Chapter 51
The weekend flew by faster than Sara wanted it too. She was relieved to be off restriction, it had been a long week without music, and television. But more so it was just wonderful to have freedom again and she planned on not going on restriction again anytime soon. Sara had really enjoyed the weekend so far. She noticed that there had been a change in the family, in a positive way for once. Since Friday night it seemed like things were pretty good within the household. Everyone was getting along and they actually all seemed happy. Now what happened to make that happiness, Sara wasn't really sure, but as she sat on her swing watching the boys play what they called a mature game of monkey in the middle with the football, Sara knew she didn't want it to end. It felt like this was the first time in a while that the family actually felt like a family. Everyone seemed as if they really wanted to be together and they were enjoying it as well. There were very few arguments, and everyone seemed to be respecting each other's needs and it was simple the best. Sara swung her legs back and forth and just smiled at her brothers and their friends. Normally she would be begging to join in but not today. She would rather sit back and take it all in. What would Pony say, oh yeah, he would say "savoring the moment". For Sara wasn't stupid she was well aware of the old saying, "All good things must come to an end." And that was this kind of moment. She knew that the end would be tomorrow morning when they all had to part and go their separate ways. She had never really thought about it before when her parents were alive, but lately she has come to realize that even though they all have the same goal, and that was to stay together, she knew, even at the age of six, that they weren't always going to be together. The fact that Sodapop was in love with Sandy, and even though he hadn't mentioned anything out loud when she was around, she knew that Soda wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. And Pony, oh Pony, he was going places. She heard it all the time. Darry was constantly saying so along with Sodapop. But of course they would because they were his brothers but it was when Johnny would say it or Two-Bit, or even when Dally had said it a time or two. Sara knew that Pony would leave them one day and become someone. So that just left her and Darry. She hadn't ever thought about Darry leaving until this weekend when she really noticed how Darry reacted around Maggie at the dance and then the story he shared about wanting to marry her and there was Claire. Even though Darry would never admit it, Sara knew deep down inside he needed to find a girl. But like with Soda, if Darry liked her enough, than that would mean marriage for them, and as everyone knows the old song, Darry and Claire or Maggie or whoever it might be, sitting in a tress, K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes loves, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage, sucking his thumb, wetting his pants doing the hula, hula dance." Sara knew this to be true, but if he started having his own babies and kids, where would that leave her? And the same would go for Soda and Sandy; they would be having babies too. She knew that Pony would never care, and why should he? By the time this would happen he would be applying to collages somewhere, probably far away from Tulsa, Oklahoma. But not Sara she would still be too young to go or do anything. As Sara sat there she couldn't help but wonder if that was possibly the one and only father/daughter dance that she'd ever experience? If Darry and Soda went off and got married they would want to bring their own real daughters not their sister. Sara leaned her head on the thick rope of the swing and let herself be overcome with what was to become of her. No one was ever telling her that she was going places, or that she was ever gonna be somebody. And she was way too young to fall in love and be swept away like in the movies, so what would ever become of Sara Marie Curtis? What started off to be a moment of peace had now turned into a moment of uncertainty. Sara continued to sway back and forth and watched every movement of just her three brothers. Even though the gang was moving around she only cared about that of a boy that had Curtis as a last name. Once the game started to become a pig pile and Sara could no longer see any of her brothers she got up from her swing and moved towards the house. Now that she had made herself feel sad and depressed about what the future held for her she wanted to hide from it all. She managed to slip by the boys and their pig pile and into the house. Just as she was stepping inside the phone rang. Now Darry didn't usually like her answering their phone but seeing no one was rushing in to answer it, and it was still ringing she moved over and picked it up. With some hesitancy she said, "Hello?"
"Is this Sara?" A female voiced asked from the other end.
Again Sara was hesitant for Darry would surely not like Sara giving out any information. "Yes." Sara stuttered out.
"Sara, this is Maggie. Remember from the other night?" Sara sighed a bit relieved when she heard that it was Maggie. This way Darry wouldn't be so upset with her if he found out.
"Hi Maggie, I remember." Sara repositioned herself so that she could keep an eye on the boys outside but not too far for the cord to the phone was stretched as far as it could go.
"Did you have a good time at the dance?" Sara kind of wished that Maggie would just get to the point and stop the small talk. But she stayed polite.
"Yes. It was nice."
"Oh, that's wonderful. I have to admit you sure can pick your dates. You had the best two looking boys in Tulsa at your side." Sara's eyes were almost rolling back in her head from boredom of this phone call. Thank goodness Darry doesn't let her answer the phone. She would hate having to do this every time a girl called.
