Chapter 3: remember, I do not own any of S.E. Hinton's characters or F.F. Coppolas characters, or either of their dialogue. I do however own Avery, Hudson, Izzy, and the changes and additions made. Happy Reading!
I sat at the kitchen table with Darry and Hudson a few days after the funeral, watching as Pony scourged our kitchen cupboard for a clean spoon to eat his chocolate cake. I had poured a bowl of fruit loops with chocolate syrup for Huds and sat down next to Darry with an apple, peering at the front page of the newspaper he held. Darry read the newspaper every morning, no matter what. And Huds sat with him and read the comics strip. Hudson liked to do everything Darry did, have I mentioned that? Absolutely everything. He liked to dress like Darry, grease his hair the same way Darry did, and if there was a day Huds was home and Darry was working, he begged to go roof houses with him. Depending on the day and how intricate the project was, Darry would sometimes bring him along, and when I packed their lunches, I had to make them exactly identical... Just smaller portions for my littlest brother.
"Those dishes aren't gonna do themselves you know" Darry chided, glancing at Pony over the top of the paper the same way Dad used to. I made a face as I took another bite of my apple. I usually just sucked it up and did the dishes when somebody missed their turn, as I was particular on having them cleaned a certain way, but it was a Saturday and I just didn't feel like it. "It's Soda's turn, but he got in late," Pony mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate cake. "He said he'll do them this morning."
Darry got up from his chair and said, "This place needs to be spotless by this afternoon!" I chuckled as he walked into his room and Pony headed into the living room to turn the television on. "Why Darry?" Hudson asked through a mouthful of fruit loops. "Because little buddy," Darry called in. "The state worker is coming today and we need to show them we know how to clean a house!" Hudson grinned, his front top tooth missing, as Pony looked out the front window and said, "hey Darry, somebody's here!"
Darry pulled his pants up and sighed. "It's probably just a Jehovah's Witness," he shrugged as the mystery person knocked on the door. Once he finished buttoning his jeans, Darry opened it, and came face to face with a woman who was wearing clothes that looked way to nice for our neighborhood.
"Curtis residence?" She asked softly, and my oldest brother nodded as Pony and I shared a look behind his back. "Yeah?" "My name is Barbara Richards, department of welfare and I believe we have a nine o clock appointment." I immediately rose to my feet and started picking up the dirty laundry the boys had thrown across the house, nudging Hudson to get to his feet and go put on a pair of pants. All the boys in my house walked around in their underwear whenever they wanted to, and it would not be of any help to us at the moment.
"Can you excuse me a second?' Darry laughed, closing the door and whipping Ponyboy around. "What time did you say the welfare guy was gonna be here?" "Uh four, wasn't it? I wrote it down" my dreamer of a brother glanced around the room and found the piece of scratch paper he had scribbled on after receiving the phone call earlier that week. "Richards, that's supposed to be a nine!" Darry groaned, reading it. "What were you doing when you wrote this, reading a book?"
I would have laughed if I wasn't so busy rushing around the kitchen and putting the rest of the dirty dishes in the sink, the groceries that had been left out the night before in the cupboard, and the "girly" magazines my older brothers passed around in the trash can. I could personally guarantee you that every guy in this neighborhood owned at least one, but not every guy had to put a good impression on the state in order to keep their family together, and I didn't see Mrs. Richards appreciating the sight of half naked women.
Luckily for me, I had made my bed when I woke up earlier that morning, and as Hudson came barreling down the stairs I grabbed his arm. "You make your bed?" He nodded, and I pushed him towards the bathroom. "Brush your teeth and comb your hair, and pick up any wet towels that are on the floor!"
Mrs. Richards knocked again, and Darry opened it with a smile as I adjusted the books that were on the coffee table and threw the monopoly pieces from our game last night into the box, stuffing it underneath. "Could you please excuse us for one minute more?" He sweetly asked, closing the door before she had time to answer and grabbing Pony's arm. "Wake Soda up and get some clothes on!" "Is this the welfare guy?" I rolled my eyes as I moved from the coffee table to the couch, shaking a hungover Two bit awake as both Darry and I whisper yelled, "Move it!" Him to a fourteen year old boy, me to a grown ass man.
"Two Bit come on!" I seethed, grabbing his arm and dragging him off the couch. "Come here darling, I'll give you a kiss!" He puckered up his lips and laughed to himself as I slung his arm around my neck. "Not funny! The welfare lady is here and you need to leave unless you want us to be put into foster care!" That seemed to sober him up, and in an instant he was moving faster as we walked to the back door. Once we reached it, he said, "Sorry bout that Ave. Listen, good luck. You guys are gonna be fine!" He smiled. I smiled back and closed the door on him as I turned back to the kitchen in time to see Soda trip over his jeans and fall on his face.
