

David: Jack!

Jack: What?

David: It's Snyder!

Jack: Who?

(David grabbed Jack's collar and pulled him right down so he could hear him.)

David: It's snyder, look!

(David pointed to the entrance when Denton had his camera, Denton was going to give them some time, he pointed the flash right in Synder's face and snapped it, so he was blind. Suddenly all hell broke loose.All the newsies started to scatter, the police came in and started to go after the newsies. Jeffrey ran to us and told us to go out the back way. We decided to help the newsies. the police headed for Jack. Jack leapt off the stage and into the arms of a bunch of newsies. they got him out the front door, but the whole place was surrounded by police on horses and Pulitzer's hired thugs called the crips. I saw Jack run back in. Dodging cops on either side, Jack ran down the aisle, straight into the arms of Snyder, who waited to grab him, but David leapt down from the stage and into Synder's back and rode him around the theatre like a wild bronco. Medda was busy hitting cops with something and shouting to them over and over about the newsies just being kids, but they ignored her. Her assistant dragged her backstage and you could still hear her yelling it over and over, until you couldn't hear her anymore. A cop pulled David off and threw him to the floor, which made Sarah and I scream and Les, went over to the cop and kicked him in the shins. when he bent over, I balled up my fist and decked him, he fell on the floor with a thud. By now Weasel and the Delancey brothers and the rest of the thugs had joined the fray with clubs and chains swinging. The newsies tried to escape, but at every exit they were met by a new mob. I looked around for Jeffrey and a cop was about to club him, he managed to find something to defend himself and Morgan sighed a relief. Denton stepped in to stop Kid Blink from getting clubbed, by using the flash on his camera, once blind Kid Blink decked the guy. David fearing for Sarah, Les and Morgan's life dragged them to an exit under the stairway. Morgan didn't want to go, but David told them it was better. Jeffrey ran over and kissed Morgan quickly.)

Jeffrey: I'll see you later.

Morgan: Jeffrey, be careful!

(I don't know what happened after that, but we were running all the way back to the Jacob's apartment, when David headed back into Irving Hall.)

David: Tell them not to worry.

Sarah: Be careful.

(We watched as David ran back to Irving Hall. We walked in and Esther and Mayer had worried looks on their faces.)

Sarah: It was awful, but David made us leave.

Esther: It's a good thing, you three could of gotten hurt.

Sarah: Les kicked a cop in the shins and Morgan she just balled up her fist and decked the guy.

Esther: Oh my.

Morgan: He deserved it, he was gonna hit Les.

Mayer: Where's David?

Morgan: He went back to Irving hall.

(Morgan was worried about Jeffrey. I wouldn't be until late when David and Jeffrey came back.)

Jeffrey: Well they are all in detention cells until tomorrow morning, that's when they appear in court.

David: Denton is already getting money to get them out.

Morgan: I want to be there.

David: Ok.

Jeffrey: The courthouse opens at 8am sharp and I'm pretty sure the judge is gonna want to get it over with.

Morgan: Ok, I'll be there.

David: Jeffrey why don't you stay tonight.

Mayer: It's no trouble.

Morgan: I think I'm gonna get out of this dress and get ready for bed.

Sarah: Yeah, it's late.

Jeffrey: Ok.

(Morgan got up and headed to the bedroom with Sarah. Morgan couldn't wait to get out of the dress. Sarah helped her get out of it and carefully slid the stockings off and handed them to Sarah. Sarah and Morgan went into the bathroom and cleaned their faces and brushed their teeth. Morgan could tell Sarah was worried about Jack.)

Morgan: I'm sure Jack will be fine.

Sarah: David said that he got a shiner when one of the cops decked him while he was trying to get away.

Morgan: Everything will turn out like it's suppose to. (Morgan lied)

Sarah: I hope so.

(Later that night Morgan snuck out of the room, she nudged Jeffrey awake, who was sleeping on the couch again)

Morgan: Did you check the omni?

Jeffrey: Yeah, red light.

Morgan: Ok.

(Morgan starts to get up, when Jeffrey grabs her arm and pulls her back down.)

Jeffrey: I saw you deck that cop, pretty impressive and while you were wearing a dress.

Morgan: Thanks, he was gonna hit Les.

Jeffrey: I can't wait to tell Olivia and Bogg about the dress.

Morgan: I'm not gonna live it down I'm I.

Jeffrey: Nope.

(Jeffrey let his hand cup her cheek and used his thumb to caress her cheek, he leaned in and kissed
Morgan gently on the lips. Morgan responded to the kiss. Morgan could feel the butterflies returning
and she suddenly got warm, she broke the kiss to look at Jeffrey.)

Morgan: We can't tonight so get sleep, see you in the morning.

Jeffrey: Yeah.

(Morgan went back to bed, she could hear Sarah's steady breathing. Morgan turned on her stomach and fell asleep. Jeffrey laid on the couch, he covered himself up and closed his eyes. It didn't take long for Jeffrey to fall asleep. )