The war was over and so wasn't Jean Louise "Scout" Finch's madien days. Charles Baker Harris has made good on his promises. One being that he will come back every summer for her. The second being that he was going to marry her someday. She remembered him saying all those years ago that they would have to wait; they simply had too much growing up to do.
Ever since Tom Robinson's trial and Boo's coming out on Halloween that fateful year, that's all Scout had been doing was growing up. Not just physically (which she noticed Dill had appreciated very much) but emotionally as well. Calpurnia's death, Atticus' derailing health, and her brother leaving the nest and marrying up himself have all taken their toll on her spirit. She still felt very much like the tomboy child who just wanted to run and get into mischeif. To explore and ask questions; not stay behind and hang her head in a polite, lady-like manner.
Dill knew that. Inside of Scout was still the little girl he fell in love with all those years ago. The little girl who hung on to every word he said even when she called bullshit on an obvious lie. The little girl who would roll in a tire, climb a tree, and sometimes roll around in the dirt just because she could. Scout never stuck to society's role placed on women and nor did she want to. She was just Scout and that was all Dill had ever wanted. Today he was going to get it.
They were at the justice of the peace. Scout did not want a big wedding like Jem's and Dill was okay with that. This was their day and so it should be just them. Though deep down the real reason Scout didn't want a big wedding was because Atticus wouldn't have been able to walk her down the aisle; and Dill knew it. So she simply walked herself down the aisle. Dill had spent that time admiring everything about her. Her long dark hair, her bright blue eyes, her freshly painted red lips. Her white dress was divinely simple with her neckline low enough to show a little cleavage. Oh, Dill thought, what are you doing to me?
He gives her a hug when they finally at the alter. He just had to touch her right now, he was too in love right now. They break the hug to see the minister smile. The look in his eyes say he had never seen two people so genuinely in love.
It was so quick but seemed to last forever at the same time. The prayer, the vows, and the rings. Scout just wanted to burst out in emotion when all Dill really wanted was to kiss his bride. He didn't even give the minister time to finish to announce them man and wife before his lips met hers. The minister just laughs. They were really in love and totally committed and no other words had to be spoken.
They walked with their arms around each other and soaked in the bright sunlight that welcomed them on the other side of the door. Dill had noticed that Scout had begun to cry and he didn't really know why. Maybe it was the overwhelming feeling of everything that just went on? He couldn't blame her, he was feeling the same way.
That was when he saw Atticus and Jem on the sidewalk waiting to greet them. It was a complete suprise to them as they didn't even tell them they were going to do this. How did they find out? It didn't matter. Scout broke her embrace from Dill and ran to her father and brother in a big group hug. Dill could have cried when Atticus saw his Scout in her wedding dress. He never saw a father love his daughter the way Atticus loved Scout.
I promise you Atticus, he thinks to himself. I'll love her too.
