10. A Winston secret, and whose baby is it anyway?

"Pony? Why are you standing there? Come in and see your nephew." Sandy said, noticing me in the doorway.

I walked in, and glanced down at the sleeping Johnny.

"He looks much better when he's sleeping." I commented, and Sandy laughed.

"He does, doesn't he?" She replied. "Are you sleeping alright?"

"I get by." I said, avoiding her question exactly. "He don't look much like a Curtis." I said.

Sandy looked at me thoughtfully. "He doesn't yet.and he could look more like someone from my side of the family."

I shrugged.

"Pony?" Sandy asked. "Is there something on your mind?"

"No." I lied. "I just wanted to let you know I'm going out for a bit."

"Okay, no problems." Sandy replied.

*****

I walked fast once outside, Darry's words echoing in my mind: "You open your mouth and I'll kill you!" I didn't want to say anything, but if Steve's intuition was right, and Johnny wasn't Soda's baby didn't he deserve to know? I headed for the garage determined to speak to Steve. By some amazing luck I found him out the front alone. He glanced up at me, and then back at his work.



"Steve?" I asked.

"What?" He said, sounding irritated. It sometimes bugged me that he didn't like me, but then other times I didn't really care. At the moment I had things on my mind, which were more important than Steve Randall's feelings for me.

"I need to ask you something." I said.

"So ask then." He replied.

"Why do you think that Sandy's baby aint Soda's?" I asked.

Now he stood up and looked at me. "How'd you know what I think?" He demanded.

"Darry told me. I sorta' worked it out though. Steve, Sandy wouldn't lie to Soda!" I said.

Steve sighed. "Boy are you one innocent Pony." He said.

"Innocent?" I demanded. "Glory Steve, how could I be? I've seen death, and pain and tears and blood-"

"Alright, alright. You're a big tough man." Steve said, rolling his eyes. "So, you said anything to Soda bout this?"

"No!" I said. "I couldn't. And I don't even know what I think."

"Did you know Sandy dated Dally?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, she told me something bout it. But she said she didn't like him, and then she fell in love with Soda." I said.

"Yeah, she did. But there's something you don't know Pony. Something only I know. Dally and her saw each other once or twice when she was dating Soda." Steve said, pushing his hair back from his sweaty forehead.

"So? That don't mean anything!" I said.

"Listen Pony I don't want to hurt Soda any more than you do, which is why I didn't say anything to him!" Steve said. "But I overheard her and Dally speaking once, and Pony, it sounded like something went on there."

I felt my heat racing. Surely this was only a coincidence? Surely God wouldn't let something happen to us again?

"What did they say?" I asked.

"Dally asked Sandy whether she was planning on telling anyone. She said there was no chance of that, she'd rather die than admit to something like that! And then he said good, keep it that way?" Steve said, sighing, like he didn't want to repeat it.

"So that don't sound like all that much then?" I asked.

"I don't know Pony." Steve said. "But I will tell you this-if Sandy is lying and this baby aint Soda's I'm gonna wring her neck!"

I think we both realised at the same time. Later Darry would ask me how I could be so damn stupid, but I hadn't thought. I put my own curiosity ahead of anything else!

"Soda." Steve said.

My brother was standing there staring at us. I've told you that he's handsome haven't I? Well he didn't look so good now. His face was pale and he actually looked sick.

"Soda." I said, wracking my brain for the words.

"You're both wrong you know." Soda said, his voice hoarse. "He's my kid. I know he is!"

"I hope he is buddy." Steve said.

Soda's eyes turned to me. "How long have you been talking behind my back like this?" He demanded.

"I haven't. I just spoke to Steve then Soda." I protested. "I wouldn't speak about you behind your back."

Soda didn't reply to that. Instead he said, "I'm going home. Cover for me Steve?"

"Sure buddy." Steve said, and then Soda left, and we looked at each other in shock.

"Why did you have to come and ask?" Steve demanded. "You shoulda' known he might have overheard! Darry's right about you Pony-you aint got no brain!"

"It's not just my fault!" I snapped. "You were the one telling the tale."

Steve just glared at me and went back to his work, and I turned and left. At first I was thinking about going home, but then I changed my mind, and instead I went to where Darry was working. As I walked I was praying that Steve was imagining things. We didn't deserve to have something like this happen to us, not after every thing we had been through! It just wasn't fair!

Darry was surprised to see me. "Ponyboy, what brings you here?" He asked tiredly.

"You been working hard?" I asked, avoiding his question.

"Pony, what's up?" Darry demanded.

"You're not gonna like this Darry." I said, and I told him how I'd gone to see Steve, purely to see why he thought the baby wasn't Soda's, and then we realised Soda had overheard either all of it, but at least some of it!

Darry's eyes grew little. "I should whip you Pony!" He said angrily. "Damn it Pony! Don't you think about things before you speak?"

"I didn't know he was there!" I argued. "And if it's true Darry-don't you think Soda deserves to know now?"

"That's beside the point." Darry replied. "Where does it all end Pony? First there was Mom and Dad dying, then the trouble with you, Johnny and the Socs, and then this..."

"Well maybe it's not true." I offered hopefully.

"Lets hope so Pony." Darry replied, but the look in his eyes told me he was scared. So was I! It was about time things worked out for our family, if you asked me!