Remembered Kisses
Disclaimer: This work of fan-fiction is not intended for personal profit. All characters utilized herein which are not creations of myself or byebyebirdie58 belong to S.E. Hinton.
Ponyboy Curtis sat in the easy chair near the Christmas tree. It was December 24th, and the night was just beginning to come on. He smiled as he remembered putting each ornament on the tree; ornaments that had been handed down from his father to Darry, and from Darry to him.
As he picked up a mystery novel, his six year-old daughter, Rhea, came bursting out of the kitchen.
She said, "Daddy! Mommy made Christmas cookies! Have one."
She held out the still-warm cookie, and he took it, feeling the warmth in his hand. He hesitantly took a bite, not wanting to burn his tongue. It was, as always when Liz made them, extremely delicious.
Liz came out of the kitchen, holding something behind her back. She came up to his chair, smiled knowingly, and said, "How about a kiss, Ponyboy?"
He winced. "Liz."
She swatted him on the shoulder with one of her hands, keeping the other behind her back. "Fine, Michael. But you owe me a Christmas kiss."
She brought the mistletoe out, revealing what she'd been hiding. She held the mistletoe over their heads and leaned in to kiss him. Pony grinned and did just that.
After they broke the kiss, Ponyboy chuckled. "Our little ritual."
"Yes. A nice one."
Their daughter's voice broke in on the gaze they exchanged between each other.
"Eeew!" Rhea wrinkled her nose and made a face.
"Gross," Liz said, making the same face her daughter did. Pony grinned.
"Daddy, was your first kiss with Mommy?"
Ponyboy abruptly choked on his cookie, and Liz, startled, thumped his back. He managed to swallow the bits the right way, and said, "I'm okay, honey."
To Rhea, he said, feeling a bit embarrassed, "Actually, no, it wasn't. But that happens sometimes, when boys and girls meet other people before they get married."
Rhea said, "Oh. I'm sorry for making you choke, Daddy."
"It's okay. No harm done. Now you should probably go to bed or Santa won't bring your presents, now will he?"
Ponyboy thought, thank God little children can be so easily distracted.
Rhea raced up to her bedroom after hugging her parents goodnight, her head to be filled with anticipation of the bonanza the next day.
Meanwhile, Ponyboy shook his head, tossed his book on the table beside his easy chair and said, "Well, that kinda killed my appetite for a mystery novel. You know, it still feels like it was only yesterday we met in college."
Liz laughed. "You know it was more like in 1972. But it feels like yesterday, doesn't it? Our own first kiss."
"Yeah. And it was a lot less embarrassing than that first time. I never did tell you about it, did I?"
Liz sat down and curled into her husband's lap. "I don't think you did. And don't worry; I won't get jealous."
Memories came to Ponyboy as his eyes seemed to focus on a time seventeen years before to the day-
oOoOo
"If that isn't the saddest tree I've ever seen, I don't know what is." Their father stood in front of the tiny, five and a half foot silver aluminum tree that sat in the middle of the family living room. He pointed, as though to emphasize that he was actually taller than the tree, and Ponyboy stifled a laugh. All five family members were standing in the living room, getting ready for the Christmas Eve festivities and the Christmas Day bonanza.
Mom said, "You know that tree will be a lot less of an annoyance than a real pine tree, so don't you go suggesting we get a pine tree this late, Darrel."
Dad laughed and wrapped his arm around his wife's waist. "But Maggie, honey, it's not Christmas with a ... a silver tree!"
She patted him on the shoulder. "Well, that's that. Silver tree and all. Now, boys, who all is coming to visit?"
"One or two guys from the factory, maybe," Dad said. "What about your friends, guys?"
Darry said, "Paul Holden might be coming over. You know, Dad, from the football team?"
"Steve, for a bit. Probably Johnny and Dallas," Soda added. "Maybe Two-Bit and his sister."
Ponyboy groaned. "A girl's coming over?"
Sodapop snickered at Pony's reaction. "There's plenty of 'em out there. You'll like 'em soon enough."
Their mother said sternly, "Now none of that, Pony. It's Christmas and anyone we know is more than welcome to come by. I should make sure there's enough egg nog and treats for everyone, though."
She disengaged from their father and went back into the kitchen. Confidentially, their dad said, "I still think it looks like the saddest tree, what do you boys think?" He winked broadly and grinned.
Sodapop said, "Yeah, Dad. It's kinda bright and drowns out the lights."
From the kitchen, Pony heard his mother yell, "I heard that, you two!"
