Chapter Thirty Five

I kept a tight grip on Ponyboy as Sodapop rushed up and squeezed his arms around the two of us. He seemed to release weeks of stress and worry as he hollered in delight, "Ponyboy, it's good to have you home!"

Soda and I loosened our grip on Ponyboy just a little to let Darry in to join the moment. Pony lifted his arms off of mine and Soda's shoulders to wrap them around our eldest brother. "Darry! I about worried my self sick about you. It is so good to see that you are okay!" Ponyboy clutched our brother in his arms and nuzzled his face into the crook of Darry's neck to keep from crying.

"I'm okay Ponyboy!" Darry assured him with a hug. "And I'm gonna try real hard to be sure everything stays okay."

Ponyboy pulled back from the hug and wiped his misty eyes. "Well… it's not going to be all okay if you send Scout back to Ashford forever. It just can't be okay that way!"

"I know." Darry looked at Pony with an assuring smile. "That's why I told her she can come home forever once the judge says its okay."

Ponyboy looked over at me with confusion. "But on the phone you said…"

I smiled back at him. "I did, but things have changed, and Darry is going to let us all be together again!" I looked at my twin and noticed the relieved look on his face then the two of us jumped together in a hug.

"I can't believe we are all back together again!" Pony cried out, "I was starting to think it would never happen."

Sodapop grabbed Ponyboy's shoulder and asked, "So what happened? How'd you get here?"

Pony turned to Sodapop. "It was the one of the scariest things ever! A huge twister barreled through the town. It ripped the roof off of our building and blew out all the windows. The place was destroyed in a minute. There was glass everywhere, clothes and shoes and bed sheets went flying across the common yard. There was no way anyone could stay there so anyone who had a decent place to go got to go. Anyone who couldn't go home had to move to a church on the outskirts of town, and there was no way I was sleeping in a church again. So I found Mr. Bowsley and asked him what he was going to do because I knew he was from Tulsa. He said he was coming here to spend the weekend with his family, so I asked permission to leave and hitched a ride."

"How many kids got to leave?" Soda asked.

"Not many, most of those boys aint got no one." Ponyboy told us.

"When do you have to go back?" I asked.

"I don't know. My Bowsley just said he'd give me a call on Sunday and let me know what the situation was like back at Barrington."

"Does Judge Carlson know you are here, or Mrs. Dillard?" Darry questioned with concern.

"I don't think so… and I don't intend to tell'em either."

Darry grinned a little and rubbed the top of Pony's greaseless head. "Don't worry little buddy, I don't either."

Two-Bit's voice called from the porch. "So ya'll gonna stand out there on the sidewalk all night flapping your gums or you gonna come inside to get a party started?"

Casey called out, "That's right it's party time! The Curtis family is back together!"

"I'll drink to that!" Two-Bit answered as Owen stood grinning by his side.

Sodapop looked at his siblings. "Come on, let's get inside. I'm starving anyway."

I giggled, and even though I was in a skirt I jumped up on Ponyboy's back to hitch a ride. "Let's go!"

"Scout, that's not very lady like." Soda laughed.

"That's okay, I'm not a lady yet."

My brothers laughed and we walked up on to the porch and the group funneled through the front door. Once inside the chatter amongst friends and family was amplified. I jumped off of my brother's back and took a moment to soak up the scene. Then Owen threw his arm across my shoulder and whispered into my ear. "Feeing better now?"

"Oh yeah! Like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders." I turned to look at Owen. "Who knew I would ever be thankful for tornados?"

Owen kissed the top of my head as I heard Sodapop call out my name from the kitchen.

I answered his beckoning and found him starring into the mostly empty cupboards. "I can't find nothing to make for dinner."

I poked around through the cabinets and asked, "When was the last time you went to the grocery store?"

"Couple weeks ago, I reckon."

"Well, I reckon we better make a trip to the grocery store."

"I reckon so." Soda smiled at me then he walked out to the dining room and announced, "Hey all! Scout and I got to run to the store to get some food for dinner."

"I'm going to stay here with Darry." Ponyboy told us from the couch were he was sitting next to our brother.

"I'm coming with you!" Casey yelled out.

"Me too," Owen said, "I'll drive."

"Where ya going? Over to my place?" Two-Bit asked Sodapop if he intended to go to the grocery store where Two-Bit worked.

