Chapter 40
"Ponyboy go get me a screwdriver." Darry hollered as he banged on the door. "Sara Marie Curtis, open the door this instant!" When there was still no response from inside the bedroom Darry turned to see Ponyboy coming back with a screwdriver. "Not a Philip's, Ponyboy. I need a flat head."
"Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?" Ponyboy slouched back to Darry's tool box that was kept under the kitchen sink to find a flathead.
"Sara Marie!" Darry shouted again. Slowly Sodapop came up beside Darry and spoke softly as to not irritate him any further.
"Let me try, Dar." He suggested.
Darry swung around and shot venom towards Sodapop. "Don't you think you've done enough damage for one night?"
"Jesus, that's a little harsh, even for you Darry." Sodapop said leaning his head against the wall trying to listen for sounds coming from inside the bedroom. "I screwed up, I'm sorry, Dar."
"Well, I'd say we're even now. Because I would classify what you did a bit harsh. " Darry continued jiggling the door knobs in hope that it would become loose enough for it to open. "Jesus, Ponyboy, what's taking so long?"
"I made a mistake Dar, like you've never made one? If I recall it's not like you're perfect or anything. What was it your junior, no sophomore year and Mom and I walked in on you and Tami-Jo. Ringing any bells there Dar?"
"Damn it, Sodapop! It's not even the same. I was just feeling her up some. We weren't going all the way, and you weren't six for Christ Sakes." Ponyboy was finally shuffling down the hall towards them which prompted Darry that this conversation was over.
"Here, Dar." Pony said sliding up beside the two older boys.
"Thanks, Pon. Why don't you go get started on your homework. I have a feeling it's gonna be a very late night."
"Don't you want some help? I mean is there anything I can do?"
"Nah Pon, I'm gonna have it open here in just a second." Darry gave the screwdriver one more twist and soon the door was unlatched. He pushed it open and the two younger boys tried to cock their heads around their 6 feet and 1 inch brother. It was dark inside of their parents' bedroom and all they could see was the moon shining in making a faint dim light over their bed. "Sara?" Darry called out stepping inside of their parent's bedroom. "Sara, I know you're hiding in here. You need to come out. It's late and I'm tired and really ain't in any mood to being deal with this right now. Not any of it." He said shooting daggers back at Sodapop who had now inched further into the room behind his big brother. "Sara?" Darry had a clear view of the left side of the room and he didn't see her hiding there, so he moved to the right side and as he rounded the end of the bed in the far right hand corner of the room beside his mother's nightstand was Sara, all curled up. Her knees where pulled up to her chest, with her arms resting around them while her head buried deep inside of her arms, probably trying to hide the images that were stuck in her head. Darry had seen this scene before and he knew it wasn't good. He turned back to his brothers and spoke sternly. "Both of you out!" He demanded.
"But Darry." Sodapop interjected.
"Sodapop, I said out, and when I say out I mean get out of my sight. I can't even stand looking at you right now." Soda was shocked, he's done some pretty stupid stuff before, but Darry has never thrown him out of the house.
"Darry you can't throw Sodapop out of the house. It's just as much as his house as it is ours." Ponyboy was trying to control his own temper and anger not needing to get thrown out as well.
"I'm not throwing him out of the house, Ponyboy! I just asked him to get out of my sight, and that goes for both of you. Now don't make me say it again, or I will be throwing you out." Darry threaten, but that's all it was really, just a threat.
Soda softly whispered to Ponyboy. "C'mon, let's get outta here Pony. He'll cool off soon." Sodapop reached over to lead Pony out of their parents' room and down to theirs. Once they arrived Soda went to the bed and starting in with his parenting skills. "You best start on that homework, no need to give Darry anymore reason to be pissed off." Pony walked around to his desk and slipped into the chair, while Sodapop started changing their sheets.
"What are ya doing?" Pony asked looking up from where he was opening his math book.
"Changing the sheets what does it look like?"
"Why?"Pony questioned with confusion written all over his face.
"Because they're dirty, that's why." Soda said a little shortly.
"But Soda it's nine-thirty at night."
