Best Times Of Our Lives

Chapter Four

Disclaimer- I do not own the Outsider.

When I got to the Curtis' that day I threw myself down on the couch and crossed my arms over my chest. I just sat and stared at the TV, not really watching it, still brooding from the conversation I'd had with my mom. The gang knew they wouldn't get answer out of me right now, so they turned to Andy.

"What happened?" Soda questioned.

"She got in a fight with our mom," Andy answered. The guys all seemed shocked and I knew what they were thinking, this is how the whole thing with my dad started.

"What about?" Dally asked.

"You," Andy answered simply.

"What about me?" Dallas wanted to know.

"She said I can't date you anymore," I told him, feeling tears come to my eyes. "It was hard enough convincing her to be able to hang around with you."

That's when I noticed that I was playing with Dally's ring. I just sat and stared at it for awhile, not wanting to give it up. I knew that if I took it off my finger, I would lose more than just a ring. I would lose Dallas, and I would lose being able to stand up to my mother. What she was doing wasn't fair, and suddenly, I didn't just want to be with Dally because I liked him so much, which I did, but it was also a matter of principle. I have the right to date anyone I want to, no matter who he is or what he's done.

After that, Dallas and I went and sat out on the front porch. I knew that this was a conversation that he wanted to have privately. He wasn't very good at saying things that he felt in front of the gang, he still wasn't very good at saying them in front of me.

"What are you gonna do?" Dally asked. I looked up at him and I could tell he was getting ready for me to break it off, but I wasn't going to.

"Ignore her," I replied.

"Are you sure?" he questioned. "I mean, maybe just till all this stuff with your dad blows over. Maybe your mom won't think so badly about men after that."

I could tell he was trying to be funny, and I did smile at him a little bit. "But, then what's the point of breaking up now?" I wondered. "If we're just going to get back together later."

"I just don't want you fighting with your mom because of me," he responded. "You got it bad enough right now as it is."

"Yeah, it is bad right now," I said. "And you're the only thing that makes it better."

He smiled at me and wrapped an arm around me. I leaned in and rested my head on his shoulder. He lit a cigarette and took a drag. We just sat in a peaceful silence for awhile before Andy came outside and ruined it.

"Sorry to break up this tender moment and all," he said urgently. "But mom just called and said we have to come home. She said it's important."

I didn't really want to go see my mom, but I knew I had to. She wouldn't want to see me right now either unless it was real important. I sighed and kissed Dallas before getting up and following Andy in the direction of my house.

"So, I take it you guys are still together than?" Andy questioned, a sly grin on his face.

"Yup," I replied. "And nothing she says can change that."

"I know," Andy said. "So, you really like him, huh?"

I smiled, simply liking the subject. "Mmhmm," I sighed, dreamily. "You know he's not all those things mom says he is?"

"I know he's not as bad as people say," Andy answered. "But he can still be dangerous, Marie. So, just be careful."

"Don't worry," I assured him. "I won't let him hurt me or anything. And he wouldn't anyway."

When we reached home we saw my mom sitting at the kitchen table with her lawyer. We'd gotten used to seeing him lately, with all the divorce stuff, he was around a lot. His name was Ronald Carmichael. We sat down with them, I didn't look at my mom.

"So, what's goin' on?" Andy questioned.

My mom looked like she could cry but she was also very obviously angry. She looked at Mr. Carmichael and he told us what was going on.

"Your father is asking for full custody of the two of you," he said slowly.

I looked at Andy, he looked shocked and I could feel fear growing inside of me. "What does that mean exactly?" I asked.

"It means, that if he gets custody of you, you'll have to go and live with him and have only a limited time with your mother," he explained.

Mr. Carmichael left not long after that and our mother assured us that she wouldn't let that happen for a few minutes. By this time it was getting to be dinner time. Mom didn't really have it in her to cook for us tonight, so she gave us some money and we went to the Dingo.

"He didn't want us around before the divorce," I said, confused. "Why does he want us around now?"

"He doesn't, Marie," my brother said, he was mad, I could tell. "All he wants is the monthly check from our mother."

Just as Andy said this, we walked through the doors of the Dingo. As it turns out, the gang had come there for dinner aswell. They'd heard what Andy had said, too.

"Who wants a check from your mom?" Two-bit questioned as we sat down with them.

"Our dad," I sighed miserably. "He's trying to get custody of us."

I looked around the table at all of my friends. What if my dad did get custody of us? I suddenly remembered Kim Crandle. We had been really good friends, once, but I'd moved and things had changed. Things had changed to the point where I didn't know her anymore. I couldn't go back to Windrixville. Things were just too different. I wouldn't be able to get my old friends back, and I would lose my new ones. I would lose the guys. I would lose Carrie. I would lose Dallas.

And that scared me more than anything else ever had.