AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This is a story I had written a while back. Hope you all enjoy reading and feedback is appreciated.
Chapter 1
Two months had passed since Pony had returned from running away and ending up at Windrixville: two months since the death of Johnny and Dally.
Everything in the Curtis household had taken time to adjust to the change, two gang members lost and a brotherly relationship challenged but now Pony and Darry were getting on with the occasional argument, and Soda was back to his ever so happy self having his kid brother home.
Soda had gotten off work early on the sunny Thursday and grabbed the mail before bouncing his way into the house.
Ponyboy was still at school for another one and a half hours and Darry didn't finish work until five.
Soda kicked off his shoes as he entered the house; one flew onto the couch and the other, into a far corner of the room; he knew Darry would probably tell him not to leave them lying around.
Soda just gave a shrug at the thought and slid across the floor into the kitchen, dirtying his socks in the process, but that didn't matter they got washed anyway; that was his theory.
Soda poured himself a big glass of chocolate milk and gulped it down quickly, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.
"Now to see what I'll make for dinner," Soda said out aloud to himself.
Soda searched through the cupboards and pulled out some pasta and a packet of mushroom sauce. Soda sung loudly to himself as he searched the cupboards.
"Ah, I think red will do nicely for the pasta today," Soda smiled and pulled out the red food coloring; he felt happy so he wanted the food to look happy.
Soda grabbed out some carrots, broccoli, and beans and started chopping them up; putting them into a pot of water on the stove.
Soda kept singing a happy tune to himself of the latest song that continued to play on the radio, as he busied himself with the preparations for dinner.
"Now vegetables on: pasta and coloring in the pot, um...chicken!" Soda mentally listed to himself out a loud.
Soda opened the fridge and grabbed out the roast chicken. Unwrapping the packaging Soda placed it on the oven tray and placed it into the oven so it would be ready by dinner.
Soda was so distracted singing and cooking he hadn't heard the front door.
"Hey Soda," Pony greeted; with a slight chuckle, as he saw Soda's silly antics in the kitchen.
"Hey Pony, how was school and track?" Soda asked.
"Yeah school was just school and track...the coach made us run sprints and race against each other."
"Yeah? How'd you do?" Soda asked.
Pony nodded, "Good, I came second, got beat but only a few seconds."
Soda smiled at his little brother's achievement.
Pony walked over to peer into the pots and saw the red pasta and vegetable.
"What is this Soda?"
"Pasta, chicken and vegetables with mushroom sauce," Soda explained.
Pony raised an eyebrow at the pasta again.
"Yuck Soda, were you too busy singing to realize you made the pasta red?"
Soda laughed, "No I decided to do that and it's not yuck Pony."
Pony rolled his eyes. "I hope not, otherwise you can always take up a singing career instead of a cooking one," Pony joked.
"Hey: enough of your cheek!" Soda slid across the floor to chase after Pony.
Pony ran off with Soda close behind. Soda eventually caught Pony around the waist and swung him around, before the two young brothers wrestled to the ground.
"Soda, Soda. Let me up!" Pony gasped, "I got homework to do."
"Not until you surrender," Soda teased.
"No!" Pony gasped stubbornly and wriggled in Soda's hold.
"Soda; Darry will get mad if I don't get my homework done by dinner!"
"Not until you surrender, Pony," Soda teased again, holding Pony down on the ground, unable to move.
"Alright I surrender!" Pony yelled.
Soda immediately let go and scrambled to a standing position; Pony following suit and dusting off his jeans.
"I'm going to our room," Pony announced.
"Okay kiddo."
After Pony left, Soda checked on dinner once again and concluded it was all under control and so grabbed the mail off the table and flopped onto the couch to rest.
"Darry, Darry, bill, bill..." Soda mindlessly flipped through the letters until he came across one reading Sodapop Curtis; it was in an off-white envelope and had an official stamp on it.
Soda looked curiously at the letter and ran his finger through the top seam, breaking open the envelope. He was still humming softly to himself; having not a care in the world.
As Soda began to read the letter his cheerful mood dropped and tears of shock and disbelief sprung in his eyes.
