[A/N. Sorry it has taken me so long to update but the last few weeks have
been kind of hectic. I had my little brother's 21st to organise, and have
been busy working out subjects etc for uni this year.Anyway, here is the
next chapter now. It's kind of nice for me to have Pony coming home to the
gang for the wedding! I miss writing about them- especially Two-Bit who was
always my favorite character in the book!]
TWELVE:
Two-Bit was the first person to hear the car and he came hurrying out to greet me. "The prodigal son returns." He declared grabbing me around the waist and then holding me at arm's length to look at me carefully. "Have they been feeding you all right there? You look a bit pale, a bit thin!"
"Get off!" I said embarrassed, pushing him away. "How have you been anyway? Got a job yet?"
"Not yet." Two-Bit grinned. "Nobody appreciates my talents."
"What talents?" I asked with a grin.
"Drinking, fighting-" Two-Bit began, but I was interrupted by Darry's voice.
"Ponyboy." He called, coming down the front steps. "I'm so glad you could come. I know it was a rush job and all, but it's good to see you."
"Hey Dar," I said, and as he reached me I held out my hand to shake it. Darry regarded it thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head.
"The least I can do is give my own little brother a hug." He said, and he hugged me briefly. I raised an eyebrow at Soda over Darry's back- since when had Darry been into public shows of affection like this? Soda just grinned back at me.
"I'm starving, why don't we celebrate Pony's coming home with some food?" Two-Bit suggested, and he reached for my backpack.
"That's okay Two-Bit, I've got it." I said, but Two-Bit simply pulled it out of my hand and bounded up the walkway with it. Near the door he turned and looked at us impatiently.
"I see Two-Bit's appetite is still the same." I said.
"Most things still are little buddy." Darry replied as we followed Two-Bit into the house.
"Most." Soda muttered, going straight to the phone to order pizza. It occurred to me that I hadn't thought to ask Soda the most important question- how he was, and whether he was staying here after Darry married? I made a mental note to remember to ask him later on. Soon the pizza arrived and with it Steve and it was like a family reunion. I guess I think of them all as my brothers-even Steve. After all we've been through together we are pretty close, probably a lot closer than some real families. We chatted, ate, drank and smoke for hours, until before I knew it the clock was on eleven and I was yawning.
"What's the matter Pony?" Steve asked me. "Now you're a mature old college student do you get tired easily?"
"No, it's just that there is a time difference between here and LA moron." I replied, and Darry snorted whilst Steve looked annoyed.
"So, have you been to any big parties yet, or have you been too busy studying?" Steve asked, still determined to get the better of me.
"A few frat parties." I said. "I've joined a frat which is pretty cool."
Steve didn't answer this, and I stood up and stretched. "I think I might get to bed though- and shouldn't the rest of you? After all, what time do we have to get up in the morning Darry?"
"About seven." He replied. "We've got to make ourselves look at least half- decent."
"Or," Soda added. "In Two-Bit's case we'll settle for a quarter decent."
Two-Bit was quiet for a moment thinking, and I could almost hear his thoughts: 'A quarter is smaller than a half right?' Then he grinned and jumped up from his seat. "I'm going to get you for that greaser!" A moment later he and Soda were tangled in a heap on the floor. Steve didn't hesitate to jump into the fray. Darry gave me a sheepish grin, and then joined in. I leant against the doorway for a minute watching, before turning and going up to bed. It wasn't that I didn't want to muck around, I was simply wrecked from the flight and the time difference. At least that's what I told myself as I fell asleep quickly in my old room.
*****
I was jolted from my sleep not long later. "Pony? You awake?" Soda asked from the door.
"Nah, come in." I said, even though I HAD been asleep. Soda came over and sat down on the bed next to me.
"Feels weird bein' in back here." He commented. "Although sometimes I come in here and think about how strange it is not having you round and all."
"Soda?" I asked.
"Yeah Pony?" He replied.
"Are you all right? I mean with this marriage and all?" I asked.
Soda laughed. "Sure I'm all right Pony. Just because I had a bad experience with marriage doesn't mean Darry doesn't deserve his chance at happiness. And wait till you meet Helen Pony, she's pretty cool." He said.
I couldn't see his face in the dark, the face which always seemed to betray his true emotions, but his tone was fairly earnest and I felt relieved. "And are you staying here? After the wedding?"
"For now." Soda said. "Darry and I had a chat about it, and he told me that this is my home too and he doesn't want me to feel as though I have to leave- especially not on his behalf. But hell Soda, I'm getting a bit old to still be living at home. Maybe Steve and I'll get a place together one day. Anyway, the reason I came in here was to ask you something I forgot to ask you before. I saw your face when you said Mandy wasn't able to come. You two aren't having trouble are you?"
