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Sandy sighed as she pulled her naturally blond hair into a ponytail. She was tired and pale and she was sure her mother was starting to notice something wasn't right. She sat down and applied as much make up as she could. If she didn't look sick then maybe she could get away with it for a bit longer.
It had been one week now since the doctor had told her and Soda had been on her back trying to find out what was wrong. Every time she looked at him she thought her heart would break. He loved her so much, that was clear to see.
Evie had even started asking her what was wrong. Sandy found that strange. Evie seemed to have something against her for awhile. They were only friends because Soda and Steve were best friends. But Evie only ever made small talk with her before. Evie refered to her as someone who tought she was someone.
"Sandra Martha Kelly get down here." Her mother called, draggging her back to reality.
Sandy sighed, it was impossible to get two minutes peace in this house. Her mother was preparing dinner and Sandra watched from the door for a second. She had to smile her mother wasn't just cooking she was mothering too.
"Sean you'll be late for work get a move on, Oh Shane will you get off the table. Mary will take your brothers and sister up to get washed up for dinner. Sandra." She called again in her thick Connemara accent "Oh there you are."
Mary waked by her with Shane, Katie and Patrick in tow. Sandy patted Patrick's head as he passed. At five he was her favourite. He liked to curl beside her while she read to him. Patrick was very quite bearly spoke since the death of their father two months ago.With jet black hair and big green eyes, people just loved him.
Her mother placed a plate of food down infront of Sean and he ate like an animal. Sady couldn't look more different from the strawberry blond boy, but she knew Sean was always there if she needed him. he looked up at her for a minute and nodded towards her then ran off to find his shoes. Sandy blinked in disbelief how the hell did he do that? His food was gone in seconds.
"See ya ma." He said kissing her on the cheek. "Sandy why don't you drop by later."
She just nodded and watched him leave. Her mother turned to her.
"Are you seeing him tonight?" Her mother asked as Sandy began to wash some of the dishes before they sat down to eat.
"It's Soda ma."
"What sort of name is Sodapop anyway. I don't want you hanging around him Sandra I mean it."
Sandra sat now while the rest of the familly joined them noisely.
"Soda's alright ma."
"And cute too." Mary added then she saw the stern look on her mother face. She dropped her eyes to her plate and joined her hands. "Sorry ma."
Margaret sighed and loked back at Sandy "I know he is Sandy it's the company he keeps and no mother or father to keep them in line."
"Darry's doing just fine ma."
"He's just a boy."
"Well da had two children and was married when he was Darry's age ma."
Margaret's eyes saddened . Patrick sr had died two months ago and she missed him terribly. He was a drunk and he spent all the money on booze but he never once raised his voice to her or the children. He'd get drunk and come home singing some Irish rebel songs which Margaret hated. He died of liver failure. He was only forty.
Margaret was only thirty eight herself but she looked more like sixty eight. her hair was grey and her hands rough form all the work she did. Her face was lined with wrinkles from worrying about where the next meal was coming from.
Sandy couldn't eat. She loked at her mother and sighed. Surely her news would kill her off. Oh Margaret was a very strong woman she'd coped with her fair share of things over the years but this was something very big.
"Okay join your hands and lets say grace." Margaret sighed.
Soda was waiting for Sandy at the nightly double. He wasn't sure why she didn't want him to pick her up, it was freezing. he guessed maybe it had somethig to do with her mother. Steve and Evie were making out in the back seat of the truck, Soda sat on the bonet smoking and loking at the stars.
He saw Sandy coming in the distance, she looked gorgeous in a yellow dress and a yellow ribbon in her hair. She also wore a white cardigan and a jacket.
He jumped off the truck almost twisting his ankle and walked over to her.
"Hi." Soda said shly not sure where he stood anymore.
Sandy threw her arms around him suddenly feeling extra guitly about the way she'd treating him.