No way could this be true. There must be some mistake. How am I going to tell Darry and Pony this? Soda thought.
Soda stared at the official symbol on the top of the page and the name printed below; nope this was no typing error: Soda had been selected and was soon going to have to fight in the Vietnam War.
Soda didn't know what to feel; going to war was a death mission and what about never seeing his brothers or Steve or Two-Bit? Why did I have to be chosen? Soda pondered.
Soda heard faint shuffling down the hall and knew Pony was coming out of his room.
"I can't let him see this, not yet," Soda whispered and fell out of his daze, putting the letter back in the envelope and shoving it into his jeans pocket.
"You alright Pony?" Soda asked, trying to act normal and distract himself from his state of shock.
Pony gave a slight look of confusion, "I'm fine Soda. I'm just getting a Pepsi. Why you ask?"
"Oh, I was just wondering," Soda replied, hoping for the courage not to start bawling.
Soda watched Pony got back to his room and went to check on the dinner. Soda wiped some stray tears falling from his eyes as he closed the oven after checking the chicken.
"Stop it Soda, pull yourself together. You can't lead on that anything is wrong," Soda quietly scolded himself.
As the three brothers sat down to eat their meal together, Soda tried to keep his mind off his letter.
"How was work today Darry?" Soda questioned, while scoffing down his food.
"It was hectic, had to work twice as fast to get the job done today. How was work at the DX?"
Soda was lost in thought.
"Soda I asked how was your work?"
"Huh, oh, yeah; it came in stages, real busy one time but dead the next."
Soda froze on his words, dead; he couldn't stop thinking about his letter and being drafted to war.
"You alright Sodapop, you seem distracted?" Darry asked.
"Yeah, sorry Dar, just tired I guess," Soda replied, giving a fake laugh.
"How was school for you Ponyboy? Got all your homework done?" Darry asked after swallowing a large bite of chicken.
"Yar Darry it's all done. Nothing different with school," Pony replied with his mouth full of food.
Darry frowned. "Pony don't speak with your mouth full or talk like a hood," Darry warned.
Soda smiled and listened to his younger brother attentively; he had never been so relieved than when he held Pony in his arms upon his return from being missing for the week.
Soda ate the rest of his meal slowly, trying to keep his thoughts focused on his brothers. He wanted to make this count, because he didn't want to think that he wouldn't be sitting down to eat dinner with his brothers anymore.
"Thanks for dinner Sodapop," Darry said; having finished his dinner.
Soda gave a nod, "No problem Dar."
"Yeah, it wasn't so yuck with the red pasta after all," Pony joked, but Soda didn't laugh back.
When all the dishes were cleared, Pony went into the living room and sat on the couch and switched on the television to a comedy sitcom.
"Ponyboy what is the rule in this house about the dishes? Will you come out here and help!" Darry yelled from the kitchen.
"It's not my turn Darry! Soda swapped with me after he lost in a bet last week!" Pony yelled back.
Darry appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Ponyboy I don't approve of you betting off your chores like that, it teaches you to not be responsible."
Great: here comes another lecture, Pony thought.
"Well, tell Soda as well: he did it too!" Pony protested.
"I will tell Soda but right now I'm telling you, I don't want to hear about you betting chores again."
Soda sighed to himself as he began washing the dishes. Are they going to fight if I'm not here? I don't want my brothers to fall apart because of me.
A silent tear slipped down Soda's face and dripped into the dish water.
"Alright Darry," Pony complained, trying to ignore his brother and focus on the comedic skit on the television between the characters, and thinking Darry couldn't see him, Pony rolled his eyes slightly.
"Don't roll your eyes at me Ponyboy or you can go straight to bed," Darry said firmly.
"Darry I'm not a little kid," Pony complained.
"I know you're not Ponyboy, but I expect a bit less disrespect from you."
"Sorry," Pony mumbled, "Can I still watch my show?"
"Yes but don't sit up too late," the oldest Curtis responded.
Pony went back to watching his television show, while Darry went back into the kitchen.
Darry noticed Soda still not behaving his usual laughing, cheering self and since dinner he knew something was wrong.
"What's up little buddy?"
