"You're gonna be okay, Jonny," I said.
"Yeah," Soda chimed in.
"Yeah, Doc says you're healing great," Dally informed Jonny.
"But I'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life," Jonny whispered.
"That's better than being dead." Darry couldn't contain his smile. It was a miracle that Jonny Cakes was going to live!
"What difference does it make? My parents still hate me." Jonny's voice cracked a little. Then, a single tear slipped from his eye and slid down his cheek, leaving a behind a shiny trail.
"You can live with us, Jonny. We got room and I'm gonna get a job soon. You don't have to go back to live with those awful parents. They don't know nothin' about kids… or anything. You don't need them. We're your family." I felt tears come to my eyes, too. I didn't want to let them out because the guys might make fun of me. That was the last thing anyone said for a while.
When I got the courage to look up at Darry to see his reaction, he was crying too. Tough old Darry was crying! In fact, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Even Dally shed a few tears. I couldn't believe it. Suddenly, I wasn't so ashamed of my own tears.
Finally, Darry spoke up. "Yeah, Jonny. You can live with us. We got enough room for another member of the family to move in." Darry looked into the mirror.
Jonny's face lit up. It looked about as bright as the sun. "Really, Darry? Awww. You don't have to do that. I would rather wheel myself off a cliff."
"Come on, Jonny. We're happy you're alive and we're gonna try and keep it that way. Besides, Doc says you'll be well enough in a year to go home with your parents, but if you come live with us it will only be a couple of months."
"A year?" To this day, I swear Jonny's eyes almost popped out of his head. "A year? Why a year?"
"It's gonna take you a year for you to be well enough to put up with those terrible parent of yours. So, you'll be living with us and I better get workin' on all of those legal papers and stuff. You get some rest, Jonny. We'll visit you later." Darry grabbed a fist full of tissues before he left the room. Dally did the same.
"By the way, Jonny, there is a new book being translated from French to English. I think I'll pick up a copy when it comes out. It's supposed to be about a guy who committed a crime like us and how he changed. Cool, right? It's called Les Miserables. It's by a guy named Victor Hugo," I said, holding up an add so he could see it in his mirror.
"Get one as soon as it comes out… Will you?"
"Sure, Jonny," I said with a smile.
"Will you read it to me, Ponyboy?"
"Yeah, I'll even teach you how to read, too."
Chapter
Months later, after court and everything, Jonny was just getting settled in with us boys. He was doing great. His skin had more color an d more life showed in his eyes. His attitude had really changed too.
"Thanks Darry, Ponyboy, and Soda. Thanks for everything. This might sound Cheesy, but it's nice to know that I'm loved. Did that book come out yet, Ponyboy?" Jonny was clearly exited and he had been adjusting to his wheelchair just fine. For the first time, he seemed happy. Beside the fact that he was in a wheelchair, he seemed like a new person- a person with a future.
"Here," I said before I handed Jonny a rectangular thing covered in newspaper.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it." Dallas asked that question.
Jonny picked at the newspaper, carefully unwrapping the gift.
"Jonny, what are you doing? Just rip it open. The newspaper is just going to get thrown away anyway," said Darry.
Finally, Jonny wildly tore all of the paper off and was clearing away bits and pieces off the cover of the dark green book with yellow and white writing on the front. "What does it say, Ponyboy?"
"It says Les Miserables." I watched him to see how he would react.
"Thanks, Ponyboy."
"You're welcome, brother." I gave Jonny a gentle pat on the shoulder before sitting down on the couch next to where his chair was parked.
"Chocolate cake, anyone?" called Darry from the kitchen.
"I'll sure take some," Two Bit replied.
"Yeah, the whole thing," Soda joked.
"Pony, can you take me to see the sunset?" Jonny asked in a faint voice.
"Sure, Jonny," I answered.
"Can I go, too?" Dally slowly stood up and Soda took his place on the couch. "Soda," Dallas laughed.
Soda Pop's cheeks were puffed out bigger than a chipmunk's and his mouth was so full of chocolate cake that he couldn't talk.
"Look who ate the whole cake this time." Two Bit pointed to Soda, who was trying not to smile. Two Bit wore his own smile, but it had an accusing flare.