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Darry and Soda were being driven to the hospital by his best friend's mom, Sadie Mathews. She had picked them up last night after their momma's water broke and she was hollering about the baby coming. Darry didn’t quite understand it just yet, but he’ll soon learn.
They stepped into the lobby, where Aunt Sadie signed in. Soda was babbling while sucking on his thumb; Darry never understood what that kid was saying. But words weren’t important right now.
They stumbled into a long hallway of different doors and people with different problems in their lives. Soon they reached their mother’s room and walked inside. Momma was eating some breakfast... it looked more like prison food to Darry.
Dad lifted Soda and twirled him around while ruffling Darry’s hair. “Heya kiddos. Want to see your new baby brother?”
Soda squealed and bounced in Daddy’s arms while Darry looked a bit confused. “I thought the baby wouldn’t come until next month.” Dad frowned slightly and handed Soda off to Mom, who tickled his tummy in return.
“Squirt, your brother is going to be real tiny for a while. He is what they call a premature baby. That means they’re extra extra tiny. Smaller than how Sodapop was when he was born.”
Darry nodded slightly, kind of getting the concept. “Is he sick?”
Darrel laughed. “I hope not. He’s a fighter. Come on, let’s go see him now.”
Together, the two hand in hand walked over to a little case where a small baby boy lay, breathing gently and evenly even with a thousand tubes in him. He looked like a robot!
“What’s his name?”
“Ponyboy Michael Curtis.”
Darry had to take a double check just to make sure he heard his dad right. “Ponyboy?” his dad laughed. “Yeah, squirt. Your baby brother, Ponyboy.”
“That’s a strange name.”
He muttered as he tapped on the glass.
“It’s a lovely name if you ask me, squirt.”
The baby woke up and squinted at Darry. Even through the glass and tubes, Darry could tell this baby was looking at him. His eyes were green, not sort of green like Darry’s, but they were full-on green. Looking at his baby brother like that made something in his heart swell. “This is my baby brother.”
He spoke softly as he waved at the baby in the glass.
This was his baby, and he’d make sure he protected him. He’ll watch out for this sweet little boy no matter what.