changes part 2

chapter eight

As ...soon as bobby and ponyboy arrived home pony jumped straight into darry's arms. Darry squeezed him tight. "I missed you too baby" darry signed. "Did you have fun with your dad" he signed again. Pony nodded. Darry could tell pony was upset about something.

"How did the interview go" darry asked his older brother. "I got the job. And you'll never guess who's waitressing at the local diner" bobby didn't sound too happy "who" darry looked puzzled.
"Ponyboy's mother"  bobby answered. "Oh" was all darty could say.

Darry new this day would come someday where he might have to say goodbye to the little boy he'd been raising since he was 2 years old when his own parents died. "And what happened" darry finally asked. "Nothin, she told me to tell pony she was just an old friend, but you should have seen the kids face. It was like he was lookin in a mirror. I mean he's got more of liz's features than mine".

"So your saying she didn't want him to know the truth" darry asked. "Yep, that about sums it up" bobby replied. "Ok so what about the job, whats gunna happen with pony" darry had a sick feeling in his stomache, the kind of feeling where you know somethings about to happen.

"Well he is my son and i'd like him to come live with me" bobby started to speak. "However, it feels as though i'm still a stranger to him. He got shoved by some guy in texas and he wanted you dar. If anyone should be pony's dad, then maybe it should be you, after all your the one who's done everything for him all theses years".

It hurt bobby to say these things, but when he looked at the way pony was wrapped in darry's arms on the couch, he new his words were true. "Look bobby, your still pony's dad and it's still your decision whether or not pony stays or goes" no matter what choice bobby made, someone would get hurt. But this wasn't about him or darry. This was about what was best for pony.

"Let me talk to pony" bobby requested. "I'll be back soon" darry signed to pony as he got up. He went to his bedroom so bobby could talk to his son. "Hey kiddo, listen i'm sorry about what happened with liz back in texas, i think she's just scared of bein hurt again. Anyway i want you to be honest with me ok" pony shook his head in aggreement.

"I've decided to take that job in texas, and i would love for you to come with me, but i know how much you love bein with darry and soda and the guys, so i want you to tell me what you want. I will be ok with your choice" bobby signed.

"I want to stay here, but i want to be with you. I want you to stay" pony signed. "You know i can't do that baby, i gotta work" bobby tried to explain. "Darry" bobby called. Darry came out of his room. "Ponyboy wants to stay here when i go to texas" bobby explained.

Pony ran off to his bedroom. "I take it he's not happy about it" darry sounded confused. "No he's happy about stayin, he just wants me to stay too" bobby replied. "Let me talk to him" darry suggested.

Darry went into pony's bedroom. "Can i talk to you" darry signed. Pony shrugged his shoulders. "Look i know your tryin to get to know your dad, and moving away can be scary, it can also be an adventure and if thats what you want than thats ok. I was thinkin if stayin here is what you want than thats ok too. You know you have holidays so we could visit bobby any time you wanted" darry signed. Pony gave darry a hug before running back out to bobby.

"Darry says whoever i live with i can visit in the school holidays" pony signed. "That sounds good enough for me" bobby signed back. "I want to stay" pony signed.

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On wednesday sodapop, had come over for dinner. The four boys were sitting around the table when they heard someone knocking on the door. Bobby got up to answer it. He never in a million years expected the person standing in front of him.

"Hi bobby" she spoke. "What are you doing here liz?" Bobby asked her, unsure of her intensions. "Look bobby, back in texas, i was just shocked is all. I never meant to hurt anybody" she tried to reason. "Yeah well try explainin that to our son" bobby snapped.

Liz started to cry. "Bobby the hardest thing i ever did was giving him up, i've thought about him every day since, i even thought about what i would say if i ever got the chance" she was still crying. "You had a chance in texas and all you did was deny who he was" bobby replied. "I am so sorry, i just got scared is all. I new from the moment i cane over to your table it was my son. Please bobby give me a chance to make it right" she pleaded.

Bobby let liz come inside. When she entered the kitchen pony was about to get up and run to his room. "Its ok pony, sit down baby" bobby signed. Pony sat back down. "Darry, soda you remember liz" the both nodded. "Ok liz who are you" bobby asked before confusing his son again, "i am ponyboys mother" she replied.

"Ponyboy, this is liz, she is your mom" bobby signed. "Why didn't she say it before" pony signed. You could tell by the way he was signing that he was a little bit angry. "She wss just scared baby, but i think we should give her a chance" bobby signed back. They invited liz to sit at the table and join them for supper.

After supper and a tv movie everyone said goodnight to pony. "You mind if i tuck him in" liz asked. Bobby went with her so he could sign for liz, she still needed to learn. She pulled a tiny blanket out of her bag. "This is what you were wrapoed in the day you were born" as she spoke bobby signed. "Its the only thing i have of you" she gave it to her son. "I never stopped thinkin about you" she kissed his head. "Goodnight my love". Pony fell asleep.