FOREVER CHANGED
CHAPTER 13
AN ANGEL IN GINGHAM
The gang anxiously waited outside of the closed door. Ponyboy leaned against Soda, who held him tightly. Darry stood against the wall, as if trying to hold it up. Steve and Two-bit tossed a crumpled newspaper ball back and forth.
The door slowly opened and the guys snapped to attention. Pony looked up. "I-is he okay? I thought…he was dyin'…I didn't know what else to d-do", Ponyboy stuttered.
"You did the right thing Ponyboy. I told you to call me if Johnny needed me and you did", Maggie smiled at Pony. "He'll be alright. I gave him a little sedation once his breathing stabilized", she added. "You can go sit with him if you'd like, he should be asleep for a few hours", Maggie stated, seeing how worried Pony was.
He nodded and cautiously walked into the room, Soda went with him.
The other went back into the living room. "So what exactly happened?", Darry asked, noticeably shaken.
Maggie shrugged. "From what I can tell, some kind of stressor caused Johnny to go into respiratory distress. It's fairly common with his lung injuries", Maggie explained, but she could see confusion written on their faces.
"Johnny's lungs are badly scarred, so he's not able to take in enough oxygen as it is. When he gets stressed, the parts of his lungs that weren't as badly damaged need to work harder.…..it's like a really bad asthma attack. That's why he needs the inhalers and nebulizer to keep his airway open and his lungs working", she added.
Darry ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I didn't know what I was doin', the sprays weren't working….", he looked up at Maggie. "Then I remembered how you taught me how to use the machine...that seemed to work".
Maggie smiled at Darry. "Good thing you remembered Darrel…I came from clear across town…if you hadn't acted so quickly…by the time I got here, it might have been too late", she stated, her voice falling to a whisper .
Steve looked up at the others for an explanation. "We was just sittin' here havin' a good time…then Johnny started gaspin' and wheezing'…".
Soda and Ponyboy walked out of the room. "It was because I gave him the medal, wasn't it", Pony sniffled.
Maggie walked up to him. "What medal?", she asked.
"Dally's St. Christopher medal...", Pony tried to explain.
"The friend who was killed by the police?", Maggie asked, taking a seat in the recliner. Darry nodded.
"He was right there, where you are...Pony pulled out the chain and then Johnny's eyes got all wide and he couldn't breathe", Two-bit stated, holding up the chain. "I mean Johnny' knows Dally died, he's known for months...could seein' the medal really do that?".
Something caught Maggie's attention. "It's possible, but I don't think the medal was the reason for Johnny's respiratory attack...I think that was", Maggie replied, pointing to the picture window behind the couch. "I saw them out there when I pulled up, but I never thought...", she added.
Everyone turned to look out the window. There were a couple of kids playing around a large bonfire, spewing out of an old metal garbage can.
Maggie swallowed hard. "From where I'm sitting, it looks like your entire window is engulfed in flames...So if this is where Johnny was...", she started.
Darry hung his head down. "Poor kid", he whispered. Two-bit leaned back and took a long chug of his beer. Steve and Soda sat quietly on the floor.
Ponyboy stood motionless by the front door, listening to the familiar crackle of the fire. He could feel the heat from outside and for a moment he too, could see that church burning, again.
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It was getting late now, the loud pop of fireworks could be heard throughout the neighborhood.
Two-bit and Steve had just left, Ponyboy and Soda were dozing on the couch. Darry woke the boysand sent them up to bed.
Maggie slipped out of Johnny's room. "He's still asleep, I reapplied the burn cream and changed his bandages...", she looked up and smiled at Darry. "If you don't mind, I'd like to stay and give him his last dose of medication tonight." She looked at her watch, "In about an hour".
"That'll be nice...can I get you somethin' to drink?", he asked. She nodded and he ushered her into the kitchen.
Darry poured two glasses of lemonade, he handed one to Maggie and sat across from her. She gave him a small, shy smile and took a sip of her drink.
"Sorry we pulled you away from your party", Darry apologized.
"Oh don't be...it was one of those big bashes my parents like to throw...full of boring people who like to drink too much and brag about themselves.", she giggled,andwaived her hand.
"So you're a Soc then", he stated, but it sounded more like a question.
Maggie leaned back in her seat. "A what?", she asked defensively.
"A Soc...someone who lives on the south side of town, with a big house and a lot of money", Darry explained. "You've never heard of a Soc?"
"Actually, I grew up on the west side of town...", she corrected.
"Well then you're a super Soc", Darry cut in. Maggie raised her eye brow. "Someone who has a real lot of money".
Maggie frowned at the title. "I...guess. My family is well to do...but I never classify myself because of it", Maggie explained.
Darry could tell she the conversation was making her uncomfortable. "We're greasers...because we live on the north side and don't have a lot of money", he said.
Maggie grinned. "So it has nothing to do with the gobs of hair grease on your head?", she joked.
Darry laughed, "Well mabye a little".
Maggie threw her head back and giggled. He watched her, in all these months she'd been treating Johnny, Darry never noticed how truly beautiful Maggie really was. She was always dressed in that unflattering white uniform with her hair pulled back, tightly in a bun.
Today she wore powder blue capri pants, and a matching blue and white gingham top, that buttoned down and tied in the front. The blue in her clothes brought out the color of her eyes and her long golden hair cascaded passed her shoulders.
