Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.
Darry: 6 years old
Soda: 2 years old
Ponyboy: 10 months old
Mr. Curtis cracked open the oven and peeked in at the cooking chicken. He could see that it still wasn't done, and with a sigh he closed the oven door yet again.
"Daddy! Daddy! Ahhahha! He's doing it! He's doing it!" Mr. Curtis smiled at the hysterics of his middle son, Sodapop.
He walked to the living room, and leaned against the doorframe as he surveyed the scene before him.
Darrel and Sodapop were lying on their stomachs a few yards in front of their youngest brother, Ponyboy. The two older boys were making hand motions and soft noises of encouragement as Ponyboy struggled to his feet, by using the couch for support.
Once Ponyboy was standing straight up, Soda excitedly sat up to his knees and cried out, "Alright, Pony! Now, WALK to us!" Mr. Curtis just shook his head and smiled. Sodapop was going to be one crazy boy, but he was just so funny and adorable, that he always made everyone laugh.
"Shhhhh!" Darry hissed at his second smallest brother. "Stop yelling, Soda, or you'll scare him back to the ground like last time!" Soda stopped yelling, but he didn't quit bouncing up and down on his knees, and grinning as wide as young face would allow.
Slowly, Pony took a step forward, then another, then another. He was walking, but still clinging on to the couch for support. But after only a few more steps, he was at the edge of the couch.If he was going to walk all the way to his brothers, he would have to walk the remaining distance without support from anything but his own two legs.
Mr. Curtis, Darrel, and Sodapop all held their breath as Ponyboy took a hesitant step forward. He stuck his slightly pudgy arms out on either side of him for balance.
Sodapop was almost squealing with excitement as Pony to another step, and then another, and another until he was unsteadily walking toward his big brothers. Everyone in the room held their breath as Ponyboy took the last few steps to forward to Darrel's outstretched arms.
At last he made it, and Darrel pulled his littlest brother to him and hugged him enthusiastically. Mr. Curtis smiled, knelt down next to Darrel and took a laughing Ponyboy from his arms while crying out, "Yes, good boy, Pony! You did it!"
Sodapop leapt up and began dancing and bouncing on the couch while singing, in no recognizable tune, "He did it! Oh yeah, Pony did walked! He did it! And I teached him!"
Darry abruptly stopped clapping for Pony and said, "Hey wait a minute, Soda! I'm the one who taught Ponyboy to walk!" Sodapop looked at Darrel as if her were clearly crazy and incredulously cried out, "What? No, you wasn't! I showed him how, and all you did was laugh at me!"
"I laughed cause you were acting like a dummy! And…" Mr. Curtis was still smiling at Pony but cut Darrel off by saying, "Now boys, don't fight! It doesn't matter who taught Pony to walk. All that matters is that he can now, and he's been trying for a long time. How bout celebrate after dinner, by all of us going out for some ice crème?"
The disagreement between Darrel and Sodapop was forgotten with the mere mention ice crème. The both cried out in unison, "Yeah, ice crème!"
Mr. Curtis smiled knowingly and said, "Well, your mommy is out working in the garden. You two had better go tell her the big news!"
Darrel and Soda both bounced up and dashed for the front door, playfully pushing each other the whole way. Mr. Curtis stood up and held his youngest son out in front of him at arm's length. The small boy with green-grey eyes, and dark hair smiled and laughed at his father made a silly face at him.
Mr. Curtis then propped his little boy up on his shoulder and spun him around, savoring the sound of his child's laugh.