Ponyboy's POV

Two days later, I was the first one up. Which of course meant that I had to make breakfast. It also meant that we would have something normal to eat instead of one of Soda's weird creations. I decided to make pancakes and sausage since it was Darry's birthday.

"What are you making?" Brianna asked. I hadn't even realized that she had entered the kitchen while I was mixing the pancake batter.

"Pancakes." I told her.

"Are you going to make shapes like daddy does?" She asked as she looked inside the bowl.

I grinned at her. "I can make yours into shapes if you want."

"Brianna, lets go find something for you to wear today." Soda said, appearing in the doorway. Soon the two of them were heading for Brianna's room leaving me alone with the pancake batter.

Soda's POV

"I think you should wear the jeans and red sweater that Uncle Darry bought you for Christmas." I told Brianna once we were in her room. "I think he'd like that."

"Why?" Brianna asked as I helped her put on the sweater.

"Because today is Uncle Darry's birthday." I explained. Then I sat on the bed and pulled her onto my lap. "I want you to be extra good for Uncle Darry today, okay? He's staying home from work and will be with you the whole day."

"Okay." Brianna agreed.

I grinned and let her down. "Let's go see if Uncle Pony's done making those pancakes yet."

"He said he'd make mine into shapes like you do!" Brianna said as we left her room.

Darry was leaving his own room, and he grinned at Brianna when he saw what she was wearing. "Are you wearing what I bought you for Christmas?"

Brianna nodded. "Uncle Pony's making pancakes and he's making mine into shapes."

"Really?" Darry asked. "That's nice of him."

The three of us entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. And like Brianna told me and Darry, her pancakes were in different shapes. Pony had even used whipped cream and chocolate syrup to decorate them for her.

"Hey Pony, it's Darry's birthday, shouldn't you have decorated his pancakes instead?" I teased.

Pony just rolled his eyes at me and started eating his own pancakes. I think both of us were watching Darry, I don't know why. It wasn't like he was going to start crying or anything, he's too good at hiding his emotions to do that. But, Pony and I watched him anyway, occassionally exchanging a sad glance. This day wasn't easy for any of us, and the fact that it should be a happy day since it was Darry's birthday made it harder.

"I should leave for school now." Pony said when he finished eating. "Soda, can you give me a ride? It's almost time for you to go to work anyway."

I nodded as I leaned over and gave Brianna a kiss good-bye. "Be good, sweetie."

Darry's POV

I watched Soda and Pony as they left. I knew that they had been watching me during breakfast. They've been doing that the past few years on my birthday but I always acted like I didn't notice. In fact, I tried to act like everything was fine.

"Should we wash the dishes?" I asked. "Or should we have Pony and Soda do them later?"

Brianna looked at me and shrugged. She was finishing the last of her pancakes.

"You don't know? I think we should let Pony and Soda do them." I said.

"Anyone home?"

Brianna grinned at me. "Let Two-Bit do them."

"Let me do what?" Two-Bit asked as he entered the kitchen. "Happy birthday, Darry."

"Thank you." I said. "And Brianna was saying that we should let you do the dishes."

Two-Bit looked at Brianna. "Why should I do the dishes? I didn't make them dirty."

I sighed. "I'll have Pony and Soda do them later."

"Any plans for today?" Two-Bit asked. He sat on a chair and leaned back so it was onlt resting on two legs.

"Not that I know of, and if you fall and break your skull open, don't come crying to me." I said, eyeing the chair.

Two-Bit's POV

I ignored Darry and turned my attention to Brianna. "Did you get your Uncle Darry anything for his birthday?"

"No." Brianna mumbled.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Soda didn't have a chance to take her out to get me anything." Darry answered for her. "Besides, I really don't want anything."

I knew that wasn't true. There was one thing Darry wanted but he couldn't have it.

"Are you going to stay for a while?" Darry asked me.

I shrugged. "Might as well. It's not like I have anything to do."

Brianna left to go play with her toys. Leaving Darry and me in the kitchen.

"How were Pony and Soda today?" I asked.

"I don't know." Darry sighed. "They were too busy watching me to see if I was okay."

"Two-Bit, come play with me!" Brianna yelled from the other room. I grinned at Darry and went to join Brianna.

Darry's POV

I also went into the living room, sitting in the arm chair where I could watch Brianna play. The chair had been my father's, every night he would sit in tha same chair, reading the paper or helping Soda with his home work. I felt tears come to my eyes as I thought about my father, and I quickly blinked them back hoping Two-Bit hadn't noticed.

Brianna climbed up onto my lap and looked up at me.

"Hey, Brianna." I said giving her a hug.

"It's your birthday." She told me.

"Yes, it is." I agreed.

"Why are you sad?" Brianna asked. "Daddy and Uncle Pony were sad, too."

I gave her another hug. "Has Soda shown you pictures of your grandma and grandpa?"

Brianna nodded and pointed at the piano. "That's them."

"That's right. Well, a few years ago, on my birthday they were coming home and never made it." I told her. She gave me a confused look. "Someday, we'll tell you what happened. But, for now why don't you play with Two-Bit some more."

Brianna slowly got off my lap and went to where Two-Bit was sitting. He was shaking his head sympathetically at me and I just turned away.

I could always remember that day. It was my twentieth birthday and it started out like a normal day. Soda and Pony both went to school and I went to work along with our parents. That night, mom and dad took the three of us and Steve, who met us there since he had just got his drivers license, out to eat for my birthday. We were all having a good time and I opened my gifts at the restaraunt. I can still see my mom grinning at me as I opened my presents. When we left the restaraunt, Steve took Soda, Pony and me in his car because we were all going to the Dingo for cokes and to meet Two-Bit. Mom and dad were going to go home. That was the last time we saw them. It wasn't until the next morning that any of us found out what had happened. Since then, my birthdays have been hard on me.

How can I be happy on my birthday when it falls on the same day that I lost my parents? I know Soda and Pony have a hard time on my birthday, too, but they don't want me to see them upset. Especially Pony who has this idea that he can't cry in front of me.

"Darry, Brianna wants to go see Soda." Two-Bit was saying. "I have my car here, do you want to go?"

"Sure, we'll stop by there a little later when it's time for lunch." I looked over at Brianna. "Does that sound good?"

Brianna nodded and went back to playing with Soda's old toy cars. I found myself grinning as I watched her play. I might not have my parents around anymore and I miss them a lot, but I was glad to have Brianna around. She may only be my niece, but she does make my birthdays a little happier.