Chapter 37

When Darry got home that night, the Curtis house was full of unspeakable tension, and the odd thing was that there weren't even very many people in the house to begin with. Johnny had ventured over and was hanging out with Pony and Two-Bit in the living room, and Sara was hiding out in her room. Soda and Steve were working, and Dallas, well, god knows where he was at.

"Hey guys." Darry said putting his tool belt down.

"Hi Darry." The boys said at the same time.

"Pony, did you make it to practice?" Darry noticed that Pony was still in his t-shirt and shorts.

"Yah, Two-Bit brought me and picked me up." Pony said looking at the tv and not daring to make eye contact with Darry.

"Where did Sara stay during that?" Darry sat down to take his work boots off.

"We brought her with us, Dar." Two-Bit answered for Pony. Darry was starting to notice that the boys were not making eye contact with him. Now Mickey Mouse was on the tube, but he sensed that something was up.

"So, she must be feeling better, huh?" Darry was hoping that was a good sign if she got out of the house for a bit today.

"Well, I don't know about that. She is still complaining that she doesn't feel well." Two-Bit answered again. Darry knew now that something was definitely up, for Pony wouldn't even look in his direction, and Ponyboy wasn't that big of a fan of Mickey Mouse.

"What is going on with you two?" Neither one of you can even look at me?" Both boys gave in and they both turned their heads at the same time and were looking at Darry now.

"Sorry, Dar, it is just that Mickey is on." Again, an answer from Two-Bit, but nothing from Ponyboy.

"You might be able to get away with that answer Two-Bit, but Pony?" Darry was pressing for something.

"Nothing, Dar, just like Two-Bit said." Darry was getting a little irritated with these two.

"Did you get her to eat some lunch?" Darry asked.

"Two-Bit did." Pony answered making sure he was looking at Darry this time.

"How much?"

"I don't know.. half of sandwich maybe." Pony was only answering the safe questions, hoping this would satisfy him and get him off his back. Darry just let out a heavy sigh and headed down the hallway. Darry made his way to the bathroom where he washed the sweat off his face from the hard day's work.

Two-Bit had turned to look at Pony and chuckled. "Jesus, Pony, you really clam up under pressure. I'll need to start teaching you some pointers." Two-Bit elbowed Pony. "Don't worry so Kiddo. Soda said he'll take care of it." Two-Bit turned back to the tv. But it was then that Pony confessed the truth to Two-Bit.

"Hell, Two-Bit, it isn't Sara I am worry about. I'm worried that Darry is going to find out about us skipping out early today. Earlier than I was supposed to that is."

"He won't find out kid. No one but us and Tim know we were hanging out at the Dingo before coming home. Everyone things that we just left 30 minutes early from study hall. No one knows that is was English for you and US History for me. But you need to cut this out. You keep acting like this and Darry will know for sure something is up. Relax, would you?"

"I hope you're right, Two-Bit."

Meanwhile Darry had finished in the bathroom and was walking towards Sara's room to see how she really was doing. When he got to her doorway he found her laying on her bed with books spread out around her and her music was playing, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", by Neil Sedaka. He thought that she did look a lot better than this morning. She had a lot more color back in her face. She seemed to have more energy and seemed livelier, all good sign. "Hi, Kiddo, what are you doing?"

"Just looking at some books and listening to the radio." Sara said looking down at the book in her hand.

"How are you feeling?" Darry asked still leaning against the door frame.

"Fine." Sara said still looking down at the book and not making eye contact with Darry. Now Darry wasn't just born yesterday, he was starting to put two and two together. Something was definitely going on here, and he was about to find out what. His first thought was that it must have been a fight between Sara and Pony. How the hell was he going to leave them alone all summer if they couldn't even make it an afternoon without getting into it?

"Sara, how was your day at home?" Darry was going to try to get it out of Sara, seeing Pony wasn't giving any information out willingly.

"Fine." Sara said again not looking up at Darry.

"Any reason why you can't look at me today?" Darry knew he needed to take this slow with her, or else he wouldn't get the information he was looking for from either one of them.

"No." Sara raised her head and made semi eye contact with Darry.

"Well, something seems to be bothering you. I can tell that much."

"No one is talking to me!" Sara yelled to Darry.

"I'm talking to you." Darry corrected her.

"Yah, but you just got home. I mean none of the boys are talking to me." Darry knew he needed to keep pressing to get her to keep giving up information.

"Maybe they are just giving you some quiet time so you'll feel better."

"That's not what I mean. It started this morning with Dally and Steve getting in a fight over me. Than Steve and Soda got in a fight about me, and now Soda is mad at me and isn't talking to me. And then Pony and I got in a fight this afternoon, so now him and Two-Bit aren't talking to me. Then Two-Bit had to go tell Sodapop about our fight and it is just a horrible mess." Out of frustration Sara tossed her book on to the floor from her bed.

