I can't start this next chapter, without giving a big thank you to Ellivia22 – who is super humble, but basically wrote the last scene of this chapter. You know how writer's block is a thing? Well, I had the idea, but Ellvia swooped in to help and she did an amazing job! She would also never take the credit for how much she has been helping me. I suggest all of you go and read her story Broken Bond and leave a review!
And leave a review for me too, please! I hope the story isn't dragging. Things might be a little slow now but things are a'comin…
Leaving the hospital and everything that came with it – all the excitement, all the physical effort – had exhausted Pony completely, so much so that he slept clear through dinner. Even Sodapop got up after an hour and joined Two-Bit, Steve, and Darry in the kitchen, where they feasted on the lasagna.
They made sure to save Pony a few pieces, but no one wanted to wake him up to eat.
By then it was almost 9pm. Darry never went out this late, but he decided he wanted to get Pony's prescriptions filled so he wouldn't have to worry about them the next day. He had to drive around Tulsa a bit, to find a pharmacy that was actually open. When he got back home, Steve had gone back to his old man's house and Soda was ready to go back to bed. Two-Bit was also staying the night and Darry got him some extra blankets, before he went to check on Pony as Soda was getting ready for bed.
He found his baby brother in a peaceful slumber. Despite signs of past exhaustion, his features looked relaxed. Darry briefly observed the reassuring rise and fall of his chest, calmed by the fact that Pony was finally well enough to at least be home and in his own bed. Feeling relieved as he watched Soda join his brother, Darry said good night and quietly left the room.
When Pony awoke, the room was dark and Soda's arm was curled heavily around his stomach.
His skin felt clammy, his mouth like a wad of cotton balls, and his tongue like dried sandpaper. With the dim light coming from the bathroom in the hall, it was in that moment that he realized he had the undeniable urge to pee.
His head was throbbing again, and his back was wishing for his painkillers, he glanced at the alarm clock and quietly groaned. 2am!
Pony cautiously unfurled himself from under Soda's protective hold, careful not to disturb his brother's arm. The room swayed around him as he attempted to stand, something that surprised him because it hadn't happened in a couple days. His legs were unsteady beneath him and the dizziness was overwhelming.
He made it to the hallway with sweat glistening down his temples, one hand trailing against the wall for support. The bathroom was close, but he stumbled inside, his body already on autopilot. After finishing his business, he splashed his hot face with cool water, but his hands were so shaky that he had to cling to the sink for support.
It was then that the dizziness washed over him. As he desperately tried to regain his balance, the world spun and his legs gave way. With a gasp, he collapsed to the floor, his hand colliding painfully with the wooden stool that stood next to the bathtub and held his brothers' aftershave.
Soda awoke with a start, the noise of a loud crash echoing in the hallway. In his confusion, he realized the bed was empty. Where was Ponyboy? He scrambled out of the bed and into the hallway,
The light filtered into the hallway from the open door of the bathroom. Pony sat there against the cast iron bathtub, knees against his chest, holding the wrist of his right hand with his left. He looked disoriented. Soda did notice that his staples were ok, and his eye, a subtle shade of yellow and pink from the fading bruise, was mostly open.
He crouched down beside his little brother, a hand on his shoulder. His fingers tightened slightly, seeking confirmation. "Pony?" he questioned. "What happened?" He leaned in closer, searching his brother's face for signs of distress.
Pony's silence seemed to amplify his brother's worry. He looked up at Soda, his eyes glassy, "I fell," was all he said.
Darry was suddenly there in his white shirt and boxers, rubbing his eyes and trying to fix his disheveled hair. He towered over both of them. Two-Bit was not far behind, looking even more disoriented – and serious for once.
"Pony, you ok?" he called out.
"Do you feel sick?" Soda asked carefully, from the floor.
"A little," Pony mumbled, looking straight ahead. His brothers noticed his hands trembling.
Soda was concerned. "Are you in pain?" he asked.
Pony didn't answer. Instead he closed his eyes and his head drooped, making his brothers nervous. "Pony?" Darry repeated.
Pony lifted his head, looking up at Darry, "My head hurts," he answered and swayed slightly on the cold floor, "I'm dizzy," he said.
He felt Soda's hand on his forehead and against his cheek.
"I don't think you have a fever," Soda said in relief.
"I hurt my hand," Pony said, sounding young. He held his right hand in front of his face. Soda reached out and grabbed it, circling his own hand around Pony's fingers and rubbing them gently.
Darry dropped down to his knees next to them. Pony practically slumped over, like he wanted to go to sleep. Darry pushed him back against the tub, looking startled, and cupped a hand around his cheek, patting it gently, "Pony...hey…stay with us, kiddo,"
They were getting more worried. "Why is his hand so sweaty?" Soda asked aloud.
Darry's own hand, steady and reassuring, rested on Pony's forehead, confirming what Soda had noticed. He didn't feel particularly warm.
