Katherine lay in her bed, listening for the footsteps to fade. It was around midnight, and the Pulitzer household was finally settling. The night shift maids were settling down in their rooms, and soon Katherine would strike.
As the clock outside chimed one in the morning, Katherine slipped quietly from her bed. She opened her closet and pulled out the pair of pants and socks she had taken from the pile in the Lodging House. She pulled on a blouse and red overcoat before twisting her hair up and shoving it in a matching cap. Glancing in the mirror she nodded, her identity concealed as long as no one looked at her face.
She grabbed the two brown sacks in her wardrobe, slung them over her shoulders, and stalked towards the window.
After the last fire that destroyed the Pulitzer mansion, Joseph had fire escapes installed at every window, which made it incredibly easy for his children to sneak out. Especially when one made sure to oil the whole thing once a week like Katherine did.
Making sure to leave the window unlocked and slightly cracked, Katherine went on her way. She had no time to waste. Unfortunately, she couldn’t risk being out long enough to go to all the houses, but she did have time for one. The Lodging House.
Katherine walked surely, staring straight ahead. Her sacks bumped against her legs, causing a rhythm and slight discomfort to work their way into her gait. Luckily, she was only a few blocks away from Duane Street.
She made it to the building soon enough. As per tradition, a candle was lit in every window of the building, to guide weary souls home. Katherine knew that a lot of older kids thought it was bullshit and hated lighting them every night, but the little ones believed it would bring Santa to their house.
Most kids knew the truth about Santa, though. It only took a few Christmases with nothing under the tree and an empty stomach to ruin their faith in the immortal being. So tonight, Katherine was giving them a little bit of faith back.
She climbed up the fire escape that Jack used when he came to visit her in the dead of night. Since Davey and Les were staying the night, she’d asked the older to make sure the window was unlocked. He knew about her plan, but no one else. He may have a horrid poker face, but when it came down to it, Davey could keep a secret.
Sure enough, the window was unlocked, and she crawled through with ease. There was a slight thud as her boots hit the floor, and the nearest newsie stirred, but they didn’t wake. Exhaling silently in relief, she hoisted the bags inside and set them gently on the floor.
Taking the packages out one by one, she stacked them under the tree, making sure that the tags were clearly visible. She wished she could tie them to the tree like in her house, but the poor thing was so spindly that she was surprised the popcorn strings didn’t fall off.
Readjusting all the bows, she leaned back and surveyed her work. She straightened a few more things before she stood, satisfied. There was one last thing to do, and then Ms. Claus needed to get back home.
She took a sack in her hand and walked to every bunk in the lodge. Each boy had a sock on the end, for Santa to put some little toys in. Jack and Davey and a few of the older ones had already tried to fill them as best they could, but they were still dreadfully empty compared to hers at home.
Pulling out two items, Katherine went around the room and dropped them in the stockings. A few newsies stirred as she passed, but none woke. When she came upon the bunk Jack and Davey were sharing, she put two of each in Jack’s stocking.
When she finished with all the stockings, she was pleased to notice that there were still quite a few leftover. Smiling, she took out a ribbon and note from her pocket, before tying them together and setting them under the tree.
Still grinning to herself, Katherine slipped out the window and into the night.
She showed up to the Lodging House around eight that morning, wondering how many boys had found their treats yet. It was silent when she entered, which she found quite alarming until she remembered that Christmas was their one day to sleep in. Come to think of it, she didn’t think the bell had even tolled that morning.
Kloppman wasn’t even at his desk as she passed, climbing the stairs to where the boys slept. She opened the door and giggled when she saw them all still asleep. When she stepped forward, the door slammed behind her and she winced. A few boys sat straight up in bed, clearly a conditioned response to avoid Kloppman’s bizarre wake-up strategies.
“Hey! Kath’s here!” Elmer called, scrambling out of bed. A few other boys greeted her, and slowly the lodge began to come alive.
Smalls was the first to notice. “Guys! Our stockings!” She grabbed hers from where it was stuck to her bed and quickly upended it to see what was in it.
“Holy shit!” Race yelled. “There’s a whole motherfuckin’ orange in here!”
