Heart Breaker

Chapter 26

The nurses wouldn't let us see Johnny. He was in critical condition. No visitors. But Two-Bit wouldn't take no for an answer. That was his buddy in there and he aimed to see him. The three of us begged and pleaded, but we were getting nowhere until the doctor found out what was going on.

"Let them go in," he said to the nurse. "He's been asking for them. It can't hurt now."

Johnny was lying still, with his eyes closed, but when Two-Bit said, "Hey, Johnnykid," he opened them and looked at us, trying to grin. "Hey, y'all."

The nurse, who was pulling the shades open, smiled and said, "So he can talk after all."

Two-Bit looked around. "They treatin' you okay, kid?"

"Don't..." ---Johnny gasped--- "don't lwt me put enough grease on my hair."

"Don't talk," Two-Bit said, pulling up a chair, "just listen. We'll bring you some hair grease next time. We're havin' the big rumble tonight."

"It's too bad you and Dally can't be in it. It's the first big rumble we've had--- not countin' the time we whipped Shepard's outfit."

"He came by," Johnny said.

"Tim Shepard?" Two-Bit asked.

Johnny nodded. "Came to see Dally."

"Did you know you got your name in the paper for being a hero?" I said.

Johnny almost grinned as he nodded. "Tuff enough," he managed and his eyes were glowing.

I could see that even a few words were tiring him out; he was as pale as the pillow and looked awful. Two-Bit pretended not to notice.

"You want anything besides hair grease, kid?" Two-Bit asked.

Johnny barely nodded. "The book" ---he looked at Ponyboy--- "can you get another one?"

Two-Bit and I looked at Pony.

"He wants a copy of Gone with the Wind so I caan read it to him," Ponboy explained. "You want to run down to the drugstore and get one?"

Two-Bit and I went down to the drugstore and got the copy. When we were coming back we saw Ponyboy comng out of the room.

"You can't see him now," the nurse said.

Two-Bit handed her the book. "Make sure he can see it when he comes around." She took it and closed the door behind her. Two-Bit stood and looked at the door a long time.

"I wish it was any one of us except Johnny," Two-Bit said, and his voice was serious for once. "We could get along without anyone but Johnny."

Turning abruptly, Two-Bit said, "Let's go see Dallas."

As we walked out into the hall, we saw Johnny's mother. I knew her. She was a little woman, with straight black hair and big black eyes like Johnny's. But that was as far as the resemblance went. Johnnycake's eyes were fearful and sensitive; hers were cheap and hard. As we passed her she was saying, "But I have a right to see him. He's my son. After all the trouble and I've gone to to raise him, this is our reward: He'd rather see those no-count hoodlums than his own folks..." She saw us and gave us such a look of hatred.

Two-Bit's eyes got narrow and I was afraid he was going to start something. "No wonder he hates your guts," Two-Bit snapped. He was going to tell her off real good, but Pony and I shoved him along. No wonder he stayed overnight at Two-Bit's or at the Curtis' house, and slept in the vacant lot in good weather.

"Oh, lordy!" There was a catch in Two-Bit's voice and he was closer to tears than I'd ever seen him. "He has to live with that."

We hurried to the elevator to get to the next floor. I hoped the nurse would have enough sense not to let Johnny's mother see him. It would kill him.