Part One

Ponyboy~

I couldn't believe it even as I held it in my hand and reread it for the hundredth time; there was no way in hell. Sitting down at my desk I laughed this was one of Two-Bit's pranks it had to be, there was just no feasible way Marcia Williams was seriously marrying him.

After a few more minutes of staring in disbelief, I grabbed the phone and dialed Darry's number. I would have called Soda, but he was damn near impossible to get a hold of. After he had gotten that draft notice he hopped the border, settling in Alberta, where he met a real nice girl, Jillian and got married. So besides a few letters, a couple of rare phone calls, and the annual Christmas card, I barely heard from him.

Glancing at the clock it was after 6, so I assumed Darry would be home, but you could never tell with him he was so busy with work and the girls.

"Hello?"

"Kate hey its Pony is Darry home yet?" I heard some scuffling noises in the background.

"Elizabeth Catherine Curtis do not make me tell you again. Pony hey, sorry the girls are out of control. He just came through the door hold on."

After a few minutes Darry picked up the phone. "Pony, how's it going?"

"I uh, just got Two-Bit's wedding invitation in the mail…this is a joke right?"

Darry's deep, rumbling laugh resonated through the phone. "That's what we all thought at first too, but no they are getting married. You and Ry going to be able to make it out?"

"I haven't talked to her about it yet."

Darry was silent for a moment. "Well, I'd sure love to see you and so would the girls."

"I'll let you know." Hanging up the phone I sat there watching the sunset out of the window. I hadn't been back home since I left for Harvard and to be honest, with Johnny and Soda gone I really didn't have any reasons to.

Two-Bit had been a good buddy but we had lost touch a while back after his probation officer forced him to grow up and get a job. Darry, who had spent most of his life watching after all of us hired him; I know he did it so he could keep an eye on him, that's just the way Darry is.

A stack of papers lay on my desk waiting to be graded but for some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about home. I hadn't seen Darry and Soda since I graduated with my Doctorate and that was almost two years ago. Darry had two little girls now with another baby on the way. I know for a fact whether or not Darry will ever admit it, he waited till both Soda and I were gone before he even considered a relationship. When he and Kate got married six months after I left, I could hardly say I was surprised. Soda teased him to no end about Kate who Darry had been half in love with her since elementary school. They had dated a bit in high school but after mom and dad died Darry ended it, and much to Kate's credit she hung around. I was glad that Darry was doing so well and it was hard not to think about home - hell, I had spent eighteen years there. Darry tried to keep me up to date about what was happening but he had no interest in it. Darry and Kate moved out of the house a few months after getting married and as usual, having always been the one to help, Darry had signed over the house to Two-Bit. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't even hear the door open,

"You ok? I've been calling you for the past fifteen minutes."

I look up finding myself staring directly into the dark blue eyes of my wife; smiling at her, I shove the wedding invitation into the desk drawer. "Yeah I'm fine, just got caught up in grading." I motion towards the stack of papers sitting to my left. She tilted her head from side to side and I know she's trying to read more into what I said. "Ry I'm fine, I promise."

"Mom called, she wanted me to come over and check out their new flooring. Did you want to come?" I like Ryann's parents…really, but we come from two different worlds and just because Ryann has overlooked it, I have doubts about them.

"Nah, I've got a bunch of stuff to do. I'll see you when you get back."

She nodded, pressing a kiss to my forehead before walking out shutting the door behind her. Sighing, I pull the invitation back out and read it again. I spent the next two hours internally debating with myself about going or not. Deep down I missed the hell out of those guys, so when Ryann got back I figured I'd talk to her. I jumped up heading downstairs as soon as I heard the door open. "How was your mom's?" I asked.

"You know the normal."

I shrugged. The truth is, even after all these years I still have no idea how they live, I'm afraid to touch anything in her parent's house in case I'd break it. "Can I talk to you?"

Ryann's eyes spring up and I know she was worried. "Sure."

We settled down on the couch and I began…"Remember I told you about Two-Bit?" She nodded.

"Well he's getting married and we got invited."

"Ok…and….?"

"If it's ok with you, I'd like to go."

Ryann's eyes soften a bit. "Why wouldn't it be ok with me? They're your friends of course it's ok." She gave me a look like I'm out of my mind, and I can't help but grin at her. Ryann has absolutely no idea what she's getting herself into. "Just let me know when it is and I'll take off of work."She stood up and went toward the kitchen,

"You're the best!" I call out after her.

She stopped and turned to me again. "No kidding isn't that why you married me?"