"Serves you right!" I snapped as Darry pulled him up and pushed him to the sink. He stuck out his tongue at me behind Darry's back as our oldest brother chided, "come on, hurry up! These should've been done last night!" Hudson ran into the room then and I nodded to the back door. He took the hint and opened it as I got the broom and swept as much dirt and dust as I could outside. Noticing his cowlick sticking up, I licked my hand and smoothed it down, him swatting me away because I was "messing up his 'do!"
Finally, Pony came out from his and Soda's room, beds neatly made, and zipping his jeans. I shut the door and grabbed Hudson's hand, running with him to the couch to take our positions as Soda did the same and Darry walked calmly to the door. I glanced at Hudson's face and noticed some chocolate syrup on his cheek, so I licked my thumb and wiped it off, making him gag and wipe my spit off his cheek as Soda and Pony quietly laughed at him. I glared at Pony and, noticing a little chocolate cake on his cheek, copied my actions once more, making him open his mouth to say something and Soda punch his shoulder to keep him quiet as the door opened and Mrs. Richards finally entered our home.
...
The visit started out like they normally do. She greeted us by name, taking attendance as though we were in seventh period English class and not our own home. Next, she walked around the kitchen, opening cupboards and the fridge, checking to make sure we had enough food, and peeking in soda and Pony's bedroom to make sure it was neat and tidy as she called out question after question. "Ponyboy, what did the doctor say at your last checkup?" "Avery, do you have any female friends at school?" "Sodapop, how much do you make an hour?" "Hudson, how are you doing in third grade?" Each of us answered politely, wanting to move forward as quickly as possible.
"You've had a rough time since you lost your parents," she continued, walking past Darry and standing facing both him and the couch full of kids. "Just form itemizing your monthly dues, mortgage, utilities, food, I can see you're just barely making ends meet." "Well I've just been getting started!" Darry explained. Hudson leaned back into me, tense, and I wrapped my arms around him as we listened to the conversation. These visits were always stressful, and this one was no different.
"Things are picking up now, and I'm making good contacts" Darry defended himself, which was the truth, just hard to prove on paper. "Yeah!" Soda piped up. "And I'm working full time down at the DX station!" I closed my eyes gently as she said, "You, young man, dropped out of school, and that is not in your favor!" She walked closer and sat in Dad's old recliner, Darry coming to the couch and scorching us over, Hudson climbing into my lap as she continued. "Was it because of the money?"
I bit my lip, knowing that it was a sensitive subject for Soda. "No, it's because I was flunking!" He mumbled. Ponyboy and I glanced at each other. "I've been working part time at the DX and babysitting," I added, Pony nodding. "And I'm helping out, gonna start subbing at the bowling alley!" Hudson shifted and said "Yeah! And sometimes I get to go help all of them at work and I get a few dollars too!" I saw something in her eyes, a little smile.
"Even though the court has awarded Darryl custody of you four, it's contingent on a few things. Staying out of trouble, maintaining a decent home environment, and the rest of you staying in school. Anything, even truancy, could jeopardize your situation. You already missed the last week of school." "He was sick!" Soda interjected. "The doctor made him stay home!" "I understand that," she nodded, "but I'm only trying to tell you how important it is that you realize how quickly things could change around here!"
"What do you mean about that?" Hudson asked? "It could easily mean foster homes for the four of you. I mean very easily, there'd be no second chance." Hands on shifted in my lap and Soda reached over and patted his leg. She turned to Darry. "This is a hard enough job for someone your age, emotionally and financially." "I can do it!" Darry determined. "If you can't," she warned. "We'll see that somebody else does.
The five of us stood up as she did, watching the gentle smile on her face as she walked to the door. Hudson buried his face into my side and wrapped his arms around me as she turned to us. "There's one other thing I think you should know, your friendship with Dallas Winston almost cost you your case." My eyes watered as I blinked, trying to force myself not to cry. Did she also know just how close we were? I felt like if she did, she wouldn't have been saying this right now. "We all know about. Dallas down at the courthouse, and we also know about Tim Shepherd. In fact, it would take you about an hour to read his rap sheet, and he was a friend of Dallas'" "They'd fight all the time!" Pony interjected. "That doesn't mean they weren't friends" she reasoned. "I strongly advise you to stay away from him, goodbye" she turned and walked out the door and we watched as she walked away. I knew she had seemed tough, but I wanted to believe deep down she wanted the best for us, and that's why she was being so rough with her words.
