(Ponyboy)
When I wake up, the room is quiet. So quiet that I know for a fact that the guys aren't in here. I open my eyes and see Darry sitting in the same chair he was in earlier, reading through the packet of papers that the social worker had given him. I glance around and confirm there's nobody else in here, just me and Darry.
"Hey Pony. Feeling better?" he says when he notices I'm awake, putting his papers away on the bedside table.
I nod and stretch a bit, wincing a bit when it pulls at my side, "Where'd everyone go?"
"I sent them down to the cafeteria to get some lunch. I told them to walk around outside a bit after, burn off some of their energy"
"What time is it?"
"Around noon, you were only asleep about two hours"
There's a knock on the door and Nurse Marjorie bustles in, carrying a cup of water and a little pill cup.
"Oh good, you're awake!" She says, "I have more medicine for you and then I need to check your vitals again. And I just got a call from x-ray, they'll be ready for you in about twenty minutes"
I take the pill she hands and then hold out my arm for her to take my blood pressure and my pulse. She hums as she marks it down on a little notebook.
"Does everything look okay?" Darry asks.
"Yes, his vitals look fine. I'll be back in just a bit to take him down to x-ray"
As soon as she leaves I turn to Darry, "Do I have to get the x-ray? I feel fine"
He chuckles "Yes you have to. You heard the doc this morning, we've got make sure you don't get pneumonia or something"
That's what I'm worried about. That they'll find something wrong and I'll be stuck here even longer. All I want to do is go home. It feels like I've been waiting my whole life to go home and now that I'm so close I'll do anything I can to get there as soon as I can.
Nurse Marjoire comes back, pushing a wheelchair in front of her.
"Okay sweetie" says Nurse Marjorie "let's get you down to x-ray"
The pain medicine she had given me helped to take the edge off so I'm able to sit myself up without too much pain. It smarts a bit as I try and swing myself to the edge of the bed but Darry is there right away, a hand behind my back as he helps me to the edge of the bed. He holds out a hand to me and I take it, the pain sharper once I stand up. I try not to, but a wince crosses my face. Darry squeezes my hand and helps guide me into the wheelchair. Once I'm seated, he crouches down in front of me.
"You okay, Pony? Do you need more pain medicine?"
I shake my head, "I'm okay. Just a little sore"
Nurse Marjorie grabs a blanket off of my bed and drapes it over my shoulders. Now that I'm out of bed I realize I'm wearing a hospital gown that leaves my legs totally exposed. It's a bit embarrassing but she drops another blanket on to my lap, keeping me covered.
"Okay, Darry. I'll have him back in a bit" she says brightly.
"Wait, can't I go with him?"
"No, I'm sorry, sweetie. Radiology is for patients and staff only. Why don't you go join the other boys in the cafeteria?"
Darry shakes his head, "It's okay. I'll wait right here for you, Pony" He gives me an encouraging smile and then Nurse Marjoire is backing me out of the room and down the hall.
She pushes the wheelchair through the winding maze of the hospital. A sudden thought comes to me as she wheels me past the gift shop, decorated almost obnoxiously in reds and greens.
"What day is it? Did I miss Christmas?" I ask desperately.
She chuckles softly, "No sweetie, you didn't miss it. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and then it's Christmas. And I think as long as these x rays look okay and your pain is under control, you'll be home in time for Christmas"
The thought leaves a warm feeling in my chest, the thought of being home for Christmas. Safe and warm with my brothers, maybe with a tree and presents and…..oh no, I didn't get them anything for Christmas…
I can't help the frustrated groan that escapes me. I'm gonna ruin our first Christmas back together since I couldn't even get them any gifts.
"What is it, sweetie?" Nurse Marjorie asks.
"It's nothing. Just thinking about Christmas" I answer her, trying to not let any of the tears burning in my eyes fall.
She hums knowingly. "Holidays can be hard. Emotions and expectations can run high. But at least you have your brothers with you, family is so important this time of year" she adds softly, "My boys are over in Vietnam right now, fighting in the war."
"I'm sorry" I answer softly.
"They're very brave, my boys. But this is the first Christmas they'll spend apart from each other. And apart from me. I just hope they'll be okay"
"This is my first Christmas back with my brothers, we've been apart for a long time"
"I know. Your social worker talked to me this morning. I'm glad you and your brothers were able to find each other again"
I don't know if it's her motherly demeanor or because of the kind nursing care she's been giving me, but I feel like I can voice my fear to her.
"I didn't get them anything for Christmas, do you think they'll be mad?"
"I think having you home will be the best Christmas present they could ever get" she says brightly, giving my shoulder a soft squeeze.
Her positivity helps ease some of the anxiety in my chest. We arrive at radiology and she wheels me up to a cool, metal table, and then her and an X-ray tech help me on to it. They shoot the x-ray but said they can't tell me what it shows until the doctor looks at it so we head back to my room.
On our way back Nurse Marjorie stops outside of the gift shop, its red and green lights illuminating us in a soft glow.
I look back up at her in confusion, not sure why we stopped.
"Do you want to do a little Christmas shopping before we get back to your room?" She asks, her eyes twinkling.
"I don't have any money" I say, shifting uncomfortably in the wheelchair.
She just scoffs, opening the door and wheeling me into the gift shop. "I get an employee discount"
"You don't have to do that. Really, it's okay" I insist.
She comes around and kneels in front of me, "Please, let me help you. I didn't get to buy anything for my boys this year. I just want you and your brothers to have a special Christmas, since my boys won't be able to"
Her eyes are shining with sincerity, not a hint of pity or malice in them. And even though I'm used to doing everything on my own, without help from anyone, I decide to take her up on her offer. For my brothers.
