Chapter 10-Dad

Darry: 9

Sodapop: 5

Ponyboy: 3

XxX

The ride home was silent. Mrs. Curtis was still musing over her youngest son's wrongdoing and his punishment.

"Are you mad Mommy?" Soda finally asked timidly asked from the back seat. He was afraid that his mother had kept silent the whole car ride.

"Yes dear, but not at you. However, we are still going to have a talk when your father gets home. You knew it was wrong to show your private's o that little girl, Sodapop." Sudan admonished lightly.

"Aww, but mom. She started it. She dared me too." Soda lied. He was paying with Ponyboy who was blissfully unaware of the world around him.

"Be that as it may, it was still wrong. Now get Pony out of his car seat please." They had arrived at the house. Soda complied and was following his mother down the walk when he spotted a moving van way down the street.

"Hey Mommy, we have new people." Soda shouted, tugging his mother's hand. Susan looked over to were her son was pointing ad sighed.

"Yes, I suppose we do. I'll have to make them a welcoming gift."

"Do you think they have a kid my age?" Soda asked, ignoring his mother's rambling.

"How would I know? They just moved in. We'll deliver a cake tomorrow. And you can come with me since you have nothing better to do. Honestly, a week?" She mumbled to herself, tugging Ponyboy into the door. Even though she had already decided it was pointless to punish Soda for such a frivolous crime, she still made him stay in his room all day, no TV, but he still had his little brother and his toys. While he was occupied with Ponyboy, Mrs. Curtis stared on the cake for the new people down the street. She had just finished mixing together the ingredients and was pouring the batter into a pan when the front door clanged and a loud voice filled the house.

"Alright, where is he?" Darry demanded, dumping his stuff onto the couch as he head to the kitchen.
"Who dear?"

"You know perfectly well who. Sodapop! The little butthole got into to trouble."
"How did you already find out?"

"It's all over school how my kid brother flashed some girl them got suspended. How could he do this t me? I'm the laughing stock of the playground!" Darry yelled angrily, pounding his fist on the table. Susan tutted.

"Now Darrel, I think you're being a bit dramatic. Soda just had a little misunderstanding with a little girl. And who's fault was it he wasn't wearing underpants I the first place young man?" Susan hated to add the last part, but it was true. Darry turned a bit red.

"What did you expect me to do? He wouldn't get dressed otherwise!" Susan went back to her baking. Darry muttered under his breath about parents and then stalked out of the kitchen. The TV came on a short while later. Now that the cake was in the oven, Susan decided to cook dinner. Her husband just may be in a bad mood when he learned his middle child got suspended from school on his first day, so she decided that this favorite dinner might lighten the mood. Soon, chicken was cooking, Green beans steaming and mashed potatoes being stirs in with butter and milk. A little later, the door clanged for the second time, signaling the return of her husband. She ran out to greet him before Darry did. She knew her eldest son was still steaming and would just love to get his brother in trouble.

"Hi Darrel. How was work?"

"Fine sweetie. Is that chicken and mash potatoes?" He asked, hugging her and sniffing the air."

"And green beans." He let his hand drop and eyed her suspiciously.

"Oh no, the favorite dinner routine. What happened?"

"I don't know what you're talking about dear."

"Don't give me that. Every time you cook my favorite meal, you have bad news to deliver. Usually about the boys getting into trouble. Was Sodapop streaking in the front again?" Susan sighed.

"Well he was streaking, but not in the front." She muttered. Her husband looked confused.

"What do you me—NO!" His eyes grew wide with realization. "He didn't!"

"He did."
"Where is he? Boy when I'm done with him."
"Wait, Darrel. He was provoked by another girl. It was an accident. The por thing got suspeneded form school for a week."

"A week?"

"Yes."

"For streaking?"

"Yes." Darrel shook his head and put it in his hands. He started shaking and Susan went over to comfort hi when a sound escaped him.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha." He looked up. He was laughing so hard he was crying.

"That is so like Sodapop to get suspended the first day of kindergarten. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Did you already give him a talking to?"

"Yes."

"Then I suppose I'll let this one slide. But in the future he won't get so lucky." Darrel Curtis said right before he broke down into another round of laughter.

A/N: Short, I know, but I was too excited about the next chapter to concentrate. You'll like the next one, I swear.