The Outsiders - Three Brothers

32

After Dally pummeled the Socs that had been bothering Ponyboy, the kid didn't have anymore problems. After a couple of days, Ponyboy's headache went away and Soda removed the stitches after they'd been in for two weeks. Summer was going great now for all three of the brothers.

One night at dinner, they were enjoying some fried chicken when Darry started to speak, "I got a job offer. Working on some nice hotel's roof a couple towns over. It's gonna be good money."

"You gonna have to stay away?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah. I'll be gone about two weeks. I'll get back a few days before your birthday."

"That's a long time."

"I know Ponyboy. But it's a lot of money. It'll keep us set with the bills for a least three months." And then Darry wouldn't have to work so hard for awhile, or he could save some money for emergencies.

"You gonna make Tim Shepard babysit again?" Soda asked. Last month Darry had the Shepard leader babysit them when he had to work really late - back when Soda was still on lockdown.

"No. Maybe I'll have him check in on you some. But I think I can trust you to handle yourselves. Can I trust you?" He looked at Sodapop seriously.

"Yeah!" He answered with a giant grin.

"You'll call? Every night? Okay?" Ponyboy said.

"Of course Honey. I'll call everyday."

"When you leaving?"

"Two days."  Ponyboy had a real long face, sad. "I tell you what. If the first week goes really good - I'll pay for you to take a bus and see me for a couple days okay?"

Ponyboy smiled, the first cheering him back up. "That sounds fun."

"But you also gotta be good for Soda here. I don't wanna hear you been giving him a hard time. You mind him now, understood?"

"I will. I promise."

After supper, it was Ponyboy's turn to wash the dishes. So he cleared up the table when everyone finished eating and starting the washing.  "Can I meet up with Dally and Johnny? They're going to the late showing at the drive-in. I promise to be back before ten-thirty."

Darry looked at the clock, it was almost seven. "Finish up the dishes and then you can go out."

"Can I have fifty cents too?"

Darry rolled his eyes a little, "yeah. You can fifty cents too." Ponyboy finished his chore quickly and then got the money from Darry and hurried out the house with Darry yelling, "don't forget! Ten-thirty!"

~~~~~~~~~~

The day Darry left came around, and he was giving both boys a run down of the rules. "We got it Darry." Soda said, putting Darry's suitcase in the truck.

"I put some money on the kitchen table. It's for food and groceries. Nothing else. I got Dally to make sure you two stay outta trouble. He's gonna report back to me if he catches y'all doing anything you ain't got any business doing."

"We'll be good," Ponyboy said as Darry climbed into the truck, and leaned out the window a little. "Call when you get to that hotel."

Darry smiled, "I will."

Sodapop and Ponyboy waved as Darry pulled out the yard and down the street. "What you want for dinner?" Soda asked as they went back inside.

"Can we get pizza?"

"Sure. Let's get the cash Darry left and we can walk to the pizza place."

On their way to their favorite pizza restaurant, the brothers ran into Two-Bit. "Hey guys!" He ran up to them with his iconic grin.

"Hey Two. How are you?" Soda asked.

"Living life. Heard Darry is gonna be gone for a couple weeks?"

"Just a few towns over. It's like a two hours drive."

"I was thinking since Superman is outta the way -"

"No we are not having a party at my house." Soda answered before Two-Bit could even ask.

"Buzzkill!"

"I'd rather not get my ass tore out the frame because you wanted to have a party."

"I'll have it somewhere else then. Where you headed now?"

"To get pizza," Ponyboy said.

"Sounds good. Care if a join?"

"Fine with me, what about you Pony?"

"He can come. Just don't eat all the breadsticks this time."

"No promises kid."

After dinner the three went back to the Curtis house and hung out for a few hours. Soda and Two-Bit each had a beer, Soda said they couldn't have more than that since it's the limit Darry sets for them. Ponyboy was content with his Pepsi, he didn't get why his brothers or friends liked beer anyways - he thought it was really gross.

They played cards and wrestled on the porch until it got really late. "Alright Two. Imma call it a night, I got work in the morning."

"Yeah. Imma hunt some action. You wanna come Pony?"

Ponyboy looked at Soda for permission, "not tonight Ponyboy. I don't wanna wait up to make sure you're not out passed curfew. I gotta get up early."

"Okay. Sorry Two-Bit, maybe Dally or Johnny will go."

"Thanks for not arguing," Sodapop said when the brothers went back inside.

Ponyboy just shrugged a little, "it doesn't do any good. Just gets me in trouble. And I want to try and have a good time while Darry is gone."

Soda smiled, his baby brother was growing up a little. "I'm going to take a shower and get to bed. You can stay up until eleven." Even during summer he had a bedtime, Darry didn't want him messing up his sleep schedule.

With that, Soda went to grab a change of clothes to sleep in and then head to the bathroom. Ponyboy turned on the TV and then crashed onto the couch.

Ponyboy ended up falling asleep on the couch, the summer heat and all that rough housing tired him out more than he'd realized. At midnight he get himself being shaken awake, "huh? What time is it?"

"It's twelve, you must've fallen asleep watching TV. Come to bed." Soda said softly, he must've woken up to use the bathroom and noticed Ponyboy missing from bed.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Pony yawned and got out of bed, the TV already off - Soda must've done that too.

"It's okay. But let's go. You need to sleep in a bed not on the couch." Ponyboy followed Soda to their room. Soda got back into bed, and Ponyboy followed suit after he undressed. He flopped into bed in just his underwear and socks. He fell asleep in minutes.