Jack came up and cuffed him on the head. “Not in front of the kids, Racer.”
Race grumbled an apology before peeling the orange in front of him.
“What’s in this package?” someone called.
“A cake, I think?” someone called back.
Soon it was a cacophony of noise as the newsies tore apart their stockings to get to the treats that many of them could never afford.
“Guys! The tree!” Buttons yelled.
Heads whipped around in fear, obviously expecting the tree to be on fire or something. However, their looks of fear quickly turned to those of delight as they clambered forward to investigate the gifts. Katherine leaned against the doorway and smiled as they handed out packages to each other. They were all wrapped in brightly coloured paper and ribbons, which the newsies appreciated for about twenty seconds before tearing it off to get at the substance beneath.
They oo’d and ahh’d at their new clothing, books, and toys. She had tried to get them one useful thing, and one thing to play with, and it seemed that they all appreciated it.
“Who’s all these from?” Race asked, scanning the room. One by one they all shrugged, nobody owning up to it.
“Why don’t ya read the tag?” Davey sat on Jack’s bed, taking a bite out of his orange.
“From: Santa,” Race read. “But -”
“I told ya Santa was real!” Peanuts shouted, shoving at Sniper. Sniper caught his wrists and the two began wrestling. The other kids moved their presents out of the way.
“So. Santa, eh?” Jack’s arm wrapped around her middle and pulled her close.
“Mmm hmm,” she agreed. “It’s a Christmas miracle. Guess he heard about the strike and wanted to reward the kids for being so good.”
“Must be it,” Jack grinned. “So what are you doin’ over here, Ms. Plumber?”
“Told my family I was taking a walk. We won’t open presents for another hour anyway, have to wait for Ralph and Petunia and our grandparents to make it over. Honestly, Father is probably only now settling down to take his coffee.”
She hummed. “In a minute.”
Les bounded up to them just then, wrapping his arms around Katherine’s waist. “Hiya, Kath! Didya see what Santa brought me? I ain’t even Christian but he still brought me something!”
Katherine laughed. “Did he?”
“Yeah! I got new boot laces, and a book, and a little wooden duck! It’s great!”
“Maybe Santa wanted to reward you for being so good during the strike this summer. Y’know, I think you being so intimidatin’ was the real reason my father backed down.”
Les’ eyes shone. “Ya think so?”
“Yep!” Kath ruffled his hair. “Why don’t you go see what Tommy Boy got. I think he’s itchin’ to show you.”
With that, Les scampered off, nearly colliding with Davey as he walked over. Davey scolded him, but it was lost in the din of the room and he merely grinned to himself as he continued over.
“Why hello, Ms. Plumber. I’m delighted to see you arrived in time for our Christmas miracle,” Davey greeted, sharing a knowing look.
“Indeed I did,” Katherine replied, smirking.
Jack looked back and forth between them. “Did I miss something?”
“Not at all,” Davey spoke.
Jack looked down at the sack enclosed in his fist. He had grabbed it before the naughtier kids could, and was holding it until the kids who didn’t sleep at the Lodging House would meet up with them after lunch. The tag was written in beautiful and very familiar cursive.
Jack studied the tag as Davey and Katherine shared mirthful glances, silently laughing to themselves as Jack pieced it together.
“You-” he pointed at Kath. “And you-” at Davey, “were in this together? Is that why you were so concerned with making sure the window was ‘locked?’ And why you grinned so hard when you saw that red coat in the store last week?”
Kath and Davey glanced at each other before collapsing into giggles. Jack’s confusion slowly turned into delight as he grinned at his two best friends.
“You’se real smooth, Plumber, I’ll give ya that.”
“Thanks, Jack.” She pressed a quick peck to his lips. “I should be going though. See you around three?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he grinned back, waving as she left the door as silently as last night. Come to think of it, this also explained why she’d been so good at sneaking lately.
“Hey, Jack.” Boots pulled at Jack’s vest. “I saw someone in a red coat last night, but I t’ought it was a dream. D’ya reckon it was Santa?”
Jack glanced at the unlocked window across the room. “Y’know what, kid? I betcha it was.”
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