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"Another flower delivery," I say, kicking the door closed with my foot, and carrying the arrangement into the living room.
In the weeks following my parents' deaths, flowers and casseroles were delivered nonstop and teary-eyed people who knew our parents wanted to check in on us and tell us how tragic it was that they died. I was always the one to open the door and I couldn't find it in myself to turn them away, so I accepted every flower arrangement and green bean casserole handed to me.
Soda was curled up on the couch, knees hugged to his chest as he looked at the framed picture of our parents. He hadn't been doing much of anything lately. Ponyboy took to drawing and reading more, trying to lose himself in a world where his parents weren't dead.
As for Darry... he was devistated that he could no longer attend school, the loss of his dreams hit him harder than anything. I was the only one up with him that night, Soda had gone to bed the moment we walked in the door and Ponyboy followed. I sat at the kitchen table with him as he started to write his withdrawal letter, informing the school of the situtation, and I watched as the tears began to roll down his cheeks. I held him until he was calm enough to form a sentence and then helped him write. It was heartbreaking to watch my oldest brother walk up the stairs with his heart broken. He'd just turned twenty not even twenty-four hours ago and he was an orphan taking care of his younger siblings.
A week later he started working at the roofing company our dad worked at. His boss was a friend of Dad's and offered the position to him before he advertised it. When Darry started working, I went down to the Dingo and applied for a waitressing position. I wasn't going to let Darry shoulder all the burden on his own.
"You don't need a job, Sunny." He'd said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
I walked up to him and placed my hands on his shoulders. "You're not in this alone, Darry. Suzie Aldridge told me I was Pony and Soda's mom now. That means getting a job to help with the bills. I'm not letting you do this on your own. I'll work nights and weekends so I can keep up with my schoolwork, and I'll bring tip money home to help as well. We'll save up, send Pony and Soda to college, and help them get out of here. You're not alone."
His response was to hug me tightly and the two of us cried until Pony came home from the movies, Soda trailing in behind him.
We hadn't seen much of the gang since the funeral. I think they felt guilty they still had their parents and we lost ours. Even Johnny with his abusive father was thankful he still had them.
"Put them on the mantle." Darry grumbles from his spot at the kitchen table. I do as told, placing the arrangement next to the others.
