"Ooooh," I hissed, stamping my foot. "He makes me so mad!"

"He'll be okay, Junie," Two-Bit said, trying to sound comforting.

I turned to stomp into the house, with Two-Bit behind me.

We found Ponyboy, sitting on the sofa, pulling on his sneakers, and then tying the shoelaces in a furious way.

"What're ya doin'?" I asked.

"I'm gonna go down and talk to Soda," Pony announced. "Two-Bit, give me a ride?"

"Yeah, sure," Two-Bit said.

"Are you goin' so ya can tell Soda what happened, with that man that was here, and everything?" I asked.

"Yep," Pony said.

"I'm goin', too," I said, and went to tug on my own sneakers.

We were mostly silent on the way down to Buck's. When we got there, we found Soda perched completely inside of

a truck engine, sitting on the edge with his head bent over the motor. Steve was standing on the other side, also leaning

way over.

Soda looked up as we walked over towards the truck where he was working. "What're you delinquents doin'?" he asked, joking.

"Gotta talk to ya," Pony told him, standing, and shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Somethin' wrong?" Soda asked, immediately serious-ing up.

"Yeah," Pony said.

"Okay," Soda said, and swiveled to climb out of the engine. A few moments later, when he was standing in front of us,

wiping the grease from his hands with an orange grease rag, he said, "What's Darry done?"

That might have been funny at another time, with Soda automatically assuming that our problem had to do with Darry. But,

right then, it wasn't funny. It was too 'on the dot' to be funny.

So, we told him. First, about Butch's telephone call, and how he'd told Darry something that upset him, but that Darry

wouldn't tell us what. And, then about the short man in the suit that had told Darry he couldn't pay him, and then, most

worrisome, how Darry had just warned us off, and left to 'go see some guys about work'.

Soda sighed. "Well, damn."

We waited a couple of moments, while it looked as though Soda was thinking.

"That's all he said?" he asked us. "Just that he was goin' to talk to some guys?"

"Yeah. And, that he'd be back for supper," Ponyboy said.

"We tried to talk to him about how he shouldn't be drivin', and all, but he wouldn't listen. Not at all," I said.

"No. Likely he wouldn't," Soda said, dryly.

"He was in the mood to bust somebody's head," Pony said.

"Well-" Soda said. "Go home. Try not to worry. He'll show up. And, I'll talk to him when I get home tonight."

"That's it?" I asked. "I mean, aren't ya gonna do anything?"

"I said I'll talk to him, Junie," Soda said. "I don't see as there's anything to do right now. Not even knowin' where he went,

or anything."

"Grrr," I said, irritated beyond belief.

"What do ya expect me to do?" Soda countered. "I'll give him hell when I get home-and I'll find out what's goin' on. See why

he didn't get paid, and all that. We'll sit down and figure it all out."

"Will ya come home after you're done here at Buck's?" I asked him. "So ya can talk to him then?"

"I've gotta go to Booker's, to work on the car," Soda reminded me.

I needed no reminder. "This is more important, Soda!" I snapped.

"Not if Darry didn't get paid for a job," Soda said. "If that's what happened, then we're gonna need every penny we

can lay our hands on. I've gotta go to Booker's."

I rolled my eyes and heaved a big sigh, but I knew that Soda had a valid point.

Soda put a hand on my shoulder, and gave Pony and I both a long look. He sighed, seeing how worried we both were.

"I'll come home after I'm done here," he conceded. "And, I'll talk to him, then. Before I go to Booker's."

"Okay," Ponyboy said, and I nodded. I felt better, really relieved, and I knew Pony was, too. At least, Soda was going to

try. It felt easier, knowing that Soda was going to help.

Outsiders

We were mostly quiet going back to the house.

As we pulled up, and got out of Two-Bit's car, Pony asked him, "Are ya gonna stick around, Two-Bit?"

"I dunno," Two-Bit said. "Sounds like it might get dicey 'round here."

"Aw, come on," Pony told him.

We went inside, and were mostly quiet at first. Pony turned on the fans, and Two-Bit went to the kitchen to

pull out Cokes from the refrigerator.

"What are we gonna eat tonight?" Pony was asking, hitching himself up to sit on the kitchen counter.

"Don't ask me," I said. "I'm not cookin'." I went to take the bottle cap off of a Coke. "Why should I cook for

Darry, when he takes off like that, even though he just got out of the hospital. He doesn't care that we're worried."

"I think he's just worried about money, Junie," Two-Bit said. "He's serious about takin' care of all of ya."

I shrugged, and went to the living room, flopping down on the sofa. Two-Bit decided to take off, saying he would be

back later on, maybe.

It was around an hour or so longer, and Soda got home. Before Darry. I didn't think that was a good thing. I mean, that

Darry was still gone. When Soda came in, and started talking to Pony, I sat up on the sofa from my lying-down position.