Sara couldn't help what came off of her lips next, but it did and she couldn't take it back. "Maggie, what can I do for you?"
"Umm, would Darry happen to be around?" Maggie seemed a bit caught off guard by Sara's directness, but managed to get out why she had really called. Sara stood there frozen for a second. She didn't know what to do. If she called out to Darry he would know that she had answered the phone and then their so called perfect weekend would end with him scolding her for answering. But if she told Maggie that he wasn't there than that would be lying, and she remembered what happened to Ponyboy a while back when he lied, soap in the mouth. And Sara clearly remembered herself what that tasted like and she never wanted to have to experience it again! Sara felt like she was damned if she did, damned if she didn't. But it wasn't until she peeked out the window and noticed that her brothers were heading towards the house. It was a wonderful picture. Ponyboy was in the middle and Darry was on one side of him and Sodapop on the other and their arms were all draped around each other's shoulders, family she thought. "Sara?" It was Maggie's voice that pulled her back to what she was supposed to be doing. She doesn't really know what made her make the decision she made. It could have been her feeling sad about what the future might hold, or it could have been how happy she saw her brothers right at that moment but she answered back to Maggie in a rush.
"No sorry Maggie. He's not hear right now."
"Alright, can you tell him that I called? I really need to speak with him. I'm home for the summer and am with my parents. He should remember the phone number." She said with a giggle, which almost made Sara want to puke.
"Yup." Was all Sara wanted to respond with, she figured if she gets caught this will save her for she wasn't really confirming a yup to anything in particular. It could have been they yup I'll tell him, or the yup you're at your parents or yup that he would remember the phone number there.
"Alright sweetie, it was nice to talk with you again. I hope that we'll be seeing each other real soon. Don't forget to tell Darry, alright?" Sara couldn't believe this lady. She moved back against the wall for the boys were almost to the porch and she didn't want to get caught on the phone.
"Yup. I've gotta go. I'm needed by Ponyboy." Sara said trying to hurry Maggie along.
"Alright Sara…." But before Maggie could even say good-bye, Sara was placing the receiver back down. She dodged into Soda and Pony's room so that she wouldn't be seen by Darry. Her heart was beating so fast, for she had never done something like that before in her life. One thing that her parents never approved of was lying and it was something that Darry was carrying through as he took over guardianship of them. He would be livid to find out, just ask Ponyboy. Sara was now in another pickle though, what would she say if she was caught in the boys' room? Again a scolding would come if she said she was looking for something, and she didn't want the night to end this way. So she did the first thing she could think of and that was to throw herself onto the boys' bed. She would pretend that she wanted to lay in their bed and rest. Hopefully one of them would buy it. She had just flopped herself down when in fact Sodapop came in tossing his dirty shirt off. He hardly noticed Sara until he was putting on a clean shirt.
"Oh, hey Sara." Soda was a bit surprised to see her in his bed but the expression on her face told him that something was bothering her and instead of asking why she had taken refuge in his bed, he figured he would try another route.
"Hi ya Soda." Sara said sadly. Sodapop detected the sadness right away and moved on over to the bed.
"What's wrong?" He asked pushing her hair back. Sara just laid there wondering what to say. Should she tell Soda the truth about the phone call, or confide in him what she had been thinking while on the swing? While she was pondering what to say, Soda spoke again. "You're worrying about Mrs. Roberts visit aren't you?" Sara shot up and looked at Sodapop with wide eyes. Soda knew immediately that she didn't know about this yet. He stumbled over his next words. "I thought, well I thought that Darry had told you. He told me last night he was gonna tell you today." Before Sara could hear anymore she was scooting off of the bed and yelling for Darry.
"Darry!" Sara screamed at the top of lung as she exited the boys' room. "Dar…" She didn't get to finish saying the rest for Darry was coming up from behind her.
"Jeez Sara. What's so important that the whole neighborhood needs to hear you?" Sara spun around and stomped her foot and crossed her arms. "Sara?" Darry could tell by her attitude that this wasn't gonna fair well for either of them. This could possible put a damper on the rest of the day and weekend.
"Darry when were you planning on telling me that Mrs. Roberts was coming?" Darry was about to defend his actions when Sara started to shout again. "Why am I always the last to find out these things?" By this time Sara was yelling so loud it had drawn the attention of the rest of the gang. They all had started gathering in and around the doorway of the kitchen and living room.
"Stop yelling!" Darry demanded noticing that she had drawn a crowd.
"I'll stop yelling when you start telling me things!" Sara was starting to be quite obstinate and Darry wasn't gonna take it.
