I went back home and was relieved to find Shepard gone.

"I took care of it with the state too. Pony should be fine, and Soda you can go for sure tomorrow."

Soda nodded.

I hesitated again. "Soda, I am going to put in some more hours. Will you be okay?"

Steve walked to the forefront. "I was thinkin' that since there was no one here to cramp our style, we would go down to the Strip."

I nodded, grateful, Steve could keep him distracted.

"I am taggin' along. Karen is out tonight and Ma is working anyhows." Two-Bit said.

"Sounds good. Have fun. Soda, you got money?"

I waited until Soda nodded.

"Hold it guys." I said, before they left, and made sure that my voice was completely devoid of any humor when I said, "Any of you head over to the West Side, I will skin you. That will just make things worse. I just made a deal with the state that I intend to live by. Understood."

I looked them all in the eyes as they nodded. I walked out with them, a hand on Soda's shoulder. "I won't be back until close to midnight. All right? Just leave me a plate in the oven for dinner."

"All right." Soda said, attempting to smile. But it was not his trademark movie star grin.

I got to the office. My boss patted me on the shoulder, he was a good man who understood pretty well. I could tell that he sized up what had happened just by looking at me.

"The state may be asking you for one of those verification of employment/wages slips."

"No problem, Darrel. When is the hearing?"

"Don't know yet." I looked at the floor. "I would appreciate you putting me on the schedule as much as possible."

"Lawyers ain't cheap. Listen, Darry, if you need an advance, you just ask. Okay?"

I appreciated the gesture. No one really gave Grease advances. They were worried that we would run off with it, and getting their money back was more trouble than it was worth as they would have to come into our territory where our boys or friends would take care of them. But my boss knew I wouldn't take the money if I could not commit to working the hours. But I hadn't taken charity before and wouldn't now… unless I got desperate.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." I shook his hand.

He said, "I can get you in on double or even triple shifts for the next four days. Let me know your hearing dates whenever. If you need me to testify, let me know."

I smiled at him, and shook his hand again. "My legal aid attorney is Greta Galvestone. I will pass on your kind offer to her. I will work continuous shifts until this is over, just with breaks for the hearings if that is all right."

"One advice. Don't call her your legal aid attorney, she is your attorney and you will win her over." He sized me up in a second and said, "get to work."

I worked straight until 2 AM, and sure enough that helped me forget everything. I went home to find Soda sitting up, bleary eyed. "Why aren't you asleep." I scolded.

"Now I see what Pone always said about your ability to scream at everything." Soda said.

I tried to size him up. I couldn't tell if he was actually drunk or just sleepy. "Go to bed, little buddy."

"Can't. my room reminds me too much of Pony." Soda said.

I sighed. I should have expected this. Soda slept with Pony to help him fall asleep. And now Soda couldn't fall asleep because Pony wasn't here. I sighed.

"Do you think he is thinking of us?"

"I am sure he is fine." I said, to avoid answering, yes, I think he is probably missing us and not sleeping or if he is sleeping then having a nightmare. "You will be there tomorrow to see for yourself and make it better. Greta is coming over tomorrow as well as Mr. Syme. I am pulling double to triple shifts so I should be bringing in good money in case we need it. Speaking of which, I withdrew about 50 dollars. Take it with you in case you need it, bribe the social workers to put Pony in a better room, buy him things, et cetera."

I realize my mistake too late. Again I am too analytical and logical. Cool or icy as Ponyboy would say.

"Don't talk like that." Soda said, fiercely. "Don't talk as if it is permanent."

"Little buddy," I said, trying to placate him, as well as get him to go to bed so I could go to bed and get a few hours of sleep before doing it again. "Come on, go to sleep, for Pony. You know he will probably know you are awake and not sleep because of it."

Okay, so I sunk to a low blow.

It worked, however, and Soda went to sleep. I, on the other hand, sat down and made lists and prepared things for my visit with Greta

I wrote out our family monthly budget, conveniently adding in the money I would make from my double and triple shifts.

