(Soda)
After playing a few hands of cards, Pony started to feel tired again, so we all settled down and kept quiet so he could nap. He was out quickly, his soft breath evening out and his face relaxing into a peaceful expression.
Surprisingly, the guys managed to stay quiet while he slept. We all moved off to the side, pulling the chairs over and sitting on the ground away from the bed. Darry filled them all in on what had happened with the social workers and the update that the doctor had given us. Steve told us how he, Dally, and Johnny had stopped by Johnny's house before they all crashed at our house last night to keep an eye on things for us.
"What ended up happening with your dad?" I ask Johnny softly.
He sighs, his dark eyes going to his hands that he's fidgeting with in his lap.
"Cops released him. My ma isn't pressing charges or anything so they just had him cool off in the drunk tank for a bit"
"How can they just release him? Wasn't he beating on you? And putting up a fight with the fuzz?" I ask him indignantly, while still keeping my voice down so as not to wake up Pony.
Johnny shrugs, looking uncomfortable as all of our eyes are on him, except for Dallas who is glaring daggers at the ground. "He threw his bottle, that's what busted my lip. And he was rowdy with the fuzz because he was drunk. But a man can be drunk in his own house, ain't no law against that"
"Don't mean he's not an asshole" Steve mutteres bitterly.
"Hear hear" Two Bit adds.
"You can stay at our place as long as you need to, Johnny. I don't want you going back over there if he's still pissed off about what happened" Darry tells him.
Johnny nods but doesn't actually agree. I know Johnny hates to feel like a bother, but we all hate to see what he has to go through at home. Any of us would be happy for Johnny to stay with us, but he just doesn't like feeling pitied.
Two Bit slings an arm around Johnny's shoulders, pulling him into his side and shaking him a bit, "Sorry superman, my ma already claimed Johnny. She insists that you stay over for Christmas, Johnnycakes"
"Lay off him, you oaf!" Dally snaps, smacking Two Bit on the arm, "He's got busted ribs, remember?"
"Oh yeah. Sorry Johnnycakes"
Johnny smiles and shoves Two Bit off of him to hold his ribs, "It's alright man. Tell your mom I said thanks"
We all talked a bit more before the guys decide to head out but promised to be back tomorrow morning. I kind of wish I could head out for a bit too, I desperately want a shower and a nap in my bed, but Darry and I decided last night that we weren't leaving this hospital until Pony is leaving with us.
Pony wakes up almost as soon as the guys leave. He stretches and winces as it pulls on his side, his face flashing in pain. Darry and I are quick to help him, guiding him to sit up and propping some pillows behind his back.
"How are you feeling, buddy?" Darry asks.
"Okay" Pony answers, even as he seems to shift back and forth in the bed.
I narrow my eyes at him, "What's wrong?"
"I..I.." he stutters and blushes beet red.
And then it clicks.
"You need to use the bathroom?" I guess.
He nods, looking miserable and embarrassed. I'm not sure why though, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Ain't nothing to be ashamed of.
"Why didn't you just say so?" Darry asks, already helping Pony to the side of the bed and getting an arm around him. I hover nearby, but Darry seems like he's got him. I know he won't let Pony fall, but I still want to be close by in case they need help. Darry leads him over to the small bathroom and then helps him back into bed after he finished doing his business.
"You can ask for help when you need it, you don't have to hide it if you need something" Darry tells him, smoothing the blanket back over his chest.
"I just didn't want to bother you"
'Johnny and Pony are two peas in a pod' I think to myself.
"You aint a bother, Pony. We just want to make sure you're okay" I tell him.
Pony sighs, looking forlornly up at the ceiling.
"What's wrong? Is it hurting again?" Darry asks him, leaning close and rubbing a hand on Pony's shoulder.
"No, it doesn't hurt. I just want to go home. I'm tired of being stuck in bed"
"What? I'm not entertaining enough for you?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow like Two Bit.
Pony rolls his eyes with a smile while Darry chuckles.
"Well what do you want to do? We could play cards or I spy or Darry could read the newspaper to you or you could draw or we can play trashcan basketball or charades or-" my rambling is cut off when there's a knock on the door, and then Dr. Green comes into the room followed by Nurse Marjorie carrying Pony's dinner tray. Darry stood up from his chair at the doctor's appearance, standing up straight and giving him a polite greeting.
"Hello boys" Dr. Green greeted, "How are you feeling, Ponyboy?"
"I feel fine" Pony tells him. Dr. Green comes over and starts to examine Pony again, checking his incision site and listening to his chest with his fancy stethoscope.
"The incision site looks good. How's your pain?"
"It really doesn't hurt too bad" Pony insists.
The doctor nods. "Well, I have the results of your x-ray. It looks like you do have pneumonia, there was definitely fluid in your lungs"
Pony looks down at his lap at the news, almost looking sad. Darry's eyebrows furrow in concern.
"Pneumonia is pretty serious, isn't it?" Darry asks.
"It can be. But we have already started Ponyboy on antibiotics so hopefully that will prevent the infection from worsening. We'll do another x-ray tomorrow and as long as that doesn't look worse and he's not having problems breathing, he should be fine to go home tomorrow night"
Ponyboy perks up at this, "I can go home tomorrow?"
