Chapter Four

Owen and I walked into the private dining room at the country club. Around the table sat the other couples we were joining for the dance; Matt and Mary, Alex and Whitney, Pete and Bethany, Kirby and Charlotte.

"Clean sweep has arrived!" Kirby yelled out when he noticed Owen.

Owen's face turn red as he escorted me to my chair. Before I sat down I quietly asked. "Why are you 'clean sweep'?"

"Just ignore him." Owen said as he pulled out my chair.

Kirby answered for his friend, "Because this kid has managed to have a date for Senior Prom every year since Freshman year!"

"That's gotta be another school record he holds." Alex joked.

Kirby warned me, "Better keep your guard up, Scout. He's a real Casanova."

"No I'm not." Owen answered with a silly grin. "Quit trying to get me in trouble."

When my date sat down I leaned closer to him and softly asked, "Besides Charlotte, who else have you taken to Prom?"

"Don't worry about it. Not her." Owen knew I was thinking about Lacey McGovern.

Alex overheard our conversation. He laughed and teased, "Oh, Scout gets the cold shoulder on that one."

Owen good naturedly defended himself, "No, I just don't think you should talk about past dates with your current girl."

"Awe, that's so sweet." Alex teased again as his date, Whitney, shushed him.

"Don't worry too much, Scout." Kirby looked across the table at me. "He didn't ask them all out. His freshman year he was actually asked by a girl!"

"Cassandra Rose!" Pete announced the girl's name in a singsong fashion.

"Now, that's a story!" Matt chimed into the conversation. "I bet that's a date you don't want to remember."

Owen rubbed his brow with his hand because he knew his friends weren't going to change the subject anytime soon.

"See Scout," Kirby explained, "we were all jealous Freshman year when that curvy seventeen year old cheerleader asked him to Prom."

"Ugh, not this story again." Whitney rolled her eyes and rested her head in her hand to show her boredom with the story.

Pete told me, "We though O was the luckiest guy on the planet when she asked him out. Then we found out she really just wanted him for his body."

"Literally!" Kirby said, "she practically tore his shirt off in the parking lot just to make her old boyfriend jealous."

"Poor boy was used and abused." Pete joked.

"Alright, alright." Owen grinned and tried to get his friends to end their teasing.

Kirby laughed, "Man, she sure was disappointed when she didn't get anything from Owen, or get her boyfriend back that night."

"Okay, knock it off guys," Owen gently told his friends. "I wasn't that into her."

"Talk about a cold shoulder," Mary looked over at me. "She wouldn't even shake her pompoms for him the whole next football season."

The room burst into laughter.

Bethany joined the conversation, "Tell Scout about the girl you took to Prom your Sophomore year. That's a sweet story. What was that girl's name?"

"Shirley Watkins." Owen happily answered.

Bethany leaned across the table, and proceeded to tell me the story. "She's this quiet girl who lived on Owen's street, but she went to the Catholic School downtown. So he's out cutting his lawn the morning of the dance, and he sees her walking down the street kind of crying to herself. Of course, Owen asks her 'what's the matter'..."

"Leave it to O to want to fix everything." Pete interrupted.

Bethany smiled at her boyfriend to agree with him then continued, "He learns that it's her senior year and she's never been to Prom. Her boyfriend, who enlisted in the Marines, was supposed to be home that weekend to take her, but instead he called to tell her he couldn't be there because his unit was unexpectedly leaving for their tour in Vietnam."

Pete interrupted his date again, "So, Owen digs his tuxedo out of his closet, gets a limo and driver from the funeral home and decided to be her date for the night."

"What was I supposed to do?" Owen asked rhetorically. "She was a nice girl who just got bad news. I couldn't let her miss her Senior Prom."

"So superman flew in and saved her!" Kirby said.

"I think that's sweet." I told my date and grabbed his hand.

Pete reached across the table and grabbed a roll from the bread basket. "That's what he is good at. Taking care of everyone before himself."

"Not necessarily," Owen defended himself with a grin. "Today I got something I needed." Owen raised my hand above the table showing off his recent purchase. "I gave Scout a promise ring, and she accepted it!"

While the other kids congratulated us, I watched Bethany and Charlotte exchange a glance with each other. I shrugged off the idea that they may have been thinking something other than congratulations and refocused on the cheers.

"Congratulations! I can't say I am surprised by the news. I thought I may have been hearing the distant sound of wedding bells!" Peter joked, which sparked a new conversation.

"Speaking of wedding bells..." Owen excitedly told his friends of my new sister-in-law, the new baby, and my new living arrangements in Tulsa.

_

Following dinner, I noticed Bethany and Charlotte exchange another inquisitive glance at each other before Bethany announced, "You all excuse us. Charlotte and I are going to powder our noses."

I watched as both of their dates stood up to help the ladies from their chairs.

Bethany looked at me with a sweet smile. "Scout, why don't you join us?"

Before I could decide an answer to the question Owen was already on his feet and ready to help me up from my chair. I stood up, thanked my date, and quietly followed the girls to the powder room. Once the door closed behind us the two girls turned towards me with an unexpected excitement.

"Let's see the ring!" Bethany exclaimed with a wide smile. I presented my hand to show the girls the ring. Bethany commented, "It's beautiful! How exciting for you!"

"I can't believe he didn't tell us about this!" Charlotte added, "We are really happy for you and Owen. You two are such an adorable couple."

"Thanks." I said with apprehension.

Bethany reached into her purse and pulled out her powder compact case. She nodded towards Charlotte then turned and focused on her image in the mirror.

Charlotte also pulled her compact out of her clutch then she pulled on my arms forcing me to face her. "Look here," She said and began to lightly powder my nose and cheeks as she spoke. "Scout, I need to apologize to you. When we first met, and for far too long, I wasn't very kind to you."

I attempted to accept the apology, "that's okay."

"No, it's not! I've known Owen nearly my whole life, and I knew right away that he was absolutely smitten with you, but I couldn't accept that. I was jealous for a long time, and I was wrong. I should have seen what was best for Owen instead of feeling sorry for myself. For months I hadn't been a good friend to you or Owen, and both of you have never been anything but nice to me."

Bethany turned around to join the conversation. "Pete reminds us all the time that after Oliver died Owen kept to himself, worked way too much for his Dad, and almost seemed to have to force himself to be happy. Then you showed up and that all changed."

"Everyone could tell right away that you changed him," Charlotte added.

I lightheartedly joked, "Well, I certainly added a lot of drama to his life."

"But none of it has been your fault." Bethany assured me. "He knows that. We all know that. Besides, sometimes drama like that can add clarity to the way you think about life. I know it has added clarity to mine. Some nights I think of all you have gone through and I don't take things for granted as much as I used to."

"That's true. I feel the same way." Charlotte agreed with her friend. "You know I was Owen's date to Prom Junior year."

"I know." I nodded my head.

"I was a spoiled, horrible date. In hindsight, all I did was complain and make Owen miserable, but he was still a perfect gentleman the whole night and every day after."

"What Charlotte is trying to say is that you are a perfect fit for him. He really loves you."

Charlotte laughed at a memory, "You should've seen him fussing over which dress was good enough to buy you for the dance. It took me almost the entire night to convince him to buy this gown. The store clerks thought he was adorable stressing over all of the details."

"Thank you for helping him. I do love this dress." I said. "And thank you for the apologies too. I know you are important friends to Owen."

"And to you!" Charlotte gently grabbed both of my hands. "All of us cheerleaders are a tight group of friends."

I looked at both of the girls to attempt to figure out what Charlotte meant before making and assumption. "I still need to try out."

Charlotte smiled and told me, "We have already met and decided that you've earned the spot."

"I don't know." I said hesitantly, "That doesn't sound fair."

"Whoever told you life was fair?" Charlotte asked rhetorically with a grin as she and Bethany lead the way out of the powder room.

After the dance we headed to Kirby's house for an after Prom party. The street was lined with cars as couples arrived to join the party. Owen and I met up with Pete and Bethany on the sidewalk. Bethany handed me a paper bag with little brown handles that were tied together with a bow.

"What's this?" I asked as I accepted the gift.

"It's a pool party, and this is your new swimsuit." Bethany grinned and winked at my boyfriend. "Owen bought it for you."

I opened up the bag and pulled out the baby blue bikini swim suit. My face turned red. "Owen, I can't wear this!"

"Yes you can." He said with a large grin.

"It's a two piece!"

"You'll look great." Owen said confidently.

"My brothers would kill me for wearing this!"

"Your brothers aren't here." Owen reminded me.

Bethany ceased the debate by grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from the boys. "Come on. Mrs. Kirby let's the girls change inside the house. You're wearing the suit."

I stuffed the suit back into the paper bag and followed Bethany into a bedroom in the home where other girls, including Charlotte and Whitney, were changing. Both girls had stepped out of their dresses and were half way into their bikinis. I'm sure my face grew red with bashfulness upon seeing so many girls in there undergarments or less.

Charlotte slipped on the rest of her bathing suit and walked over to me to unzip my dress. "Tick tock, Scout! Curfew is looming and the men are impatiently waiting for us."

A few of the girls in the room giggled.

As discreetly as I could I removed my brazier and replaced it with my new bikini top. As I was undressing from the waist down the bedroom door swung open and three more girls walked in, quickly removed their gowns, and tossed them on the growing pile of dresses on the bed. I noticed that none of the girls in the room were concerned with the lack of privacy. I slipped on my bikini bottom and tossed my gown in the pile like everyone else.

"Let's go," Bethany grabbed my hand and pulled me into the hallway and down the staircase.

As we walked through the home I was very conscious of how exposed my body felt. I had never owned or wore a bikini before or paraded around in my 'underwear' in front of my friends.

Bethany and I walked out the back door to the patio beside the pool. Mrs. Kirby had the backyard decorated with charming strings of lights that hung overhead. I could see a table with punch and snacks and lounge chairs filed with teenagers. I noticed all of the young men were wearing their swimming trunks and every girl was wearing a bikini, some of them more revealing than the one Owen had provided me.

"Scout!" Alex called my name as he and Matt rushed over to my side, "can you swim?"

Confidently, I answered 'yes' as I heard Owen's voice yell from across the pool, "Don't answer that!"

Immediately, Alex lunged forward and grabbed my legs as Matt grabbed me underneath my arms, and the two of them tossed me into the deep end of the pool.

Instinctively, I closed my eyes and held my breath as the cool water engulfed and cleansed my skin. I kicked my legs and returned to the top of the water. I where I took a large inhale of fresh air, and wiped the water and wet hair away from my face.

Through the well-lit pool water I noticed a tall young man swimming underwater in my direction. He surfaced a few inches from my face and I realized it was Owen. He grinned and wiped the water from his face. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you. Those two have an odd tradition of throwing my dates into the pool."

"It's okay. The water feels good. Plus, now fewer people can see me in this swim suit."

"You look beautiful." Owen told me then he leaned in, rubbed his nose against the side of mine, and kissed my lips. He kicked his feet to stay afloat while his hands reached out and touched my torso near my bikini top then he ran his hands along my skin to my hips. The sensation caused me to giggle and pull away from his kiss.

I teased, "I don't think my mother would approve of the swim suit choice you made for her little girl."

"Sure she does! I asked her to let me know if she didn't approve, and she never said a word about it."

I playfully splashed Owen in the face.

"Alright, alright." Owen put his hands up to stop me from splashing him again. "It's the opinions of Ponyboy and Darry I worry about the most. That's why I didn't get you the itsy bitsy teeny one I wanted to."

"I'm glad you didn't get me the teeny weeny one!" I said with a giggle of embarrassment.

Owen gestured towards my face and told me, "You should probably know that your mascara is running."

I touched my fingers to my face and noticed the black ink on my fingers. I sunk back under the water and rubbed my face hoping to erase the make-up streaks.

When I surfaced, the friends we had gone to dinner with were all swimming nearby. I noticed the other girls make-up was in perfect placement because they had been able to use the stairs to enter the pool.

Bethany reached over with her wet hand to help brush away the remaining steaks from my face.

Charlotte said, "I just hate getting thrown into the pool! We're ladies, not twelve year old boys!"

"No hard feelings, Scout?" Alex asked.

"No hard feelings" I answered then playfully splashed a wave of water towards the boy. Truth was, I was happy to be fitting in with Owen's friends better than I had before leaving for Ashford.

Alex shook away the drops of water on his face, and smiled towards Owen, "I like her. I think she's the best girlfriend you've ever had."

"Hey!" Charlotte playfully snapped.

Owen smiled back at his friend. "I think so too."

A few minutes before my curfew, Owen and I stood together on the front steps of the Ottavi home.

I happily sighed. "I can't believe how wonderful this day has been, a promise ring, the dance, a new home and sister-in-law with a baby on the way."

"Your first bikini." Owen said and raised his eyebrows and gawked at me.

"And my first bikini," I added with a blush, "I really think this was one of the best days of my life."

"Me too" Owen said as he grabbed my hand in his.

I looked at the Ottavi's front door and remembered the reason why Owen wasn't able to drop me of at my own home. "All of this happiness, but on Monday I have to go back to the courtroom to listen to James' twisted lies."

"Don't worry about it." Owen held tightly to my hand. "Just be sure to listen well and be ready to confidently tell the jury that everything he said was a figment of his imagination."

I nervously bit my lower lip then questioned, "Can you imagine what would happen if he was let free?"

Owen shook his head and laughed a little, "Sometimes I think you and Darry are more alike than you and Ponyboy."

"What?" I questioned in disbelief.

"Don't spend so much time worrying about what might happen. Just focus on right now, otherwise you are going to drive yourself crazy."

"It's not like I do it on purpose. It just happens!"

The sound of the front door opening interrupted our conversation. Mr. Ottavi appeared, smiling with his pipe in his hand as he teased, "Scout, is this young man bothering you?"

"No Sir, he's been a perfect gentleman." I said pulled my hand out of Owen's grasp.

"Good to hear. Why don't you kids finish up with your goodbyes then Scout come on inside the house." Mr. Ottavi turned around and walked back into the dimly lit house, but left the front door wide open.

Without concern of being seen by my new guardians Owen gently cradled my face in his hands so I would look straight at him. "I love you more than anything or anyone. Trust me! James is going behind bars where he belongs, and this next year is going to amazing."

"I love you too, and I trust you. I just tend to look over my shoulder more than I should have to."

"When you do. I'll be there watching out for you." Then he kissed me to keep me from presenting a rebuttal. Owen released me from his kiss and told me, "I love you. I'll call you tomorrow."

I stood quietly on the porch and watched my boyfriend leave for the night. When I could no longer see his car I looked out across the dark lawn and gazed at the large homes on the other side of the street. The view was a stark contrast from the vacant lot and industrial buildings I saw from the front porch of the home I grew up in. I thought for a moment about how that view from my childhood was destined to become a distant memory. Now, for the first time in my life I could imagine the view in front of me being the scenery my children would see as they played outside on their front porch. The image and hopefulness brought me comfort.

I walked into the Ottavi's home for the night, and Mr. Ottavi appeared from the living room and locked the front door behind me.

Mrs. Ottavi followed him into the foyer dressed in her night gown and robe. "Did you have a wonderful time?"

"I had a wonderful day. I can't remember having a day this great since before my parent's died."

"You must be exhausted." Arthur suggested.

"I sure am."

Mrs. Ottavi walked towards the stairs. "Let's get you settled in to your room."

I followed the lady up the stairs as she told me, "Darry brought your things to your room. I hope you don't mind, but I did unpack for you so you could feel more at home."

"Thank you." I replied softly.

"This will be your room." Dorothy gestured to the interior of a bedroom at the front of the house. I peeked around the doorjamb to see a white four post bed covered by a light pink canopy top. On one wall sat a white dresser and on another wall was a small vanity table with a mirror. Dorothy walked over to one of two doors in the room. She opened the first and told me, "Here is your closet." The lady opened a second door. "Here is your bathroom. It is shared with the bedroom next door which is Kathryn's bedroom. I hope these accommodations will be satisfactory."

I gently smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

"Ma'am or Mom, feel free to call me either one if you'd like." Dorothy walked over to me. "I hope I am not being to forward, but I want you to know that I feel like your mom would want me to take the very best care of you as if you were my own daughter."

I smiled at the memory of my mother. I could imagine her telling Mrs. Ottavi not to fuss too much over me, but I didn't want Mrs. Ottavi to know that. "Yes Ma'am, she would."