Chapter Nineteen

Casey walked into the bedroom dressed in shorts and a sleeveless shirt with the tails tied up to show her belly button. "Sure feels good to be out of those church clothes. That country club was nice, but I'm not sure I wanna be dressin' up every time I want to eat lunch... and those women! How quickly those ladies turn on one of their own. I can't believe the things they were whispering to Dorothy about Owen's mom. I'd expect that in our neighborhood, but not in a fancy place like the country club."

"I think Dorothy did a nice job not participating in their gossip. That's going to be something the Jaspers will have to deal with for a long time." I said.

Casey sat down on the vanity stool. "Two-Bit sure was funny, charming some of those old ladies, wasn't he?"

"I can't believe he was asking if they were rich and single. I think that pick-up line actually worked on the one lady with the cane and the white curly hair."

Casey laughed, "He was seconds away from having an eighty-year-old Mrs. Matthews on his arm until her daughter noticed she had wandered off, and made her go back to her table."

I laughed and tossed the clothes I had worn to the Country Club into the suitcase on my bed. I snapped the latch shut. "Well, I'm all packed. Guess ole' Two-Bit's gonna be extra busy looking after me now."

"Ya nervous about moving back to your neighborhood?" Casey asked from her perch.

"I don't know. I don't want to be, but maybe."

"I sure am nervous!" Casey said.

I sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "What have you got to be nervous about?"

"Moving home myself! Don't get me wrong, I really wanna be with my mom again, but I don't know nobody back there like I know all of you."

"I've never seen you not be able to make friends. You'll be fine." I assured her.

"Yeah, I know, but there's just something different 'bout all of you. Ya know?"

"We're a family."

"Yeah! Best of all, a family of men! That means no gossip, no worrying about what the other thinks of you..." Casey's sentence was cut short by the sound of car doors slamming outside on the street.

I walked over to the bedroom window and looked down. "Owen's here, and speaking of 'what others think', he brought friends with him."

Casey jumped up and looked out the window with me. "Ah hell, Scout. You ain't got to worry about what any of those folks think of you. Besides, one of them's your brother." Casey said with a laugh then she headed towards the bedroom door. "Come on, let's go tell'em about the good news from the Judge."

"Okay, but help me bring the suitcases down." I told Casey. We each carried a suitcase to the foyer, and met Ponyboy as he came through the front door. We pushed him back outside. He looked concerned, and pulled me aside as he gestured toward the Ottavi's home. "Everything go okay today?"

"Yeah," I told him quietly, "I just didn't want everyone inside without Mrs. Ottavi's permission. Besides, Kathryn is taking a nap." I scanned the group of kids gathered nearby. I remembered the last time I had seen them all. Each of us was dressed to the nines without a worry on our minds for the night.

"Hey ya'll!" Casey greeted the crowd of kids who went to Prom with me.

"Hey Casey." Owen smiled and walked past her to gather me up in his embrace.

I hugged him and watched Casey as she introduced herself to each person, then I saw Mary nod her head towards me and softly ask, "is she doing alright?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about you today." Owen's voice drowned out Casey's answer to Mary. "Has everything been okay here?"

I looked up at Owen. "I don't know. We were gone most of the day."

"You left the house by yourself?" Ponyboy asked in surprise.

I told him, "No, Casey called Two-Bit and he came over and drove us around town in Dorothy's Cadillac. We visited Darry and Soda, went to lunch at the club and went home to pack Casey's things for her trip tomorrow."

Owen asked. "Has there been any trouble at your house?"

"No. Turns out Sheppard gang's been keeping watch over the place for us. Curly said he'll be there to look out for me tonight too."

"Of course, he will." Pony said with a grin because he knew how big of a crush Curly had on me.

To avoid having to explain it to anyone, I ignored my brother's insinuation. I squinted into the sun at the other kids. The bright light made me acutely aware of my throbbing headache accompanied by the painful tension in my shoulders.

Bethany walked up to me. "We don't mean to intrude. We've just been worried, so we came to see how you were doing."

