Chapter Seventeen

Darry was the last man to leave the house. I followed him to the front door and locked the dead bolt behind him. I looked out the front window and noticed the squad car still keeping watch. I wondered if the Socials knew how lucky they were to have safe neighborhoods. I backed away from the window and snuggled into the sofa with a throbbing headache between my ears. I closed my eyes. My mind filled with a memory of my father looking down at me with a look in his eye that said he had a valuable lesson to share with me. He squatted down in front of me and said, "Baby girl, you need to toughen up!"

My four-year-old self looked up from where I was pouting on our porch as my dad told me, "You are going to have to deal with these rough boys your whole life. In this neighborhood, it's unavoidable." My father pulled me up to my feet. He lightly punched my chest and told me, "You're a tough little girl! You've gotta show them they can't boss you around!"

I frowned my little face. "But even Pony said I couldn't go to the park with them."

My father looked me dead in the eye. "Don't let someone tell you where you can or can't go, or what you can or can't do? You're a Curtis, and we are stronger than that!"

Mrs. Ottavi's voice broke into my day dream. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"Nothing." I told her, but then my mind wondered about the switchblade still under my pillow.

There was a pause before the lady asked, "Sweetheart, do you feel I'm over stepping my boundaries by trying to help?"

I felt the tension in my body rise. I answered with a quick 'no ' hoping she would move on to a different topic.

"I'm not meaning to. I am just trying to be there for you. I think it's what your mother would have wanted me to do."

I thought of my mom's caring smile, and my eyes welled up with tears. In some ways, Mrs. Ottavi was a lot like her. She was trying to care for me the same way my mom had always cared for Johnny and the other boys. I thought of how Johnny always tried to play tuff when my mom would baby him, but you could always tell by look in his eye how much he appreciated the attention. I told her, "Maybe it's all just a bit more than I can handle right now."

Dorothy pleaded with me, "Sweetheart, let me help you!"

I shared my thoughts, "I just wish I knew it was truly over. No more retaliation. No more jealous girlfriends. No more being afraid of the dark, or my own shadow."

Mrs Ottavi sat next to me and softly placed her hand on my shoulder. "Unfortunately, the only one who can fix that is you. You have to be the one to make the decision to think differently about your circumstances."

Kathryn and Casey walked in to the room. Casey looked over at me and asked, "Why are you crying? Come here, sweetheart." Casey practically crawled into my lap to give me a hug.

"I'm not crying, I'm just tired." I told her.

Dorothy explained to Casey, "I was telling Scout that she controls her own fears and worries, and she can't hide herself away forever. Maybe she can be like you and move on."

"Oh Gosh! Don't be thinking I'm the superhero!" Casey declared with a grin, "I'm moving back to New Mexico because I'm a big old baby, and I want a hug from my mommy, so I ain't gotta move on alone."

"Casey, you don't have to go to New Mexico. You can stay here with the gang. We will all help you out." I told her.

"Yeah, I know, but truth is, you got Owen. He comes with a handful of new friends. Even if I stayed, we'd drift apart, eventually. Like my momma always says, 'that's just how life goes'. Plus, I want to go see her."

"Why don't we all get ready for the day and then we will go and pack up Casey's things for her trip home."

"Don't' worry 'bout me. I aint gotta nothing to pack into anyway."

"How will you travel home with your things?" Mrs. Ottavi asked.

"I'll just throw it all in some paper bags." Casey told her.

"No ma'am," Dorothy told her matter of fact, "you're not traveling back home with your things in paper bags! I'm sure I have a nice suitcase upstairs to give you so you can properly pack for your trip, and once you are properly packed, we will all go to the Club for lunch together. How does that sound?"

"I think that sounds delightful, and we can stop by and visit Sodapop too. I know he would like that." Kathryn said.

"The Club? You mean I get to go to lunch at the Tulsa Country Club? I'm in!" Casey responded excitedly.

My head throbbed even harder and I lashed out in agitation. "We are not going to the DX! Delores might stop in for gas, or to the Country Club where everyone knows the Jaspers and that I was there that night! Besides, I'm not ready to leave this house without one of my brothers by my side."

Casey jumped off the couch and announced. "No problem, I'll call Two-Bit, he counts as a brother, right?" Case didn't wait for an answer as she skipped out to of the room.

"No!" I protested. "I think you have all lost your minds! I'd be a lot happier upstairs in the closet then I would be out there!"