"As long as the x-ray looks okay and you are not showing any signs of infection tomorrow, then yes, I believe you will be safe to go home." Dr. Green says with a smile.
The doctor and Nurse Marjorie finish their check up on Pony. Nurse Marjorie hands him some more pills along with his dinner tray and then softly brushes a hand over his hair before leaving the room. Pony takes the pills and then picks at his dinner, barely eating anything. I end up eating most of it, scraping as much of the red jello out of the cup as I possibly can.
Pony starts to yawn shortly after, his eyelids drooping as he fights to stay awake.
"You ready to go to sleep, Pony?" Darry asks him softly, already lowering him back down and turning the lights down in the room.
It's a testament to how tired Pony must be because he simply nods, rubbing his fist against his eyes just like a toddler before settling down against the bed.
Then Pony scoots to the side, shifting himself to the edge of the bed and then looks up at me expectantly.
"You want me to sleep with you?" I ask him, surprised.
He nods sleepily, his hand reaching out to snag my arm and pull me into the bed. Warmth floods through me as I climb into the bed next to him, carefully throwing an arm over Ponyboy, who sighs contently.
And even though it's still pretty early, I find myself falling asleep too, warm and comfortable with my brother next to me. Darry tucks in the blanket draped over us and I fall asleep before I can answer Darry's whispered good night.
…
I slept pretty good despite being crammed in a tiny hospital bed with my brother. I think he slept pretty good too, except for the nightmare that had him whimpering in his sleep. I had just pulled him closer and rubbed his shoulder and he'd relaxed, never really waking up and sleeping peacefully the rest of the night. Darry had slept in the chair next to the bed, his head leaning against the wall in a way that I'm sure killed his neck. He could've slept on the cot but I think he wanted to be close to Pony last night too.
A week ago, all I wanted was to be out of the group home and to be back with Darry for Chritstmas. Now it's Christmas Eve, and I have all I want in this hospital room. And even if we have to spend Chritsmas in the hospital, it would still be okay because we'd still be together.
The morning sun coming in through the window didn't wake my brothers up, but Nure Marjorie did when she came in, bringing Pony his breakfast and some more pills. She checks over his blood pressure and pulse and temperature, marking them down on a slip of paper and assuring me and Darry that everything looks good.
I slip out and make a phone call to the house and Steve tells me something came up and they wouldn't be by this morning but they would stop by tonight if Pony didn't get discharged. I wonder what the guys could be up to, but think maybe they are spending time with their families for the holidays or something.
The morning passes in a boring blur but after the excitement of the last few days, I find I don't mind a little boring. Darry reads the newspaper while Ponyboy doodles and sketches with some markers and a notebook that Nurse Marjorie brought in for him.
She comes back before lunch time to wheel Pony off for another x-ray to see how his pneumonia is progressing.
I know it's kinda silly, but I feel nervous as soon as she wheels him out of the room. I don't like having him out of my sight, not after everything that happened. I can tell Darry feels the same way by the way he runs a hand through his hair, but despite his own nerves, Darry is quick to reassure me.
"He'll be okay, Sodapop. He'll be right back"
And of course he is. Nurse Marjorie brings him back and he walks from the wheelchair to the bed, looking even steadier than yesterday.
When Dr. Green and Nurse Marjorie come in a few hours later and give Pony the all clear to go home, I have to stop myself from jumping up and down on the bed in glee. A huge smile splits my face, a matching one on Pony's as he turns excitedly to me at the news.
I help Pony into the clothes that Steve had brought for him the day before while Dr. Green and Nurse Marjorie go over all of Pony's discharge instructions with Darry. Darry nods along seriously as they talk to him, advising him on what to look out for and when to bring him back to get his wound checked. Darry adds the pile of paperwork they give him to the pile that the social workers had given him and for a moment, I'm glad that I'm not the one who has to be in charge of all that. Lord knows I would've lost all the paperwork or folded it into a paper airplane and sent it flying out the window by now.
Nurse Marjorie takes one last set of vitals and then takes the IV out of Pony's hand, wrapping it up with a bandage. Then she gives him a hug, running a hand over his head. I'm surprised that Pony hugs her right back, pressing his face into her shoulder and giving her a genuine smile when she pulls back to look at his face.
"Goodluck with your brothers, Ponyboy" she says softly to him, "And Merry Christmas, sweetie"
"Merry Christmas. And thank you for everything" he tells her.
Apparently, per hospital policy, patients have to be brought out in a wheelchair. Nurse Marjorie wheels one in but I volunteer to be the one to push Pony out.
And with that, we're free. Nurse Marjorie waves goodbye as the elevator door closes, bringing us down to the first floor. Me and Pony wait in the lobby while Darry gets the truck to pull it around to the front.
I'd been tilting the wheelchair back, making Pony laugh as he grabbed for the handles when Darry came back into the lobby. He narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you trying to land him back in a hospital bed?"
"I was just practicing my wheelies" I say innocently, giving the wheelchair one more small rock back. Darry glares at me but I can tell he's not really mad. He gestures with his head and we follow him out the door into the frigid december air where he had parked the truck.
