A Whole New Beginning

Today was the day when I had to return to the place that I feared the most. The place of my childhood memories. Home. I have been driving for about six hours now, and I haven't decided if I want to stop and sleep at the closest motel or keep driving. I was three hours away from my destination and I wanted to see Sodapop really bad. I decided that I was going to keep on driving and get there as soon as possible. I called Soda at the pay phone and told him I would be there at two in the morning.

When I arrived at Soda's, he was sitting on the couch watching T.V. I got out of my car and Soda must have heard my door slam because he comes bounding out the door with his arms flailing.
"Hey Ponyboy, I was wondering when you were going to get here," Soda said as he wrapped his arms around me. "I was starting to get worried."

"Y'all don't have to worry about me anymore Soda, I'm all grow up," I said sarcastically.

"It doesn't matter if you're all grown up. I can still worry about you; I have worried about you since the day Johnny and Dally died."

"Ahh Soda, don't say things like that, don't bring back all the bad memories."

"Speaking of bad memories guess who called today." Soda said.

"Who?" I asked. I wondered who called Soda. It must be something important because he would never tell me something like this unless it was really important.

"Sandy," he said with a straight face.

"Really?" I asked surprised.

"Ya I know, she said she had some very good news to tell me so she's coming down to see her parents and were going to talk."

"That'll be fun."

"I have a feeling that she has been hiding something all these years and it has something do with her leaving."

"That's gotta be it."

I woke up with a headache the next morning. I went into the bathroom to see if Soda had an aspirin I could take. He had all of his things all over the bathroom counter. I have always been a neat freak, so I decided to clean it all up. I put the toothpaste and his toothbrush away in the medicine cabinet above the sink and all his hair stuff and his medicine. The last thing I did was wipe down the counter with a wet cloth. When I was finished I went back to my room to get my toothbrush from my bag. When I passed the kitchen Soda was standing there with his cup of coffee staring out the window.

"Watcha, lookin at?"I asked Soda.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking," Soda said without looking at me.

"About Sandy?"

"Ya. I've been thinking a lot about her lately. Why she just called out of nowhere. She could have just told me on the phone. Couldn't she?" He turned and looked at me. I haven't been the best person to give out advice but it was decent.

"Maybe she wanted to tell you in person. See your expression and not think 'is he smiling' or 'what does he think about it.' Girls want to see how you react to questions. Or she may just want to see you." I left the room after I said that, so he could think about what I had said. I think he may want to see her too.

That afternoon I decided that I was going to see Dally and Johnny's graves. It was getting colder since I left the house and dark clouds started to form in the sky. A couple of times I looked up into the clouds and saw the faces of Dally and Johnny. Maybe I was hallucinating or it was all a dream, either way it still freaked me out a bit. When I got to the graveyard it started to rain. I wasn't going to go all the way back to Soda's to get an umbrella, so I stood beside a tree by their graves and paid my respects. Then I saw it, a flash of red on the other side of the graveyard. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was Cherry Valence. I hadn't seen her for ten years, I hadn't really thought of her, but once in a while I would. Then it came to me, what was she doing here all alone in the rain; she was visiting Bob's grave. I thought she would have forgotten about him by now, but I guess she hadn't. I decided I was going to go see her.

I walked up behind her and said, "You know you should let go of your past, and think about your future."

She turned around. "Pony, is that you."

"Ya it sure is."

She reached out and gave me a big hug. She was as wet as I was, but this was the day I have been waiting for a long time. I wasn't going to let go that fast. She reminded me of her ten years ago except her hair was a deep red color and she was a bit taller. Her facial features hadn't changed. She looked even more beautiful then I can remember.

"What are doing here Pony?" She asked me.

"I came to visit Sodapop."

"Is that the only reason or did you come to see Dally and Johnny?"

"Not really, until Soda mentioned them it hadn't crossed my mind. As I said let go of your past, and think about your future. What about you how come you're here? I thought you would try to forget about Bob?"

"I wasn't here to see Bob. I'm here to see my father. He died about a year ago in a car accident." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

I wiped her tear away and pulled her closer. Embracing her in a tight hug. I was surprised when she hugged back. I thought she would pull away, but she didn't. All of a sudden she started crying.

"It's ok," I whispered as I comforted her. "It's alright, its good to let it all out sometimes and not keep it bottled up inside you. I felt the same way when my parents died. I showed no emotion, and then one day Soda came to me and said let it all out. I started balling my eyes out on his shoulder. I felt better after that."

