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Post by Racetrack on Dec 18, 2011 9:25:35 GMT -5
Race got up silently, keeping a nervous eye on Sean, and led the way outside, praying the kid would remain asleep all the way back to the lodging house so they could put him down for a proper nap.
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Post by raven on Dec 18, 2011 9:43:48 GMT -5
She was quiet for half the walk back to the lodging house and then sighed heavily. "What do I do about Nate now?"
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 19, 2011 19:39:15 GMT -5
"Tell him the truth," Race suggested bluntly, lighting a cigar as they reached the steps. Whatever else you could say about him and Sapphy, they'd always been honest with each other. Unlike most of the newsies he'd known, he really wasn't much for secrets or deception in general.
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Post by raven on Dec 19, 2011 19:56:18 GMT -5
Raven sighed heavily. "I'm gonna feel terrible. He's been nothing but nice. He took us to the zoo."
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 19, 2011 21:09:46 GMT -5
"Hey, don't look at me. I think you should kick Spot to the curb and stick to the nice guy," he reminded her. "But if you can't make it work, the nicest thing you can do is tell him right away. No one wants to be seeing someone who wishes they was seeing someone else."
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Post by raven on Dec 19, 2011 22:29:59 GMT -5
"Sometimes your wisdom shocks me," She smiled at him and then stopped moving, breathing, speaking as Sean grumbled and shifted in his sleep. Rae held him tight begging to God that he would stay asleep. He soon settled back into place, still fast asleep.
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 20, 2011 22:17:28 GMT -5
Race let out a breath too, relieved that the kid had settled down. He'd never known a more active baby. Granted, he hadn't known many babies. "Let's get him inside," he whispered, taking a last drag on his cigar and opening the door.
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Post by raven on Dec 20, 2011 22:58:58 GMT -5
"Okay," Raven stepped inside still carrying the sleeping Sean, "let me put him down and then we can pop open a bottle of my special wine," she grinned at him and wiggled her eyebrows.
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 20, 2011 23:56:57 GMT -5
"I promise not to kiss you this time," he whispered back, smirking. Seriously, what the hell had they been thinking that time? He waved good night to Sean and went to the parlor, retrieving Rae's secret wine stash from the fireplace and waiting on the couch for her.
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Post by raven on Dec 21, 2011 8:54:21 GMT -5
When Rae returned she looked far more comfortable as well, having changed into an old button down shirt and a pair of trousers. She settled in on the couch and sighed. "I needed to get that damn dress off."
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 21, 2011 21:10:37 GMT -5
"Understandable," Race said, handing her the wine. "You mean Sean really ain't gonna wake up at the last minute? Must be a Christmas miracle."
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Post by raven on Dec 21, 2011 21:19:29 GMT -5
She laughed, "He's been sleeping better," she took a sip of wine and sighed happily.
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 21, 2011 21:41:42 GMT -5
Race took a sip too and almost offered to light a fire, until he realized that would be too close to re-creating their last drunken night in the parlor. That thought made his stomach clench--not because of the silly kiss with Rae, but because that was the night he saw Sapphy off on her train across the country.
And he was still a mess. He was a total mess, but you'd never know it unless you looked very closely. On the outside, he was his usual cheerful, friendly, easygoing self. Except that instead of socializing with his many friends after a day of selling, instead of even going to the tracks, he went straight to the wolf traps. Faro, poker, blackjack, craps, day in and day out, throwing all his concentration into the cards and dice, trying not to miss her. It never worked for a moment. He didn't know how to do anything but miss her anymore.
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Post by raven on Dec 21, 2011 21:53:22 GMT -5
Rae being the sort of friend who sensed when something was wrong, set her wind glass down on the side table and wrapped an arm around Race's waist. She didn't say anything, she just held him. She knew what it felt like to constantly miss someone.
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Post by Racetrack on Dec 21, 2011 22:27:01 GMT -5
He leaned against her gratefully and sighed. "Does it ever get any easier?" he blurted out, then immediately regretted it. "I mean, I ain't saying it's the same as what Spot did to you...she told me the day we met that she was going out there eventually to be with her parents...ain't like I shouldn't've been ready, but..."
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