Ponyboy and Two-Bit scanned the aisles of the new superstore in town, little Ally in the baby seat of the shopping cart.
Ally seemed content as she played with her rattle, loving the sound it made as she shook it.
Pony smiled down at his daughter, Two-Bit soon following his actions. Pony soon caught sight of a new tee-shirt in one of the clothing aisles, pulling Two-Bit along with him.
"I need one of these for track!" Pony said excitedly, grabbing the shirt off the rack and looking at the price tag.
"Ah, nuts." He sighed. "This is way too much. Thirty dollars for this thing? Nuh-uh."
Unbeknownst to them, a little 9-year-old girl (pic on right->) waltzed up to their cart, admiring the baby. She had long blonde hair and crystal-blue eyes.
Two-Bit, not noticing the little girl, reached into his back pocket and pulled his wallet out. "Now, now Ponyboy, I'm sure we can put together our money and we'll have just enough. If you need it for track, then it's worth it."
"Jenna, don't stray too far from Mommy like that again." The girl's mother said, walking up to her and grabbing her arm.
Jenna looked up at her Mommy with pleading eyes. "Look at how pretty this dolly is! Can I get 'er, Momma? Please?"
Jenna's mom sighed. "Sweetheart, she looks like she belongs to someone already."
"Please, Momma? Please, please, please, please?" Jenna kept begging.
Ponyboy turned his head and jutted Two-Bit in the rib with his elbow. Two-Bit stumbled back a little and rubbed the sore spot. "The hell'd ya do that for?"
"Alright, if ya really, really want 'er, we can take 'er." The woman said, carefully taking the baby out of the carrier. Jenna squealed happily and grabbed the doll a bit too roughly from her mom's hands.
Two-Bit and Pony walked over to the cart. Ponyboy, without a word, grabbed Ally away from her and stared down at Jenna.
Jenna saw her new toy in Pony's arms and turned to her mother, greedy tears in her eyes.
"Mommy... my toy!" She said, pointing to Pony. Ally was holding onto Pony for dear life, her face in his chest.
"I'm sorry, is she yours?" The mom asked sincerely, trying to get her daughter to calm back down before she threw a hissy fit in the store. It wouldn't be the first time, either.
"Yeah, she's for a school project." Pony explained, smiling a bit.
Jenna stared up at her mom with her red, puffy cheeks and a pout. Her mother looked down at her and sighed.
"I guess you wouldn't be willin' to make a trade, then?" She asked, fishing her wallet out of her purse. Jenna smiled smugly and waited for her mother to claim her new dolly.
"Not for the world, ma'am. She's too special to us." Pony responded. The woman sighed and nodded, smiling sweetly.
Jenna started to cry a little.
"I understand. C'mon, Jen, we'll find ya a new dolly."
Jenna wriggled out of her mom's grasp and bit Ponyboy on the leg. Hard.
Ponyboy yelped in pain and Ally whimpered. Ponyboy tried to remain calm so Ally didn't start to freak out.
"Hey, lady! Get your stinkin' kid and hit the bricks!" Two-Bit said, not sure what to do.
"Jenna Connors! That was not nice at all!" The woman snapped, prying Jenna off Pony's leg.
Jenna was surprised. Her mother never scolded her, ever.
"Let's go. You are in so much trouble when we get home." Her mom dragged her out of the store.
Ponyboy rubbed his leg and stared at the woman dragging Jenna out.
"Well, that was... new."
"Yea..." Two-Bit agreed, his eyes on their daughter.
Ally started shaking and crying a bit, scared out of her wits.
Pony rubbed her back a little and she buried her face in his shirt. "See, look, Ally. Momma's fine!" He said, smiling to reassure her.
Ally looked up at him and cried harder.
"Awww... you got scared, huh, sweetheart?" Pony cooed, kissing her forehead.
Ally whimpered a little and looked down at his shirt, wet with her tears.
She looked back up at him.
Two-Bit went and wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled.
Pony smiled and kissed her forehead once more before putting her back in the carrier, already ready to go home.
