The morning was tense as we all showered and got dressed for our meeting with the family court judge. Darrel was being strict as he called us all out into the living room and lined us up for orders and inspection. It was important to him, and to us, that we all looked our best for the court. Each one of us were back in the same clothes we had worn to the funeral. They were the only "best" clothes we had.
I stood there in my brown tweed skirt and baby blue sweater. I was wearing a string of pearls that were my mothers and my light brown hair was pulled back in a barrette leaving my bangs to wisp down from my forehead. I was wearing the only pair of dress shoes I owned which were black loafers with a small heal. I had worn them yesterday, but at that time I wasn't concerned that they were way to small for me and they were cramping my feet.
"You look nice Scout." Darry said as he eyed my outfit.
I looked back at him and smiled. He looked handsome in Dad's brown suit with a white shirt and tie. I was very proud of him how he had handled so many of the responsibilities in the past days. I wanted to tell him that, but it's just not the type of thing you blurt out to Darry.
Ponyboy was standing next to me in a pair of slacks, shirt and tie. Darry didn't let him get off to easy though. I winced as our oldest brother slightly scolded Pony for not having his tie straight and reminded him to sit up straight when he met with the judge. Darry and Ponyboy had argued the night before because Darry wanted Pony and Soda to get their haircut before seeing the judge. Darry didn't win, but both boys had a little less grease in their hair then usual.
When Darry got to Sodapop they just smiled at each other. Soda was going to be Soda and no reminders or primping was going to make him act or look any better. I looked down the line at him, all dressed up. He looked odd, definitely not like my brother Soda.
The Courthouse was a tall stone building downtown with a Copper colored dome at the top. I stared at the ornamental sculptures carved into the stone as we walked in. Darry checked the kiosk and told us the judge's office was on the second floor. The inside of the courthouse was just as ornamental as the outside. The stairs we climbed were made of marble and you could look straight up to the dome at the top.
Upstairs Mrs. Marten met us. She was the assigned social worker to our case. It was her job to report what she found to the judge so he could make a decision on our existence as a family. I didn't like her much. She didn't seem to like me either. Both Pony and Soda stared her down.
"Darry." She shook my brother's hand. "It's nice to see you, and kids you all look very nice." The comments seemed patronizing. She was definitely an upper class woman and I doubted she understood my mother's belief that family love was more rich than money. "Judge Robert Carlson will be presiding over this case and he would like to meet with the children as a group and then just with you, OK?"
"Yes mam." Darry answered politely and turned toward us. He grabbed onto Soda and Pony's shoulder and squished me in between the two. Darry spoke as if we were all six years old. "I want you to go in there and use your best manners. Soda be sure to sit still and Ponyboy don't slouch or chew your fingernails. Ya hear me?"
"Yes sir." We all mumbled. I think we were all too afraid to speak to loudly. I know my stomach was upset and I was about ready to cry and the judge hadn't even made a ruling yet.
Mrs. Marten walked us into the judge's chambers. The room was full of books and had a big cherry wood desk with three leather bound chairs lined up in front. We all sat down together. Pony was on my left and Soda on my right. Mrs. Marten sat off to the right of Sodapop.
Judge Carlson was large fat man with little hair left on his head. He was the type of guy you could see running for Governor just so he could attend all the fancy dinner parties.
"Hi kids." The Judge turned toward us in his swivel chair and put a thick pair of glasses on his little chubby nose. He looked down at the files that Mrs. Marten had laid on his desk. Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr., Sodapop Patrick Curtis, Ponyboy Michael Curtis & Scout Marie Curtis. There was a file on each one of us.
The Judge picked up Sodapop's file and asked absently. "So which one of you is Patrick?"
The three of us looked at each other nervously wondering why in the world he would call Sodapop by his middle name.
Soda quietly answered. "Sodapop. That's my name, my middle name is Patrick."
The Judge moved his glasses to the end of his nose and stared at my brother. "You actually go by the name Sodapop?"
"Yes sir."
Judge Carlson laughed and shook his head in disbelief.
I looked over and noticed Soda's agitation. He loved his name, and he was sure no one else in the world had one just like his.
"Well then Sodapop!" Judge Carlson accentuated his name, "Let's see what Mrs. Marten has to say about you in her notes."
Ponyboy and I exchanged glances. We both realized that the Judge hadn't even made time to read our files prior to meeting with us. We watched as the Judge skimmed through the papers making annoying humming sounds as he read. It took every ounce of control in Soda's body not to laugh out loud.
"It seems you have been in a bit of trouble with the law and you don't do so well in school. Your grades are failing and you have a criminal record for disorderly conduct in public. Three suspensions in 2 years for fighting at school."
Soda had nothing to say about his behavior. He knew his record and didn't need the Judge to remind him of it. When Judge Carlson didn't get a response he moved on to the next question. "So why do you want your brother Darrel to be your legal guardian?"
