Chapter Forty Three

"You are absolutely gorgeous in that gown!" Karen complimented me for the third time.

I looked back at my elegant image in Maria's dressing mirror and giggled. "Thanks, Karen. Good to hear your opinion hasn't changed in the last two minutes."

Maria came back into the room. "I can't believe Lacey is out in the hallway telling everyone that you have lost your scholarship and are being sent home." She stated in disgust.

I shook my head in humored disbelief. "Well, at least it's half true."

Karen added, "Half true or not, it still sucks."

I turned around to face my friends. "I can't believe how badly I wanted out of this place for weeks, and now it's so hard to go!"

Heidi warned me, "Now don't start that again! We have all said our tearful goodbyes already. Plus, we plan to to road trip this summer to see you..."

"And Sodapop!" Maria pointed out.

Heidi nodded her head and continued, "... and your family. So this isn't goodbye. It's … see you later!"

Karen added, "Besides you've got that swell looking man waiting patiently for you downstairs. So you've gotta go."

I looked at the ring on my finger, and then once more at my seemingly grown up image in the mirror. "Okay, I'm ready."

My four friends gathered around me like royal ladies in waiting, and we walked out of the dorm room to find other Covington House girls waiting in the hall to catch a glimpse of the formal gown.

As we descended the stairs I noticed the parlor and foyer littered with Ashford girls. Some were involved in chatter amongst themselves, while others were socializing with Owen, who was fully dressed in his tuxedo.

To attract Owen's attention, Heidi politely cleared her throat. "Ah'hem"

The girls in the room turned their attention towards me. I could feel my face grow flush with a little embarrassment, but a lot of excitement.

Owen looked up and walked towards me with his charismatic smile. "You look more beautiful than I have ever seen you."

A number of girls swooned at his affectionate comment.

I playfully replied, "You look rather dashing yourself!"

"Only because I have you by my side," Owen bested my comment.

The girls closest to us giggled and sighed at the affection while others quietly asked what had happened and what had been said.

"Shall we go?" Owen asked.

"Just one more thing," I said. I took the bouquet of red roses Maria had carried downstairs from her dorm room, and walked to where Ms. Lemon was waiting near the front door. I handed the bouquet to my house mother. "Ms. Lemon, I want you to have these, and I want to thank you for your kindness and words of wisdom while I was here."

Ms. Lemon stood before me. "Miss Curtis, I cannot say I am happy to see you go. You were a bit of a handful, but you were an interesting breath of fresh air for this old establishment!"

I smiled at the odd compliment.

Ms. Lemon placed her hand gently on my shoulder. "I wish you safe travels and a blessed life. I know you'll accomplish great things, and when you do I hope you'll remember this little piece of Ashford that helped you do it."

I smiled lightly. "Thank you Ms. Lemon. I won't forget."

"I am pleased to hear that." Ms. Lemon smiled. "You best be going. You have big plans to attend to and a charming suitor waiting." The house mother gestured with her free hand towards Owen who had come to stand close behind me.

"It's time for us to go" Owen told me.

I sighed, "Yes, we should go."

I looked back at my friends standing near the staircase and noticed Lacey and her friends standing on the steps to get one last look.

Karen distracted me as she yelled out a question, "You'll write to us, right?"

Standing next to her, Maria cracked a smile. "You'll send us color pictures of your brothers, right?"

I laughed. "I'll write and be expecting to see you girls in Tulsa this summer."

Heidi added, "We'll be there. You better write!"

"I will! Take care!" I responded with a smile.

Owen grabbed my hand tightly in his and gave me a little tug towards the front door. We turned together as a couple to leave and Owen leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Don't look back."

I listened to his suggestion, and the two of us walked out of Covington House to find girls standing around outside to get a last look at the young man who had yelled for a date to a dance.

I leaned closer to my boyfriend. "I feel like everyone is staring at us."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Owen asked.

"Kinda."

