Chapter Four
Pony POV
I was glad it was summer. I'd been spending a lot of time either at the library or with Two-bit. Steve was working an awful lot, which made me feel guilty.
"Hey, kid."
"Hey."
I took my new books to my room and cracked one open. I must've really gotten into it, because the next thing I knew, I heard Two-bit coming through the door and hushed voices.
"Hey, Pone! Time to eat!"
I walked out of my room and to the kitchen.
"Spaghetti again?"
"Never said I was a chef."
I snorted and fixed a plate. We were watching Mickey Mouse, of course. Steve didn't have a table, so this'd been what we did.
"Um... So, Pone, Darry called."
I stopped mid chew.
"He wants to know if you'd go over there to eat on Saturday."
"I don't know..."
"It's up to you, but I'll be there if you wanna go."
"Me, too."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you ain't allowed around him unless I'm there. I wouldn't leave you with him anyway."
Two-bit looked troubled.
"I never thought I'd hear any of us say that about Darry..."
"I'll... I'll think about it..."
Steve POV
The kid decided to go. I was hoping he wouldn't, but I knew I couldn't stop him. Walking into that house was like walking into fog. You could cut the tension with a knife.
Laura was overly cheerful, and Darry too relaxed. They acted like nothing had happened. After we ate, we were all in the living room.
"So, Pony. I was thinking maybe you could stay here some this summer."
I saw him stiffen.
"He can't. He can't be here without me."
"Come on, Steve. It's not like you haven't broken rules before."
I took a deep breathe.
"No. The kid ain't staying here. Not alone."
His features turned hard.
"Why the hell not?!"
Two-bit answered.
"You hurt the kid, Darry. He can't stay with you."
His face softened.
"I promise, I won't do it again."
"Yeah... That's what you said every time."
We all turned our heads.
"Ponyboy, I really mean it this time."
"I don't believe you, Dar..."
"Kiddo..."
Pony stood up.
"Don't start that. Don't. Even if you didn't, she would!"
He pointed at Laura.
"I just want what's best for you, honey. You needed discipline."
"Shut up, Laura..."
She looked pissed.
"Darry, we've talked about this."
"Shut up."
Pony'd had enough.
"Steve, I'm going home. I'll see you there."
Darry stood and caught his arm.
"This is your home, kiddo..."
Pony jerked his arm away.
"No, it's not. It hasn't been since the day the MIA letter came."
"Ponyboy..."
"No... You hit me that day... All because I argued that Soda might be alive, and he still could be!"
Pony sighed.
"Just because Sodapop's not here, didn't mean we couldn't be a family. As a matter of fact, we'd been getting along great until that day. You never cared about me... You cared about Soda... That's why you started hitting me... Because he wasn't here to stop you, anymore..."
And with that, Pony left. Darry sat back in his recliner and put his head in his hands.
"What've I done?"
Laura put her hand on his back.
"You didn't do anything wrong..."
Darry's eyes had been dull every time I'd seen him, but when he lifted his head, I saw the fire he had lost when it came to his brothers.
"Get out..."
She turned to us.
"You guys hear h..."
"Not them! Get out, Laura! Just get the hell out!"
She looked shocked.
"Darry?!"
"We're done! Get out!"
"This is ridiculous! Let's just... Let's just talk about this..."
"There's nothing to talk about... We're done, finished."
She stormed out of the room and came out a few minutes later with a couple of bags.
"I got everything. Don't bother ever calling me again.."
"No problem..."
She stormed out of the house. Darry's eyes hadn't changed. They still had that fire.
"Darry?"
"What have I done? What did I do?"
"I don't know, buddy..."
He didn't say anything after that, so we left. I found Pony in his room asleep with a book in his lap. I put the book up and turned his light off. I went to the living room and sat on the couch and rubbed my eyes. I never expected that Darry would lose it or that I'd be taking care of the kid.
"Sodapop, where are you..."