Soda sat up in his seat. "I want to live with him because he and Scout and Ponyboy are the only family I have left in the world. We don't have no grandparents or aunts or uncles or anything."
The judge paused for a moment sizing up Soda, then he threw down Soda's file and picked up another. "Ponyboy!" Ponyboy straightened up and made eye contact with the judge. His mouth went dry and his hands started to sweat. "I suppose you like your name too."
"Yes sir."
Judge Carlson read through his file for the first time as well. "You've got a clean record and great grades. It says here you are 13 years old and in the ninth grade."
"Yes sir."
"You're a member of your high school track team?"
"Yes sir." After the last yes sir I looked over to Pony to see if he looked as nervous as he sounded. Sure enough he was sitting straight up and twisting his fingers together to avoid biting his fingernails.
The judge took one last, long look at Ponyboy's file before throwing it down into the "done" pile.
"Scout!" He bellowed. The sound of his gruff voice made me jump. I was waiting for him to ask Pony more questions. He never asked him if he wanted to live with Darry.
"Yes sir." I wanted to say it louder by all my body could conjure up was a meek whisper.
"Mrs. Marten and I have had a lengthy conversation about you before your arrival." The judge pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose. "Mrs. Marten's report on you is the most disturbing to me." Soda and Pony both looked in my direction. No doubt thinking the same thing I was, what did I do? I bit my lower lip to try to stop it from quivering.
"It says here you sleep in a public area of the house, you have very few girl clothes and not one girlfriend that you could speak of."
I didn't know what to say. It was all true, but I didn't see a problem with it. Instead of responding I just sat there as my hands began to tremble to match my lip. I hated getting in trouble.
"I have grave concerns about you staying in the care of your brothers." The judge's words pierced through my heart like a knife. "Mrs. Marten says you have real potential, wouldn't you prefer a nicer life in a family that could afford you the luxuries and opportunities that every young girl needs?"
I looked back at him and his image began to blur as my eyes filled with hot tears. I blinked them away letting them role down my cheek and barely spoke. "No sir."
Judge Carlson paused a moment and did not take his eyes off me. My fears and emotions were getting so strong that I didn't know how much longer I could hold them in.
"Mrs. Marten." The judge turned to our social worker. "Why don't you show these three children out and have Darrel come in and join us." The judge waved us off without much consideration. "It was nice to meet with you all."
In unison the three of us stood up and walked to the door. Soda put his hand on my shoulder and gave a little squeeze to calm me down. It didn't work, because his affection only made me cry a little harder and by the time we were out the door and in the hall the tears were unstoppable and my throat was tense.
"Darrel, the judge would like to speak with you now." Mrs. Marten called for Darry. As he walked toward the door he sized up each of us. I could only imagine the fear that raced through his brain at the site of my crying and Soda and Pony's gloomy faces.
As the large wooden door swung shut I collapsed back into one of the big wooden chairs that lined the hall. I cried and didn't care who heard me, I was never ashamed to cry when I was sad, angry or worried. My crying didn't help Ponyboy any because he started to cry too.
"Awe come on you two." Soda tried to comfort us by squatting down in front of us and putting a hand on each of our knees. "It's gonna be ok, Darry will set him straight." Soda reached in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief for me.
Soda said it and Soda meant it. He thought Darry could fix anything and always got his way. Soda believed people were often intimidated by Darry. I had to believe him, Darry sure could intimidate me sometimes.
"You heard the judge." Pony's rough voice croaked. "He didn't even ask me if I wanted to stay with Darry and he all but told Scout she wouldn't be."
"Nah pon." Soda offered up a consoling grin that didn't help any. "He didn't say that. He didn't say anything. We all can't be getting this upset until we know for sure. Now both of you just calm down, alright."
Soda had an amazing way of seeing things. Pony and I did exactly what he wanted us to do, we took a few deep breaths, calmed down and waited for the final verdict.
Inside Darry sat in the middle leather bound chair with his hands clasped in his lap listening to the judge ramble on.
"Son, we have three very unique children here who are now without their parents. It is my job and Mrs. Marten's job to be sure we do for the children what is in their best interest. Now your brother Sodapop seems like the type of boy you would be able to handle. He respects you and probably won't be needing a whole lot of parenting between now and the age of eighteen. All you will need to do with that one is keep him out of trouble, get his grades up and make sure he gets a steady job when he gets out of high school. Ponyboy is another story. He's gonna need guidance and structure. Someone is going to have to be sure he is getting his homework done, staying in school and maintaining his grades. I believe you can do that. I see here your grades were good and you were involved in extra curricular activities and even received a partial college scholarship for football."
"Yes sir." Darry interrupted to let the judge know he was listening.
Judge Carlson continued. "I think, if I should choose to allow you to keep the children, that Ponyboy will thrive sufficiently in your care."
