Seven days had passed and our Alabama vaction was over. In a snap, just like that.
We had done every thing we wanted to. I went to the Monroeville courthouse and the boys went fishing. My mother and I went shopping in Montgomery, so it all worked out well. For all of us.
Due to rising tensions in the family unit, despite our perfect vacation atmosphere, my mother decided to rent a car from Enterprise for half of us to go home in. It gave us all more space and more space for our luggage, becuase girls need more space, right?
It was my twin brother, my mother, and lastly, me. It was a van, so I had an entire row to myself, right in the back. I set it up like a bed for the long night ahead of us. My mother played her music on the radio and my brother sung along with her. And I began to become drowsy and remembered the dream I had in the truck on the way to Alabama.
The dream with Atticus Finch and the meal we had together. When I gave him his watch and his handkerchief and a close call from the riot downtown.
It was something I never forgot, and it stuck to my mind like glue. Of course, I had to write about it, among other things!
When I fell asleep again, I was walking calmly along the main street in Maycomb, past the courthouse. It was early in the afternoon, about one or two, and I realized it followed my other dream right in step. Though as I stood there, again, I was unaware I was truly asleep in a van on the freeway.
Though it was early, people crowded the street and yard in a hurry, waiting for the doors to open. People of all kinds, including Mennonites, as I heard a familiar, young voice point out. I walked into the courtroom before him and the other children. When I walked in, I saw exactly what I expected, deep down.
The Tom Robinson trial.
Atticus acted like he expected me, and saved me a seat right behind the defense, so I hada clear view of him, Tom, and the whole stand.
"How was breakfast, Grayson?" He asked, as he put a hand on my shoulder.
"Fine." The words flew out of my mouth. I never recalled eating breakfast at the Finch house, nor I recalled staying the night there.
"Wonderful." He smiled, and then gave me a look of concern, seeing my face was flushed. "What's the matter?"
I knew how everything would go down, I remembered. And I was scared for him, his children, the people on the colored balcony, and obviously and especially Tom.
"I don't know.." I sputtered. "I just don't know, Atticus. I wish I knew, or I'd tell you."
"I know." He answered. "You're nervous. And there's no reason to be. We're going to win this. I told you last night. We're going to win this. I promise."
I knew the fate of the entire trial and swiftly nodded my head. I thought his words and morality would calm me enough, even when I knew that hours later, he'd be overwhelmed with distress.
"Whatever you say, sir." I checked the upper balcony. The children weren't there yet.
"I knew you'd come around. Sit down, we're just about to proceed."
"Good luck!" I said to him as he sat down. He held out a thumbs up as an acknowledgement to my statement.
Judge Taylor commenced for the trial to begin and Atticus and Gilmer made their statements. I watched eagerly as Atticus worked his magic, trying to keep my composure.
I was a big fan, a big, big fan. I was giddy about the whole thing. I never imagined I'd ever be seeing Atticus do what he did best; working with the law.
"Why didn't you go to a doctor?" He asked both Bob Ewell and the sheriff multiple times, both of them said there was no need. And I begged to differ. If my own daughter was harmed and raped, I'd go to the doctor. I'd find out who did it and put him behind bars because he was truly guilty, not because he would happen to be a negro. I wasn't racist, and I knew that for certain.
He proved to the court that Bob Ewell was left handed, much to my amazement. He proved Tom Robinson couldn't have raped Mayella, again, I was amazed. His claims were so well put out and so obvious. There was noway in hell, I thought, that they'd find Tom guilty. Just no way.
Maybe Atticus would keep his promise after all. Maybe, just maybe.
After Bob spoke, the trial was put on hold for a meal break. The children had run home for dinner and the men had as well. Atticus stayed seated in his chair. So did I, not knowing I was at all capable of that kind of patience, or any patience, really.
"You should go home and eat, Grayson." Atticus tells me, "You're a growing girl, you need it."
"I'm not hungry, I'm fine." Right as I told him tat, my stomach growled loudly, startling the prosceution, the defense (obviously), and the other trial-goers.