"And that's why you should get moving on the homework, or Darry will be ending your job just as quick as it started."
"Soda, you don't need to go into a cleaning rage just because Darry's mad." Pony added, but Sodapop just shook his head.
"I'm not on a cleaning rage, Ponyboy. I'm just changing our sheet, that's all. Now get back to your homework before I give you a swift kick in the butt." Soda tried forcing a smile and Ponyboy knew it was forced so he decided that he would offer some friendly banter back.
"Yeah, well that just might have to wait until after Darry gives you a swift kick in the butt first." Pony said smirking while trying to make as much light out of this situation as possible.
"Don't remind me." Soda mumbled while he wrapped up the dirty sheets into a ball.
"Jeez Soda, I haven't seen him this mad in a while now. What do you think he's gonna do?" Pony looked concerned.
"I don't Pony, I screwed up pretty bad." Soda was heading back towards the hall with the dirty sheets but took one more look at his innocent brother, oh, to be thirteen again, and none of this would of ever happened Soda thought. "Get back to work, Pony."
"I can't concentrate. Maybe I'll take a shower and that will help." Pony slammed his math book shut and stood up and went and grabbed some clean clothes from his dresser and followed Sodapop out into the hallway. Pony stopped and entered the bathroom whereas Sodapop continued down to the end of the hall where the washing machine was. As Soda passed by his parents' room he could hear Darry talking to Sara in a soft tone. Soda couldn't help but pause and eavesdrop a bit.
"Sara, I know that you're scared but there's really no need to be. Come, take my hand and I'll get you off to bed." Sara didn't say anything but just shook her head from side to side.
"Sara it's already late enough, you'll never get up in the morning for me if you don't get off to bed." Darry leaned over and tapped Sara's knee to try to get her attention. Sara finally brought her head up and eyed Darry sitting on the floor in front of her. "That's my girl; now let's get you off to bed."
"I can't sleep now, not after that."
"You need to try, Babygirl. It's almost nine thirty, that's a whole hour past your bedtime."
"I just don't understand, Darry." Darry couldn't hold back the heavy sigh that he was about to release.
"Sara you're not supposed to understand it."
"But what was he doing to Sandy?" Sara's sweet and innocent voice asked. Darry ran his hand through his messy hair and shook his head. How could this be happening?
"Sara we'll talk about this tomorrow when it's not so late, and I'm not so tired, alright?" Darry couldn't handle this with her at this given moment. He never imagined having to explain the birds and the bees to his six year old sister, hell he hadn't even talked with Ponyboy about it yet. Now Darry wasn't naïve about Pony though. He was pretty sure that Sodapop and the rest of the gang had filled his brain with all kind of nonsense but Darry just wasn't prepared for this part of the parental job just yet, especially with his little sister.
"Why did they have all their clothes off?" Sara still had all kinds of questions running through her head, so how on earth did Darry expect her to go to sleep?
"Sara, we'll talk about this tomorrow. Now come." Darry held out his hand to help Sara up off the cold hard floor. Sara willingly took a hold and let Darry use his strong muscles to pull her up. Once Sara was up she ran into Darry's legs and held on for dear life. "Sara it's alright." But it wasn't really that Sara felt that she wasn't alright, it was she just she needed a comforting embrace, after her rough day. All Sara wanted and needed was some loving hands wrapped around her. Darry reached his hands down and gave Sara's back a gentle rub hoping that would be enough to fulfill her needs at the moment. What would his Mom and Dad do he thought.
"Darry?" Sara's muffled voice reached his ears bringing him outta his thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Can you hold me like Momma and Dadda used to?" Darry knew that his little sister probably needed more attention and comforting than they were giving her, and it's probably times like this that she needs it even more. Darry swooped down and grabbed Sara around her waist and lifted her up to his chest. She immediately wrapped her legs around his back and placed her head on his shoulder and rested her arms on his chest.
"Better?" He whispered into her hair.