I took out Pony's report cards. I took out his track medals and then regretted it as I broke down crying. All of my hard work. All of mom and dad's hard work… gone. I had no illusions about what the Boys Home would do to him. It would kill his drive to achieve and learn. He would have no one pushing him to do his best and push his comfort zone. He would have no support system.

I knew what that felt like as all that kept me going was Soda and Pony. Pony's eyes relying and me and trusting in me, even when he thought he was angry at me and hating me for grounding him or for being an overprotective ninny as he called it.

"Go to bed." A tired voice said, and I cursed. I must have been out of it not to notice someone open the front door and come in.

"Steve?"

"Someone needed to be here to push you into bed. I am sure you had to push Soda into bed when you got back."

I gathered from his tone and posture that his father had also started on him. "Thanks, Steve."

"Sleep! What time do you have to leave?"
'I gotta leave at 8. Soda can leave anytime after 9:30." I remembered where the Boys Home was.

"Steve, you and Two-Bit both take him, ya dig. Take my truck." Maybe if the Soc's thought I was in the car they would also be a bit more leery.

"Fine. Are you takin' my wheels then?"
"Thanks, Steve."

"Don't mention it. But seriously, get to bed." Steve yawned.

I waved at him tiredly as he pulled out the spare blankets and went to sleep. I had planned to check on Soda, but I knew he was probably in a light sleep and that would just wake him.

I woke up at 7:15 to breakfast on the stove. "Don't let this ruin my rep." Steve warned. "I just didn't want to deal with a cranky Darry."

I chuckled. Especially seeing that he had also made Sodapop's favorite cake.

I ate quickly. I went to Soda's room when I was done. I found him curled up in all of his sheets. "Hey, little buddy." I said, softly, sitting by him. "I am heading out. Call me from the Boys Home, ya dig?"

Soda nodded sleepily. "Don't work too hard, okay? Keep me updated about what happens with Greta."

I ruffled his hair. I handed him the fifty dollars. "Steve and Two-Bit will drop ya."

"I get chauffeured around, tuff." Soda said, affecting a cocky posture.

I shook my head. Soda Soda Soda.

"Hey, Parker, I am expecting an important call from my brother. Give me a holler when he calls, will ya." I said, while carrying my double bundle an hour later.

"Sure thing, Darry." Parker said, giving me a friendly smile.

"what is taking Soda so long to call." I fretted two hours later, when I was just leaving for my lunch break and Soda still hadn't called.

My mind went to some awful twists and turns. I imagined Soda and Pony dying in some rumble with the Socs.

Predictably, I decided to stay close to the phone for lunch. Just before I was going to get back to work the phone rang. I dived for it. "Sorry, I couldn't call earlier." Soda's voice came, thankfully sounding much more chipper than in the morning. "Weird phone rules that apparently I am also now subject to."

"No problem." I hesitated, "How is Pony."

"Doing about as well as can be expected. He hasn't stopped clinging to me." Soda said. "But, I am here. He will be fine. Dar, I ain't leaving him though."

"I wouldn't want you to. Listen, according to the state guidelines, you can leave for work and come back if need be. I will ask Greta when the first possible hearing date is. But if it ain't tomorrow, Steve and Two-Bit are going to get you and you are going to work."

"What part of I ain't leaving him can't you understand." Soda said, heatedly.

I rubbed my head, not because Soda was talking back to me and was going to worsen our financial situation by not going to work and risking his job. But, because that indicated that Pony wasn't doing all that well in the Boys Home and Soda was just trying to reassure me by telling me he was fine. This was always a pill for me as I was always telling Soda to tell me when something was wrong with Ponyboy so I could deal with it rather than trying to cover for him.

"All right. Why don't we talk this evening? If nothing else, I will call you once Greta leaves and we can check in. Can I talk to Pone?"

