Ripped at the seams
Summary: Ponyboy is only three when his parents die. Darry and Soda try their hardest to take good care of him, but is their hardest good enough?
Chapter 2:
Eight Years Later:
Darry POV:
It had been eight years since the state had taken Ponyboy away from me and Soda. It hurt like crazy everyday, that's why we never talked about it. Soda and Sandy had gotten married two years ago and had a son who was one. His name is Jack. I had married a woman named Janine a five years ago. I never told her about Ponyboy, it would have hurt too much and she wouldn't have been able to do anything about it anyways. We had a little girl not long after, her name is Michaela. Janine picked it, she said her grandmother was named Michaela and she wanted our daughter to have the same name. Every time I called Michaela her real name my mind went to Ponyboy so I always called her Mimi. The hard thing was today was her third birthday. I was in the kitchen drinking a glass of coffee with Soda and Steve when Mimi came in running up to me.
"Daddy! Daddy, guess what?" she said.
"What?" I asked, smiling at her.
"I'm three today! Mommy says that makes me a big girl!" she shouted and ran to tell anyone else she could. I just sat there, frozen. Those were pretty much the same words Pony had said to me only hours before they took him away.
"Hon, you ok?" Janine asked me as she came into the kitchen. Soda was looking down at the paper, but not reading it and Steve was watching him, like if he didn't Soda would start bawling.
"Yeah, I just… uh I was just remembering something Soda did when he was younger. No big deal." I lied.
"Mommy, mommy! Turn the radio on please! My favourite song is on!" Mimi begged as she came into the kitchen and sat on my lap. Janine turned on the radio and Elvis's 'teddybear' came through the speakers. I saw Steve flinch, he hadn't liked Pony when he was here but it hurt even him when they took him away. After about one verse Soda bolted out of the kitchen.
"Soda?" Sandy yelled after him. She had come into the kitchen and was holding a sleeping Jack.
"Is he ok?" Janine asked. I sighed and handed Mimi to Janine.
"I'll go check, I think I know what it's about." I said. I walked out to the porch to find Soda sitting on the steps, tears threatening to roll down his face any minute. I sat next to him and put my arm around his shoulders.
"Why does it have to be so hard? I mean I wanna be happy for Mimi but I can't stop thinking about Pony." Soda said.
"I know, Pepsi-cola, I know."
"Daddy? Who's Pony?" Mimi asked from behind me.
"Someone we used to know. He had to leave a couple years ago. Why don't you go play with uncle Steve." I told her and she ran off.
Steve POV:
Sandy was sitting on a chair eating her breakfast with Jack fast asleep in her arms, Evie was sitting next to her and Janine was just sitting down to start her eggs.
"Mommy, do you know who Pony is?" Mimi asked as she came into he kitchen. I had just taken a mouthful of coffee and was now nearly choking on it.
"No I don't, but I have a feeling uncle Steve does." Janine said. I felt tears sting my eyes. I never really liked the kid but when he was taken away the whole gang was torn. Even Dallas Winston had tears threatening his eyes that night.
"No, I… I don't know him." I said.
"You mean Darry never told you about him?" Evie asked, and I shot her the hardest glare ever!
"No. Is there something I should know?" Janine asked.
"No! He was just a guy we used to know, he left town about eight years ago." I said.
Soda POV:
Tears were freely flowing down my face now and Darry had a few tears rolling down his face.
"He turned 11 two months ago." I whispered.
"I know, I went to mom's and dad's graves that day." Darry told me.
"Me too." I said.
"Hey guys. What's up?" Two-Bit asked as he came up the stairs with his wife, Fran. Darry and I cleaned ourselves up as best we could.
"Nothing." Darry said.
"Uncle Two-Bit! Aunty Fran! Guess what!" Mimi said as she ran up to them.
"What?" Two-bit asked, he had fallen for it.
"It's my birthday today! I'm three!" Mimi said.
"Wow, you're a big girl." Fran smiled. I looked at Two-Bit and saw a bit of hurt in them.
"Uncle Two-Bit." Mimi said.
"Yeah?" Two-Bit asked.
"What do you know about a Pony? Uncle Steve didn't tell me much." Mimi said. Two-Bit stiffened and I had to look away so if a tear came no one would see. Darry just tightened his grip on me.
"Nothing, don't remember him." Two-Bit said. Mimi shrugged and ran into the house followed by Fran.
"You guys ok?" Two-Bit asked.
"I dunno." Darry answered for both of us. It was then I realized how hard it really must have been for Darry. he couldn't run away, it was his daughter's birthday any one of us could run home saying there was something that they had to do at work but Darry couldn't. it was then that I swore to myself that no matter how bad it hurt I would sit through it all with Darry.
Here's the next chapter, hope you like it. I just couldn't wait to put this one up. Please R&R:)