August 31, 1974

I woke up and cringed at the sun shining in through the bedroom window. I pulled the blanket up a little over myself and turned on my side. When I did, I didn't see Keith. I gave a confused look as I got out of bed and quickly changed into sweat pants and an old Rolling Stones t-shirt. I brushed my hair out then tied it back into a ponytail then left the room.

When I got to the living room, I saw Keith on the phone. That explains that, I thought. "Who's that?" I whispered. He used his hand to cover the transmitter end of the phone and said, "It's Soda." I nodded and went to the kitchen to make a small breakfast before we went to pick up Mariah and KJ from Mrs. Mathews house.

"We'll have to pick up KJ and Mariah on our way to the hospital," Keith said, "They stayed the night with my mom and my kid sister… I'm not goin' to answer that question and I really don't think Rain will either… sure I'll ask her, after I get off the phone with you… ok, goin' by that, I am too… I don't think she'll tell Candy either… whatever, we'll see you soon, bye Soda." Then he hung up.

"Ok, what was that about and who's at the hospital?" I asked as he came over to me in the kitchen.

"Soda and Candy are being complete creeps," he joked, "And Darry and Marilyn."

"Marilyn? Is she having the baby?"

"Yeah, so we gotta get the kids and meet everyone at the hospital."

I nodded. "Alright. While I get changed, could you call your mom and ask her to get the kids ready so we could just get them and go?"

He nodded and I headed back to the bedroom to go and get changed. I put on a pair of blue jeans on, but kept on the Rolling Stones shirt. It wasn't oversized and it wasn't too tight- at least for someone who's been married five years and has a kid- but would those type of unwritten rules count for me since I'm only twenty-four years old? I put on a pair of black boots then went to the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth and redid my ponytail.

When I got back to the living room, Keith was hanging up on someone on the phone. "My mom said her and Keilah can have the kids ready in ten minutes," he said. I nodded as he started toward the bedroom and I went to the kitchen. I jumped when I felt him hug me from behind. "I forgot to say good morning like I always do," he smiled and kissed my cheek.

I smiled. "Five years and one kid later and there's still romance," I chuckled, "Little things like that I mean." I heard him chuckle again then he went to the bedroom to change.

While he changed I got out two bowls and poured Cheerios into each bowl- don't judge, I don't have enough time to make anything. I did have time to make coffee, so I did make that. I set out both bowls and the two mugs as Keith came out from the bedroom. He had his own pair of jeans on and a t-shirt. After we ate, we drove over to pick up KJ and Mariah.

"So what was that other thing you were talking about with Soda on the phone before?" I asked him while he drove.

Keith let out a slight chuckle, like he thought something was ridiculous. "He asked what we did for our anniversary yesterday," he answered.

I gave a confused look. "Then what was…" When it clicked, I felt all the color drain from my face out of embarrassment. "He really asked about that?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"He said since he might as well be your big brother, he has a right to know how I treat you."

"Technically, you were like a big brother to me before we started going out years ago."

"And that's what I told him. Either way, that sort of thing is between you and me."

"And he thought Candy might convince you to talk," he said, like he knew what my reaction would be.

"Ok, she's like a sister to me, but I'm not gonna tell her that sort of thing," I answered.

I saw him smile. "I was hoping you'd say that."

We went and picked up KJ and Mariah then drove over to the hospital. It took a total of about ten minutes in total. It was still early, plus it was a Saturday, so that gave two reasons why there would be no traffic. When we got to the hospital, it was completely empty in the parking lot. We got out of the car, got the kids then went inside the building where Soda told us to meet him and Candy. When we got inside, there the two of them were and they led us to the elevator, to the third floor and to where the room was. Soda had taken Mariah for me, he said it was to take a load off, but we all knew how much he loved Mariah.

Once we got outside Marilyn's room, we saw Steve and Evie and Danny and Sandy. Ponyboy and Cherry weren't around cause they had both gone back to college. Why're we always the last ones here? I thought with a slight chuckle.

I jumped when Candy grabbed my arm and pulled a few doors away from Marilyn's room where Evie was waiting. "Good morning to you too," I said to Candy when she let go of my arm, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah, good morning," Candy said then smiled, "So how was your wedding anniversary?"

"Hold on," I said quickly. I went over to Keith and took KJ in my arms, using the excuse that Candy and Evie wanted to see him. I then went back to the two. "I know what you're talking 'bout but now you can't cause I have KJ here now," I said in a teasing voice.

"So you're not gonna say anything about your anniversary?" Candy asked.

I shook my head. "Not a thing."

"I told you she wouldn't say anything," Evie pointed out to Candy, "Oh, well. Seeing KJ is always good enough for me." She then looked at Candy, "Speaking of that, when are we all gonna be driving here for you and Soda?"

Candy's cheeks turned pink with slight embarrassment. "As far as we know, not too soon. We've talked about it, we're gonna wait for that a little while. We're still young so it's not like we don't have time. But when are you and Steve gonna get engaged and finally get together?"

"When you find out, you tell me."

Before any of us could say anything else, Sandy came running over to us. She had a smile on her face and so did Lucy, who followed close by her mother's side. Before Sandy could say anything, Lucy beat her to it. "My little cousin's here!" Lucy beamed. The three of us looked at Sandy for confirmation, and she smiled and nodded. The three of us followed her back to where the guys all stood in a small circle.

When we got back with them, they were all talking with Darry, who had a small bundle of blankets in his arms- and in them was the baby. Soda still held Mariah and he held her closer toward Darry so she could see the baby. "It's a boy," he said with a proud smile, "You'll never guess what she wanted to name him." We all shook our heads and he chuckled, "Darrel Shaynne Curtis III."

Soda laughed, "All your names are similar. Mariah and Marilyn, then you and…" He stopped himself.

"What're you guys gonna actually call him though?" Keith asked.

Darry shrugged a bit. "We thought for now, maybe DT. Then when he's a bit older he can choose if he wants to be Darrel, or stay DT… or even be called Shaynne if he wants."

"How's Marilyn?" Candy asked.

"She's asleep. We've been here all night." He then had a look that said damnit, I didn't mean to say that.

Evie looked at him. "You guys didn't tell us you were all night."

"Well it was late. We came here right after he came and picked up Mariah from our house." He signaled over to Keith and me. "Besides, we thought it would be another week or two. It just happened."

"You can't really control this sort of thing, Evie," Danny chuckled.

Sandy laughed, "I can vouch for that."

"I think so can DT," Steve joked.

I'm not happy with this chapter, we're back at that stage. Awesome. Seriously, if I go into the movie industry when I'm older like I want to, I'll be one of those actors who can't watch their own stuff, I swear.

That actually happens. A lot of times, actors/actresses or singers/musicians can't watch or listen to their own stuff. Robert DeNiro once said that he falls asleep when he watches his own movies. A lot of times it has to do with their voices cause it your voice sounds different in your head than the way it comes out for the rest of the world to hear. It had to do with the echoes or something, I don't know.

Oh I meant to ask, I was thinking that maybe I should do this month by month for every year and only have the specific date sometimes. Would that work? Cause unless I'm going by the bonus chapter for "To love a greaser" that actually has the date of the events in their lives, I pretty much choose a random date and then I'm limited to one day. That's hard to think of- good stuff for one day, then when I come up with it I don't like making chapter a certain length in my notebook so it's hard. This chapter was too cause I changed a whole conversation and such. Whatever, tell me what you think about the month instead of date with a few exceptions.

Anyway, so yeah, I hope you at least like this chapter- peace from all the hippies of the world! =^-^=