Christmas Eve 1960
"You're not even 16 yet, Jacklyn, there's no way the state is going to allow you to raise a twelve-year-old and an infant on your own," Martha sighed as Jax bounced baby Scarlet on her knees. "And we're strugglin' as it is. Taking you three in…we didn't realize how hard it'd be to have a baby in the house again."
"Martha, please," Jax begged. "I promised my momma a long time ago I'd keep those two safe. I'm already droppin' outta school. The DX needs a cashier in the morning and the supermarket needs someone in the afternoon, I'll find someone to watch Scar during the day. Please, please, don't let them break us up." Tears were running down Jax's face as she begged her aunt to understand.
"I promised my brother if anything ever happened that we'd take the kids, Martha," Darrel said sternly from her perch by the back door. He was watching the boys, all four of which he now considered his own, throw a football around. Along with the Curtis brood, was Steve Randle and Keith (Two-Bit) Matthews. "We can't turn them away, Martha, you know that."
"Darrel…" Martha warned. Jax took that as her sign to go outside. It was cold outside, but the icy air felt comforting against Jax's boiling blood.
"You look like you saw a ghost, Jax," Cam said breathlessly, jogging over to her.
"Can you keep an eye on Scarlet for an hour? I promise, I'll be back real soon," Jax said, her mind suddenly made up.
"Uh…I mean sure, but what are you gonna go do?" Cam asked, taking Scarlet from his older sister.
"First, I guess I'm applying for jobs, then I'm gonna go down to Buck's and see if Tim's around," Jax said tiredly. "Martha doesn't want us here anymore."
"What?" Cam yelped, causing the football game behind them to calm to a halt. "She said that?"
"Not in so many words," Jax sighed, scrubbing her hand over her face. "But I'm not old enough to take you two myself yet. So I'm gonna work my ass off to figure somethin' out. Ain't right for our cousins to suffer cause we're here."
"Shit, Jax, it ain't like that," Darry said gently, coming up to his oldest cousin's side. "Ma's just not dealin' with having the baby around too well."
"Yeah well," Jax huffed, standing protectively in front of her two younger siblings. "I ain't breakin' my promise to my mother. I'm keepin' my kids safe, one way or another. I pray you never have to carry that burden on your shoulders, Dar." She looked at her younger siblings, her heart breaking. She fought for the last two months to keep the tears at bay and she sure as hell wasn't about to break down right then.
She kissed the side of her brother's head before whispering quick instructions in his ear before giving a knowing nod to Soda, who had been watching her carefully.
"Just where on god green's earth are you going, Jacklyn Mae?" Martha's stern voice called from the backdoor as Jax went to leave the yard.
"To do what my daddy woulda expected me to do," she called back curtly. "Reckon I might get lucky an' someone'll feel bad for the little orphan girl on Christmas Eve." Her tone was raw and emotionless. Darry tensed. No one talked to his mother like that.
"Now you watch your tone there Jax," he bellowed.
"Enough son," Darrel said as he came to stand beside his wife at the back door. "Let her go, Martha, you struck the fear of those kids bein' split up in her on Christmas Eve. You know she didn't do well for Thanksgiving. Reckon letting her blow off some steam is all we can do now."
"She's a firecracker, that one, just like that momma of hers," Martha tutted.
"That's a compliment and you know it," Darrel chuckled. "Cam bring that sweet little sister of yours inside before she catches a chill, you boys go back to your game."
"But dad," Darry started. He couldn't believe his ears. His father would have whooped any of the boys into next year for raising their tone with their mother like that.
"Darry," his father warned, a stern expression on his face. Darry shut his trap good and well after that.
October 30 1963
"I can't believe it's been 3 years," Jax mused as she stood in front of her parents graves, her now four-year-old sister glued to her side.
"I don't remember them," Scarlet murmured, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"You were just a tiny little lass when they died, sweetheart," Jax said gently. "They loved you more than life."
"I miss them," Cam, now fifteen, mused. He had grown a lot since their parents died. They all had. Jax was almost 19 and now held down two jobs, working almost 80 hours a week in hopes of saving up to buy the one rundown house lodged between Johnny Cade's and the Curtis house. Darry was 18, a senior in high school and already on his way to getting a full scholarship to college. Soda and Steve were both fifteen as well, chasing the ladies and causing trouble with her brother. The trio had grown exceptionally close over the last three years. Two-Bit was still as goofy as he always was, now sixteen and still only a sophomore in high school. And then there was Ponyboy and Johnny Cade – 12 and 14 respectively. They were closer than any two people could be. Lastly, there was 15-year-old Dallas Winston, the newest addition to the gang. He was a wild card from New York and reminded Jax a lot of the boys she used to run with.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Darry asked, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He had agreed to come with Jax and her brother and sister to the cemetery since he was using his father's truck later to go on a date after the football game. His father had all but demanded that he gave his cousins a ride.
