The Delinquent's Daughter {An Outsiders Fanfiction - Sequel to Hope}

22

"Eli, sweetheart, it's so nice to meet you. We've heard a lot about you. I'm Lydia, Hope's mother, and that's my husband, Ponyboy," my mother introduced, smiling at my boyfriend and putting on a happy face. He gave them a polite "hello," and shook their hands before turning back to me. He knew something was up, and he knew it was something big.

"So... You wanna explain what's happening here, Hope, or am I just gonna be confused forever?" Eli asked me. I nodded.

"Yeah... Um... I don't know what to say," I said, embarrassed. What can you say when you find out that you're dating your dad's dead best friend's brother? When your biological dad died for this kid's big brother and he doesn't even know that Johnny Cade ever existed?

"I do. Eli, sweetie, it's time to go. I don't want you ever setting foot in this house again," his evil mother said. I glared at her, wondering why and how after everything that happened, she would have another child.

"Mrs. Cade, wait," my mom said.

"Lydia, I think we've done enough," Dad stopped her.

"No, Pony, stop.... Mrs. Cade, does Eli know about Johnny?" My mom asked. Of course he didn't, you could just tell. I suddenly tried to picture their house, a place where Greasers who'd always wanted to be Socs lived. A place that only alcoholics with no jobs could afford. That was where they'd lived with Johnny. Maybe they'd moved since then, though, and they had a better place with Eli. I wondered about the inside of their house, if they had any pictures. If it was just the three of them, of if Johnny hid out in any of them. How alike they really look, and if Eli had ever mistook Johnny for him. I wondered how he could have missed something so big...

Mr. and Mrs. Cade both looked angrily at my mother, like we just brought up a painful memory that they didn't want to bring back.

"Not until now," Mrs. Cade snapped.

"Mom... Who's Johnny?" He responded. I could feel his heart beating faster and faster in his chest, and I took his hand, trying to calm him. But it didn't work, because even though he doesn't yet know who Johnny is, this guy was definitely apart of him. He could tell, I knew it. It was his older brother, who he looked so much alike. It's like a part of Johnny, after he died, went into this whole other human being and it created something just as amazing. Johnny Cade died before the two of us were born, but you could tell he would have been so proud of Eli...

"Johnny..." Mrs. Cade cleared her throat, tearing up a bit. My Mom and Dad held each others hands, bracing themselves for the story they've probably heard too many times lately.

"Johnny Cade... He was your brother. Born March 16th 1947 and died November 18th, 1963," she whispered.

"Mom, that's impossible. I was born in 1964. It's only 1980 now... How did he die so young? Was he sick?" Eli asked. I could tell he was freaking out. He was lost and confused, and probably feeling betrayed. How had they not told him about this before? I felt sick to my stomach thinking about it.

"No... Your father and I were. We were... alcoholics. We let him run off and do whatever... And when he came home every night, we were so drunk we couldn't even see straight... We beat him to the point where he stopped coming home at night. It was wrong. We were wrong. One night he ran away... With this asshole," she pointed to my dad, "and he made him save some stupid kids at a stupid old church... Johnny died, but this shithead lived. Those awful people at the hospital wouldn't let me see Johnny.... My own son. He would have rather seen those filthy Greaser's than his own mother. I never got to see him before I died... I was so depressed that I stopped drinking. I had lost the only thing that ever had any meaning to me... So your father and I tried again. We had you..." Eli's mother explained, her voice breaking every now and then. Eli and I both stared at his mother, eyes wide in surprise and fear. I don't think either of us believed how forward she was being.

"You didn't love him. You didn't care about him. We were his family. That's why he wanted to see us instead," my dad said, his voice calm, yet angry at the same time.

"Elliot, we appreciate you taking the time to come over, and you're welcome to stay, but I'm afraid we're going to have to ask your parents to leave. They aren't welcome in this house," Dad said. My eyes widened.

"I'm so sorry, Eli," I whispered. My eyes filled with tears. Big, embarrassed, petrified tears. He shrugged like he understood. Or maybe he was just too angry to respond any other way.

"That's okay... I'm gonna need some time anyways. Thank you for inviting me tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, but I think I should be getting home," my boyfriend said, shooing his parents out. He followed behind, looking back with a look of sadness. I couldn't imagine how he was feeling, but if it was anything compared to how embarrassed and upset I was, it must have hurt.

"Eli, wait!" My mom said. He turned around. I sucked in a nervous breath.

"Y-yes?" He said, and you could tell he was nervous.

"I... I know it's none of my business really, but Eli, do your parents treat you okay? I want you to tell me the truth," she said. I gasped. I couldn't believe she had asked that... but I was secretly relieve stress, because if they didn't, it would be out in the open. And we'd know, just like they knew with Johnny. And they'd be old enough and mature enough that they could do something.

"Y-yeah," he nodded, "My parents are great." For some reason, I believed him. Maybe they had cleaned up their act.

"That's all I needed to know. Thank you, sweetie. And remember, you're welcome here anytime," she said, smiling at him. Smiling big. Like bigger than I've ever seen her smile at anyone. It was fake. But I could tell her words were sincere.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, then left, shutting the door quietly behind him. I stared at my parents, unsure of what to do now.

"Do they really treat him okay? Has he said anything different?" My dad asked after a moment. I shook my head, because he really hasn't said anything.

"No, from what I hear, they're pretty good to him," I said. And it's true. I've only ever heard good things, until now, about my boyfriends' parents. My family stayed silent, until I spoke again.

"And just so you guys know, I had no idea. I mean, how could I anyways, when I didn't know anything about him until a few weeks ago anyways, but I didn't even put it together until a few minutes ago," I admitted to my parents.

"That's why I was calling you, Pony. I didn't know what to do when I saw them there," Mom said. He shrugged. He didn't put his arm around her, like he would have a few months ago, comforting her so she knew she didn't do anything wrong.

"I'm sorry, guys. I really had no idea," I said again. I was shaking, I couldn't believe any of this. My dad smiled at me.

"It's okay, Hope. We're all fine, Eli's fine, his parents treat him well... There's no harm done," he said. I knew he meant it, but I felt almost guilty. Like I should have known, even though I couldn't have, and I should have warned them, or made sure they didn't see my parents because of their history... Something.

And then for some reason, I break down right there. Crying, sobbing, upset about who knows what. My dad came over, wrapping me in his arms.

"It's okay, Hope. Everything's fine, baby. Nobody's mad at you. It's okay," he whispered. Slowly, I calmed down, and my mom joined the hug, wiping my tears away. It was a while before I was breathing normally.

"Why don't we come have dinner, sweetheart. I made baked chicken," she said. Her voice was soft and soothing and calm, like she was talking to a baby.

"My favorite," Dad said.

"Mine too," I whispered, not letting go of him.

A/N: I KNOW I SAY IT ALL THE TIME BUT THIS IS MY FAVORITE EVER CHAPTER BECAUSE SO MUCH HAPPENS. What do you guys think? Were you expecting the Johnny/Eli thing? Do you think this'll effect their relationship? Let me know!

Ps: Heli, Helliot, Eope, or Elope?? None of these ship names sound good, so either choose your favorite or comment if you can think of something better, please! Love you guys. -Katy