Porcelain

Chapter 58

Once Dally and Estelle got fully moved into their new house, the stress on everyone's shoulders seemed to lift. Sodapop was glad he got his room back, various people were glad to have the couch back. Ponyboy was a little sad to no longer have a dog, but it wasn't like Ollie wouldn't be back.

That being said, they still didn't spend much time there, most of the time Estelle could be found either with Dally or at the Curtis,' or both at the same time. Occasionally the gang would go over to their little house just for a change, but it was a house. It didn't really feel like home just yet.

Things were changing for the couple, though. They both noticed it, and weren't sure if they really liked it. Estelle especially, life was obviously changing the most for her. She was slowly getting to the point where she could no longer wear the jeans she used to. She'd stolen Dally's, but he was thin, and then they too no longer fit her.

While she was alone she could laze around in a large T-shirt without worries, but whenever she wanted to go out she was having to wear dresses, and dress like a girl. Actually, she was having to dress like a woman, as she was about to start having to wear maternity dresses as she neared her sixth month of pregnancy.

She was still keeping as private as she could, she didn't want to be the pregnant girl who hung out with the gang. So she was quietly celebrating by herself as she first felt the baby move and kick, and as she slowly got to know the little person growing inside of her.

She had wanted to tell Dally, yes, but she knew he wasn't going to care very much. And she could tell him all she wanted, but she couldn't force him to care. If he cared, he would ask. And she didn't tell the rest of the gang for that same matter. If they were curious, they could ask.

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Even if they didn't tell her though, the rest of the gang was worried about her. She was growing a person, for fuck's sake! And yet, she rarely if ever mentioned her pregnancy. She would sometimes bring it up to excuse herself from things, but she would never talk about how she was, or how her pregnancy was going. Dallas would sometimes check up on her, but not because she was pregnant with his child per se, more because he just cared about her, even though he wouldn't admit that either.

But if she wanted to share, she would.

The least they could do was to keep her out of trouble, and to make sure she was eating when they came over for meals and the such.

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Estelle had started to want to go places less and less, including to the Curtis,' so instead the gang was staring to go to her. She hated acting like a good host, so Darry would cook meals and they'd all head over. When she felt up to it, she would wash the dishes, and considered that enough contribution. Given that she was silently suffering through pregnancy, she was helping more than she should have to.

"Estelle, are you okay?" Ponyboy asked her one day after dinner, as she stood hunched over the sink.

"Oh, I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile.

"Are you sure?"

She laughed. "They baby's kicking. But I've taken some real beatings, some little baby won't be the end of me."

He stared at her with wonder in his eyes. He'd never really though about it, how babies would move and kick before they were born, and that she could actually feel it.

"Wanna feel?" She asked.

He nodded, and she took his hand and placed it on her belly. After a moment he felt a gentle kick on his palm.

"Does it hurt?" He asked.

"Not really. It's more just uncomfortable. It's too small to do much damage. Yet."

"You think it's a girl or a boy?"

She just shrugged. "I dunno, Pony. I'm not psychic. And I don't really care either way, I'll raise them the same."

"Has anyone else felt the baby kick?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Dally doesn't care enough. And no one asked, I'm not gonna go up to people and ask them to touch my stomach just because I'm bein' kicked from the inside."

"What do you mean Dally doesn't care? Of course he cares. He cares about you, and your kid."

She shook her head. "Not enough," she said in a hushed voice. "He doesn't want this baby. I know he doesn't want kids. He doesn't like kids. He's just still around because he likes me well enough and he'd be a real ass to leave now."

Ponyboy looked pissed off. "I'll be back, I gotta take care of something. Take care of yourself, would you? Someone else can wash the dishes just fine."

She sighed. "Don't try and beat on Dally, would you? It ain't his fault he don't love me."

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After Ponyboy stormed out of her kitchen, Estelle went and sat down in the little living room with the rest of the gang.

"Done with the dishes?" Dallas asked as she sat down on the couch beside him.

"No, but I'm tired of standing."

"I'll get them, don't worry," Darry volunteered, standing up.

"Thanks," she said, relieved, with a genuine smile.

"Of course," he replied, leaving the room.

Dally noticed the look of discomfort on her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked her quietly.

"Don't worry, just pregnancy things," she said.

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "Is that all?" He asked pointedly as he walked back in, after having left to smoke a cigarette.

She glared at him for a second, before continuing to speak. "I'm just out of energy, especially since the baby is kicking," she said.

There was an outburst of excitement then, as Two-Bit immediately demanded to feel, Sodapop congratulated her, and Dally smiled.

"Is that a good thing?" He asked.

"I dunno, I'm pregnant, not smart. I think so, though. Means it's alive. And growing."

"Can I feel?" Two-Bit demanded.

She nodded. "Here," she said, taking his hand and placing it on in her belly.

"I wonder if this is its head or its ass," he snickered.

She adjusted his hand, and after a moment his face lit up in delight.

"I felt it!" He said.

"So did I," she said. "God help me the day it aims for my ribs."

Two-Bit winked. "That's Dally's baby, it's gonna play dirty to get what it wants."

She snorted. "Is my entire abdomen and all of my energy not enough?"

"Not your entire abdomen, you're sharing with Dally too," Two-Bit snickered.

She reached out to smack him, but Dally reached him first, and landed a solid punch in his gut.

"What? That's how it's there in the first place!"

"Keith Matthews! I will tell your mother that you are talking bad about a pregnant woman!"

"What woman? All I see is two men," he guffawed.

"Get out of my house," she sighed.