"Scout, I am sure Sodapop will handle any trouble that might arise at his work." Kathryn told me kindly.

"I will handle all of the conversation with others at the Club." Dorothy added, "Don't forget, my husband is an attorney for the city. I know how to handle folks who are overly inquisitive, or a bit too judgmental. You can just sit back and enjoy your lunch with Casey. She seems very excited to have the chance to dine at the Country Club."

Casey ran into the foyer and asked, "Can Two-Bit go to the Club for lunch with us?"

Dorothy answered back, "He will have to wear a shirt with a collar! If he doesn't have one, he can borrow one of Arthur's shirts!"

Casey barely waited for the answer before she sprinted back to the phone to tell Two-Bit the good news.

"Your friends are excited to be with you." Mrs. Ottavi told me in hopes to raise my enthusiasm. "Come along now. Let's get dressed and ready for the day!"

I turned and looked into Kathryn's eyes to see if she was just as chipper about the idea as her mother was. My sister in law grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet as she told me, "I don't think Casey is going to take no for an answer. Everything is going to be okay, let me pull you through so you don't get stuck."

I sighed with a frown, but allowed Kathryn to pull me to my feet. Everyone retreated upstairs to get ready for the day.

Dressed, and alone in my room, I reached under my pillow to find the item Sodapop had left for me. I felt the cool steel edges and pulled the switchblade out from its hiding place. With my back to the door I pushed on the lock. The knife shot out from the handle and made me flinch. I took in a deep breath, and calmed myself down. I thought back to James coming after me. I tried to imagine stabbing him with the blade, but I couldn't see myself following through with the action. I pushed the steel blade back into the handle and released it one more time for practice before I concealed the weapon in the pocket of my skirt.

"I borrowed some fancy jewelry and now I'm ready to go!" Casey told me from the bedroom doorway.

I looked over and saw Casey dressed in one of Kathryn's dresses, a string of pearls and a pair of her heels. She looked over at me. "Come on, Two-Bit's here and we are all ready to go. Dorothy told me not to push you, but to ask you if you are ready to go. Are you ready to go, or you gonna need more time?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Well that aint an answer so the way I see it you're ready!" Casey announced. She took my hand and walked me downstairs to the living room. I walked into the room and noticed Two-Bit dressed in the shirt and tie he wears to work and it brought a smile to my face.

"You ready to go?" Two-Bit asked.

"Not really. I'd rather we just stay here." I grumped.

Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. I froze in place and my eyes widened in fear.

"I'll get it!" Casey called out as she skipped towards the door.

"No!" Dorothy and Kathryn yelled in unison.

"Casey, don't open that door!" Dorothy demanded and hustled to the foyer to be sure Casey didn't let anyone into the house. "Check and see who it is before you open that door!"

Casey paused and turned to look at the three of us. "What gives?"

"I had a nightmare that Cindy came by and shot me." I told her.

Two-Bit shot me a concerned look then stepped in front of me to for my protection.

Casey giggled at the suggestion. "That's silly. We both know Cindy aint got the brains, or the means to find you all the way over her in Southside Socville!"

Dorothy peeked through the window. "It's an older lady."

Casey skipped over to take a look for herself. "No worries, it's your social worker lady!"

Mrs. Ottavi opened the door and cheerfully welcomed the woman into the house.

I felt my muscles relax as I watched the lady enter.

Mrs. Dillard introduced herself to Mrs. Ottavi then looked towards me. "Scout, I was so upset to hear about all that has happened. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm okay." I answered politely, but inside my mind raced as a new fear developed over why the woman had come to see me.

"I have something for you that might make you feel better than okay." Mrs. Dillard told me then she asked Mrs. Ottavi if Darrell was in the home. Mrs Ottavi told her no, then invited her to have a seat in the living room.

"Scout, come and sit." The social worker beckoned to me.

Casey took my hand and pulled me along to sit on the sofa with her.

Mrs. Dillard smiled. "I received a call this morning from Mr. Ottavi and he asked if I could bring you this." She reached into her handbag, removed an envelope and handed it to me.

I took the envelope in my hand and stared at it. For a moment, I feared opening it. I pulled out the letter, and began to read the text to myself. I skimmed the text and was shocked to read that the document was signed by 'The Honorable Judge Carlson'. My eyes grew wide as I looked at the social worker for clarification as to whether the information was true and final.

"What's it say? Read it out loud, so we know what it says!" Casey requested as she leaned over to try to read the document.

