Chapter 8
Cole watched Darry pull out of the driveway before slipping back inside. She tip-toed passed her uncle's room and into her own room, shutting herself inside.
The bird was sitting on the windowsill once again, staring at her with those curious eyes. She smiled and shook her head.
"You're so nosey," she said.
After pulling out a few pamphlets out of her top drawer, she laid down on top of her bed to gaze through them, as she had done many times over the past few days. There was a nursing home east of Tulsa that she thought her uncle would enjoy. She'd have to tell him in the morning.
She rested her chin in her hands and sighed. Guilt. She felt guilty, like she was shipping the old man away so that she could have some peace. And maybe that was what she was doing, she wasn't sure. But he wasn't going to get better; the doctor had assured her of that.
She'd have to sell the house and move. For some reason none of this worried her. She was a week under twenty, able-bodied, and smart. No, there was no reason to worry.
The next day, when Darry came home from work, the whole gang was there. The rumble; he'd forgotten all about it. By the time he had taken a shower and gotten dressed, Two-bit was half-drunk and he could feel the energy in the house.
It was only when they began their journey to the vacant lot did Soda come bounding up to him.
"Are you alright there, Dar?" Soda asked, "You seem kinda out of it."
"Yeah, I'm just tired," Darry insisted.
"No time to be tired!" Two-bit shouted, "We've gotta stomp those Socs tonight." With an energetic whoop, Two-bit did a cartwheel, one of the beer cans in his pocket falling out in the process. He paid no mind; plenty more where that came from.
Cole had to help her uncle eat. Sometimes, he'd miss his mouth or drop his fork. It disgusted her, but she pretended like it didn't. She'd just rinse off his fork in the sink and give it back to him, or look away and busy herself in the kitchen.
She'd called the nursing home earlier that day; there was a spot for her uncle. He'd be moving in there the next week. Someone would be coming to take him away in just a few days.
"Tomorrow, I will call the real-estate agency," she mumbled to herself, drying the silverware with a dishrag.
"What was that, Cossette?" A voice asked weakly from the living-room.
"Nothing, Uncle," She said.
"Are you singing, again?" He questioned with laughter in his voice, "You used to love to sing."
"No, you're thinking of Auntie Lynn," She insisted, "I never sang, it was Auntie Lynn."
"Yes, yes. But it was you, too. You used to hum yourself to sleep when you were little. I am old, but I am not too old to forget some things, Cossette."
Great, the old man is drifting again, Cole couldn't help but think.
"It is almost 8:30, and you sound tired," She glanced at her watch.
"Yes, I am," He admitted.
"That's one hell of a fight that damn Soc put up," Darry glanced at his reflection in the mirror.
"Man, what was up with you today Darrel?" Dallas said from the couch, "If Tim Shepard hadn't brought the Brumly boys along those Socs would've killed us."
"I know," Darry said, using a bit of water to wipe the dried blood from his face, "Did they get 'cha bad, Pon?" He tried to change the subject.
"Not too bad," Pony answered.
It was only then that a peculiar silence fell over the house. Not a calming one either. Darry felt odd, like everyone was staring at him, even though there was a wall between him and everyone else.
"So, Superman, how's this Cole chick you brought over?" Two-bit asked.
The question took Darry by surprise and he could tell by the way everyone's eyes tracked him as he stepped into the hall that they had all discussed this before, one of the many times he had been absent. After all, it was uncommon for Darry to bring home anyone, never mind a girl.
"She's fine," Darry shrugged, trying to play it cool. Inside, he was laughing over his choice of words.
"Just fine?" Two-bit took a swig of his beer.
"Just fine," Darry insisted.
It felt odd to be the one getting the interrogation from the boys; Darry was normally the one doing the interrogating. Not that he minded. It wasn't such a bad change, he decided.
"What happened to you?" She asked when she answered the door.
"Rumble," He said softly.
"A rumble? Like a gang fight?" She questioned.
"Yeah," suddenly, he thought he shouldn't have said anything about the fight.
"Oh," she whispered, peeking in the door to her uncle's room and satisfied that he was asleep, she closed it quietly.
"Oh?" He mocked her.
"I just didn't think you did that sort of thing," she shrugged.
"Sometimes," he said.
"Coffee?" She held up a mug.
"No, thanks," Darry sat down at the kitchen table.
"Good," she said, "There's hardly enough for one more cup," and she busied herself making coffee.
He watched her. Her eyes had grown more swollen and her hair was beginning to fall out of her ponytail in long, thin strands. She wore that ratty bathrobe, that she only seemed to wear if it was exceptionally cold outside, and red track pants were loose on her thin legs.
"I just haven't made it to the store in a while," Her voice penetrated into his thoughts, "I keep meaning to; I just forget."
Darry cleared his throat, "When are you going to go back to work?"
She didn't answer at first. Instead, she poured cream into the steaming mug of coffee and took a cautious sip.
"I'm not," She said, "I quit yesterday."
Darry didn't respond.
"I've worked there ever since I got out of high school. It's time for a change." She continued.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked.
"Well, that's the question, isn't it? All of the sudden, I have all of the options in the world and I can't decide what to do," she said, "It's quite pathetic, really."
But it wasn't really pathetic at all, Darry thought as he lay in bed that night. If he had the choice, what would he do? Cole wasn't just talking about a job; he knew that right away. She was talking about a whole new life.
What can I say? Not my best, It'll get better. The next chapter is going to be more centered around the Darry/Cole relationship. Thanks to my reviewers! Tell me what you think!
-Avenging Angel