Second Chances and Choices

Chapter 20


When Briar and Lit’l Bit arrived at Brooklyn, the sun was beginning to set and a cover of darkness was spreading maliciously over the sky. They found the lodging house oddly deserted and went to Spot’s room.
“Stay out here,” said Lit’l Bit, holding out her hand.
“But…” Briar tried to argue but Lit’l Bit had already gone inside the room and closed the door behind her. Briar pushed her hair back with her hand and leaned against the door.
Inside, Lit’l Bit saw Spot sitting on the bed with a calm expression on his face that disturbed her. “Hey, Spot,” she said, trying to smile.
Spot looked up and grinned. “Lit’l Bit. I was hoping you’d come and see me.”
“Really? Why?”
Spot shrugged and stood up. “I just missed you.” He hugged her for a moment then held her out at arms length with his hands on her shoulders. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said after studying her face.
Lit’l Bit squirmed slightly under his touch. “Well, I…um, I just got some pretty disturbing news.”
Spot frowned. “I’m sorry. What happened?”
Lit’l Bit looked straight into his ice blue eyes in attempt to decipher what was hidden behind them. “Nothing,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Oh. So… what brings you to Brooklyn?” Spot’s grip tightened on her arms.
Lit’l Bit forced a smile on her lips. “I just wanted to see you.”
Spot laughed and a change came over his expression. “No, you didn’t,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
He laughed again. “You came to find out whether I shot Jack or not.” His tone had lost the warmth she used to hearing and was replaced by a bloodcurdling coldness. “Well, I’ll save you the trouble… yes, I did.”
Lit’l Bit’s mouth opened and closed for a second before she found her voice. “Spot…why?”
“Why?” Spot’s mouth turned into a frown and his eyebrows drew together. “Because you chose him over me.”
Lit’l Bit watched as he pulled something out of his back pocket.
“You see this? This is the gun that shot Jack.” He touched it to her temple while pulling her to him with his free arm. “It’s still warm.”
“Spot… don’t,” Lit’l Bit pleaded. Her throat tightened and her heart was trapped somewhere between her chest and her lips.
“When you dumped me, I got to thinking. I realized that I wasn’t gonna lose you to another guy. But you were so in love with Jack I knew you weren’t gonna come back to me. So I decided that either you were gonna be with me or…” he pushed the gun harder into the side of her head. “You won’t be with anyone.”
“This, this can’t be real. I’m dreaming.”
Spot shook his head amusedly. “It’s not a dream. But it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Just say yes and we’ll leave New York. You won’t have to be around Jack anymore.”
Lit’l Bit stared up at him in alarm. Just when she thought she might faint, her mind miraculously put together a plan.
“Spot, I am not leaving with you,” she said loudly.
Spot squeezed her roughly. “What?” he growled.
“Oh, you didn’t hear me? Then I’ll talk louder! I am not going anywhere! I’m staying right here!” She practically screamed.
Spot pulled the trigger and brought the pistol to her stomach. Lit’l Bit drew her breath sharply.
“Say you’ll come with me,” Spot ordered in a raspy whisper.
“NO!” Lit’l Bit screamed with all her might.
“Why you…”
The door to the bunkroom flew open and Briar burst in. No one stirred for a second then Briar lunged at Spot and pushed him away from her friend.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Lit’l Bit nodded then her eyes winded. “Briar!”
Spot had brought the gun down on Briar’s neck and she fell to the floor. “Nice try,” he hissed at Lit’l Bit. “At least you got to see your friend one last time.”
Lit’l Bit broke into a run and fled the room. She heard a shot from the gun and felt the wood splinter from the wall where the bullet had struck. With her hands over her ears, she ran down the staircase as fast as her legs could carry her. Bullets were hitting the banister and a smell of burned wood filled the air. She grabbed her arm in pain as a bullet whizzed past, tearing her shirtsleeve and burning her skin.
In the second she was distracted, her churning legs tangled with each other and she tripped and toppled down onto the landing. She turned her head to see Spot standing just a few steps above her with the gun pointed straight at her. Suddenly, Spot was attacked from behind and Briar grabbed his wrist, trying desperately to get the gun away from him. He elbowed her in the stomach and she doubled over. One punch sent her reeling back against the wall.
Lit’l Bit threw herself at him and tried to wrestle the gun away herself. She dug her fingernails into his wrist till she could feel a trickle of blood on the tips of her fingers. Spot grunted in pain but fought her off. He knocked her to the floor and pinned the gun against her throat. Lit’l Bit kneed him in the groin and kicked him off. Briar was on top of him in an instant and Lit’l Bit watched them spar on the ground. Suddenly, Spot got Briar underneath him and grabbed her around the throat. Her fingers clawed at his hand but he squeezed harder.
Lit’l Bit’s mind reeled. “Spot, I’ll go with you!”
Spot looked up at her. “You…”
Briar’s fist flew at his jaw, knocking him off her and grabbing the gun from his hand.
“You do the honors,” she panted, tossing the weapon to Lit’l Bit.
Lit’l Bit stared at Spot’s body and shakily raised the gun.

