A/N I don't own The Outsiders. All rights belong to SE Hinton.
This is my second run with this story. I took down the other, as there were several aspects I couldn't get right. I feel this is a better effort. Some parts of my previous version have been included, others deleted and still others warped. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Calla
From The Beginning
What A Difference
Chapter 1
XXX
"Darry, I'm going to take your mother out on the twenty-seventh. I know it's short notice, but could you watch your brothers for us?"
That one sentence forever changed my life. Right then, I thought it had only screwed my plans for the weekend. If I had known what was going to happen, I would have fought harder to convince my folks not to go out. Demanded it even. Broken windows or something... whatever it took for them not to leave the house. But I didn't know what would happen. The thought of something tragic never even crossed my mind. It was just my folks wanting to take a rare evening out, alone, without the badgerings of teenage boys along for the ride. Why would I deny them an evening out? What basis would I have? Moreover, how could I say no to my father after all he'd done for me? Still, not knowing the future... and with thoughts of Cindy screaming through my veins, I tried.
"Aren't they getting a little old for a sitter, Dad? They ain't little kids ... Soda's sixteen and Ponyboy's thirteen..." The stern look Dad shot me told me enough. I sighed, knowing Cindy would have to wait. "Sure, no problem. You and Mom go have fun."
"Thanks, son."
That was two days ago, after what few presents we'd been given had been opened and tinkered with. Now I sat in the living room, my youngest brother sprawled out on the couch while me, Soda, Steve and Two-Bit played another round of cards. I kept shooting nervous glances at the front windows, wondering what was keeping my parents.
"A watched pot ain't gonna boil, Darry. What's the rush, you already bailed on your girl." Steve drawled. Soda reached over and popped him for me.
"Ain't like it was his doing. Pop asked him to."
"I don't get it. You ain't in diapers, why do you need Superman to watch you?" It was Two-Bit's turn at it now.
I reached over and whacked Two-Bit half-heartedly. "Cause Dad knew if I didn't, hormones here would be over at Sandy's, leaving Ponyboy alone."
"Got that right." Soda muttered. "And anyway, who cares if Pony's left alone? He ain't in diapers neither and knows not to burn the place down. Heck, give him a book and he won't move no how."
Soda looked over at a sleeping Ponyboy and I did too, his limp hand having already lost his place as the book teetered off the edge of the couch. I gave the clock another quick glance. It was nearly midnight, never had my parents stayed out this late. Dad was pretty regular about being home before ten as Mom still treated Ponyboy like he was a little kid, not the teenager he was. I knew Pony has enough sense not to burn the place down, lock himself out or let strangers in. And Soda was right, give him a book and he'd never move.
"I wonder if they had a breakdown or something. Maybe a flat?" I asked out loud.
"We could go looking..." Soda said, a sideways glance at Steve revealing more of his alternative plans if he could just get out of my reach.
"No dice." I folded my hand, tossing my cards into the pile and getting up. "Ponyboy, come on, kiddo. Bedtime." I went over and tried to shake him, his only response being to curl up into a ball on the couch. Muffled laughter came from the table where the guys played on.
"Pony!" I called a little more sternly. It was no use, he was out. I picked him up, grateful he was skinny. "Get his door, someone." Two-Bit opened it for me and I laid him down on his bed, tossing his blanket over him and headed out, shutting it behind me. Other voices back at the front door made me look up. Soda was there, talking to someone.
"Can I help you?" I asked the cop standing there. He looked at me, his small notebook in his hand as he checked the black numbers over our doorway. The lighting was poor – we needed a brighter bulb.
"Is this Darrel Curtis's house?"
"Yes sir, he's my father. What can I do for you?"
"You are..." he checked his notebook again, unsure of the answer. I pulled Soda backwards and out of the way.
"I'm Darrel Curtis Junior. My father's not home right now. Is there something I can do for you?"
He looked up at me, an expression I couldn't fathom. "I'm very sorry to bring you this news, sir. There's been an accident, your parents were taken to Tulsa Medical Center. Can you come to the hospital?"