"That is not how we treat stuff around here." Darry pulled himself up off the door frame and walked over and picked up the book, and placed it on Sara's bookcase. After he did that he sat down next to Sara on the bed. He continued to pry information out of her, for what she was saying really wasn't completing the story.

"You said that Steve and Dally got into it this morning?" Darry was trying to put why Steve would have been here in the morning if he went to school like he told him too.

"Yup, right before Soda made us French toast. Steve told Dally he was being my nurse maid. What is a nurse maid, Darry?" Darry just chuckled at Sara. But Darry could see how that would piss Dally off.

"It's a person who takes care of someone that is sick. That's all. Were you watching tv while this was all going on?" If Sara could answer this question it would give Darry a pretty good estimation about what time Steve actually showed back up this morning.

"Yes. Loony tunes was on." Sara was doing a great job with giving him the details that ne needed. Now Darry knew that Steve probably didn't go to school at all, the question was did Pony?

"So, why did Steve and Soda get in a fight again?"

"Because Steve said that Soda was acting like Dadda and not like my brother. But I don't think so, Darry. He was just being Sodapop. But just when they were done fighting Ponyboy and Two-Bit came home."

"Were you still watching tv?"

"Yup. The Price is Right was on. Steve was saying old Bessy could make it out to California, so he could be on the show."

"In his dreams, maybe." Darry said.

"That is what Soda said, kind of." Sara had a little smile on her face. Darry now had a pretty good understanding of the morning and now knew why Pony wasn't making eye contact. That little shit, skipped out early from school. The question was how much early, but before he approached that subject he wanted to know about the afternoon. He was sure he was going to have a discussion with Pony about a lot more than just skipping out of school early.

"Sara, what happened between you and Pony this afternoon?" Darry looked right at Sara for an answer, but Sara dipped her head down and was fidgeting with a fringe on one of her blankets.

"Fighting over shot gun." Sara knew she needed to be honest with Darry, but also aware that Darry would be disappointed that she was arguing with Pony about this.

"That doesn't sound like you. You know you're not allowed to ride in the front seat."

"I know that." Sara snapped back at Darry.

"No need for the tone, little lady." Darry shot her a warning. "So, why did this make Two-Bit upset with you?"

"Because of the words I used." Sara could barely be heard now.

"What do you mean the words you used?" Darry was looking a little puzzled.

"Mean words." Sara wasn't going to rat herself out, so she would give just half the truth and hope that would be good enough for Darry.

Darry figured he knew what she was talking about. For Sara could be a little hot tempered, and when she got mad she would use some pretty hurtful words. "So, why did he tell Sodapop?" Darry needed to keep pressing, he felt like he almost had all the information that he needed to put everything together.

"Because he wanted you guys to know what happened." Sara stopped and finally made some eye contact with Darry. "So that you could handle it when you got home." Darry was now very intrigued with that statement.

"So something needs to be handled then?" Darry grabbed Sara's chin and lifted it so he was looking right into her eyes.

"I guess so." Sara replied.

"Huh?" Was the only thing Darry said before changing the subject. "So I heard that you didn't eat very much today, is your stomach still uneasy?"

"A little." Sara wasn't sure if it was from the anxiety that she feeling because of the unknown of what was going happen about her swearing or if it was really left over from last night.

"And your head?" Darry moved aside some of her bangs to get a look at the bump that was there last night and the cut.

"It comes and go."

"Ok, then." Darry patted her leg, and then got up and walked out of the room. He needed to start some dinner. He was going through the cabinets trying to find something. The only thing he could find was spaghetti. He started boiling the water for the pasta and was opening a can of sauce. "Hey, who is staying for dinner?"

"Not me, Dar. I am heading out." Two-Bit hollered back but Ponyboy was giving Two-Bit a look of fear. "Relax, kid, it will be fine. He would have said something by now. Us being here has never stopped him from hollering at you before." Two-Bit punched Pony's arm.

"I am outta here too. I better make an appearance at my house. But I might be back later though." Johnny got up and decided to walk out with Two-Bit.

"Ok, Johnny." Pony was now really starting to worry, for all his back up was leaving him to fend for himself against the wolf that was in the kitchen.

"Ok, have a good night guys. See you all tomorrow." Darry hollered back to the boys that were now exiting the house. Pony thought he was going to go nuts. He needed to go out and have a smoke to calm his nerves. He got up off the couch and went out onto the porch and sat down.

"Ponyboy, do not venture off nowhere. I am cooking dinner." Darry hollered out to Pony.

"I'm just on the porch Dar."

"Stay there, then!" Darry warned. Sara was wandering out from her room after she heard the boys leave.

