Soda's POV
I turned eighteen the following Saturday. Darry and Pony had planned a small party for me. Complete with a chocolate cake from the local bakery. I knew they had been up to something. But, I didn't know what.
"Give Brianna some cake, Soda." Ponyboy said as he dodged Two-Bit who ran past to get his third slice of cake.
I was holding Brianna on my lap eating a piece of cake myself. I took a forkful of cake and held it for her to take a bite. "Mmm, yummy cake."
Brianna took a bite and looked at me for more, reaching for the cake with her hands.
"Is that good?" I asked as I gave her another bite. "Maybe we'll get you one for your birthday when it comes up."
Darry sat down next to me. "So little buddy, how does it feel to be eighteen?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. But this party is great, Darry. Thanks."
"It's no different from any other day." Darry said simply. "Pony and I just wanted to make it special for you."
"Well, it is." I told him, wiping cake off of Brianna's face and hands. She had managed to get cake all over herself. "You're getting all messy."
"Time for presents!" Pony yelled joining me and Darry with a wrapped gift in his arms.
Ponyboy's POV
I took Brianna from Soda so he could open his gift from Darry and me.Steve and Two-Bit stood with their own gifts. Watching as Soda unwrapped the first one. Brianna just reached for Soda, wanting him to hold her.
"I'll hold you again in a minute, sweetie." Soda told Brianna as he looked at his gift. It was his baby picture and a picture of Brianna put next to each other in the same frame. It had been my idea to do it and Darry took Brianna to get her picture taken several weeks earlier. You could tell by the two pictures just how much Brianna resembled Soda. "You guys did this for me?"
"Of course." Darry said. "We had to do something special for your birthday."
"Can we hang it here in the living room?" Soda asked as he took Steve's gift and Two-Bit's.
"I'll hang it wherever you want it, little buddy. "Darry told him.
Soda finished opening his gifts. Then, he took Brianna back from me. She had been fussing a little while he opened the gifts. But once Soda had her, she was happy and content.
"Want some wrapping paper?" Soda asked her handing her a ball of crumpled wrapping paper. Briann took it and just looked aat it. It was brightly colored so, she was interested in it. Looking at it with wide curious eyes. "Do you see some pretty colors?"
Brianna studied the wrapping paper for a while. While the rest of us talked and had a good time. Sometimes, Brianna would laugh with us like she knew what we were talking about. And occassionally, she would add some little comments of her own. She doesn't say actual words, but she does add to conversations with little sounds. She'll make a sound and then she'll wait for you to respond. We all talk to her. Trying to encourage her in her speech development.
Steve's POV
I watched my best friend and his daughter. I knew Soda loved Brianna to pieces. And seeing her on his lap, you could tell she was daddy's little girl.
"Has she shown any interest in walking yet?" I asked.
Soda shook his head. "Not yet. She's happy crawling or just being held. Darry and I try to get her to walk by holding onto her hands, but, she just isn't interested yet. She doesn't even show interest in pulling herself up yet."
"But, she will before we know it." Darry added. He tickled Brianna asking, "Right, kiddo?"
Brianna giggled and wiggled closer to Soda, burying her face in Soda's chest, peeking at Darry who just reached out and tickled her again.