One Year Later

Darry, and I went to the double-feature at the drive-in, he liked driving my car he said because it was easier to park at the drive-in, "Hey, what do you think of marrying me?" He asked so casually, it was kind of cute.

I kissed his cheek, "With you?"

He laughed a little, "Yeah, unless you were expecting Dean Martin to propose."

"Oh so I didn't tell you about the random call I got from him," I teased as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I love you, you knew that from the start, I want you to be my wife," He tilted my chin so I was looking up into those almost grey eyes, "I want to share what I have with you, and for you to share what you have with me," he leaned in and kissed me softly.

I felt tears run down my cheeks, and smiled, "Alright."

There was two side's to Darry, the protector hard, strong side that came out when his friends or loved ones may be in trouble, and then it was this side the loving, gentle, caring but still protecting side that he allowed me to see so many times. I was in love with both his sides.

He dried my tears with his thumbs, and kissed me softly on the lips, "I love you Mandy Starr Randle."

"I love you to," I rested my head back on his shoulder, "I have some news I was waiting till tomorrow to tell you."

He kissed the top of my head softly, "What's that babe?"

I laughed as I remembered reading my son the book about Paul Bunyan, then remembered what I was about to tell him, "You know how I had to go to the doctors this afternoon?"

"Yeah, I watched Kent while you went, remember? You were at the doctor's right?" He stared at me for a moment, studying me, "What did they say?"

"I have the same thing I had nine years ago growing inside of me," I smiled a little.

"What thing, are you going to be alright?" He pulled me into his arms, "We'll get through this, together alright?" he paused for a moment, "I didn't know you were sick nine years ago."

I laughed softly, "I wasn't, I mean I am not sick, I'm pregnant."

He froze for moment, smiling as he just stared at me, he looked towards my stomach, then laughed taking me by surprise.

"Well, what are you laughing about?" I didn't know if I should be mad, or if I should laugh. I didn't laugh, I looked straight ahead at the movie screen.

"Sorry babe, I just realized what you meant, by having the same thing you had nine years ago," He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, "You were pregnant nine years ago, just took me a little while to add up every thing," he stared at me, as if he just been hit by a baseball, "You're pregnant?"

I smiled at him, "So I hear."

He started the car, "Let's go tell the others," he pulled out of the spot we were parked at, and started to, who knows where, "Darry, we can't tell others tonight, I didn't even tell Kent yet."

"Okay, we'll tell him, and my brothers tonight, along with Steve since he is your cousin, and let everyone else find out on there own," He pulled the car over, and parked in front of the vacant lot, "How are we going to fit Soda, Ponyboy, Kent, the baby, and you and I in my house?"

"You told me your parents left you the house in there Will right?" I stared at him, "Same as my dad did when he signed the house over to me, You could come move in with Kent, and I, and you could still have the other house, where Soda could stay with Pony, they are both eighteen, or older so they could live on there own."

"Soda can't afford having the place alone, and who knows who Pony will be having in his room," Darry was already worrying about his brothers, and since I been with him I started worry a little myself.

"Well I could talk to Steve, maybe he could move in with your brothers, he practically lives with you anyways, just now he would have to help pay utilities, and you and I make good money if we combine our wages together, we could help them out for a little bit," Reason I knew all this was because Kent, and I been on our own for the last three years.

Darry looked at me impressed, then grinned, "True, that's a great idea."

When we got back to Darry's house, he had everyone sit in the living room; He looked at his brothers, then sat beside my son (Steve was out with Jen).

"Mandy, and I got a couple of things to tell you boys," Darry looked at me, "I'll tell them the first thing, you tell them the second…"

Soda rolled his eyes impatiently, "Tell us already? You two are getting married," he grinned as he took a small box from his pocket, "You drooped this on the porch on your way to the movies, Kent found it."

Pony smiled at Kent, "Yeah, he figured it out before Soda, what was going on."

"That's because I asked his permission first Ponyboy," Darry messed with my sons hair, he looked at me, "I guess he had to tell you guys, didn't he? He said we could get married."

I sat beside my son on the arm rest of the couch, "Thank you Kent."

Pony stared at me, "So what else do you have to tell us?"

"Darry, and I are having a baby," I looked down at my son.

He was already looking up at me, "How did that happen?"

I never had the talk with him, and I knew the question was just waiting in his mind, now I tried to figure out how to explain to him, "Well sweetie…"

"They slept together naked, and then she got pregnant," Pony said matter-of-fact like.

"Ponyboy," Darry actually looked like he was about to ring his brother, "Shut up."

Kent looked at Darry, "Why?"

"Because my kid brother talks to much," Darry stared at his youngest brother.

Kent shook his head, "No, why did you sleep naked with mom?"