"Much." She said softly. "Thanks Darry." Sara lifted her head when she noticed a shadow by the doorway. There she caught a glimpse of Sodapop with his arms full of sheets. Sara wanted to call out to him but something inside of her made her stop. And by the time she rethought about calling to him, he had disappeared out of the door way.
"Ready for bed now?" Darry asked not seeing Sodapop like Sara had. Sara snuggled as far as possible into Darry's shoulder enjoying the warmth and strong arms wrapped around her tiny frame. He moved out of his parent's room and as he was exiting he noticed Sodapop throwing in a load of laundry. Once Sodapop saw him carrying Sara back to her room he slipped back over to their parents' room and closed the door. He wanted to give Darry and Sara their space so he hung back until they entered into Sara's room. Darry carried Sara over and went to gently set her down in her bed but Sara still had her legs wrapped around his waist. He bent over her bed and took his free hand trying to pry Sara's legs off of him. "Now Sara." He said giving her a weak smile. But Sara obeyed and loosened her legs and fell into her bed. Darry pulled the covers up to her chin and placed a soft cool kiss on her forehead. As he started to stand back up he noticed the untouched cheeseburger and fries that were on her stand next to the radio. "Is that your dinner?" Sara shook her head and that prompted Darry to start right in. "Why didn't you eat it?" Darry turned to see that Sara was trying to hide her head under her covers. He bent back down and pulled the covers away. "Sara, you heard what Dr. Robinson said. You need to start eating again. So what's this all about?" Darry asked pointing to the cold burger and fries.
"I wasn't hungry." Sara's muffled voice came from under the blankets.
"Sara." Darry tugged again and made sure that he leaned over on the blankets so that she couldn't retrieve under them again. "I'm not buying that. I bet you were hungry. You best start explaining why your dinner is still sitting there."
"It's Soda's fault." Sara accused.
"And how's that?" Darry asked raising his left eyebrow.
"He got Sandy exactly what she wanted for dinner." And in an annoying squeaky voice Sara tried to imitate Sandy. "I'll take a cheeseburger deluxe with a medium fry and a Cherry Coke." Darry continued to stare Sara down looking for more. "I asked for a cheeseburger, small fry and a vanilla shake. But do you think Soda could remember that simple order? I only get it every single time! "
"Then what is that? It looks like that's your cheeseburger and fries." Darry picked at the cold burger. "It even has pickles and mustard, just the way you like it. So what's the problem?"
"He forgot my milkshake! That's what the problem is!" Sara shouted.
"Sara, that's just plain nonsense, and I'm not going to tolerate that. Just because Sodapop forgot your milk shake doesn't mean you don't eat your dinner. That's just biting off your nose to spite your face."
"That's what Sandy said too." Sara said pouting.
"Well, she's right. I'm disappointed to hear this. You not only went without eating, but now you have wasted Sodapop's money and food. Do you know that there are people living around us right now that are starving and can't afford food to eat?" Darry loved using this line of them. Sara thinks it's because Darry remembers their father saying it all the time. "Be thankful for what's on your plates" he used to say.
"I know, Darry. I remember Dadda saying that." Sara dipped her head with shame.
"Good, I'm glad you remember. Now starting tomorrow you'll eat whatever is put on your plate, you understand? No more wasting food and no more of this not eating. Got it?"
"Got it." She said trying to tug at the covers that Darry was still holding back. He watched her get settled and helped her pull the blankets back up around her.
"Darry what if I can't get to sleep?" Darry knew that this could be a slight problem so he stood there contemplating on what to do. He always follows through with what he says and does. And she has been very good about her restrictions. But if he gives in than it will look like he is weak and can be walked on. He then tried to put himself in her shoes and for once he knew exactly what he needed to do. He reached over and turned the knob on. Oh, hell he thought, I'm going soft. Sara perked right up the minute she heard, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" by the Righteous Brothers. "Really Darry?"
"Just for tonight, tomorrow it's back to no music. Got it?"
"Deal! Thanks Dar. I really mean it. I think it's gonna help me get to sleep." Sara snuggled into Mr. Bear and laid her head down on her pillow. Darry couldn't help but smile as he switched Sara's lamp off and grabbed the cold burger and fries.