"Maybe we should take his temperature just in case," Darry said.
Two-Bit left and came back with a thermometer. "You think we should take him to the hospital?" he asked as he handed it to Darry.
Darry stuck the thermometer in Pony's mouth and waited. Eventually, he pulled it out again. "No temp. It's 99.1," he said, handing the thermometer to Soda.
He looked at Pony closely. Pony stared straight ahead, his pupils vacant like he was sleeping with his eyes open. He was starting to shake a little. Darry smoothed part of his hair back. "Pony, you didn't pass out, did you?"
Pony looked at him and shook his head slowly. "No, I just fell," he said softly.
"Did you hurt yourself?" Soda wondered aloud, searching for signs of injury.
"My hand hit the stool," was all Pony replied.
A faint smile tugged at Pony's lips unexpectedly, "You guys are like superheroes," he mumbled, his gaze fixated on his brothers, "Coming to save me."
They looked at him curiously. Soda gave Darry a look, "Something's not right," he said. Darry sighed and pushed Pony's hair back.
"Maybe it's the meds," Two-Bit pontificated, "Don't they got him on some pretty strong stuff?"
Darry thought about it, chewing on his lip before he spoke.
"Look, maybe we should wait before we take him in. There's no fever," Darry said, like he was trying to convince himself. "We can't send him to the hospital for every little thing. We'll never make it." He wasn't quite 100% on his answer. "Maybe I should call Ron," he wondered out loud.
Two-Bit spoke up out of nowhere. "Kid, when's the last time you ate something?"
Pony opened his mouth…and then closed it.
Two-Bit's face was suddenly angry. "I brought you something to eat this morning," he said, referring to the bag of food he offered Pony at the hospital after his brothers had left for work.
Pony averted his gaze, his voice barely above a whisper, "I threw it away," he admitted, his words heavy with guilt. "While you were out having a smoke. I don't even like yogurt," he said.
"Pony, you didn't have dinner either," Soda noted with frustration.
Two-Bit's own frustration gave way to a mix of exasperation and worry. He shook his head, struggling to find the words, "Kid, you gotta eat," he said, his tone softening. "You can't get better if you don't take care of yourself."
Darry seethed with frustration, "Pony, you haven't had a single thing to eat ALL DAY?" he fumed, struggling to reign in his temper.
Two-Bit turned to Darry in exasperation. "Man, he's lookin' like my mom does when her blood sugar's low," he declared, the frustration evident. "Sweatin', all mixed up, shaky. He needs something sweet."
Two-Bit's mom maintained her health struggles with the same good humor and easygoing ways that got Two-Bit through life. She'd been born a diabetic, who needed insulin shots daily, and taught Two-Bit what to do when she felt weak.
When her blood sugar dipped, she'd get extremely goofy. Her hands would get sticky with sweat and her eyes would get clouded. Two-Bit would always make sure he had ice cream or some candy on hand to get her sugar back up,a pattern that occurred a bit too frequently in their daily routine.
Pony wasn't a diabetic, but the symptoms were oddly similar.
"I think there's some orange juice in the fridge," Darry said from the floor, "Two-Bit can you go get it?"
"Sure thing," Two-Bit responded. He came back with a glass of orange juice filled almost to the top.
Pony tried to put his hands around the cup in front of him to drink but they were too shaky. So Soda held the cup up to his brother's lips and he gulped it down greedily. "Not so fast, Pone," he said.
He wanted to start getting up, to go back to bed, to stop making everyone worry about him.
Darry put a firm palm on his chest again. "Take a minute, Pone. We're not in a hurry," he said, though Pony knew his brothers had work in the morning and looked tired as hell.
Soon he was starting to feel better though, and you could see the color returning to his face.
"How are you feeling, Pone?" Soda asked.
"Better," Pony replied as he finished off the juice.
"That's not enough," Darry said matter-of-factly, "He needs to eat somethin'."
"How about leftover lasagna?" Soda suggested.
"Nah, he needs something easy on the stomach," Two-Bit said.
"How about a sandwich?" Soda said.
"Baloney?" Two-Bit joked, wagging his eyebrows. He knew full well that Pony didn't eat that anymore.
Pony made a face. "Very funny," he grumbled.
Darry rolled his eyes at Two-Bit then looked back down at his baby brother. "How about peanut butter and jelly? It used to be your favorite," he added.
Pony looked at him in wonder, surprised Darry still remembered, "Yeah, ok. I'd like that."
Darry patted his arm before he started to get up, "I'll go make it," he said, "Soda, make sure he doesn't move. I don't want him gettin' up till he's got some strength back."
"I'm fine. Just a little…woozy," Pony shot back, leaning against the tub again, as Two-Bit took Darry's spot.
"Low blood sugar messes with your head, Ponyboy. You might start thinking I'm the most handsome guy in town, " he quipped, earning a chuckle from both brothers.
"That – will never happen," Pony slurred.