~Soda~

I could barely wait to hit the shower as I stepped out of my truck and headed up the stone walkway to the house. Then I remembered, check the mail, but before I even took a step toward it the box, I noticed that the flag was down so Jillian must've gotten it first. "Honey, I'm home!" The greeting I often used upon arriving.

"In the kitchen!" She returned.

I pulled off my boots and left them in the mudroom then went to the kitchen, picking up the mail from the hallway. "Bills, bills, bills. But, nothing from Bill." I sarcastically added.

"Cute. There's something from M. Williams in there."Jillian stated. "Whoever that is."

"M. Williams?" I repeated, rather perplexed as I flipped it over to see the return address.

"It's from Tulsa, so I thought you might know who it is. I sure don't know any M. Williams."

"Hmm." Only way to know was to open it, so I did and started reading aloud. "Miss Marcia Lynn Williams and Mr. Keith Matthews invite you to witness the exchange of their wedding vows….." I trailed off for a moment. "Keith Matthews…" It took a minute to sink in. "Two-Bit's getting hitched?!"I laughed. "Son of a gun!" For the life of me, I had no idea who Marcia Williams was.

"Two-Bit?"

"Yeah, you remember I told you about the guys back home? Steve, Dallas, Johnny, Two-Bit…"

Jilly thought for a moment. "Oh, the funny one, right?"

"Yeah."

"So, are you going to go?"

"We. It's addressed to Mr and Mrs S. Curtis."

"When is it?"

I glanced at the invitation again. "This weekend."

"This weekend?!" She exclaimed. "Talk about short notice."

"The postmark was from last month. Lousy mail service around here. Ironically the bills are never late." I sighed in frustration since I knew this was a busy time of year with regional rodeos and the Calgary Stampede in July.

"We'll have to RSVP, ASAP."

"Yeah, I know. Your father wants me to go to Calgary with him in the morning. I'll talk to him about it then."

"OK. Dad's a reasonable man, I'm sure he'll be ok with it."

I nodded. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Good, 'cause you smell like a horse." She grinned as she winked at me.

The hot shower felt so good. My muscles ached – this was a chronic thing since I began working on the ranch about 12 years ago. Sometimes I notice it, sometimes I don't. Receiving Two-Bit's wedding invitation was like a blast from the past. I haven't seen him in…15 years or so? A couple of days after I got the army draft letter – just in time for my 18th birthday – I packed what belongings I had and left Tulsa, never to look back – or so I thought. There was no way I was going off to some foreign land on the other side of the world to kill people I didn't even know. Most would call me a deserter or a traitor to my country. Well, let them, I thought. I'm a lover, not a fighter. Though I wasn't an active protestor, I did support the hippie generation. "Make love, not war." It's not like I got high or anything. Just wasn't my thing. Within a few months, I found myself in Canada working in various towns in the western region – British Columbia and Alberta. Worked on the oil fields in Fort McMurray, Alberta for a year until being laid off, and finally landed a job in the farming community of Stavely, and was immediately hired on as farm hand at the sprawling 200 acre Fairchild Ranch. This is where I met my devastatingly, gorgeous wife – the one and only daughter of the owners, and where the two of us reside to this day. No kids yet but, sometime soon…we hope.

My younger brother, Ponyboy, won a scholarship to Harvard in Boston and accepted. Met his lovely wife, Ryann there and is now an English Professor. Darry did great too. Married his high school sweetheart, they have two daughters and a baby on the way. He's also the owner of a successful construction business. I am so damn proud of those guys. Mom and Dad would be too.

I think about the guys now and then -I miss them.

I met my father-in-law early the next morning. We hooked up the trailer and headed out to Calgary to pick up a quarter horse he purchased from a breeder in Ontario. We stopped for a coffee on the way.

"Jilly and I have a huge favor to ask."

Sheldon grinned. "Ask away."

"We've been invited to a wedding in Tulsa this weekend."

"This weekend?" He repeated. "Cutting it kind of close."

"Apparently the invitation was late getting to us. Should have gotten it last month."

"How much time do you need?"

"Four or five days. We can get a flight Thursday morning so we'll have to spend tomorrow night in Calgary. "

"Did you book the flight yet?"

I shook my head. "We wanted to clear it with you first."

"Better get on it when we get home."

"Thanks, Dad." I grinned.

Jillian was thrilled that her father gave us the time off–I think she was just excited to see Kate and Ryann again. She booked our hotel room and flight right away and I called Darry to have him pass on the news that we'll be there.

We worked until about 3 the next day, showered, packed a few last minute things and then headed out.