"Sara, that's enough!" Darry demanded again. When Sara started to open her mouth again he grabbed a hold of her left arm and started moving her down the hall and away from the crowd. "Sara, I can't believe you're doing this! You just got off for good behavior yesterday and now you're gonna ruin it?" Sara started up again.
"But it isn't fair! You told the boys! Why not me?" She hollered. Darry finally lost his cool and matched Sara yells.
"Because they can handle it, damn it!" The force and pitch of Darry's yelled startled Sara to stop. She looked up and it suddenly hit her, Darry didn't think she could handle it. How can that be? After everything they've been through.
In a very defeated voice Sara released he true feelings. "I can to handle it. I've handled everything so far, haven't I?" Darry released his grip on his sister's arm and leaned up against the wall in the hall. He let out a heavy sigh and turned to noticed that both Sodapop and Ponyboy and the gang were still watching from the living room and kitchen area. He ran his right hand through his sweaty hair and looked back down at his little sister. Gosh, how little she looked. Sometimes Darry found it so hard switching from playing and having fun, just being one of the boys to parental role and having to deal with Sara and her behavior. If he could choose it would definitely be playing and having fun, being one of the boys again, not the father figure he needed to be.
"Sara, it's just that sometimes I know it might seem like I'm keeping things from you, but it isn't that at all, it's just..." Darry was quickly interrupted.
"It's just what then?" Sara's face was starting to turn red with frustration and anger. But her actions were starting to wear on Darry and he was losing his cool with her as much as she was with him.
"Sara I don't need to defend my actions to you! I'm the adult and you're the child and I'm gonna make decision while you're living here that you're not gonna like, but that's the way it's gonna be. So get used to it!"
"I won't! And you can't make me!" Sara had mustered up all the energy she could and she rushed at her brother and gave him the hardest shove which caught Darry by surprise and he stumbled slightly but caught himself. But this action by Sara only fueled Darry more.
"Sara Marie Curtis!" But by the time Darry got out the Marie Curtis part Sara had stormed off into her room and slammed the door shut, right in Darry's face as be followed.
Darry heard a comment come from one of the boys about "this is getting good" and he flashed a threating glare in their direction. Sodapop could tell that things were started to heat up between the two and just like when Darry was after Ponyboy for something he knew he needed to step in. As he started moving down the hall Darry noticed him coming. "Don't you start in too!"
"C'mon Dar, walk away and cool down some. Maybe if you give her some time alone she'll calm down a little too. But right now you two are so alike that neither of you are gonna see each other's point." Soda tried.
"We're nothing alike! She's impossible!" Darry shouted, but Sodapop just gave him a look like, "Oh, really?" He then gave his big brother a second to think about it.
"I'm not so sure about that, Dar." Soda finally said.
"No Sodapop! I would of never dare to act like that with Dad at her age!" And there it was again, he was actually comparing himself to his father. But what would his father do he thought? Well standing here with a door slammed in his face wouldn't of gone unnoticed that's for sure. Their father probably would have marched in through that door and landed a swift hard hand to their back side, and Darry had just the mind to do that. He could hear from the other side of the door that Sara had her radio blaring so loud that when he went to place his hand on the doorknob it was actually vibrating. When he opened the door "Stop in the Name of Love" by the Supremes was blaring. Darry immediately marched over and turned it off, ready to follow through with what his father would have done.
"Hey!" Sara yelled at her brother when the music had died. "You said I could have that back!" Sara marched her tiny body over to the radio and tried with all her might to turn it back on but Darry wasn't having any of it. This only infuriated Sara even more. "That's my radio you can't touch it! And this's my room, so just get out!" Sara had resorted to the sister- brother relationship now and had totally stopped looking at Darry as any parental figure, but that wasn't how Darry was looking at this outburst. In one swift movement Darry had ahold of Sara and had turned her around and landed that swift, hard, firm smack on her backside, but before he went in for another one he added.
"When you start paying the rent around her you can make the rules. But for now, the music is to stay off, and you are to stay in this room until I say you can come out." Darry was at his wits end with this little girl and they both needed time to cool off before they discussed Mrs. Roberts any further, or anything else at that matter. But by this time Sara was so enraged with the spanking she just started blurting out nonsense or what seemed like nonsense to the boys, but was in fact some of Sara's newest fears.
