(At the Curtis House)
Bexley ran through the gate of the house and jogged up the front porch. After walking in the front door, she first sees Darry in the kitchen making dinner. She was relieved that she wasn't late for dinner.
"Hey, Dar," she said with a grin. Darry peeked from the corner to see his sister in the living room. "Thank you for being on time, Bexley." he praised, happy that she listened to him, "How're you feeling?"
Bexley goes into the kitchen with her eldest brother. He was cooking some baked chicken with mashed potatoes and rolls. "I'm feeling better now. Two-Bit was able to help me." Bexley said.
"That's good to hear. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes." Darry informed, relieved to hear that Two-Bit was there for her. "Okay. Is Soda home?" Bexley asked.
"Yeah, he's with Pony. But I think they're sleeping," Darrry informed. Bexley nodded and made her way down towards their bedroom. She needed to check on Ponyboy to see how he was feeling.
The door was already opened ajar and she slowly pushed it open. As Darry predicted, Ponyboy was asleep in bed. They were facing the door. "Soda?" Bexley said quietly.
Sodapop hears his sister's voice and he smiles at her. "Hey, there baby girl. Where ya been?" he asked, keeping his voice soft. Bexley came to sit down beside the bed.
"At the park. Pony had gotten sick and I was close to having a panic attack. I had to get out for a bit to calm down," Bexley explained. Soda understood what she had to do to calm down.
"Is he doing okay?" Bexley asked, her voice filled with concern. Ponyboy looked much paler than before and she even felt heat waves radiating off of him.
Bexley felt her throat getting tight but took a deep breath. Soda brushed Pony's hair from his forehead and felt just how hot his forehead was. Soda's heart dropped at this.
He also felt bad that he wasn't there to comfort Pony while this happened. "Soda, should we wake him up?" Bexley asked, now scared. She knelt down next to the bed while Soda slid out of the bed.
"Yeah, he's only going to get worse if we don't get medicine in him. I'll wake him. You go get Darry," Soda instructed. Bexley didn't wait another minute and got up to get their eldest brother.
(In the Kitchen)
Darry had just finished putting the chicken in the oven to finish cooking. Just then, Bexley walks in there. "Darry, we need you. Pony's burning up badly," she said.
The eldest Curtis walked out of the kitchen at the news. "Does it feel like his fever spiked up?" he asked immediately. "It feels like it," Bexley informed.
Darry felt his stomach drop when he heard this and was quick to act. "Run to the bathroom and get the thermometer. I'll get the medicine," Darry instructed, running to get the medicine. Bexley quickly get the thermometer, which was in the bathroom as Darry said.
Back in the bedroom, Soda gently shook his sick brother's shoulder to wake him up. "Pony, you need to wake up, honey." Soda softly.
The youngest Curtis boy moaned and tried turning to his other side. "Please wake up, Pony," Soda whispered, running his fingers through Ponyboy's desheveled hair affectionately. His voice was soft and soothilyng that it was mistaken for their late mother.
"Hmm… mama?" Pony asked, his eyes barely opening. Soda felt his heart squeezed and his throat started to tighten up. His poor baby brother was delusional from how sick he really was.
"No, honey, it's Soda. Can you turn around for me honey?" Soda whispered, trying not to sound heart broken. Ponyboy did what his brother asked, and laid on his back.
Pony's eyes were open slightly, looking glassy and withdrawn. It was as if he couldn't focus on Soda or on anything around him. Then, Darry walked in the room with Bexley behind him.
"You able to sit up, Pony?" Darry asked, sitting down on the bed. "N-No… dizzy," he mumbled, his voice raspy. It sounded as if he hadn't used it in a while. Bexley handed Darry the thermometer and sat on the bed.
Soda got behind Ponyboy and helped him sit up and put an arm around the boy's waist. Bexley took his hand and felt him gently squeeze back. Darry, Soda, and Bexley were warmed by this small interaction.
Ponyboy knew who was holding his hand despite being delirious. Bexley had tears in her eyes, blurring her vision. Darry put the thermometer in Ponyboy's mouth and kept it there for a minute.
After pulling it out, there was a nervous click on his tongue. That meant that it wasn't good. Even the look in his icy teal eyes showed subtle terror.
He let Soda and Bexley see the thermometer, it read 102.8. His temperature went up. Hopefully, this medicine will bring it down.
Soda adjusted Ponyboy and held him a bit tighter so he wouldn't put up a fight. However, Ponyboy was too weak to fight against the foul-tasting medicine.
Ponyboy leaned against Soda's chest and loosened his grip on Bexley's hand. Soda helped him lay back down on his side. Ponyboy felt his stomach started to tighten up from the movement.
He let out a small cry of pain. "Ponyboy, what's hurting you?" Darry asked, taking note of Ponyboy's cry. Ponyboy motioned towards his stomach, curling into the fetal position.
Darry knew that he couldn't make Ponyboy eat if his stomach was bothering him. He then looks towards Soda and Bexley. "Save me a plate, Dar. I'll stay with him. You go eat, Bex," Soda inquired, laying down with Ponyboy.
He threw an arm over Pony's chest, placing a hand on his abdomen. "Okay. You two get some sleep. C'mon, Bexley," Darry said, leaving the room. Bexley watched Darry leave the room but made no intention of moving.
"Go on, Bex. Get some food in you. I'll keep an eye on him," Soda encouraged. Bexley was confident by her brother's reply. She, although worried, smiled at her brothers. And with that, she got off the bed and headed into the kitchen to eat dinner.