Darry doubled over laughing and had to lean against the wall for support. Ponyboy grinned and thought about whether their mother would ever seriously deprive their father of his beloved egg nog and rum.
Probably not, he decided.
Further thought was cut off when a knock at the door revealed Mrs. Mathews, Two-Bit and Anita, brushing snow off of themselves. Mrs. Mathews was saying, "Darn it, Two-Bit, that'll be the last time I let you drive us in winter. Lord, a fifteen-minute walk became a fifteen-minute drive because you've got tires with no traction!"
Two-Bit was grinning irrepressibly, and said, "Ma, I ain't steered us wrong yet, have I?" Pony had to smile too, seeing Mrs. Mathews's look of annoyance and Two-Bit's huge grin.
"I suppose. Anyway, hello, Maggie and Darrel. Glad to be here, finally. I've got to have some of that Christmas egg nog now."
Maggie laughed gently and said, "Come on in, Peggy. We'll get you fixed right up."
Two-Bit and Anita stepped across the threshold. Two-Bit, feeling right at home already, shook hands all around and guffawed at the fake Christmas tree. Anita, a bit shyer, it seemed, waved hesitantly and then sat unobtrusively on the easy chair Dad usually used when he wanted to watch television. She was dwarfed in the chair, but she seemed comfortable on her own amid all the other people at the gathering. Ponyboy recalled vaguely that she was his age, but he had talked to her maybe once or twice before in the last year or so. Not a great basis on which to build a fount of knowledge about her. And she was a girl, anyway.
Ponyboy turned at the knock on the door, and grinned as he saw Johnny accompanied by Dallas, who was hurriedly searching for an unobtrusive way to extinguish his cigarette. However much Mom liked Dally, she'd never stand for him puffing away, especially with that piano they'd inherited from her parents now in the house.
Before long, the younger group, minus Anita, were clustered around the living room table, having started an impromptu game of poker. Dad's work friends were with him in the kitchen, opening up cans of beer, while Mom was in her element, serving the Christmas cookies and egg nog and roping Mrs. Mathews into helping out.
Two-Bit looked over his shoulder at the living room chair, where Anita was still sitting, watching TV. "Hey, kiddo," he said to Pony. "I think my kid sister likes you." Two-Bit grinned and Pony felt his ears redden instantly.
"No she doesn't. She ain't even said anything to me all night."
Sodapop reached over the table and ruffled Pony's hair. He swatted Soda's hand away and said, "Aw, cut it out."
"Pony's got himself a girlfriend."
Darry chuckled from his side of the table. "Looks like you've got yourself the Curtis charm, kiddo."
Pony blushed even more.
Soda glared at Darry. "Stop embarrassing my kid brother." He picked up a poker chip and tossed it at Darry. Darry caught it and smiled, putting it into his own pile.
Dally grinned and patted Pony hard on the back. "Nice catch, kiddo."
"I don't want her as my girlfriend," Pony said stubbornly.
Two-Bit glared. "You sayin' my sister ain't good enough for ya?"
Pony rolled his eyes and laid his cards on the table. When he saw Dally's cards, though, he became discouraged. Dally had a full house and he only had two threes. "Aw, guys. Can't we play gin or something?"
"You don't make money in gin rummy, dummy," Steve said, laying down his own cards (four of a kind), which sent Dallas into a stream of swears. The entire table erupted into laughter.
Darry said, "Hey, not too loud there, Dally. Mom'll be liable to wash your mouth out with tabasco sauce."
Dallas's response was a hand gesture Ponyboy sure wouldn't have used in school.
The table erupted into laughter again, and Pony saw Anita turn her head to see what was going on. She looked directly at Pony, then ducked her head and looked at the TV set in elaborate unconcern.
Steve saw this and gave Pony a lopsided grin. "Go for it, kiddo."
"Aw, shut up, Steve." Again, the table broke out in laughter. Pony glared at them and got up. He walked over to the couch and looked over at Anita. "Can I sit here?"
Anita looked up shyly and shrugged. "It's your house."
"Thanks ... what are you watching?"
"Um, White Christmas. We always watch it."
"Yeah, it's a good one. I love movies." Anita didn't respond, so Pony was left sitting in awkward silence. He could feel the the rest of guys watching him, though they continued their loud discussion. Pony wished he could be anywhere else, away from Anita, away from all the guys. Maybe he could sneak off into the kitchen and help his mother out, or go into his room and draw.
"You're a year older than me, right?" Anita broke through Pony's thoughts.