Pete added. "And to let you know how much we care about you."

"I'm doing as good as can be expected. Thanks for checking in on me." I told them with a polite smile.

Bethany seemed uneasy for a second then she gathered me up into a tight embrace. "I am so sorry all of this has happened! I know it's not nice to say, but I am glad that miserable boy is dead."

"Bethany!" Pete quietly scolded his girlfriend for bringing up the incident. I noticed the others seemed uneasy in hearing her comment.

Bethany looked to me with a frown, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. I just wanted you to know we care about you."

"It's okay." I told her to put everyone at ease.

Charlotte stepped forward and gave me a quick hug. "We also came here to invite you to join us in our end of the school year tradition of going to Rusty's for dinner then a pool party at Kirby's house!"

"Charlotte, we talked about this." Owen said with a frown, then he suggested, "Scout, don't say yes if you aren't ready."

I nervously blurted out a lie, "I'm ready! I'll be fine. I'm not worried about anything."

Matt told us, "We'll do whatever you need us to do so you feel safe. Just let us know."

Kirby looked at Pony and Casey and added, "everyone is invited!"

Casey burst with excitement. "Hell yeah! I'm going to a big-time pool party! Scout, I know you will be fine. You gonna, go Pony?"

"I don't know. I might be going out with some guys from school." Pony said.

Casey enthusiastically told my brother, "Suit yourself, but I'm going! I could really use a pool party to get my mind off of things, and best part is you don't have to follow anymore of the Judge's rules no more!"

"What's she talking about?" Pony asked me.

Casey announced, "Today the judge awarded Darry custody of Scout! She's gonna move back home and go wherever she wants, whenever she wants."

"Do Darry and Soda know this?" Pony asked me, but my friend chimed in before I could answer.

"Yep!" Casey shared, "We stopped by the cemetery and told Darry. He was grinnin' from ear to ear, and we went to the station and told Soda too!"

Owen looked at me with concern. "I know it's what Darry wants, but are you ready to move back to your neighborhood?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure, I guess so… I mean, I have to move back sooner or later."

"Yeah, but later is an option if you're not ready, right?" Owen voice asked with apprehension then he wrapped his arms around me as if to keep me from going anywhere he didn't want me to go.

"Like I said, I'm not worried. I'm ready." I answered confidently, but it was a fib to try to hide my anxieties.

"Well, I don't agree with Darry. I think he is rushing you and I don't think you are ready," Owen huffed.

"Don't worry about it, Owen! Scout can take care of herself." Casey told him.

"But she shouldn't have to!" Owen said with agitation as he rested his hand on my hip. Immediately, he realized I had an item in my pocket he didn't want me to have. To be sure he was right, he quickly reached in and pulled it out. He stepped away from me away to get some space for himself. I noticed a look of utter shock on the young man's face when he realized what he had grabbed. Owen held the knife and released the blade. I heard an audible gasp from the soc girls. Mortified at being caught, I reached over to attempt to steal back the blade, but Owen held me back. "What the hell is this?"

"It's a switchblade!" I announced with agitation.

"I can see that Scout, but why do you have it?" Owen snapped at me. "Do your brothers know you have this?"

"Who do you think gave it to me?" I stood with my hand held out asking for the blade to be returned.

Ponyboy looked at Owen, "I didn't know about it."

"Just give it back to me!" I demanded loudly and my temples throbbed.

"No!" Owen's attitude grew in repulsion of the weapon. "Are you out of your mind? What are you even going to do with this?"

"Don't worry about it. It's not your business." I told him as my humiliation turned to anger.

"Not my business? Scout, you are my girlfriend! You have my ring! It's my business!" Owen angrily replied.

"It's just for protection." I tried to reason with him the same way Sodapop had tried to reason with Two-Bit.

Owen's temper flared and he showed his frustration. "No, Scout! I'm protection! Pony is protection! This is a weapon! What do you plan to do with it? Stab someone? You didn't even shoot James and you can barely get over that! How are you going to feel if you stab someone to death?"

