I'm going to try to update at least once every two days. My Mom got home from deployment today to I am so happy! I do not own anything.

Chapter 16

J.D's POV

I held Mikey in my lap as Eric speed toward to the hospital. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and held my jacket to the back of his head. Pat was sitting in the back, shaking. He was in shock. The only time that he disobeys me, and it turns out good. I looked at Eric; he was focusing on the road, trying to keep cool. You could see the anger in his eyes. The anger at whoever did this or whatever caused this.

Mikey would let out a groan or whimper if the car turned. He mumbled that he was dizzy, and that the car was spinning. He had tears streaming down his face; he said that he was scared that he would be alone. He was crying out for Dad. I kept brushing his hair out of his face.

I didn't know what to do. I never thought that something like this could happen. I never thought that I could lose a brother, especially not my baby brother. I wished that Dad was here, he would know what to do. He would never have let this happen. I have no idea what he was thinking when he gave me custody. Why didn't he pick Darry? Or Soda? Or even Aunt Gracie?

The room had me, Eric, Darry, Lizzy, Soda, Rachael, and Gracie. Mr. Young had just come in, carrying his brief case, wearing a suit and tie. We had been waiting for ten minutes, bouncing on our heels.

Dad had died six days ago. His funeral was yesterday. We buried him here, with some of Mom's ashes in a jar in his hands. Patrick and Mikey were with Cola and Shay. They were taking them to the movies.

Eric took my hand and weakly smiled at me. He was being as supportive as he could.

Darry was sitting next to Soda and Lizzy. He looked tired. He probably didn't sleep last night. Aunt Lizzy held his hand tightly.

Soda's eyes were bloodshot. Aunt Rachael kissed his cheek, rubbing his shoulder. Soda was taking this hard. He knew that Dad was going to die someday, but he never thought it would be so soon.

Aunt Gracie was sitting next to me, holding my other hand. She just turned 29 last month and was here for the funeral. She knew that I needed her, and that the boys needed her too.

"I will now read that last Will and Testament of Ponyboy Michael Curtis."

'I, Ponyboy Michael Curtis, leave all my assets and savings to be dived among my three children, Johnny Dallas, Patrick Darrell, and Michael James. Patrick and Michael shall receive their inheritance when they turn 18.

Custody of my sons shall go to my daughter, Johnny Dallas.'

"Wait, what?" I interrupt the lawyer.

"It says right here, on the fourth line, 'Custody of my sons shall go to my daughter, Johnny Dallas'." He restates.

I nod for his to continue.

'If Johnny is unable, or unwilling to take custody, then custody shall be granted to Darrell Shayne Curtis Jr, his wife, Elizabeth. My eldest brother. If he is unable or unwilling to take custody, Sodapop Patrick Curtis and his wife Rachael.'

"So, it is up to you, Ms. Curtis. Would you like to take custody of your brothers? Or will one of your uncles take them?"

The next words that I said changed my life forever.

I failed them both. He and Pat deserved better than this. They deserved a Mom and Dad, not a sister who works at a bar. They needed something like that. Darry or Soda would have been 10 times better at this then me. Darry has already done it before, and he said that he would take custody. So did Soda. They deserved to have a better life than the one I was giving them.

"We're here."

Eric pulled in by the emergency entrance. He saw that Mikey was out and called out to the people in the hospital.

"Hey! I got a kid who's bleeding!"

Five or six people in hospital uniforms rush out and see Mike. They pulled out a gurney and gently pulled M.J from my arms. They placed him on the gurney and rushed inside. Me, Patrick, and Eric just stood there, not knowing what was going to happen.

Just then a car pulled up, a state car.

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