Author's Note: Hey! Sorry this took forever! It's short and simple, and y'all might not like it but…. I posted it anyway. This is the last chapter, so… enjoy! :D
CHAPTER II
While Dallas went to go buy a new turkey, me, Johnny and Two-bit discussed what else we should make for dinner.
"Well, glory, ain't Darry and Soda gonna be surprised." Two-bit exclaimed. "Y'all makin' dinner for them an' all." He was right. I just hoped we could pull it off. I mean, maybe Darry would be in a better mood. Every night, he came home exhausted and sore because he had carried more than a bundle of roofing at a time.
"Yeah. Now what do y'all usually eat for Thanksgivin'?" I asked, trying to get some ideas. Johnny looked at the floor.
"I dunno. Like a turkey sandwich or somethin'?" I nodded, as if taking that into consideration. Poor Johnny.
"Sometimes, when my mom's at work, my sister'll bake one of them pumpkin pies an' she's a good cook. I picked up a thing or two from her."
"That's a great start!" I encouraged, dragging them into the kitchen. "So, Two-bit, you'll help Johnny make that an' I'll... uh, I guess I'll make some cranberry sauce. Mom used to make that an' it was one of the best things I've ever-" I trailed off completely, thinking of the sweet, tart sauce she had once made. How was that stuff made? Cranberries, obviously. And...
"PONY, THE PHONE!" Two-bit yelled, snapping me back to reality. I snatched up the receiver and answered.
"Um, hello?"
"Hey, it's Dally. I'm standin' outside the grocery, what do you want again?" he questioned. Man, he could be clueless sometimes.
"Just like a turkey an' some cranberries I guess." I mumbled. Johnny looked at me and mouthed "pumpkin pie".
"Oh, and some of that canned pumpkin stuff and a pie crust. No, I'm not a pansy!" I shouted irritably. "Just get it." I hung up the phone loudly. Sometimes Dallas really drove me nuts.
"So," Johnny began, "what do we do while we wait?" I thought for a second.
"Does anyone want some chocolate milk?" I asked. I sure did.
"Yeah, that'd be cool." Two-bit replied, doing a front flip onto the couch. Johnny merely nodded. So as we all waited for Dally to get back, I stirred about three times the average amount of chocolate syrup that was needed for the milk.
"Hey, uh, Ponyboy, just make me half of a glass, 'kay?" Two-bit said, his eyes never leaving the television screen.
"Sure." I told him, handing Johnny his and Two-bit's his. As I sat down with them, I heard Two-bit open a
beer. He poured half of the stuff in his chocolate milk.
"That's nasty Two-bit!" I hollered, causing Johnny to jump and nearly spill all his milk. Two-bit cackled like a maniac.
"It's real good, you wanna try some Pony?" he asked, still giggling. I made a gagging noise and shuddered.
"Nuh huh." I shook my head upon saying it, too.
Just then, we heard the door open.
"Hey Dal!" Johnny called out, taking a long sip of his chocolate milk.
"It ain't Dally, it's me an' Soda!" Steve shouted back, walking in with Sodapop.
"Hey y'all!" Two-bit greeted, taking a swig of his beer/milk.
"Shoot!" I said aloud. "When's Darry comin' home? We're makin' him a Thanksgivin' dinner!" I informed them.
"Oh, around nine or ten if he's lucky." Soda told me. "That's a great idea Pony." I felt my ears go hot.
"Thanks. Dal went to go pick up some stuff." I said, getting up. "Y'all want some chocolate milk?"
As I made theirs, I thought of Thanksgiving back when Mom and Dad were here. It was usually a serene meal, but I remember once, all of the gang ate with us. Dally had spilled some cranberry sauce on his pants, and Two-bit had politely asked him if he had just gotten his period. My parents looked at each other and started laughing. Johnny had spit his water all over the place, and Steve started choking on a bit of his turkey. Darry and Soda slapped him on the back simultaneously, making the little bit of turkey propel out of his throat to the middle of the table. By now, Dally's face was more crimson then his pants. "Boy, can your face get red, Dal." Two-bit had commented, causing everyone to start laughing again.
Just thinking of the memory, I started laughing out loud. Everyone gave me a strange look, and I managed to say the words 'Dally' and 'cranberry sauce'. Coincidentally, we all began cracking up. Right on cue, Dallas waltzed in with a grocery bag and a pound of cranberries.
"Y'all aren't allowed to have this much fun without me." Dally whined, throwing the bags on the counter.
"Okay guys, let's get to work!" I instructed, as we all trooped into the kitchen. I ordered Steve, Soda and Dally to fix up the turkey, Two-bit to make the pie and me and Johnny were going to whip up some of my Mom's cranberry sauce. Or attempt to anyway.
"Johnny, go bring that water to a boil." I instructed. "The pots are in that cabinet right there." I dumped a load of sugar into the pot, and let it boil for a minute or so. Then I emptied all the cranberries inside it.
By the time we were all done cooking and whatnot, Darry was due home any minute.
"Okay y'all, we have to set the table now. Just some plates and forks and such." After that, Darry opened the door.
"Glory, it sure smells good in here! Pony, Sodapop? Did y'all make dinner?" He walked into the kitchen.
"Actually," Soda said, "we all did."
As we all sat down, the huge grin on Darry's face reminded me how much I loved him and the gang as well. Hopefully this year, Dally had stocked up on some of those feminine products.