Tears of frustration began to fill my eyes. "I didn't plan to use it to stab anyone. It's just to scare people off if I need it."

"That's why Johnny carried his blade and look what it got him." Ponyboy said sadly as he unknowingly echoed Two-Bit's concerns.

I furrowed my brow at Pony and hated that he was right. "Just give me the knife and I'll give it to Soda when he gets home."

Owen tucked the blade back into the knife handle. "No, I'll give it to him, and I'll let him know what a dumb idea it is too!" Owen barely finished his sentence when Darry pulled his car into the driveway. "Better yet, you'll have to answer to Darry for this!"

"I find it hard to believe Soda would've given her the blade." Pony commented, but I kept quiet about which brother had given it to me.

Casey defended Sodapop's decision. "Soda wasn't trying to hurt her or get her in trouble. He loves her and wanted her to feel safe, and maybe he felt a little better leaving today knowing she has it if she needs it." Casey turned towards Owen's friends. "And don't be telling your fancy friends about this here fight or the knife! You don't understand what it's been like for this family. They don't need you'all judging them, and Scout don't need you judging her neither! She's gotta do what she thinks is best for her!"

"We understand better than you think," Bethany told her, "we saw how James was with her in the parking lot. I, for one, kinda understand why she would want to have the knife."

Owen snapped at his friend. "Wanting it and having it are two different things, 'cause having it could get her killed!" Owen looked at the switchblade in his hand then he looked at me in utter confusion, "it's like… I don't even know who you are right now!"

Casey sprang to my defense. "How dare you say that to her! This girl stood in a courtroom, yesterday, and fended off a man who tried to kill her. She had his blood on her face and on her clothes. So, don't you stand there and gripe that you don't know her because I bet, she doesn't even know who she is right now!"

Owen's muscles seemed to tense up at the reminder that I was again in harm's way and he wasn't there to help me.

Pete immediately spoke up in defense of his best friend, "Maybe you need to see this from his point of view, because you weren't there every time, he was told that someone had hurt her! You don't know what it's been like for him either. None of this had been easy, but he isn't carrying a weapon around because of it. He can't afford to, and he can't afford to have her do it either. His mother has already caused enough problems for his family, he can't have his girlfriend do the same."

"Scout don't 'cause no problems! Besides, no one even knows you got a blade till you need to pull it out, and by that point you already got a problem you can't solve no other way! Ain't that right Pony?" Casey called my brother out to support her cause.

"I've seen it both ways." Pony answered, "Sometimes people don't think. They pull a blade just to scare someone and they end up doing something they never thought they'd do."

I immediately knew my brother was thinking of Johnny. I snapped to his defense. "They tried to drown you! If Johnny hadn't had that blade you would have been killed, and there's no way I would have moved on after that. Not for nothing, or for no one!"

Pony felt the same way about the possibility of losing me. "Yeah, and you've been having a hard time of things lately, just think of where we'd all be if you had snapped and pulled a blade on someone in the past few weeks, or you pull a blade on someone tonight and don't even realize what you've done 'til it's too late."

Darry hesitantly approached the group of friends with a look of concern for the tension between everyone. "What's all the ruckus about?"

Owen breathed a sigh of relief and looked at me. "Finally! Someone to talk some real sense into you."

I looked at my brother, pointed to Owen and got in the first words. "Darry, he took the blade and won't give it back!"

Darry sighed heavy as he took the blade from Owen's hand and handed it back to me. Then my brother tried to solve the problem the same way he solved conflicts he didn't want to be a part of when he barked out an order, "Why doesn't everyone get on home, and you get in the house!"

Owen was infuriated by my brother's action. "She doesn't need a switchblade!"

"It's my decision to make, not yours!" Darry snapped back and pointed a finger at his adversary.

I tucked the knife back into my pocket. I looked nervously between my brother and my boyfriend as I waited for a fight to erupt.