"Just thinkin' about everything that's changed," she said softly. Cam was telling Scarlet about their folks, so Jax walked a little way away to get her bearings back. She was genuinely exhausted, but she was also feeling grateful. Grateful that Darrel Curtis had convinced his wife that having the trio live in their living room wasn't the end of the world. Grateful that her brother had the gang to not only teach him how to be a man, but how to be a brother. Grateful that the state hard awarded Martha and Darrel custody of her siblings because they didn't have to worry about DHS taking them away. Grateful that she had found brothers amongst all the chaos that had become her life.
"You're lookin' a little pale there, sis," Darry said gently. He could be the biggest jerk going, but he genuinely learned to care about his older cousin over the last three years.
"Just beat is all," she said, sinking down onto the damp ground, hugging her knees to her chest. The cool autumn wind sent a chill down her spine.
"You don't look too good, Jax," Darry said. Despite his tough exterior, Darry could be real soft when he needed to be. His hand snaked up to brush Jax's hair from her face. That was when he realized she was warm to the touch. "Okay, I'm taking you back to mom. You're getting sick."
"M' fine Dar, 'sides I work tonight," she muttered, her face pressing on her knees. "Gotta close up at the DX."
"Yeah, real sure your boss wants you goin' in half dead on your feet," Darry scolded. "C'mon." He helped Jax to her feet before calling the younger two over. "C'mon, we gotta get your sister back home, she's getting sick."
"You okay, Jax?" Cam asked, his tone not nearly as soft as it once was. He looked his sister over, silently observing how worn out she looked. "I can take Scar over to Two-Bits if you want? Mrs. Matthews never minds watching her. She's supposed to babysit tonight anyway," he said quizzically. "Don't you gotta head to work in an hour anyhow?"
"See? Kid gets it," Jax said, leaning slightly against Darry's side.
"I'll drop you two off at Two-Bit's, you can ride with him to the game," Darry told Cam. "You on the other hand, are letting my mom look you over."
"Gotta work Dar," she said tiredly. Darry helped her into the truck before sitting Scarlet in her lap. Cam climbed in after and shut the door, shooting his sister a troubled look.
"Darry's right Jax, you don't look so good," he mused. He'd never seen his sister sick before. Normally Jax was the mother hen whenever someone else got hurt or sick. Martha was even teaching her how to patch the guys up whenever they got in a rumble and came home cut up.
"M'-," Jax started, before her face went sheet white and sweat started to bead on her brow. She let out a little groan before pushing past Darry as soon as he opened the driver's side door. Confused, Darry helped her down in time for her to collapse against the truck, her sides heaving as she emptied the contents of her stomach on the gravel road.
"Easy, easy," Darry said, one hand on her back, the other holding her arm so she wouldn't fall. Jax remained like that for several long minutes before her body sagged against the truck. She would have fell flat on her face, had Darry not caught her. "Okay, you're going home, now," Darry said sternly. He helped her back into the truck and wrapped his thin flannel around her.
"Darry, is she okay?" Cam asked carefully, his eyes watching his sister shiver against the seat, her face a scary shade of grey.
"Mom'll know what to do," Darry said. What he didn't tell the younger boy was that he was genuinely worried. He white knuckled it all the way to the Matthew's house. Cam got Scarlet out in record time and told Darry he'd see him at the game.
"Call here if she needs me," he added, motioning to his older sister, who had slid over so her head was resting against the cool glass.
"Will do, kiddo," Darry said before turning the truck towards home. His father would have skinned him if he had seen how fast his eldest son was driving, but Darry rationalized that something was seriously wrong with Jax and she needed to get home as quickly as possible.
As soon as he pulled up in front of the house he quickly made his way around to the passenger side and carefully opened the door. Jax practically fell into his arms, her head lolling to the side.
"Mom! Mom!" Darry bellowed as he kicked open the front door, Jax limply laying in his arms.
"Glory, Darry, what happened to her?" Martha demanded, drying her hands on her apron before motioning for Darry to lay Jax on the couch.
"She got real sick at the cemetery," Darry explained, his voice quivering. "She's running a fever, mom, I didn't know what else to do."
"She'll be okay, Darry, trust me, I've got this from here," Martha assured her son. "You go get ready for your game, I've got her."
"Are you sure, mom?" Darry asked.
"Of course, son, go on, get," Martha said softly. "You did good, son, I'm proud of you."
