"Your daughters?" Marcia asked as if unsure.
"Yes."
"When- how old are they?"
"I had them two years ago."
"That's why you went away suddenly. A pregnancy."
"Yeah, that's why. My parents wouldn't allow me to tell anyone."
"Well, Cherry they're lovely. Their dark hair is a surprise. With your red hair and Bob's blonde hair, it's so strange."
"Marcia I have to tell you something about that."
"Okay sure."
"There not Bob's kids."
Marcia's mouth fell open as she looked at the two girls were now walking over to a laundry basket full of toys.
"Girls don't touch that," Cherry warned.
"No, it's alright. There old toys that mom's giving away. They can play with them and have them if they want."
Cherry nodded as her kids started dragging them out.
"So then who's their dad?"
Cherry breathed deeply.
"Ponyboy."
"Ponyboy Curtis? When?"
"That night at the drive in. I wanted to get back at Bob."
Marcia was floored but she missed Cherry and hadn't seen her in so long.
"Cherry let me get us some cokes. I have a feeling we have a lot to talk about."
Pony leaned on the counter at the DX ready for a break.
"Boy, I'm beat."
"Whatever kid. Just be glad yer not the one messing with the cars," Steve smirked.
"You are an expert at that stuff though."
"Yeah I am,' Steve said putting tobacco in his mouth. Pony grimaced.
"What? I swear you have gotten so much worse since finding out about the kids."
"It's a big deal for me ya know," Pony shrugged.
"Yeah, and it should be. Just don't lose yourself in it ya know? Ya can still be you and be a responsible father to yer girls."
Pony looked at Steve in shock. He would never have expected that from him. The door opened and Soda walked in carrying the bag of fast food he'd gotten for them.
"What you guys up too?" Soda asked.
"Nothing just ready to go home," Steve sighed.
They knew he meant their house.
"Yeah me too. Least I got us food."
"Least ya did."
"Hey Soda did you get all those for Andrea and Isobel?"
"Yep, I got to beat Darry as their favorite uncle."
"So that explains it. It's awful," Marcia said frowning.
"It's almost the least of my worries. The kids are almost two. Heck, sometimes I can't remember if their two already or not. I'm worried their delayed or something. I mean they can talk some but sometimes they just babble. Maybe that's normal and I'm expecting too much from them so soon. I don't know. I was never around kids much. I feel like their teeth aren't coming in as fast as they should."
"Well, Cherry sometimes kids develop differently. I'm sure there fine. So what if they're a little slow? So long as their healthy then they will catch up."
"Yeah, your right I guess."
"Have you talked with Pony about it?"
"Not yet. We've had so much to talk about already. We're still figuring things out."
"Cherry I believe you I just don't understand how the girls have jet black hair when neither you or Pony do. "
"I can assure you their Pony's children. I honestly don't know. My mom guessed just genetics. Her parents both had jet black hair too. Apparently, she did but has dyed her hair for years. That was something I never knew."
"Oh wow, I thought she had red hair too like your dad."
"I know. I had always assumed they were both natural redheads. Interesting to think I didn't get jet black hair but they did."
"So you've been caring for them mostly by yourself?"
"Yep."
"That must be so difficult. "
"It is but things should get easier now."
"I'm glad you told me Cherry. Does anyone else know?"
"No I haven't told anyone apart from you I'm even back. I need to keep it that way. I'm worried if some of Bob's friends knew about this it could be dangerous."
"You mean-?"
"Yes, they might do something to the kids. At one point I wouldn't have considered it possible. But I saw how they were just after Bob's death. I know they're capable of that."
"Well, you don't have to worry about me telling anyone anything. You can trust me."
"Thank you. I've always been thankful for your friendship."
"You're welcome,"
They turned to watch the kids playing nearby.
"They really are pretty children."
"Thank you."
That was one thing that made Cherry very proud was for someone to compliment her children.
"Are you and Pony together?"
"No, he was drunk that night. He didn't even remember us doing anything. I shouldn't have done it. I was so reckless that night."
Cherry thought back to the night she'd told her parents. She had dreaded it but knew better than to try to hide it. Her parents were in the living room. Her mom sewing while her dad read a book.
