For The Love of a Greaser
Chapter 43
Thoughtful Flower
"Steve?"
Steve jumped at the voice, turning to find Soda coming down the hallway with the others, a curious look on his face.
"Hey, somethin happen?" Soda asked, his brows furrowing at the look on Steve's face.
Steve stood there for a moment, still pressed up against the doorframe, his eyes staring into Abigail's room. At this point, they'd actually removed the tube in her throat, fearing that she'd pull it out if she woke up again. Although, they'd also considered strapping her down and keeping it in, but after an examination from the doctor they decided otherwise. That left her laying on the bed with a single strap on her forehead to keep it there, her arms laying freely.
"Steve?" Soda called, watching him jump again. "What happened?"
"She woke up," he finally said after a moment, watching Soda's face light up with joy.
"When was this?" Soda asked, looking at his buddy.
"A bit ago," Steve told him, still staring into the room.
To be honest, Steve had been practically mortified when everything had happened, his nerves being put on edge. He been glued to his spot, merely watching as everything happened after he'd called for help. Yet, it was so strange that she'd stared at him like she had after waking, her eyes locking with his.
"They had to sedate her because she was freaking out," he explained, pushing away from the door. "She called out for Darry too," he told him, catching Soda's attention.
"Well, damn. Just when he's not here, somethin like that happens," Soda huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Which reminds me, where is he anyway?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Um..." Soda held a finger up, trying to think. "That's actually a good question," he laughed nervously, before scratching his head.
"All brawn, no brains," Steve muttered, shaking his head.
Typical Darry, that's what Steve thought.
"How long was she awake for?" Eden asked quietly, standing beside Two-Bit.
"Not long, maybe a total of three or five minutes max," he told her.
"Oh..."
This made the others sigh as Eden hung her head, taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs as she sipped at her drink.
"Hey, I'll be right back," Soda announced, before turning back to everyone. "I'm gonna try and get ahold of Darry."
With that, he left everyone else standing there as he walked down the hallway to find a phone.
"Think he'll find him?" Two-Bit asked.
"Who knows," Ponyboy shrugged, sitting down to read his book that he'd picked up from the library on their way back.
T
"Come on, pick up," Soda muttered, tapping his fingers against the desk.
One of the nurses had allowed him to use the phone normally restricted for staff, allowing him to try and call Darry.
"Come on, Dar, pick up," he whined, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment.
After a bit, the answering machine picked up, relaying the recorded message that they'd set up. More like the one that they fixed anyway.
"You've reached the Curtis and Winters residence. I'm sorry that we've missed you, but if you leave your name and number after the beep, we'll get back to you."
Soda sighed at the recorded message in Darry's voice, before opening his mouth.
"Yeah, Darry, it's Soda. If you're around, pick up," he said into the phone. "Hello?"
He sighed after this.
"If you get home and see this, Abigail woke up for a bit. She was calling for you," he said, running a hand through his hair.
He hung up after that, not really seeing the point of continuing if he wasn't there. He then pulled a paper from his pocket. If it was a big job that would last for a while, Darry would normally give Soda the number for it incase something happened. So, he set it on the desk beside the phone and dialed the number, pressing the phone back against his ear.
He could hear it ringing on the other end. Once, twice, three times. After the fifth time, someone picked up.
"Hello?"
"Jack?"
"Soda?"
Soda laughed at this, he wasn't expecting Jack to answer the phone. Jack was one of Darry's work buddies, but also an old neighborhood friend if you will. Sadly, he'd moved out of the neighborhood about three years ago.
"Yeah, it's me," Soda nodded.
"How ya been kid?" Jack asked.
"Could be better," Soda sighed. "I wish I could talk more, but I'm actually look for Darry. Ya seen him?"
"Actually," Jack started, the sound of the phone rustling for a moment. "He's talking with the boss," he told him.
"Wait, so he's actually there?"
"Yep. Been here for the last 15 to 20 minutes to be honest. He's been talking to Jason the whole time."
Soda let out another sigh at this, leaning back against the desk.
"Look, is there anyway you could get him on the phone?" he asked hopefully, crossing his fingers.
"Yeah, hold on."
From there, Soda heard the sound of the phone being laid down, Jack's voice still being heard as he called for Darry. Then, after a moment, he heard another rustling on the other end of the line.
"Soda?" came the sound of Darry's voice.
"I swear, I wish there were an easier way of getting ahold of you."
"What do ya need kid?" Darry asked with a sigh, an obvious hint of fatigue in his voice.
T
Darry had been talking with his boss when Jack had come out of the little work trailer, calling his name as he went.
"Darrel," Jack called, waving at him.