"Sweet dreams, Saragirl."
"You too, Darryboy." She sounded like she was almost half a sleep already. Darry closed the door tightly just in case he and Sodapop got into it he didn't want to wake her. He moved down the hall when the bathroom door flung open and a cloud of steam flowed out into the hall. As Darry was about to say something Ponyboy emerged from the bathroom.
"Oh, hey Dar." He said all showered and shaking his wet hair. "How's Sara?"
"As good as possible, I guess. Is your homework done?" Darry was so good at changing the subject when he wanted to.
"No, I needed a shower first." Pony said moving on into his room where he found Sodapop laying on his back with his arms tucked up over his head.
"Feel better?" He questioned Pony as he sat back down at his desk.
"Yeah." He confessed. The two boys sat in silence while Pony tried to work fast and hard at his math homework, but the rest would have to wait until tomorrow morning, for after a hard day at school and working at the bowling alley, Pony's eyes lid were getting heavy and he couldn't possible do anymore. He grabbed a glance at the clock, quarter past ten; he was surprised that Darry hadn't come by to holler lights out yet. It was really quiet in the house, which made Pony wonder if Darry was even still up. "It's awfully quiet out there. Do you think he went to bed?" Pony asked Sodapop who was still lying on his back.
"Probably not." Soda mumbled.
"Do you think he's gonna talk to you about it tonight?" Pony was now shutting off his light and taking off his sweats before crawling into bed beside Soda.
"Probably not." Soda didn't move while Pony got into bed, he just stayed in the same position, on his back with his arms up over his head and hands tucked behind it.
"Are ya coming to bed?" Pony asked while glaring at him.
"Probably not." Soda answered the same way he had the previous two questions.
"Are ya gonna answer any other way than probably not?" It was starting to annoy Pony some, and besides this wasn't like Sodapop.
"Probably not." Soda answered again.
"What the hell?" Pony got it that Soda was angry with himself, and probably angry some with Darry, but since when has he not been able to confide in him how he was really feeling.
"Just go to bed, Pon." Well it wasn't a probably not, but Pony was still irritated by his response.
"Fine." Pony grumbled and he actually found himself too tired to go back and forth with Soda anyways. He rolled over towards the window and tried to get comfortable. The two brothers sat there in complete silence and when Sodapop heard Pony's light breathing turned to a soft snore he carefully picked himself up from the bed and waltzed out to the kitchen where he spotted Darry sitting at the table with his head in his hands. Sodapop stepped forward and walked over to the fridge where he grabbed a container of kool aid and brought it over to the counter to grab a glass. He poured himself a glass and leaned against the counter drinking it slowly, keeping his eyes on Darry and studying him very carefully. Sodapop couldn't stand the silence anymore and finally spoke.
"How long can I expect the silent treatment?"
"As long as it takes me from not wanting to kick your ass anymore." Darry said bringing his head up outta his hands.
"I'm sorry Dar, I screw up big time. I know that. I promise it won't ever happen again."
"Damn straight it isn't, because you two are not ever gonna be alone in this house again." Darry said still not making eye contact with his younger brother.
"That's fair, for now, I guess." Soda said while returning the kool aid jug back to the refrigerator.
"No, it's not for now Sodapop. Jesus, do you even realize what you've done?" For the first time since Sodapop had entered the kitchen Darry brought his eyes up to meet those of Soda's. "Our six year old sister now has all these questions about what you were doing with Sandy and why. You think that's a topic of conversation I want to be having with her? Jesus, it's not even a topic of conversation I want to be having with Ponyboy, never mind Sara. This was a royal screw up Soda."
"I'll talk with her, Dar. It's my mess, I'll fix it. I don't need you cleaning up my messes. I'm a man; I'll take care of it."
"Oh, really? You call yourself a man? Because I beg to differ with you little buddy, A man, wouldn't be stupid enough to let his six year old sister catch him having sex with his girlfriend, only a horny teenage boy would do something that stupid. Gosh, Soda you need to start learning to keep that thing in your pants or else you're gonna have a lot bigger problems than what we have here tonight." It had been on the tip of Darry's tongue since he caught him and Sandy but now that it was just the two of him it finally came out.