"Dad Mom I need to talk to you," she said nervously.
"What is it Cherry?"
"I'm pregnant."
Everything was deathly quiet as she was sure her heart would beat right out of her chest. Her parents shocked expressions morphed into ones of anger.
"Cherry how could you have been so stupid? You know better," her father boomed.
"You have shamed us. Do you know what everyone will say when they find out about this? Bob's poor parents will have to find out their son fathered a baby he won't see," her mother said shaking her head.
"Bob isn't the father," Cherry said looking down.
"Then who is?" Her father asked tensely.
"Ponyboy Curtis."
"One of the boys who killed Bob?"
Cherry didn't bother correcting her father though she wanted to. She nodded her head.
"Cherry you have sinned. Sex before marriage and with a fourteen-year-old? Why in the world would you do that? You had a boyfriend and that child's a Greaser," her mom said standing up.
"The Sheldon's are going to love you getting pregnant with the boy who killed Bob," her father said also standing now.
"He didn't stab him. That was Johnny and Bob was drunk. You were with me when I testified."
"Oh first name basis with them now?"
"Dad-"
"Cherry I have always been proud of every decision you have made. I had considered your mother and I lucky because you were so responsible. You have changed all that today. A baby changes everything. You aren't prepared for that," he said softer.
"Cherry sweetie we still love you but we are so ashamed right now. There is no other way to say it."
"I know Mom."
"Cherry you made this decision, poor decision I might add, now you have to face the consequences. Logically I don't know what you were thinking."
She listened to his words. Cherry had thought she was a rather logic filled person in some sense. Logic would have told Cherry having sex with a fourteen-year-old was wrong. A fourteen-year-old Greaser who was drunk. She wasn't using protection. Yes, logic would have told her all that. The trouble was logic wasn't as easy to follow as it ought to be. Hence she was in this situation.
"I wasn't thinking," She admitted.
"Clearly," her mother huffed.
"We will not be negatively reflected upon because of your poor decisions. Because we certainly taught you better. You are not having an abortion. There is no earthly way I would support that-"
"I know dad I know. I don't want that either."
"Well, no more cheerleading in your condition. You will have to switch school. A Catholic all-girls school will be the perfect opportunity to keep you out of trouble. I'm going to take you out of school as soon as I can get you enrolled at your new school. You're going to have to do this on your own. We won't be raising it because it's your kid."
He had been completely serious about that. She'd basically done it all on her own.
"Cherry are you okay?"
She looked up to see Marcia looking at her in concern. She'd forgotten she was there.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Cherry had talked with Marcia just a little bit longer before she sat down to play with the girls. She left afterward happy to have her best friend back in some way. She wasn't naïve as to think things could be like they were. Or to think Marcia would want to be her friend for the rest of their lives. She trusted Marcia when she'd told her she wanted her in her life again. As well as to be in the lives of her children. That was enough for Cherry in that moment. She buckled her kids up and drove away.
She didn't notice the Soc watching her. He was eager to tell someone what he'd just seen. He wouldn't do that without having more to tell. He loved to know as much as possible that he could about a situation. So she hopped in his car and followed Cherry. There was a reason she had left suddenly without explanation. At the time everyone assumed it was due to the death of Bob. Why was she back now? He slowly followed behind the car and parked a few feet away to watch as she parked at what looked to be apartments. Strange that she wouldn't be with her family. He looked around the area. He had never been here before. It looked like a dumb. Why would a Soc like her be here? He decided who he was going to tell and smirked as he drove away.
"So I know it's expensive but the money I'm making at the Dx could really help out."
Darry smiled as Pony had compiled a list of things he wanted to get for the kids. Some were essentials while others were just things they would enjoy. He was taking his role as a father so seriously. More so than anyone else he had ever seen.
"Pony I'm proud of ya."
Pony stopped talking and looked from his list to Darry.
"Why? I got a girl pregnant with not one but two babies."
"Yeah trust me I was a little mad, to begin with. But you're a sixteen-year-old who is a more devoted father than people have your age."
"What if I make a mistake in being a dad?"
"No one's perfect Pony. Dads are going to make mistakes just like everyone else. I know you can fix them."
