January 4, 1975

I had gotten a part time job back at Sandy's book store since Marilyn was still at home with Mariah and DT- that's what they decided to call him until he was older and he would choose on his own. I would go on Saturdays and after I left the radio station during the week. The good thing about it was that Sandy was more than okay with me bringing KJ with me. She would let him stay in the playroom that had been set up for Lucy and I was able to check on him whenever I felt necessary.

People say not to get work, family and friends all together- I had done that my whole life and it had somehow worked out.

I jumped when Candy ran into the store and up to where I was at the front counter. She was smiling and leaned against the counter with one hand to catch her breath. "You ok there?" I asked her with a slight chuckled.

She as still smiling. "Yeah," she breathed out, "Rain, guess what?"

"You're pregnant, I knew it," I teased.

She gave me a look that showed annoyance and confusion. "Who told you?"

Now I was confused. "What're you talkin' about?"

"I said, who told you that I was pregnant? The only other person who knew was my doctor."

"What? No one told me anything. Candy, I was joking with you… oh my gosh, are you really pregnant?"

Candy smiled and nodded at me. "Yeah, I just found out."

I left from behind the counter and went to go hug her and she hugged me back. "Congratulations, Candy! Have you told Soda yet?"

"No, not yet. You know how everyone is comin' to the house tonight, right?"

Soda and Candy had moved into the house where we all had grown up. Darry and Marilyn were living in a house right by Danny and Sandy, but they still had ownership of the house for a while. Ponyboy, Steve and Sodapop had been living there but when Ponyboy left to go make use of his school scholarship, it was the two of them. Eventually, when Soda and Candy got engaged, they moved into the house together and Steve moved in with Evie in the apartment that she, Candy and Cherry shared. When Cherry had left to go to college, that made life a bit easier with the current living arrangements.

Soda and Candy had changed a few things in the house, but mostly everything stayed the same. The two got a new mattress for their bedroom- which used to be where Mr. and Mrs. Curtis slept- but the original bed frame stayed in place. The couches were cleaned and had any holes sewn up or fixed, the tables and anything else made of wood was refinished to help preserve it. They had a few repairs done to both the exterior and the interior of the house to help and preserve that as well. All in all, with the exceptions of a few minor repairs, the house looked the same as it did like when we were all younger.

"Yeah, why? You gonna tell him tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, "Since Darry, Marilyn, Danny, Sandy, Ponyboy and Cherry aren't gonna be there tonight, I told them already. I payed the four a visit, and I called Ponyboy and Cherry. But I figured it'd be a nice surprise."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"I tried waiting till tonight to tell you but I couldn't cause you're my best friend."

"But you haven't told Soda yet."

"Well, you told me before you told Keith. And you were downright terrified."

"I'll admit you have a point there, but you're forgetting that you and Soda have talked about this. We talked about it when I told him that night. Also, I was three years younger than I am now. If I was normal, I would've been just finishing college," I shrugged, "Not that I don't like my life. I love it, but I'm just sayin'."

Candy rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Look, just don't tell anyone that I told you. And are you comin' tonight?" she smiled.

I chuckled and nodded. "Yes, and yes. I promise."

"That's why you're my best friend."

Candy ended up staying for the rest of the work day. Evie hadn't heard us talking, and Sandy didn't know that Candy had already told me, so we all had to keep our mouths shut. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't at least a little hard to do. The fact that Sandy knew, but she thought that I didn't know so her and Candy were putting on a little act. Then since she didn't know that I knew, me and Candy were putting on our own little act. Then the fact that Evie had no idea whatsoever, that was all of us putting on some sort of act.

Confused yet? I am too.

When I got home, I placed KJ down on the couch as he played with some of his toys. "Mama, will you play too?" he asked when I set him down.

I couldn't help but smile and nod at him. I sat down next to him on the couch, picked him up and placed him to sit on my right leg. "Ok," I smiled and kissed his forehead, "What do you wanna play?"

