Breaking Down, Wishing Away (Sodapop Curtis Love Story) {SEQUEL}

Chapter 1: Home Safe

The clouds were ripping through the sky.  A darker blue came closer into sight, but I didn’t really care about it due to the fact that my incredibly adorable daughter was chasing me around the living room.  I dodged the yellow couch as she mimicked me.  I kept snapping pictures on my camera and kept putting each one on the glass coffee table as they began polarizing.  May started catching up to me and tried to tackle me and of course I played along and I stumbled onto the carpet still taking pictures now and then.  She crawled towards me leaving a trail of drool and marks behind her.  I got a couple close up of May, which I was excited to add to her baby book.

Sodapop walked through the front door with the barking hounds.  The moment he looked at me, I snapped a quick picture and watched the flash temporarily stun him, which I intended in the first place. 

He rubbed him eyes for little bit, then pushed his sandy tuffs of hair back into place. “Jeez, I don’t even get a hello?” He said with a mumble. 

I smirked at his comment, “Would you get those mudding dogs outside.  You know they’re not allowed inside when they’re all dirty because who’s always the one cleaning up the paw prints and dried mud off the walls? Huh? Not you.”

“Alright, alright, they’re going outside.” He said raising his hand up with his head down.  Sodapop turned around and opened the door for the dogs, “Out boys,” He mumbled under his breath. 

After that, Soda picked up May and bounced her around in his arms then walked into the kitchen where I was.  Our kitchen wasn’t big; it was more skinny and long.  He leaned up against the tile counter.

“How was your day?” I asked him.  I could kind of tell he had something to say or he wasn’t settled by the look on his face.  Soda’s one of those people who have a specific look when it comes to being bothered.  After he didn’t answer immediately like he always does, I decided to give the conversation a little push. “You have that look.”

He raised an eyebrow, “So now I have a look?”

“I just meant that it seems that you didn’t have a good day.  You get that type of expression.” I replied to him a little concerned.

Sodapop set down May and gave her a little hint to go and play.  Then he looked up to me with his big brown puppy dog eyes.  His mouth was opened slightly and the light hit his face just perfectly.  He spoke up, “I don’t see you doing any work around here.” He said with tension in his eyes.

My jaw dropped in awe, “You’re joking aren’t you?” I paused to see his reaction, “It wasn’t my choice to quit work.  According to my memory you told me that it’d be best for me to take a break from work until the baby’s born.  Not to mention being a mom is a full time job.  I just can’t take a break or come home from work and relax. No! I can’t! Now you have the nerve to tell me that I don’t do anything?” My voice was raised and I was furious.  I knew he had a bad day, but for better or worse he shouldn’t take it out on me.

He lifted his hands like he was surrendering or turning himself in.  “I’m not going to argue with you anymore.” Soda walked out of the kitchen, “I’m taking a shower.”

I was still shocked, even through dinner that night no one said a word.  All you could hear was forks hitting the plate.  May on the other hand was just throwing her food onto the floor and stuffing it down her shirt. 

Based off the events that already happened today, I was skeptic about when we went to bed.  Sodapop was lying in bed on his side reading some car magazine with the lamp on.  I came into the bedroom in my pajamas, which was old shorty shorts and a big t-shirt.  Without a word, I got into bed with my Vogue magazine and the same thought kept popping into my head.  ‘Why are you being such a jerk?’ Well, apparently it wasn’t so much in my head because I accidently blurted it out.

“Why am I being such a jerk? I could ask you the same thing.” Soda said.

“Look, all I meant was that from the moment you walked in tonight, you’ve been an asshole to me and I do not think it’s fair for you to treat my like dirt and tell me that what I’m doing isn’t work.” I told him.

“I wouldn’t have to worry about work if I wasn’t the only one doing it.” He replied. 

Now I was out of bed, standing, glaring across to him, “I can’t work anymore and you know that.  I’m two months pregnant and it’s not my fault.  We both decided to have another baby.  You know how hard it is for someone like me to find work after I had to quit.  Nobody wants to hire a pregnant girl.  I have to do a lot more than you realize.”

“Well you’re going to have to find some kind of work because I don’t have any.” Soda said.

“What?!” Once again my jaw dropped, “What do you mean you don’t have work?”

“I mean boss man said that he had to lay someone off and I was the last one hired.” He said.

I was holding my head and I didn’t know whether to be disappointed or sad or to comfort him.  Slowly I began to say, “You do realize that was our only income?  We are already in debt from credit cards, insurance, and we’re behind on our mortgage as it is.  How could you be so stupid? We needed that money.”

Now it was his turn to be shocked, “How could I be that stupid? Colly, it’s not something I can or could control.” 

“You could’ve fought for your job.  You could’ve told him that you’re the best goddamn rancher he’s got.  You could’ve tried!” I believe I was yelling at this time.

“I could’ve tried! I’ve been trying for the past three years for you!” He was equally yelling at this point, and then calmed down a little, “I’m going down to Darry and Ponyboy.” 

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!” I yelled out of rage.

SODAPOP POV

I was driving down the side of the road.  I couldn’t believe the things Colly said to me.  I could care less about the whole thing.  I should’ve just kept my damn mouth shut.  I know I love her and I know it’s just about the ranch, but ever since we moved I just can’t rant about things like that.  At times like these I wish Ponyboy was living with us.  I really do miss him the most. 

I’m still pretty pissed about our fight and just can’t move on.  My eyes were staring out into the bare dirt road.  My headlights lit up each rock while everything else was pitch black and sometimes I felt myself zone out a bit.  I am pretty tired and stressed about the whole thing.  ‘Music, that’ll wake me up.’  “Nothing like the King to wake you up.” I said to myself while a reached over to the passenger seat searching for the tape.  The cold, sharp breeze felt good as a rejuvenator.  I still couldn’t reach the tape and glanced over at the seat, but all I saw was just paper.  I stretched just a bit farther trying to reach the floor of the truck.  I still couldn’t quite reach, so I brought my whole torso down and waved my hand on the floor.  I caught a grip on the tape and sat back up.  “Yes!”

I felt headlights on my face.  I looked in front of me, it was something bigger than my truck and it was heading straight towards me.  I didn’t have enough time to swerve out of the way or to the other side of the road.  Right before the impact my mind crossed one thing… Colly.

BLACK OUT (back to Colly’s POV)

The phone shrilled. 

“Hello?”  There was a pause, “Yes, this is she.”

I dropped the phone and ran with my keys in my hand.