"Ahh, I see it hasn't dulled your sense of humor," Two-Bit replied, though his smile faded, "But seriously, you gotta make sure to eat, especially now when you're getting over something."
"I can't believe I'm sayin' this but – you better listen to Two-Bit," Soda chimed in.
Darry came back with the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and another glass of orange juice and they sat around Pony and made small talk as he ate and drank. While they didn't rush him, it didn't last too long because Soda and Darry had work in the morning.
"I can stay with Pony tomorrow," Two-Bit offered, as they started to lift Pony up to help him back to bed.
"Ain't you got school?" Soda piped up and Two-Bit gave him a look.
"No big deal," Two-Bit replied, "I can miss another day.
"No!" Darry said firmly, "You're not missing school. I'll go in late tomorrow."
"You sure, Darry?" Soda asked tentatively.
"I can stay by myself. I stayed by myself plenty o' times," Ponyboy chimed in, but you could tell he was overly exhausted and not walking so good. He was leaning pretty heavily on both Darry and Soda and they were practically dragging him back to the room.
"It's your first day back from the hospital. You're not staying alone. Two-Bit, you can come take over around lunch," Darry said, knowing a half day for Two-Bit was better than nothing.
"I don't need someone staying with me all the time," Pony answered, as they helped him into the bed, "'Sides, we can't afford it."
"You let us worry about that, kiddo," Darry answered. "You feelin' ok?" he asked.
"Yeah," Pony nodded confidently, "The color back in his cheeks, "I feel better Darry, thanks."
"I'll take care of him," Soda said, getting in next to his brother.
Darry nodded and turned around to go back to bed, closing the door quietly behind him. By then Pony's features had already relaxed and Soda's grip had tightened around him. They both went to sleep.
It was hard to wake Soda up the next morning without waking up Pony, but somehow Darry managed to do so. He would have liked to sleep in himself, but there were too many other things to do.
Soda made sure Pony was nice and tucked in before he jumped in the shower. Meanwhile, Darry called his boss and told him he'd be coming in later than usual, but that he'd be more than willing to work late and make up the hours. Or work a double shift on a different day. By then his boss was privy to his situation and was understanding – mainly because Darry was one of his best workers. He made eggs and bacon for Soda and Two-Bit, and a strong coffee for himself. Steve came by and eventually took Soda to work and Two-Bit to school after Darry had to ask those bozos more than once to keep it down.
Around 9am, Darry called Ron who confirmed it sounded like low blood sugar and that there was really no need to bring Pony in unless he had severe pain, breathing problems, or a high fever. He even offered to make a house call to check on the boy, but Darry reminded him they'd be at the hospital later this week to take the staples out.
Around 10am, Darry went into Pony's room to shake him awake, even though he felt guilty doing it. He wanted to be around to make sure Pony was ok, taking a shower and eating breakfast without problems.
"Hey Pony," Darry called out, shaking his brother's shoulder, "Rise and shine, kiddo."
Pony groaned at the interruption, his eyes blinking open. As he sat up with a sudden jolt, a sharp pain shot through his lower back. He cried out and moved his hand to the area of discomfort, as if covering it would dull the ache.
Darry winced, realizing he had caused his brother pain. "You ok? Sorry about that, Pone. Didn't mean to startle you," he apologized, the concern evident in his voice.
"It ain't you," Pony replied through gritted teeth. He looked out at the sun shining through the blinds and then back at Darry as he came into focus, "What time is it? Ain't you gotta be at work?"
"It's about 10 now. And it's your first full day out of the hospital. I don't want you to be alone," Darry said as he squished Soda's pillow behind Pony's back to make him more comfortable. "I'm going in later. Two-Bit's coming over."
"I can stay alone," Pony grumbled, but the pale look on his face and the pain he had just witnessed proved to Darry that it wasn't that simple.
"With the way you fell in the bathroom last night, it's better if someone's here to watch you. You ain't walkin' so good yet," Darry said.
Pony frowned but he knew Darry was right. He had slept longer than any of his brothers and he still felt like he could sleep another hundred hours.
"You think you can manage a shower?" Darry asked tentatively.
Pony sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and gratitude for his older brother's concern. "Yeah, I guess so."
"I can help you if you want. Make it easier," Darry insisted, although he felt strange about invading his brother's privacy. But Darry was worried and Pony was still not back to full form and you could see it.
"I don't need you babysittin' me, Darry."
Darry raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Babysittin' huh? Nah, I just figured I might need to rescue the shampoo if you pass out in there."
Pony couldn't help but crack a smile at Darry's attempt to lighten the mood. It was rare for Darry to tell a joke, so Pony was happy to hear it.
"But seriously, I don't mind if you do it alone, just don't be surprised if I call out to you a couple of times, ask if you're doing alright," Darry said.
He helped Pony stumble to the bathroom.
"You need any help getting undressed?" Darry asked in the doorway.
"No, I'm ok," Pony said.