"Foster homes?" Soda snarled as soon as the door closed. "No way" he walked into the kitchen, "she's here to help?" Darry laughed. "Hell, I'm doing just fine and I don't need no damn state lady telling me what to do!" "This is a decent home environment," soda added. "It's just messy!" Pony, Huds and I stood together, and I could see the tears forming on Hudson's face as I squeezed his shoulders. "I don't want to go to a foster home," Pony sad quietly. "You're not," Darry shook his head, playfully calling into the kitchen, "not as long as Soda will take his turn at the dishes, and you learn to write your numbers!" He poked Ponyboy's chest and walked away.
"C'mon," I said quietly to Hudson. "Let's go get dressed for church." He reluctantly followed me up the stairs and as soon as we had gotten into our room and closed the door, he whispered, "I don't want to go to a foster home Avery! I'll even do the dishes myself!" I smiled gently at him and leaned down, wiping his tears away. "Buddy, you heard Darry. You're not going to go to a foster home. And don't listen to what Darry said, he was just a little rough on the boys because he was stressed."
I ruffled his hair and pulled back. "Now little buddy, let's get dressed! We've gotta go pick up Isabelle on our way." Isabelle was a five year old little girl from down the street I often babysat. Her parents, Julio and Wendy, owned an upper end furniture store and often had events they had to go to in order to make contacts. One of them was at a country club a few towns over, and so Wendy had asked if I'd bring Izzy with us this week and then take her home for part of the afternoon. I didn't mind it, I got 50 cents an hour and I already had so much practice from "babysitting" the gang that watching Izzy was like a piece of cake.
Once Hudson and I were dressed I started to fix his hair but he pulled away from me, shaking his head. "No Ave, Darry's gonna do it." I sighed but nodded and motioned for him to get going then, since we wouldn't have much time. When we walked down the stairs I noticed Darry was right back to his spot at the table and Pony was sitting on the floor in front of the tv with Two Bit, who I nodded to. He must've stuck just outside until he saw her leave, and I was grateful he was there for a laugh.
As Hudson stood in front of Darry and Darry greased his hair back and combed it just the way he did to his, I glanced around to look for Soda, and found him rather quickly, sitting outside on the porch and talking to Steve. "They coming with us?" I asked Darry, motioning to our friends. He looked up at me and said, adjusting his paper, you can ask them but I'm staying here today." I slightly frowned, but knew not to push the issue. The meeting this morning was stressful.
"Okay, well then see you later," I said, grabbing Dally's leather jacket and slipping it on. "Pony, Two, you guys coming?' I asked, grabbing Hudson's hand as we went to walk out the door. Pony shook his head no and Two Bit just laughed. "Why would u go to church when the only angel I see is you?" He busted out laughing. I rolled my eyes but smiled and waved as the two of us walked through the door.
Soda and Steve stopped their conversation, soda staring out at the road and Steve taking a minute to smile up at me. "hey Ave, hey Huds" he nodded. "Where are you guys off to?" "Church," I responded, looking at Soda. "You guys wanna come?"
"No," soda said, shaking his head. "Maybe next time" Steve smiled gently at me, and I sighed but pressed on down the porch, dragging hudson with me.
Church was relatively uneventful. Hudson told Izzy that the communion wine was actually blood, causing her to very loudly call him a liar in the middle of silence, but that was hither only thing that really stood out, and was quickly resolved with a hard stare from me.
The three of us walked down the steps, Izzy giggling as she grabbed my hand and tugged. "Come on Avery, you promised we could go to the Dingo now, right? Let's go!" I laughed as Hudson spoke up. "Can I get chocolate chip pancakes?" He asked, sticking out his chin. "Sure buddy," I ruffled his hair, "You can get whatever you want!" He and Izzy shared a grin as we started to walk towards the sidewalk.
"Oh Avery honey!" The three of us paused and turned around to see Mrs. Smith running towards us in her heels and groaned. She was the fakest person I knew, and I could bet you ten dollars I knew exactly what she was coming over here to say. "Ohhhhh sweetie!" She dragged out, wrapping me in a constricting hug. "I am SO sorry to hear about your brother!" It wasn't a secret that I was adopted, most people in Tulsa knew. But they just kinda forgot since I fit in so well with the Curtis family. Not Karen Smith. She was nosy, and definitely thought of Dallas as a sinner, so I didn't know why she had to come over here and fake sympathy,
"Well uh, thank you" I said quietly, grabbing Izzy's hand and placing a hand on Hudson's shoulder, trying to get out of there. "If there's anything I can do, just let me know!" She dragged out quite loudly. I flushed at her voice and was about to respond, when someone else did for me. "You can start by getting your nose out of her ass!" Her mouth widened in shock and a small smile spread across mind as I realized who it was.
Curly Shepherd to the rescue.