"Jack, I'm kind of in the middle of something," Darry told him, his eyebrow raising slightly.
"Sorry man, but your brother's on the phone," Jack told him, causing Darry's brows to furrow.
"What?"
"Soda," he told him, answering the unasked question.
"Sorry about this Mitch, but I've gotta see what's goin on," Darry told his boss, before walking inside to use the telephone.
Once inside the small trailer, Darry found the phone laying on the desk. It was sitting there off of the receiver, so he picked it up and pressed it to his ear.
"Soda?" he asked, placing his other hand to rest on the desk, his brother's voice coming through from the phone a moment later.
"I swear, I wish there were an easier way of getting ahold of you," came the sound of his voice as though he'd been anxious to get ahold of him.
"What do ya need kid?" Darry asked tiredly, a sigh escaping his lips as he brought his hand up to his face, letting it slide over his face and against the stubble growing on his chin.
"You sound terrible," Soda chuckled softly.
"Soda," Darry said warily, his hand coming to rest on his hip this time.
"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, before continuing with a sigh. "I figured I'd let you know that Abigail woke up," he said, unable to get another word in, before Darry spoke.
"What? When?" Darry asked quickly, his eyes now fully alert.
"It was when we were out eating," Soda started. "Steve stayed behind to watch her and apparently, she woke up for a bit," he told him.
"Damn it," Darry hissed quietly, pulling at his hair.
"I wish you could have been there Dar. She called for you," Soda told him, only managing to make it worse for his brother, but unfortunately he wasn't done. "Steve told me that they had to give her a sedative though because she started freaking out real bad when she woke up," he explained, hearing Darry sigh.
"How's she doin now?" he asked carefully, bitting his lip.
"She's sleepin again," Soda told him.
"Keep an eye on her for me?" Darry asked, even though he knew that his brother would.
"Sure."
"I'll be there soon," he promised, before hanging up.
After that, he let out a sigh, his hands curling until his nails left marks in his palms. Hearing that she'd woken up without him there bothered him, his heart tugging painfully. Especially, given the fact that she'd called out for him and he wasn't there to answer her. He could only imagine how terrified she'd been upon waking up in the hospital, that tube down her throat. He shivered at the thought, letting out a small grunt.
"I should have been there," he breathed, pulling at his hair once more, before walking toward the door.
He needed to get back to the hospital before anything else happened.
T
"So, is he comin back?" Ponyboy asked, looking up as his brother came walking down the hallway.
"Yeah, he's comin back Pone," Soda nodded, before walking passed his brother and over to the doorway of Abigail's room.
As he peaked inside, he found her laying there, looking just a bit more peaceful than she had been yesterday. Although, her breathing was still off to a degree, but he figured the doctors knew what they were doing. Besides, he was sure that she didn't want that darn tube back down her throat again. She still didn't look that great though, the beating she took now completely visible due to the bruises. Some of them were due to her fall though, but the worst was still her neck. Even with the neck brace on, he still managed to make out part of the bruise, which was now a disgusting purple. Even her wrist looked a mess from where her father had held it in an iron death grip.
"Whatcha thinkin, Soda?" Ponyboy asked, looking over at his brother.
Soda nearly jumped in response, before turning back around to face him.
"Just thinkin, that's all," he told him, before looking back into Abigail, a couple short gasps for air coming from her. "I'm still wondering if they know what they're doing or not."
"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.
"Just the way that she's been breathing and everything that's happened," Soda explained, before elaborating a bit more. "Her breathing is off Pone," he said, gesturing toward the sleeping woman in the room.
"Oh."
"Yeah," Soda sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Hey, Soda, you wanna play some rummy?" Steve asked, shuffling the deck of cards.
"Yeah, sure, why not?" he smiled, pulling a chair up.
"Anybody else want in?" Steve asked, looking around him.
"I don't know how to play," Eden voiced meekly.
"Don' worry babe, ole Two-Bit'll show ya," Two-Bit grinned.
T
Darry sat there in the parking lot for a few minutes, his arms and forehead buried on top of the steering wheel. His eyes then fell upon the passenger seat, a single daisy taking up residence there.
On his way back to the hospital, he'd stopped at the florist shop, picking out a delicate daisy. He would have gotten a rose, but they were too expensive. Plus, he figured she'd like the daisy better anyway. It suited her; beautiful, loyal, pure. Granted, a rose would suit her as well, but the daisy was simple, just asking to be loved and accepted. There were no standards to uphold, no facade, just the simple truth of innocent beauty and love.
So, with a final sigh he opened the door, stepping out into the lot as he grabbed the daisy in his hand. He then made his way into the hospital, shoving his keys into his pocket as he glanced around him.