"Well…" Owen though a few seconds. "How about I give you a piggy back ride you to the car?"

I laughed and proclaimed, "How will that be less awkward? I'm wearing a gown!"

Owen looked down at me with a grin. "Either way, they are still going to stare, so what do you want them to stare at you for?"

I laughed, "You're crazy! Are you for real?"

Owen stopped walking but held tight to my hand. "I didn't fall in love with you because you were cut from the same boring cloth as all the others."

I turned towards him and looked up into his blue eyes. "You're right. I'll take that piggy back ride now."

Owen smiled wide, turned his back towards me, and squatted low.

I jumped up onto his back and wrapped my arms around his neck with a squeal of delight.

Owen hooked his hands underneath my knees, stood up and continued walking to his car.

I laughed out loud as I repositioned my grip around my boyfriend's neck. Hoisted on the tall boy's back, I felt like I was soaring above everything. For a moment, it felt like it was just Owen and me alone in the world. It was a euphoric feeling, but it didn't last.

As Owen drove his car away from the entrance to Ashford Academy I bit my lower lip in apprehension and turned to look back at where I had been.

Owen took notice, and spoke kindly. "I told you not to look back."

I kept my gaze out the back window. "What if leaving was the wrong choice?"

"It's going to be okay." He grabbed my hand to assure me.

I turned back around and looked out the windshield. "I know, it's just everything is changing so fast. I feel like I have no idea where I'll be tomorrow."

"You'll be in Tulsa!" Owen sang out in a playful tone that made me think of my brother, Sodapop. "And you will be with family and friends who love you and want you home." Owen noticed my apprehension. "I mean it. I plan to make the next year the best you have had in a long time."

"Owen…"

"No arguments!" My boyfriend interrupted me. "I've already made plans."

"What plans?"

"For starters, I talked with Bethany and Charlotte and they have agreed to hold a spot on the football cheerleading squad for you to try out this weekend."

"What? I don't know anything about cheerleading!" I thought for a second about the popular girls, like Cherry Valance, who had been football cheerleaders in the past. "I don't think that's too hot of an idea."

"You are trying out, and you are going to make the squad."

"Is that part of the plan? That your friends are going to let me on the squad no matter what?"

"No. You'll have to earn the spot, but I am confident you will."

"At least one of us is." I said quietly.

"Hey! I can give you a dozen reasons why you'll win that spot."

I paused and waited for his answers.

Owen began his list. "You are one of the prettiest girls in school, you understand the game of football, and I've seen you do flips and cartwheels and stuff. Heck, I don't think any of the cheerleaders now can do any of that. You're going to be on that squad!"

I laughed at Owen's excitement for the future. "That's only four."

Owen responded in jest, "No. I said flips and cartwheels and stuff… that's three things right there."

I laughed, "Fine, but you are still six short."

My boyfriend thought for a moment then answered, "You have a beautiful smile, you're strong, you're smarter than all the other cheerleaders, you're light enough to be on top of the pyramid, and you have two very good looking legs."

I laughed out loud at his list then looked over at him. "I don't think I will ever understand why you spoil me so much."

"Because you complete me." Owen replied matter of fact. "We are meant to be together, and nothing is ever going to change my mind about that."

We smiled at each other. Silence filled the car as we both reflected on how we agreed that we seemed to be put together for a purpose.

"I've been doing a whole lot of thinking about my future and I've made an important decision." Owen spoke up.

"What's that?" I asked softly as I watched the scenery outside of my car window.

"After this season, I'm giving up football. I plan to stay in Tulsa to work and wait for you to finish high school."

My mouth dropped open. I looked at the boy and demanded, "No you're not!"

"Yes I am."

"No you're not!"

"Yes I am. I don't want to be separated from you ever again. You living at Ashford taught me that, so leaving you is not an option."

"Not following your dream is not an option!" I sternly replied.

"You are my dream."

