"Mary, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Meghan looked at me like she had just seen a ghost.

"I'm going to work for you," I tried to sound like I was bold, like I was telling her not asking her. I hoped I sounded more convincing to her than I did to myself.

"Why?" She said after a pause.

"Because you owe me."
"How do you figure?" She put the tray down on the table and looked at me.

"Because you told my brother I slept with Franki, and you made him hate Franki, and I thought you were my friend, because I told you that in confidence." I felt my confidence build with my rage.

"I am your friend, that's why I'm not going to let you work two days after your parents died, so forget it," she pushed by me.

"I worked for you so that you could go see Darry play the night my parents died, the last time I talked to them was when I defended you to my parents," I got her attention with that, I knew I would.

"You don't think I already know that?" She hissed at me.

"Stop playing the victim Meghan, Jesus, you and Darry both acting like life is so hard." I had so many different emotions I was feeling just then, if I didn't watch it Meghan was going to take a bullet. "Go help Darry with whatever his problem is because he's being a baby and I don't have time for that."

"Have you stopped to think that not everyone is as tough as you are acting, huh? Have you even looked at them, because I don't know how you manage to be okay, but they aren't! So maybe you should stop acting like things are fine when they aren't!" When I heard Meghan say this I was almost relieved because I was able to finally fight back.

"What are we suppose to do Meghan, just shut down? There's no time for that! The state would split us up so fast it wouldn't even be funny." People started to look at us, but I really didn't care.

"I wish I knew Mary, but Darry's hurting. You have to realize that, cut him some slack," she lowered her tone some, but it didn't make it any better.

"Meghan, you don't get it. There is not time. 72 hours, that's all we got to make it look like we are fit to stay together!" I let out a frustrated sigh and pulled my hair out of a too tight pony tail.

"Then maybe you should take the next 72 hours and spend it with your brothers, and just be with them," she said this in a complete relaxed manor that made me want to slap her.

"How could you even suggest that? Do you really think I would just let us all get separated?" After I stopped talking I realized something. "What has Darry told you?" I almost screamed this last part.

"If he didn't tell you he must not want me to," she hesitated looking stressed. Like she even know what stressed, ha.

"Oh, but it was okay for you to tell my secrets to Darry that weren't relevant to his life, but it is okay for you to keep this from me now?" I had fire in my eyes.

"Come on Mary, calm down," she pleaded.

"No, Meghan, you come on, because you don't know a damn thing." I slammed my hand down on the table. I knew I was about to get upset.

"I'm just trying to say its not this simple, and it might not work out the way you think it should," she dared to put her hand on top of mine.

"Simple, simple, yeah Meghan this has all been real simple. You know, planning a funeral with no money, it's a real pleasure. Walking on egg shells with Darry and his bloody pride, staying up all night with Pony, and trying to do what my parents wanted alone, because no one else can seem to see past tomorrow! The only word that can describe it is simple," I pulled my hand back hard. I guess a part of me probably knew that Meghan meant no harm but what she was saying was bull.

"I'm sorry that I can't seem to say anything right." Meghan finally said the first true thing of night.

"And I'm sorry Franki was right about the tension that their deaths were going to rise. So much damn tension, I can't even breath." I clamed down to a normal voice and I was no longer screaming.

"What do you mean?" She asked not following. She didn't know that ever since I left Dad's boss all I thought about was the recent conversation I had with Franki. I wanted to talk to Franki. I wanted to see Franki. I needed to.

"Nothing I can tell you," I looked at her coldly turning around to leave. I knew I had to make one more cheap shot to get me through the night. "Thanks for nothing."

I hadn't even made it back to my car when I heard my name. In the split second before I turned around I already got my hopes up on who I thought it was. I was disappointed to see who it was.

"Tim," I groaned.

"Not who you were expecting Prin-" he started but he stopped himself.

"Not quite." I sighed.

"I thought I was going to have to bust up a cat fight," he light a cancer stick. I must have been looking at it wishfully because he handed it to me with out a word. "You're kinda tuff." He pulled out his flask took a sip then handed it to me. I looked at it thinking about if my life had come to alcohol.

"I'm glad I could provide you some entertainment, but if you don't mind," I pulled in the door. He stopped me.