"Alright, well wouldn't want you slipping and landing on your head," Darry replied.
Pony rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine."
Darry chuckled, "Sure thing, kiddo. I'm gonna leave the door open a little. Just holler if you need anything." He patted Pony's shoulder reassuringly before heading out of the room.
Pony couldn't shake the feeling of weakness that lingered after his illness. He knew he needed some help and wondered if he should have asked Darry to stick around.
Pony leaned against the sink and caught sight of himself in the mirror. He thought he still looked terrible. His eyes still held traces of exhaustion, the left still a bit swollen with that strange pinkish tint on the eyelid.
He started to pull off his shirt, making sure it didn't touch his staples as he lifted it over his head. Then he had to take off his pants. The effort made him so tired, he had to sit down on the toilet seat to do it.
Now he was shivering. He turned on the shower, letting the warm water run over him and soothe his aching back.
Pony winced as a sudden jolt of pain shot through his lower back as the muscles seized up. The back spasm that he had experienced in the hospital was back and it was excruciating. He leaned against the shower wall, the warm water flowing over him as he tried to steady himself. He opened his mouth to gasp but no sound came out.
Should he tell Darry?
"Darry's worried enough," Pony muttered to himself, as he fought to conceal the discomfort. The steam in the shower masked the shudders that ran through him for a moment as he took slow, measured breaths.
With another deep breath, he shook off the pain.
Meanwhile, Darry went back to Pony and Soda's room and changed the sheets on the bed. He grabbed new clothes for Pony and a fresh towel before heading back to the bathroom to put it on the seat.
"Pony?!" he called out from the doorway of the bathroom, "You doin' ok?"
"Yeah, Darry, I'm good," Pony replied in an attempt to sound casual, "I'll be out soon, he replied, the strain hidden beneath the surface as he lathered up to wash himself.
Pony sighed in relief, grateful that he had successfully hidden the back spasm from his older brother.
He ended up staying under the spray for a while because the heat eventually helped his muscles relax. Darry called out to him again at one point, but surprisingly said nothing about how long he was taking or how water bills don't pay themselves – something he would have been sure to mention in the past.
When he turned off the shower faucet, he peeked from around the curtain and saw that a fresh towel, underwear, new sweatpants, and an oversize shirt was neatly folded on top of the toilet seat. He grabbed the towel to throw around his waist and Darry was suddenly there, trying to feign nonchalance, like he hadn't sped back to the bathroom the moment the water was turned off.
"You ok?" Darry asked again as Pony stepped out of the shower. His shoulders were more stooped now and he was unsteady – a subtle sway that hinted he was still unstable on his feet. Darry gripped Pony's bicep with one hand and took the fresh clothes off the seat with the other, leading him over to sit on the toilet to rest. Pony sighed heavily as he let go of the tension on his body.
"Easy there, kiddo," Darry said, trying to remain a steady and calming presence. He stood back with a soft smile, scanning his brother. "You look better already, kid. Should I help you get dressed or –"
Pony grabbed the shirt from him and carefully pulled it over his head, but didn't refuse when Darry helped him with the other stuff.
"What's for breakfast?" Pony asked.
"I made bacon and eggs," Darry said as he kneeled before his brother to help put on the pants. He looked up. "You hungry?" he asked with a soft grin, realizing Pony had just wondered about food.
"A little," Pony replied.
When they got up to head into the hallway Pony started to follow Darry towards the kitchen.
Darry stopped and turned around. "Go back to bed, I'll bring it to you,"
"But Darry –" Pony frowned, wanting to prove he could do more than he probably should.
"Nup, Ron said you need to go to bed and stay there for a few days. Look at the bright side, kiddo. When am I ever gonna let you do that again?" Darry joked, "Soda would have a field day. He'd be barkin' orders for this and that."
Pony laughed and staggered back to his room while Darry went to get him a plate. Hunger mixed with exhaustion as Pony waited for him, trying to find some way to get comfortable when his back was still sore and his head was starting to pound again. He was almost used to it by now. Darry came back with two plates – one for Pony and one for himself and they sat there in relative quiet munching on bacon, eggs, and toast. Eventually, Darry went to get Pony a glass of milk and another cup of coffee for himself.
"Steve says he's going to talk to your teachers and start getting your schoolwork," Darry started, his mouth half full of eggs. Pony rolled his eyes, knowing full well Darry had probably made him do that.
Darry caught him, "Don't give me that look. It's ok if you take a few days and rest up – no one's pushin' you – but you're gonna have to do it eventually." He didn't realize that Pony had made that face because Darry had asked Steve to do it and not because he didn't want to do schoolwork. Then again, no one could trust Two-Bit to care about school.
Unfortunately, Pony quit eating after that. Thoughts of the days ahead and getting back to normal were starting to overwhelm him. Plus, the headache was getting food didn't help.
"You sure you're feelin ok, Pony?" Darry asked, chewing a piece of bacon
Pony nodded but with weariness, "Yeah, just a bit tired."
