"Darry can Soda come out and play with me soon?"
"No baby brother. You guys are gonna have to play tomorrow." Darry said, sweeping the kitchen floor.
"Well, can I go in there and play?"
"Ponyboy, it's the same difference if he comes out here or if you go in there. It told you, kiddo. You can play tomorrow. You've finished your homework right? That history that I just helped you with. That was the last of it?"
"Yeah." Pony said. "I'm bored, Darry."
"Your a kid. Play with your toys."
"I already played with toys. I don't wanna anymore. And all my soldiers have been injured and they have to stay in the hospital so I can't play with them anyways." Pony said, matter of fact like.
Darry chuckled. "Oh, I see. Watch TV then."
"There's nothing on. Just grown up shows. And you always get mad when I watch those."
Darry sighed. "Go play in the lot then, Pony." Darry brushed everything into the dust pan and threw it away, setting down the broom at long last.
"I don't wanna play in the lot if there is nobody to play with. Will you come play?"
"I can't, kiddo. I've got some chores to do and I wanna get them done and dinner cooked before Mrs. Clerk gets here. You can help me do the work if you'd like."
Pony grimaced. "Yeah, that's a lot of fun." He said sarcastically.
Darry smiled. "Figured you wouldn't like that idea. But go do something other than complaining about being bored."
"It stinks that Soda can't play with me. I may as well be in trouble too."
"Well in a sense I suppose you're getting punished as well. And rightly so after all that fibbing you did when I picked you up from school."
Pony sighed dramatically, to show his annoyance that his brother had brought that up again. Darry smiled and grabbed for his little brother, lifting him up and tickling him. Pony burst out into a fit of laughter. "Darry stop!" He pleaded as he giggled. Darry finally stopped and sat down with Pony in his lap.
"All-right, you done pouting now, little buddy?"
"Maybe." Pony giggled again.
"Maybe huh?" Darry asked. "Maybe?" He tickled his youngest brothers tummy again. Pony laughed and leaned against Darry's chest and Darry rapped his arms around the little boy. A sudden yawn came from the child. "You tired, Ponyboy?" Darry asked.
"Uh uh." Pony shook his head. "Just comfy."
"Darry!" Soda yelled from his room.
Darry sighed. "What is it?"
"Can I please come out now? Please!?"
"You're staying in there, Soda. I've told you already."
"Awe c'mon Darry I'm gonna go crazy if I have to stay in there any longer!" Soda came out and ran over to his brother.
"Get back in there." Darry said. Pony hopped off of Darry's lap to see if he could sneak a cookie wi'll Darry was talking to Soda.
"But I can't."
"Yes you can." Darry sighed.
"I can't! I can't!" Soda yelled.
"Soda, now."
Soda fell on the ground and closed his eyes, pretending to be paralyzed. "I can't." He mumbled.
"Dang it Sodapop! I oughta whop you one! I'm not playing around. Get up and get back in your room." Soda continued to lay still. Pony giggled as he watched the display, his cookie forgotten. Darry sighed exasperated, stood up, and hoisted his brother up and over his shoulder. Soda continued to lay limp as he big brother carried him into his room and plopped him back down on the bed.
As his head hit the pillow he sat up straight again and glared at Darry. "I can't stand staying in here any longer."
"Well, you're just gonna have to bear it, little buddy because you are going to stay in here for the remainder of the night and you're not gonna give me any more trouble about it. Now for the last time and I am not gonna say it again before I really let you have it kid, STAY in this room."
"C'mon Darry. I'm sorry. I won't ditch again. I promise. But please lemme out of here. There is nothing to do. I'm gonna die of boredom." Soda mustered up the best puppy dog face he could. Darry however expected that and stood his ground.
"Hey, you should be glad that I'm not gonna make you stay in this room every night for the rest of the week. But if you come out of here again that's what I will do. Do you understand?"
Soda sighed. He sure didn't want that to happen. "Yes, Darry." He mumbled.
********
"Sodapop, what on Earth are you doing now?" Darry said, walking back to his brothers room for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. He opened the door and found Soda jumping up and down on the bed. He came over and caught him in midair. "Soda-"
"You said stay in my room and I'm in my room. Why can't I jump on the bed?"
"That bed-frame is older than time can tell. If you keep jumping on it you'll break it and I can't afford to buy another one. I've told you and Pony before that you ain't aloud to jump on the beds." Darry said.
Soda sighed dramatically and dug his head into his brothers shoulder. "Why are you being so mean Darry? You won't let me do anything. I can't stay in here no more."