"Yeah," Soda told him as he slipped on his shoes.

Two-Bit reached into his wallet and handed Sodapop some money. "They got cases of beer on sale in the back, pick up a few and just tell them they're for me. Uh, hold on, I'll write you a note." Then Two-Bit chuckled and grabbed a pen and paper.

"Hey!" Darry called out to Sodapop and handed over the fifty dollar bill I had given him days before. "Spend that money wisely. You hear?"

"Will do." Sodapop agreed as his stuffed the note from Two-Bit and the money into the front pocket of the dress pants he was still wearing. "Let's go!" He called out and the four of us headed out the front door to Owen's Camaro.

Owen looked at Sodapop and presented the keys to him. "If you want to drive I will ride with Scout in the back."

I noticed Sodapop's face light up. He used to write to me about how much he loved riding in Owen's car when Owen would give him a ride to or from the hospital or to run errands around town. To have the opportunity to drive it must have been a dream come true for my brother.

"Hell yeah!" Soda answered and swiped the keys from Owen's hand.

"Be nice." Owen warned.

Sodapop just laughed, but once he was in the car he settled down and even seemed to be concentrating on the experience. I took notice of how he held the steering wheel, sat back in the seat as if he owned the machine, and looked over at Casey with a huge grin. For the first time in a long time he was truly happy!

At the grocery store Owen helped me out of the backseat of the car and the building in the distance behind him grabbed my attention. I froze in my place as Owen closed the car door. Owen gave my hand a tug, but when I didn't budge he looked in the same direction as me. The two of us stared for a moment at the laundry mat where James had attacked me and stabbed my brother. Knowing I needed to move on my boyfriend nudged me from my spot. "Let's not think about that right now. We've got dinner to make and friends waiting."

I knew his was right, so I let him quietly escort me into the store where the other two were anxiously waiting.

Sodapop pushed a shopping cart in my direction. "Sissy, you and Owen get the healthy food for dinners and lunches while Casey and I pick up the beer and chips and fixings for chocolate cake."

"Okay, but remember what Darry said about the money," I said

"Sissy, you worry too much. If we go over we'll just tell'em to put it on ole Two-Bit's tab." Sodapop laughed at his own cleverness.

"Two-Bit aint got no tab." Casey said, "I already tried that once."

"How about this," Owen said, "why don't you two get what you really need and any cost over the money you have I'll pay for."

"Oh my gosh!" Casey clapped her hands and kissed Owen on the cheek. Then she looked at me and declared, "he is such a keeper!"

I watched Owen's cheeks turn red as Soda said he would get the meat from the butcher that we needed. Then he and Casey disappeared with their shopping cart to the back of the store. They were out of sight, but from time to time they could still be heard horsing around.

Owen and I set off in a different direction. We strolled through the aisles selecting food and were engulfed in a bit of private time discussing foods we didn't like and meals that we loved. He held my hand tightly and from time to time he would hold me back from being able to reach an item or two. We giggled and cooed with each other as if we were the only two people in the store. Then Owen turned the corner and crashed right into another young lady's cart.

"I am so sorry!" Owen apologized to the lady and checked to be sure nothing was damaged.

I looked up at the girl and at first I just stared at her holding a blanket with a baby wrapped inside. Then I realized who she was. "Sandy?"

"Hi Scout." She said softly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked awkwardly as my thoughts drifted to Sodapop and what he was going to think if he saw her here.

Sandy cocked her head a little at the oddness of my question. "I came back to town a few weeks ago."

"Oh." I said absently.

A few uneasy seconds passed before Sandy spoke again, "You have a nice night."

Before I could respond I heard the sound of mayhem coming around the corner as Casey and Sodapop raced to find us.

"Hey ya'll! Found ya." Soda called out.

I looked over at my brother just in time to see his eyes connect with Sandy's eyes, and his mouth dropped open wider than I had ever seen it. Quietly he said, "Hey, Sandy."

"Hey Soda." She said back just as softly, "its good to see you again." Then the baby began to fuss a little and she shifted him in her arms.

"Is that your little one?" Sodapop asked.

"Yeah. You wanna hold him?"

Soda shrugged his shoulders, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to cuddle a newborn baby. "Sure."

