Porcelain

Chapter 50

Dally burst in the door, a snarl on his face. The first person he saw was Steve, and he grabbed him roughly by the arm and swung him around before shoving him back.

"Learn your place," he snapped, before glancing around for Darry.

He had been cleaning dishes, but upon hearing the door slam he had turned to see what rhe commotion was.

For the second time that night, he was harshly shoved, but this time the attacker wasn't slowed down by pregnancy. Dally tackled the man, shoving him backward into the countertops as his head slammed into the cabinets.

Most of the gang members were present, and Sodapop and Ponyboy both sprang up to aid their brother.

Estelle gently pushed Ponyboy back. "Don't. You might hit, we want to avoid that if we can."

She hesitated a moment, before rushing in and leaning so that any of Dally's punches would hit her chest and shoulders while Sodapop struggled to pull them apart. He looked so fed up, and Estelle winced. She knew it reminded him of when his brothers would bicker, which ended up leading to two people dying.

"Dally, stop it! You're being immature!" She said loudly, trying to restrain his arms while Sodapop helped Darry.

"Let me go! He deserves it for putting you through all that bullshit!" He growled, struggling in her grip.

"It wasn't his fault, Dally. Calm down," she ordered.

He eventually calmed down enough for her to let him go.

"I'm really sorry, Darry," she said, turning to grab him some ice. "I told him the whole story, and he didn't really think, he just acted."

Darry waved off her apology. "You don't have to apologize for his actions, he's old enough to do that himself."

"Dally, he needs to hear what happened," she said, beckoning her head to indicate that she meant privately.

"I'm coming with you," he said protectively.

She allowed it, she didn't want to be left alone with a man, even if it was just Darry.

Darry beckoned to his brothers that they could go, and lead them back to his bedroom and closed the door.

"What did you need to tell me?"

Estelle spilled the whole story out, of how she felt so uncomfortable there by herself, and how she was already mad that he had made that choice for her behind her back, even though he had meant well.

"I had confided a big secret to you, and I kind of felt like you took that and used it to make choices in my life for me instead of supporting my own choices or helping me make them."

She then went on to talk about the doctor himself, how he had gone out of his way to put emphasis on how she was young, and there alone. She then held on to Dally's arm for support, as she told him about how she was certain the doctor had taken advantage of her.

"He said he had to examine me. And I just know that wasn't what that was, I was stuck in the room alone with him and I couldn't really say no. So I let him, as he touched me," she said, voice dropping to a whisper, "and made comments about my, my body, and said all kinds of shit and did shit he didn't have to, while I tried not to scream, cause all I could think about was men in jail doing the same thing, even the doctor there."

Darry had a pained look on his face. "I'm so sorry Estelle, I would have never done any of that had I known any of what I do now."

"I would hope not," she agreed. "I know you had no idea what would happen there. But I hope you understand now, why I was so mad, I wasn't gonna let myself be sad or whatever, and that was how it all came out."

Darry nodded. "I understand. Thank you for explaining."

"You're welcome," she whispered. "Oh, and we're both healthy."

_____
Estelle picked up Cherry's dress, and did her best to wash the stain out before hanging it up and making a mental note to wash it later.

She was avoiding the gang, she felt like she'd pretty well isolated herself and didn't feel like facing them right that moment.

She heard Two-Bit stagger in, and she assumed he was drunk, to what degree she couldn't tell.

She skirted past the group and walked to the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass of milk and grabbed herself a slice of chocolate cake. She tried to enjoy it. It seemed too sweet and too unhealthy and too rich, but she forced herself to eat it. It was that or meatloaf. Again.

"I'm gonna head off to bed, I've got work in the morning, as does Steve," she heard Sodapop say.

"Soda, go sleep with Ponyboy tonight," she heard Darry say.

"Why?" He asked yawning.

"Don't worry about it, Estelle just had a hard day and she needs to be able to sleep well."

Sodapop pondered it for a moment, before shrugging and walking off.

She smiled at Darry. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

"Don't feel too good," Darry smirked. "I'm sure he hasn't changed his sheets in over a month."