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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 13:51:10 GMT -5
"I'll go back and look for her, okay?"
Spot glanced up at her briefly and nodded before looking back at the log book. He was still searching for where "Trixie" had signed in. If he could find her signature... he was pretty confident that he could tell if it was really his cousin or not. He needed this confirmation since he couldn't go upstairs. Waiting just wasn't option. He needed to know now.
As Lacey went upstairs, Spot focused all of his attention on finding that name. He didn't realize how complicated Ms. Harbour had her log book set up. Mr. O'Quinns seemed so simple compared to this... but look! There it was. That familiar unsteady scribble-scrabble. It was her.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 13:53:34 GMT -5
Heading upstairs was incredibly terrifying. Lacey found herself moving slower and slower with every stair that she went up until she had finally made it to the top. She began searching down the rows almost instantly, just praying that Darcy had indeed been tired and just gone to sleep, though with every bed that she searched, she lost more and more hope.
"Trixie!" She called out, just praying that no one was asleep quite yet since it was still moderately early and there were bound to still be girls out selling. She just wanted to bring Spot his family back.
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Post by Darcy on Jan 8, 2019 14:05:22 GMT -5
Darcy had not rested well. She blamed it on the fact that she was in the one borough she had been trying to avoid. Finally, she could take it no longer. She couldn't stay a minute longer. It was time to head back to Harlem. She was pretty sure she could remember Brooklyn better in the night. After all, there had been so many nights she had spent sneaking in and out of the lodge past curfew to meet--no let's not bring up such memories. She was just going back to Harlem and maybe making plans to leave New York again.
Just as she was slipping out of bed, she heard someone call out her name.
"Trixie!"
She cringed, but luck was momentarily on her side. The girl, Lacey if she remembered correctly, was on the other side of the bunkroom and hadn't reached her side. And, well she was right next to the fire escape. As quiet as a mouse, she slipped into the fire escape. Luck would not stay with her. As she hurried down the ladder, it made one loud squeak. But, she was quick. Even if Lacey made it to the fire escape, she would already be down and running back to Harlem.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 14:09:31 GMT -5
There was the momentary sound of a scuffle along with the squeak of a ladder from the fire escape. Almost instantly, Lacey knew exactly what was happening, turning and racing to the stairs. She wasn't going to let this go. She wasn't going to let Darcy run away from Spot again.
She flew down the stairs, feet moving faster than she could remember ever moving in her life, making a break towards the side of the building with the fire escape, but there was no sign of Darcy. She was already gone. Tears pricked at Lacey's hazel eyes, a mix of frustration and sadness knowing that she had lost her. She had lost her for Spot. How was she supposed to just go back and face him, then tell him that Darcy had been there but she had lost her because she had scared her off?
After gathering herself to the best of her ability, she slowly turned and headed back towards the lodging house to face Spot once again.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 14:17:29 GMT -5
Spot had just found the name written in the log book when Lacey raced past him and outside. He wasn't even able to say one word to her as she passed by. Ms. Harbour looked up from her desk in disapproval, but Spot was sure Lacey had a good reason. Before he could dwell on the thought, Lacey had slowly returned, looking miserable.
He handed the log book back to Ms. Harbour and took a step towards Lacey. "Is... everything okay?" Of course, things were probably not okay. But what else could he say? He could tell something had happened, and that something was probably Darcy. He shouldn't have been surprised really. Darcy was like that, but that was because he now knew it was her. Really her.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 14:21:12 GMT -5
"Is... everything okay?"
Lacey shook her head, teeth tugging harshly at her bottom lip. She could have cried, but she would have just felt stupid if she did. She just felt as though she had let Spot down. She had been trying to help and instead she had just led him into another time where he had been so close to seeing Darcy again and she had ruined it.