Darry's expression softened, "I can see hurtin'? No hero stuff, little buddy,"
Pony rolled his eyes playfully, "I know, I know. Just my head…my back… the usual,"
Darry got up and put his coffee cup and plate down on Pony's desk. "I'll go get your painkillers and antibiotics. You're supposed to take them now anyway," he explained, "With food."
Darry came back with the pills and a glass of water and Pony swallowed what he needed to – hoping they would all do their thing without sending him into the abyss. Darry moved Pony's plate away and then took a moment to observe his brother. The recent illness had definitely taken a toll on his energy, and the sight of him sitting there, trying to swallow his medicine, stirred up Darry's protective instincts.
Pony looked up and caught Darry's gaze, "I'm fine, Darry. Really," he reassured.
Darry nodded, picking up his coffee cup to take more sips, "Just making sure, Pone. You scared us pretty good with this infection, kiddo."
"Yeah, well, it scared me too," Pony admitted, looking away. His tone more serious and surprisingly vulnerable, "Thought I was a goner for a while there,"
Darry put the cup down, then reached over and ruffled Pony's hair, "But you're home now and you're getting better. That's what matters."
"Yeah,"Pony said, sighing as he sank into the pillow.
"You should get some sleep," Darry was saying, "You may not see me when you wake up – Two-Bit's gonna be here soon."
Pony gave a tired nod. "Thanks, Darry," He was already settling under the covers – the painkillers starting to work their magic.
The voices came from someplace far away.
He hovered in that floaty space between sleep and reality. His mind was alert, but his body struggled to break the surface. He remembered Two-Bit once telling him a hangover after a long night of drinking feels like crawling through the desert at high noon. Is this what he meant?
He couldn't open his eyes, but the voices filtered through.
"Keep your voice down," someone was saying.
"... gonna sleep all day?" he heard Two-Bit drawl through the muddled haze. The sound of boots echoed down the hall and then another voice.
"Don't go in there...needs rest… don't need you waking him up with your nonsense – " That was Darry, of course.
Hey Two-Bit…
Pony's eyes flickered open, but he struggled to stay awake. Almost immediately they drooped closed again, and he couldn't fight it.
"...headin' to work?" Two-Bit was asking.
"...bills to pay… keep an eye on him, alright?" The sound of movement suggested Darry was preparing to leave.
"Trust me. I got it. I'm like his knight in shining armor…"
"Knights don't wear leather jackets," Darry countered in an amused tone and Pony practically smiled in his sleep.
"They should consider it," Two-Bit replied. Pony could practically see Darry rolling his eyes.
"Don't let him get out of bed too much," Darry was saying now, "Make sure he eats something decent."
"Ay, ay captain," Two-Bit was probably saluting.
Reality was starting to fade again.
"And no funny business. Keep it quiet."
"Who do you take me for? It ain't Buck's," Pony could hear the smile in Two-Bit's voice as he feigned innocence, "Cross my heart, old man. Quiet as a mouse,"
His body felt heavier, like some invisible force was pushing him down. The voices stopped and his connection to reality along with it.
Ponyboy's eyes flew open, jolted awake by the heat. He lay on the side of the bed and he was hot – someone had piled a load of blankets on top of him and it made him feel like he couldn't breathe.
He sat up and his hand almost instinctively went to the side of his head, but he kept himself from touching his own staples. Instead, he rubbed at his eyes sluggishly. How long had he slept this time?
Earlier in the day, in his groggy haze, Pony had heard Two-Bit on the phone receiving orders from Darry to make sure he was fed. A few minutes later, Two-Bit, with his usual flair and panache, had shaken Ponyboy awake, joking about how he was the Prince coming in to save Sleeping Beauty.
Oddly enough, the grilled cheese and tomato sauce Pony had for lunch wasn't half bad – even though he only nibbled on the grilled cheese because he wasn't that hungry. Two-Bit pushed him to eat the rest. Then he tried to take the credit for making the tomato soup even though Pony had smelled Darry making it that morning.
After lunch, Two-Bit told Pony to get up and walk around a bit to get some exercise, which he insisted wasn't his idea but Darry's when Pony groaned about it. Pony's legs felt weak and rusty, like two worn-out gate hinges, squeaking with every painful step. But he did it – walking to the front porch and back – and then he tried once again to bum a cigarette off his pal when Two-Bit wanted to smoke. Two-Bit said no, claiming Darry would have his head and that he needs to wait at least a week.
They watched tv, played some cards, and then Two-Bit pushed Ponyboy back to his bed when he started to fall asleep on the couch.
It was 7pm according to the alarm clock on the side of the bed when Pony woke up again. He had been asleep for at least 4 hours, but likely more since he hadn't heard Darry or Soda come home. They were home now right?
Pony heard familiar voices down the hall – it was his brothers and buddies trying to hang out and keep it down at the same time. Their laughter echoed down the hall like a bunch of noisy crows pecking at each other in a quiet forest.