I hesitated. It would have been nice to confide in my brother about how the first few weeks we'd been unhappy and arguing, but how it was all better now I knew the reason behind it. But Mandy would rather die than someone know her secret. "No, we're fine." I said, and then added "I don't think we've been this good in a long time." That was certainly true. Despite Mandy's not wanting to come home for the wedding we were better than we had been in a long time. The fact that I hadn't judged Mandy when she told me about what had happened to her had probably gone a long way in that.
"That's all right then." Soda said, with a sigh, leaning back against the wall. "Mandy's a pretty cool girl for a Soc."
"She's not really a soc!" I argued.
"She's not a greaser!" Soda countered.
"Maybe she's an in between?" I suggested.
"A bitzer?" Soda suggested with a snort, and I hit him. We both laughed for a few minutes before Soda stopped. "Seriously though Pony, I'm glad you're having fun at college and learning new things. And I'm glad you and Mandy are happy. And I'm also glad about Darry's wedding. Things are finally working out for the Curtis's hey? I used to think, a few years back, things wouldn't ever work out for us."
I nodded slowly. "You know, I think the turning point was London." I suggested.
"What Two-Bit's arrest in the pub for drunk and disorderly and the night he spent in jail because we couldn't afford to get him out?" Soda teased.
"Well that was a highlight." I said laughing. "And when he comes out the next day all he does is eat because he complained they starved him in there."
"And then after we went down to Stonehenge on the way back we decided to stop at the pub for tea and Two-Bit refused to drink alcohol for the first time in his life?" Soda said.
"But seriously," I said. "Think about it. It was the first good thing to happen to us in years, since Mom and Dad died, and Johnny and Dally, and the trouble with you and..well think about it. And then when we got back Darry got that great job, and you got a pay rise and I got Mandy..and everything's been fine from then on. Who said raffles were a waste of money?"
"I believe it was Darry." Soda said, and then he sighed and stood up. "You think too much Pony. I only ever thought of that as a holiday not as a dramatic life-altering occasion. Anyway, it's good to have you home- only if it is for a few days."
"It's good to be home." I replied automatically as Soda went out, shutting the door behind him. But, I told myself, it WAS good to be home. It was always good to be home. Things were just the same as they were when I left and if that wasn't comfort what was? But a nagging thought in the back of my mind told me that I wouldn't always think like this. A college education could possibly change me in more ways than one.
TWELVE:
Two-Bit was the first person to hear the car and he came hurrying out to greet me. "The prodigal son returns." He declared grabbing me around the waist and then holding me at arm's length to look at me carefully. "Have they been feeding you all right there? You look a bit pale, a bit thin!"
"Get off!" I said embarrassed, pushing him away. "How have you been anyway? Got a job yet?"
"Not yet." Two-Bit grinned. "Nobody appreciates my talents."
"What talents?" I asked with a grin.
"Drinking, fighting-" Two-Bit began, but I was interrupted by Darry's voice.
"Ponyboy." He called, coming down the front steps. "I'm so glad you could come. I know it was a rush job and all, but it's good to see you."
"Hey Dar," I said, and as he reached me I held out my hand to shake it. Darry regarded it thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head.
"The least I can do is give my own little brother a hug." He said, and he hugged me briefly. I raised an eyebrow at Soda over Darry's back- since when had Darry been into public shows of affection like this? Soda just grinned back at me.
"I'm starving, why don't we celebrate Pony's coming home with some food?" Two-Bit suggested, and he reached for my backpack.
"That's okay Two-Bit, I've got it." I said, but Two-Bit simply pulled it out of my hand and bounded up the walkway with it. Near the door he turned and looked at us impatiently.
"I see Two-Bit's appetite is still the same." I said.
"Most things still are little buddy." Darry replied as we followed Two-Bit into the house.
"Most." Soda muttered, going straight to the phone to order pizza. It occurred to me that I hadn't thought to ask Soda the most important question- how he was, and whether he was staying here after Darry married? I made a mental note to remember to ask him later on. Soon the pizza arrived and with it Steve and it was like a family reunion. I guess I think of them all as my brothers-even Steve. After all we've been through together we are pretty close, probably a lot closer than some real families. We chatted, ate, drank and smoke for hours, until before I knew it the clock was on eleven and I was yawning.
"What's the matter Pony?" Steve asked me. "Now you're a mature old college student do you get tired easily?"
"No, it's just that there is a time difference between here and LA moron." I replied, and Darry snorted whilst Steve looked annoyed.
