Second Chances and Choices

Chapter 18

The next morning, the girls took their time getting ready. Briar waited by the door while Lit’l Bit wrestled with a tangle in her hair.
Briar chuckled and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Why’re you so bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning?” grumbled Lit’l Bit. “What about the whole Snoddy slash David fiasco?”
Briar just shrugged and changed the subject. “What happened with you and Spot?” she asked. “Did you pitch him?”
Lit’l Bit sighed and led the way downstairs. “Yeah, I pitched him. And boy do I feel guilty. He gave me this bracelet. It must have cost him a fortune.”
“Ah no, it was a steal.”
Briar and Lit’l Bit looked up to see Spot waiting in the lobby.
“Conlon. What’re you doing here?” asked Briar.
“I wanted to talk to Lit’l Bit, if that’s okay with her.” Spot tilted his head slightly in her direction.
“Um, actually Briar and I are already running late. Maybe you should come back tomorrow?” said Lit’l Bit, obviously trying to avoid talking to him.
“Oh. Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Spot turned and walked out of the Lodging House with his head bowed down.
“I’m actually feeling sorry for him,” said Briar as they watched him leave.
“Me too. But the last thing I need is a messed up love triangle.”
“I believe ya. Go talk to him!” hissed Briar.
“Didn’t you just hear what I said? I’m with Jack now and I don’t want to ruin that.” Lit’l Bit put a finger to her lips before Briar could say another word.

Briar walked home alone after finishing her work. Lit’l Bit had met up with Jack and they left towards Irving Hall. Briar pulled her hair out of its ponytail; it was giving her a headache. She wanted to go back and turn in early but her plans took an unexpected turn when David ran up beside her.
“Briar, wait.” He skidded to a halt. “I was hoping I’d run into you.”
“What is it?” she asked.
David took her hand in his. “I’ve given this a lot of thought, Briar, and I realized it’s the right thing to do…”
Briar interrupted him “David, you don’t have to…”
“Just let me finish,” he said. “I know we’ve had our time together, but what’s happened now is gonna change everything…”
Here it comes, thought Briar. He’s gonna dump me. “I know. I…”
“It wasn’t easy for me to make this decision…”
“David, I understand…”
“So, Briar…
“If you’re gonna leave me just say so,” said Briar.
“Will you marry me?” David said at the same moment.
Briar froze. “Say that again,” she said slowly.
David’s cool blue eyes bore into hers. “Will you marry me?”
She watched as he produced a small ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger.
“Oh, please say yes,” he whispered.
Briar didn’t move, she just stood and stared at the ring. After a silence that seemed to last for ever she said, “Yes.”
“You will?”
“I will.” She looked up at him.
“You… Briar, I promise… I… I don’t know what to say!” He wrapped his arms around her, nearly lifting her off the ground.
Briar hugged him back, resting her head on his shoulder. I’m getting married?

They walked back to the Lodging House and once inside, David put his arm around her waist and cleared his throat, addressing the newsies who sat scattered in the lobby.
“I’m just gonna cut to the chase here,” he began. “I wanted you guys to be the first to know that Briar and I…”
Lit’l Bit shot a questioning look at Briar, who, in reply, raised her hand and pointed to the ring on her finger.
“…Are getting married!”
The whole room jumped to their feet and everybody started talking at once. “Are you kidding me?” cried Jack.
Briar looked over the heads of those congratulating, and teasing, David till she found who she was looking for. Lit’l Bit watched as Briar approached Snoddy.
“Well, I guess I should say congratulations,” said Snoddy.
“You don’t sound too happy,” said Briar searching his face.
Snoddy put up his hands and shook his head, his deep blue eyes suddenly seemed to grow darker. “No, no, I couldn’t be happier for you. I bet you’ll make a real cute homemaker,” he said bitterly.
Briar opened her mouth to speak but Snoddy had already turned and walked away. Lit’l Bit came over and put her hand on Briar’s shoulder.
She knew she should be congratulating Briar, but all she said was, “What made you do it?”
Briar looked back at David then at Lit’l Bit. “I don’t know. He asked me to marry him, and the next thing I know, I’m saying yes.” She walked outside quietly.
Lit’l Bit sighed. She didn’t say what I was waiting to hear: that she loved him. Maybe there’s a little light at the end of this tunnel after all.