Despite all the sleep he had today, Pony didn't feel rested. In fact, he felt even more exhausted – if that was even possible.
As he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he attempted to shake off the drowsiness and clear the blurriness from his eyes. He was tired, but he forced himself to get up. He was sick of sleeping anyway.
Pony's muscles were weak and his knees trembled as he slowly made his way down the long hallway. Every few steps, he paused, closing his eyes briefly to try to regain his balance. It was a constant struggle and he had to keep grabbing the wall to keep himself from falling. Every step felt heavy and he felt like he was on pins and needles. He was determined to make it around the house without falling this time. As he struggled, he wondered if Two-Bit was still there. He hated the fact that he had had a babysitter, but at the same time he knew he wouldn't have been able to manage on his own. Darry knew that, too.
"GIN!" Sodapop's triumphant voice rang from the dining room.
Pony was dazed when he entered the living room, but he saw Soda sitting there, hair slicked back from a shower and a couple of dollar bills behind his ear. He had changed out of his blue DX uniform into a brown and red checkered plaid shirt over a white T-shirt. He wasn't alone. Steve and Two-Bit sat across from him, and they were wisecracking and clowning around as usual. Nobody saw him, but both guys were shooting Soda suspicious looks.
Pony noticed that this time, the radio wasn't turned up loud.
Sodapop had his arms crossed and was grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. A bunch of cards were in front of him. None of the boys had noticed Pony yet.
"Told ya he was cheatin'" Steve said to Two-Bit, pointing an accusatory finger at his best friend.
"Was not!" Sodapop cried defensively.
"You've won three hands in a row," Two-Bit said. "If that ain't cheatin' then what would you call it?"
"Hey, it ain't my fault I'm good at this game."
"We should check his shoes," Steve says. "He's probably got an Ace in his sock again."
CRASH!
The sound echoed off the furniture as Steve knocked over his chair and lunged towards Soda. Soda got up quickly and dodged him just in time.
Darry suddenly emerged from the living room, clad in jeans and a black t-shirt that made his muscles bulge. He looked clearly annoyed. "Know it off now! You're gonna wake –"
He stopped talking when he saw Ponyboy standing in front of the bathroom door. "Heyyyy Pony," he called out, his tone dropping a level as he sauntered toward him, "How you feelin'?"
"I'm okay," Ponyboy shrugged.
"Ponyboy!" Sodapop called out brightly. He bounced over to his baby brother, narrowly missing Steve's second attempt to lunge at him. As he approached Pony, a red Ace fell out of his shoe.
"Told you he was cheatin'!" Steve yelled in a mix of annoyance and amusement.
"How was your first day home?" Soda asked Pony, noticing how hard his brother was clutching the side wall tightly to keep himself steady as he moved forward at the entrance to the dining room.
Sodapop threw a gentle arm around Pony's shoulders. Pony leaned into him slightly, grateful for the support. Just going down the hall took more energy out of him than he thought.
Ponyboy shrugged again. "It was okay. I slept a lot. Beats bein' stuck in a hospital bed." Everyone chuckled at that comment.
"What're y'all playin'?"
"Gin rummy," Sodapop replied enthusiastically, bouncing up and down on his heels. Despite his lack of sleep last night, Sodapop acted like he had just swallowed a bunch of sugar. "Wanna play?"
"Sodapop over here won't stop bouncin' off the walls till you do,"Two-Bit quipped.
Ponyboy's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Gin rummy had always been one of his favorite games, and he was quite good at it. Also, unlike Soda and Steve, Ponyboy never cheated at cards.
And then, his smile faded as he hesitated. His brain was still fuzzy and he wasn't sure if he had remembered all the rules. It had been a while since he had played that card game and he didn't remember playing this one in the hospital.
The gang watched as his face fell. "I dunno…"
"Aw come on," Soda encouraged, "It'll be fun."
Two-Bit nodded in agreement
Even Steve gave Pony a small grin , which surprised him. He and Steve may have been getting along much better, but they were still a long way away from becoming best buddies.
"Soda don't push him," Darry spoke up, his tone back to authoritative. "'He needs to eat somethin' first."
"No, it's ok. I'll play. I ain't hungry anyway, " Darry gave him a sharp look. Clearly he hadn't forgotten about what happened last night. "'Sides, Two-Bit fixed me a sandwich earlier."
"And I made sure he ate it this time," Two-Bit said matter-of-factly. "See, I'm a good pal."
"Yeah, some pal. You won't even let me have a smoke," he said. He knew he was too weak to wrestle Two-Bit the floor in his current state so he had to settle for glaring at him.
Darry raised his eyebrows at his friend, mouthing the words, 'Thank you.'
"Well, all right," he spoke up, "But I still want you to eat something. Here," he handed Pony a bowl almost empty of pretzels that had been on the table and watched like a hawk as Pony took a couple. He made a disapproving grunt, but didn't argue.