“Ow ow ow!”
“Sorry. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Lit’l Bit nodded as Mush cleaned up her wound with alcohol. Briar sat on the opposite bunk with an icepack on her forehead.
“Where’s Spot now?” Mush asked.
“He’s in police custody,” said Briar, wincing as she removed the icepack.
“You think he’ll get a trial?” asked Lit’l Bit.
“I don’t know, Lit’l Bit,” replied Briar.
Mush picked up the first aid kit and left. “I think we’ve earned ourselves some much needed sleep, don’t you think?” said Briar yawning.
Lit’l Bit was quite for a moment, then said, “Thanks for helping me out back there.”
“Hey, you saved my skin.”
“But you heard me screaming.”
“We were both lucky I guess.”

“I look stupid.”
“You look fine.”
Briar raised an eyebrow and examined her back in the mirror. “I think it’s too much.”
Lit’l Bit rolled her eyes and smoothed down the front of the white gown Briar was wearing. It was two weeks after the incident with Spot and the girls’ attention was turned to a new worry.
“I don’t need a fancy white dress,” said Briar. “My own good dress will do just fine.”
Lit’l Bit laughed. “I thought you’d like getting dressed up.”
“It’s not some big occasion, Lit’l Bit. It’s a gunpoint wedding.” She sighed and stepped back into the changing room. “How’s Jack doing?”
“He’s getting better slowly. But it’ll be some time before he can leave the hospital.”
“You wanna go see him today?” Briar came out with the dress draped over one arm.
“Yeah, sure.” Lit’l Bit stopped and put a hand on her stomach.
Briar frowned. “What’s the matter?”
Lit’l Bit shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just feeling kind of nauseous.”
“Again? You were feeling sick yesterday. Maybe it’s something you ate.”
“Actually I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.” Replied Lit’l Bit.
Briar kept her eyes on Lit’l Bit as they walked out of the store. She was just about to say something when Lit’l Bit cut her off.
“Have you seen David?”
“Nah. He’s been kinda worried about his parents,” said Briar. She was silent for a minute then said, “Do you think I should just call the whole thing off? I mean, who cares if David and I get married?”
Lit’l Bit turned to look at her. “Kinda late to be thinking about that, don’t you think? The wedding’s tomorrow.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Lit’l Bit put an arm around Briar’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine.”
“Everyone survives the ceremony, it’s what’s after…”
Lit’l Bit gave her friend a squeeze. “It seems so weird to think of you marrying David Jacobs. I never thought he was right for you. David is…extremely good.”
“You can say that again. But I can’t do anything about it now, can I?”
“How’re you feeling, Jack?”
Jack groaned softly and rested his head against the pillows he was propped up on. “In pain.” He laughed quietly. “What about you? I hear tomorrow you’re tying the knot.” He pretended to tie a rope around his neck and hang himself.
David forced a meek smile on his face. “Yeah.”
“Got your monkey suit and everything?” Jack laughed.
David stared down at the floor. “I’m not gonna show.”
Later that evening, long after David had left, Lit’l Bit and Briar came to check on Jack.
“It’s too bad you can’t be at the wedding tomorrow,” said Lit’l Bit as she helped him with his dinner.
At the mention of the wedding, Jack felt a terrible guilt settle in his stomach. He pushed the dinner tray away and straightened up. “David was here and…”
“What was he doing here?” said Lit’l’ Bit. “He should be resting. Tomorrow’s a big day.”
“He…”
Lit’l Bit put her hand on Jack’s. “Speaking of resting, I know that’s what you should be doing right now but I’ve got something to tell you.”
Jack frowned slightly. “What is it?”
Lit’l Bit beamed at Briar then looked back at Jack. “I’m pregnant.”
Jack blinked and his jaw dropped open while Briar threw her arms around Lit’l Bit.
“I knew it! I knew it!” she cried, kissing her on the cheek. “You’ll make a great mom!”
Lit’l Bit grinned from ear to ear. “Jack? Aren’t you going to say something?”
Jack put his hands on Lit’l Bit’s cheeks and leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you,” he said, kissing her. “I just wish I had a ring,” he laughed when they pulled apart.
“Will this do?” Briar took out the small hoop earring she was wearing and tossed it to Jack.
“It’s perfect,” he said, slipping it on Lit’l Bit’s finger.