In between tears and sobs Sara yelled out "You probably wished I would just do that, don't you? So I'll be out of your hair! Isn't that what your plans are for me when you get married and have kids of your own? When Sodapop moves out with Sandy and Ponyboy goes off to college? Just lock me away in my room? Just forget about me, well fine then!" There she finally released all her newest fears. But to Soda and Darry, they just knew that Sara was so angry that now she wasn't even making any sense. Although when Darry heard the Soda and Sandy part he threw a glare towards Sodapop, who looked just as shock to hear this news. He simple shook his head from side to side, giving Darry a silent answer.
"What are you talkin' about? Soda and Pony ain't going anywhere. And I sure the hell ain't getting married and having any kids. Where'd you get a silly idea like that is beyond me." Darry spun around and started to leave the room when he caught a glimpse of Sara kicking her books with her feet and sputtering and clinching her fist all while crying and sobbing. Darry couldn't help but to shake his head at his sister in disgust. He was so angry with her right now that all the tears in the world wouldn't make him stay and try to make her feel better about this. He was just about at her door when he paused for Sara wasn't done yet.
"Fine then, I'll just tell Mrs. Roberts that she can take me away with her. Is that what you want?" Sara shouted with anger at her big brother. Darry couldn't believe what had just come out of her mouth. Was that really what she was feeling? After he had just taken her to the dance and all? After she had told him that he was just the best? How could she switch emotions as fast as he shifted gears in his truck? It always amazed Darry how her moods swung from being a sweet little girl, to a little devil child in a split second. He pushed passed Sodapop who was still watching on from the doorway, knowing that he needed to get outta there before he said anything that he would regret, or worst, like delivering more than a swat or two. When Soda didn't follow, Darry retraced his steps and grabbed the back of his brother's t-shirt. "C'mon Soda. I want her to be left alone so that she can think about what she actually just said along with everything else."
"But Dar let me try and talk with her." Soda pleaded. He was feeling a bit guilty for her reaction. He did mess up things and told her that Mrs. Roberts is coming after all.
"Am I gonna have to send you to your room too?" Darry half joked. The mood he was now in, he wouldn't hesitate to do just that.
"As if." Soda smirked. He took one more last look at his sister who was still moving around her room pouting, and muttering, but not so loud that they could hear and lastly rubbing at her backside where Darry had just left two hard hits on. Soda sighed but listened to Darry and moved on out. Once Sodapop was out of the way, Darry swiftly moved in and closed his sister's door and started to walk away. He made it to the fridge and pulled out the last beer. He had the cap popped off of it and took a long chug before even closing the refrigerator's door.
"C'mon Man. You've dealt with worse than that. That was nothing." Dally spoke up as he watched Darry from his spot in the arm chair.
Darry let out a loud huff. "I swear if I knew then what I know now, six years ago I would have been praying every night that the new baby was a boy." Darry entered the living room where the boys were all just hanging around in. "Why does everything with that kid have to be so dramatic? One minute everything is peachy keen and the next it's like the world is ending. And what is this shit with Sodapop moving out with Sandy and Pony heading off to college. Doesn't she know that Pony has to make it through high school first?"
Two-Bit couldn't help but lighten the mood up by tackling Pony and making a comment. "Didn't you get the memo Dar? This kids a genius. He's skipping right over high school and straight to college." Pony and Two-Bit rolled around on the floor but Darry's attention was still on Sara. He moved on passed the boys and out onto their front porch and down the stairs to his pickup truck. He didn't really know what he was gonna do, but he needed to get away from it, away from them and their wise ass comments, and most of all away from her. Darry leaned on the front bumper of the truck and drank his beer. He was over half way through when he heard the opening of their screen door. He didn't even need to turn to see who it was, for he already knew. The footsteps coming were awfully quiet to belong to anyone else. Nothing was said and the kid just sat down on the bumper beside his brother. He squeezed his brother's shoulder to try to offer some comfort. When that didn't work the two sat there in silence until Soda couldn't stand it anymore.
"Sorry, I thought you had told her. You said you were gonna tell her today."
"I was. I just hadn't gotten to it yet." The two sat again in silence, Darry digging at the dirt driveway with the toe of his sneaker and Sodapop picking at some of the rust that had formed on the bumper. When Soda couldn't get the rust to peel off anymore he spoke again.
"You don't think she meant it do you Dar?"
"Nah." Darry said a bit melancholy.
"Where do you think she came up with all that shit?"
"I don't know Pepsi. Sometimes she hears the slightest thing and then that imagination of hers goes into overdrive. Married and kids? Jesus Pepsi, I can't even think of that right now. I can barely provide for you three never mind adding a wife and kids to the mix." Darry took another swig of his beer and when he swallowed he spoke again. "Do you think she might of heard something at the bowling alley the other night? Or from one of the guys? " Soda just shrugged his shoulders. "Or from the story I told last night?"