"Football is your dream, and you are good at it. You are not leaving it behind for me. I already have one of those crosses to bear. I don't need another. "

Owen didn't respond. He looked straight ahead in the direction we were going for a minute before he spoke again. "You're not the only one with a cross to bear. You realize I am the sole heir of my family's business and money. Right?"

"What about Olivia?" I softly asked.

Owen looked over at me as if to tell me I should know better than to consider Olivia an heir to her father's fortune. "My family is traditional. Businesses and property get handed down to the sons, not the daughters. She will get some money for inheritance, but not the bulk of it. Especially since Grandpa Jasper knows Olivia isn't his actual granddaughter. He's traditional that way too. So taking responsibility for the family business and carrying on the family legacy is my cross to bear. I don't need to go to college for that."

"Yes you do. You need to go even if it's just to do what makes you happy."

"See… that's the piece that you keep missing. You make me happy."

"Owen, I'll only be a half a year behind you. Plus, you leaving to play college football is different than me being sent off to Ashford. You need to go. We will be fine."

"You might not."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Owen grew quiet for a moment then spoke softly, "In court this week, I saw the photos they took of you at the hospital."

"Which photos?"

Owen's hands gripped the steering wheel and his jaw tightened as he spoke with a hit of anger. "Your blouse, your face, and where he put his hands around your neck to try to kill you."

"How did you see them?"

"The prosecutors showed me them while I was on the stand. I got real upset when I saw them. I think they were hoping I would." Owen looked to me with red eyes. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you. I should have known better. I should have never left you alone."

"No one could have known any of that would happen."

"I knew. I talked to Pete that night on the phone about how I didn't trust James. I stayed up late talking to my parents about what happened at Rusty's and how I should have stayed with you. I never should have let him get to you. I should have stayed with you."

"If you had, he may have killed you to get to me."

Owen glanced at me and our eyes met for a second. "I would die for you."

I was taken aback at the comment before I softly responded, "I don't want you to."

"I don't want to leave you either, but if I had to make that sacrifice to try to save your life I would do it in a heartbeat. It's a man's job to protect what he loves."

I had no argument. I stretched up from my seat to kiss my boyfriend's cheek and then grabbed his hand and told him, "I hope you are never in the position to have to do that."

"It's going to be okay. We are going to win and he is going to jail. I am sure of it."

"How can you be so sure? He is going to get his turn on the stand and there is no way of knowing the lies he will tell."

"For every lie he tells we will just undo it."

"How?"

"That's why they are bringing you back to court, to refute his lies. It's your word against his. No one is going to believe him."

"I hope you are right."

"Don't have doubt. You have to believe you will win."

I sat quiet for a few minutes thinking about what Owen said then I asked, "So how'd it go …testifying against James?"

"It was okay. You know… it's frustrating and all because the Defense Attorney keeps trying to twist everything." Owen sighed deeply to relieve his agitation. "I remember sitting on the stand telling myself, 'you're right, don't let this man confuse you', but it's still hard sometimes. That's why I want you to believe you will win. You are the key to proving James and his attorney wrong."

"What kind of twists?"

Owen paused as he thought of the best way to tell me about his time on the witness stand. "They said I kept you like a trophy, and you didn't want to be with me. They said you just pretend to love me to keep Darry from finding out about you and James, just stupid stuff like that."

"O, it's not just stupid stuff. This is stuff I need to know. I have to be ready."

Owen's voice was serious as he told me, "pay attention when James takes the stand because almost everything he says will be a lie …then when it's your turn … prove him wrong!"

"I hope it will be that easy." I said with a hint of doubt.

"Believe you will win then he can't beat you." Owen kept the rest of his thoughts private, leaving only the sound of the wheels on the road to fill the air for miles until I thought of a new topic of conversation.

"So, exactly how were you able to get Judge Carlson to change his mind about me living in Tulsa?"

"Truth?" Owen asked.

"Of course I want the truth."

"I didn't. I haven't spoken to him since lunch at the Club."

"So what gives?"