"Well, I think your stomach disagrees with you." Atticus reached into his pocket and pulled it in his pocket. He pulled out a couple of coins.
"He's fifty cents. It should be more than enough. Grab a quick dinner downtown and bring it here if you have to. I'll save your seat for you. I promise."
I gave him a smile and a thank you before heading off to town, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him place his suitcase in my seat.
I went to the general store, which was actually selling cheeseburgers fresh off the grill in honor of the trial. I bought two, one for me and one for Atticus, two five cent Coca-Colas, in the bottles, and two bags of chips. I took everything back into the courthouse and sat right back in my seat. I gave Atticus the change and thanked him again.
"No problem! And thank you, Grayson, for bringingme a meal!"
Tom Robinson was elsewhere, Atticus said he had to sit with Sheriff Heck Tate during the break. I said that I felt bad for not bringing him a meal, even when he wasn't even to eat it.
"You knew that conciously, so you didn't. I understand your guilt, you're kind. And you want more than anything to extend that kindness to everyone. Even in a world like this. That's why you decided to stay for the trial, wasn't it?"
"I guess so."
"No, I know so. Anyway, Keep my coke bottle for me, please. Throw away the papers and come back. The trial restarts in five minutes. I'll leave my suitcase on your seat again. " He had eaten his meal and gave me the trash to throw away in the bin.
When I walked and tossed the papers in the bin, the children were walking in and saw me.
"Grayson!" Scout immediately ran to me and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug. "You're still here?"
"Yes, I am. Didn't you see me this morning?"
"No. Atticus said we had a guest. I didn't realize it was you. Were you watching the trial?"
"Of course I was, dear. Your father is an excellent man. I just had dinner with him, in fact."
"Really?"
"Yes, dear. I did. And have you been enjoying the trial?"
Scout smiled, her arms still around me. "Yeah. I think we can win."
As soon as she said that, Jem butted in. "Yeah! I know we're going to win, right Dill?"
"Of course!" Dill agreed. "And since when did you decide to act so high and mighty?"
"What are you talking about?" Jem questioned his friend, but not before puffing up his chest.
"You told me last night you had a crush on Grayson and you're trying to impress her! So you're acting like you're all high and mighty!"
"No, I don't!" He denied it. "I never liked girls. Especially Angel Mays like Grayson!"
Scout turned to her brother. "Well, I heard you tell Atticus that you thought she was pretty!"
"I did not!"
"You did too! And then I heard you tell Dill that." She cleared her throat and then continued. "You, Jeremy Atticus Finch, told Dill that 'I love Grayson like you love Scout.' You said those exact words!"
Dill nodded his head, "You did say that. She's right."
Jem's cheeks turned bright red. "Whatever. Let's go back to the balcony. See you later, Grayson." Jem, Scout, and DIll walked the stairs. I giggled to myself before walking in the courtroom again. The defense just began questioning Tom. I arrived just in time.
"How often did you pass by the Ewell place?"
"Every day, sir."
I listened to the entire side of the story presented by the defense, the true, real story.
One evening, Tom passed by the Ewell place, as usual. Mayella, the girl he was accused of raping, always had a small job for him to do. For free. That night, she told him to chop up a chiffarobe. When he completed that job, he was told to fix the door. Turns out, the door had nothing wrong with it. She told him to get something on the inside of her house, which was sitting on top of yet another chiffarobe. So, he did as told, with the assistance of a chair, as even he was too short. When he was down from the chair, she put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. He was startled and didn't accept her advance and ran. He ran until he couldn't run anymore,and now, he was on trial for a crime he didn''t comitt.
It was a shame. It really was.
As he testified, he cried. He sobbed and both Atticus and I couldn't look him in the eye, in fear that we would sob ourselves.
Then, Gilmer took his turn with Tom.
"Why were you so eager to work for Mayella?"
"I felt right sorry for her, she seemed..." He stopped and teared up again.
"You felt sorry for a white woman?"
No comment, no comment at all. And I was about to break down. Gilmer delivered his closing arguement and sat down. not nearly as good or at all convincing as the defense, I concluded.
"I have nothing to but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt..."
