A/N.. This is chapter 6 and I still haven't heard any feed back... Should I stop? Is it worth continuing?

I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital I was not about to have some bitch from social services tare whats left of the Curtis family apart. I had the windows down and the radio on trying to distract me from what ever I was feeling. I couldn't pin point it. It was a combination of anger, worry, and all around sadness. I had never been like this before. I had never been around people who were crying and not being able to make them feel better. I had never let myself cry in front of other people like this and not feel ashamed.

I saw Mary standing in front of the hospital, she gave me a smile as she got in, "Thanks," was all she had to say and I knew it.

"Need a smoke?" I asked her lighting one for myself.

"Got anything stronger?" She asked taking it. I didn't know if I should laugh or what so I just raised my eye brow and didn't say anything. "Was your mom okay with coming over?"

"Oh, are you kidding, she insisted. She was baking the second I brought her over. Expect to gain 10 pounds," I nudged her arm before I started again. "You'd be proud because the boys are all cleaning, good ole Stevie is even cleaning the bathroom!" She did smile a little.

"What'd you tell them?" Besides her hair and her clothes she really didn't look that bad. Her face wasn't all puffy or her eyes weren't blood shot. Was it possible that she was really this okay?

"I told them the state was going to come by to check in and the place had to be clean." They didn't say much to that. Dallas even helped for a little, but you know him. He had to get out to burn some steam." I worried about Dally, because he was so hard and tough, but the Curtis' dying was like his own parents dying, but maybe even worse. He wasn't one to sit down and mourn either, he was going to do something stupid. She nodded her head, but was silent. When we pulled into the drive I got out and she was a little behind me.

"Go on in," I wasn't sure what she was going to do, but I listened. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her puking in the bushes. I thought about going back out, but I figured it was the least I could do to listen to her. I gave my mom a kiss on the cheek as I got in the kitchen. I made a promise to myself that I would pay more attention to her. I wasn't really a man of my word, but I planned on keeping this one.

"Mrs. Mathews, thank you so much for coming!" Mary had a great big smile on her face. I was impressed.

"Mary, please, anything I can do! I can play house until Darry gets home, and even longer if need be. Don't worry!" She gave Mary a hug.

"I'm going to take a shower, I'll be able to kiss some ass better if I don't look homeless," Mary smiled again walking to the bathroom. I sat on the chair watching her amazed. I was use to chicks crying for breaking a nail. What exactly was Mary up to? She took the worlds fastest shower, and got ready in about 5 minutes. I had never seen a greaser girl put there face on that fast in my life. I guess it is true, life as we knew it was over.

"You look nice," my mom spoke up so I didn't have to say anything. Right before Mary answered the phone rang. Mary ran across the room to answer it.

"Hello?" There was hope in her voice. I wondered what she was hoping for so I could hope for it too. "Yes, Coach, thanks for calling me back. He's on his way, great thanks. Oh I will have him call you, sure. You take care now," Mary hung up the phone rubbing her forehead.

"What?" I asked right before Soda and Steve came in. Steve was cutting he grass at 8 in the morning. I think he was really just trying to keep busy because the grass wasn't even that high.

"Darry just left, he won't be home for an hour or so," Mary was whispering, but I wasn't all that sure why she was whispering.

"Honey, I'm not going anywhere," my mom hugged her. About that same time there was a knock on the front door. Everyone's head turned.

"Ain't it a little early for them preachers to be trying to save us hoods? When are they gonna realize we're a lost cause?" Steve questioned.

"That's the same one from the hospital, stupid," I don't know why I insulted him it just happened. He glared at me, I shrugged

"He's going to help me prepare the funeral," Mary stood up and walked outside. She slid between a little opening and sat him on the swing. I was ease dropping the best I could, but at this time all the cleaning was now complete so we were all watching some television.

They both talked for a while, almost an hour. I heard them both laugh a few times, but mostly I just heard him talking. When I heard a second car pull up, I turned back the blinds and saw a beat up old white ford. That had to be the state. The preacher and some old lady shook hands, then Mary brought her in.

"Guys, this is Mrs. Smith, she's with the state," Mary introduced. We all stood up and were watching her.

"Boys where are your manners, introduce yourself!" Mom looked to us. She then walked over to Mrs. Smith. "You'll have to excuse them they have all had a very tragic day, and it is hardly 9!" My mom shook her hand. She smiled, she seemed nice enough, maybe she'd cut them some slack.