"You what? Where do you have to go, Curtis? Doesn't sound like you can really go home." He made a good point, and I thought it over.

"What are you suggesting?" I took a long swig out of her flask. It burned when I swallowed it, I felt like I could breath fire. If Tim noticed he didn't say anything.

"Come on, I'll drive, I'll show you how to have fun." he pulled the keys out of my hands. What the hell, I figured it didn't matter at this point.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Tim said after we were driving for a bit.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you just had a bitch fight with your best friend about some pretty serious shit, and then you get in the car like nothing happened?' I guess Tim had a point, in my head I was thinking a lot about what Meghan said, and what it meant. But it hadn't occurred to me to vocalize it.

"What do you want me to say, and I'll say it?" I raised an eyebrow. My palms were sweating, even though the nights were starting to get a little chilly I felt like I was burning.

"I don't want you to say anything, but normally I can't get chicks to shut up." He didn't look at me, he was pretty focused on the road.

"I must not be like most chicks then," I shrugged my shoulders looking back out the window. He didn't say anything, but I could feel him watching me.

Xxxxxxxxx

She definitely wasn't like most chicks. I always knew Mary, she was Darry's sister, and I was buddies with Darry. Her dad coached my little league. He cared about me more than my old man did, or at least was better at pretending than mine was. I'd crashed on their couch more times than I could count, but I guess I never really took the time to know her. Dallas spoke fondly of her though, which coming form him meant a lot. I guess I was getting to see that myself. I never would have even taken the time too if I hadn't been in the diner. I guess it never occurred to me how much of bad shape they were in right now.

"Bucks?" She seemed skeptical.

"Hell yeah, there's no better way to solve a problem that to find the solution at Buck's," I closed my door before she got out. She seemed skeptical, but followed me anyway. "Don't look so scared," I tried to sound encouraging, but I don't really do encouraging.

"What do we have here?" Buck called to us. "Think you can be on your best behavior tonight?" I was already smiled, I couldn't help it, damn I loved this place.

"Good ole Dallas was just looking for a fight to blow off some steam. You know me, I was just trying to help a buddy out," I winked at him so it was real clear I was kidding. I liked Dallas, he was a good greaser, but I'd never pass up an opportunity to take a swing at him.

"Yeah, and where exactly is our friend tonight?" Buck either hadn't recognized Mary or didn't care.

"He's in the cooler, even the toughest hoods have a breaking point I guess," I looked over to Mary to see how she was doing.

"He's a coward. All he had to do was say he didn't want to go to the funeral. That'd be more ballsy than disturbing the peace and getting hauled in," Mary joined our conversation, and I didn't even mind. Neither did Buck, he raised an eye brow but didn't speak.

"Dallas' no coward, selfish yes, but coward, no." I tried to defend him.

"Think about all my parents did for him, they loved him and they even know what kind of person he really was, and couldn't do the decent thing and show up to the damn funeral!" Mary put her elbows on the bar. She was getting more courageous and she hadn't even drank yet.

"Curtis, Mary?" Buck started to figure out who she was. I didn't even realize he didn't recognize her. He must be use to me bringing lots of different girls. "If your parents knew half of the crap Dallas pulled, trust me toots, they'd know he wouldn't come. He's not that guy," he handed me my usual beer, but he didn't hand it to me before I paid. He wasn't stupid.

"What are you doing here with this hood, does Franki know?" He winked at me trying to be funny. Little did he know this was not going to be funny.

"Better a hood thank a liar," Mary shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal.

"Mary here's had a day from hell, she almost got into it with Darry's girlfriend at work so be a gentleman and give her a drink huh?" I tried to sweet talk him.

"I don't reckon your 18," Buck raised his eye brow.

"I am tonight," she answered before I could.

"Damn, you're not the Curtis I remember!" Buck got a laugh out of it, and did too she sure was clever. It worked and he poured her a drink.

"It's Mary, just Mary." She ran her fingers down her hair. It sure was long. I never noticed before.

"Well, Just Mary, this one's on the house," he winked at her. She took it and looked back at me as if she was asking me now what.

"Want to dance?" I asked her as she sipped her drink.