I kept my conversation with him short, because I felt he needed someone to be strong and I didn't need him to hear my voice breaking or how scared I was. That was the problem with having such a perceptive brother I knew he would figure it out if I talked ot him for too long.

"You and Soda don't stay up too late, ya dig. I need you in top shape when you come home. And make sure to finish your homework! I don't want to be dealing with complaints from your teachers when you come home."

That night when I got back at 5:15 to clean up and eat some dinner before Greta came over. I had no illusions why Greta asked to come over. She wanted to see what she had to spin for the court.

Sure enough, when she came at six on the dot she came in and looked around first. "Okay. I was able to intercede with the court and get a hearing for tomorrow." She put her hand up when I started forward, hopeful. "it's a short hearing just about the temporary order of custody, legally, an OTC which removed Pony from your custody. We have very little control over tomorrow's hearing because the judgment will pretty much be based on the testimony of the people at the Boys Home." That told me that Soda had probably called her earlier when he got there and told her that Pony wasn't doing very well in the Boys Home and needed to be home, NOW.

I rolled with the punch. "And?"

'If the OTC is upheld, then I will continue to push for an early date. The next date on Natalie's calendar, unfortunately, is Monday. We could get something earlier with another judge, but, personally, I would rather wait for Monday than risk another judge. Oh yes, remember technically you need to call sometime after 9 AM tomorrow to officially sue for custody. Judge White was clear that you had to call yourself. That means, legally, that all she can use in court is your statement that I want custody of my brothers."

I nodded. Judge White seemed to be fair at least.

"What do we need to do to prepare for Monday?"

"I spoke with Mr. Syme. I also spoke with your boss. Nice man. They are willing to testify on your behalf. I am going to talk to your High School principal. We need to prep your friends."

I gave her a look of awe. It had only been one day and she was already on top of this. This was quite a change from need to be threatened to work Max.

"Oh yes. Your friends need to be prepped as witnesses." She said, misunderstanding my look. "The AG is going to know just what to ask them. After all, your friend Dally was around the block multiple times and Mr. Matthews is no slouch about appearing in front of the court either and they had to know how to handle it.

"I can have them here whenever you want and they are not working."

Greta smiled. "Ask them to come to my office, Friday at 3:30. Until then, we need to start collecting papers, budgets, grades, etc."

I smiled to myself as I handed her the papers I had collected last night. She rifled through them. "Good." She said. "This shows he is performing well in school. The athletic ribbons show he is getting a well-rounded education. The only thing missing is, I would love some documentation about extra-curricular activities. What does Ponyboy do for fun?"

"He goes to the library." I had to stop and think, this was Soda's area not mine. Soda knew Ponyboy's schedule cold. "He hangs out with the guys, paints, draws. He loves movies." My smile died as I remember what happened after the last movie he saw.

"Okay, right there." Greta stopped me. "The judge is not going to like to hear the hanging out with the guys especially alone.. Pony is a lot younger then them, and we know that even your brother has a rep of pulling some… crazier stunts."

I bristled. Soda never did anything to hurt anyone. Sure he jacked stuff from time to time, but just as a prank. His other stunts consisted of things just as cartwheels down sidewalks. She put her hand up. "He is older, entitled. But Pony is young. Does he have friends his own age?"

I looked down. "Johnny was his only close friend his own age. He… has track buds, but that friendship usually lasts as far as the track fields. he… he used to buddy it around with Curly Shepard, but I put an end to that. Curly is a bit too wild. He has been in the reformatory a few too many times. Bad influence." I ended, lamely, cursing myself for rambling. But though Curly wasn't a member of our gang, he was a fellow grease, and it felt odd badmouthing him.

"Good." She said, "so you watch the influences on him and do control who he hangs with. And what does he do when he hangs out with the guys?"
"I do watch what they do and say around Pone. But they play Poker, just horse around." I said, fishing for something that sounded less lame, "are often his ride to movies."

