Dumbo II: A New York Adventure Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Conflicts and Settling In

Nighttime rolled in. Sandy, Paige, Rosie, and Aileen were relaxing in their tent. Most of the girls would chat about previous events, read magazines, and about what the future may bring them.

"Excuse me fer a moment, I'm gonna have myself a cigarette," the redhead said, pulling out at box of cigarettes from her pocket. "Anyone want one?"

"No thanks," Sandy said, as the other girls agreed since they didn't like smoking.

"Suit yerselves," Aileen shrugged as she went outside. She leaned against a beam, pulling out a match, lighting it and lit up her cigarette. She took a couple of deep inspirations and then exhaled, watching the smoke fly in the air. After a few drags, she heard a few footsteps coming from behind her.

She spun around and swung her fist towards the person's face.

"Youch!" a familiar Hungarian voice said. It was none other than Viktor. "Was that necessary?"

"Whaddya want bozo?" Aileen demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"I only wanted to meet you, but did it have to start with a punch to the jaw?" Viktor said, rubbing his face where the Irish girl punched.

"I don't like it when anyone comes up from behind me, it gets me on edge!"

"Hey, hey, what's all the racket?" The two looked to see Roy coming towards them with James and Robert.

"Hey Viktor, what's goin' on?" Roy asked.

"I was about to meet our new coworker and wanted to start up a talk, but I ended up getting clocked in the jaw."

"It serves 'im right for sneakin' up from behind me!" Aileen retorted.

"Take it easy Aileen," James said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You can't always jump into conclusions."

"My brother has a point Aileen," Sandy said, coming over to the scene. She was about to go outside for some fresh air, and heard a confrontation between Aileen and Viktor. She had to stand in to prevent violence from getting out of control. Dumbo and Timothy were walking next to her.

"I know you may have some trust issues with others since arriving to America. Maybe you can start building up your trust one a puzzle piece at a time?"

At first the redhead had a hard defensive look, but she took a deep breath and gave the blonde girl a small smile and a tiny nod. Turning back to face the one she had punched and said reluctantly, "Look, I'm sorry for punching you like that, alright? I just hate it when people approach me with letting me know they're comin'. If ye wanna talk to me in the future, please make yerself known before ya come towards me from behind."

"Hmm…" the Hungarian man hesitated, and shrugged. "Fair enough."

Soon, everyone dispersed and went back to their tents. Sandy took Aileen's arm and walked back to their tent as Dumbo and Timothy followed them. The blonde couldn't help but think about the redhead's tendency to be very defensive.

"I don't understand why you have to keep up your defensive mode Aileen?" Sandy said. "As long as you're here with us, you're safe."

The Irish girl looked at the blonde, then towards the ground and gave a heavy sigh.

"To tell you the truth Sandy," she admitted. "It's not easy to build up trust around people you have met. But you don't know if they'll be your true friends, until they hurt you. The only people I ever trusted before comin' to America were my parents and grandmother." She sighed. "Although I'll tell me past later till the time is right."

The blonde nodded and felt empathy for the redhead.

"Well, until you decide when you're ready to share your story, how about we go get some dinner and then we can find you a place to sleep around here," the blonde suggested. "I don't know about you, but the excitement of today has really made me hungry."

"Yeah, I guess my appetite's back," she nodded.

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Dumbo and Timothy looked over at the girls and watched them walk away to have dinner with their coworkers. The elephant calf grew concerned. The mouse noticed Dumbo's glum expression and patted his head.

"Don't worry Dumbo," Timothy said. "It takes a while for people and animals to learn how to trust others. I know that it's not easy for you to trust others when you came along."

"Right," he nodded. "I did earn their respect by showing them that my ears aren't a curse. But I don't have the ability to trust anyone, other than you, Sandy, and Mama."

"Well, it takes a little time to build it, so take your time and when it's right, you can trust your friends."

"Thanks, Timothy," he said.

"Dumbo! Where are you?" a female voice called from away. "It's time to eat."

"I'm coming Mama!"

With that reply, Dumbo and Timothy hurried back to their private tent to have supper with Mrs. Jumbo. The two best friends gathered with the maternal elephant with a feast of fruit, hay, and water. The three enjoyed their meal and Mrs. Jumbo tenderly caressed her little calf, relieved that he was okay when the purse thief came by and proud that he was able to stop him.

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In Sandy's tent, a bed, vanity, mirror, and dresser were set up for Aileen, so that she had her own private space. The redhead changed herself into a purple nightgown and was brushing out the tangles in her thick hair. Rosie and Paige were already in their nightgowns lying on their beds. Rosie had applied a green mud mask on her face and cucumber slices on her eyes for a facial refresh. The brunette was curled up on her side, reading the novel, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Sandy was using a lavender essential oil for a session of aromatherapy. She inhaled the sweet and calming scent increasing her levels of sleepiness.

"Ya know lasses," the redhead said as she was pulling her brush through a knot. "I never thought I'd live to see a day where I'm taken in by good Samaritans and they did not turn me down." She frowned. "Despite the way I treated 'em harshly."

A cucumber covered eyed Rosie tilted her head to the side and took off one slice.

"Don't beat yourself up Aileen," the African American woman said. "There are mostly people who don't take trust seriously and believe they are different based upon what they are like. My Mama and Papa were from a town in Texas and moved out west to Montana to get away from racism. They wanted to make sure that my sisters and I were safe."

"Rosie's right," Paige smiled. "We know you were just defending yourself from strangers. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you since you first left Ireland for the states."

"I'm not gonna lie," the redhead sighed, "to be leaving my country of birth for both the first and last time was terrifying. I had no idea what was in store fer me once I crossed the Atlantic, and I had doubts that immigrants like me would be welcomed into the country with open arms."

"I can actually understand what that's like Aileen," Sandy said, snapping out from her trance. "I wasn't much of a social person, because people saw me as an odd person due to me spending more time with animals and nature."

"So I hear," Aileen remarked. "Is that part of the reason why ye work here at the Circus? Because ye like carin' for the animals?"

"Sure do," the blonde admitted.

"It may sound a bit strange Aileen," Rosie said. "But Sandy can speak to animals."

Turning towards Rosie with a look of surprise, Aileen then adopted one of clear disbelief.

"You're wrong, Rosie. That doesn't sound strange," she remarked flatly, "that sounds downright impossible. No human bein' can speak ta animals, unless yer name's Mowgli or Tarzan."

The rest of the girls couldn't help but laugh at this remark. Soon, it was dark outside, and they all decided to turn in for the night. Sandy lies on her backside and looks up at the ceiling of her tent. Today was an exciting day for her, she and her friends arrived in New York, met Aileen, got her a job, and met a police officer that stopped a thief. When she met Jacob, she couldn't help but feel an attraction towards him.

"I hope I'll get a chance to see him again and get to know each other," she said to herself as she turned in her bed to prepare herself for the future.