Although I never saw Boo Radley again after that night I often dreamed about him. I quickly became Boo's biggest supporter at school and I often found myself fighting kids who made fun of him. The Ewells pretty much dropped out of sight since the little fame they had after the trial disappeared altogether. It was whispered in more than one quarter that the whole family was better off without Mr. Bob Ewell. The welfare checks were, after all this time, actually put to use and the children and house looked more cleaned up. Tom Robinson's poor family managed to survive as Helen Robinson continued to find some work and their oldest was soon old enough to work a man's job.
I tried to make contact with Boo only one other time in my life. It was about six years later. Peace had returned to Maycomb and Aunt Alexandra had returned to Finches Landing. If Atticus hadn't backed me on the topic of Boo really saving Jem's life and me escorting him home I sometimes think Jem would never have believed me. It was summer and Dill was there once again staying with his Aunt Rachel. I had just finished my eighth grade year in school and Jem had just finished twelfth grade which meant that Jem would be leaving Maycomb in less than three months to go to college and become a lawyer.
Dill and I decided that we would get married this summer before Jem went away. That way Jem could be Dill's best man. Of course we knew by this point that although we were both positive we would marry each other someday there was no way Miss. Rachel or Atticus would let us get married before we were even out of high school. So we decided to keep it secret. Now this wasn't going to be easy because Jem thought he was all grown up and he would tell Atticus in a flash if he got wind of it before the big day. This would only be a problem because Atticus had told both Dill and I that we were not allowed to even think about really getting married until we were much older and he had said that in front of Jem. I realize now that this was the smartest idea but although I was twelve, I most certainly didn't know everything and was especially naïve when it came to certain "womanly" things.
Dill and I began to plan the day he arrived. We were too old for the old tree house but we found other places to hide and plan. We decided that first came the guest list. We invited a few of the kids that were my age in school like Walter Cunningham and Cecil Jacobs. We also invited Cal, Jem and Miss. Maudie. Dill suggested that we didn't tell any of them until the big day so that was there was no possible way either Miss. Rachel or Atticus could learn about it before hand. I agreed that that was a good idea and we moved on to the next stage and hardest part of the planning. Location. We agreed that this was the hardest because we would have to set up an aisle and flowers and everything without anyone knowing.
"I think we gotta tell Miss. Maudie Dill." I told him for what had to the tenth time. "She's already got the flowers and we can use her walk for the aisle. Then we don't have to do any work 'cause it's already all there for us." Dill just shook his head. "But why not Dill? It'd be perfect. I love her yard." Dill sighed.
"I dunno Scout. I just want it to be a big surprise for everyone. I don't want no one ruining it for us by telling Aunt Rachel or yore daddy." He responded.
"Miss. Maudie won't tell on us Dill. I just know it! Plus ya gotta admit that it's just perfect for us to use right?" We were sitting on my front porch surveying the street and Miss. Maudie's yard. Dill studied the yard for a moment longer before grudgingly nodding.
"I guess so Scout. I just don't wanna have to rely on anyone 'specially since we aren't even married officially yet." Dill said shrugging. "Should we go ask now? Or wait 'til we get closer to the date." I paused at this question for a minute.
"I guess now Dill. Better now than later I suppose." The two of us stood and walked over to Miss. Maudie's yard and watched her tend her plants for a minute until she noticed us.
"Hello Jean Louise. Hello Charles." Miss. Maudie greeted us. "What's on your minds today?" I elbowed Dill, trying to tell him to ask but he elbowed me back harder so it fell to me.
"Miss. Maudie, may Dill and I use yore beautiful yard for our wedding." That certainly got Miss. Maudie's attention.
"What's that you said Jean Louise?" She asked shocked. "No never mind. I heard you correct. I thought Atticus told you two that you were not supposed to think about that at your age."
"He did ma'am." Dill answered. His answer showed once again his ability to think quickly. "But Scout and I were worried that since Jem's leaving he won't be around to see us at our actual wedding so we're throwing a small fake one just for Jem so he can see us. He's gotta be my best man and all ma'am." I grinned at him in relief and Miss. Maudie sat on her knees staring up at me.
"It won't be legal?" She asked suspiciously.
"No ma'am." We both said simultaneously while shaking our heads.
"I'll think about it. You both need to tell Atticus and Rachel. I won't let you do any wedding legal or fake unless they both know and agree. Plus of course they have to be invited being your legal guardians while you both live here." Dill and I exchanged glances as we walked back to the porch. Those were two things we hadn't reckoned on. We didn't know that we had to invite Atticus and Miss. Rachel to our wedding. Dill sighed.
"Shall I come with you while you tell Mr. Finch and then you come with me to talk to Aunt Rachel?" Dill asked me. I thought for a moment then shook my head.
"I think it'll be better if I'm the only one to ask him. I'll do it tonight as soon as he gets home. I'll come right over when I get my answer. You ask tonight to, k Dill?" He nodded and through mutual consent we both headed to our own houses to wait for the evening.
It seemed like only a moment before Atticus got home. Jem and I still kept the habit of meeting him at the corner when he came home from work each night. He sometimes teased us about it but we could tell it lifted his spirits each night when he saw us waiting so we kept doing it. I searched him out immediately after dinner. He was out on the porch rocking gently in our swing when I climbed up next to him.
"Atticus I gotta ask you something." He turned to look at me.
"What is it Scout?" He asked me. I shuffled my feet a bit before starting and then once I started it all came out in a quick rush.
"Atticus, Dill and I wanna get married this summer before Jem's gotta go off to college 'cause we want him to be Dill's best man but we can't do that if he's off at college and we really want him there." Atticus stared down at me before taking off his glasses and cleaning them before returning them to his face.
"It's want to and going to not wanna and gotta." Atticus corrected me softly. Then he laughed quietly to himself and I glared at him.
"I don't think it's funny at all Atticus." I said offended. He glanced up quickly.
"I'm sorry Scout. I wasn't laughing at you. As long as it isn't legal I guess you can have your wedding."
"Sir?" I couldn't believe my ears. Was he really going to let us get married even if it wasn't legally??
"But only on one condition." Atticus continued and I sagged. I just knew it couldn't be that easy. "You invite me." He finished. I looked up at him at first not understanding what he had just said and then my face broke into a delighted smile.
"Of course you're invited. Oh thank you." I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a huge kiss before joyously running inside to give Jem and Cal the good news. Jem thought I was nuts although Cal was very happy for me. I ran over and jumped onto Dill's porch and almost got hit with the door as Dill ran happily out.
"Scout! I was just gonna come looking for you. Aunt Rachel said it was ok if Atticus agreed." I was so excited I laughed out loud and grabbed Dill and swung him around while yelling: "He agreed, he agreed." until Dill finally understood me and joined in my laughing.
A/N: Part 1 of two nods It's almost exactly halfway done now.