"It could have been seeing you with Maggie and then the story. But then again, you did say you weren't marrying Maggie." Soda paused and then added, "It could be Claire."
"It was probably Maggie." Darry hissed. He wasn't sure if he should spill the beans to Sodapop, but hell the kid already knew history between him and Maggie so what the heck. "When we were leaving the dance Maggie insisted that I go grab a drink with her and we try to reconnect." Darry stopped and finally looked at his brother for the first time since he sat down and what he saw brought a smile to his own face. There was no look of surprise on his little brother's face and actually he was wearing his shitty ass grin. Darry slapped him softly on the back of the head. "Not like that you idiot!"
"I saw how she wanted to reconnect Dar. I mean sending Sara over with the whoopie pie, then talking about making you a batch for your eighteenth birthday." Sodapop hesitated for an instant and then added, "And what about making a little something else afterwards for your birthday? Jeez Dar even I saw it coming. But how does Sara play in this?"
Darry placed his empty beer bottle down on the ground and rubbed his forehead. "Well, I thought Sara was sleeping but she must have been playing possum. That little shit!"
"Well did ya tell her yes?" Sodapop couldn't help but ask.
"No! Jesus No, Soda. That's ancient history. We're living two totally different lives. She's in college studying to be a teacher and I'm here working and studying how to…" Darry didn't finish his sentence, but Soda did.
"You mean studying how to raise two kids?"
"The last time I counted it was three kids." Darry flashed his brother a smirk.
"What? Three? How about two and half?" The two boys shared a small chuckle before Soda added. "Let me go talk with her Dar. I might be able to get through that thick head of hers"
Darry thought about it for a minute before responding. "No, Soda. I want her to think about what she really said. I want her to think about what that threat really means! What that would mean for her and for us." Darry placed his two hands in his face and rubbed it hard. He wanted to know if it was all about just being mad at him, or does she really want to try living somewhere else?
Soda hated to bring it up but it was weighing on him and he had to get it out. "You hit her again Dar." Darry looked up from his pacing and Soda could of sworn he saw Darry's eyes glazed over with water. "You said you were gonna try not to do that again." Soda reminded his big brother.
But that only aggravated Darry more than he already was. He swung around and stared a cold glare at his brother. "Yeah, well, that's what Dad would of done to us and she had it coming with pushing me and all." Darry kicked an oil can that was lying in the drive. "Dammit Soda, it's not like I enjoy doing it, or that I want to do it, it's just the only thing that gets her attention these days."
Soda was shaking his head from side to side. "But I don't think it worked this time Dar. It only engulfed her more." Darry continued pacing looking for things to kick, seeing he couldn't hit anything. Soda could tell by his brother's movements that he needed to try to lightening things up a bit so he took a different angle. "She didn't mean it, and you know it Dar. That's just Sara being Sara when she's mad; you've got to know that one by now?" Soda was trying to joke with his brother after the whole shepard's pie event last night, but Darry was in no mood.
"Yes Soda, I know that by now." Darry found himself unable to stay there any longer now that the beer was gone, there was nothing to steady his nerves. "I'm going for a drive. I'll be back." He moved over towards the driver's door and pulled it open. Before he got in he had two things to remind his brother of. "Soda, you best leave her in there until I get back." Soda just nodded his head and started walking back towards their yard with his hands dug deep in his pockets; his shoulders slumped and head down. Darry was about to jump in when he stuck his head back over the roof. "And Soda, if I'm not back for dinner, go ahead and eat without me." Soda brought his head up and met Darry's icy eyes.
"C'mon, Man. You're not gonna be gone that long." Darry just shrugged and hopped back in the truck and before Sodapop could even try to change Darry's mind, he was outta there. Soda watched as the dust settle from Darry ripping out of their drive so fast and when there wasn't anything else to see Soda retreated back into the house. There was plenty of conversation goin' on along with a wrestling match between Steve and Two-Bit.
"Where's Darry going?" Pony asked reading the expression on his brother's face.
"I don't know Pon." When Pony's face twitched, Soda could tell there were goin' to be more questions coming.
"How long is he gonna be gone?"
"I don't know that either." Soda sat down on the arm on the couch and watched on as Steve was actually winning this round with Two-Bit.
"I get the winner of this match." Soda needed to get his frustration out and his mind off of Darry, and Sara and everything else that is always weighing on the young man's mind.
