The Outsiders - Three Brothers

Sick

It was a Wednesday and Soda had work at one, so he decided to sleep in a little late. He woke up around nine-thirty, and finally pulled himself out of bed. Ponyboy was still fast asleep beside him, with no indication of waking anytime soon. He smiled at his little brother, he looked so young - especially when he was asleep. Soda decided to let Ponyboy sleep a little longer, he'd cook breakfast and then wake him up. They didn't want the kid sleeping too late or he'd have a hard time getting up on time when summer ended.

Darry had learned that the hard way. The first summer they'd lost their parents, Darry let Ponyboy and Sodapop stay up as long as they wanted and sleep as late as they pleased. It ended up with them being miserable the first few weeks of school. Neither of the younger boys were able to go to bed on time and therefore were sleep deprived for school the following day.

So, after Sodapop finished frying up some eggs and bacon, he went back to wake Ponyboy up. "Get up Ponyboy. It's almost ten. You aren't gonna sleep the day away." He Opened the blinds to let the sun light shine completely into the room.

Ponyboy rolled over onto his stomach with a groan, hiding his face under the blankets. "No -" he croaked out, his throat sounded a little scratchy.

"Ponyboy, come on. You know Darry will give us both hell if you sleep in too much." He came over and yanked the blankets off the kid.

"Stop -" he was whining. "I don't feel good Soda."

"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately worried as he tried to make Ponyboy roll over so he could look at his face.

He did roll over, and looked at Sodapop miserably. "I feel hot, but also cold. It's weird. I dunno how to explain it. And my throat hurts."

Soda put a hand to Ponyboy's forehead, "you do feel really warm. I'll go get the thermometer." He hoped Ponyboy wasn't getting sick, or he'd need to take a few days off work to take care of him. Not to mention, Ponyboy wasn't good to anyone when he was sick, he turned into a big baby. When he came back from the bathroom he stuck the glass thermometer into Pony's mouth and waited.

"What's it say?" He asked when Sodapop took the thermometer back and stared at it.

"A little over a hundred."

"Can I go back to sleep?"

"Yeah, lay down baby. I'll get you a cold rag and some medicine for your throat. Then I gotta call Darry."

Ponyboy didn't argue, happy to be allowed to sleep more. He pulled the blankets back over himself and nuzzled into his pillow. Sodapop left again, after Ponyboy asked him to close the curtains back. He got the cold and damp rag for Ponyboy as well as some cough medicine for his sore throat. Ponyboy gave a bit of protest over the gross medicine, but after an irritated pinch to his ribs from Sodapop he opened his mouth and swallowed the spoonful without protest.

When he'd taken the medicine, Soda let him go back to bed for real this time. He went to the kitchen and called the worksite he knew Darry was at. Of course Darry's boss answered, so Soda had to ask for his older brother. "Everything alright?" Darry asked when he got to the phone.

"Ponyboy is sick. He woke up with a fever and a sore throat. I gave him some medicine and let him go back to sleep. But I gotta go to work at one, I can ask to have the next few days off but I can't miss today. What time do you get off?"

Darry sighed a little, "I won't be home until after four today. Can you call Two-Bit or Dally? See if one of them can come over for a couple hours to watch Pony."

"Yeah I can do that."

"And keep an eye on his fever. If it goes up over a hundred and one then make him take a cool bath."