Over the next several months, I got more involved with the church. Occassionally, Ponyboy would join me. Even Two-Bit would come with once in a while. Steve came with at first, but eventually stopped coming. He never said why. He doesn't even spend much time with the gang anymore. Sometimes I see him at home and we talk, but other than that, he seems to have drifted.
Jeff asks about Steve. Last week he asked, "Why don't you invite Steve to come to youth group next week?"
"I don't know. He's not as open anymore." I replied. "Besides, I think he wants time alone."
Jeff nodded even though I knew he wanted to see Steve come back.
"He still works at the DX. You can visit him." I suggested.
"I'll do that." Jeff grinned before service started.
Soda wrote often from Vietnam. He saw stuff no one should ever see. Always ended his letters with the promise that he'd return home. That he couldn't wait to see everyone again. Even said the decision he and I made that night after the play was the best decision he had ever made. Aaron and Jeff were both glad to hear that when I told them.
Yesterday, Darry and Pony both found out that Soda will be coming home. Sadly, it's not how any of us wanted him to return. Soda was killed while helping another soldier who was wounded to safety. Pony cried when he told me. But he also said that Soda often mentioned in his letters that if he didn't return home to Tulsa, then he'd go to his home in heaven and that he'd say hi to Johnny and Dally for us. Pony said that Soda did not doubt that he had found what he was searching for and wanted Steve to give it chance. But, after crying together, Pony and I both agreed that only Steve could find what he's searching for when he's ready. Just like Soda and I did.
After talking with Pony, I went home and saw Steve sitting on his front steps.
"Hey." I said, joining him.
"Hey." Steve mumbled. He looked at me. "What happened? You look like you were crying."
"Steve, I'm not sure if I should tell you." I said. I thought maybe Darry should break the news to him. He said he'd call Steve and Two-Bit later that evening to tell them about Soda.
"Tell me what, Chris?" But when I had to turn away, he made a soft moaning sound. 'It's Soda isn't it?"
I nodded.
"But, he's okay, right?" Steve asked. "He's just injured and will be fine once he recovers, right?"
I looked at him, shaking my head. "No, he's not okay. He was killed Steve. Darry will tell you more later."
Steve's eyes started to tear up, but he blinked them away. "Chris, do you think you and Soda made the right decision a few months ago before he left?"
"Soda wrote that he didn't doubt it and neither do I." I replied.
"Do you think Jeff and Aaron could come over? I think I'm ready to make that decision now." Steve said softly. "If Soda didn't find any reason to doubt it, then maybe I should give it a chance, too."
An hour later, Aaron and Jeff joined us and Steve made the decision. Later, Pony called me to say that he had also made the decision and that Darry was thinking about it but wanted more facts. One by one, we were finding what we and everyone else was searching for. And I knew Soda was with him looking down on us with that movie star grin of his.