"What can I get you to drink?" Mary asked her.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking," she smiled again. "Mind if I take a quick look around?" She asked. Marry told her it wasn't a problem. While she was snooping I heard Pony ask Mary what was going to happen, and Mary, just kept saying it was going to be fine. Finally Mrs. Smith came back. "I want to make this as quick and as painless as possible. I am not the bad guy here." She spoke up. I could see Pony trembling. Soda was looking awfully pale himself.

"We appreciate that," Mary spoke up.

"I am afraid that none of you are 18, and considering you no longer are under the care of your parents you have become what we call responsibilities of the state. So, what we do now is place you in a temporary emergency home until we can find you a more permanent placement." She spoke like a robot with no emotion. Pony was crying now in the arms on my mom, Soda was trying to argue. What Mary did next was bold, especially for her.

"Ma'am, may I please talk to you outside for a quick moment?" Mary opened the door. I followed them out. "My older brother is on his way home from college now he's 19. He should be here in less than an hour. Until then Mrs. Mathews is here, she's a family friend, and a nurse at the hospital. I know you are just doing your job, so please help us." Mary begged.

"I want to I do, but I can't leave you all here alone, it's the law." She started, but Mary tried again.

"With all do respect, I will be 18 in 4 months. I know technically 4 months is a long time, but in the last 8 hours, I identified my mothers dead body, I told my little brothers she was dead, I called my oldest brother from school leaving a message with his school, I filled out the paper work for the death certificates, and I met with the pastor who helped me set up a funeral home. I have grown enough in the last 8 hours to make up for a couple months!" Mrs Smith looked as surprised as me at Mary just then.

"I know that must be very stressful for you, but truthfully it's not you, or even Soda we are worried about, it is Pony. He is at a fragile age." Mrs. Smith did impress me by knowing at least a little about their family.

"Right, I agree, but Pony, he is so sensitive. He's shy and he scares easily. If you placed him in an other home right now, right about out parents just died, he would fall apart. He needs to be with us, we have to heal together. You are looking out for our best interest right? I'm telling you he would not make it if you pulled him away now." I knew the saying was that you would fight until you were blue in the face, but Mary was white in the face, but it worked. Mrs. Smith agreed.

"I can tell you have it under control, so I'll tell you what I do. I will sign over the minors to you, only until Darry gets here. The second he walks in the door you call me. If I do not get a phone call by 12 I will remove ya'll by force if need be." She handed Mary a pen and she signed something quickly and she was gone. Mary took three steps in threw up in the grass right beside the steps.

"Steve's gonna be pissed he just cut that," Mary spat a little before facing me.

"I'm impressed," I told her truthfully.

"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone." She told me. We talked back in the house. Steve and Soda were pacing, Pony was still clinging onto my mom.

"What happened?" Soda asked.

"I told you I'd handle it," Mary told them with confidence. I would have believed her too if I hadn't just watched her throw up. "Come 'mere," Mary opened her arms. Soda and Pony both hugged her. Pony was crying uncontrollably, Soda was sobbing too, but not to the same degree Pony was. "It's not fair," Pony cried out. Watching them was unbearable. My mom had alligator tears streaming down her face. "If they took us away, I'd.. I'd" Pony stuttered but the front door swinging open turned all the heads. Lord and behold if it weren't Darry.

"Guys," Darry dropped his bag. He was red in the face like he hadn't stopped for taking a breath.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here," Darry grabbed Pony and Soda. Mary moved to the kitchen. The three of them cried as Darry kept repeating, "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"I'm going to give you boys some time, I'm headed to work, but Two-bit will come get me if ya'll need anything, you hear me?" She stroked Mary's back pulling on her long blonde hair.

"Thanks so much for everything," Mary told her. My mom gave my arm a squeeze too, as I walked her out I took an other look at the Curtis brothers.

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"Pony can you go grab a shower, and then we'll eat when you get out?" I draped my arm over him as he stood up. "Soda why don't you and Sandy go get some fresh air," Sandy grabbed Soda's arm and lead him outside. That still left Steve and Two-bit on the couch, but I figured that was okay.

"Dar," I started, he turned and looked at me. He looked so lost I felt so badly. He probably hadn't known for hardly two hours. "I'm sorry you found out the way you did."

He looked at me red eyed pale face, "but, we have so much we have to do, so we have to power through today the best we can." It was like the second I said that a light flickered and he got tuff. "The state came by, because we are all minors they wanted to take us, but since I'm almost 18, and you're already 19 they gave us temporary custody, but you have to call this number, and she'll come by you'll have to sign some papers. If you decide you want to do more than temporary custody then we'll have to go to court." Darry blinked hard then put his left hand over his eyes.

"This all went to hell pretty quick," he mumbled.

