Chapter nine

Darry worked on tying his tie in the bathroom mirror. "Is he home yet?"

I looked over at Sodapop who was sitting on the couch next to me. He was looking uncomfortable in his dress clothes and had loosened the knot in his tie. Soda didn't want to directly answer Darry for fear that he would explode, so he wandered outside to the porch and yelled. "Ponyboy! Ponyboy!"

Darry stepped out of the bathroom agitated to hear Soda was still looking for his youngest brother. "Scout where in tarnation is he?"

"I don't know." I stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of my skirt as Sodapop walked back in and came eye to eye with Darry.

"Well?" Darry was annoyed that Ponyboy had forgotten about our family joining Kathryn Ottavi's family for dinner.

Sodapop shrugged. "I didn't see him."

Our oldest brother fumed. "We are leaving in five minutes with or without him!"

Soda and I stood in the living room knowing we were going to have to bare the brunt of Darry's anger due to Ponyboy not showing up as he was instructed to do. Slowly the seconds ticked into minutes and finally Darry couldn't stand the wait any longer. He grabbed his suit jacket and yelled. "Let's go!"

Soda and I let Darry storm passed us before following him out the door. Anytime Darry was this angry you wanted to make sure you were behind him so you didn't do anything to infuriate him more. I watched Darry walk around to the driver side of the truck and pull the heavy metal door open as something in the distance caught his eye. Soda and I saw it too. Ponyboy came walking down the street with Johnny and Dallas, smoking a cigarette and enjoying his conversation.

Sodapop saw Darry's eyes blaze with furry. Worried, Soda jogged toward our brother hoping to help him avoid conflict, "Hey Pony!" Darry was close on his heels with his muscles tense and his voice demanding. "Where in the hell were you? I told you to be home and dressed for dinner at Kathryn's house by six o'clock!" Ponyboy's face dropped as he remembered Darry telling him to be sure to be home. "Your clothes are on the chair in the dining room and I am giving you one minute to get your butt into that house, dress and be out to the truck ready to go."

To help speed Ponyboy along Soda grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the house. Darry turned to stomp back toward me. "Scout! Get the hell in the truck!" Obediently I climbed in and sat in the middle on the hot vinyl seat.

Dally swaggered near, curled his lip and got mouthy with his friend. "Geez Darry, what are you all pissed about? Cut the kid some slack, it's just a stupid dinner."

Darry shared two words with Dally to end the conversation. "Shut up!" The man walked back to the truck and climbed in, being sure to slam the door shut tight. I watched out the front window as Dally and Johnny did an about face and headed around the corner to the vacant lot.

The air in the truck was tense as Darry reached down and turned the key in the ignition. Slowly the engine turned over and the truck began to rumble. I looked out the passenger side window staring at the door hoping my brother's would appear at any second. Darry put the truck into gear just as the two of them darted out of the house and scrambled into the cab of the truck. Darry spent the twenty minute trip across town hounding Ponyboy about being smarter and more responsible with his life.

From time to time I looked at Ponyboy who had his head hanging out the window. I don't think he cared to listen to Darry scold him. I didn't feel sorry though, Ponyboy was told numerous times about the dinner. This was important to Darry and Mr. Ottavi had bothered to stick his reputation on the line to help us stay together as a family. The way I saw it we owed him and we weren't setting a very good example as a responsible family by running late.

As my family's small rusty truck neared Kathryn's neighborhood I began to take in why so many kids from this side of the tracks didn't understand us. I doubted they had ever had to need for anything in their lives. Well kept lawns laid pressed up against the sidewalks and rows of flowers often lined the driveways that linked the large private homes with the common street. Seeing so much wealth made me a little uncomfortable in the clothes I was wearing and in the company of my brothers. I realized that none of the Ottavi family would be greasing their long hair back for dinner tonight.

I gulped hard and became nervous as Darry pulled our truck up outside the large two-story home covered in red brick with black shutters and towering white columns. Darry turned the key and shut the truck engine off then warned us all to be on our best behavior and use our manners. He told the boys not to eat like pigs because we could eat again when we got home.