"No." Came her quiet, mildly shaky voice. She was mad at herself. She was furious that she hadn't just kept her mouth shut or been faster. She could have given Spot his family back. "She got away. I was stupid and she ran and I couldn't catch 'er." A tear slid out of her eyes, and she sniffled and wiped it away. "I-I didn't mean ta freak her out and let her go. I swear it was her, Spot."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 14:28:56 GMT -5
"No. She got away. I was stupid and she ran and I couldn't catch 'er."
Spot was about to reply but Lacey continued.
"I-I didn't mean ta freak her out and let her go. I swear it was her, Spot."
He patted her shoulder gently and wiped some of the hairs sticking to her face due to her tears. A harrumph sound from Ms. Harbour warned Spot not do anything funny. He took Lacey's hand and took her out onto the porch outside.
"I know, Lacey. You don't have ta get upset. I know..." He sighed softly. "Don't blame herself. Once she gets it inta her mind, she runs. Even I wouldn't be able ta catch her."
Spot was pretty fast, but he had never been able to match his cousin's speed. He wasn't sure if there was anyone who could outrun her.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 14:35:30 GMT -5
Lacey followed Spot slowly out to the porch, still sniffling and blinking back her tears. She was angry at herself. She was just another person now who had let Spot down.
"I know, Lacey. You don't have ta get upset. I know...”
Lacey hiccuped a bit. Was Spot angry at her?
”Don't blame herself. Once she gets it inta her mind, she runs. Even I wouldn't be able ta catch her."
She frowned a bit, wiping her eyes once again. “I wanted ta make you happy. I-I wanted ta give you someone you loved back. I keep messing up, Spot.”
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 14:43:13 GMT -5
"I wanted ta make you happy. I-I wanted ta give you someone you loved back. I keep messing up, Spot.”
Spot had them both sit down on the porch steps as he dug around in his pockets for a handkerchief. Thunder was really right about keeping on near at hand... Ah, this old bandana would have to suffice. He handed it to Lacey.
"I know," he said quietly. "And you didn't mess up. I might not have gotten ta see Darce... but I know she's here. And that means alot to me." He gave Lacey's hand a gentle squeeze. "You didn't mess up."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 14:49:24 GMT -5
"I know."
Lacey blinked a few times, sniffling as she took the bandana and carefully wiped her eyes with it.
"And you didn't mess up. I might not have gotten ta see Darce... but I know she's here. And that means alot to me. You didn't mess up."
"I wanna make you happy," She swallowed thickly, beginning to collect herself and wiping her eyes once again, "I always try but it's always awkward or stupid because I just don't know what to do."
She wished now that she had her parents there. She wished that she had some clue of what to do in situations like this where she was supposed to be making someone happy.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 14:53:05 GMT -5
"I wanna make you happy. I always try but it's always awkward or stupid because I just don't know what to do."
Spot shook his head. "Look at me. It's not about doin' things or anythin' like that." He glanced out at the city before them. This wasn't really his sort of thing, but he needed to show Lacey that things were okay, that he was happy no matter what. "What makes me happy... is that you're here and that you stay safe."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 14:56:00 GMT -5
"Look at me."
Lacey was moderately reluctant, but she looked back at him anyway.
"It's not about doin' things or anythin' like that."
She could have argued, insisting that she couldn't just sit there and just expect things to be okay, but with the way that things always seemed to turn out when she would try doing things for Spot... she couldn't honestly say that she had any clue what she was doing.
"What makes me happy... is that you're here and that you stay safe."
I love you. Lacey wanted to say it again, but instead bit her tongue and replied with a small nod. Her head gently rested against his shoulder, letting out another soft sigh. "'M sorry I make things hard for ya sometimes..."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 15:04:40 GMT -5
"'M sorry I make things hard for ya sometimes..."
Spot chuckled softly and wrapped an arm around her. "Well... I make it pretty hard for you sometimes too." He gave her a small smile. "We both just have ta work on that, don't we?"