I looked at my friend in surprise and then reread the information out loud. "In the matter of child custody for Scout Marie Curtis. In the wake of the death of James Young, guardianship of Miss Curtis is hereby, immediately transferred from the State of Oklahoma to her eldest brother, Mr. Darrell Shayne Curtis. Prior residential restrictions are dissolved, and hereby at the sole discretion of the guardian. Signed, The Honorable Judge Carlson."

Casey shrieked with joy and squeezed me tightly as I was still processing the reality of the new information. "Oh Scout! You four are all a family again! This is wonderful news!"

"Darry will be so happy!" My sister in law cheered and her eyes swelled up with happy tears.

I looked at my social worker. "Is this real? Is it really true?"

"Yes ma'am." Mrs. Dillard told me. "Mr Ottavi met with the Judge and finalized it this morning."

I was flabbergasted at the news. I was officially back in Darry's care. I asked, "Does Darry know?"

"No dear. I thought he would be here, but now you can tell him the good news."

"We should go tell him right now!" Kathryn announced.

"He's gonna have the biggest smile on his face!" Casey said with a grin. "How'bout it Scout? You gotta be excited to tell him the good news!"

I felt the fear of the unknown begin to shroud my happiness again. "I don't know. Can't we just tell him when he gets home?"

"Why make him wait all day? Let's go tell him now." Two-Bit declared.

Casey offered her hand to pull me off the couch. I sunk back into the cushions. I folded the letter and stashed it into my pocket.

"Scout? It everything really alright?" Mrs. Dillard asked when she noticed my hesitation.

"She's scared to leave the house." Casey blurted out. "She thinks if she does a whole bunch of bad stuffs gonna happen to her again."

Mrs. Dillard looked straight at me. "That is sad to hear, but I don't believe you are that scared. You're just stubborn."

"I beg your pardon?" I asked in surprise.

"It's part of what you do to protect yourself. It's written all over your file. When you practice self-preservation you become stubborn and incorrigible." Mrs. Dillard said matter of fact.

"No, I don't!" I snapped back.

Mrs. Dillard proved her point. "If that phone rang right now, and the voice on the other line said Sodapop was in the hospital, you would run to be by his side, wouldn't you?"

I nodded head a little.

"If the police officer outside said he needed to take you to the police station to give a report about what happened in the past few days, you follow his direction, wouldn't you."

I nodded my head again and started to realize the woman was making a valid point

"If I told you the only way your brother could have custody of you again was if you walked from here to your home, would you do it, or would you let the State decide everything for you until you were eighteen years old? You would take off walking right now, wouldn't you?"

I hesitated to answer.

Kathryn looked at me and asked, "Would you?"

"I would." I said softly.

"See, just stubborn!" Mrs. Dillard announced to the room with a little laugh. "Sweetie, I know you have good reasons for your fears, but if there was something you feared more you would leave this house. Why let fear be the only reason to walk out that door? Why not let it be for joy? Cause that's what you'll get! You will find a way to be happy again. You always do."

Two-Bit laughed and announced. "You heard the lady, let's get going or you'll miss my narrated tour of one of the finest neighborhoods in all of Tulsa!" The young man twirled the keys to Dorothy's Cadillac around his finger, and walked to the front door. He left it wide open as he strolled to the car and yelled back at me. "Don't make me come back in there and carry you out here. You know I will!"

Casey laughed and followed the young man out the door. Mrs. Ottavi walked outside with Mrs. Dillard in tow.

I stepped in front of the open doorway and looked out. The squad car was gone, meaning my police protection was over. The sun was shining bright, and Two-Bit was opening the car doors waiting for his guests.

Kathryn stepped beside me and asked. "Are you ready?"

I stood frozen in my spot. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my skirt to be sure the blade and the letter were secure. "I feel like this is a really bad idea."

"You should know; you aren't the only one nervous about leaving the house." The young mother grabbed my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "I've been talking you into being brave hoping I would talk myself into it too."

Her comment surprised me. "What are you worried about?"

"All the same things you are. My mind is going crazy with worry. I like being safe inside the house just as much as you do, but it's not right. We need to believe it will all be okay."

"There's room for two in the closet." I joked with half a grin.

Kathryn patted her baby bump. "I don't think I will fit in there for too long."

I widened my grin. "We could give it a try for a while."

Two-Bit whistled for us to hurry up.

"They're growing impatient. Come on little sister, let's do this together." Kathryn pulled on my hand and forced me to step outside to join the others.