"No, I think we're the same age, I just got moved up in school by a year."
"Oh. That's why I've never seen you in my classes. How's your classes in middle school?"
"Tough. But I'm getting pretty good grades."
After that, they both seemed to not know what to say, and Ponyboy busied himself looking at the TV set amid the suddenly awkward silence. Pony turned and looked at the poker table. Two-Bit was barely keeping a straight face, and Steve was smirking, while Darry and Soda watched in anticipation. Pony wanted to mouth out a few choice words, but instead he just glared at them. Dally responded to Pony's glare with an obscene gesture toward Anita, which he recieved a punch from Two-Bit for. Steve choked on his drink, trying to contain his laughter. Johnny was the only one at the table who sent Pony a somewhat sympathetic look, though Pony could tell he was still attempting not to laugh.
"You can go back there if you want to, Pony."
Ponyboy, while relieved at the escape hatch he'd been offered, felt somewhat guilty for being so obviously incapable of keeping her interest in a conversation, even if she was an admittedly pretty girl. Pony just didn't seem able to think of anything she'd be interested in that he could talk about. What did girls like, anyway? Maybe he really just wasn't interested in girls yet, contrary to Sodapop's confident statements.
"I'm okay. I like being over here."
Anita looked directly at Pony and grinned. "Really?"
Pony began to blush and stammered, "W-well, it's better than losin' at poker over there."
Suddenly Anita moved over to the couch and sat right next to Pony. Pony wanted to sidle away, but he was trapped by the arm of the couch and Anita. "Erm, are you okay?"
Anita smiled and leaned in closer to Pony. She began to kiss him, and Pony moved his head to protest. However, he seemed to have misjudged, or to move it at just the wrong time, and ended up with a huge kiss right on his lips.
For a first kiss, etched in his memory for years to come, it was at once exhilarating as he felt the soft touch of someone's lips on his own, and also horribly embarrassing as the roaring cheer from the poker table caused him to break the kiss abruptly and wonder if Two-Bit was going to punch him out for kissing his sister. He thought his whole face was about to explode with the heat he could feel coming off his cheeks.
At least Anita seemed kind of sympathetic, patting his leg (unfortunately causing a funny feeling in his stomach) and glaring at the poker players.
Lamely, Ponyboy gasped, "Um. We were gonna switch to gin. Yeah. I'll get back now."
He thought greased lightning would have been too slow for the pace he set getting back to his spot, amid Two-Bit's mocking "Awwwww"s and Dally's back thumping.
But they did switch to gin rummy, so maybe they weren't all quite as obnoxious as they could have been.
After a while, the adults ran out of steam, and Dad's work buddies had to leave; their wives were expecting them. Mrs. Mathews followed up about ten minutes later, calling for Two-Bit and Anita. Reluctantly, the Mathewses got up and went over to the front door. Ponyboy drifted along as everybody clustered around the departing Mathews family, wishing Christmas cheer and good luck.
Somehow, he ended up standing near Steve, and Two-Bit was holding the mistletoe piece that Dad had nailed to the front door. Before he could react, Steve playfully shoved him at Anita, Two-Bit holding the mistletoe over her head. Automatically she reached out, and their embrace was a parody of a hug as she steadied him on his feet.
Pony quickly jumped from Anita's embrace and glared. His face was turning red again, as was Anita's. She turned toward Two-Bit and punched him in the arm, scowling.
"Oh, Two-Bit, leave them alone." Mrs. Mathews snatched the mistletoe from Two-Bit's hand and shook her head. "Lordy, sometimes I think you're ten years old."
She handed the mistletoe piece back to Mom, who seemed to be holding back a smile. Ponyboy stepped back into the crowd, near his Dad.
Maybe one day all this would be looked back upon with fondness, but right then, Ponyboy just wished a hole would open underneath him.
oOoOo
"It's not funny!"
Liz was chuckling, still seated on Ponyboy's lap. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but I just can't help it. Did you talk to her after that?"
"I had to talk to her. She came over on occasion, we went to the same school, and I saw her at Two-Bit's all the time. But holy God, things were awkward for such a long time."
"Well," Liz said. "I hope I give better kisses than she did." Liz leaned in and kissed Pony on the lips.
His enthusiastic deepening of the kiss was his only answer. When they finally parted, Liz smiled and whispered, "Merry Christmas."
Author Notes:
This was inspired by a fic challenge/idea from xocrazililkelox, so this is a Christmas present for her of sorts, and co-written with byebyebirdie58. Merry Christmas, all! :)