It was a sweltering hot August night and Jem's wedding reception was finally coming to an end. The dance hall was covered in streams of decorations; it looked like a rainbow with all the colors. His sister, Scout, had made the banner the most eye catching of all the decorations. A big Congratulations was written in a variety of warm shades, a big Jem written in blue, and written in a variety of cool shades, and a big Ann Marie, his bride's name, written in pink and purple. She did a pretty good job if her brother did think so himself.
He was alone at the moment. Ann Marie wanted him to go with her to bid the last of the guests good-bye but he wasn't up to it. It's not that he was ungrateful for their attendence but he was just overwhelmed. A sense of happiness that he was able to have a marriage with a beautiful woman who was sweet and intelligent. Total sense of excitement about what would later happen that night. Every joyous emotion a young groom would have he did, but there were some negative ones that dwelled deep inside of him, too.
How he wished his mother could be here to see him. He never stopped missing his mother and he had come to the conclusion that he would never get over it. Calpurnia had died the same year he finished high school. He only had Atticus left and he was struggling. He had retired by now and developed rheumatiod arthritis, which by now was crippling him. He had to be strolled into the ceremony and the reception via a wheelchair. Atticus didn't like that wheelchair and Jem hated to see him in one. He felt a tear roll down his cheek when he felt someone turn him around to hug him.
"What'cha crying for?" It was Scout.
"Thought you went home," Jem said trying to push her away. He was not in the mood to deal with his sister.
"Well, nice to know marriage won't change you a bit!"
"I swear the only thing you'll succeed in would be sarcasm!"
"Yeah, I've gotten along in life well despite it."
He had to crack a smile. She still had a sense of humor that wouldn't quit. He looked at her and never really noticed how nice she looked. She had long, chocolate hair, big robin's egg eyes, and a delicate heart shaped face. Nothing delicate about her personality, though. He wrapped his arms around his sister and kissed her cheek.
"Well, that's better! Be happy, Brother," she says kissing his cheek in return.
"Okay, Aunt Alexandra," he says calling her out on using her aun't nickname for Atticus.
"Hey," she was annoyed now. "I may be wearing a dress and heel but I could still whoop your ass like I did in overalls and barefoot!"
"I love you," he says knowing the points he would win.
"I love you, too, Creep," she says pulling him back into another hug.
"Jeremy," Ann Marie called from the doorway.
"Yeah, Honey?" Jem asks breaking away from his sister.
"Don't you think it's time to go?"
"Yeah, wait for me."
"You better go," Scout said as Ann Marie shut the door.
"Yeah, well, I just want to thank you for all your help with the party and everything."
"Hey, no problem," Scout replied with a playful punch to his arm.
"I do love you, Scout. I don't know what I'd do without you after all years."
"I love you, too, Jem. I don't know what you'd do without me either."
They both laugh and hug one last time before he left for the getaway car with Ann Marie. Scout follows him out the door and witnesses what a gentleman her brother turned out to be. How he kissed his new wife gentely, how he opened the car door for her. Atticus should sure be proud of him. She smiled and waved as they drove away into the night. It was just her alone now, beaming as bright as the stars in the sky. She was walking back to her old home while her brother was off to make a new one.