Chapter Sixteen

Slowly I pulled on my skirt and sweater Darry had brought me from home. I paused for a moment to think about how different clothes felt from the hospital gowns I had been wearing. I slipped on my loafers and stepped out of the bathroom."

"Princess! You sure do look lovely." Norma Rae threw her hands onto her wide hips. "In all my life I never looked as cute as you do, even in a coma you were just a beauty." I blushed and knew I would miss everyone's favorite nurse now that I was going home. Norma Rae winked at me. "I sure will miss those brothers of yours. Especially that boy Sodapop. Is he single?"

I laughed, "As single as a dollar bill!"

The nurse giggled with me and the two of us heard the noise of boys coming down the hospital hallway. "Well sugar plum! Sounds like the calvary is coming." Norma Rae patted the top of the wheel chair she had parked in front of her. "Hop in. It's time for you to go home and get on with your life." I slowly sat down in the wheelchair as Soda and Ponyboy came bounding into the room.

"Hey Norma Rae!" Soda greeted my nurse and wooed her with a kiss on the cheek. Soda tried to push her away from the wheelchair handles. "Move over, I'll drive."

Norma Rae didn't budge. "No way sweet roll! It's my hospital and I'll be doing the driving. Besides, I'm guessin a wild child like you doesn't drive with as much caution and care that I do."

Soda's face grew slightly serious and he looked down at me. "I do now."

Darry entered the room with stern authority and instructed Ponyboy and Sodapop to grab the boxes of stuff that had accumulated in my hospital room over the last month. "Come on, let's get you home Sissy."

We left the hospital and squeezed into the cab of the truck. The tight fit was a little uncomfortable, but none of us cared. It was just after four in the afternoon when I grabbed a hold of Darry's arm for support and ascended the front porch steps to my house. Ponyboy and Sodapop raced ahead of me into the house, while Darry held the screen door open for me. I was barely inside the front door when the group, gathered inside, yelled. "Welcome home!"

I blinked my eyes and studied the faces inside, Casey, Kathryn, Two-Bit, Steve, Evie, Soda, Pony and Owen were all there. A chocolate cake sat on the coffee table with the words 'Welcome Home' spelled out with horizontal toothpicks. I smiled back, "Thanks everyone! It's so good to be home."

Waves of emotions washed through me, but before I could get upset Casey raced to my side to get the party started. "Scout, I've got to get to work in a little bit so you gotta open the gift Owen brought for you, cause I'm just dying to know what it is. Cool? It's a huge box!" Casey pulled me over to the middle of the couch and she sat down next to me. "Okay Owen!"

Owen blushed a little and picked a large rectangular shaped box off the dining room table. He walked across the living room, set the box in front of me on the coffee table and sat by my side. Bravely, he kissed me on the cheek in front of everyone. "I'm really glad your home." Owen grabbed my hand and I knew he was nervous because his hands were sweaty. He smiled at me, "I actually have two gifts."

Graciously I smiled back. "Owen you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know," he said, "My friend, Bethany helped me pick it out. I hope you like it."

I reached over to the thick blue cloth ribbon and pulled the loose end to untie the bow. I pulled the ribbon free of the box and lifted the lid. My eyes widened at the sight of what was inside. Slowly, I reached over and pulled the beautiful blue satin and lace gown out of the box. Nearly speechless I said. "O, it's beautiful, but..."

"Scout?" Owen anxiously interrupted me. "I know you just got home, but I want to know if you'll accompany me to the Winter Formal at the Tulsa Country Club this Saturday?" I looked at the gown and realized the dance was only two days away. I looked back into Owen's eyes. He could clearly see my hesitation as he tried to convince me to go with him. "We don't have to dance at the dance if you're not ready to. I just ...I've been wanting to ask you to the dance since the first day I met you."

I held the dress on my lap and caressed the expensive material with my fingers. I wasn't physically ready to go to the dance, but I knew better than to miss the opportunity to attend one of the most elite dances in the city. "Yes, I'll go to the dance with you!" Owen smiled in relief

"Cool! Oh I am so jealous!" Casey let out a squeal of delight. "I can't wait to see what the next gift is. Come on Owen, spill it, where's it at? Hurry up I've got to get to work."

"Geez Casey do you rush a man through everything?" Steve jokingly asked.

"Not everything." Casey said seductively then winked in direction of Steve, Evie and Sodapop.

Owen smiled, stood up and turned towards Darry. "My next gift is actually for Darry and the whole Curtis family." Owen licked his lips and nervously wiped his hands on his khaki pants. "My parents and I wanted a way to tell everyone how sorry we are that this had to happen to your family. I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but think that I could have done more to see that truck run the stop sign. If I had... well..." Owen stopped himself from rambling on about the 'what if' part of the accident and reached into the pocket of his letterman jacket. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket along with his car keys. "I know how much you all need a car to fit you family into so we'd like you to have the car outside. Every thing is ready, you just need to sign the title." The young man handed the paper and set of keys over to my older brother.

Darry took the keys into his hand and stood speechless. Sodapop and Ponyboy made enough noise for everyone when they raced to the window to see the new car. I turned around on the couch to look with my brothers. In amazement Sodapop gawked, "It's a Lincoln Continental, probably 1958?"

"Fifty nine," Owen corrected him. "I know it's no hot rod, but we've got so many cars with all of the funeral parlors. This was the oldest one in the fleet and my dad was gonna sell it, but I convinced him otherwise."

Darry stepped forward with a . "Owen, we really appreciate the gesture, but we can't accept it."

"What?" Soda yelled. "Yes we can! Owen, if he won't sign the papers I sure will."

"Yeah, I will too." Steve said as he stared in amazement at the long black beauty."

Owen played tuff. "Darry, even if you don't sign the paper, I'm not taking the car with me when I go. I'll just leave it out there on the street forever."