We sat around for a while after that, discussing things.

"That joker that was here-he must be the owner or contractor or whatever from Darry's job that he just finished," Soda

reasoned.

"Yeah. I heard him say somethin' about the bonus to Darry," Ponyboy said in agreement.

Soda leaned forward, folding his hands together. "Not good," he muttered, low.

"What're we gonna do?" Pony asked, popping his knuckles in nervousness.

"We'll talk to Darry-and figure it out," Soda was saying, as we heard a truck pulling into the driveway.

Pony went to the screen door. "He's here," he said.

So when Darry opened the screen and came in, he was greeted by Pony, standing with his arms crossed; Soda, sitting

on the sofa, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. And, me. Sitting there in the other chair, with my arms crossed, similarly to

Pony, and with an attitude, if he cared to take notice of it.

If Darry was surprised, or put off, by the sight of his entire family sitting there, obviously waiting for him, well, he didn't

show it.

He came in, and let the screen door flap shut. He let his gaze run over all of us.

"You're home early," he said, to Soda. "Not goin' to Booker's?"

"I'm goin'," Soda said. "Came home to talk to ya first."

"Yeah?" Darry said, and now he gave another, longer look at the three of us. "What's goin' on?"

"You tell us-" Pony said, his voice tight.

"Yeah. You tell us," I said, with attitude.

Darry gave me a glance, and raised an eyebrow. "Junie?" he said.

That was Darry-code for 'watch your mouth'.

"The kids are worried," Soda spoke up. "So am I. What's the deal with the guy who came earlier, sayin' he

can't pay?"

Darry sighed, and went to sit in his favorite chair. "Rudge says he can't pay till the end of the month for the job we

finished."

"Can't pay the bonus?" Soda asked. "Or the whole job?"

"Can't pay any of it," Darry said flatly.

"The end of the month-that's almost three weeks," Soda said in thought.

"Right," Darry said, sounding grim.

"Well-I'll get some more hours-" Soda began.

"You're doin' enough," Darry said.

"Not enough to pay everything that needs payin'," Soda argued.

"Soda-" Darry began, and then paused. "Both of ya, go on outside for a few minutes," he said, to Pony and I.

"No!" I said. Loudly and no holds barred.

"June Marie, that's just about enough lip out of you," Darry warned, looking furious.

"I'm not gonna leave the room like some little kid when there's no reason to it!" I said. "I've been sittin' and worryin' about ya

all afternoon, and I'm not goin' outside!"

Darry shifted forward in his chair. "How about a trip over my knee?" he threatened. "How does that sound to ya?"

Okay. That gave me cause to think. I'll admit to it. Those blue-green eyes of his were boring a hole right thru me. But, I

grabbed what was left of my courage, and said, "I don't know how ya think to do that-your ribs bein' hurt the way

that they are-"

"My ribs may be the worse for it, but my right hand works just fine-" Darry said. He gave me a menacing look, and I thought

for an instant that he meant to actually rise up out of that chair...

"I'm not goin' outside, either," Ponyboy spoke up. "You'll have to take me on, too-not just Junie."

Darry's eyes swept to Pony, still standing, with his arms crossed.

"Is that right?" Darry asked, still looking furious.

"I'm not tryin' to give ya lip, Darry," Pony said. "But-Junie and I-well, we're not little kids that shouldn't hear the

bad stuff. I know ya want to shield us from some of it, but we're in this together. All of us."

I gave Pony an admiring, grateful look. He'd expressed it all just right. I swung my eyes to Darry. I'd uncrossed my arms,

and I hoped Darry was gonna be reasonable.

"I agree with the kids," Soda said.

"You do, huh?" Darry said. But, he didn't sound as mad, anymore.

"Yeah. I mean-" Soda looked at me. "Junie, ya gotta be respectful, and not so sassy, okay?" He looked back at Darry. "But,

I do agree with 'em about knowin' what's goin' on, Darry."

For a long, long moment, Darry was silent. Then he said, "Alright. Family meeting, it is. Pony, ya might as well

sit down."

Pony sat down beside Soda on the sofa, still cracking his knuckles.

"So, Rudge says he can't pay me until the end of the month-I told him he has till Tuesday. I probably won't get the

bonus, but gettin' the pay for the main job, that's better than waitin' until he says he can pay both," Darry said.

"What if he don't pay ya on Tuesday?" Pony asked.

"He knows that he'd better," Darry said, stubbornly.

"But, what's the plan if he don't?" Soda asked.

"I've got another job lined up-startin' tomorrow," Darry said. "I wasn't gonna do it for awhile, because it's not a

big job, but the guy's been after me, so I went to see him and told him-"

Darry's voice trailed off, as all three of us looked at him in shock.

"What?" he asked us.

