Moving Out
Love's POV
I never said more than two words as we packed my things the next day while Soda, and Darry where at work. I was pissed at my brother, but I wasn't unforgiving. I understood why he was flipped out. In his eyes he had failed us, despite all the hard work he'd put in. He wanted Pony and me to get out of this neighborhood, and be something, and he didn't think I could do that with Tim. Holding back the tears I watched my life be packed away in to two small boxes.
" You know he didn't mean it," Pony said killing me with his pleading eyes.
" I know, but I think we both need some time to cool off, and think about some things, don't worry lil brother, this move isn't for good," I whispered kissing his forehead as I continued to place things in a box.
" Look I'm even leaving mom's locket here, so you now I'll be back," I said gently smoothing a few stray hairs away from his eyes.
" Would I really leave you here by yourself for good?" I asked tilting my head.
"No, but I feel like we just got you back to loose you again," he said shaking his head.
" Keep your head up kiddo," I said knowing I needed to make my stand.
I'd come home, but Darry was going to have to apologize, and beg me first. I'd seen my mom do that with my Dad once. Refuse to talk to him until he apologized for whatever it was he had done to piss her off.
"Well I guess that's all I need," I said sitting on the couch next to Pony thirty-minutes later.
"If you ever need me don't hesitate to call, or stop by, okay?" I said turning to Pony who looked like he was loosing his best friend.
"Yea, I dig," he said making me smile sadly.
" Cheer up kid, this gives you more of an excuse to come by and hang out with Angela," Tim said making me laugh whenhe ruffled his hair playfully.
" That is true," he said as his face brightened at the thought of his girl friend.
Shaking my head I gave him another hug before following Tim to the car.
Pony's POV
"Where the hell is our sister?" Darry asked when dinner had passed, and still there was no sign of Love.
"She moved out this morning," I said starring at my plate.
"What!"
" You thought she was bluffing last night?" Soda asked bitterly as he pushed away his half eaten plate of food.
" You telling me she's actually living with Tim now!" He whispered placing hishead in his large hands.
" I failed, my sister's living with Tim Shepard, and I for all I know they really are engaged now." He said sighing.
" Look Darry, hasn't he been good to her the whole time she was sick? What's the big deal?" Soda asked speaking up for once.
"When she told me at first I was real skeptical, but then I actually watched them together, they're happy and after everything she's been through she deserves that."
Rolling his eyes Darry dug in to his food ignoring Soda.
" If you split this family up I will never forgive you," Soda said calmly before pushing away his chair, and heading to the sink with his plate.
" I'm going to hang out with Steve, I'll be back later," He said leaving without saying another word.
Biting my tongue I held in the bitter words I wanted to speak.
" You aint gonna start in on me too?" he asked turning to me with tired eyes.
For the first time in years, I saw him for what he was. Just a boy not much older than we were, trying to keep his family together.
" Naw, I aint gonna start on ya Darry, I think you know what you have to do."
Love's POV
Life at the Shepard home wasn't horrible, but I missed my brothers. Outside of my time spent at the home I had never been apart from them.
Stretching I moved from the bed headed to the shower. It had been about a month and still Darry kept his stubborn silence. The other boys stopped by often, and Soda and Pony ate dinner here at least three or four times a week.
Grumbling to myself I threw what I thought was Curly's dirty clothing out in to the hall. I hated how they let clothing lay wherever they took it off. Starring at the diamond ring as I let the water wash away the grim of sleep I wondered where Tim and I stood.
He'd asked me to hold on to the ring, but he'd never "Asked" me to marry him. We were living together now, and he'd never corrected the gang's idea that we were getting married at some point. Things were good between us so I guess I really couldn't complain. He stayed out late some nights, and came back reeking of beer when he stumbled in to bed, but I trusted him so it didn't bother me much. Dressing in a pair of jeans, and a white button up I headed to the RX. I was starting back to work now, and I was allowed to wear what I wanted to hide the bruises that were still healing. If it wasn't for my estrangement with Darry Life would be great.
Pony's POV
"How much longer are you going to keep this up?" I asked watching as Darry tried to work himself in to oblivion with is weights.
"Keep what up?" He asked feigning ignorance.
"Come on Superman, its clear you miss her, just admit you were wrong," Soda said from his current position in a handstand. I loved him to death, but boy was that boy weird.
"Why … should I admit… I was wrong?" He asked , neck muscles straining as he did another set of reps.
"Cause if you don't soon, you're head'll explode from all the working out you been doing!" I said taking off before he could set the weights down.
"Run Pon, Run!" Soda said following us our in to the yard laughing.
"Come on Darry, you know you want her back home!" I said continuing to jog to the park.
I had cut down on smoking, and kicked up my speed so I wasn't too worried about being caught.
"Fine!" He said bent over, with his hands on his knees a few blocks down the street.
"After my shower, I'll go to Tim's ," He said ignoring me and Soda as we let out whoops, and rushed around the house cleaning.
"She'll skin us If she sees the place like this," I said taking out the trashcan full of beer bottles.
Two-Bit had been over last night, and he never showed up empty handed.
Love's POV
"Don't look at my cards," I said flashing Tim and Curly a look before heading to answer the door.
"Darry!" I whispered shocked as I took a step back to let him enter the apartment.
"Look what the cat drug in," Tim said coldly eyeing the brother he was non to fond of at the moment.
"Can I talk to you for a minute," he asked red faced as he looked at the ground not willing to look me in the eyes.
"Yea," I said leading him to the kitchen where we'd have privacy.
" Look Gloria, I'm real sorry about what I said, I didn't mean it, I was just real heated, I mean, I want more for you and Pony than a life in this neighborhood, I want you to go to college, maybe trade school, find something you like to do."
" I guess when I found out you were with Tim I just flipped, starting picturing you married to him, and living in this neighborhood with a bunch of kids you couldn't afford," He said trailing off.
" I know Dar, but do you think that maybe I'd want to be a stay at home mom like mommy was?" I asked smiling at the look of surprise that crossed his face.
I had never been verygirly preferring to hang with the boys so I could see how this would come as a shock.
"Besides , who says I'm going to be with Tim forever, I don't know that, I don't' even know if he wants kids, I just know he makes me happy, and takes good care of me."
"There' s plenty of time left for me to figure out what I want to do and be when I grow up, but not if you don't respect my decisions, and let me make my own mistakes."
"Please come back home, we all miss you something awful," He said making me panic when tears welled up in his eyes.
" Darrel."
" I know I was an ass Gloria, I'll never do anything like that again, just come home," he begged sweeping me up in a bear hug.
" Shh, its ok big brother, I'll come home this weekend," I said not used to seeing such an emotional out pour.
When we emerged fifteen minutes later I smiled at the anxious faces before leading Darry to the door.
"Everything ok?" Tim asked taking in the tear tracks on my face.
"Yea, I'm going to move back in this weekend," I said freezing at the anger that formed in his eyes.