Home Chapter 5
It was amazing how quickly I was brought into the house and out of the cold. As soon as Soda told everyone who I was I was smothered in hugs and exclamations of surprise.
After awhile Darry brought popcorn in from the kitchen and we all settled down to catch up on our lives. It didn't take me long to explain my cousins' deaths and my enrollment at the University. Their lives, however, took a bit longer.
Darry had given up college in order to roof houses to support his brothers. Eventually, Soda had dropped out of high school to work at a DX station to help pay the bills. Pony was the only one still in school and would be graduating in the spring, between then and now Darry had to figure out how to pay for college. I carefully filled that information away, thinking of my inheritance money and any way to give a scholarship anonymously.
Steve was still living at home, though he spent more time here then there. He worked at the DX with Soda. Then there was Two-Bit - he still lived with his mom, drank too much, slept with too many girls, watched too much Mickey Mouse, and ate way too much chocolate cake.actually, everyone seemed to.
After everyone finished talking I looked around expectantly. "Where's Dally and JohnnyCake?" I finally asked. Everyone fell silent and looked at each with expressions I could only interpret as pained. Finally Pony cleared his throat.
"Two years ago Johnny and I got in some trouble and he killed that Soc Bob.While we were hiding there was a fire and he got burnt bad. He died a few days later. Dally was so beside himself that he knocked over a store and ended up shot by the cops." After finishing Pony sat there quietly looking at his hands.
"I'm so sorry." I said quietly. "I can't believe their dead."
Soda took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Neither can we Chloe, neither can we." After awhile Darry and Pony headed to bed having school and work the next morning. Two-Bit finally took off saying something about going to the Dingo.
"That old place still standing?" I asked Soda and Steve.
"Yup, as much a disgrace as ever." Soda said with a smile. We used to hang out there a lot even as kids, no one really cared about not letting kids into bars in a place like this. We shot pool and the boys drank.I never did though, wasn't my thing. It was a real sketchy place - I had loved it.
"Wanna go?" Steve asked with a grin.
"No, not tonight I should be heading back to the dorms, Cherry will be worrying about me."
"You room with Cherry Valence?" They both asked.
"Ya, but she has no idea who I am.was. So every thing has been cool so far. But I really do need to get going." I stood smoothing out my skirt. Soda took my arm, "Its to late at night for you to be wandering the streets alone, you should know that. I'll walk you home." I nodded thankfully and accepted the leather jacket he held out to me.
As we walked down the streets of Tulsa we talked about the old days and everything that happened since.
"I'm so sorry about Dally and Johnny." I said again. "I should have been here."
"Nothing you could have done about it, Chloe, and you had your own life to lead, a better life." He said with touch of pain as he glanced back towards his own neighborhood.
"More privileged yes, but better no." I said stopping and putting a hand against his check. "But I didn't have the love that I had when I was here. I didn't have friends that I would do anything for and who would do anything for me. In some ways you grew up the richer of us." I smiled up at him. "Unfortunately this is my building, so I think this is where we say good night."
Soda looked at me and smiled. "Its so good to have you back Chloe, we've lost a lot over the past 5 years and its great to get at least one of the missing pieces is back. Please don't stay away any longer, now that you're in town again."
"How could I stay away, Soda? I have a family again." And with that I turned and walked into my building, Soda's jacket still over my shoulders.
It was amazing how quickly I was brought into the house and out of the cold. As soon as Soda told everyone who I was I was smothered in hugs and exclamations of surprise.
After awhile Darry brought popcorn in from the kitchen and we all settled down to catch up on our lives. It didn't take me long to explain my cousins' deaths and my enrollment at the University. Their lives, however, took a bit longer.
Darry had given up college in order to roof houses to support his brothers. Eventually, Soda had dropped out of high school to work at a DX station to help pay the bills. Pony was the only one still in school and would be graduating in the spring, between then and now Darry had to figure out how to pay for college. I carefully filled that information away, thinking of my inheritance money and any way to give a scholarship anonymously.
Steve was still living at home, though he spent more time here then there. He worked at the DX with Soda. Then there was Two-Bit - he still lived with his mom, drank too much, slept with too many girls, watched too much Mickey Mouse, and ate way too much chocolate cake.actually, everyone seemed to.
After everyone finished talking I looked around expectantly. "Where's Dally and JohnnyCake?" I finally asked. Everyone fell silent and looked at each with expressions I could only interpret as pained. Finally Pony cleared his throat.
"Two years ago Johnny and I got in some trouble and he killed that Soc Bob.While we were hiding there was a fire and he got burnt bad. He died a few days later. Dally was so beside himself that he knocked over a store and ended up shot by the cops." After finishing Pony sat there quietly looking at his hands.
"I'm so sorry." I said quietly. "I can't believe their dead."
Soda took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Neither can we Chloe, neither can we." After awhile Darry and Pony headed to bed having school and work the next morning. Two-Bit finally took off saying something about going to the Dingo.
"That old place still standing?" I asked Soda and Steve.
"Yup, as much a disgrace as ever." Soda said with a smile. We used to hang out there a lot even as kids, no one really cared about not letting kids into bars in a place like this. We shot pool and the boys drank.I never did though, wasn't my thing. It was a real sketchy place - I had loved it.
"Wanna go?" Steve asked with a grin.
"No, not tonight I should be heading back to the dorms, Cherry will be worrying about me."
"You room with Cherry Valence?" They both asked.
"Ya, but she has no idea who I am.was. So every thing has been cool so far. But I really do need to get going." I stood smoothing out my skirt. Soda took my arm, "Its to late at night for you to be wandering the streets alone, you should know that. I'll walk you home." I nodded thankfully and accepted the leather jacket he held out to me.
As we walked down the streets of Tulsa we talked about the old days and everything that happened since.
"I'm so sorry about Dally and Johnny." I said again. "I should have been here."
"Nothing you could have done about it, Chloe, and you had your own life to lead, a better life." He said with touch of pain as he glanced back towards his own neighborhood.
"More privileged yes, but better no." I said stopping and putting a hand against his check. "But I didn't have the love that I had when I was here. I didn't have friends that I would do anything for and who would do anything for me. In some ways you grew up the richer of us." I smiled up at him. "Unfortunately this is my building, so I think this is where we say good night."
Soda looked at me and smiled. "Its so good to have you back Chloe, we've lost a lot over the past 5 years and its great to get at least one of the missing pieces is back. Please don't stay away any longer, now that you're in town again."
"How could I stay away, Soda? I have a family again." And with that I turned and walked into my building, Soda's jacket still over my shoulders.