"You can't go to start a job tomorrow," Soda told him.

"That's right," Pony added. "That's just crazy!"

"Ya know what the doctor said-" Soda began.

"That was advice," Darry said.

"Advice that ya need to listen to," Soda said. "Ya can't be climbin' on a roof by tomorrow."

I was suddenly furious at Darry again. "That makes no sense!" I accused him. "If the wind's blowin' when you're up

on a roof, or ya take a wrong step, ya might fall again!"

"All of ya, just settle down," Darry said.

"How are we sposed to do that?" Pony demanded. "It's like-you're tryin' to get yourself killed, Darry!"

"Yeah!" I said, in agreement.

All three of us, Soda, me and Pony, began talking at the same time, protesting Darry's crazy decision to

go back to work so soon. Our voices all meshed together, and Darry gave a piercing whistle, which had the desired

effect of hushing us up.

When he had our full, and silent, attention, Darry went on, "We're startin' the job tomorrow, but I won't be on

the roof. At least for a few more days. Alright? Butch and the rest of the guys are gonna be doin' that. I'll take care of the

ground work."

Ground work. I knew what that meant.

"It's good ya won't be on the roof right away," Soda said. "Ground work-that's no easy thing, either, though."

"Yeah. A lot of liftin', and carryin', and all of that," Pony said. "It'll be hard, with your ribs and your arm."

"Well, there's not a lot of choice on that," Darry said. He gave the three of us a look that I knew he meant to be

comforting. "I promise that I'll take breaks. Alright?"

We were all silent, surveying him, and hesitant to give our blessing on any of it.

"We need me to take this job," Darry said. "I got an advance for it. That'll help until Rudge comes thru with what he

owes."

"The guy gave ya an advance?" Soda asked, sounding surprised. I gathered from that, that it wasn't common for

such to happen.

"Yeah. He did. That's where I went this afternoon," Darry said.

"Well," Soda said, sounding considering, "That was decent of him."

"It was," Darry agreed. "That's why we're startin' tomorrow. That's why I wanna be there, too, makin' sure that the guys stay workin'

steady, and all."

"Butch could do that," Pony said, half-heartedly. I think he knew that Darry wouldn't necessarily agree.

"He could," Darry conceded. "But, I need to be there, too."

"So, with the advance-and my money from Booker, we oughta be okay," Soda said.

"Yeah. And, I've got my money from the bowling alley," Pony said.

"Give me any that ya want put in the bank," Darry said. "I'll take it by there tomorrow."

Soda opened his wallet, and pulled out some bills, leafing thru them. "There's fifty here," he said, handing it off

to Darry.

"I'll get mine," Pony said. "It's in my room."

I sat there while Pony was gone, listening for those few minutes to Darry and Soda continuing to talk. I felt as though I

wasn't a part of things. Never mind what Soda and Darry told me-about how I did my share because of what I did around

the house. It still didn't feel the same. A sudden thought came to me. I didn't stop to consider it. I got up and went

to my bedroom, opening my small purple jewelry box. I took out the money that was in there. $22. Money from what

I'd earned babysitting, and cleaning at the Wilson's. And, money from the two allowances that Darry had given me.

I went back out to the living room, in time to see Pony handing Darry some money.

"This'll help out a lot," Darry said. "Thanks, Ponyboy."

I came over closer to where Darry sat, and held out the folded money in my hand.

Darry looked up, giving me a questioning look. He took it from me, and looked at it, and then

turned his gaze upwards again. "Isn't this your money-you've been savin'?"

"Yeah. For your camera flash," Soda added.

I nodded.

Darry shook his head. "No, Junie." He held the money back up to me.

"Why not?" I demanded.

"You've close, aren't ya-to bein' able to get it?" Darry asked.

"That doesn't matter. I want to give it to ya," I said. "I have as much right as anybody else, don't I? To help

keep us goin'?"

Soda, who, by this point, was standing next to Pony and me, laughed a little. "She's got ya there, Darry. No way

can ya say no to that."

Darry held my eyes, and for a few moments, it was as though it was just him and me there.

"Okay," he said, and I thought I saw pride in his eyes. "Thank ya, Junie. It'll help a lot-to fill up the next

three weeks." He stood up, folding all of the money neatly. "That is-if Rudge doesn't come thru by Tuesday."

"I'm glad this little family chat is over," Pony said. "I'm gonna make me a sandwich. I'm starvin'." He ambled

off to the kitchen.

"I need to eat somethin', too," Soda said. "So I can get to Booker's." He nodded at Darry, and kissed me on the

top of my head, and went towards the kitchen, too.

Left there, with Darry, it was silent. I looked up at him, wondering if there was still gonna be that pride in

his eyes. Or if, instead, he might decide to give me a goin'-over for my sass-mouth earlier.

Outsiders