I held my breath and wanted to pull Sodapop out of the store by his ear as Sandy grew closer to him and then laid the baby in his arms. I began to have a dreadful feeling as my brother slowly caressed the little face and cooed at the child.

Casey leaned in to look at the baby and then looked to Sandy. "He don't look much like you. Who's his daddy?"

"I thought I knew, but now I aint so sure." Sandy faintly smiled and looked at my brother, "In fact, Soda, I think he might be yours."

Soda's head jerked up to look at Sandy.

"Oh no, no, no!" I yelled out to ruin the moment. "No! No way is that Sodapop's baby."

Sandy looked at me with a furrowed brow as if I was foiling her evil plan.

I knew Soda wasn't over her and she must have known it too. I continued to rant. "Soda, you just hand that baby back and pretend this never happened. You're no more the father of that baby than I am!"

Soda frowned and began to study the baby's features. "But he does have dark hair like me."

"Soda! Almost all babies are born with dark hair," I stated.

"What about his blue eyes?" Soda asked.

"A lot of babies are born with blue eyes and the color changes later." I told him as my agitation grew.

Then Soda grinned and looked at me as if he was begging to bring home a puppy. "But he's adorable and I'm adorable."

"Sodapop Patrick Curtis!" I scolded loudly and didn't find the situation funny, "You hand that baby back to its mother and forget the two of you ever met. You weren't the father nine months ago and you are not the father now!"

"You don't know that!" Sandy shrieked, "Just because you're all smart and stuff don't mean you don't know that. He could be the baby's daddy just as much as the other guys."

My eyes widened in disgust and I knew I needed to save my brother from a big mistake. "You know what I think I know. I think you came back here to live happily ever after with the baby's real daddy and by the time you got here you realized he wasn't around anymore. Now you need someone to take care of you and pay your bills. You know Sodapop is working fulltime and making money so you want him to step in and fix your mistake. No siree bub! My brother doesn't work hard just to give his money to a girl who will never love him back." When I turned back to the group I notice Casey standing by my brother's side so I embellished the situation further. "Besides, he's already got a girlfriend, right Casey."

She looked at me a second and then caught on. "Oh yeah, right. Aint that right Sodapoppy?" Casey grabbed his arm and leaned into him then she looked to Sandy with a smile. "We're just like two peas in a pod, he and I. We go almost everywhere together. I visit him when he's working at the DX station, I cook his dinners for him, and I even live at his house. Besides, I agree with Scout. I think it's awful shady that you don't talk or write to Sodapop forever and now you think you want him to believe you. Well, he aint falling for it. Aint that right, Sugarplum?"

Soda smiled at Casey's antics, then he stared down at the little tot and I could tell he was falling in love with him. My brother softly cooed a question. "What if he is mine?"

"Then I'm gone forever." I blurted out.

Sodapop looked at me in question.

"If that's your little baby and Judge Carlson finds out there is no way he will ever let me come home again. So you better be real sure that's your child before you trade me in for him." I warned.

Sodapop seemed pause a moment before he looked over at Sandy. "You know, Scout here goes to Ashford Academy now. It's this real expensive school for the richest and smartest girls in the state and she gets to go there for free. She's way smarter then I'll ever be, and she's even going to college someday. Beings she so smart I suppose I ought to listen to her."

"But Soda," Sandy whimpered, "I aint got no one now."

My brother looked over at Sandy with great sincerity. "I told you I would have taken care of the two of you, no questions asked. I would have done that then, but a lot has changed and now I don't think I can. He's a real fine looking baby." Sodapop gently handed the infant back to its mother. "You take care, Sandy." Then Sodapop grabbed his shopping cart and walked away.

Behind me I heard Casey call out, "Wait up Sugarplum!" and she chased after my brother and grabbed his arm. "Let's get the party supplies and get on home!"

Stunned by my brother's actions I stood still a moment and stared at Sandy as her eyes filled with frustrated tears and her face held a look of devastation. No doubt she was in a tough spot. I did feel bad for her. No girl should ever be abandoned like that, but I was proud of Sodapop. It took a lot of strength for him to realize that she would never truly love him back.

Avoiding eye contact with me Sandy grabbed her shopping cart and pushed past me without a word.

Owen walked over to my side. "I think you're right. I think she was just looking for someone to get her out of the mess she is in."

"It's a shame she got herself into that mess to begin with."