Chapter Two: Welcome to Oklahoma

Two-Bit swallowed the last of his orange juice. "See you tonight, mom," he called as he stood up and strolled to the front door, jangling his car keys.

He swung the door open and found himself awkwardly face to face with Seamus, who had been about to knock on the door and found himself knocking on Two-Bit instead.

"Oh. Sorry, Two-Bit," he apologized. "I realize that you were on your way out, but I have something to tell your mother and I think you kids have a right to know too."

Two-Bit's mouth fell slightly open. Seamus laughed nervously at this reaction. "It's not what you think," he said hurriedly. "Just…please. Hear me out."

"I'll be late for school," Two-Bit made an excuse. Seamus, who had gotten to know Two-Bit annoyingly well over the past few months, smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, okay," Two-Bit gave in.

He led Seamus into the kitchen, where Anne and his mom were eating. His mother leapt up at the sight of her fiancé. "Seamus!" she exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting you here, today, so soon."

"Ah, yes, dear, I know, but, um. There's been a change in circumstances. No, no, nothing like that," he reassured her as her smile dropped. "You remember I told you I was married before, yes? Well, my wife and I separated before we had any children, but she was pregnant. And I just recently got the news that she died in a tragic car accident, and I have custody over her daughter."

"But, doesn't she have any other relatives? And don't they have foster homes and such?" his mother asked, almost pleadingly.

"Hannah, dear," Seamus explained gently. "You don't understand. I accepted custody of her."

Thick silence immediately fell over the room like a heavy blanket. Two-Bit and Anne watched, wide-eyed and keeping their mouths shut as their mother closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath before speaking:

"You did what, Seamus? You brought another child into our lives without even discussing it with me?"

"Hannah, please try to understand. The social worker called me up at work, and told me that I would have to make an immediate decision. The child has nowhere else to go!"

"But what about my children? What will they do?"

Seamus seemed to be at a loss for words. Two-Bit jumped in. "I'm okay with it."

"I'd like a sister," Anne cut in. Their mother glanced first at Anne, then at Two-Bit, and then finally at Seamus' pleading face.

"When is she coming?" she finally said, and Two-Bit breathed a sigh of relief. That was a sure sign that she had accepted the idea.

"She's supposed to arrive from Philadelphia by this afternoon," Seamus said sheepishly. "All the arrangements were made in quite a hurry. I'm so sorry, darling," he said again, taking her hands in his. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Once more his Irish charm worked its magic on their mom, Two-Bit thought as Hannah blushed and nodded shyly like a schoolgirl.

"Well, I'm off to school," Two-Bit announced to purposely ruin their moment. "Anne, need a lift?"

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Sonia had never been on a plane before. It was how she imagined a straightjacket would be, encased in an area that would appear big enough but in truth wasn't. Her knees buckled as the man in front leaned back his chair.

To make matters worse, she was trapped next to a boy who, upon first glance, appeared handsome and even smiled at her, but who quickly fell asleep on her shoulder and drooled on her jacket.

She didn't think she had ever been so thankful for anything when the flight was over.

Stepping out of the terminal, she realized that she had no idea what her father looked like. She was saved when he approached her. "Sonali Ganguli?" he said.

"Y-yeah," she replied shakily. "Seamus Sullivan?"

"Or dad. Whichever you prefer," he smiled. He had a pleasant face, dark hair like Sonia's, bushy eyebrows that made him look as though he was constantly glowering and a genuine smile. "You got everything?"

"Yeah."

In the car, he was the one who started the conversation. "So you would be sixteen now?"

"Yeah. Um, where are we going?"

"Well, right now I live in an apartment in Tulsa. But I'm going to be moving to a house pretty soon, just as soon as I get married. We're going there now, so you can meet Hannah."

"You're…you're engaged?" Sonia practically squeaked.

"Yes." He frowned. "Didn't they tell you anything about me?"

"No, not really. Just your name, where you lived and that you were a businessman." Three things Sonia had already known about listening to her mother.

"That's a shame." They were driving through a neighborhood much like the one Sonia and her mother had lived in back in Philadelphia: lower class, inner city, slums. Whatever you called it, to Sonia it was home.

It gave her scant comfort to be in familiar surroundings. At least, that's what she thought until she caught sight of a cowboy or a wannabe cowboy (although why anyone would want to be a cowboy was beyond her) strolling down the cracked sidewalk.

Welcome to Oklahoma, she thought gloomily, sinking further down into her seat.

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"Hey, Two-Bit. What's with the goofy costume? Halloween ain't for a few more months," Ponyboy laughed upon seeing his friend in his ridiculous new getup.

"Aw, it's just some stuff I lifted from Buck's place."

"What for?"

"Just to scare my new stepsister from the city of brotherly love I'm gonna give her a real Oklahoma welcome."

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There you have it. Review?