Come Down From Your Fences

Chapter 20

"He's retired." That was easily the fourth time Sarah had stated that fact - twice in the hospital and twice now in the car. If he hadn't been so nervous, Johnny would have started to find it funny.

"Really - I swear," she added, holding up three fingers like she was a girl scout or something - making a pact. She was smiling, and Johnny didn't think she realized just how messed up she was making his life.

Cops hate greasers and greasers hate cops, it's a fact of life. One well-meaning social worker wasn't going to change all that. He was sure Dally would have said something like: "There's no such thing as a retired cop," and he probably would have been right.

Johnny sighed heavily and leaned his head against the cool glass of the passenger side window. At least he looked like a greaser today and he wasn't going to meet her parents in some silly costume. He was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a jean jacket. They may be new, but they were familiar and he was finally beginning to feel like himself for the first time in a long time.

"Retired - fine, I believe you," he told her, trying to make her happy but failing to keep the frustration out of his voice. They had just dropped Ponyboy off at his house and they were making their way to Johnny's new home. It turned out he was going to be living only fifteen minutes from his old neighborhood. It might as well be on another planet, though, because it wasn't like his friends were going to jump at the chance to come hang out at the home of a cop, retired or not.

He started to wonder if her dad ever arrested Dally. Probably. Dal liked to brag that arresting him was sort of a rite of passage for the local police. Maybe he could ask about it over dinner - should make for an interesting conversation, Johnny thought, grinning despite himself.

"Dad left the force two years ago. He was injured in the line of duty and they made him take an early retirement," Sarah explained. "Now he works as a security guard at the Sears in the Promenade downtown."

Johnny knew the store, it was one Two-Bit excelled at shoplifting in. He didn't think now was the best time to share that bit of information. This whole thing was just getting better and better by the second.

"He doesn't really work for the money, more so just for something to do. He was bored and driving my mother crazy. I think he realized he needed to get out of the house when he started planning his whole day around Search for Tomorrow and The Guiding Light." She laughed, but Johnny didn't respond. He just stared silently out the window, watching the houses go by in a blur.

Sarah looked over at him and she felt her heart twist. "Johnny, I didn't do this as some sort of a trap or to trick you. My parents are great people. My mom is a nurse but she took a leave of absence about a year ago. She keeps saying she'll go back, but I don't know if I believe her anymore."

She started to wonder if she was trying to convince him or if, on some level, she was trying to convince herself. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, now she wasn't so sure. Johnny didn't just look worried, he looked terrified.

"Look, it was either this or a group home. I know I'm not supposed to bad-mouth the system - heck, I am the system. A boys' home would have been a mess. You would have hated it there and you wouldn't have gotten the care and attention you need." Johnny finally looked over at her, a guarded look in his dark eyes.

"I tried to find a foster family who would be able to handle your special needs," she saw him wince at that and knew he didn't like to be reminded about his disability and continued recovery and rehabilitation. "I couldn't find anyone that I trusted, and like I said, my mom's a nurse - a great nurse. She'll be able to help you with all the things your doctor said you'll still need help with, and she's really great at just being a mom."