"Oh, I'll have to be a lot drunker than this to dance," she lowered her voice to whisper, but we were in a bar so she was still pretty much yelling, "I'm a really bad dancer." This made me smile again. All greasers knew how to dance.

"Well, I best just go get you an other drink, because tonight, we're dancing." I turned and went back to Buck watching her sip her drink wrinkling up her nose. Everyone was like that with alcohol their first time. No one liked the taste. That's why you have to make your first time memorable so you get over it and drink until you like the taste.

"What the hell are you doing, Tim?" Buck asked me, but he had a disapproving grin on his face.

"Showing a damsel in distress a good time, that a crime?" I threw some money on the table.

"It is for you, you always have an agenda. You best leave her alone, her parents ghosts' are going to haunt you!" He pointed his finger at me.

"Shut-up," I took the drinks leaving. Buck had a point, I did always have a plan of how I planned to sleep with each girl, but she wasn't a part of that plan. I didn't go to the Diner with the intentions of running into her. It just happened. Much to my surprise she finished her drink and took the one out of my hand.

"Dang little colt, you learn fast!" I put my hand on hers and spun her. She didn't object and we did a little casual dancing as she finished her drink. It was a Wednesday in Tulsa, there wasn't too many people here. Once she finished her drink I dumped it on the table and started to lead her more towards the dance floor.

"Relax, its not that hard, something tell me you're a quick learner," I assured her. I bet I was right too, all the Curtis' were pretty talented.

"What ever you say," she put both hands in mine. She stepped on my feet a few times, and I stepped on hers once when she didn't move. There were a few accidental boob touches when I moved one way and she didn't follow, and her nails caught my skin a couple times, but we kept dancing and we were having a pretty good time. She didn't get embarrassed like the other girls. She wasn't half bad company. All good things of course had to end.

"Angela?" I called out when I saw her. What the hell was she doing here? I couldn't turn off my brotherly instincts.

"Tim, what are you doing here?" Angela come over. She didn't even look nervous. She wasn't scared of me.

"Funny I could ask you the same thing," I let go of Mary and she turned around seeing Angela.

"Mary?" Angela looked surprised.

"Angelia, nice of you to finally show up, did you hear, my parents died." She said coolly.

"I did, I did, sorry I meant to come over and check on you but you no I'm no good at sad stuff. What the hell are you doing with Tim?" She looked at me like I was poison.

"I ran into him after a fight with Meghan at work, I needed to have a good time, you've been MIA." Mary was throwing the daggers tonight. I liked it. It was a nice change in tempo.

"Well, I'm here no- who the hell is that?" Angela pointed to Sylvia and Franki.

"You've gotta be kidding me, that guy is pathetic," I started to go over there.

"What's he doing with her? They both are going steady with other people!" Clearly Angela was not in the loop.

"Well, Dallas' is in jail, and after Franki slept with me he was done with me, he bet his little friends that I wouldn't do it." I couldn't believe she said it like that. There was no filter with her. Angela's mouth was open so much fly could fly in.

"When did this happen?" Angela looked horrified. "We should go over there and bitch him out," she grabbed Mary's hand.

"Forget it, he's free to do what ever he wants, or who ever," Mary didn't seem phased by them. We stood there and watched them make out briefly.

"I just can't believe this, you poor thing." Angela swooned Mary.

"Stop fussing over me, we broke up, so what now I can do what ever I want," Mary thought she was saying the right thing, but truthfully she was just opening up a big can of worms.

"You're exactly right, you need to get laid right now, lets find someone," she turned and started scanning the room. "Well, damn, where are all the guys," she muttered. I looked at Mary as Angela was looking around. She looked like she was okay expect for her eyes. I could see the sadness in her eyes.

"You know what, I'll go get Evie, and we'll figure something out, so you just hang tight," Angela left.

"I'll go get one more drink," I told her not knowing what else to do.

"Trouble getting her to do what you want?" Buck handed me a beer.

"Man, it ain't even like that," I took it with out paying.

"Just remember who she is," he warned.

"She's Mary, just Mary," I shot him a look going back to her. She was watching Franki and Sylvia go at it. I stood in front of her trying to get in her line of vison.

"Dallas is going to be pissed," Mary took the beer.