"I have to go back to the hospital to get the death certificates before I go to the funeral home," I sighed and went to sit on the coffee table in front of where Darry was sitting.

"Shit," let out a long exhale looking to Two-bit and Steve.

"It'll get easier," I said when no one else spoke. "I mean you just found out, what two hours ago! We drug Two-bit out of bed at 3 am." I forced a smile.

"I sure hope so," he didn't look at me or anything but the floor.

"I need to go pick out clothes for the funeral, then I gotta get back to the hospital, I told them I was just getting something to eat," I stood walking to their room, "Ya'll go ahead and eat okay?"

Our parents door was never closed, and I had been in it a million times, but everything was so different this time. When I touched anything in their room I felt like I was doing something wrong. I felt so out of place. I tried to make this as emotionless as possible. I just picked out the outfits they both wore the most often. It wasn't like they had a ton of clothes anyway. I didn't want to pick their Sunday bests because I assumed that was too fancy, so I just went with a little more casual. Grabbing undergarments and a couple other things I walked out closing the door behind me. I had no intention of going back in there. I laid everything on the back of my dad's chair and went into the kitchen to sit down with everyone for a minute. No one was talking, or really eating. Not that I blamed them. I wasn't about to eat.

"Hey," I smiled. I kept feeling the need to smile because I figured if I didn't then no one ever would, and we didn't live in a family short of smiles. We were all about the smiles.I looked to Steve and Two-bit who were also at a loss for words.

"Ya'll should play football or go to a movie or something, don't sit here all day it'll be miserable," I suggested. "Darry and I have old people stuff today, so it's up to ya'll to make your own fun, I bet if you're lucky Two-bit'll think of something. Maybe it'll be legal, who knows," I winked at Two-bit.

"I make no promises," Two-bit starting listing off things to do.

"Darry, can you call the school and tell them what happened?" I whispered in his ear. "It'll sound better coming from you than me."

"Yeah, I didn't even think of that," he admitted.

"Okay, I've gotta go," I told them walking towards the door.

"Ain't you scared to go alone?" Pony asked me.I thought for a second before I turned around and looked at him. It wasn't just Pony who looked at me though, it was everyone.

"I'l let you in on a secret why I'm not scared," I put my elbows on the table a few inches away from him. "They spent 18 years taking care of me. Doing things they didn't want to do for me, so I figure now its my turn." Pony's face relaxed a little and I kept talking.

"You think they always knew what they were doing, or that they liked all of it? Definitely not, but they did the best they could, and that's what were going to do. We're gonna be tough, and do what we don't want to do for a little while, but hopefully after a while we'll be okay," with a kiss on the cheek I left the house. "Steady Mary, steady." I told myself when I started to break down.

"Mary," Nancy called to me as she got closer.

"Hi," I greeted her back. I was hoping she would be quick.

"I have the papers right here, and a condolence package from the hospital," she really did look nice. I felt badly for having such anger towards her, but I did.

"Wow, I really appreciate it," I took it from her then we kind of stood there uncomfortably. "I'm going to the funeral home after this. Hopefully I'll be able to get this all figured out." By this I meant how the hell we were going to pay for this and what did they even want.

"I wish you luck," she gave me a pity look I was soon to get use to, and then I turned and left.

I hadn't the slightest idea how to get to this funeral home, so I just started down the direction the pastor told me the best I could. His directions were pretty spot on, after only one wrong turn I was there. Piece of cake. I had this feeling I couldn't quite explain. I wasn't scared, or sad. I wasn't sick or in pain. It was more like I was just in the lull. Like, I was in a cloud or a fog. I didn't feel like myself, I felt like I didn't know how to act. I didn't know what I felt or what I should feel. Still, I got out of the car and walked to the little run down building. Once I opened the doors an elderly man greeted me. "Mary Curtis?" He questioned.

"That's me," I stuck out my hand and he hugged me. At first I thought that was weird, but after a second I appreciated it.

"It's such a shame when they pass in such an ungodly way. Unfair to say the least, yet here we are," he let go of me and we started down a hallway decorated with many flowers. "You have any visions you saw for the service?"

"Uh, no." I don't even know what a vision is.

"What about the will? Did they specify? Some womenfolk are picky. They didn't get to pick how they came in the world so they'll be damned if they get to pick how they leave." I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

"No, I don't think they thought much about death. They never wrote anything down, or talked about it. My parents weren't the planning ahead type." Never until now had I looked at that as a bad thing.

"Ah, not a problem that just makes you hold the power. Let's start with budget, do you have a number you have in mind?" I appreciated that he didn't beat around the bush.