"Wait!" Casey, who was oblivious to the tension between the men, looked at Darry and questioned, "If she has to go inside, does this mean we aint going to dinner and the pool party?"

Pony told her, "We'all got bigger problems then whether or not you can go to a pool party."

"No, we don't!" Casey yelled back at him. "The way I see it, something's gotta change, and right quick, or nobody's gonna get over this! Besides, I only got one night left to spend with my best friend, so she's gonna grab her blade and her bikini 'cause we are going to that pool party whether anyone likes it or not." Then my friend unexpectedly stormed through the front door into the house.

The crowd stared in silence wondered what she was planning to do next.

Casey's immediately came barreling back out of the house with my two suitcases in her hands and announced, "I have already been part of one destroyed family, and I aint gonna stand by and let another fall apart." She stopped and dropped the suitcases on the sidewalk to discipline Owen and me. "You two listen up! I was in that courtroom too. I 'bout pissed my pants when those gunshots went off, then there was so much panic I could barely get back to see if ya'll was dead or alive. So, what I need now, more than anything, is for you two to quit fightin' over a stupid knife she aint gonna use anyways! I want to go to a party with my best friend and her boyfriend to forget about all these miserable experiences!" Casey pointed her finger at Darry and disciplined him, "And don't tell her she can't go 'cause I don't care what you think. She's going and if you don't' like it you can go as a chaperone. Is that understood?"

Darry laughed a little and was relieved that Casey felt the same as he did about me being out of the house. "Okay Caseycakes. Whatever you think is best."

Owen shot a look of fury at Darry for his cavalier attitude, but the gesture went unnoticed by my brother.

"Will there be chaperones there?" Darry asked Owen's friends.

"Kirby's parents will be there." Pete said even though he knew Kirby's parent would most likely be in their bedroom suite watching television and not directly supervising the party.

Casey jumped to the conclusion that my brother was gonna change his mind about letting me go. "Come on, Darry! Ya gotta let her go cause I aint ever been to a Soc party, and I leave tomorrow!"

"Settle down, Casey." Darry said. "She can go if she wants to."

Pete shared with me, "Please say you want to. It wouldn't feel right if you weren't there."

Bethany gently smiled. "A lot of people were asking about you today. They're all hoping you will come."

"She's coming, and I get the front seat of the Camaro!" Casey yelled as she marched towards the Camaro. "Owen, I know she has swimsuits in one of them, so grab those suitcases and put them in the car. We better get outta here before Darry changes his mind!"

Owen was furious that Darry and Casey were deciding what was best for his girl, but he did as he was told. His friends looked at each other and began to realize they should wander to their cars and get ready to go to the diner.

Casey yelled from the car window. "Darry! I had lunch at the Country Club today! It's so frickin' fancy. They got guys there who'll park your car for you, so you don't have to walk through the parking lot, and the food is amazing! You should see that place!"

Darry smiled and yelled back, "I know, I've been there a few times. I am glad you enjoyed it."

"I did! Dorothy even let me have dessert! Best chocolate cake I ever had! I'm so ready for a pool party tonight! Let's go, Scout!"

Darry rested his hand on my shoulder and looked down at me, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." I didn't share that I was exhausted with an almost blinding headache. I looked over at Owen who was standing by his car door waiting for me to make up my mind. I could feel how unhappy he was with me.

"You really want to go to the party?" Darry asked.

"Yeah, for Casey's sake, I think I will give it a try." I said with a forced smile and looked at my twin. "Come with us, Pon."

"Nah, I got other plans. Besides, I'm not sure if that's my scene or not." Pony was hesitant to go and hang out with a few dozen socials.

Darry told me, "See you at our house tonight. Since this is Casey's last night you can stay out until eleven. Not a minute later, you understand?"

"I understand. If I need you, I will call." I told my brother.

"You do that." Darry leaned in and gave me a quick hug then he yelled to the others who were waiting for me. "You all have fun tonight!"