She stopped crying. "Thanks Ponyboy. I needed that. Want to go dry off at my house?"

"Sure."

Back at the house Soda was in the kitchen making a sandwich when he heard a knock at the door. He left his sandwich on the counter and went to answer the door. When he opened the door he was surprised to see a boy around the age of ten standing on his door step.

"Hey Pops," the young boy said.

"What are you talking about have suffered some type of head injury?"

"No, I'm your son."

"I have no idea who you are or who put you up to this. Can you please get off my door step and go home." Soda was starting to get frustrated.

"Sorry I can't I live in Florida."

Just then Sandy got out of the car that was parked on the street. She started to walk towards Soda. But she stopped in front of him and grabbed the boy's hand.

"He telling the truth he is your son."

After Soda let them come inside and sit down Sandy started explaining why she came back.

"I left because I was scared," she began. "I was scared that my parents wouldn't love me after I told them that I was pregnant with your child. I was scared because I was a teenage and teenagers do stupid thing that they regret later in life. Except that was a mistake that I hoped would happen. Our child, the perfect child. That's why I didn't have an abortion. I knew that I would tell you sooner or later and you would accept it that is what I love about you. I knew we couldn't afford it so I left to live with my grandparents. They would love me no matter what I did. They took me in like I was their own. They said the child was the best thing that had ever happened to them because I was there too. I kept thinking of the perfect way to approach you and tell you the truth but I couldn't find the right words. It took me ten years to figure that out. I also didn't want to tell you before because I wasn't ready to get married I want to wait so I could get an education. You and Jeremy were the best things that have happened to me. I hope you will take me back."

Soda was speechless for a while, until he finally spoke up.

"Of course I will take you back. I have been waiting for this day my whole life. I can now pay for you and my child. Right when you called my heart skipped a beat, the sound of your voice. Sandy I love like I have never loved someone before." Right there, that moment Soda got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. It was a silver band with a small diamond in the center. "Will you marry me?"

Sandy sat there speechless. Not knowing what to say. The word 'yes' running through her mind. She knew what to say it just wouldn't come out.

"Of course I will," she said as she hugged him tight. "I'm ready now. I want to be a real family now. Jeremy come join our hug."

Jeremy came toward them and Sandy pulled him close. They stood there for a couple of minutes until Jeremy broke the silence.

"Mom, can I have something to drink? I'm thirsty."

"Ask your father," said as she turned to Soda and smiled.

"Dad can I have something to drink?"

"Sure in the fridge I have some water, ginger ale, juice. Pick what you want. There is also a piece of chocolate cake in there too if you want."

"Okay," he said with excitement in his voice.

After Jeremy left to go into the kitchen Soda started to ask Sandy a whole lot of questions, as if she was on a game show.

"How come you named him Jeremy?" Soda asked.

"It's my grandfather's name. It was the least I could after what he did for me."

"What's his middle name?"

"You are going to love this. His middle name is Sodapop and his last name Curtis."

"You named him after me?" He asked quietly.

"Of course, you have the most unique name I have ever heard, you and Ponyboy. I wanted him to remember you by something."

"Sandy that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me," with that he kissed her. A long passionate one, one that could make you feel as free as a bird flying in the open skies.

"I love you Soda," she whispered in his ear.

"I love you too Sandy," he whispered back.

Jeremy came back breaking the silence in the room.

"That, was the best cake, I have ever tasted." He said with a big smile across his face.

"That's good because I always make sure there is a piece in there for me every morning."

"Every morning," Jeremy said like he had no breath left. "I can't wait."

Jeremy then ran up to Soda and put his arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.

"You are the best dad anyone could ever ask for."

Back at Cherry's I was sitting on the couch, all dry and drinking a cup of coffee. When Cherry came in the room she was wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She walked up beside me plopped down beside me. So close I could feel her body leaning against me.

"You know what Ponyboy; you are the nicest boy that I have ever met." Cherry said with a sigh. "You know that if you were older I would totally fell for you ten years ago."

"Cherry I did like you back then, now age is but a number, there is no difference between us now."

"Pony you have a way with words," Cherry said then leaned in closer and caressed the side of Pony's face. She lightly kissed him on the top on lip. It felt like he had died and went to heaven.

"Cherry you are like silver, silver can stay forever," Pony said.

"Why Silver and not gold?"She asked

"You are not gold because nothing gold can stay."