"That sounds good. Just remind me to make sure to have your friends know to emphasize that you keep the content and conduct PG around him."

I nodded. I would emphasize it as well.

"I am not going to sugar coat it, the other issues are going to be the neighborhood and the budget."

"I can try to get a third job…"

"Then you become the absentee parent. No, I am going to emphasize how well you are doing on this budget, and then how much your budget will open up with state money and state assistance."

She asked me a few more questions on the same line and then closed her books. "Hang tight. Come in on time and dressed well tomorrow. There is nothing else we can do until tomorrow. Until then, Darrel, just keep doing what you are doing. You are a good parent. A good guardian and a great brother. Understood?"

I gave her a genuine smile. "I really appreciate it, thanks Greta."

"I appreciate the opportunity to help someone who is a good parent get their kid back." She said, softly, making me wonder who her usual clients were. I had no illusions that there were bad parents out there. Jonathan and Cecilia Randle, Mark and Betsy Cade being two of them…

I called Soda right after she left. I tapped my foot as the prissy bureaucrat at the state home went to get Pony and Soda from wherever there room was. She had acted as if I was acting her to go get me the President's autograph. "You coulda told me that Pony wasn't doing well.." I told Soda, tiredly when he was finally on the phone. "So, you used your afternoon phone call on telling Greta to ask for an emergency hearing,

"I didn't want to worry you." He defended himself, "I knew if Greta was successful in getting an emergency hearing she would tell you."

"And if not?"

"Then there was nothing telling you would accomplish except getting you in further trouble with the state." I couldn't argue with that, though it still hurt. I wanted to know what was going on and be connected to be brothers even if they were not physically with me.

"Keep an eye on him, ya dig?" I said, finally.

"He is doing better now that I am here. I just… have to watch him better then I ever had to."

I winced, knowing that meant that he was getting beaten on. Seriously, I thought that I had trained him in defending himself better.

I didn't sleep a wink that night, uncharacteristically. I found myself in Ponyboy's room, sitting on his bed. I was glad that the guys weren't here tonight or my rep would be out of the window. "I hope you are okay, lil colt. Please tell me that you are sticking close to Soda and not trying to be smart."

I grabbed a cup of coffee as the sun came up and set out for the day. At least I was the site manager, so I could take out some of this frustration by yelling at the other construction workers on the site

My alarm went off at 8:55 on the dot. "Morning break." I hollered. "Anyone drop lumber while I am gone, you get to deal with me when I get back."

"Darrel Curtis for Judge White, please."

An amused voice came back at me. "You lost me fifteen dollars. I bet you would have called 9 on the dot.

"It should be nine on the dot." I said, astonished. Then I caught myself. "My apologies, your honor."

"I was the one being casual." Her tone turned business-like. "Mr. Curtis, therefore you have decided to sue for custody. Of which brother?"

"Both, your honor." I said, astonished that she would even have to ask.

"And you have used the night to think about it? Think about how much quieter the house is, how much more money and time you have without the two of them at home."

"Yes, Ma'am." I said, deciding to omit the fact that I bawled like a baby without the two of them at home and was throwing myself into work. The work part would show up in my budget, hopefully in our favor.

"Then I accept your petition. On a related matter, I received Greta's petition. Therefore, I will see you at the hearing today at 11:15 and then again finally on Monday. In the interim, Bruce Smart is your contact."

"Thank you, your honor." I hoped she wasn't getting sick. Her voice was sounding a bit weak on the phone. Who knows what would happen to us and the hearing if she were ill.

I hoped that this was a short hearing that sent Ponyboy home with us. "Darrel, phone for you." Kevin, one of the new hirees, yelled at me right as I was about to leave.

"I gotta a hearing to be at."

"It is about that hearing."

I got a bad feeling in my gut. I picked up the phone. Sure enough, it was Bruce. "Yes. I was just about to leave for the hearing."

"Please hold for the Judge." He said, his tone clipped.