"I'm using protection Darry. That's not gonna happen!" Soda's voice starting to rise.
"Lower your voice! You're gonna wake up Sara, and this isn't something I want Pony hearing."
"Pony's sleeping." Soda informed Darry. Darry glanced over towards the hall and just nodded his head. "What's do you want from me? I've apologized, I told you I'd take care of it, I'm not gonna bring Sandy around when you're not here to supervise, so what else do you want from me?" Soda was ready to take a seat at the table when Darry barked at him.
"I want you to listen to me damn it! When I tell you not to do something, that's what I mean." Darry looked Sodapop up and down before adding, "Wasn't the last thing that I said to you this morning was don't make me regret this?" Soda shook his head up and down. "Then damn it Soda that's what I mean. I swear to God, I feel I'm talking to the wall with you three here lately. And the further we get into this situation the worse you three are getting. I mean at the beginning you all did pretty good with listening to me, now I swear you all just do whatever the hell you want to, and we can't continue this way. I'm in charged. I'm the one that signed the guardian papers. Me, not you! I'm still in charge, and when you do shit like this, it literally drives me crazy. I honestly feel like I'm going over the edge." Sodapop just stared at Darry. He looked so old, and tired and just plain defeated when Soda took a good hard look at him sitting in that chair. The irony of this whole thing is that Darry looked exactly like their father, sitting in his exact same chair their father used to sit in, speaking in the exact same tone that their father used with them when they were in trouble. Soda didn't really know what to say, he had run out of things to say really, he had no defense left. "I don't know what else to say Soda. All that's left to say is you need to shape up or ship out. The same goes with Ponyboy, because I can't continue to do this with you two. I set the rules because I know more, not because I want to be mean. You forget that I've been there. I'm not naïve. I knew something like this was gonna happen, that's why I warned you this morning." Darry abruptly stood up, making Sodapop take a few steps back not sure if Darry was gonna take a swing at him or something. "I'm too tired for this shit. How the hell am I gonna trust the three of you while I'm working two jobs? You didn't even make it one night before all hell broke loose." Darry shook his head and pushed his chair in towards the table. "I'm gonna try to get some sleep. I would suggest you do the same." Without bidding good night to Sodapop, Darry shuffled his tired body back to his room. When Sodapop heard the door shut he moved to the living room where he threw himself on the couch. He sat there for a few minutes just trying to get his head clear of everything that had happened and with the lecture that Darry just gave him. He pulled himself up from the couch and moved down the hall. He passed his room and moved onto Sara's. He carefully opened the door and leaned his head against the doorframe watching his sister sleep peacefully. He couldn't help the small smile that was creeping onto his lips when he heard the radio playing, "My Girl" by the Temptations. The smile played on his lips because the music playing proved his big brother's heart isn't made out of ice like some might believe it to be. After watching his little sister sleep he crept in to turn off the music, but the instant that it was off Sara rolled over and slowly opened her heavy eyes.
"Soda?" her sleepy voice asked.
"Go back to sleep, Babygirl." Soda planted a gently kiss on Sara's forehead and stroked her hair to help sooth her back to sleep. Sara closed her eyes and fell to sleep just like that. Sodapop move quietly from Sara's room back to his. There he found almost the same sight as with Sara. Ponyboy was still curled up on his right side and sleeping soundly. Sodapop fumbled around for some clothes and once he was satisfied with what he had he moved back out to the kitchen and opened one of the drawers where he grab an empty brown paper bag. He shoved his clothes in the bag and rolled it up. He tucked it under his arm and moved through the living room and opened their front door and slipped out, making sure to catch the screen door so that it didn't slam and wake up his family. He took one look at the house and moved on down their rickety steps towards the road. He headed towards the dark empty street. As he moved along he passed a few houses that still had lights on inside, but most of the neighborhood had settled down for the night. Soda wasn't sure what the rest of the night was gonna bring, but he was sure hoping that it wasn't gonna bring anything like it had already brought.