I climbed out the passenger side door with Soda and Pony. Then the three of us trailed behind Darry, along the sidewalk that winded through the lush green lawn to the front of the house. Darry climbed the red brick steps and rang the doorbell while Soda and Ponyboy stood behind him and I stood behind the two of them. Within seconds the large ornate solid wood door opened up and we were greeted by the same man we had met just months before in the courtroom.

"Darry!" Mr. Ottavi clenched his pipe in his teeth, stepped out on to the porch and playfully slapped my brother on the back. Darry had been to dinner with the Ottavi family many times before. They had even invited him to dine with them at the country club on more than one occasion. "It's good to have you and your family here for the evening." The attorney stepped to the side to eye up my brothers and me.

Darry took over introductions. "Mr. Ottavi, this is my brother Sodapop, Ponyboy and my sister Scout." The tall gray haired man smiled at all of us and welcomed us into his home. We walked into the cooled house and I was awestruck by the beauty inside. They had large hand painted vases, original oil paintings and the ornate woodwork continued along the walls, stairway and room trim.

"Darry!" Kathryn gracefully came into the foyer dressed in a beautiful light green dress and heels. The two of them kissed on the cheek. I had to bite my lip to hold back an outburst of joy. I had rarely seen them show affection toward each other and I was still holding out hope that they would become more than just great friends. Kathryn greeted all of us. "It is so good to have everyone here for dinner, why don't you three come into the parlor and meet my family and then I think dinner is about ready."

Kathyrn led us into a room to our right where an older lady, and a young couple were sharing small cocktail drinks and chatting softly. I walked closely behind Sodapop who entered the room without hesitation. Darry's friend introduced us to her mother, sister and brother in law. The family then apologized for their eldest daughter, Victoria and her husband. Neither of them could be present because they were vacationing in Acapulco Mexico. I thought about Acapulco and realized I didn't even know where that was, but it sounded beautiful.

The dining room was just as ornate as the rest of the house and was filled with a long cherry wood table and just enough chairs for the expected guests. It sure was a good thing Ponyboy came home in time. I couldn't imagine the embarrassment Darry would have felt if there would have been one empty spot. Mr. Ottavi sat at one end of the table while Mrs. Ottavi sat at the opposite end. I sat between Ponyboy and Sodapop while Darry sat to the right of Mr. Ottavi with Kathryn by his side. As I sat in my chair I noticed Sodapop surveying me for cues on how to behave. I winked at him to let him know I would help him through the formal dinner and I put my hands gently in my lap. Soda did the same.

Immediately a female server, who I assumed was the maid, came out of the kitchen with bowls of hot soup and a plate full of bread. I held onto Soda's arm to be sure he didn't start to eat until everyone had been served. When it was time for the bread to be passed both Pony and Soda did well taking just one roll, even though at home they would have taken three or four.

Mr. Ottavi sipped his soup and began the idle conversation. "Sodapop, your brother tell's me you are a working man!" The attorney smiled and seemed genuinely interested in Soda. "How do you like your job."

Sodapop, being the carefree conversationalist that he is, wasted no time in rambling on about his adventures at the DX and how much he loved working more than school. He shared stories of customers and things that he and Steve would do for kicks. Everyone in the room burst into laugher on more than one occasion. Sodapop's charisma could work on just about anyone, just about anywhere.

During the DX stories the servant took away the soup bowls revealing the dinner plate below. Then in ornate bowls and on ornate plates our dinner arrived. Carefully the families past the bowls and filled their plates with steak, potatoes, carrots and cornbread. My brother's listened well and took just the right amount of food to fill their plate.

Mr. Ottavi was presented a bottle of wine by the server and he spent a moment reading the label and then pulled the cork. "Darry, do you mind if the children have wine with their dinner?" Darry agreed that would be fine. It was odd to see him moving with such poise and grace, he was truly suited for this life style more than our own.