KJ handed me a little person made of legos and a toy train. "Can we play trains?"

I chuckled. "Of course we can, KJ."

He smiled and jumped off my knee and ran toward his bedroom, then came back with a few more trains and lego people, then pieces to the train track and a few hot wheels cars. Then he got his building blocks. That's like everything in his toy box, I thought with a chuckle. He sat down on the floor at the coffee table and started to construct a train station out of blocks and the train track and the little buildings that came with the track. I sat down next to him on the floor and helped him build it, following his instructions on what to put where.

Both KJ and I looked up when the door opened and Keith walked in. KJ jumped up and ran to him, and he picked him up. I stood up and walked over to him. "Hey there," he smiled and quickly kissed me. KJ made a face, which of course made the two of us laugh.

"Just curious," I started, "We're still goin' to the house tonight?"

"Yeah, of course," Keith answered and put KJ down and he ran back to the coffee table. "How is Candy anyway? Soda said she hasn't been feelin' too well lately. She ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. At least she was this morning. She hasn't said anything 'bout being sick." Was that a lie? Yes. But she made me swear not to tell anyone about it and they were all gonna find out at the house so there.

"Will Maya be there?" KJ asked happily and smiling.

Keith laughed, "Yeah, little man, she might be there."

When KJ was first leaning how to talk, he couldn't say "Mariah" and it came out as "Maya" instead. He knew her name is Mariah, but he would still call her Maya eight out of ten times. She would respond to being called Maya, but only if it was KJ who called her that. If anyone else ever called her that, she would correct them as best as she could, or she just wouldn't respond until they called her Mariah. Like I said, only KJ could call her that; not even Darry and Marilyn could really call her that without being corrected. In all honesty, we all found it pretty odd, considering they were only three years old. We figured that when they got older they might grow outta it. For now, we just went along with it.

The three of us got to the house around seven in the evening. Like KJ was hoping, Mariah was there, but Darry and Marilyn. Candy had told me they weren't going to be there, but she didn't give me a reason why. Soda told us that Mariah was staying with him and Candy cause Marilyn and Sandy were dealing with some family stuff with their grandmother. Lucy was with Soda and Candy as well, but since DT was still really young, he was with Darry. Lucy wanted to see "Uncle So" and "Aunt CeCe", and Mariah wanted to see KJ.

At the house was Soda and Candy of course, then Steve and Evie, then Keith and me, then of course KJ, Mariah and Lucy. Later on while the three of them played, the six of us were talking. It felt kinda weird having only six of us there, but for some reason, that didn't make it any quieter than how it usually was. I'm not saying that was either bad or good, I just found it ironic.

"Oh, Evie," Candy said as if she were remembering something she meant to tell her, "Remember how you were asking me when y'all would be drivin' to a hospital for me and Soda?"

Evie nodded. "Yeah, I remember," she answered, "Why?"

"I was just curious if you did so I could give you a proper answer."

We all gave confused looks at her and I hoped that mine was convincing. Keith nudged my arm. "You know what she's talkin' about?" he whispered and I just shrugged.

"I can give you an answer now," Candy told her, "And that'll be this September."

Everyone sat there for a moment, until they all realized what she meant. Soda looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you saying that you're…" he started, but was too shocked to finish.

Candy bit back a smile and nodded. "Yeah… due in September."

He let out a slight chuckle and smiled. "I'm gonna be a dad?" His voice was almost like a whisper.

Candy chuckled and nodded again. "Yes, Soda. You are."

Soda smiled and hugged Candy. "I'm gonna be a dad!" he said again, making Candy laugh.

I actually somewhat like this chapter. Not completely, but somewhat. Though in all honesty, I don't like anything I write which I have said numerous times and every time I read something I've written, whether it be fan fiction or one of the couple books I'm writing to try and get published, I sit there and say "This is crap" but everyone compliments me on them so whatever.

Anyway, I don't really know what to say in my author's note so peace from all the hippies of the world! =^-^=