I sat and listened intently, and admired both his persuasive ablitliy and vocabulary.
"Our courts have their faults, as does any human constitution, but in this
country our courts are the great levellers, and in our courts all men
are created equal..."
How could he be found guilty? What reason does the jury have... What reason?
"I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the
evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant
to his family. In the name of God, do your duty."
I put my hands together as if I was clapping, and I gave Atticus a big smile.
"Good job!" I whispered, as the jury left to discuss the fate of Tom Robinson. And the Sheirff took Tom with him again to another room.
"Thank you." He was sweating and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Do you mind if I sit with you for a moment?"
"No, not at all." I yawned, and I was quite tired. I knew that the jury would deliberate for a long time, so I tried to keep myself from falling asleep.
Nobody had bothered to sit next to me, even when I was right in the front. So Atticus took the vacant space and stayed silent, and just stared straight at the judge's chair, after about fifteen minutes, I fell asleep on his shoulder. As the jury was walking out, he woke me up.
"Did you have a pleasant nap?"
"I guess so. Thank you... For letting me sleep." I blushed from embarassment, right as Tom came through the door.
"You're welcome. We're going to win this, I'm sure of it."
When the verdict came out as guilty, we were all crushed. Atticus walked Tom to the door and promised for an appeal, and the crowd began to disperse.
I stayed with Atticus along with the colored balcony as the others left the courtroom behind.
He packed his bags, all while giving me upset glances.
"I was sure we had it, Grayson. I was sure. So, so sure.."
"It's okay, you can get an appeal. It'll work out next time, or even the time after that. They can't try him guilty forever."
He nodded his head as he picked up his suitcase, and we began to prepare to leave.
The members of the colored balcony stood up, including Atticus's son and Dill, but Scout sat down on the floor, exhausted.
"Jean Louise, stand up." The reverand told her, and she did as told. "Your father's passing."
Then Atticus and I walked out of the courthouse. Together.
The rest of the night was silent, and we read side by side in the living room.
"Thank you.. For not letting me leave alone."
"That's what friends, do, Atticus."
He laughed, "You're right. You're absolutely right."
Time went by in the dream, a few more months, even if it was truly an hour or two.
Next time that it was vivid again, it was October, Halloween. I had seen Scout in her ham costume, looking absolutely adorable. And Atticus had asked me toescort her and her brother to the paegent. I accepted and walked with the children in the woods, and through the cold spot by the oak tree. As we neared the building, Cecil Jacobs gave us all a big scare.
"Who's that, Jem? Your girlfriend?"
"No! Of course not!" He denied it. He knew I knew he had a crush on me, and that I was nothing more than a friend of his. So, it was true that time. But even that didn't stop him from trying to win over my affections.
"I'm just staying at his house.. I help out with the children, and the cleaning..."
Cecil laughed. "Great. Let's go to the party, shall we?"
I followed them all to the school, and Cecil said he'd rather see me go with Jem, and Jem begged me to, so I stayed with him instead of Scout during the the celebrations.
"What's it like in Indiana?" He asked me, as we paced the hallways.
"Not much different than here, actually. Boring."
"Are there any nice boys in Indiana?"
I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Jem, there are."
"Well, then. I have some competition then?"
I laughed. "You don't. Nobody's competing with anyone, because I don't need a boyfriend."
"Sure you do, a girl like you shouldn't be by herself."
"I'm fine, I'm really fine. Just.. Forget all about your prospect. I'm leaving soon anyway, you'll forget about me. I'm very flattered by everything though, the flowers you pick are beautiful. Where do you find them?"
"In Maudie's garden. She says that they grow quick enough. And she's right. She doesn't mind."
"Wonderful."
The conversation fizzled away for a few seconds, but then Jem looked at me again.
"Grayson, can you be my date for just one night? Just today. And then you'll never have to be again. You're the prettiest girl I know, and the prettiest I've ever met. I can't believe I met you.. You look just like my mother! Atticus says so and he says you're pretty too, he says that you're just like her. And I couldn't agree more."
I smiled and said yes, just that one time and we went to watch his sister be the ham in the town paegaent.
