"Hey Soda, how was school?" I asked. I started peeling potatoes for dinner.

He hopped up on the counter loosening his tie. "It blew." He mumbled.

Part of me wanted to tell him to change out of his school clothes but the other part of me could read his face and knew he was upset. "What's wrong, little buddy?"

"You got me up for school and now your peeling potatoes." He turned his glass of chocolate milk in his hand.

"I'm not following."

"You're working late, and that means I'm stuck with Sunny tonight."

I don't think Soda ever really forgave Sunny for showing up late to his concert. No matter how many times Sunny let him drive that caddy. He leaned his head back and sighed frustration. I reached over and patted his knee. "Where is Sunny?"

"He just dropped me off, maybe meeting with Senator or writing, or probably most likely with Grace." He said with anger.

"Now, you are starting to sound like Ponyboy before I go out with Maria."

"That's different Pony knows you care and want to spend time with him. He just doesn't like it when anybody cuts into his time with you. He doesn't like the fact that your are supposed to take care of him, and want to take care of someone else."

I could feel my eyes widen. It was weird but flattering to hear that.

Soda looked down at his hands. "Sunny doesn't care. He doesn't care about us. He doesn't want to spend time with us. The only things he cares about are the stupid Senator, his writing and Grace. When he's home, he either tells Pony and us to go away, or finds some reason to punish us. I'm sick of it."

"Hey, Soda, come on now."

"You can't deny it. The only time he spent actual time with us is at the lake. That was for twenty minutes while we ate lunch. If he doesn't want to be around us, why doesn't he move out. It'd make everyone a lot happier. Especially him."

I looked over at him, shocked by his words. He whipped the tears from his eyes. "Little Buddy, he's just having a lot of trouble adjusting after the war. He needs some time. The guy loves you."

"I guess, I want life to be normal."

I put my finger under the facet so the water would squirt directly at him.

"Hey!" He slid off the counter in shock.

"We're Curtis' life is never normal."

"Can I got over to Jay's tomorrow tonight, they want me to tie dye shirts with them."

"Great, First Maria, then Sunny, and now you. If you start growing your hair to your butt and a beard you can step on. I'm taking Pony to Texas."

Soda grinned. "Peace and Love brother." He held up a peace sign with his two fingers. "You couldn't get me to give up fighting. Or my hair grease."

"Yeah, I believe that, why don't you try washing it once in a while."

"Funny stuff, says the guy with bad hair."

I squirted him with the water again. He stuck his tongue out at me. I shook my head and smiled. I looked at the clock, Sunny would be home soon which mean I had to leave soon for work.

I stepped out on to the porch. Pony was sitting there with his legs dangling off it, reading a book.

"Hey kiddo," I squatted down a little so I wasn't towering over him. "Where ya' been I haven't seen you all day."

"I hung out with Mark earlier. He's a tuff guy."

I nodded. I hadn't met Mark yet. "Well, I have to work the late night tomorrow, so I'll sleep until noon probably. You want to hang out with me for a while?"

"Sure" Pony looked up at me and smiled. "Just us?"

I nodded. "Yup."

"Hey, Sunny." Maria came through the screen door.

I twisted to look at her. "You know Darry's not here, right?"

"Yeah, the water got shut off at my apartment. Mind if I borrow the shower for a while."

"Yeah go right a head."

"Thanks." She sat in the chair. "It's sure quite around here."

"Yeah, Pony is running around with Curly. He's due back any minute. Soda is thankfully doing his homework."

"Hard day?" She asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

She got up and sat next to me. "If you need anything just let me know."

"Can you bandage me?" I asked.

"Take off your shirt. I'll go get my stuff."

I flipped my shirt off. Maria sat down next to me. "This might sting a little."

I nearly jumped out of my seat. "I thought you said a little. What is it with you medical people and lying to your patients?"

"We can't tell them that it will hurt a lot, nothing will get done."She grinned.

"It's a lot better than Brandy. That's what Tim always says." Pony voice came.

I looked at him meaningfully. "Don't go honoring Tim now, the last thing I need is you to be quoting that waste of life."

I felt Soda's arm come around me. "Why doesn't Sunny just move out? He'd be a lot happier."

"Don't say that Pony. He's just really angry or something I don't know. We just have to wait for him to get back in the swing of things, he's still adjusting I guess."

"I supposed." I said, I knew Soda didn't really believe that. I wasn't about to either. I rolled over to stare at the moon. I was more tired than I realized because I woke up again around one to screaming.

"It's coming from the living room." Soda said.

We got out of bed in the living room. Sunny was thrashing around the couch. His side was bleeding. It sounded like he was really he was mad at someone.

"Sunny" Soda knelt down by him. "Hey man, wake up."

His eyes weren't open but he had the most terrified look on his face. I remember something Darry used when my nightmares got really bad. I grabbed a glass of water that was sitting next to him and threw it on his face. It worked Sunny sat straight up swearing.

"Are you okay?" Soda asked. I recognized the tone in his voice. It was the same tone he used when I woke up screaming.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sunny said gruffly. He rubbed his face with his hand. "Sorry to wake you up. Go back to bed guys."