"Steve told me today I could still be a responsible father and be myself."
"He's right ya know. Never knew Steve to be a voice of reason."
"He is every now and then," Soda said walking into the kitchen. "Is that what you were talking bout when I came back?"
"Yep that ole Steve sure is something."
Soda walked over to look at Pony's list.
"Pon yer gonna spoil them, girls."
"No, I just want to make sure they got all the stuff they need."
"If this list is anything to go by then they will have that and a lot more."
He grinned ruffling Pony's hair.
"Boy, I keep forgetting you're a daddy but yer still my kid brother."
"Well yer both my kid brothers," Darry said rushing forward to ruffle both their heads.
Dally smoked a cigarette as he listened from the living room. Twobit was passed out in the chair drunk. Leave it to him to overdo it every now and then. Even though he drank all the time. Pony had got to where he was warning Twobit about how unhealthy it was. Fatherhood was getting to his head. Johnny was asleep on the couch with back problems, though he mostly recovered from the church incident he still had pain. A lot had been on Dally's mind lately.
Cherry and those children being one of those things. Why come back now? Something just didn't seem right to him. Maybe her being a Soc led him not to trust her. Despite what she said, he had doubts about those kids being Pony's. If they were that just made things worse. She could use the kids to help set up the gang for a Soc attack or something. Maybe he was being stupid but he also thought he was being realistic if not overly cautious. Pony through himself into this idea of fatherhood from the beginning.
Dally didn't want Pony hurt. He thought of Pony as a little brother much in the way he did Johnny. Apparently, the church incident did that. An idea formed in his head and he went out the door.
An hour later he was knocking on Cherry's door. Cherry sighed having just gotten the kids to sleep and went too quickly shut up the loud banging.
"Do you mind I just got the kids to sleep," She said hatefully.
Only then did she notice it was Dally. She hadn't actually thought of who it might be. She was simply upset the kids might wake up.
"Nice to see ya too," he smirked.
"What do you want?"
"Aren't you gonna invite me in like a lady?"
"Would you let a hood into your house if you were a young woman with two kids?"
"Ya know I find that awful offensive. I'm not the best guy but I also ain't gonna be going into people's houses to do anything," He chuckled holding his hands up.
"So what do you want?"
"We really gonna do this at the door?"
Cherry glared.
"Fine what I wanted to ask you was-"
"For pete's sake come inside."
She gestured him in and he smirked in victory as he waltzed in.
"So for the last time what do you want?"
"You're not very welcoming."
"You're in my home aren't you?"
"You wouldn't be trying to set us up would you?"
"What?"
"For the Socs?"
"What in the world are you talking about?"
"You're a Soc kids or no kids."
"I haven't been a Soc or seen a Soc in two years. Except for Marcia who I just saw today."
"You two wouldn't be planning anything would you?"
"You think the two of us are a threat to you and all your gang?"
"You could be talking to some of the guys."
"No, I'm not talking to any of them."
"You two broads wouldn't happen to be planning to roll up your sleeves and fight in the next rumble would ya?"
"Of course we are."
"Those kids really Pony's?"
"Why would you ask me that?"
"It's a valid question isn't it?"
"They are Pony's."
"You were dating that Bob guy wasn't you?"
"Pony is the only possible choice. It could only be him."
"Yeah, how do ya know for sure?"
"I know."
"So what's your reason for coming back now? Telling Pony this?"
"There his kids. He deserved to know. Be in their lives if he wanted. They deserve it."
"He's a Greaser. Ya know he can't give your kids the life you had. Not until he finishes school anyway."
"I know that."
"Your parents really not providing any financial support?"
"Not unless the girls get sick."
"That must suck."
"Yeah I manage best I can."
"Ya wanting financial help from Pony?"
"You just said he can't really give me anything. I'm not making him but I appreciate the help he's giving me financially. It wasn't what I wanted though."
"Maybe you are innocent then. Ya think Marcia will keep quiet?"
"She's my best friend and she didn't turn me away earlier. Even when I told her everything. She understands."
"Let's hope your right. For your sake and the kids."
"You suddenly care?"
"Those kids can't help the mess there in can they?"
"No, they can't."