Darry's face turned red, he stared at the nine year old, "Because I love your mom, in a special way that only a man could love a women. I love your mom in a boyfriend, soon to be husband kind of way, and when you love someone in that way then you want to be there with them, and just like holding them."

My son looked at me, "Like when I am scared of a bad dream, you said the reason I liked laying in your arms, and listening to your heart was because that is where I could hear how much you love me," he looked at Darry, "Like only a child could be loved by his mom."

"Wow," Pony stared at the nine year old, then looked at me.

"So my big brother is going to be a dad?" Soda stared at my son, and grinned, "I'm going to be an uncle," he looked at me, "Wait, does you being married mean we will get pink curtains, and little hand towels hanged in the kitchen, along with having to clean up after ourselves?"

Darry shook his head, "You won't, I will be moving in with Mandy, and you boys will stay here," he looked at me, "We could go to the court house and get married this weekend, the sooner, the better for all of us."

I nodded my head, "If that's what you want, I need water," I hurried to the kitchen, and turned the water on, then cried.

Kent came into the kitchen, and wrapped his arms around my waist, "Are you okay mom?"

I faked a smile, "Yes."

"Liar," He grabbed a near napkin, and handed it to me, "I thought we don't lie to each other?"

I smiled at him, "We don't, I am just happy is all?"

My son stared hard at me, which always made me feel nervous, "Okay then, I want to know something though, that's got me confused?"

'Oh no he's going to bring up the sex thing again,' I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, "What?"

"Will you still love me when the new baby comes?" He wrapped both arms around my waist.

I kissed the top of his head, and smiled, "Of course I will still love you."

"Hey, you two want to spend the night tonight?" Darry leaned against the doorway, he looked at Kent, who was still hugging me, "You could sleep in Soda, and Pony's room."

"That will be nice," I looked at my boyfriend, and smiled, "Kent thought I won't love him when the new baby comes."

Darry looked into the living room, "Sodapop, Ponyboy come here, will you?"

The two brothers appeared in the door way next to there brother, both with a nervous expression on there face..

Pony looked down at his hands, "Yeah?"

"What is it?" Soda was grinning. As usual.

"Kent thinks that once Mandy has the baby, that she wont love him anymore, now tell him that isn't going to happen," Darry sat in a chair in the kitchen, then pulled Kent on his lap.

Soda looked at Ponyboy, "When mom had Pony, she said to me that she loved me the same amount as the new baby, but the new baby needed a little more attention because they can't do stuff on there own when they are young. Mom loved all three of us the same amount, each in a special way."

Pony stared at Soda, "I wouldn't know personally about when a new baby is born, but I know mom, and dad loved all of us the same."

Darry looked at me, and smiled, "Plus big brothers get to do things that the baby can't do, like stay up late."

"I don't think he heard the last thing you said, he fell asleep," I stood next to where my boyfriend was sitting holding my son.

Soda automatically picked Kent up, "Come on Pony, it's getting late, I got work at the DX, and you got to be at the grocery store for work tomorrow to," he smiled at me, "Welcome to the family sis."

Pony yawned as he nodded, "Night Mandy, night Darry," he walked towards his bedroom sleepily.

Darry stood in front of me, "I forgot to put the ring on your finger," he slipped the golden band around my finger, "I found it in a Cracker-Jack box."

"And you didn't save any for me, I love popcorn candy," I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He rolled his eyes, I'll buy you a box tomorrow, he leaned in and kissed me, "So I'm having a kid?"

I shook my head teasingly, "Wow and I thought giving birth to a child is painful, you're having a goat?" (A baby goat is called a goat for those who didn't get the joke.)

"Ha, ha, ha…" He lifted me up, and carried me to the bedroom, "You like to tease me don't you?"

"No, I love to tease you," I looked at him, and smiled.

He grinned as threw me on his bed, "Well you know what I love to do to you?"

"I have an idea?" I rolled to my side and watched as he laid beside me, I leaned in, and started kissing him.

He rolled me on my back, then unbuttoned my blouse, and set his hand on my stomach, "Actually, I was just going to say I just love, loving you," he leaned down and kissed me gently, "So when is the baby due?"

"In six months," I stared at him, as he laid his head on my stomach, and stared up at me.

He closed his eyes, and smiled, "So when do you think it was?"

"When what was?" I ran my fingers through his hair.

"When you became pregnant," He softly kissed my stomach, before moving his head beside mine now.

I grinned, "Probably when you were on top of me."

"Or when you were on top of me," He leaned in and kissed me.

I closed my eyes, "I love you."

He removed his shirt, then removed the rest of the clothes I had on, "You know I love you." He wrapped me in his arms after we made love, "So what are you hoping for?"

"A puppy, you?" I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck as he laughed.

"I was hoping for a parrot," He kissed the back of my neck.

"I don't care as long as the baby is health," I rolled to face him, and smiled when I saw he was asleep, "I love you Darry Curtis."