Oakley Curtis

Chapter 5

Darry's POV

Mrs. Thompson was waiting for me when I got there. She motioned me to follow her. I told Dally and Two to go find the others. I followed her, stopping at the vending machine to grab a cup of coffee. Before she could say anything, I said, "mom and dad didn't make it, did they?"

"That hasn't been confirmed, but with the way the staff is tiptoeing around the topic..." she faded off, "Darry? I have to decide what to do with Oakley. They're keeping her overnight, but I may have to take her, unless..."

"Unless I decide to follow the Will for custody," I muttered, "mom and dad asked me to if I would take custody of the minors if they died."

She nodded, "you don't have to decide anything tonight. I am fine leaving Oakley with you temporarily until everything gets figured out."

"Mrs. Thompson, I don't know how to take care of Oakley," I ran my hand through my hair, "it's not like taking care of Soda and Ponyboy."

"No, it's not, but you're not in the alone in any of this."

A thought suddenly occurred to me, "you mean that my siblings are gonna get split up?"

She squeezed my hand, "I don't know.  That is up to courts, but I will be there every step of the way."

We started walking toward Oakley's room.  I sat down in the chair beside the bed.  Oakley and Ponyboy were sleeping soundly in the hospital bed.  Soda and Steve were flopped together on a couch, "I'm gonna get you a cot.  Try to get some sleep.  I'll be back tomorrow morning."

I just nodded, exhausted. An orderly brought in a cot and I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Oakley's POV

I opened my eyes, aware of how bright the sun was and it made my eyes feel funny. The bed sheets were scratchy and I felt like I was suffocating. I shoved Pony off of me and reached for my tablet, but I couldn't find it. The monitors started beeping. They were shrill and loud, I covered my ears. I pulled my knees up to my chest and started rocking back and forth. I was having a sensory overload episode so I rocked back and forth, kept my eyes shut tightly, and my hands pressed firmly over my ears. I started humming Billy Joel's, 'Good Night, my Angel.'

Darry's POV

The beeps of the monitors woke me up.  It took me a minute to remember where I was.  Oakley was rocking back and forth, hands clasped over her ears, and her eyes shut tight.

"Oakley?" I said quietly, no response, "Oakley?"  She continued to rock.  I didn't know what to do so I nudged Pony, "hey kid, can you help with Oak?"

He immediately sat up and took her face in his hands, "Oakley."  She opened her eyes and whimpered, "Darry, iPad," he demanded.  He held it out to her.

She took it and pushed an icon.  She touched the pictures of her head, eyes, and ears, then hit a button that said, "help."

Ponyboy pressed the call light on her bed.  A nurse came in, "she's in pain!" Pony was frantic as he handed her the iPad.  She put some medicine in her IV and within 5 minutes, she had calmed down.

"Hey Oakley," I spoke gently.  She seemed surprised to see me, "are you ok?"

She pressed another button on her tablet, "yellow".

I glanced at Pony, "she's using the zones of regulation.  She is frustrated and tired."

"Hi Darry," her tablet spoke again.  That got my attention.  She knew me!  She knew who I was and she 'spoke' to me!  My heart swelled, "hug, please."

I wrapped my arms around my baby sister and she leaned into me.  I wanted to cry.  My baby sister actually knew me!

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by a group of doctors coming in, "are you Darrel Curtis?"  I let go of Oak and nodded, "we're sorry to inform you but your parents didn't make it."