"Munchkin, I'm not doing this to be mean. You know that. Listen, supper will be ready in a few minutes. Until then why don't you take your bath? You may as well go to bed after dinner. The sooner you sleep the sooner the morning will come." Darry said, hoping Soda would agree. It would save Mrs. Clerk a lot of trouble once she got there.
"I really can't come out?" He asked, making sure there was no way his brother would give in. At first he hadn't really thought Darry would make him stay in there all night long. To his disappointment though he had underestimated his stubbornness.
"Yeah, you do."
"Fine." Soda said. "I guess I'll just go to sleep after supper." Darry put him down and Soda loped off to the bathroom. Darry smiled, glad that whole battle was over and went out to finish making dinner.
********
"I wanna see it. Can I look?" Pony pleaded, leaning over his brothers shoulder and trying to get a better view of the baseball card.
"Here look." Soda said, holding it up for him.
"No I wanna hold it." Pony said.
"No it's to valuable, Ponyboy. Just look at it."
"I wanna hold it!" Pony whined, reaching over and trying to grab it.
"Hey! Don't! You'll rip it." Soda exclaimed putting it back in the box and closing the lid, holding it tightly to his chest.
"That's not fair. I just wanted to see."
"But it's mine." Soda protested.
"Poop head." Pony said.
"Pizza face." Soda challenged.
"Booger breath!"
"Slime monster!"
"Stupid!"
"Moron!"
"Sodapop, Ponyboy, stop it!" Darry came in. "What's the matter?"
"Him!" Both boys yelled simultaneously, each pointing to the other.
Darry rolled his eyes. "What happened?"
"He won't let me see his baseball card." Pony said.
"Yes I did. I showed it to him but he wanted to hold it and I didn't let him because I'm afraid he'll rip it and it's real special. Daddy gave me that one."
"All-right." Darry said. "Ponyboy, if Soda doesn't want you handling the cards you have to respect that. You can look at them but you don't need to hold them. And both of you are going to apologize to each other for all that name calling. You both know better than that."
"Sorry, Pony." Soda said.
"Sorry, Soda."
"That's better." Darry said. "Now hurry up and get ready for school or you're gonna be late. Breakfast is getting cold."
"Can we get ice-cream after school today?" Pony asked. "It's Friday, Darry. Please?"
"We'll see. Just hurry up and get ready." Darry said, leaving his brothers to get dressed. They hurried and got ready and then ran out to the breakfast table where they sat down to eggs and toast. All three ate quickly and then made their way out to the car.
"Soda the school called last night. I have a meeting with the principal this morning. He wants to talk about what happened yesterday." Darry announced as they drove away. He had been pondering the situation the night before and all morning long. He had been told Soda would be suspended for three days, meaning Darry would either have to stay home with him and miss work or find a sitter. He couldn't ask Mrs. Clerk to watch him either. She worked during the day.
Soda sighed. "Do I have to go to the meeting too?"
"Yeah, naturally he wants to talk to you about it as well." Darry said.
Soda paused, remembering something. "Is Steve gonna be there too?" He asked.
"I think so." Darry said. Soda was glad to hear he'd have his friend there for moral support. Darry pulled up to the front of the school and reached over to give Ponyboy a hug and a kiss. Pony returned them both and hopped out of the truck, grabbing his backpack. "Don't forget your lunch." Darry reminded.
"It's in my bag." Pony said.
"Ok. Have a good day."
"I will. Bye Darry. Bye Soda."
They said goodbye and Darry parked, then led Soda to the main office. Soda dragged his feet and stared at the pavement. "C'mon, Sodapop." Darry coaxed, guiding his brother forward, his hands on the boys shoulders.
"I hate Mr. Iron. He's so grumpy." Soda said.
"Hate's a strong word, little buddy."
"All-right, well I don't like him."
"Well, when I talked to him last night I didn't find him to friendly either, Soda, but you and Steve are gonna have to discuss what happened yesterday." Soda smiled, glad to know his brother shared his opinion of the school principal. They reached the office door and Darry turned Soda to him. "Hold still. You've got jam on your face." Darry licked his hand and wiped it off.
Soda pulled away. "C'mon, Darry. Someone's gonna see."
"No they won't. Hold still." Darry said, finishing.
"Yuck." Soda mumbled rubbing his cheek on his shirt sleeve as he was forced into the office. He grinned, seeing Steve waiting on the bench as well. His dad was with him and Steve looked nervous. Soda plopped down beside his friend. "Hey, Stevie." He said, cheerfully, trying to lighten his friends spirits.