"I'll go fill this up again," he said, taking the bowl and a bag of pretzels out of the pantry. Soon there were new bowls of pretzels and potato chips on the table and a bottle of Pepsi in front of him. When Darry had even had time to shop for groceries, he had no idea.
A few minutes later, Ponyboy was sitting close to Sodapop with Two-Bit and Steve on the other side. Pony rubbed his eyes again as Steve shuffled the cards, including the Ace that Soda had tried to hide earlier.
Not interested in playing cards, Darry went into the living room and got comfortable in his armchair. He grabbed his newspaper and flipped to the sports section.
"You remember how to play, Pone?" Soda asked.
Pony hesitated. "I think so…" he replied.
"The only rule you need to remember is to never take your eyes off Sodapop. He cheats," Steve muttered in a salty tone.
"Don't listen to him, Pony. I won fair and square." Sodapop nudged him in the shoulder playfully. "Just ask us if you have any questions."
Pony stared hard at his hand. He had a good mix of black clubs and spades and red hearts and diamonds. He racked his brain. What was he supposed to do next? Was he supposed to get rid of the cards he didn't want and draw new ones? No…that was 5 card draw…and he had ten cards. Maybe he was supposed to put all the numbers in a row? He bit his lip as he took the card off the pile. He really wanted to ask Soda to help him, but he was too embarrassed.
He used to play this game all the time – why couldn't he remember?
After several minutes, Ponyboy felt like he was getting the hang of it. Things in his hands were coming together and slowly starting to make sense. He was going to win. When his turn came around, he placed a card face down in the discard pile. Then he presented his hand, grinning from ear to ear. "Gin!"
His smile vanished almost as soon as it spread across his face. Sodapop, Two-Bit, and Steve exchanged glances at each other, before fixing their eyes on him. They didn't look happy for him, nor did they look disappointed about losing. Instead, their expressions mirrored concern. A wave of shame washed over him.
"Pony," Sodapop said carefully. "Your run has to be all of the same suit. Remember? It's like havin' a straight flush in poker."
Ponyboy looked at his cards on the table in confusion. What were they talking about? He had two runs, both with five cards each. There was no way he had gotten this wrong.
His heart dropped to his stomach a few seconds later when he finally caught his mistake. How could he not have seen this before? His first run of 4-5-6-7-8 was made out of two diamonds, two clubs, and a heart. His other run of King-Queen-Jack-Ten-Nine were also of different suits.
How could I forget such a simple rule? Ponyboy berated himself.
"Right," he said sheepishly in an attempt to hide his frustration and embarrassment. "I knew that." His cheeks flared up anyway and his ears grew hot.
He didn't want to look like a fool but his eyes burned with unshed tears. Soda saw it. His brother reached out and brushed the back of Pony's head in a soothing gesture, keeping his hand on the back of his neck for a minute.
"Hey, it's alright," he comforted, "We all forget things sometimes. Don't be so hard on yourself," he glanced over at his buddy across the table and pointed at him, "Stevie here forgets things all the time!"
"Hey!" Steve growled, half-amused, "At least I don't cheat!"
Pony couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up out of his throat – like a half-chuckle, half-sob. It felt good. Soda beamed.
They dealt the cards again. A run is 3 or more cards of the same suit, Pony reminded himself as he stared at the assortment of cards in his hands. And a set…wait what was a set again?
"Gin!" Two-Bit cried gleefully a few minutes later, laying down his hand on the table: a run of hearts, 3 Jacks, and 3 Aces. A set is 3 of the same number. I can't believe I forgot that, Ponyboy thought to himself angrily. Why couldn't he remember anything anymore? "That's nada for me!"
Right. Low score is what matters. I should've known that. How was it possible that he had forgotten all of this?
Sodapop once more noticed the distraught look on Ponyboy's face. He reached over and squeezed his little brother's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Pone. You'll win the next round."
"Your turn to deal, Pony," Two-Bit said, pushing the cards towards his friend, "Deal 10 cards to us and 11 to –" he stopped mid-sentence, his expression changing from his usual grin to growing concern, "Hey kid, what's wrong?"
Pony looked down. His eyes were burning again. This time he bit his trembling lip, trying with all his might to keep his emotions in check. He clenched his fists at his sides. The embarrassment was overwhelming. He was practically crying over a dumb card game.
But it was more than that.
"I don't wanna play anymore," Ponyboy choked out, barely able to hold back the tears. "I-I'll just mess up again.
"Hey, it's ok," Sodapop soothed. He stroked Pony's hair, this time for longer. As much as he loved Soda, Pony had the sudden urge to push him away. "You're doin' just fine."
"It's just a dumb game," Two-Bit said, throwing his cards aside angrily, as if he had been the one to hurt Pony, "It's about as exciting as watching paint dry. And no beer in sight!"
"Yea, Soda cheats anyway," Steve repeated. Soda ignored him.