I walked over the driver's side of the Camaro where Owen was waiting with the door wide open. He didn't say anything to me when he folded the seat forward, so I could crawl into the backseat of the car. The silence and tension in the car were thick between Owen and I as we drove to the Diner. I assumed we both had things to say, but we didn't want to discuss them in front of Casey. Owen pulled into the parking lot, but the only available spot to park was the one we had pulled out of months ago when James had appeared out of nowhere to threaten us. Owen passed the spot and let Pete take it. He looked at the two of us and spoke softly. "Why don't you two go on inside and order what you want. I'll be in later after I find a place to park."

Casey popped out of the car and held the door for me.

I looked out the window at the restaurant and could feel panic begin to rise inside of me. I noticed the group of socials staring out the window at us and my head grew dizzy. I looked out the back window of the car for any sign of a hoodlum from the Northside gang ready to jump us. Suddenly, I had no appetite.

"Come on, Scout! I'm not gonna stand here all day." Casey said.

I licked my lips and answered quietly. "It's okay, you go in with Owen's friends and I'll stay with Owen so none of us have to be alone. Okay?"

"Good thinking, since ya got that switchblade to protect both of ya." Casey said with a wink and slammed the car door to join up with Pete and the girls.

I looked ahead at Owen to see if he was furious about her comment, but I couldn't tell from his silence. I slipped my hand into my pocket and wrapped my fingers around the blade. I looked up in time to see Owen staring at my reflection in his rearview mirror before he pulled the car out of the parking lot and headed away from the diner.

"I need to stop by the bank and do some business before they close." Owen informed me.

I furrowed my brow wondering what business he had to attend to, and why he was just now telling me that he hadn't planned on going into the diner with everyone else. Owen seemed preoccupied with his thoughts when I mustered up enough courage to ask him, "Why are you so mad?"

Owen snarled at my question, "Take your pick; Darry giving you the blade, you moving home already, going to this party tonight. I feel like I'm the only one who knows it's all too much for you, and frankly, it might be a bit too much for me too."

"I can take care of myself." I stubbornly answered.

Owen's temper rose as he showed how protective he was of me. "No you can't, Scout! Not right now. Not in the condition you are in. Nor should you have too." Owen paused then yelled, "Damn it! Quit trying to act like everything is okay when it's not!"

The car grew silent again. I didn't care much for Owen raising his voice or telling me I couldn't take care of myself even though he wasn't wrong. Neither of us said another word until we arrived at the bank. He parked the car and asked me, "are you coming in with me, or staying in the car?"

I growled, "I'll wait here. I'll be fine."

Owen furrowed his brow, "You sure? They've got a security guard inside. You'll be safe."

I sassed back, "I'm good. Despite what you think."

Owen paused a moment then decided not to argue with me. He shut the car door and I heard him say, "Fine, suit yourself."

I slumped down in the seat hoping not to be seen. I pulled the blade from my pocket and held it in my hand. I could feel sweat begin to form on my forehead, but I didn't know if it was because of the temperature in the car, or my nerves. Outside the car I could hear people talking as they passed by. At first, I ignored them, but with each passing pedestrian my fear level rose. I started to peek out the window to see if I knew who they were, or if they weren't from this side of town. I thought of the day James surprised us at the diner. My mind began to race through negative thoughts, and I could feel myself begin to panic. I heard a man curse at a driver who had made him angry. Close by, someone slammed a car door and the sudden noise made me jump. I realized Owen may have been right. Perhaps being inside was a better plan for me. I climbed out of the back seat and quickly walked into the large, opulent bank. I stood alone, near the door on the terrazzo flooring, as patrons passed by me unaware of my racing heartbeat. My eyes darted around to the desks and tellers, but I couldn't find Owen. By this time, I felt as if my heart was going to pound out of my chest and I had to remind myself to take deep calming breaths, even though it was a struggle.

"May I help you, ma'am?"

The voice startled me. The security guard stood by my side. I looked at his gun and nightstick. I thought of the bailiffs in the courtroom then I thought of James, lying in a pool of blood. I felt an unwelcome tear of frustration form in my eye. I quickly wiped it away.