"At least it's quiet," he muttered, walking down the hallway to where those in recovery stayed after surgery.
He knew that after another day or so, they'd probably move her to another room. Either that or let her possibly go home. He wasn't quite sure yet, but if she'd managed to wake up and struggle as she did, then she'd definitely have a chance at going home soon.
"Darry, you're back," Soda said, perking up upon seeing his older brother. "Man, am I glad to see you," he grinned.
"Hey, guys," Darry sighed rubbing the back of his neck.
"What's that for?" Two-Bit asked.
"Huh?"
"That frilly white thing you got there in your hand," he chuckled, pointing toward the daisy.
"It's a daisy," Darry aid dryly, not really in the mood for Two-Bit's picking and joking around.
"Man, didn't know you were a flower kind of guy," Two-Bit howled with laughter, a goofy grin on his face.
"Shut up Keith," Darry muttered, walking passed him.
"Ah, come on Dar, no need for name callin," he chuckled.
"Well, it is your name after all," Ponyboy pointed out, making eye contact with his brother after a moment, watching as he entered Abigail's room.
The door was then closed behind him, leaving the others to themselves again.
"Well, darn, you'd think he'd be able to take a joke without callin me Keith," Two-Bit whined.
"Well, if you ever learned when to call a quits and knock it off, then maybe he wouldn't be throwin your name around," Ponyboy said pointedly.
"Oh, come off it kid," Two-Bit chuckled, before grabbing the youngest Curtis in a headlock.
"Dang it, Two-Bit, lay off," Ponyboy cried, trying to get out of his hold.
T
From inside the room, Darry could still hear the commotion outside that Two-Bit was causing. He put that aside though as he pulled a chair up, setting down beside Abigail's bed.
The first thing that he had noticed was that the tube that had been down her throat was now gone and she was breathing on her own. This in itself was a shock to him. He hadn't expected her to wake up so soon after what the doctors had said. Normally, if there was swelling on the brain, it would take days for the patient to wake up at times. Then again, it also depended on the person. Abigail, she was a strong willed woman and he knew that. It was also what he loved about her. She didn't give up.
"So stubborn," he chuckled, leaning over as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "I wish I could have been here for you earlier," he whispered, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the top of her hand.
He then brought the daisy up, letting the petals brush her fingertips, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"I brought you something. Can you guess what it is?" he asked softly.
He received no response though, only the slight flickering behind her eyelids as she continued to dream.
"It's a daisy," he breathed, carefully placing the stem of the flower into her other hand, curling her fingers around it so that she could hold onto it. "It's not as pretty as a rose though, but I figured you wouldn't mind so much."
Unlike the others, he didn't feel foolish for talking to her while she slept. Like Johnny he had a feeling that she could still hear him. Even more so now that she'd already woken up once.
"You know, I was told that you put up quite a fight earlier," he conversed. "I'm proud of you, you know? You're just too stubborn to give up and lay there," he smiled.
Even though he was tired and exhausted, he was still in a bit of a better mood, but only a bit. After all, he still had a few things to deal with, her father being one of them. From what he knew though, the man was still in the hospital, staying only long enough for observation. After that, Darry wasn't sure where the man was going, but if he had anything to do with it then he'd be staying in the hospital. Either that or he'd be staying in a jail cell for quite some time.
As Darry sat there, he found himself thinking about things more and more, until he finally got an idea in his head.
"When you get out of here," he started, gripping her hand in both of his. "I'm gonna take you somewhere, alright?"
His eyes went toward her, watching her face for any reaction, any change. He felt of small twitch of her fingers.
"When you get out of here, we're going to go out to the countryside for a couple days, just me and you," he told her, feeling another twitch. "I'll finally be able to show you those things I've been tellin you about. The trees, the grass, the sky. Everything. For once, it'll be completely peaceful, just the two of us," he promised, watching her breath heave in and out, a couple gasps escaping.
He sat up a bit more, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright, I'm hear," he cooed. "Just relax, I'm here."
That was chapter 43! Isn't Darry just the sweetest? Hm? Anyway...! Please, REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story! I'd REALLY like to HEAR what you people think. Also, you DON'T have to have an account to REVIEW!
IMPORTANT!:
I need reviews to help me get through writing the next chapter! I need inspiration people! Reviews let me know that I'm doing a good job! Seriously though, PLEASE REVIEW? Also, any IDEAS you might have are ALWAYS WELCOMED!
One last thing! I've been wondering when I should have Darry ask her to marry him. How long after being out of the hospital should I make it before he pops the question? MESSAGE and REVIEW and let me KNOW! I'm asking for YOUR benefit people.
Thanks again!