Chapter Twenty-Four

Six months later

Two-Bit

"Congratulations," the nurse said as she handed the baby to Savannah. "It's a boy."

I kissed Savannah on the cheek. "I love you," I said.

"You've told me," Savannah said.

We named the baby Jonathan Dallas, after two of my best friends. I wanted to add Ponyboy in the name, but Savannah wouldn't let me. My friends that he's named after died way too early, I hope he doesn't.

Savannah had fallen asleep, I wanted to stay at the hospital, but the doctors told me to go home. I eventually left. When I went back to the hospital the next morning Savannah was awake, but she wasn't too happy about the hospital food.

"This stuff sucks," she said as she poked at what I think was supposed to be eggs. "Most people are here to get better and I'm a new mom, do they really expect me to eat this crap?"

I left the hospital and got Savannah some real food.

"Thank you!" Savannah said happily as she ate a biscuit and some orange juice that I'd gotten her from a McDonalds down the street. "You're a Saint."

"You didn't think that yesterday," I said.

"Yeah," Savannah said. "I kind of screamed at you. I'm sorry."

"You kind of screamed at me," I said. I think that patients on the next floor could hear her.

"Ok, I screamed at you a lot," Savannah said. "I'm sorry."

"It's Ok," I said.

When Savannah was done eating, I took her to see the baby. I kind of got in trouble for pushing her down the hall really fast in one of those hospital wheelchairs. We both thought it was funny.

The baby was in this nursery thing with about twenty other babies. There was a window between us and the babies. There were several other couples looking at their kids through the window.

"There he is," Savannah said when she found our kid.

We were quiet for a while; then Savannah said "He's beautiful."

"Yeah," I said. "Just like his mom."

We were quiet for a while, and then I said "He does look exactly like me though."

"Oh no," Savannah groaned. We both started laughing. The other couples gave us a look that said 'be quiet'. That just made us laugh harder.

Later that day, Savannah was napping and I was sitting in a chair next to her bed, reading the paper. I wasn't really paying much attention until I saw an article with the title "Increased teen suicides worry adults". I read the article, it was really depressing. It made me think back to when Johnny and Dally and Pony had just died. I had wanted to kill myself.

I put down the paper and looked at Savannah. If I had killed myself, I would have missed so much. I would have never met Savannah, and I wouldn't have known what it was like to be a dad. It feels good to be alive.

I started thinking about Dally and Pony. They'll never know any of what I'm feeling now. I feel sorry for them. I realized that I'd never been to visit their graves. Savannah was still asleep. I decided that now would be a good time to go.

I got to the cemetery and wandered around for a while. I found Dally's grave first. I stood next to the headstone and kicked at the dirt.

"Hey Dally," I said. Then I laughed. "Wow, I feel stupid. Anyway, I read this thing in the paper today and it made me think about you, so I decided to come visit. I'm married now to this girl named Savannah, she's…I don't know how to describe her, but I love her. We just had a kid together, Jonathan Dallas; he kind of has your name. I just wanted to say I'm sorry you had to die. We miss you."

I walked away from Dally's grave. I felt stupid for talking to nothing, but maybe he could hear me somehow. I eventually found Pony's grave. I sat down next to it.

"Hey Pony," I said. "We miss you, kid. You had so much going for you. Why'd you have to kill yourself? It's because you felt guilty, right? I felt really guilty too, but things worked out better for me. I'm not trying to rub it in your face or anything, but they did. I met this girl, Savannah, she's not a Grease either, she's kind of a Soc. Anyway, I love her; we got married and just had a kid. I wanted to name him Ponyboy, kind of like a middle name but Savannah wouldn't let me. I wish you hadn't killed yourself, now you'll never know what it's like to have a kid, or be in love or anything. It feels pretty good. I know, you're thinking, 'Wow, Two-Bit is actually saying something serious.' Yeah, but I just wanted to tell you how I feel, and this is how I feel so…"

"Two-Bit," I heard someone say.

I turned around. Soda and Darry were standing there with a bunch of flowers.

"Hey," I said as I stood up.

"What are you doing here?" Soda asked.

I laughed, "I don't really know," I said. "I read this thing in the paper today and it made me think about Pony, so I decided to come visit him."

"How's Savannah doing?" Soda asked.

"Fine," I said. "She hates the hospital food though. The baby is doing good too."

"Shouldn't you be with her?" Soda asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I don't really know what I'm doing here. I should be back at the hospital with her, or at home. I haven't slept in…I don't know how long."

We stood there in awkward silence for a while. Then I said, "Well, you guys probably want to be alone and I should be getting back to Savannah. We'll call you when we get the baby home from the hospital, you can come over and see him."

"'Looking forward to it," Soda said. "Bye, Two-Bit."

"Bye," I said.

I left the cemetery and hurried toward the hospital. I didn't want Savannah to wake up and see that I was gone.

When I got back to the hospital, Savannah was still asleep. I sat down in a chair and waited until she woke up.

"Hey," she said when she woke up. "How are you?"

"Fine," I said.

"You look tired," Savannah said. "Why don't you go home and try to get some sleep? I'll be alright."

I nodded. "Ok," I said.

I left the hospital and wandered around the parking garage until I found my car, then I drove home.

The cats were really happy to see me; they rubbed against my legs and purred really loud. I fed them and then went into my room. I flopped down on the bed and closed my eyes, I was so tired. Then I heard a voice that said "Tired?"

I opened my eyes and looked around the room.

"You didn't visit me," the voice said. "I'm insulted."

"Johnny?" I asked.

I heard someone laughing, "Yeah, it's me." Johnny said.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"That's not important," Johnny said. "I just wanted to talk to you for a while."

"Ok," I said.

"Thanks for naming your kid after me," Johnny said. "Savannah really loves you."

"I really love her," I said.

"I was kind of upset that you didn't visit me when you went to see Dally and Pony," Johnny said.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I wasn't thinking."

"Yeah, I know," Johnny said. "Well, I just wanted to say congratulations. I never thought you would have a kid, or get married."

"Neither did I," I laughed.

"So I guess you're not depressed anymore," Johnny said.

"No," I said. "Far from it."

"You look tired," Johnny said. "I'll let you sleep. Bye Two-Bit."

"Bye Johnny," I said.

The room was quiet. "Johnny," I said. "Johnny?"

There was no response; I guessed that I was hallucinating because I was so tired.

I closed my eyes. I was tired, but something told me that I hadn't imagined my conversation with Johnny. I promised myself that I would visit Johnny's grave, and I would take the baby and Savannah with me. They should meet him.

I started thinking about how much I've changed. Before Johnny and Dally died I didn't care about anything. I would go out and get drunk and not care about anything. Then they died and I started getting depressed, I would drink to forget; I got arrested ten times. Then I got really sick and then Pony died. Pony dying pushed me off the edge, I completely burned out. I was about to die too, but Savannah came. She probably saved my life.

Now I'm living with Savannah, and we have a kid. I never wanted a kid before, and I thought I would be upset when Savannah told me she was having a baby, but I wasn't. I was so happy. Now that I think about it, I've never been so happy.

I closed my eyes and started to drift off to sleep.

I've never been so happy.

THE END