He stood up and went into the kitchen. Soda looked at me. His eyes were wide. "Come on, Pony." He tugged on my arm before walking away.

I watched Soda disappear down the hall. I turned slowly in time to watch Sunny pour a glass of liquor. He took the bottle and swallowed. I was too afraid to say anything to him.

I went into the living room. This day was a waste. I was in my nice clothes and I didn't want to be. It was way to hot. I scrounged my nose. "It smells in here."

"It mine and Darry's after shave." Sunny answered. "I was trying to get the smell of cigarettes out. Which reminds me. You can't smoke as long as Graces parents are here."

I rolled my eyes. "I won't need to I'll suffocate from the smell of this stuff."

"Don't be mouthy." Sunny tapped his fingers against my cheek.

I didn't have time to say anything because his parents and Holly came through the door followed by Grace and her family.

I stayed quite most of the time. Soda was quite, so Soda at least. I think we both didn't want to say anything that would hurt Sunny. Darry looked uncomfortable, I wondered if Sunny threatened him, if he wasn't on good behavior. I wasn't paying to much attention to what was being said at dinner but all the sudden Darry said. "I can get you one Nick."

Graces Dad Sean looked up suddenly. "Why do you boys call your father Nick?"

"Umm." Sunny looked over Grace. It was the same look he had on his face when my principal called him my half brother. "Nick, isn't Darry, Soda, or Pony's father. He's Holly father and technically he's my step father."

Grace joined in. "Sunny came out here to help raise Pony and Soda, after his Father and step mother died. He lived with his Mom and step Dad."

Sean looked at Sunny with disgust. "Oh." He said, as his eyes wondered over to Betty.

"Yeah." Sunny stood up pushing his chair out. My Dad and Mom were never married, I was a product of some teenage lust, but excuse me for a minute, I need to go grab the cake my brother made and put the coffee on."

I grabbed the coffee pot and filled it with water.

"Sunshine, what was that?" Grace was trying to keep her temper under control.

I rolled my eyes. I needed a shot. I grabbed vodka I bought a couple of days ago. "That was the truth. Speaking for the truth, you didn't tell you Dad and Mom about my family? Why?"

"It didn't come up." She answered.

I took a swig of the vodka. "That's bull shit. You didn't tell your perfect little catholic parents, because sex before marriage is a sin. Because you're embarrassed about me. Well you know what Grace. You are sinner."

"What we did had different circumstances and we haven't done it since. My religion or any others condemns what your mother did, so does society. I didn't tell my parents because they are extremely old fashion." She put her hand on my glass of vodka. "You take another drink out of that and I'll break the bottle over your head." I let the glass go. She dumped it in the sink. "What had gotten into you?"

I smiled picking up the coffee. "Baby." I leaned over and kissed her.

I placed the coffee and a couple of cups in the middle of the table.

Grace's mother looked at me. "Los Angeles to Tulsa, that's a big transition."

"Yeah it is, but I needed my life to slow down and take on a little responsibility." I looped an arm around Soda.

"He didn't realize that Darry was a big responsibility." Soda said. Everyone broke out in laughter. That wasn't uneasy or weird laughter.

I leaned down to get close to his ear so no one else could here me. "Thank you." I kissed his head. He looked up with deep stare. I remembered; I had the vodka on my breath.

I played the last couple of notes. Darry and Sunny were cleaning up.

"I'm retiring." Darry patted Sunny's back. "Pony, don't sleep all day." He hollered to my brother who was sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette.

I sat on the couch. Sunny was sitting there writing. I waited until Pony said good night.

"Isn't it a little late for a beer?" I asked.

"After my day, I think I deserve another." He shook his empty bottle and got up to get another beer."

I swallowed hard. I really didn't want to get into a fight with him. I followed him into the kitchen. He was getting ready to open another with a bottle opener. I put my hand on top of his. "Sunny, please." I begged. "It's not good for you."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Is it health week in school?"

"No, I just don't like it. The stuff messes lives up." I put more pressure on his hand. "You've had enough."

"You little boy, are not old enough to tell me that." I thought back to the day Darry hit Pony the look on his face. Sunny had the same look now; except he didn't care about what I thought or felt. He was just angry. He grabbed my wrist hard with his free hand. "I suggest you go to bed before I make you."

I winced, I used my free hand to hit the bottle. The bottle stubled off the counter it crashed into the ground. Sunny stared at the broken glass. I felt his my wrist start to really hurt. "Sunny, that hurts."

Sunny started to scream. I couldn't recognize the expression but he started shouting orders at me and screaming something about family and needing to know where the weapons are and then he suddenly started screaming in a different language.

"Sunny, let go of him!" It was Darry. Sunny backed me into the wall. Darry grabbed my arm and Sunny's. It took all his strength to rip my wrist from Sunny's grip.

"Sunny, Sunny, look at me buddy. You aren't in Nam. You're in the house. Snap out of it." He shook Sunny as hard as he could.

"Let go, Darry." Sunny ordered. Darry let go of him. I watched as Sunny's back connected with the counter. He slid down and collapsed on the floor.