"Atticus' right, Scout," Dill told me as he played with my hair. "You're okay."
I wasn't going to tell him about how I cried last night but I ended up doing it anyway. I guess I thought he deserved the right to know. We were back out at the Eddy again despite what happened yesterday. It was really the only safe haven Dill and I could find. Cal would be all over my house, watching us like a hawk with Miss Rachel doing the same at Dill's place. Going into town would have been difficult because of all the townfolk and Lord knows we would have done something before we did anything. Maycomb County was giving me less room to breathe.
"I just feel awful sometimes," I confessed.
"About what?"
"Everything... I don't even know how to explain it to ya, Dill," I wasn't even trying to attempt to explain as I rested my head in his lap. He began to rub my head and it felt so comforting. I turn my head and nuzzle his belly with my nose. He let out a laugh that got me laughing. Dill's laugh is as infectious as his ideas; both were beautiful to listen to. He rolled me back over so I could face him again. His smile slowly faded as he stared deep into my eyes.
"Listen, Scout," Dill commanded. "Believe Atticus; he is the smartest man on the planet. There was a time when you thought so."
"No past tense, Dill. I still do believe that he is."
"Me too."
"Remember when you first saw Mr. Nathan Radley?"
"Yeah," Dill shuddered while I laughed.
"Well, do you still believe my brother?"
"About what?"
"Don't you remember him saying Mr. Nathan was the meanest man?"
"He was. Do you know who the bestest man is?"
"Bestest? Is that even a word?"
"It is in my world."
"Okay, who is it?" I can only imagine what Dill's response is going to be.
"Boo Radley."
"Why him?" I was a little surprised by his answer. I sat up and waited for his explanation. He wrapped his arm around me as he gave my eyes another deep stare.
"For saving you and Jem that night. I love Jem; he's like a brother to me. And you..." he continued as he laid me back down on his lap. "I just love you."
"Well, I knew that."
"I mean it. I knew I loved you when I first saw you."
"Will you love me the last time you see me?"
"I hope that never happens," he said as he kissed my lips. I kiss him back harder; that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. He kissed my forehead as our lips departed and I rubbed his belly. The waves began to pick up and crash against the rocks we were sitting on. It was incredibly romantic being in Dill's arms and him rocking me to the beat of the water. I have never felt so much peace and comfort than I do now.
"It's getting close to dinnertime," Dill said.
"Did you have to tell me that? I don't want to go home," I grumble as I roll off him.
"Hey, at least we can have dinner together," he said as he picked himself up to his feet.
"True," I said slipping my hand in his. As we got going I realized how nice it was to walk home slowly from the Eddy for a change. I still felt relaxed and happy even as we moved into town and turned the corner onto our street. In a moment of uncaring, I had kissed his lips again. He was all too happy to kiss me again. I wondered how I had gotten so lucky to have a man so intelligent and charming want to kiss me, let alone sit at our table knowing Cal would be judging us all the while. He didn't even seem to flicker when she told him to sit in the chair opposite of me. I knew why soon enough; it was because he could taunt me with leg rubs with his foot under the table. Cal wondered why I was so giddy about nothing that night...