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Darry drove around for what seemed like an hour before finally coming to a destination. It really wasn't his main destination but he just happened to come upon it and so he decided what the hell. He swung in and sat in the truck for a minute almost feeling guilty that he was gonna treat himself without the rest of his siblings here, but hey he deserved it right? He pushed himself outta of the truck before he had time to change his mind. He walked in hearing the laughter of young children and the cries of a baby and managed to get up to the counter.
"Can I help you Sir?" A young teenage girl, maybe about Ponyboy's age asked.
"Um, a banana split please, but hold the nuts."
"Will that be all Sir?" Darry knew that the young girl was just being polite but did she have to keep calling him Sir? It made him feel so old, and feel just like this father.
"No, that'll be it."
"For here or to go?" She asked as she wrote down his order.
"Here." Darry mumbled still stuck on the whole Sir thing.
"That'll be sixty five cents." Darry handed the girl seventy five cents, "Keep the change." The girl seemed very excited at the ten cent tip.
"Thank you so much Sir. It'll be right up." The girl turned and giggled with another girl who was making the banana spilt. Darry couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He watched the girls and for some reason it made him think of Sara. Would she work here at the Dairy Queen or perhaps someplace else? He was pulled out of his thoughts when the girl walked back over with the over flowing treat. "Here you are Sir." Darry reached forward and pleasantly smiled and moved over to an empty booth. It was hard not to get distracted with all the families and kids running around the place, for it were Sunday after all. Most people referred to Sundays as family day. And here he was all by his lonesome while his family was at home doing god knows what. Darry tried to shake the thought from his head and dug into his delicious, gooey mess of wonder. He had only taken a few bites when a little girl, probably Sara's age had just ran passed him. She just about out of Darry's reach when she tripped over her untied shoe and landed hard on the floor. A big cry escaped the child, and natural reflexes Darry jumped up and over to the little girl. When he got to the child's side she had blood coming from her lip and nose. Darry had some napkins in his hands and quickly pressed them up to the little girl's nose to stop the bleeding. All Darry could really think of was Sara of course.
"It's gonna be ok. My name is Darry. You are alright." The little girl seems to since Darry's kindness and her screams settled down to a smaller cry. As Darry checked to see if the bleeding had stopped, another figure approached.
"How is she?" Darry knew that voice and he shot up looking at the young lady who was beside him.
"Claire?"
"Darry?" The two looked at each other like they hadn't seen each one another in ages.
"Molly! Oh my gosh Molly honey." The child's mother had rushed from the restroom area over to her daughter. She quickly swooped in and took over. She thanked Darry and Claire for their assistance and ushered her daughter off to their booth. That left Darry and Claire standing there awkwardly looking at each other. Claire of course was the first to break the silence.
"Are you some superhero or something?" Darry just chuckled and shook his head from side to side. "Huh, I don't know if I can agree with you about that. It seems like you're always there to rescue the damsels in distress." Again the two shared a laugh.
"Ma'am, your order is up." The same young girl that waited on Darry was trying to get Claire's attention.
"Excuse me for a minute Darry." Darry nodded and watched as Claire went over and picked up her order of a cheese burger, French fry and milk shake. Darry don't know what he was thinking for it was obvious that she was getting take- out but as she moved closer he went for it.
"Are you in a hurry?" He asked.
"No. My parents went over to their friend's house after church so I thought I would just grab this. Why?"
"Umm, I was just enjoying a banana split and thought if you well; if you had time you would like to join me." Claire looked around like she was looking for someone and when she couldn't identify that person she turned back to Darry.
"Where's your brothers and sister?"
"Oh, at home. I needed to get away from the craziness for a little while and I ended up here." Claire seemed to understand and didn't judge Darry for that and she simply responded.
"Sure, why not?" He moved back to his booth and Claire slid into the other side. Once Darry sat down he looked down at what used to be a banana split. Claire unpacked her food and noticed the frown. She followed his eyes down to the sloppy mess and couldn't help but to laugh. "Sorry Darry, but that doesn't look much like a banana split." Darry noticed how contagious her laughter was and soon he found himself laughing a deep, happy laugh as well.
"No, I guess it doesn't."
In between gasps of air Claire tried to pull herself together. When she had control of her laughter she managed to speak. "See what you get for always rescuing the fair maiden?"
"Alright, alright." Darry warned, but still smiled. Claire had composed herself enough to start to eat her burger and fry. The two were quiet for a minute before Claire started in again. "I don't mean to be so bold, but what craziness are you trying to avoid at home?" Darry started to shift a bit in his seat and was trying to figure out how he could get around this, but as he thought about it he figured why hide anything? She is Sara's nurse and all.
"Well, Sara kind of had a little fit before I left over Mrs. Roberts coming tomorrow."
"Oh, that's your social worker right?" Darry shook his head but also raised his left eyebrow as to ask how to do you know. Claire clearly read it and decided to provide Darry was some information. "She called the office Friday afternoon Darry. She was looking for information on Sara. I started to give her some, but half way through our conversation she demanded to speak with Dr. Robinson. I wish I could tell you what they discussed but he took it in his office." Darry for some reason did not seem one bit surprised by what Claire was saying, so she continued. "She was inquiring about the appointment from the other day, but I did not know that and I started giving her information from her visit that morning. I'm sorry Darry." Again this wasn't any news to Darry. For Mrs. Roberts had told Darry that they had much to discuss when she came on Monday. But when Darry was stuck on the conversation he had with Mrs. Roberts he almost forgot that Claire was still sitting there. "Darry?" She called. Once he came back around he looked across the booth and saw this beautiful young lady staring back at him. "Darry, is everything alright? I mean I just feel awful if I have jeopardized anything for you and your sibling." Darry could tell that Claire was generally concerned. He let a small grin pull at his lips.
"No Claire everything isn't all right. You know there has been so many times I thought yeah things are gonna be alright and then in a blink of an eye everything changes again." Claire slowly reached over and placed her warm hand over Darry's big clammy one. His gaze dipped down from her beautiful green eyes to that of her small, dainty hand. It's almost like he could feel the electricity flowing through her hand to his and he didn't know what had hit him, but he just started rambling. "I don't even know how I ended up here today. I had just blown my gasket with Sara. She was hollering and yelling and carrying on so because I hadn't told her about Mrs. Roberts visit yet. And then she pushed me as I was trying to send her to her room." Darry paused as he felt Claire squeeze his hand. He looked back into her sympathetic eyes and just continued. There was something about this girl that just made him feel like he could tell her his deepest, darkest secrets and yet she would still be there holding his hand. "I just lost my cool. I promised myself that I wouldn't ever lose it with them now that I was their guardian, but I did." Darry pulled his hand away and placed them in his hair like he wanted to pull it out, but instead he just ran them nice and slow through it. He didn't need to say anymore for Claire knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Darry, I hardly doubt you harmed her in any way that she won't recover from." What was it with this girl Darry thought as he starred at her? How on earth could she possibly be so supportive and understanding? Why wasn't she running in the other direction? Trying to get away from his dysfunctional life as fast as she could?
"I don't know Claire. I hit her pretty hard. And I promised myself that I wasn't gonna raise her like my Dad raised me. I hate myself every time I have too though."
And there it was again. Darry had just spelled it out for her clear as day that he had spanked his sister, and let Claire had not flinched, not one bat of an eyelash. Instead she was full of comfort for the guy. "Darry, I honestly don't know much about you, but you don't seem like the type of guy that would physical hurt someone that they loved. And I've only seen you a few times with your sister and brothers but what I have seen I can tell you have nothing but love for them." She stopped so that she could make sure that he was hearing her. And when she could read it in his eyes she continued to explain what her view was of him and his family. "And believe me as an outsider Darry; they love you just as much. I can see it every time you bring one of them into the clinic, especially Sara. So you had to spank her, but something tells me that she might have had it coming." Darry gave a slight nod which made Claire only continued. "If there is one thing I know about that little girl is she tough. To go through everything that she had gone through over these past seven month and can still look at you like you're her superhero, there's something to say for that Darry." When Darry just made a crackle sound Claire knew he wasn't convinced of what she was saying. "Darry you know you can't be everything to everyone, but at least you can hope to be something to someone. But you are that something to that someone, and it's amazing to sit back and get to watch it from where I sit." Darry was fasinated with this girl and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was kind, caring, intelligent, and more. "To be honest with you Darry, I don't think I could ever do what you're doing. I mean I don't have any younger siblings but if I did, I would never be able to do it. I'm too selfish. I wouldn't be able to put them first, and from what I have observed you are doing just that. More than you probably realize Darrel."
Darry listened to every word she had to say, every breath that Claire took, but for some reason he still couldn't agree with it. He let out a humph as he watch a father wipe up his daughter's face and shirt outside on the pinic tables. It reminded him again of how many times he had done that for Sara. He doesn't know what power Claire had but for some reason he found it so easy to talk with her about personal stuff that he wouldn't share with anyone else. "You know, my parents would always bring us here when we were feeling down about something. My old man would always say nothing heals the wounds like ice cream. And he had always been right. No matter what it was, a fight with a good friend, or losing in an important game, or simple because, the ice cream always helped make it feel better." Darry moved the now slooshy liquid around with his spoon and then pushed it away. "How come it isn't now? Does that only work on kids or something?"