We help Pony out of the wheelchair and into the middle seat of the truck, sandwiching him in between me and Darry. He's practically vibrating with excitement.
"I can't believe I'm going home" he says softly as Darry starts up the truck.
"Well believe it, kid. Just in time for Chrtistmas" I tell him, knocking my shoulder against his.
"And I get to stay with you now?" He asks, eyes looking hopefully up at Darry.
"Yep, you're staying with us, little buddy. And after the court case it'll be permanent. You'll be stuck with us for good then" Darry assures him.
"Good" Pony says with a smile as he settles himself in the seat, getting comfortable for our ride home.
The feeling of a thousand pound weight being lifted off my heart overcame me as Darry pulled the truck into the driveway. Home. We were finally home. All three of us, to stay for good. I couldn't stop the smile that came across my face, and as I met Darry's eyes over Pony's head, I could tell he felt the same sense of happiness about being home together. Even poor Pony, who'd let his head fall onto my shoulder and dozed through the car ride from the hospital, had a smile on his face as he looked up at the house.
Darry got out and came around to my side of the truck and the two of us helped Pony out of the car. He actually got around okay as long as he moved slow and didn't twist or bend too much but I couldn't help but hover near him, in case he needed me. And while he probably didn't need my help, I slung my arm around him and guided him to the house, just wanting to keep him close.
I felt him shiver against me in his too big sweatshirt. I rubbed a hand up and down his arm as we made our way into the house.
"You cold, Pony?" I ask.
He shrugs, not one to complain, but I can tell by his shaking that he is.
"We'll get you settled on the couch with some blankets while I figure out dinner, okay? We'll get you all warmed up" Darry tells him, waiting for us at the front door. He turns the handle and opens the front door, letting me and Pony in before following and shutting the door behind him.
It's a Christmas miracle. That's all I can think of as I take in our living room. The decorations me and my brothers had put up seem to have multiplied, Red, green, silver, and gold are sprouting from every surface as wreaths and garland are draped on any available space.
A huge tree sits in the corner by the couch, it's multicolored lights twinkling and reflecting off the shiny ornaments that hang from it's branches. It's all a mixed match mess. It's over the top. It's wonderful.
"What did you guys do?" Darry asks, his mouth hanging open in awe as he takes in the scene before us.
"We set up Christmas!" Two Bit announces proudly.
I can't believe they did this for us. I'd been worried we wouldn't have enough time to make things special for Ponyboy but it looks like our friends were three steps ahead of us.
"Where on earth did you find all this stuff?" I ask.
"Lets just say…we acquired it from someone" Steve says slyly.
"Oh no. What did you guys do?" Darry groans.
"Relax, superman" Dally drawls, "We took it from Bucks. He's got plenty, he won't even notice its gone"
"It's great" Pony says softly, staring at the tree in what I can only describe as childlike wonder. Darry glances at him too, his glare softening as he sees Pony transfixed by the christmas lights.
Darry's gaze sweeps across the living room.
"What the heck is that?" Darry asks, his eyes comically wide.
"Your stockings!" Two Bit exclaims happily, looking proudly over at his handiwork, "Hung by fire, just like in the story! I couldn't find any regular ones though"
"So you used my gym socks?!" Darry asks bewilderedly.
I look over at the fireplace and sure enough, three of Darry's gym socks are hung up with nails, a fire crackling merrily beneath them.
The laugh that bubbles out of Ponyboy sounds like pure magic. He's still holding onto my shoulder but now he's doubled over as laughter pours out of him, warming the room more than the toasty fire.
I laugh right along with him, happy to share this moment with my brother.
"It's great, Two Bit. Absolutely perfect" I tell him.
He waves a hand and gives a little bow.
"And Darry, don't bother cooking dinner tomorrow. My ma already started making a feast for y'all"
"Oh Two Bit, she didn't have to do that" Darry says.
"She wanted to. You know she was good friends with your mom, she said this is what your mom would've wanted" Two Bit says, his normally joking voice tinged with sincerity.
"Thanks, Keith. I'm sure it'll be the best dinner we've had in a while" Darry says, clapping Two Bit on the back.
"And I even helped! I peeled the potatoes" Two Bit says proudly.
"He peeled one potato" Johnny muttered.
"Okay fine. I peeled one and then I supervised while Johnny peeled the rest"
I chuckled, "Well I'm sure they turned out just great then"
Steve nudged Dally, who was sprawled next to him on the couch, "Here kid, you look like you need to sit down". The two of them got up, making room for Pony.
I lowered him onto the couch and then plopped down next to him, drinking in the sight of Christmas that surrounded us. When my parents died, I thought a part of me had died too. I didn't know if I could ever be happy or whole again, always having a piece of me missing. And then they taken Pony and that missing piece had turned jagged, stabbing at my heart and bleeding all the good out. But now, I felt whole again. I'd never get my parents back, but I still had a family. That jagged, missing piece in me had softened, my brother's presence filling in the open spaces. Happy didn't seem a good enough word to describe how it felt to be here with my brothers and my friends. But that's what I was. Happy. Happy to be home for Christmas.