"You don't live here, Two-Bit," Soda retorted, "You can go home, you know."
"What, and miss the kid back in action?"
"I ain't –" Pony stopped himself and slid the cards away.
He appreciated the fact that the three of them were trying to make him feel better, but in reality, he felt worse. His chest was tight, and it was difficult to breathe.
They didn't understand. They didn't know what it was like to not remember something as simple as a book he read, or even his favorite card game. Nobody could understand how he felt.
He got up and shuffled to the living room, watching Steve slap Two-Bit across the jacket out of the corner of his eye. He stumbled past Darry in the armchair, feeling his big brother's eyes bore into him, and went to sit on the couch by the door.
Pony stared straight ahead in a daze, not looking at anything at all.
A few seconds later, he felt the weight of the couch cushion sink down as Darry sat to his left, without saying a word. He hadn't even processed that the tv was on now, turned to some boring news program where the anchor droned on and on. And he didn't even realize until later that Darry had done that on purpose to give them some privacy.
Darry draped an arm around his shoulders and leaned over. "You ok?" he asked, trying not to call attention to his brother.
Pony looked down, feeling like he wanted to bawl. The truth was – he wasn't.
"I can't remember anything, Darry," he mumbled, "Not even gin rummy."
"It's ok," Darry soothed, "It's gonna take time. You can't force it, kiddo." He tightened a grip on Pony's shoulder. "Listen, it's normal to be worried, but you gotta be patient. Your memory will come back when it's ready to. Don't rush it. In the meantime, all you gotta do is rest. Eat, drink, and rest, like Ron said. Don't stress."
Pony's eyes went wide, "Don't stress! Darry, you're the king of stress."
Darry sighed, "Don't I know it. No stress. Sounds like a mighty fine life if you ask me," he continued with a grin, "Wish I had time to do that."
He knew his brother didn't mean anything by it, but Pony felt guilty.
"I'm sorry I'm causin' so much time trouble for you guys," he said with sincerity.
"You're not," Darry said, looking at his brother hard, "Hey look at me," he said, making sure Pony caught his eye, "You're hang in there, alright?" he added, "I won't stress if you don't."
Soda sauntered over and sank down next to Pony. Pony felt a strange sense of comfort being sandwiched between both his brothers.
"Darry, you? Not stress?" Soda said, catching the end of the conversation. He swung an arm around Pony's shoulders and pointed a finger at Darry. "I'd pay $10 to see that!"
Two-Bit walked up, with Steve following close behind.
Two-Bit flashed a cheeky grin, "I hate to break up this touching family moment," he said, his voice dripping, but I gotta head home." He stopped again, ready to offer more words of wisdom that nobody in the group asked for. "Hey, kid, don't worry about rememberin' things. Your memory's just playing hide and seek right now, but it'll come back. Just don't forget your ol' buddy Two-Bit when it does, alright?" He strolled out with a wink and a half-salute as Darry rolled his eyes and Soda offered his little brother a lopsided grin.
"Wiseass," Steve called after him. He looked down at Soda, "I'll swing by tomorrow after work, alright? " he said, then looked hard at Pony, "Get some rest, kid. Can't never have too much shut-eye." And he was out the door.
"I slept all day," Pony said, turning to Soda with a broad grin.
"Sounds like my kinda life!" Soda exclaimed, balling his hand into a fist.
"You're not working tomorrow?" Pony asked, wondering if his situation had something to do with it.
"Nah, I have the day off," Soda smiled at his brother, "Guess you're stuck with me, Pone."
"That's fine," Pony replied softly, happy that his brother would be around, but suddenly realizing how exhausted he still was and wondering if he would sleep all day tomorrow, too. It was annoying, feeling like you had the wind knocked out of you every second – but this was normal for someone who was recovering from meningitis, right? Darry had said so.
"We can sleep till noon," Soda was practically on cloud nine. Darry, meanwhile, was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Just don't waste your entire day," he said, knowing Soda would be lazier than Pony, who needed the rest.
"Do we have to watch this?" Soda asked aloud, suddenly getting up and changing the channel. He turned it to some Bonanza re-run, which wasn't any better, but Pony wasn't paying attention to the tv anyway.
As Soda sat back down beside him, Pony slouched against the worn-out couch, his body weary from moving. The soft glow of the television flickered, casting light over the room. He tried to watch a little longer, and even listened to the bits of conversation between his brothers about the show. But then Darry's hand began to rub Pony's back in slow circles - much like Soda usually did - and Soda's arm pulled away momentarily to grab a blanket from the back of the couch. He draped it over Pony's shoulders, ensuring his younger brother was warm and comfortable in the shared space.
Pony languished in the safety of being nestled between both of his brothers. It was a stark contrast to the cold hospital bed where he had spent so much time recovering. He wasn't drifting off to sleep this time. Instead, he was soaking in the simple joy of being back home, surrounded by the people he loved most.