Soda placed a plate into the drying rack and gave a fake smile to Darry.
"I don't know what you're talking about Dar, I'm fine."
"Don't lie to me Sodapop," Darry said with authority in his voice.
Soda pulled his hands out of the dish water and remained quiet; tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"Pepsi-Cola, what's wrong?" Darry whispered, staring directly at his younger brother.
Soda reached in his jeans pocket and pulled out his letter.
"I got this today Dar, and I'm real scared."
Soda began to sob as Darry carefully took the letter out of his hands.
Darry gasped and his eye widened as he read the letter; glancing up at Soda who was sobbing. Darry felt overcome with shock and quickly pulled Soda into a comforting hug.
"Sodapop it's gonna be alright."
"How Darry; I don't wanna fight in some war; that's just not me and what am I gonna tell Pony? I can't live without you guys," Soda sobbed in Darry's arms.
"Hush Sodapop, we'll talk to Pony tomorrow together. You are tough Sodapop Curtis, you can do this," Darry assured.
Soda sniffed and Darry pushed him away.
"You don't give up, understand?"
Soda nodded again, wiping his eyes, just as Pony walked into the kitchen. Soda quickly turned away not wanting to alarm Pony yet and finished of the last of the dishes.
Pony furrowed his eyebrow in confusion.
"Soda, what's wrong?" Pony asked.
Soda let out a croaky chuckle, "Nothing Pone."
Pony shrugged at the awkward silence between his brothers and knew something was wrong that they weren't telling him but wasn't in the mood for an argument with Darry over minding his own business, so he got his drink from the fridge, and went back to the couch.
Darry and Soda made their way into the lounge room; Soda taking a seat on the couch and Darry a seat on his recliner: Pony and Soda watched the television, while Darry focused on reading his paper.
Soda stayed quiet, lavishing in the time he was with his brothers. After a few re-runs of shows, Darry flicked his head up and glanced at the clock on the wall, which showed nine forty five.
"Go to bed now, Ponyboy," he ordered.
Pony groaned, "Why do I have to go to bed?" Pony whined; flopping his head back against the couch.
"Because I said so and I don't want you getting tired for school."
Pony pulled himself up from the couch.
"Fine," the young boy drowned out.
"Night little man," Darry called.
"Night Pone; I'll be in soon," Soda piped up, giving his little brother a smile.
Soda watched Pony leave the room and turned his attention onto his older brother.
"He's gonna be heartbroken, Dar."
Darry let out a heavy sigh, "I know little buddy, but he has to be told and the sooner it gets done, the easier it will be."
"How you figure?"
Darry set his paper down. "The longer this is left, the harder it will be for him to deal," Darry explained.
"I wish this wasn't happening Dar," the middle Curtis mumbled.
"I know Pepsi-Cola."
Soda's eyes glistened with new tears and he stood up.
"Night Darry," Soda whispered.
"Night little buddy," Darry responded.
Soda slipped into bed beside Pony and wrapped his arm protectively around his little brother's waist; holding on for dear life.
The week Pony had been gone pained Soda more than anything. How am I, and how will Pony and Darry manage with me gone for longer? thoughts raced through Soda's mind.
The two brothers always relied on comfort from each other. Soda scrunched his eyes tight and held his brother as tears began to slip from his eyes.
Pony shifted his body around.
"Soda, are you okay?" the young boy whispered.
Soda sniffed, "Yeah, fine Pony."
"Why are you crying for and what was going on with you and Darry before?" Pony questioned in a quiet whisper.
Soda bit his lip to hold back his sobs, "Nothing Pone."
"But Soda..."
"It was nothing Ponyboy. Now go to sleep," Soda said firmly.
Pony stared at Soda in the darkness of the room; something wasn't right, Soda was never this short and firm with him.
"Soda..."
"Ponyboy that is enough; you got school in the morning and you need your sleep," Soda said roughly.
Pony snuggled down against his pillow; still with his gaze fixed on his brother.
"Sorry," Pony whispered.
"I love you so much Ponyboy, no matter what happens. I'll always love you," Soda whispered; his voice crackling from his tears.
"I love you too Soda," Pony replied and slowly closed his eyes.