An accident? But Dad's a great driver. And they're in the hospital? My throat was dry, making my voice raspy. "Sure, let me get my coat."
"I'm going with you." Soda blurted out, already shoving his feet in his shoes.
"No. Stay with Ponyboy," I insisted. The three of us wandering around Tulsa in the middle of the night wasn't a great idea.
"Darry!" Soda yelped in protest, but I gave him a look and he settled down. Steve had a hand on his shoulder and Two-Bit for once looked serious.
"Call us if we can do anything." Two-Bit said. I nodded and followed the cop down the sidewalk.
X
"I'm sorry, son. They were already gone before they got here. At least they didn't feel any pain."
A man in a white coat spoke to me, but his words were hollow. I barely remembered them. Off to the side of the room stood another cop, different from the one who'd come to my door. He filled out paperwork, asking only if I was over eighteen and would my brothers stay with me tonight. I'd mumbled out a "yes", not able to move my eyes from the carnage before me. On two gurneys, side by side, were my parents. The nurses had cleaned them up but it still wasn't pretty. I was just too shocked, too stunned to move. The collision had been terrific, killing them both almost immediately. White sheets covered them up to their chins, their injuries – except for some bruising around Mom's eyes - remained hidden and out of sight.
"Where are their things?" I asked in a voice so husky, I didn't recognize it. A nurse came over, two brown paper bags and a clipboard in her hand. She spoke, but what she said I didn't hear. Nothing made it through to my brain. I looked down, her pen was resting next to an X on the paper. I signed it, she handed me the bags and walked away.
Somehow, I made it to my truck, the paper bags now in my possession. I was on autopilot, starting my truck and driving away from the hospital. How long it took me to get home, I didn't know, but when I looked up, I was in front of our house again. The light was still on inside. Oh God. OhGodOhGodOhGod!
Two-Bit and Steve joined Soda on either side of him when I made it inside the house. Soda made a step for me, but Steve held him back.
"Well?" Soda asked.
I shook my head. "They're gone, Sodapop." I whispered.
"What?" he asked, disbelief, anger and confusion suddenly ravaging his features. "No! They went to dinner, Darry! They just went to dinner! NO!"
He pulled out of their grip and I grabbed him, holding him as he fought against me. I felt sobs choking him, more than what he let out. I stroked his hair, not being much of a comfort to him. Steve stepped closer but stared at the floor, refusing to make eye contact; his hand held firm on Soda's shoulder as he convulsed with nearly silent sobs. I noticed Two-Bit's gaze, he was looking down the darkened hallway. I understood, there was still another brother to destroy.
"What happened, Dar?" Two-Bit asked carefully.
What had happened? I struggled to remember what the doctor had said. "Train hit the car. They died instantly." Or at least I hoped so. The doc had said if they had survived, it would only have been for a few seconds. They bled to death internally.
"Jesus Christ!" Steve muttered.
Soda's weight was getting heavier, his legs giving out. I backed him up to the couch, easing him down onto it, Steve sitting down with him. Soda leaned forward, his reddened eyes looking around.
"Now what?" he asked. I had no idea.
"I'll go check on Ponyboy." I said softly. The guys stayed silent while I crept to his room, carefully opening his door. He was still asleep, curled up in a contented ball. Part of me told him to wake him and tell him, part of me said not to. I went with that part and shut the door again. I'd let him have one last night of normal. Nothing would ever be the same again.
XXX
The sun was starting to peak out from behind various rooftops in the neighborhood, shining rays glinting off icicles hanging off the overhang. I stirred my coffee in endless circles, certain it had cooled off enough to drink by now but I didn't really want it. The motion kept me focused, occupied my mind, gave me something to do.
I hadn't slept. Soda, also, was still in his clothes from yesterday. I'd tried to make him go to bed hours ago but he'd refused, planting himself on the couch and not moving. The guys had done the same, staying here for reasons each kept to themselves. Throughout the night, we stared at pictures on the walls, cracks in the ceiling... even each other; but no one spoke. There simply were no words. Now I'd have to find words. Bedsprings creaked in the distance behind a closed door. Ponyboy had woken up at last.