"Not to be a tight wad, but as cheap as we can make it, with out disrespecting them." He nodded like he knew what I meant.

"The normal price of a funeral in around 700 dollars, but that is with many bells and whistles. We can easily make it half that," he paused and looked to see what I thought.

"Could we half it again?" I had a good bit of money saved up from work, and I was sure Darry had some too, but I didn't have any idea what kind of money was in the bank, and I didn't think we should touch it anyway. Especially since we were going to be tight until Darry got a job.

"Ah, I see." The difference between him saying that and Nancy was I believed he actually did get it.

"We just want something to put them to rest in. We can have a service or something at our home if we find it necessary,but we can't afford the flowers, the music, doves, fountains, or whatever else is needed." He looked like he had something to say. "What?"

"Honey, you need this to be closed casket. That cuts out having to have someone make them up, which in serious accidents like theirs, is nearly impossible." I didn't like the idea of closed casket. I wanted to see them again. But, then I thought about how bad mom looked, I wouldn't want anyone to remember her that way.

"Closed casket it is." I agreed. He wrote that down then moved on.

"So, that leaves the casket. You're in luck because they are not especially large and won't need a special order. The more standard caskets are cloth caskets, but the more modern ones are steel. Until about 10 years ago all that was used were cloth covered caskets. However, steel ones are less expensive for the most part. They still look like the old caskets, they just don't feel the same," he lead me down the hallway further and showed me three. They looked similar, so I again chose the cheapest one.

"Okay, that leaves clothing and jewelry," he told me taking what I had in my hand looking at it and again nodding.

"The watch on your father, and the necklace of your mother, do you want them to be buried in it?"

"Yes," I answered, maybe too fast, but they never took them off so I figured they deserved to keep them.

"Wedding rings too?" He asked me. Again I could tell he was keeping something.

"What?" I asked again. Maybe a little more annoyed this time.

"Money being as tight as it is, I may recommend keeping it, at least for now. I suggest not looking at is as taking it from them, but instead providing for your family. It's closed casket, mind you, no one will see they aren't wearing it."

"They never took off their rings. They bought each other the necklace and watch. It was the only nice thing they owned." I told him. He nodded again, but spoke up.

"So then wouldn't it be a shame for it to be wasted like that?" He asked me. I thought about what he said, and agreed after a long moment.

"Keep it in the family," he pulled a bag out of his pocket and placed in my hand. He already knew I wanted to keep it. I was impressed.

"Are they here?" I whispered. That was much faster than I expected. But I guess it had been almost 12 hours.

"They are. They got here moments before you did," he nodded his head as I held the bag he handed me with out looking at it. "They aren't in any condition for you to see them Ms. Curtis." He made my skin crawl the way he called me.

'"it's Mary, please," I corrected and he agreed.

"Now, it's just up to you to design the bulletin while we wait on the pastor to come talk to you about the type of service," he handed me a stack of about 30 examples, I started flipping through them already feeling so overwhelmed. Some of them had bible verses, some had stories, some even had pictures. How could I summarize their life on a folded piece of paper? Could I even find a picture of them? What stories could I tell? Who was even going to come to this? I started to get upset as I kept reading. The survived by part on the paper felt like a stab in the gut.

"Mary, take a your time. Do you need a break?" He put his hand on my back guiding me to a seat.

"Yeah, I think I'll go outside in smoke if you don't mind?" I stood up he stepped back from me.

"Take your time," he walked the other direction. I thought it was stupid how I had been fine through everything else until the bulletins. I leaned up against the building pulling out my kools and a lighters. I watched the cancer stick shake in my hands. I tried to steady them enough to light it. I felt the tears forming in my eyes. I think some of it was from exhaustion. Maybe, same was from the smoke I was inhaling. I stood in the sun with my face in the direction of the warmth. I loved this time of year in Tulsa. It was hot, but no longer miserable. I felt the sunshine on my cheeks warm me up, I hadn't even noticed I was cold until now. My mom always said there was something healing about being in the sun. I couldn't have agreed more, I turned and went back in. I was there for an other two hours. But I was in such a blur. I met with the pastor I met in the hospital and we talked about my parents so he would know more about them. That way he could make the funeral more personal. He handed me a bible with the passages highlighted that he would read. He told me to look over them and get back to me tomorrow. That's the same thing the elder man from before told me about the bulletin. He told me to make sure I had an obituary for the paper by the end of the day, and he suggested the funeral was the day after tomorrow at noon. I had no objections, truthfully I just wanted to leave. Little did I know things back home weren't going much better.