He let out a soft sigh as he stood up, but before he completely stood up he pressed a quick, light kiss on her cheek. That was as much as he dared to do with Ms. Harbour lurking around somewhere near by. "I love you... you know that right?"
It was getting late and he needed to head back before curfew. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "That's enough to make me happy."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 15:08:17 GMT -5
"Well... I make it pretty hard for you sometimes too. We both just have ta work on that, don't we?"
Lacey couldn't help but quirk a small smile at his words. "It's worth it with you."
The kiss on her cheek was more than enough to catch Lacey just slightly off guard, a flush on her cheeks deepening a bit as her eyes widened.
"I love you... you know that right?"
For a moment, time stopped. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was cliche, but Spot had never said those words to her before. He had agreed when she had said it, he had implied them, but he had never said them.
"That's enough to make me happy."
Lacey's smile only grew, tears completely vanishing as she gazed back up at him. "I love you too."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 15:13:11 GMT -5
"It's worth it with you."
Spot chuckled again. "That's good ta hear."
"I love you too."
He was grateful that it was getting dark. Lacey wouldn't be able to see the blush creeping up his face. "It's... it's gettin' late." He could almost see Ms. Harbour in the window, glaring at him for staying around the girls' lodge for too long. He cleared his throat and offered his hand to help Lacey up. "Um, sleep well, okay? We'll figure out the Darcy business tomorrow."
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 15:17:58 GMT -5
"That's good ta hear."
Spot was special. Perhaps more special to her than he would ever know, but she really did her best to show him.
"It's... it's gettin' late."
Unfortunately, he was right, and the smile faltered on her lips for a brief moment. For now, the moment had to end. She took his hand, allowing herself to be carefully pulled to her feet.
"Um, sleep well, okay? We'll figure out the Darcy business tomorrow."
She nodded a bit, though the smile fell from her face a bit more. She wanted to find Darcy for him. She had been so close before she had messed it all up. However, she had promised him after the Rip incident that she wouldn't do anything stupid, and that meant that she couldn't afford to go searching for Darcy on her own, especially in the dead of winter. But wouldn't the end cause be worth it in that case?
"Yeah... tomorrow." Lacey trailed off a bit before straightening up once again. "I'm gonna walk ya to your lodge though." She had to do something good for Spot. She couldn't just let things end with him losing Darcy again. She was a bird, and his girlfriend. She was meant to help Spot.
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 15:24:59 GMT -5
"Yeah... tomorrow."
Lacey sounded as disappointed as he felt about the time.
"I'm gonna walk ya to your lodge though."
Spot glanced at the girls' lodge. He appreciated the offer... but Ms. Harbour's presence was telling him he probably shouldn't. He shook his head. "Best not. I'm not wanting a scolding from Ms. Harbour and Mr. O'Quinns. But thanks." He hoped he could see he really meant it and had wanted it. But adults... they meant well, but sometimes he wished they could let them have some time together.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 15:27:28 GMT -5
"Best not. I'm not wanting a scolding from Ms. Harbour and Mr. O'Quinn."
There was a part of Lacey that was mildly disappointed, glancing back through the window of the lodge only to find Mrs. Harbour keeping an eye on the pair of them.
"But thanks."
She bit her lip softly, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah... no problem."
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Post by Spot Conlon on Jan 8, 2019 15:29:32 GMT -5
"Yeah... no problem."
He gave her another smile. "Tomorrow at the docks after selling, okay? We'll talk." And maybe spend a nice little time away from Ms. Harbour.
Spot waved goodbye, feeling alot lighter than he had in a long time.
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Post by Lacey on Jan 8, 2019 15:31:06 GMT -5
"Tomorrow at the docks after selling, okay? We'll talk."
Lacey slowly nodded. It sounded like, for now at least, finding Darcy was going to have to wait.
After waving goodbye after him, Lacey finally made her way back up to the familiar boarding room, passing by a slightly disgruntled Mrs. Harbour to turn in for the night.
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