"Yes sir." Darry spoke again, relieved that the judge was feeling he would be a capable guardian.
"That just leaves Ms. Scout Marie." Judge Carlson paused and folded is hands on his desk. "I'm going to be frank with you Darrel. I don't think you will be able to raise her appropriately..."
"Your honor I..." Darry was shocked by the comment and he tried to interrupt.
"Now let me finish son. Both Mrs. Marten and I agree that Scout has a lot of learning to do. She's going to be becoming a young woman and to do that she is going to need the female nurturing that only a mother could provide. She is going to have issues as a young woman that you won't understand and are ill prepared to take care of."
"Now sir..." Darry wanted to interrupt again and was again cut off by the Judge raising his chubby little hand.
"Darrel. This court is going to ask you to consider what is best for Scout, mentally, physically and emotionally. We recommend that you do what is best for that little girl and allow us to place her up for adoption without interference from you."
Darry's ice blue eyes stared coldly at the fat man and every muscle in his body tensed. "Well sir that isn't what my parents would have wanted. That's not what Scouts wants either."
Judge Carlson refolded his hands on his desk and leaned in towards Darry to make his point clear. "Darrel consider the mess you are left in. You have a small ruin down home in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. You have one brother who is sure to dropout of school. Another brother who is going to need all the attention he can get to stay focused on his grades and extracurricular events to keep him on the straight and narrow, and your family couldn't even get you into college. How are you going to find the money to put both that little girl and her brother through school? They are already ahead in grade and it's only a few years before they will be ready for college."
"Your honor, there ain't no way I could give my little sister up for adoption." Darry sat forward to speak with the judge. "I may not be able to give her fancy things, but that's ok with her. That's the life we know."
The judge shook his head and continued. "What I am going to do Darrel is give you some time for my words to sink in. You have been through a lot these past few days. Go home, take Scout with you and think it over. It will be easier for Scout if you let her know that adoption is her best option and that you support it. We will meet back here on Monday morning at 9am for my final decision. You are dismissed."
Darry's temper began to flare as he looked at the rich, fat man with all his arrogance. Without remembering his manners Darry quickly headed out of the judge's chambers and into the hall.
"Let's go!" He called to us as he stormed by. Before the three of us were out of our chairs Darry was already heading down the grand marble staircase. All three of us had to jog a little to catch up.
Once we were outside of the building Soda began to pry. "Darry wait up, what did they decide?"
Darry ignored him until we reached the truck where Darry stopped for a moment and rested both of his hands on the tailgate and studied the ground between his feet.
"Darry?" Soda asked softly and cautiously approached him.
Ponyboy and I stood on the sidewalk a few feet from Soda and Darry. Darry looked real mad and we didn't want to be any where near him.
"The judge says he ain't gonna make a final decision until Monday." Darry said without looking up.
Sodapop was a bit confused, "Why?" What's he worried about?"
Darry turned to face Soda. "He aint worried about you Soda, cept' he wants your grades up and I don't know how I am gonna do that. Ponyboy is good too. Judge feels I can handle him."
Soda smiled nervously, "What about Sissy?"
Darry couldn't bring himself to look at me so he continued to talk just to Soda. "The judge had some good points. We ain't never gonna have enough money to send Pony and Scout to college. An Scout's gonna have different needs. She's gonna be becoming a woman and I won't be able to teach her how to become a good wife or mother..." Darry paused but he didn't have the ability to sugar coat the facts when he turned to me, his heart full of guilt. "Scout, I'm not going to be able to give you everything they want you to have. Like pretty clothes, a prom dress or a college education."
Ponyboy was listening with his thumbs stuck in his belt loops and he squinted in the bright sun as he looked nervously over to Darry. "Darry what are you talking about?"
Darry slammed his hands onto his hips. "Judge wants me to put Scout up for adoption."
My heart stopped almost as badly as the day I heard my parents had died.
"No!" Soda yelled at Darry and he was so angry that he looked like he could take Darry down just for saying those words.
Darry looked over annoyed by the plea. "Damn it Soda, of course I said no! I said it a few times, but it isn't my choice. On Monday the judge could just order it to be that way."
Pony shook his head and rocked back in forth. "No way, ain't no one splitting me and my little sister up." Truth is Pony and I were connected to each other in an almost spiritual way. We often talked about how we would have to live in the same city together, maybe even the same neighborhood, because it would kill us to be apart.
All I could do was to stand there in shock and listen. I couldn't believe that because of my grades, good behavior and quiet demeanor the court would consider removing me from my family. Not just removing me, but changing my family all together!
Darry grew frustrated and threw his hands in the air. "Well there aint nothing we can do about it so let's just all get in the truck and head home." With that Darry walked around to the drivers side of the truck and got in.
I stood there stunned by the news.
Soda grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the truck. "Come on little sis. I won't let nothing happen to you."