As the wine was served Mr. Ottavi looked toward me. "Scout, Darry tells me you have done well with your school grades!" I thought about the comment and how it may have made Ponyboy feel. Sodapop was the hardworking young boy, I was the brain… what would that make Pony? Before I could wonder if Darry ever bragged about my twin I knew I had a conversation to attend to. "Yes sir."

Mr. Ottavi smiled when he realized I wasn't going to expand the conversation. "Your brother says you and Ponyboy are working hard toward academic scholarships."

I looked over at Darry who was smiling at me. "Yes sir." I said and then realized I should say more. "I hope that I can earn a scholarship for college. I really want to be able to continue my schooling."

"What is it you want to do after college?" Mrs. Ottavi asked, politely interrupting.

I turned my head her way. "I want to be a family court judge."

"I think that is wonderful!" The man smiled at me.

Dinner was delicious and for desert we had the best tasting chocolate cake I had ever tasted. It was so sweet and full of coco that I could only eat half. Ponyboy wasn't ignored either. The Ottavi family talked about art and poetry with him. They made comments that Darry was very proud of Ponyboy's interest in athletics and the pictures he could draw. I was relived that Darry hadn't forgotten to brag about him. If he had, it would have crushed Ponyboy. Even though Pony would have never admitted it. Over the last six months Pony had been seeking Darry's approval more than anything.

Following desert Kathryn asked Darry to stay so Sodapop drove Pony and I home in the truck. Both of my brothers were relieved to be out of there, but I had enjoyed the visit and hoped we could dine with Kathyrn's family again.

Sodapop pulled up outside our house to let Pony and me out of the truck and then pulled away to head to Sandy's house. Up on our porch Casey and Johnny were relaxing on the benches. Casey seemed to be doing all the talking and Johnny all the listening. The scene made me laugh as I thought about Casey thinking he was cute. I wondered if she had bothered to tell him.

"Hey Ponyboy!" Johnny jumped up and walked to the edge of the porch. "How was the dinner? Did Darry chew you out pretty good?"

Johnny and Ponyboy sat down on the bench by the front door. "Nah he didn't yell at me too bad. Dinner was ok, it was just food."

"Johnny don't listen to him!" I yelled out and sat down by Casey. "Dinner was amazing. I wish you two could have been there. Everything was perfect! The food was so good it just about melted in your mouth. Darry let us have wine with our dinner, served in crystal glasses and they had a lady to serve it all!" I looked out at our rundown neighborhood, but all I saw was my future. Big houses lined the carpets of green grass, beautiful dresses and dinner parties.

"Sound like you had a nice time Scout." Johnny said as he attempted to flip his bangs away from his eyes.

I happily sighed. "I did. Jonnycakes it was absolutely incredible. It was how I want my life to be when I grow up."

Ponyboy grew agitated as he often does with the topic of the socials comes up. "What's the matter with the life you got now? You to good to be here with us?"

"No!" I shot back at my brother. "Pony that's not what I am saying. I just want my grown up life to be different. I want to have more for my family."

"Oh, so now mom and dad weren't good enough to you?" Pony deliberately twisted my words.

"Ponyboy that is not what I said!" I yelled in a drawl. "Why are you being do…" My words were cut short by the rumbling sound of a muscle car turning the corner by Johnny's house and cruising slowly in our direction. Together Johnny and I cowered back near the front door as Casey and Ponyboy stiffened up and stood like protectors on the front porch.

"Whose that?" Casey asked of the shinny white mustang as it approached.

"Socs." Ponyboy said coolly as he stared them down. The car drove by and the driver flicked a cigarette out the window and the passengers glared back. No words were exchanged, but the message was clear.

The socs were superior and they wanted to make it known.

The car disappeared from sight and Johnny and I breathed a little easier. Neither one of us would ever forget the day we were jumped.

Casey turned toward Ponyboy, confused. "So that's it? They just drive by?"

"No. If we weren't in our own yard behind this fence they'd have come after us." Ponyboy told her.

Caseycakes shook her head and frowned. "I just don't understand why."

"Don't worry about it." Ponyboy said as he pulled opened the screen door. It wasn't safe to be outside any longer. "None of us do."