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Specs couldn’t help but notice the way things changed after the strike. Sure, the newsies still sold papes together, and the camaraderie was the same as it always had been, but things had changed .
For starters, there was now a girl who hung around on the fringes of their rag-tag group, with an enamored Jack hanging off her every word. Kath would make herself scarce throughout the morning and early afternoon, then appear on Jack’s arm when he showed up at the distribution center after his shift at The World . She would hang around him while he hawked the evening pape, joke around with some of the boys, and then Jack would walk her home when he was done selling for the evening. They were hardly ever seen separated from each other.
Then there was the addition of four new boys to their little family. Davey and Les were pretty widely accepted at this point, and Davey had certainly earned his spot in the group with everything he had done for the strike efforts, and for Jack. Specs had noticed how much more his friend had started smiling after the Jacobs boys had joined them, and he was grateful to them for it. The two that had come as a surprise to everyone were Darcy and Bill. If he was honest with himself, Specs thought the only reason the two of them had helped with the strike at all was that Darcy was sweet on Kath.
Now, Specs is watching the commotion from his corner seat in Jacobi’s. It was a Saturday, so Jack hadn’t had to go into the office that morning. He and Katherine were sitting at a table with Davey, Race, Albert, and Mush. Race and Albert were goofing off and being boisterous as usual. The good-natured ribbing they tossed back and forth to each other made Specs smile, and those that had gathered to watch the scene were laughing. He hadn’t seen it before, but now he couldn’t help but notice the way Jack always looked to Davey when he said something he expected to be funny, or asked a question for clarification. Sure, Katherine was sitting closer to Jack, but Jack’s gaze always seemed to zero in on Davey instead.
Specs sighs, resigning himself to knock some sense into his two friends when he can catch them alone, then he turns his attention to something much more interesting and unexpected. Sequestered away at another corner table are Darcy, Bill, and Romeo. Romeo is sitting opposite Bill, with Darcy beside him, positioned closer than should be strictly necessary. From his vantage point, Specs can’t see his friend’s face, but he can see the place where Darcy’s hand rests against Romeo’s thigh. Even Bill is leaning in from the other side of the table. Darcy moves slightly, and Specs is able to see Romeo’s beet-red face. For all his bravado, Specs knows Romeo really doesn’t have the experience to back it up. There’s a flare of protective anxiety in Specs’ chest, but it immediately calms as he catches the shy smile gracing his friend’s face.
He’s just about to relax back into his chair when he sees Davey stand and stretch, his gaze scanning the restaurant for his little brother. Gearing himself up for a conversation he’s not fully prepared to have, Specs catches Davey’s eye and waves him over. Davey gives him a slightly confused look - which, yeah, okay, so they haven’t talked much one-on-one, Specs can admit that - but wanders over anyway. Specs glances around surreptitiously to make sure they’re out of earshot of the rest of the group before cutting to the chase.
“You need to tell Jack,” he says bluntly. Davey looks completely taken aback, giving Specs the most comically bewildered look he’s ever seen.
“You lost me,” Davey starts, “tell Jack what, exactly?” That you’re head over heels, that you love him, that he doesn’t truly love Kath, he’s just keeping up appearances, that-
“How you really feel about him. You and I both know it, and I know you’ve seen the way he looks at you, too,” is what Specs settles for instead. Davey’s shaking his head before Specs even finishes his sentence.
“Jack’s my friend, and he’s got Katherine. There’s nothing to tell him,” Davey says insistently. Specs wants to smack him upside the head.
“If you won’t tell him, I will. It’s not fair to Kath to be stuck between the two of you when you and I know he won’t ever love her the way he loves you.” Specs chances another glance around the room and spots Jack, his eyes intent on them with his brow furrowed quizzically. Davey just gives a half-hearted shrug.
“There’s nothing to tell him, Specs. Really.” Then Davey’s walking away, waving Les toward the door and out of Jacobi’s. Specs wants to slam his head against a wall. Why did these two have to be the most stubborn pair in their entire friend group?
“What was that about?” The voice to his left comes out of nowhere and nearly makes Specs jump out of his skin. Jack had managed to sneak up on him while he was contemplating aggravated assault against his friends. Specs caught sight of Race talking animatedly to Kath, who really didn’t have a choice but to listen to the story he was recounting. It was now or never.
“Davey,” he said simply. “You need to figure out how you feel about him and do something about it, Jack.” Jack’s mouth fell open as if he were about to argue, but Specs barreled on over him. “You look at him like every word that comes out of your mouth is meant for his ears, and he hangs on each and every one of them. He looks at you like you hung the fuckin’ moon, but he won’t say anything while you’ve got Katherine.”
Specs pauses to take a breath and let Jack digest everything he’s just said. He looks torn, gazing toward the door where the Jacobs boys disappeared not five minutes earlier.
“Specs, you gotta understand, I can’t do that to Kath, I-”
“It’s okay, Jack.” Again, Specs is slightly startled by the sudden presence at his side. They both turn to find Kath standing behind them, her eyes soft and sincere. “I’ve noticed the way you look at him, too. You love him, and he feels the same. You’re good for each other,” she holds out her hand for Jack to take. “There won’t be any hard feelings, I promise. I mean it, I just want you to be happy, and I know you’ll be happy with him.”
Jack takes her hand, looking like he wants to spew every thought that’s going through his head at the moment, but settles for kissing the back of her hand, nods to them both with a grateful look and then he dashes out the door after Davey.
Specs hears Kath sigh beside him. He reaches out an arm to pat her shoulder, and she gives him a slightly strained smile. “I know it’s for the best, but it still hurts,” she admits.
“I’d have been worried if it didn’t hurt,” Specs says, and pulls her into a one-armed hug. “Just means you actually care about him.”
Kath returns the hug briefly before pulling away and giving Specs another tight smile. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow?”
Specs grins, “You’re part of the family now, lady. It wouldn’t be the same without you.” Kath’s smile turns genuine, and then she, too, heads for the door.
Specs retakes his seat, his eyes sweeping over the remaining newsies scattered about the room. Yeah, maybe things have changed , but sometimes, he supposes, change can be for the better.