"I don't know for sure. After I was done testifying I had to go back to school, but everyday Pete, Pony and I would come back to the courthouse when classes were dismissed so we could listen to the last hours of testimony and we'd get the scoop on what we missed from Soda. So, yesterday at the end of court in walks Mr. Ottavi. He hands Darry an envelope, smiles and winks at him then he leaves. So Soda says 'what gives' and Darry turns to me and asks if I still had plans to pick you up for Prom. I told him yeah and he grins. He hands me the envelope and says 'bring her home for good'. Then Soda seems to panic a little and questions Darry if you should come home or not. Darry says 'don't worry 'bout it little buddy, I know what I'm doing'. He asks if I can have you back in Tulsa by twelve thirty for lunch with the Ottavi family. I tell him 'sure' and he says we should come dressed for the dance because the luncheon requires formal dress."

"What? That seems very odd. Right?"

"That was my thought, but if it means you are home to stay I'm not going to argue it."

"That's a good point." I said to agree with Owen then I drifted into silence as the Oklahoma countryside passed by my window and I tried to figure out what was waiting for us in Tulsa.

We pulled up to the Ottavi house a little after the noon hour. I looked out the car window at the stately two story brick home and wondered if my first week at this new house would be just as uncomfortable as my first week at Ashford.

I watched the front door swing open and Mr. Ottavi walked out with Darry at his side. Both men looked dapper dressed in their tuxedos. Mr. Ottavi waved and called out, "Welcome!"

I opened my car door, hoisted up my red dress, and ran as fast as I could in heels to Darry to give him a hug.

Darry grabbed me and nearly squeezed the life out of me with his embrace. "Welcome home, Sissy!"

Mr. Ottavi called to Owen, "Just leave the car parked where it is and in a little while we'll come and get Scout's things."

When my brother let me go I backed up and fluffed the material of my dress to keep it from wrinkling.

Mr. Ottavi complimented me, "Scout, you look so lovely." He gave me a kiss on the cheek and a little hug.

Darry looked at me with a giddy smile. "You really do. I wish mom could be here to see you."

"She is." I said softly.

Darry walked over to Owen and thanked him for driving all the way to Ashford to bring me home.

Mr. Ottavi announced, "Come inside, everyone is waiting."

Owen took my hand as we walked into my new temporary home.

Once inside, we proceeded to the large dining room at the front of the home. I looked ahead of me to see Kathryn's sisters and their husbands gathered around the table dressed in formal clothes. From the other side of the room I heard Sodapop's familiar voice. "Scout!"

Sodapop and Ponyboy, dressed in their rented tuxedos, jumped up from their chairs to greet me.

Pony hugged me first and spoke into my ear. "I'm glad he decided to let you come home."

"Me too" I answered.

"Share!" Sodapop demanded then pulled Ponyboy away from me so he could have a hug of his own. Soda hugged me quickly then stepped back and twirled around to show his off his tuxedo. "Pretty snazzy, huh?"

I giggled. "You look pretty snazzy in almost anything."

"Or nothing!" Soda inappropriately said with a laugh, and Ponyboy elbowed him in the ribs to straighten him up.

"You look real pretty in that dress." Ponyboy complimented me.

"Thanks Pony. You look pretty sharp yourself." I leaned in closer to my brothers and quietly asked, "So…what's the occasion?"

Before either of my brother's could answer Mrs. Ottavi entered the room and immediately took notice of me. "Scout, Darling!" The older lady came to me and wrapped me in her arms to welcome me into her home. "I am so happy to have you stay with us! It's been a few years since I have had a pretty girl in the house who will let me dote upon her."

One of Mrs. Ottavi's daughters joked in the background. "She'll probably spoil you rotten worse than she did Kathryn!"

I looked to my hostess. "Thank you, Mrs. Ottavi."

"Call me, Dorothy."

"Yes mam'." I replied.

Dorothy motioned to everyone in the room. "Sit, sit everyone! