A/N: I felt that the song Scars by Anna Nalick was an appropriate song for writing part of this. Please listen to it while reading?
For The Love of a Greaser
Chapter 39
"God, forgive me..."
The next day started off like any other, the sun rising high in the sky. First with breakfast, then off to school for the kids while the rest of us went to work. It was the same normal routine that was always went through on a school day. Personally, I just wanted to get the day over with so that I could come back home and sleep. I was tired, unable to sleep the last few days for obvious reasons. Darry tried to help the best that he could, but I couldn't help but to feel as though something bad was going to happen. Then again, that's how it had always been around my father.
"Look, here's the number for my job today. If you need me, call, alright?"
Darry's words echoed in my head as I down at the bit of paper that he had given me, a telephone number written on it.
"I think I'll be fine for today," I voice quietly, stuffing it back into my pocket as I stifled a yawn.
The last thing that I needed was Joe poking at me for yawning. It was already bad enough that the guys had told him that my father was back, putting him on edge along with the others. I mean, Darry had gone and told him right off the bat, pulling him off to the side to talk to him. For that, he'd nearly sent me home for the day. Like Darry, Joe knew exactly how bad it bothered me having the man back in town. What he didn't know though, was the nightmares that came back as a result of it, plaguing my dreams.
In fact, I'd woken up last night to another, my breath heaving in and out. I was actually surprised that it hadn't woken Darry. Then again, he'd had a hard day yesterday, leaving him tired and exhausted from work. The construction project that he was on was a big one, taking up a lot of his time when ever it wasn't raining. It'd been like that for the last two weeks. Still, he tried his best to help when he could, giving me the smile that I needed. Unfortunately, it couldn't take the nightmares away, even with his arms wrapped around me protectively each and every night.
"Another drink please?"
T
"You sure you don't wanna go home first and drop your stuff off?" Ponyboy asked as he walked down the street with Eden and Two-Bit.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, if you're brother is home, I'm sure he'd rather we left him be," Eden commented.
"Yeah, good point. He'd probably be sleeping in his chair or something," Ponyboy nodded.
"Probably," Two-Bit chuckled.
T
"Curtis, get your area covered!" Darry's boss yelled out as the rain started to pour down on them.
It hadn't rained all day, but now, their luck had run out. Darry had expected this though given the weather report. He pushed that aside though as he pulled a tarp out, tying it up in an attempt to keep his equipment from getting wet. He then started covering up the rest of his area as the rain pelted down on him, soaking his clothes and hair.
"Darrel, heads up!" one of his buddies called, tossing him a bundle of rope.
Darry let out a small grunt as he caught it at the last minute, his feet shifting against the dampening ground.
"Get things tied up," he told him, going back to cover his own stuff.
Darry nodded his head absently, turning around to tie everything else up. Personally, they didn't need anything falling apart or slipping into the mud by accident.
"Watch out!"
"Huh?"
Darry looked up in time to see some of the building material falling toward him, quickly moving out of the way. He groaned as he landed in the mud a few feet away, his eyes wide.
"The hell is wrong with you guys!" he yelled, picking his hard hat up from the mud.
"Sorry Darrel, it slipped," one of the guys tried, but it did them little good.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you guys were trying to get me killed," he scoffed, trying to brush himself off.
He only made it worse though, smearing the mud on his shirt and face. Part of it washed off though with the rain, leaving him shivering a bit.
"Hey, that's what we have hard hats for," one of them chuckled from up top.
"Bull crap. Doesn't help if you crush the guy," Darry scowled, grabbing his tool belt and walking away from the spot.
T
"Aw, man, it's raining!" Eden cried.
She was rather annoyed to find it pouring rain outside after the movie had finished. To think, she'd actually been in a good mood after the comedy film.
"Well, look at it this way darlin', at least we're not in Oz. Otherwise, you might melt," Two-Bit chuckled, slapping his knee.
Eden looked at him with slightly wide eyes.
"Are you calling me a witch?" she exclaimed.
He just chuckled at this, shaking his head.
"Heck no, I'm just saying."
"Two-Bit, do you ever quit?" Ponyboy asked, drawing his hood up over his head.
"Why do you get a hood?" Eden cried.
Ponyboy just grinned at her like an idiot, before running out into the rain with a laugh.
"Hey, Pony, wait up," Two-Bit called, moving to go after him.
"Wait for me!" Eden yelled, holding her bag close as she rain after the two through the pouring rain.
T
"Hey, Abigail, why don't you get home?" Joe asked, leaning against the counter.
"Huh?" I turned my head to look at him, giving him a curious look.
"You're tired, you should go home and get some rest," he told me.
"But," I started.
I didn't get very far though before he interrupted me, holding his hand up.
"Don't even try," he said, shaking his head.
I let out a sigh at this, closing my eyes for a moment. Every time, every time he did this, whether I liked it or not. Also because I've gone through this so many times with him before, I knew that there was no point arguing.
"Fine," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'll go," I told him, moving to grab my jacket.
I then pulled the piece of paper from my pocket, staring down at it for a moment, before moving over to the phone. I then dialed the number, pressing my ear to the phone. It rang a few times, before someone picked up.
"Hello, this is Davidson, can I help you?" the man asked, his voice a bit on the gruff side as though his throat were sore.
"Um, yes, I'm looking for Darrel Curtis?" I said softly.
"Darrel? I'm sorry ma'am, but he left a few minutes ago. Can I give him a message for you tomorrow?" he inquired.
"Um, no, thank you. I'll just see him at home I guess," I told him.
"Ah, you're Miss Winters then?" he assumed.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, in that case, could you tell him that he left his screwdriver behind?"
"Of course," I nodded.
"Alright then, good day ma'am."
"Good day, sir," I ended quietly, hanging the phone up. "Well, so much for that," I sighed, stuffing the paper back into my pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow Joe," I called over my shoulder, grabbing an umbrella, before running out into the rain.
T
"Hey, Steve, you ever think it's gonna stop raining?" Soda asked, leaning up against the wall of the DX station.
"I don't know, maybe," Steve shrugged, before leaning down and grabbing a hand full of mud.
He then threw it at Soda, hitting him right in the face.
"Hey!" Soda cried, stumbling to the side as he wiped his face.
Steve just laughed, a crazed grin on his face.
"That's it!" Soda exclaimed, before tackling his friend to the ground, and into the mud.
T
"Hurry up, I'm getting soaked!" Eden cried, moving through the rain with Pony and Two-Bit.
All of them were running, moving from on-ing to on-ing. It was practically raining cats and dogs at this point and all that Two-Bit was doing was laughing.
"Come on, slow poke," Two-Bit howled, a long chuckle erupting from his lips.
"I'm not slow, you guys are too fast!" Eden whined, her feet sloshing through the water.
T
"Come on," I groaned, waiting at the street corner for the walk sign to change, the rain still pouring down on me.
I then watched as the light changed, quickly making my way across, a car or two honking they're horns.
"Oh, shut up!" I yelled, watching them fly by once I was out of the way. "Impatient people," I grumbled, making my way down the sidewalk.
T
"Curtis! Randel! Stop messin around!" their boss yelled from inside.
"Sorry boss," Soda grinned, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat there on the ground with Steve, his friend grinning back at him like an idiot.
"You get done fixin the brakes on that car, I'll let you go early," their boss told them, watching as they shot up off the ground and over to the car.
He always knew how to get them moving again. Besides, it wasn't as if many people would be coming out in the rain like this anyway.
T
"Dang it, where's my key?"
I rummaged around in my pockets tried to find my key. It wasn't in my front pockets or my back pockets.
"Wait a minute."
I then felt around in my jacket pockets, letting out a sigh of relief as I found my key, quickly pulling it out and shoving it into the door. I was surprised though when I went to turn it, finding it already unlocked. I knew Darry couldn't be home though because his truck wasn't in front of the house.
"Soda? Ponyboy?" I called, walking into the house.
I didn't hear a response though as I pulled my jacket off and hung it on the coat rack tacked to the wall, placing the umbrella down as well. I then walked into the kitchen, pulling a clean glass from the drying rack. I wanted a nice cold glass of milk. That thought was cut short though when I heard a noise up stairs, something that sounds like things being knocked over.
"What the?"
T
"Hey, you guys want somethin?" Two-Bit asked as they stood underneath the on-ing at Dairy Queen.
"Don't we still have cake at home?" Eden asked, looking between the two boys.
"Yeah, we do," Ponyboy nodded. "I'm sure we can wait til we get home. Besides, the house is just down the street," Ponyboy told Two-Bit.
"Fine. Can't blame a guy for tryin though," he chuckled, moving out from underneath the on-ing and back into the pouring rain.
"Hey, wait up!" Eden cried, running after him.
T
Ticket To Ride by the Beatles played through the radio as Darry sat in his truck, slowly driving down the road with his windshield wiper moving back and forth, his mind on Abigail.
Darry tapped his fingertips agains the steering wheel a few times as he sat there, before turning at the light and making his way down another street. He'd be home in a few minutes, possible start dinner for when the others got home.
T
Once I got to the top of the stairs, I took a step back, finding the kids room open.
"The hell are you doing here?" I choked out, taking another step back.
Before me, stood my father, a slightly crazed look on his face as if he was high off of something.
"Abigail Lee, so good to see you again," he grinned, standing straight and holding his arms out. "Why don't you give me a hug?"
"G-get out!" I yelled, pointing toward the door.
He just tilted his head to the side, giving me a curious look.
"Now, why would I do that? Especially, when I came all this way to see you?" he asked.
"I said, get out!" I yelled once more. "You have no place here, so leave!"
"Abby, come come," he chuckled, taking a step toward me.
I took a step back, only to be grabbed harshly around my wrist.
"Honestly, can't you ever behave?" he asked, the smell of whiskey rolling off his tongue.
I scrunched up my nose at this, trying to pull away.
"You're drunk, get out!"
"And what if I say no?" he asked slowly, pulling me just a bit closer, his hand curling tighter around my wrist painfully.
"You're hurting me!" I cried, trying to pull away.
"It's not like you don't deserve it, keeping my daughter away from me," he whispered, before shoving me down onto the ground, a groan emitting from my lips. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish packing her things," he finished walking back into her room.
"W-what?" I choked out, pushing myself up off of the floor.
"You heard me," he said, turning to look at me. "She's coming with me."
"No she's not!" I cried out. "You won't touch her!" I yelled, moving into the room, only to be knocked back as my back made contact with the doorframe.
"She's coming with me whether you like it or not," he told me, walking toward me until he was in front of me.
I started scooting back away from him, fear slowly seeping into me.
A moment later, his hand was on my throat, keeping me still. I felt my airway constrict, becoming unable to breathe.
"You always have been a pain Abigail, never knowing when to back down," he whispered, his breath stinging my nose. "Perhaps, I should have just dropped you off in a girls home after your mother died," he voiced.
I got angry at this, lashing out with my legs and kicking him, knocking him down. He let out a groan as a result, before going after me again, grabbing me by my ankle and pulling me back.
"Let go!" I yelled, kicking him in the face, only to earn a slap in return.
A moment later, I was up against the wall, his hand wrapped tightly around my throat.
"You're going to pay for that," he grumbled.
I found myself unable to breathe as I stood there, back pressed against the wall. He was angry and I knew he wasn't about to let go. I could practically feel the life being squeezed out of me. I couldn't breathe.
T
"Come on, slow poke!" Two-Bit called over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Eden.
Ponyboy was ahead of boy of them at this point, a grin on his face. Eden and Two-Bit still had to deal with the rain pounding down on them though, each drop soaking into their hair and flattening it.
"It's not like you're helping any!" Eden exclaimed, jumping over a large puddle of water, their house now in view.
"I bet you ten bucks I can beat you guys home!" Ponyboy called back to them.
"You're on kid," Two-Bit grinned, quickening his pace in order to try and beat Ponyboy, Eden following along behind them as they raced down the street toward the house.
T
"D-Darry," I choked out, struggling to breathe.
T
In the distance, Darry could see his brother running through the rain toward their house, Two-Bit and Eden following after him. He felt a small smile pull onto his face as he watched, being reminded of better times. He then shook his head, before chuckling quietly.
"Kids," he breathed.
T
The man before me just chuckled.
"Sorry, but I don't think you'll be seeing him again any time soon," he told me. "And after this, Eden will be long gone from here," he whispered, tightening his grip.
I could feel tears falling at his words, hearing them echo around in my head. I couldn't let him do this, I couldn't let him take her away from me, from a place where she was safe. I couldn't lose her like I did everything else, I couldn't let her slip away, and as I stood there I fumbled. Fumbling for something in my back pocket, for a way out, just something. As his grip tightened, I felt my fingers brush the smooth surface, my finger touching the switch. I had to end this, I had to stop it while I still had the chance, I couldn't let her disappear into oblivion.
"God, forgive me..." I whispered, thrusting my hand forward.
Everything seemed to play in slow motion from there as his hand loosened just a bit, his eyes going wide in realization, before filling with rage once more. I barely even registered the front door being pushed open, the sound of Eden's voice reaching out and touching my ears as I was moved, feeling myself being pushed toward the steps. So many things were running through my head as my breath returned to me. I could see everything around me. The last thing that I heard was her scream out as my feet left the ground and a faint rush of air wrapping around me. My eyes closed and I bit back a cry as my breath left, my world soon turning black.
"Abigail!"
Chapter 39 is finally up! I REALLY hope that everyone liked it? I put a lot of thought into this one and I hope that it turned out right. Granted, I know that a few of you probably want to wring my neck of leaving you on a cliff hanger, but still. I'm starting the next one as we speak. Anyway, PLEASE don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK! It makes me HAPPY and keeps me WRITING. Which also makes HAPPY READERS! So, please REVIEW and I will get the next chapter out as soon as possible, maybe in another hour or two.