That night, Briar lay awake in her bed. Thoughts spun around in her mind preventing her from falling asleep. One thought in particular. After running it through her brain several times, she came to a decision. An hour before the others woke up, Briar quietly crept out of bed and grabbed her clothes. She just had one thing to do before she slipped out the door.
Lit’l Bit woke up first. She looked out the window as she stretched and saw that the sky was a looming gray, with unsettling clouds rolling in. She sighed and kicked off the covers. Something fell off her bed and she bent down to pick it up. It was Briar’s dress and it had a note pinned to it.
I’ll meet you at the church.
Lit’l Bit frowned and looked up to find her friend’s bed empty. “Snoddy?” she called, getting out of bed.
Snoddy rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Yeah?”
“Where’s Briar?”
Snoddy sat up in his bunk. “Why?” he said slowly.
“Because she’s not here,” said Lit’l Bit explained. “She just left this note.” She handed the one-liner to him.
He read it. “So, we should meet her at the church,” he said shrugging his shoulders.
Lit’l Bit cocked an eyebrow. “That’s it? You don’t think she’s up to something? Like running away, maybe?”
Snoddy got down from his bunk. “Nope.”

The small church was more than half empty, seeing as though the only people there were the newsies. At eleven thirty, Lit’l Bit stood in a backroom with the dress draped over her arm, fanning her face. The door opened behind her and Mush came in.
“She said she’d be here!” Lit’l Bit snapped urgently. “And David is running late too!”
“Then they’re probably together,” suggested Mush. “I was just coming to ask you what we should do till they show up.”
“Do? We can’t do anything! We… you! I’m gonna kill you!”
Briar had just breezed into the backroom with a Cheshire-cat grin on her face. “Who? Me?”
Mush looked from one girl to the other and decided he didn’t want to be in the middle of this fight. He left.
Lit’l Bit tossed the dress at Briar, burying her in the folds. “Yes, you! Where the hell have you been? And where’s David? You have a lot of nerve leaving me here all alone!”
Briar smiled at her. “Well, I’m here now. And so is the groom.”
Lit’l Bit closed the door. “Good. Now get into the dress.”
“Oh no, I’m not wearing this dress,” said Briar. “Not today.”
“Briar, I’m in no mood for this. Don’t make me hurt you.”
“David isn’t even here,” Briar pointed out.
“Stop. You just said he was here.”
“No, I said the groom was here. And he is. See for yourself.”
Lit’l Bit raised a warning finger. “You… I’m going to… what are you talking about?”
Briar opened the door again and stepped aside. Lit’l Bit shot her a look before peeking out. She gasped. It was Jack, in a wheelchair, with Snoddy standing next to him.
“You… I…how…”
“I went to see him and he told me David was gonna stand me up. So I thought, why let all this preparation go to waste?”
Lit’l Bit was having a hard time breathing. She thought she would die of laughter if she got started. “And Snoddy was in on this?”
“Of course. And like you said, we’re running late. So I’m just gonna leave this here,” Briar put down the dress. “And I’ll wait for you out there.” She hugged Lit’l Bit and went outside.

With the last “I do” everyone burst into uncontrollable applause. Even Briar was so happy that she kissed Jack on the cheek. Everything in the world seemed so far away as the two girls exchanged hugs with hearts almost bursting with excitement.
“So, I guess they’re gonna live happily ever after, huh?” said Snoddy. He and Briar stood behind as everyone else went back to the Lodging House.
“I don’t think there was ever a doubt about it,” replied Briar.
“How bout you?” said Snoddy looking down at her. “How does your story end?”
“You mean, our story?” said Briar.
Snoddy nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, our story. What do we do now?”
Briar looked up at him. “You wanna get married?”
Snoddy grinned. “Are you proposing?”
“I’m just asking a question. Do you?”
“Ummm…”
“Not yet,” Briar finished for him.
“Not yet,” agreed Snoddy laughing. He stopped and brushed Briar’s hair gently out of her face. “You scared?” he asked quietly.
“From what?”
“Whatever’s coming.”
Briar looked off towards the Lodging House then back at Snoddy. “No. Because I’ve got, not one,” she held up a finger, “but two,” she held up two, “guardian angels.”




THE END