David came out after a while and saw Briar leaning against the building.
“So…” he began.
“So…” replied Briar.
“Now what?”
Briar shrugged. “Do your parents know?”
David shook his head. “I don’t know how they’ll take it.”
“You’re gonna have to tell them, you know.”
“Thanks for pointing that out,” David said sarcastically.
“Maybe this whole thing is just a big mistake,” said Briar.
“No, no. I want to do this.” David brought his hand up to her chin. “I wanna do the right thing.” He closed the distance between them and brushed his lips against hers. “I’ll smooth things over with my parents tonight.” He kissed her again.
Briar watched him leave before turning back into the Lodging House. She walked past everyone and up the stairs where she threw herself onto the bunk.
“It’s been a busy day, hasn’t it, Briar?” said Jack with a smirk as he came into the bunkroom. “Or should I say: Mrs. David Jacobs.”
Briar glared at him. “Shut up!” she hissed, storming out and onto the rooftop. “Sorry. I didn’t know anyone was here.”
Snoddy gave her a brief glance.
“Mind if I sit down?”
“It’s a free country,” he said coldly.
Briar took a seat next to him by the ledge. “Do you ever feel that the world is spinning, and that you’d do anything to make it stop?”
Snoddy’s tone softened. “Is that how you’re feeling?”
“Pretty much,” Briar admitted. “David means well, and I… I guess…”
“Do you love him?”
Briar brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know.” She looked into his eyes. “How do you know when you’re in love with a girl, Snoddy?”
Snoddy swallowed hard and said, “Well, I guess you know when…” He locked onto her gaze. “When you know everything about her and yet everything she does amazes you. You’d do anything to make her smile, and when she does, it’s like nothing in the world matters anymore.”
Briar noticed he was leaning in closer; she didn’t move back.
“And the only thing you want is for her to be happy, even if it’s with someone else…” he stopped, realizing he’d said too much. But he couldn’t stop himself from drawing closer to her and laying his lips on hers.
When they parted, Snoddy put his hand on the back of her neck and whispered, “You don’t love him.” It was more of a statement than a question.
Briar shook her head and leaned in for another kiss. This time, Snoddy circled his arms around her and pressed her body up against his.

“Way to go, Mr. Sensitivity!” Lit’l Bit whacked Jack in the arm playfully.
Jack thew out his hands. “What? I was just teasing her.”
Lit’l Bit rolled. “It didn’t occur to you that she just wasn’t in the mood to be teased? Where is she now?”
“I dunno. Probably on the roof.”
Lit’l Bit went up and quietly opened the trap door leading to the roof. She was just about to call Briar when she saw her friend with Snoddy. Lit’l Bit smiled to herself and went back down.
Meanwhile, at the Jacobs’:
“You want to what?”
David winced as both his parents stared at him as though he’d just said he wanted to fly to the moon. He took a calm breath and went on. “I want to marry Briar.”
“Are you insane? You’re too young!” shrieked Esther Jacobs.
Mayer Jacobs held up his hand, “Now, Esther…”
“Where are you going to live?”
“I thought we could live here until I can afford to move out,” said David.
“David, I have to agree with your mother on one thing,” said Mr. Jacobs. “You are too young, and so is Briar. We don’t even know her real name.”
“Sarah.”
“What?”
“Her real name is Sarah.”
Mr. Jacobs sighed. “All right, so we know her name. What else do you know about her?”
“I know that I want to do this,” said David, his patience running out.
Mrs. Jacobs slammed her hand down on the tabletop. “I will not allow my son to give up his life for some… puppy love!” she shouted.
David glared up at this mother. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come to you at all. Maybe Briar and I should’ve just eloped.”
“Eloped? Eloped!” Mrs. Jacobs let out a small scream.
David rolled his eyes. “Mother… I didn’t mean that.”
“Mayer! Talk to your son!”
“David…” Mr. Jacobs began. “Have you thought about this at all? Have you given Briar…Sarah a chance to think about it?”
“Yes, I’ve thought about it. And Briar agreed. What more could I want?”
Mr. Jacobs fixed his son with a look David knew well. It was the look he gave his children when he wanted to know the truth about something. “Is there another reason behind this wedding?” asked Mr. Jacobs. “Something you’re not telling us?”
David tried to keep his voice neutral. “I told you. I love her. That’s it.”
Mrs. Jacobs shook her head. “You are making the biggest mistake of your life, David Jacobs!”
Mr. Jacobs held up his hand. “Maybe we should let him see that for himself.” He looked at his son with an expression David had never seen before.
“What? Have you lost your mind?” Mrs. Jacobs shrieked.
“Esther,” Mr. Jacobs said sternly. He pointed a finger at David. “You want to get married? You think you’re up to the responsibility?”
David frowned. What’s he up to? “Yes,” he said, wishing he sounded a little more confident under his father’s stare.
Mr. Jacobs nodded. “All right then.”
Mrs. Jacobs almost fainted. “Mayer!” she gasped.
“Esther, if the boy thinks he can do it, by all means, let him do it,” Mr. Jacobs said coldly. He got up from the chair and opened the bedroom door. “I want you out of this house by tomorrow morning.”
David bolted up. “What?”
“You heard me. You want the responsibility, you’ve got it!”
Esther went after her husband and David dropped back into his seat with his head in his hands.