Spring's Resurgence

Chapter 28

Surprise!

XXX

"Whacha looking at there, Dar?" Sodapop came into the kitchen for something as Two-Bit hopped on the counter nearby.

I turned my head and shrugged, unable to hide my grin in time. "Pony. He's back in the tree again."

Soda came to look. "One day that branch is gonna give out if he ain't careful."

"Now that would be funny," Two-Bit grinned.

My smile continued, but not over that mental picture. I scooped another dish out of the suds.

"Okay, enough's enough. What's going on?" Sodapop asked, hanging on my shoulder as he looked at me curiously.

"What makes you think something's going on?"

"Cause I know you. For the last few days, you've been acting like the cat that ate the canary. Something's up, now spill it."

I shook my head, trying to lie. "Ain't nothing going on."

"Bullshit," Two-Bit said before belching. I gave him a reproachful look, but he just shrugged.

"Darry, c'mon man, give it up."

I sighed, Sodapop's persistence winning out. Besides, this was just too much fun to keep to myself. I shut the water off, then kept an eye on Pony; wanting to make sure he didn't hear or come in and ruin it.

"Fine, but you two have got to keep it to yourselves."

"Ohh, this should be good," Two-Bit said as he hopped down and came closer.

"Pony said he wasn't going to his Spring Dance... and I think he should. We went to ours, and I don't want him regretting missing the dance in ten years."

"But Darry," Sodapop said, frowning as he popped open a drink, "if he doesn't want to go... I mean, sure, you can take him, but that don't mean he'll..."

"He said he didn't have a date," I interrupted, "and that was why he didn't want to go."

"You got him a hooker?" Two-Bit asked, laughing at the shock. I batted him hard with my wet fist. "Owww," he mocked, rubbing his arm.

"No, dip-shit, I didn't get him a hooker. I did, however, get him a date. And I'm pretty sure once he see's her, he'll go."

"Okay, you as a matchmaker... this is scary. Who'd you get?"

I smiled, picking up another dish to wash. "Linda."

He nearly choked on the drink he was gulping. "Linda? As in Hollis's, Linda?"

"Yep. She'll be here tomorrow."

"Now that's ingenious," Two-Bit said appreciatively, chucking my back as he returned to the counter. I had to admit, I thought so too.

"How'd you pull that off?" Soda asked, smiling as he looked out at Ponyboy, still laying obliviously in the tree.

"A few phone calls to Mr. McDougal. Her and her mom are coming tomorrow afternoon and promised to be here in plenty of time for the dance. But don't you two go ruining it. I mean it, Two-Bit... this goes way beyond storing your beer here."

"No problems, big guy. I won't say a word... to him."

"No," I corrected, "you don't say a word to nobody. Period."

"You going?" Soda asked him, grabbing a cookie from the box. "It's your dance too."

"Nah," he said waving it off. "At least not to the school. I've got my own party planned."

"See, that's where the hookers will be. All tied up with you," I teased, earning a flick of the bird back.

"I thought you and Kathy broke up?" Sodapop asked. This was news to me.

"We did. I'm going out with Cynthia tomorrow."

"Just like Two-Bit, always has one waiting in the wings!" I shook my head, wondering how many entries he had in his little black book. That thing had to be thick by now. I looked out the window. Pony was walking this way, brushing the seat of his pants as he traversed the yard. "Hush, here he comes." We got silent as the door opened and he came in, stopping abruptly when he saw us.

"What?" he asked, looking down and checking the fly on his pants. "What're you guys staring at?"

"Nothing, kid," Two-Bit said, hopping off the counter. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Night, Two-Bit," I called.

"Well, I'm game for some TV. Whaddya want to watch?" Sodapop asked.

"Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis," Pony answered.

I winced. "That's in reruns, and it's all bunk anyway. What else is on?"

"Some western," Soda called out as he flipped the channels.

I shook my head, bored already. "Watch what you want, I'm going to the garage for a while."

"Don't hurt yourself," Sodapop called out as the theme to Dobie began playing.

XXX

"I'm home," I called out, exhausted after walking back from school.

"Bout time. Where ya been?" Darry asked.

"Walked. It ain't like the school is a block over, ya know. You going out?" He was dressed in his good jeans and a button shirt, and looking around, even the house looked picked up.

"Later, maybe. Go take a shower, you stink."

"Nah, that's just my old track clothes. Coach had everyone clean out the gym lockers today, the heat in the locker room was making the funk worse, gagging the janitor. He threatened to quit unless something was done. I'll go shove 'em in the laundry room."

"He home yet?" I heard Sodapop ask - followed by the screen door shutting hard with a loud whap against the frame.

"Yeah, I'm home!" I called over my shoulder.

"He know?" I heard Two-Bit ask.

"Shut up, you maggot," Darry hissed, the sound of a scuffle starting then stopping abruptly.

"He know... what?" I asked, coming back.

"Pony, go take a shower," Darry said again, sounding miffed.

"I told you, it was the gym clothes," I repeated as I went to the kitchen, scanning the fridge for something to drink.

"I don't care, go shower anyway."

I looked at him, annoyed. I wasn't planning on taking a shower until later, before bed. It was Friday, for gosh sakes. The weather was warm but nice, and I was planning on either walking up to the ribbon just to see what's up or laying out in the tree with one of my books again. "What's going on?" I asked harshly.

"Look, I got company coming over, and I'd like it if you didn't look so... slovenly."

"What's the big deal? Michelle's seen us wearing less than slovenly," I drolled.

"It. Ain't. Michelle." he retorted.

I rolled my eyes but turned for the bathroom. "Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" I muttered.

"And use twice as much soap!" he called after me as I shut the door.

XXX

"You're going to give him a complex," I stifled a laugh, knowing he could still hear us if he listened hard enough.