"Darling, are you okay?" The guard asked.

I lied and shook my head yes as I frantically looked around the bank for Owen.

"Why don't you let me help you find what you are looking for?" The guard politely asked me.

My self-induced fear made it so I couldn't speak and couldn't move. I was frozen in place. I thought if I walked away without saying anything, I would look suspicious, but if I opened my mouth to say anything, I might bawl my eyes out. I thought of the knife in my pocket. What if he knew I had the knife? What if he thought I was there to do something horrible? Did he know I was a greaser or think I was a hoodlum? It was then that I could feel my hands begin to tremble.

"Darling, do you need help?" The security guard leaned down to look at me. Then he raised his hand and rested it on my shoulder.

The feeling of his skin against my shirt sleeve sent a shock wave through my body that cause me to violently pull away and scream, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

The murmur of business in the bank grew silent and a hundred eyes looked our way. I felt my heart attempt to pound out of my chest. I began to feel disoriented until, out of the silence, I heard my name called out, "SCOUT!"

I looked up and saw Owen jogging to be by my side. "Are you okay?"

I let Owen wrap his arm around me as I fought to calm myself down and hold back the hot tears of frustration.

The security guard looked at Owen. "I didn't mean to frighten her. Is she okay?"

"It's okay." Owen said quickly as he looked for our best escape route before the incident became a scene, but it was too late.

"Marvin?" The Vice President of the bank called out to the guard and walked over to assess the situation. "What's going on here? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. We'll just head out. Thank you for your concern." Owen told the man.

We turned to try to leave but were stopped by two middle aged, nosy women.

"Did you say, Scout? Is she Scout Curtis from the papers?" The lady turned to her friend. "You know, the little miss who was almost killed yesterday."

"Oh, dreadful story." The other woman shared her opinion. "Thankfully, the little dear is alright. She is alright, isn't she?"

"Yes Ma'am." Owen quickly answered as he held me close to him.

"That boy deserved what he got!" A man's voice yelled out as gossip of who I was and what had happened to me began to seep through the crowd.

"Damn shame what he did to you. He'll burn in hell for that!" Another voice cried out as the crowd thickened.

Owen held tight to me and grew frustrated that his exits were now blocked by the onlookers. The Vice President noticed the issue. He placed his hand on Owen's back and directed him to follow Marvin and himself into his office. Heads turned at every teller station as we walked by. I kept my head held low in shame. Owen's face flushed with embarrassment. The Vice President opened the door to his lavish office and hustled the two of us inside and shut the door. "Owen, why don't the two of you take a moment to compose yourselves before you head back out there."

Owen recognized the man and spoke up. "With all due respect, Mr. Conner, we've been through a lot this week and it's not going to get better if we go back out there. Is there a rear exit we could use?"

"Owen, are you sure the girl wouldn't want to sit a spell and have a sip or two of water." Mr. Conner suggested.

"No thank you, sir. I just want to get her away from here as soon as possible."

"If you say so. I hope she feels better soon." Then the man led us to door at the back of his office that lead to a hallway and a door at the back of the building. "Take care, and let your mother know we wish her a speedy recovery as well."

Owen cringed at the mention of his mother, but thanked the man anyway.

We hustled back to the car. I crawled in and slumped down onto the floor of the front seat. My hands were still shaking with fear and frustration as I continued to calm my nerves. Owen pulled out of the bank parking lot without a word to me. As soon as I was calm enough to speak, I apologize to Owen for my behavior. "I am an idiot, and I'm sorry for causing a scene. I know how difficult that is for you to have to deal with."

He didn't answer as he looked straight ahead and gripped the steering wheel.

His silence scared me. "Owen, am so sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly." I peeked up at him again and realized he wasn't ignoring me. He was just trying to hold in his emotions.

My boyfriend reached down and rubbed my cheek. "I know… I know you are sorry. It's not your fault… it's just hard right now. Don't worry, I've got a plan and I'm gonna fix this."