"What's for dinner?" Darry heard Sara ask.

"Spaghetti."

"Boys gone?" Sara was just making sure her assumption was correct.

"Yup," Darry was getting ready to add the spaghetti to the boiling water.

"Did you talk with Two-Bit at all?" Sara was trying to see if Two-Bit had told Darry yet.

"Not really. Just some small talk."

"Oh." Sara wasn't sure what to think about that. "What time is Soda coming home tonight?"

"Sara, what are we playing 20 questions here?" Darry was having a hard time concentrating on getting dinner ready with Sara firing off all these silly questions.

"No. Just wondering, that's all."

Darry felt kind of bad for responding so harshly so he tried to answer her last question. "I am not sure, maybe 7:00 or so."

"Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" Darry guessed that she didn't get the hint that he didn't want to be answering all these questions right now.

"Yes, Sara, you will be going to school tomorrow. I think you are perfectly fine seeing you haven't stopped talking since I have gotten home." Darry snapped at Sara again.

"Ok." Just as Sara was going to ask another question they heard the phone ring.

"Perfect timing." Darry turned the burner down on the stove for the pasta and sauce and started hollering at the phone. "I'm coming for pete's sakes." He rushed over and picked it up. "Hello? This is. No, I am not aware of that. Yes, I did write him a note today to be excused. I believe I wrote it for noon time, not 10:00. So are you saying he skipped out early according to your attendance? English and study hall you say? Yes, I understand. Don't worry Sir; we will be having a chat about this. I understand. This Saturday? That is perfectly fine with me, Sir. I will make sure he is there. 8:00. Thank- you for calling, Sir. Have a good evening." Darry slammed down the phone, and looked right out the door at Pony who was finishing his smoke. Darry knew he could do this now and cause a big to do before dinner, or he could wait until after, he thought after would probably be best. This would also give Pony time to confess his crime on his own before Darry laid into him. Plus Darry wanted to give himself time to cool off, because as ticked as he was now, he knew he could easily lose his temper and fast. Darry walked back into the kitchen to finish up with dinner when he noticed that Sara was sitting at the dinner table waiting for something. "Well, if you are just going to sit there, at least you can do is set the table." Darry realized after this request came out that he sounded mean. "Sorry, Sara. I didn't mean for it to sound like that." Darry handed Sara 3 plates, 3 forks, 2 knifes and 3 napkins. Sara knew where everything went and started setting the table. It looked odd to her to have Soda's seat empty without any settings in front of it. As Sara stared at the table she remembered that same feeling that she was having now, after her parents had passed. It took a while to be able to sit at the table and have two chairs and two settings be empty. After a while though, it must have been bothering Darry as well, because he removed their chairs from the table and took the leaf out of the middle of the table to make it smaller for just the four of them.

"All done." Sara told Darry.

"Good, because now you can go wash up. Dinner is almost ready. Can you go get Pony from the porch?" Sara walked out to the porch where she found Pony just day dreaming or something like that.

"Pony, dinner is ready." Sara said through the screen door.

"Thanks, I'll be right in." But Pony didn't move from the stairs.

Sara was getting ready to walk away when something pulled her back to speak with Pony. "Pony, I am sorry that I said that bad word to you earlier." Sara had lowered her voice so that Darry could not hear. "Did you or Two-Bit tell Darry yet?" Pony was now getting up from the stairs and was moving to open the screen.

"No, Sara." Pony stopped when he came through the door, stopping the screen from slamming shut. "You know, he is going to find out though, Sara."

"What do you think he'll say?" But then Sara added, "Or what do you think he will do?" When Pony looked down at his sister he could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"It is hard to say, Sara. Sometimes you never know. I mean Darry is so new to this whole parental thing. He might do what Mom or Dad did to us." Pony didn't really want to scare her any more than she already was, but she did ask.

"I don't remember what that was? Pony, please tell me!"

"Well, Mom washed out our mouth with soap if she caught us. But Dad, well, Dad skinned both Darry and Sodapop. I never got caught by Dad, so I guess I was lucky and just got the soap." Sara's eyes widen to the size of saucers. Darry had only threatened to skin her but had actually never done so, and her parents had never laid a hand on her either. But soap in the mouth? Sara couldn't even fathom what that would be like. As Pony walked passed her leaving Sara with her thoughts he leaned in and whispered, "But who knows with Darry." He patted her shoulder and continued to the kitchen. Sara now had completely lost her appetite from just thinking about what could be her consequence for swearing.

"Come on, Sara, wash up for dinner, I told you to do that 5 minutes ago." Darry was hollering to her. Sara quickly moved towards the bathroom sink to do as she was told. She didn't need to give Darry any more reasons to want to punisher her.