"He'll forget as soon as he see's why."

I looked at the clock. "What time is she coming over?"

"Soon," Darry answered, also checking the time.

"Hey, the festivities begun yet?" Steve asked, popping his head inside. Two-Bit was there too, both grinning, knowing they were gonna be front and center to see Pony squirm.

"You guys had better not ruin this for him." Darry said harshly.

"Him? Heck, like you ain't gonna get a laugh outa this too!" Two-Bit stifled a chuckle.

"Oh really... boys, grow up!" Michelle hissed as she followed everyone inside, the house filling up fast. "I doubt you had to endure an audience when you were going out on your first dance date."

"We all did, if you want to know the truth," Darry corrected her, greeting her with a kiss as his arms encircled her.

"She here yet?" Michelle asked. Darry shook his head just as an unfamiliar car pulled up and Linda got out, dressed simply in street clothes and carrying a bag.

"Hey Linda. How was the trip?" I asked softly, opening the door for her.

"Long. Mom was wanting Darry to go talk to her for a minute," she said, jerking her thumb back at the waiting car. "You know, the whole 'you're not going to butcher my daughter' routine. Sorry, Darry..."

He headed for the door. "That's okay. I wouldn't expect any less." He walked around the car just as the water shut off down the hallway.

"Shoot!" I ran to his room and got his robe, then dashed back to the bathroom, knocking twice before cracking the door open. He was toweling off when I handed him the flannel. "Hey Ponyboy, when you come out, wear your robe, not the towel."

"Sure, whatever."

"He still doesn't know I'm here?" she whispered, her eyes bright.

I put my finger to my lips. "No. C'mon, get your things." Michelle touched her shoulder and I led the two of them to Darry's room just in time.

"Hey guys," Pony said, rubbing a towel over his head as he came out, his dark ginger locks going in every direction. "You guys going to the races tonight?"

"Maybe. Thought we'd hang out here, see what comes up first." Two-Bit answered. I couldn't help it, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Steve nearly spewed his drink, since Two-Bit said that just as he was chugging a Coke down. Pony looked at him, confused.

"You spill that on my carpet," Darry threatened as he came back inside, "and you'll be cleaning it with your own toothbrush." Still, he'd heard the comment, his laughter concealed by force. "Ponyboy, go get dressed."

"And you guys think I'm the nutty one," he muttered as he went to his room, shutting the door. Darry went over to Two-Bit, raising his hand like he was going to backhand him, but stopped short of the down-swing. Still, Two-Bit ducked in fear.

"Enough. Remember, she's not from around here."

Two-Bit nodded, settling down. "Yeah, sorry Dar. Just … couldn't resist it."

A few minutes later, Pony came out, sliding his comb in his back jeans pocket as he went to the kitchen. "Who's cooking and what's for dinner?"

"I think we're all on our own tonight, bud." Darry said, leaning against the kitchen doorframe.

"You going out with Michelle?" he asked as Linda silently crept up the hallway, all fancied up in a blue dress that showed off her figure without it being overkill.

"Probably. And I think Sodapop's got plans of his own, doncha Sodapop?" Darry asked, carefully stepping back. The anticipation was killing me.

"Yup. The races should be good tonight. Martin's got that new engine... Steve and me wanna see how fast it can go. You got any plans, Pone?"

He'd pulled the chocolate ice-cream from the freezer and scooped some into a cup – totally oblivious to Linda who was now standing alone in the kitchen doorway behind him, patiently waiting. I watched her a second; awed at the expression on her face and the way her eyes smiled as she watched him. No doubt about it - those two have a thing for each other. Neither time nor distance apart had weakened it.

Pony shrugged. "Nah. I'll think of something to do, maybe go to the movies later if that's okay." At that point he turned around and stood wide eyed, the surprise genuine.

"Linda?" He still hadn't moved. "Linda, what're you..." he muttered, taking a step toward her then stopping abruptly. I'd have laughed if the whole thing wasn't so damned cute.

"I was wondering about that Spring Dance you mentioned ... you said you needed a date."

"The Dance? Is that..." he stuttered, his voice an octave off. I wished I could read his mind, since while the tips of his ears were pink, his face had gone blank.

"Tonight... yeah. Or, I could just go on back home..." she gave a small shrug and started to turn, as if it didn't matter to her one way or the other.

"No! ... I mean, don't leave," he insisted as he broke out of his daze, putting the cup down as he finally remembered he could walk and erased the space between them. His eyes went up and down as if he'd just noticed the dress. Maybe he had. "You look great," he said softly, the corners of his mouth turning into a smile.

"And you look severely under-dressed," Darry said, breaking the mood. Steve and Two-Bit bopped knuckles and had cheesy grins on their faces. Michelle was smiling in an adoring way, and Darry looked rather smug that he'd managed to pull off his surprise. "Come on, time to get you suited up."

"You too, I still want to work on your hair." Michelle and Linda went back to Darry's room while Darry and Pony headed to his room.

"Well, that was entertaining," Steve said as he got up. "We really going to the races?"

"Sure, if you want to. I take it you're not going to the dance?"

His face twisted a second, then he shook his head. "Nah. I went last year and the year before that. You ain't gonna be there, Evie ain't gonna be there - at least not with me, so no... I don't think so. How bout you, Two-Bit?"

"Nup. I have my own party happening later. Cynthia... ahh Cynthia."

"Who the heck is Cynthia?" Steve asked.

"That waitress at Rosewoods. Met her when the kid was playing. We've uh..." he smiled with clear meaning, "sort of kept in touch."

"You're sick, Two-Bit." Steve said. I had to admit, even though I thought he played the field too much, at times I was envious.

XXX

Calla Lily Rose