"So, have you been to any big parties yet, or have you been too busy studying?" Steve asked, still determined to get the better of me.
"A few frat parties." I said. "I've joined a frat which is pretty cool."
Steve didn't answer this, and I stood up and stretched. "I think I might get to bed though- and shouldn't the rest of you? After all, what time do we have to get up in the morning Darry?"
"About seven." He replied. "We've got to make ourselves look at least half- decent."
"Or," Soda added. "In Two-Bit's case we'll settle for a quarter decent."
Two-Bit was quiet for a moment thinking, and I could almost hear his thoughts: 'A quarter is smaller than a half right?' Then he grinned and jumped up from his seat. "I'm going to get you for that greaser!" A moment later he and Soda were tangled in a heap on the floor. Steve didn't hesitate to jump into the fray. Darry gave me a sheepish grin, and then joined in. I leant against the doorway for a minute watching, before turning and going up to bed. It wasn't that I didn't want to muck around, I was simply wrecked from the flight and the time difference. At least that's what I told myself as I fell asleep quickly in my old room.
*****
I was jolted from my sleep not long later. "Pony? You awake?" Soda asked from the door.
"Nah, come in." I said, even though I HAD been asleep. Soda came over and sat down on the bed next to me.
"Feels weird bein' in back here." He commented. "Although sometimes I come in here and think about how strange it is not having you round and all."
"Soda?" I asked.
"Yeah Pony?" He replied.
"Are you all right? I mean with this marriage and all?" I asked.
Soda laughed. "Sure I'm all right Pony. Just because I had a bad experience with marriage doesn't mean Darry doesn't deserve his chance at happiness. And wait till you meet Helen Pony, she's pretty cool." He said.
I couldn't see his face in the dark, the face which always seemed to betray his true emotions, but his tone was fairly earnest and I felt relieved. "And are you staying here? After the wedding?"
"For now." Soda said. "Darry and I had a chat about it, and he told me that this is my home too and he doesn't want me to feel as though I have to leave- especially not on his behalf. But hell Soda, I'm getting a bit old to still be living at home. Maybe Steve and I'll get a place together one day. Anyway, the reason I came in here was to ask you something I forgot to ask you before. I saw your face when you said Mandy wasn't able to come. You two aren't having trouble are you?"
I hesitated. It would have been nice to confide in my brother about how the first few weeks we'd been unhappy and arguing, but how it was all better now I knew the reason behind it. But Mandy would rather die than someone know her secret. "No, we're fine." I said, and then added "I don't think we've been this good in a long time." That was certainly true. Despite Mandy's not wanting to come home for the wedding we were better than we had been in a long time. The fact that I hadn't judged Mandy when she told me about what had happened to her had probably gone a long way in that.
"That's all right then." Soda said, with a sigh, leaning back against the wall. "Mandy's a pretty cool girl for a Soc."
"She's not really a soc!" I argued.
"She's not a greaser!" Soda countered.
"Maybe she's an in between?" I suggested.
"A bitzer?" Soda suggested with a snort, and I hit him. We both laughed for a few minutes before Soda stopped. "Seriously though Pony, I'm glad you're having fun at college and learning new things. And I'm glad you and Mandy are happy. And I'm also glad about Darry's wedding. Things are finally working out for the Curtis's hey? I used to think, a few years back, things wouldn't ever work out for us."
I nodded slowly. "You know, I think the turning point was London." I suggested.
"What Two-Bit's arrest in the pub for drunk and disorderly and the night he spent in jail because we couldn't afford to get him out?" Soda teased.
"Well that was a highlight." I said laughing. "And when he comes out the next day all he does is eat because he complained they starved him in there."
"And then after we went down to Stonehenge on the way back we decided to stop at the pub for tea and Two-Bit refused to drink alcohol for the first time in his life?" Soda said.
"But seriously," I said. "Think about it. It was the first good thing to happen to us in years, since Mom and Dad died, and Johnny and Dally, and the trouble with you and..well think about it. And then when we got back Darry got that great job, and you got a pay rise and I got Mandy..and everything's been fine from then on. Who said raffles were a waste of money?"
"I believe it was Darry." Soda said, and then he sighed and stood up. "You think too much Pony. I only ever thought of that as a holiday not as a dramatic life-altering occasion. Anyway, it's good to have you home- only if it is for a few days."
"It's good to be home." I replied automatically as Soda went out, shutting the door behind him. But, I told myself, it WAS good to be home. It was always good to be home. Things were just the same as they were when I left and if that wasn't comfort what was? But a nagging thought in the back of my mind told me that I wouldn't always think like this. A college education could possibly change me in more ways than one.