Darry cleared his throat. "Can I get you s'more lemonade?", he asked awkwardly.
"Yes please", Maggie answered, pushing her glass forward. "And maybe a slice of that", she added shyly, nodding to the chocolate cake sitting in the middle of the table.
Darry smiled. He cut the cake and refilled the glasses, then sat back down.
Maggie took a big bite of cake. "Mmm, Johnny was right...this is the best chocolate cake I've ever tasted", Maggie complemented. "He talked about it all the time...well, when he was able to say more than a few words...said he couldn't wait 'til he was able to eat solid food, so he could have some cake". Maggie laughed, "That boy really loves chocolate".
Darry turned serious. "Why do you care so much...I mean why Johnny?", he asked.
Maggie wiped her mouth with a napkin and shrugged. "He's sweet and kind...and probably the bravest patient I've ever had", she stated proudly.
"He's been through a lot", Darry agreed.
Maggie bit her lower lip and played with the cake crumbs on her plate. "I guess he kinda reminds me of my brother", she confessed.
"Your brother?", Darry asked in surprise.
Maggie started to nod, then shook her head. "Not in looks...my brother had dark blonde hair and green eyes, he was huge, six foot three and about two hundred fifty pounds", she remembered. "But that was before...the accident".
Maggie turned away, Darry leaned closer, hoping she would continue. "I shouldn't..."
"No, please go on", he encouraged.
Maggie took a deep breath. "About ten years ago, when he was sixteen, he was involved in a car accident...he was trapped inside the car...when it burst into flames", she explained.
"I'm so sorry, did he...die?", Darry whispered.
Maggie shook her head. "He'd broke his back, just like Johnny, but his burns were...different. His entire right side was charred, including his face, and his right arm was so bad...they had to amputate it", her voice broke.
Darry cringed but Maggie continued. "He had nerve damage in his left arm from flying glass, a crush injury to his throat, which left him unable to speak and unable to breathe without a tube in his neck."
Maggie got up. "I was eleven when it happened. I only got to see him, because no one expected him to live."
She put her plate into the sink."He had the best 'medical' care, but no one gave a damn about him as a person. They called him an invalid and used words like greoutesque and hideous. He couldn't move or speak, but he could see the looks on their faces and hear what they were saying...that's when I decided to become a nurse".
Darry listened intently. "He was in the hospital for over a year, then my parents put him in an exclusive nursing home near our house", Maggie went on.
"Hill House?", Darry asked. She nodded, surprised he knew of the place.
"I went to visit him every day, my parents didn't, they couldn't handle seeing him like that. I sat and held his hand, I told him about my hopes and dreams, my problems...I read to him, just like Ponyboy reads to Johnny", Maggie smiled at the memories.
Maggie started to pace the kitchen. "I made a promise to him...I promised that when I became a nurse, I would buy a house and bring him home...that I would take care of him".
She turned to face Darry, tears were streaming down her face. "He died last year...three weeks before I graduated from nursing school".
Darry pulled Maggie into his arms, but their embrace was cut short by the sound of gasping screams.
Soda and Pony ran into each other as they raced down the stairs. Darry and Maggie were already in Johnny's room when they got downstaris.
Johnny was agitated, he dug his elbows into the matress as if trying to get away. "Help...Pony, Dally...please...fire...please", he called out, pleadingly.
Ponyboy stood frozen in the doorway, his lip trembling in fear."Darrel, sit with him while I get his medication", Maggie ordered as she turned to the dresser top full of medicine bottles.
She noticed Pony in the doorway, she led him out into the hall. Soda sat on the stairs, with his head in his hands."It's just a nightmare, he has them all the time...it's completely normal...", Maggie explained.
Soda jumped up. "How?...Look at him, how could any of this be normal?", he screamed before running back up the stairs.
Maggie pulled Ponyboy into a hug and he sobbed openly.
"C-c-can't m-moove...help", Johnny continued to gasp. Darry looked to the door to find Maggie holding Pony. He turned back to Johnny, "It's okay Johnny, I'm here...your safe, now".
Johnny eyes opened a slit. "D-d-darry?", he called, returning to the present.
Darry smiled. "It h-hurts...Dar", Johnny cried.
Darry felt tears spring to his eyes, he knew Johnny wasn't just talking about the pain from his injuries, he was refering to all of the physical and emotional pain he'd endured throughout his young life.
A tear fell down Darry's cheek as he pushed the hair from Johnny's sweaty forehead. "I know little buddy...I know".
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Phew, that was long. Yeah I know, pretty depressing, but I wanted to get a little back story on Maggie.
Sorry for any confusion, yes Johnny knows Dally died, but he doesn't know all of the circumstances that led up to his death.
I'm not sure of medical treatments in the '60's, so I fudged it a little.
Reviewers: Blondie 24-7(thank you for risking further punishment to send me that message), WhoaaReally53(you've been soooo faithful, thank you) and Maddiecake(I'm gonna miss you, enjoy Virginia, and come back to my story soon). Please continue to review...please.
Readers: How do you guys like Darry and Maggie together? Review and let me know what you think. The next few chapters will be a little brighter, but I cant promise they wont end in cliffhangers.