"Mr. Curtis?" After what seemed like years in the waiting room, one of the surgeons operating on my brothers approached me.
"Yes? How are they?"
"I am Doctor Nelson. I was one of the doctors on call when they were brought in. They are both touch and go for now. Sodapop lost consciousness in the ambulance and has not woken up since. He was brought in with a collapsed lung, dislocated knee, internal bleeding, and multiple bruises and lacerations. He is in surgery now repairing his lung and the bleeding inside his body. We have him on a ventilator that is breathing for him, because he is unable to do so by himself. His lung is the main concern I have right now. As for him, only time will tell if he is able to pull through, but I can assure you that we have the very best surgeons our hospital has to offer operating on him now."
As the doctor spoke, I felt my knees go weak, but I forced myself to stand. What kind of impression would I give if I collapsed in front of the doctor? I suppressed my nerves for now and let the doctor continue.
"I'm afraid to say that Ponyboy is no better. He was reported as waking from unconsciousness in the emergency room, but has not woken up yet. He was brought in with a concussion, a broken nose, fractured ribs, and one of his kidneys is badly damaged. We may need to remove it if the damage is severe enough. We are closely monitoring his brain to see if there is any swelling that could lead to permanent brain damage. Both of your brothers need blood, and I'm afraid that our blood bank is low right now. I'm sorry to ask this of you, but would you mind donating blood? Would you happen to know what type of blood you have?"
My brain was so scrambled right now, that I couldn't think. I couldn't even remember what I had for dinner an hour ago, let alone what blood type I had. "No, I don't remember," I said sheepishly. "But of course I will donate blood."
"That's okay. I'll have an orderly check your file." It will be stated in there. If I'm correct, you're first name is Darrel?"
"Yes."
"Okay, sir," The doctor said. "Please wait here for a nurse to take you back."
I watched the doctor disappear down the emergency room corridor, to hopefully, go and save my brothers lives. I tried to be strong, but this waiting and thinking and overanalyzing was getting too much. If Two-Bit wasn't going to man up and come and join me in the waiting room, then I had to call someone who would.
XXXXXX
"Hello?" I rasped into the phone. I had just gotten home from my night with Evie and I was not in the mood for talking to anyone. I had such a great night, hopefully the first of many, now that summer was here.
"Steve? This is Darry. Soda and Pony were in a car accident and they're over at Tulsa General. They're hurt real bad."
"Oh shit, are you serious?"
"I wouldn't bother you at night if this wasn't true."
"Say no more," I said, pulling on my pants. "I'm on my way."
I managed to make it to the hospital in ten minutes, with me running all the red lights. It was late, around midnight, and there were no cops around to bust me. I was not to be messed with right now. My good night turned sour with just one phone call.
I found Darry sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. Damn, did he look bad. I wondered when he got sleep last. I was able to squeeze in one peaceful hour, and I felt like collapsing with exhaustion. How Darry was stilling standing on two feet was beyond me.
"What the hell happened?" I said, walking over to him.
"Honestly, I don't know." Darry ran a hand through his hair and messed it up even further.
"What do you mean you don't know?" My voice raised a few volumes and I got a few dirty looks from passing nurses. They can stare at me all they want and I still won't give a damn. My best friend could be in there dying right now.
"Easy Steve, let me finish." Darry led me to the corner of the waiting room where our voices couldn't be heard as clearly. He filled me in with every last, sickening, stomach churning detail. My fingers ached for a cigarette in between them. I can't even imagine the pain Soda and Pony are going through. I didn't like the kid, but at some point, even I had to feel sorry for him, and for Soda. Those two have been through more than I can count, but bad stuff are still thrown at them. What if they don't make it? What is this is the final straw that does them in? But the more I thought about it, I recognized that something, or someone was missing.
"Where's Two-Bit?" I asked.
"I don't know where he ran off to. He might have taken his car, which would mean I have no way to get home. But that's the least of my worries right now."
Two-Bit may have a pea brain, but this wasn't like him to run off when we needed him. Something must have happened that I don't know about. Something bad that had scared him enough to not want to go and see Soda and Pony.
"Darrel Curtis?" An older nurse called out to the waiting room.
"That's me."
"Follow me this way to donate blood," The nurse said.
"Why're donating blood?" I asked, following him anyway.
"The hospital has a low supply and both Pony and Soda need it."
"Will you be donating too?" The nurse turned to me.
"Yes, if it will be going to Pony and Soda." It seemed odd to me that the hospital was running low on blood, but if that's what was going to save their life, then I'll donate.
She sat us down in big chairs and called in for another nurse to hook me up. She stuck a big needle into my forearm and I watched as the red liquid dripped out of my skin and flowed freely into a medical bag. Darry was doing the same thing next to me. I told the nurse my name and she went to go pull my file. I have been in the hospital before, so there was a good chance that I had a file here.
"So, Mr. Randle, your chart says that blood type is AB, and according to Ponyboy's chart, so is he. You'll be donating to him," The nurse said. "And Darrel, your blood type is B, and so is Soda's so that's where you'll blood will be going."
As soon as she left, I couldn't help but crack a grin. My blood would be going to save the kid's life, and people think I don't like him. Sure, he can be a pain in my ass sometimes and he hangs on Soda like a safety blanket, but he's alright. He's the only chance of any of us making it out of this town. I like him, but I just don't show it as explicitly as others. Why else would I be giving him the blood from my body if I didn't care about him?
"How are you doin'" I called over to Darry.
"Fine. Tired, but fine."
Typical Darry. Even if he had one foot in the grave, he would still push through and tell us he was fine. I was starting to feel the effects of all the blood loss on my body. My head was starting to throb and black spots were clouding my vision.
The nurse came back carrying a two cartons of apple juice and two cookies. "Sorry," She said, putting the tray down in between us. "This is all the food we're allowed to give someone who's donated blood. Make sure you drink all the juice and eat the whole cookie to minimize the side effects." She picked up my bag and frowned. "Do you think we take a little bit more from both of you? Taking more won't be a danger to your health, but I won't lie, you'll feel dizzy and have a headache."
"Take as much as you need," Darry answered quickly.
"Same here." I couldn't live with myself if I was the reason that Darry and Soda's kid brother didn't survive.
"Thanks for doin' this," Darry mumbled.
"No need to thank me." I said, through a yawn. I never would have thought that when I woke up today that my night would be spent at the hospital donating blood to save Pony's life. I pictured my night a little differently to say the least. Today was been one hell of a day, and I had a feeling that it was only going to get worse from here.