"Hey," he mumbled, passing me on his way to the kitchen. He looked so young, somehow even younger than he did yesterday. His bronzed hair tufted out in every direction, waiting to be washed and combed then greased up some. "Mom sleeping in or something?" He asked, getting down first a bowl then the cereal. Mom usually made our breakfast, wanting us to eat something hot and healthy. None of us minded cereal, but that was usually held off until weekends. As he poured the milk, he noticed the silence. "Dad head out to work already? I thought he was taking the day off?"
I cleared my throat and got up, hesitantly approaching his side. "Ponyboy, I sort of have something to tell you. Come here a minute."
He looked at me and walked over, wiping the milk off his chin with the back of his hand.
"Mom and Dad had an accident last night. They never made it home. They... uh, they ... won't be ... coming home. I'm sorry, Ponyboy..." Damn, this was so hard. I swallowed, forcing myself to stay steady. His green eyes looked at mine, searching, not wanting to believe me. "...they didn't make it. They're gone."
His face yielded a blank, unwilling- to- accept it look. He slowly shook his head and sat the bowl down hard, then turned and bolted for their room. Soda blazed past me, the rest of the guys jumping up as if to follow, then stopped suddenly as Sodapop reached him just outside their closed door. Pony jerked their door open then stood in the doorway, calling out into the still room.
"Mom? Dad? … Mom!" I heard the hitch in his voice, knowing he knew he was calling out to those who would never answer. "Momma? Dad?" Sodapop came up behind him, wrapping his arms around him. "No... Please, Soda... no!"
The guys stood against the far end of the hallway, each silently listening in. Sopapop held Ponyboy to his chest as tears fell from both of their eyes. Soda murmured hollow words of comfort to him as his long fingers raked the back of Pony's head. I held onto Soda's shoulder, awed as he became the comfortor to his younger brother as I had last night.
I stood by them, not knowing what to do for either of them. Ponyboy held Soda so tight, both of them bawling. Soda trying to hold it in, Pony not having the power to do so.
"Come on, lets go sit down." I said softly, tugging on Pony's pajama sleeve. He turned and looked at me then ducked his red eyes, nodding. Somehow we managed to get back to the living room, Pony tucked at Soda's side on the couch, Steve taking the third spot while I sat on the edge of the recliner.
"What happened?" Pony asked finally.
I struggled hard against a tide of my own grief. "A train hit Dad's car last night. They... they never felt it." I hoped what I was saying was true. My folks didn't deserve to suffer, not even for a second.
"Why didn't you wake me?" he cried, wiping tears away only to be replaced by others. Soda held him tighter but said nothing.
"You were asleep, Pone. I didn't see the need in waking you up. It wouldn't have changed anything." I tried to reason with him, but it only seemed to upset him worse. He got up, breaking free of Soda's hold and headed past me, to the bathroom. I went back to my abandoned coffee, pouring it down the drain. When the phone rang a second later, it startled me, causing me to drop my cup into the sink, breaking it into several pieces.
"Hello?"
The guys watched me closely. I listened to the man on the other end, checked my watch and nodded. "I'll be there. Thanks."
I rubbed my chin, feeling the sandpaper along my jaw. This wouldn't do. The bathroom was vacant again, Pony having returned to the couch. "I have to go out for a while. Can someone hang here till I get back?"
"Where? Darry, where ya going?" Soda asked, looking up.
"Funeral home." I said softly. Soda's expression was stark, Pony's eyes simply filled with tears again.
"Sure, no problem." Steve said, answering my question.
I gave the guys another glance and headed off to take a shower. The funeral home downtown had my parents bodies... I had to go make arrangements. Neither of them were in any shape for this, both of them being too young. Hell, until now, I didn't consider myself old enough either, but I was the only one over eighteen. As if one year made some magical difference.
One year. One day. What a difference.
XXX
Calla Lily Rose