"But..." Darry began.

Owen interrupted. "My family's business has plenty of cars and plenty of money to get a new one with out selling this one."

"Just sign the papers Darry!" Two-Bit yelled out. He was the type of guy who knew a good steal when he saw one. "Here, I got you a pen."

I watched Darry read the title to the car. He hesitated for just a moment and looked over at me. I raised my eyebrows to say to him, what are you waiting for? Then my brother signed his name and the boys in the room cheered out loud.

"Cool!" Casey yelled into my ear. "Hey ya'll I need a ride to work, Soda why don't you get the keys from your brother and drive me there in style?"

"Not so fast little buddy." Darry stopped Soda from grabbing the new car keys. "You can take the truck."

Sodapop belly ached a little then grabbed the truck keys and headed out the door to make sure Casey got to work on time. When Soda got home everyone sat down and ate dinner and cake. In between bites I looked around the room at our close knit family of friends and I knew my parents were smiling down at us.

Just before ten o'clock my brothers and I climbed into our new car and drove Owen across town to his home. It was the first time any of the boys had seen the mansion and it impressed them. When we pulled into the driveway and my brothers stepped out of the car so Owen and I could say good night in private.

"I hope you like the gown," Owen said and grabbed my hand in his.

"Of course I do, it's like a dream."

"Good, tomorrow I'll take you and Casey downtown to find some shoes to go with it, my treat."

"Owen, you've already done so much, I'm sure Darry can give me some money for the shoes."

The boy shook his head no. "It's not gonna be that way. I invited you and it's my responsibility, and I don't want you to argue with me."

I surrendered and chose to lean in close for a kiss instead. "You are so unbelievably wonderful!"

"You bring out the best in me." Owen said then climbed out of the car and headed into his house for the night. The ride home was smooth and comfortable. By the time we made it back to the house I was fast asleep. Darry never woke me as he carried me into the house and put me to bed.

I woke up a few hours later needing to go to the bathroom. I looked at the clock. It was almost midnight and my legs ached bad. I thought about the long walk to the bathroom and wondered if I could hold on till morning so someone could help me. Waiting wasn't an option. I told myself I could do it alone without having to wake anyone, even though each of my brothers had told me to let them know if I needed help. Slowly, I rose to my feet and tip toed out of the bedroom in the dark. Methodically, I put one foot in front of the other, silently I grimaced at the pain of moving.

I walked through the kitchen and was surprised to see a lamp in the living room still lit. I stopped in the kitchen doorway to see who was awake. I wasn't surprised to see it was Casey, who must have recently returned home from work. She wasn't alone. I looked over at her, straddling a young man who was sitting on our couch. Her waitress uniform was stripped down to her waist. Lucky for my eyes she still had her bra on, but judging from the young man's hands on her back he had plans to change that.

I wished I wasn't in the predicament of interrupting. I considered returning to my room and waiting for morning, but again my body told me that wasn't an option. I tried to continue on in silence, carefully I walked across the wooden dining room floor, but inevitably the loud squeaky planks gave me away.

As the sound yelled out my presence Casey immediately concealed her bra covered breasts with her arm and turned in horror to see who had witnessed her behavior. The young man leaned over to look beyond his date. My eyes quickly met with his and my mind screamed out my discovery, Sodapop! I raised my hand up to cover my eyes to pretend that I didn't see, and I tried in vain to move quickly to the bathroom.

Sodapop grabbed Casey's waist and tossed her aside. He jumped from the couch and ran to me. His bare chest showing and the button on his blue jeans undone. "Sissy?" Soda grabbed my arm to help me with my steps. "If you were going to walk all the way out here you should have yelled out. I would have come to help you."

I didn't look at either of them as I hurried to the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" Sodapop's words told me he was genuinely more concerned about me than having been caught kissing Casey.

I spoke quickly to avoid further uncomfortable conversation. "Yes, thanks Soda, I'll be fine." I closed the bathroom door and breathed a sigh of relief. I finished what I had come to do and washed my hands. I stared at the closed door knowing my best friend and brother were probably waiting on the other side. I grabbed the edge of the sink and leaned on it for support. Clueless as to what to do or say I dropped my head to think. All that filled my mind was how much I wanted my brother to be happy.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Sodapop let himself into the bathroom with his bare chest now covered by a white t-shirt. He shut the door behind him. A frown shadowed his face as he shoved his hands into his pockets and spoke softly. "Scout? I should have told you about Casey and me, but the truth is no one else knows and we weren't sure anyone would approve of it."

I looked long into my brother's eyes and knew that his happiness was what I wanted more than anything. I spread a smile across my face. "Don't worry about it Soda. I'm happy for you. Come here." I called my brother into a hug. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground so I didn't have to use my own legs to stand.

"Come on, let me get you back to bed." Soda turned around and squatted down in front of me. "Hop on," he said. I jumped onto my brother's back and wrapped my arms around his neck. Sodapop carried me down the hall, dumped me onto my mattress and tucked me into bed. "If you need anything, all you need to do is call for me and I'll be there for you. Got it?" I nodded and Sodapop kissed my forehead. "I love you Sissy."

"I love you too Sodapop."

My brother and I smiled at each other as Casey appeared in the doorway, her face pale from nervousness as she spoke. "Scout, I understand if you…"

"Don't worry about it," I interrupted, "your secret's safe with me."

"You're not mad?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "How could I be mad when my brother and best friend are happy together?"

Author's note: I want to thank all of my readers for their continued support and encouragement to continue this story. Unfortunately, real life has consumed my time and keeps me from this story. I will add chapters when I have time. I would suggest marking this story for alerts because I will not be able to post chapters on a weekly basis as I have for the past year.

Thanks again to every reader!