"You can be the one to tell him, get the justice you want for him not coming to the funeral." I thought I was telling her what she wanted to hear. I kept forgetting how unlike other girls she was.

"No one deserves that," she pointed and I turned. He had his hand down her shirt. "I don't know what Dallas sees in Sylvia, but it was the same way with Franki. I don't know what it was it was just there." She let out a sigh with out taking her eyes off him.

"You know you just compared yourself to Dallas, right?" I tried to get her to lighten up. It worked a little she smiled.

"Come on, I'll drive you home," I started to walk out. She followed behind me. I got behind the wheel in her truck and she got in beside me. She wasn't too drunk if Franki hadn't pissed on our party she probably would be feeling a little buzz right about now.

We drove in silence the whole way back to her house. We didn't speak until I got out.

"Do you need somewhere to stay?" I knew she was going to offer me her house.

"The night's still young kid, I'm going back to Buck's. I'll walk." She walked to her stairs but sat down not going in.

"Thanks Tim," She smiled weakly.

"He's an ass, forget about him," I handed her my flask and a cancer stick. "I'll see you tomorrow." I knew she knew I meant the funeral. The look in her eyes softened briefly when I said that. "Take care kid."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as I got off work I drove straight to Darry's. I needed to talk to Darry, I needed to warn him about what happened before Mary said anything. I knew Mary was desperate not to go home. I thought I could beat her. When I didn't see her truck I felt pretty confident she wasn't home.

"Megh-an!" Two-bit sang my name as I walked in. "Sorry doll face, we ain't got no money to tip you, so you can put those away," Two-bit was referring to my boobs.

"Does Mary wear the same costume?" Steve looked like he'd never seen a girl before.

"It's not a costume it's a uniform, and yes she does. Stop looking at me." I knew they wouldn't I didn't really care. "Where's Darry?"

"He's in his room, it's been a long night. Want some burnt casserole?" Soda offered. He probably meant sincerely. He was the sweetest kid. If I didn't love darry, and they weren't related, I could see myself with him. Of course I'd never tell that to Darry.

"Yeah, I had a visitor at work," I muttered going back to Darry's room. I knocked but I opened the door before he responded. Darry was sitting on the end of his bed looking broken.

"Darry," I whispered. My heart broke looking at him. I sat beside him on his bed. He laid his head down in my lap and cried. I circled my fingers on his scalp trying to comfort him. There wasn't anything more I could do.

"Mary and I had a fight." He told me sadly.

"Mary and I had a fight too." I kept my voice flat.

"She found me a job and I got angry." He wasn't sobbing by all means but he was in bad shape.

"I told her that ya'll are hurting and she needs to just spend the next 72 hours with you instead of worrying about the future."

"I told her that I worked too hard to roof houses," he sat up from my lap. I looked him in the eyes and felt my water too.

"She told me to stop playing the victim and that life wasn't really this hard." He wiped his nose on his sleeve as I spoke.

"She told me that she wasn't letting the family go down with my pride." After he spoke we just looked at each other not speaking.

"I think she's right." Darry finally said. "I keep acting like this family is an inconvenience, and all she's done is help.

"She thinks that you want to be the guardian, she doesn't know that you're thinking about turning it down. She was really upset when I mentioned it." I knew this was going to spark a reaction out of him.

"You told her that?" He seemed shocked.

"I couldn't lie." I shrugged. "She accused me of not being het friend for telling you about Franklin, then she accused me of betraying her by not telling her what you told me about letting the kids go to foster care. All I said was that she needed to enjoy ya'lls time together." I was watching him as I spoke to see what emotions he was feeling but it was hard to tell.

"Do you remember my graduation speech?" He surprised me when he asked.

"Oh course." I answered.

"In it I said you need teachers, parents, and brothers, but I never said anything about sisters." I was confused by what he was getting at.

"So, you didn't say anything about girlfriends either, and I didn't care!"

"She's done so much and I've never said a damn thing." He looked so upset by this. I just was at a loss for words.

"That doesn't mean you have to take on all three of them to make up for the work she's done. You don't owe anyone anything. Mary told you that herself."

"I owe my parents everything. They'd want me to do this, Mary is already doing it."