"How can you look so happy when we're in so much trouble?" Steve asked. Soda shrugged. Darry took a seat next to his brother and they all waited.
"Mr. Randall. Mr. Curtis. Thank you for coming in." A portly man stepped out of his office. To Soda the meeting felt like hours when it was actually only twenty minutes. He sat there next to his brother and tried not to get distracted as the principal lectured and discussed the boys' many faults. His full attention was on the principal though when he announced that he and Steve were both suspended. Soda had to do everything to keep himself from jumping up and down with joy. He knew that would do more than greatly anger his brother, who already had to miss work to come to this meeting. Soda could tell his friend was happy too, though he did his best not to show it. At long last and to Soda's great relief the principal bid Mr. Randall and Darry a good day and everyone was aloud to leave. Soda winked at his friend when nobody was looking, before Darry took his hand and instructed him to come to the car.
"You'd better wipe that grin off your face, kid." Darry said as they reached the truck. Soda paused. He didn't even realize that he had been smiling.
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"This is not a vacation, Sodapop. You're being punished not rewarded so don't even think that this is gonna be fun."
"Awe, Darry. Why do you have to be like that?" Soda pouted as he got into the truck.
"Soda, you just can't go leaving school any time you feel like it. And the fact that you went all around town for hours without a grown up really bugs me too. I've told you and Ponyboy both plenty of times NOT to do that."
"I know, Darry. I'm sorry." Soda said, hoping to end the lecture.
"I know, just learn from this ok? And don't do it again."
"Ok." Soda mumbled. "Are we going home now?"
"Well, I guess if I'm not at work I may as well get the grocery shopping done. And when we get home we'll wash the truck. It's filthy."
*******
"You got spended?" Pony asked.
"Suspended." Soda corrected, reaching for his comic books.
"Guys it's time for supper!" Darry called.
Pony and Soda hopped off their bed and walked out into the living room. "What did yah make?" Soda asked.
"Chicken and mashed potatoes."
"Yum."
"I'm not hungry tonight, Darry. Can I just play?"
Darry looked at his youngest brother concerned. "But you love chicken. Are you sick, Pon?"
"No, I'm just not hungry. That's all. Can I please play?"
"No, baby boy. You've got to eat something."
"Awe but Darry-"
"Just a little, Ponyboy. You've gotta get some meat on those bones." Darry said. Pony sighed but sat down with a pout. "Your eyes getting better, Soda." Darry said. "The bruise is almost gone now. Does it still hurt?"
"No." Soda said, taking a bite. "Darry, are you gonna go to work tomorrow?"
"No, I can't. You'll be home all day and I can't very well take off and leave you by your lonesome."
"I'd be fine by myself, Darry."
"No, you're still a bit to young."
"No I ain't."
"Soda, I'm not gonna argue about this. You're not old enough to be left alone for so long. I don't know any babysitters other than Mrs. Clerk and she works during the day. Therefore I'm staying here with you."
Soda's eyes lit up as an idea sprung on him. "I could stay at Steve's house! His mom doesn't work and Steve's suspended too so-"
"So, I should just drop you off at Steve's house to reward both of you boys with playtime while you're supposed to be getting punished for playing hooky? It's out of the question."
"But Darry, you've said yourself that you can't afford to miss work." Soda protested.
"And what I can't afford more is to have a spoiled little brother who gets away with murder." Darry said. Soda sighed and went back to eating his chicken. Ponyboy, still sat staring at his food. He didn't feel much like eating. "Pony, you haven't touched your supper." Darry said.
"I told yah I don't wanna eat." Pony whined.
"Ponyboy." Darry said sternly. "You're gonna have something to eat. It doesn't have to be a lot but you need to eat at least most of what I put on that plate."
"But I don't want nothin to eat." He whined again. "I wanna go watch TV."
"I reckon you'd better start eating before I decide that there won't be any TV for you tonight." Darry warned. Pony picked up his fork angrily and started eating his chicken. "That's better." Darry said.
"Hey, Darry? Do yah like sea food?" Soda asked.
"Yes, why?"
"See food." Soda said and then opened his mouth wide, sticking his tongue out and making sure his brothers' had a full view of his chewed up food. Ponyboy erupted into a fit of giggles.
"That's beautiful." Darry said, sarcastically as he chuckled and turned away. "Now chew with your mouth closed."
Soda swallowed and laughed himself. "You said you liked sea food." He giggled. Darry gave his young brother a mock death glare and then continued on eating.