"Is that why you came here? In hopes that the ice cream would help you feel better?" Claire took a sip from her milk shake while Darry watched as she wrapped her full and plump pink lips around the straw and slowly took in the drink. He looked away real fast just in case she might have noticed what he was watching. She pulled her lips away sharply and asked, "Well is it?" Darry just shrugged a shoulder. "I think it was. I think that you were hoping like when you were a child that there banana split would make it all go away. And guess what Darry a banana split isn't gonna wash away anything. What you need to do is get your sorry ass up off that bench and back to your house and address this with Sara like the adult you are, not like the kid you want to be." And there it was. This is why Darry found this girl so intriguing. She was sweet and sentivite and supportive when he needed her to be, but then when he needed it she was bold, an opinionated and forceful. But after Claire had finished stating the facts she studied Darry's expression and she soon realized that she might have just crossed the line here. As she was sitting in the booth folding up her wrappers in a nice neat four square fold she noticed out of the corner of her eye a smirk spreading acorss Darry's face. She stopped her folding and the two locked eyes. They didn't need to pass a word between them for they both knew what each other was trying to say. Darry finally broke the silence.
"You know Claire, you might just be right about this whole mess. What was I thinking about taking off like that? Sara needed me, Sodapop sure as hell didn't deserve to have to stay home and follow through with my punishment for her and god knows what Ponyboy must be thinking." Claire was happy to hear this from Darry, for she was afraid there for a minute that she had offended the man and had over stepped her bounds with him. She let this amazing smile appear and she let a soft giggle out.
"Can you say that again? Because I just love hearing when I'm right." Darry started to give her a funny look like she was crazy, but then it turned into a heart felt laugh.
"Now your starting to sound like my brothers."
"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" The two continued to laugh until Darry glanced at the clock. He realized that he had been gone since two and that the two had probably been sitting here for almost fourty minutes. He really hated to leave but he knew he should get back to the house. Claire wasn't stuipd she could tell what he was doing and knew exactly what to say. "It was great running into you Steve Rogers, but I've gotta be going myself too."
Darry again raised his eyebrow and questioned her, "Steve Rogers? Is that an old boy friend or something?" Claire got up from her seat with trash in hand and playfully smacked Darry's arm.
"Oh, come on Darrel. Captain America?" She was still laughing as she made her way over to the trashcan where Darry was walking behind to do the same. She stopped as she dumped in her trash. "Captain America is always trying to save the world, just like you." Darry definitely didn't agree with this but he flashed her a smile. He walked her out to her car. He couldn't help to let out a real low whistle when they approached. Claire was driving a 1948 Lincoln Contientenal Covertable with a cabroilet rear. It was mustard yellow with a black soft top and wow was it a beauty.
"Claire this is a beauty!" Now it was Claire's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"This old thing? My god Darry, this thing is almost as old as me for Christ Sakes. It's an old handy me down from my Daddy for crying out loud." Darry's hunch about that was correct, but it was still a classy car.
"Sodapop and Steve would go crazy over this thing. You have to promise me the next time something goes wrong with it that you'll send it over to my brother's shop." Darry carefully ran his finger over the glossey paint job. Wow for a 1948 this thing has hardly any rust, or dings and dents.
"The DX right?" Claire asked pulling Darry out his thoughts about how much this car must of cost.
"Yeah, the DX. Promise." Claire giggled her soft, sweet laugh that Darry found very adorable.
"I promise Darry. Thanks for letting me sit down and eat lunch with you. It was nice." Claire started for her door when Darry jumped over and beat her to it. "Thank you again."
"No, I should be the one to thank you. I mean for helping me see the light."
"Any time. I'll see you later next week with Sara? Hopefully things will be better between you two, and there won't be any more spankings from now until then." They both smirked and Claire sat down on the tan leather seats and went to grab the door handle but Darry had beat her to that too. He carefully shut the door for her and just watched as she rolled down the window. "It was nice running into you again."
"You too."
"Bye Darry."
"Bye Claire, drive safe." Claire waved and looked over her shoulder to see if the coast was clear to back out. When she noticed it was she placed the car in reverse and was soon driving off. Darry watched as she safely made it out of the parking lot and was heading towards the west side of town. When Darry could no longer see the mustard color Lincoln he moved over to his very beat up, tarnish ford pick up truck. As he pulled the door shut he shook his head, "Captain America my ass."