A smile creeps across my face as I nod and Nurse Marjorie smiles back, straightening up and guiding me through the store to look at everything. She waves hello to the man behind the counter, his name tag reading "Gerald". He's wearing a Santa hat and green sweater with a sparkly gold tree on it. Gaudy Christmas decorations adorn every available surface, making it look like Chritmas threw up in here. And even though it's over the top, I feel like it gets me into the Christmas spirit.
"What do your brothers like?" Nurse Marjorie asks as she scans the shelves behind us.
The question makes me pause because I don't really know what my brothers like. I've only really known them for a couple of days, not long enough to know them well enough to get them a meaningful gift.
I just shrug instead of answering, kind of embarrassed about how bad of a brother she must think I am.
Something catches my eye. A tall, black thermos with a silver lid. It looks kind of like the beat up one I know Darry has, but this one is much nicer and cleaner. I pull it off of the shelf to me, turning it over in my hands. Maybe it's a bit practical but a thermos also has a bit of significance since I remember seeing Darry's old thermos the night he found me in the half built house. If he hadn't forgotten his thermos that night, we might never have found each other.
Nurse Marjorie hums as she looks over my shoulder.
"Well isn't that nice! And we can get Gerald over there at the register to engrave it for you if you want"
"They do engraving here?" I ask, surprised that a hospital gift shop had that capability.
"Oh yes. It's very popular for gifts going to the labor and delivery ward, engraved or embroidered presents for the new baby"
"Do you think I could get this engraved with Darry's name?"
"I think that's a lovely idea!" Nurse Marjorie says.
I smile to myself, pleased with my choice of gift for my oldest brother. Now onto the other one.
After looking through all the shelves, I had two things in my hand, unsure which one to get for Soda. The first was an Elvis record. I'd heard Soda humming Elvis songs over the last few days, even belting out 'Nothing but a hound dog' while he was in the shower. But I didn't know if he already had that record or even really listened to them. Plus it didn't seem like a real personal gift since it didn't really have any significance for the two of us. The other item was a wallet. It was black leather in perfect condition, no tears or stains in sight. I'd seen Soda's current wallet on his nightstand, it was old and covered in what looked like motor oil. I'm leaning towards the wallet, since it's something I can put his name on like Darry's gift. I open the wallet and see there's an insert to put photos in and immediately decide this is what I'm getting for Soda. It reminds me of the photo album Soda brought from foster home to foster home and of the photo I'd carried around in my pocket for nine years.
Happy with my choices, Nurse Marjorie wheels me over to the register where I hand over the thermos and the wallet.
"He'd like his brother's names put on those too, Gerald" she tells him.
He nods and hands me a piece of paper and a pen, "Put their names and which gift it goes on"
I write out their names in careful handwriting before handing the slip of paper to Gerald. A melancholy feeling settles over me and I can't help but think that maybe if I'd had something with my name on it all those years ago, I wouldn't have forgotten about who I was or maybe someone would've figured out my name got swapped and I could've found my brothers sooner. I'd never take the importance of a name for granted again. Or the importance of my brother's names. And now they'll have something with their names on it, so they'd never forget either. It makes me wish I had something with my name too, something to show that we were brothers, all connected to each other, the last name 'Curtis' wrapping us up and tying the three of us together like string.
"Wrap those up for me too please, Gerald. I'll pick them up once my shift is over" Nurse Marjorie says over her shoulder as she wheels me out of the shop.
I look up at her and try to convey just how thankful I am for her help, "Thank you"
"It was my pleasure, sweetie. Thank you for letting me still be able to do some special christmas shopping this year"
She wheels me back up to my floor, pausing before my door, "I'll give the wrapped presents to one of your friends, so they can bring them home for you, alright? That way it won't ruin the surprise for your brothers"
I'm immediately flooded with gratitude again and tears start to burn in my eyes at her kindness, "Thank you" I croak. She pats me softly on the shoulder and then wheels into my room.
The guys are all back by now, the noise from their card game audible before we even open the door. Darry and Soda come over to the wheelchair as soon as it's pushed into the room.
"You okay, Pony?" Soda whispers quietly "You look upset"
"I'm fine, Soda. I promise"
And really, for the first time, I think I am.
Nurse Marjorie helps me stand and then leaves, taking the wheelchair out with her and promising to come check on me in a bit. Darry helps me back into the bed, adjusting the pillows behind me and pulling the blanket over my chest. I shiver a bit, cold from the walk through the chilly hospital hallways.
Steve drops his jacket on my bed. I look up at him confused but he just jerks his head toward it. I shoot him a thankful smile while Soda helps me maneuver the jacket on, being careful of my side.
"You want in?" Two Bit asks me, quirking up an eyebrow and holding up his cards.
I nod and he deals me in. All the guys scoot closer, using my bed as the table once again.
As I look around the room, I can't help the warm feeling in my chest. I'd been on my own for so long, no family and no real friends to count on. But not anymore. Now I have my brothers and the gang. At first I'd thought they had only come here because they were Darry and Soda's friends, but now I think they might actually care about me too. I'm surrounded by my family and friends who are actually more than just buddies, they're more like family themselves. Maybe I actually have more brothers than just Darry and Soda.
I look down at my cards, unable to keep the smile off my face at the thought of all the brothers I have now.
"The kids bluffing" Dally declares, glaring at me over his cards.
"You gotta work on your poker face, Pony" Johnny laughs.
I try to quirk my eyebrow up like Two Bit but I don't think it works. I lay down my cards and grin smugly around at the guys, who start to yell and groan when they see the hand I've been dealt.
I smile again, "Nope. I've got a full house".
A/N: Thanks for the patience with getting this next chapter out. It ended up being over 6K words so I split it in two. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!