When it was the ham's turn to come out, Scout didn't come out until it was too late.
"Po-ork!" The narrator shouted at least four times, before Scout finally stepped out on stage.
The judge was laughing so hard he had to leave the room. In the end, you could'nt really see Scout anyway. And the show went swimmingly. We all clapped when it ended, it was marvelous, in my opinion. The woman, who I didn't know, told Scout she had ruined the show for her. When Jem and I met her, I told her she was the best ham in Maycomb County.
"I knew I was! Grayson, you knew it!" I laughed and hugged her through her ham coustume. Her clothes went missing, and weren't with the other children's, so we decided to pick them up on Sunday.
The walk home was quiet, for the most part. When we walked, we heard a shuffling behind us. When we stopped, it stopped too.
"Grayson, I'm scared." Scout whispered to me. I too, was frightened, and told her to keep quiet. Maybe it had nothing to do with us, maybe it was just the wind. I hated walking alone at night, and knowing what would happen next made even more shivers go down my spine.
"Just keep walking, maybe..." I stopped and thought about what would happen if I contiuned.
"And what?"Jem asked, as he held my hand.
"And the Boogeyman won't get us."
"Grayson, there's no such thing as the Boogeyman!"
"Yes, there is. He wears overalls. And he's white trash. So, he's real."
That was when it happened. I felt hands on my shoulders, and I was shoved into a tree.
I stared Bob Ewell right in the eyes, and his expression was purely malicious.
"You're Misser Finch's girl, aren't you?" He hissed right in my face.
"No, I'm just.."
"Shut up!" He spat in my face. "Well, tell 'im you're mine now, missy!"
I shivered and tried to shake out of his hands, Jem was trying to shove him on the ground.
"Don't touch Grayson! I love her!" Jem shouted, and Bob lunged at him instead, elbowing Scout in the process. I lifted Scout from the ground and tried to get the ham off of her, but she was curled inside, sobbing.
"Save Jem! Help him!"
I heard a crack and a loud wince of pain, it was Jem. And before I knew what was going on, Bob grabbed both Scout and I and shoved us again, one hand on each of us.
"You're both pretty girls, aren't you?"
I tried to spit back in his face. And just when he tried to grab my dress, Another hand, an unknown one shoved him backwards. Scout and both stood still as this man tackled Bob Ewell. Bob stopped moving and this thin, lanky man lifted Jem from the ground and carried him home.
Scout was still sobbing, and as I took the ham off of her, she sobbed even more when she saw my face.
"He..." She wanted to say something but was speechless, and grabbed my hand. She and I ran home, and I forgot the ham costume on the path.
"Scout!" Her father shouted as she ran to the door. He ran to her and held her in his arms.
"What happened?" He questioned, full of concern.
"I don't know! I don't know!"
"Where's Grayson?"
"She's here.. Right here with me."
He put Scout on the ground before turning to me, and when he saw the condition of both my face and clothes, he became even more distressed.
"Did you get attacked too?" He flat out asked me what he thought he saw.
"I don't know.. I don't know at all, I don't know.." He held me as he held his daughter.
"I should have known, I should have known... I should have! I.."
"It's fine, It's fine. It's not your fault." I moved from his embrace and walked into the house and sat on the bed near Jem. I stroked his hair a few times and remembered his crush on me. I laughed at the thought of it, and was glad I decided to be his date that Halloween night, because afterwards, that's probably what kept him going. That was the one thing that kept him fighting until he couldn't no more.
And as the rest of the night unfolded, I watched from afar, staying with Jem. I saw Boo Radley and I saw Scout walk him home. I heard Atticus thank him for his children, and Heck Tate asked me no questions until everything was all said and done.
"What happened?"
I sighed, "Quite a bit." I explained the whole ordeal, which was almost too jumbled for me to remember. "And maybe, I need to go to bed.. Goodnight, Sheriff.."
As I went to my designated room, Atticus walked right behind me.
"Thank you, Grayson."
"Thank you for what?"
"My children."
And with those words, I woke up again. It was dark, and I was in the back of the Enterprise van.
And I smiled up at the reflections of light above my head.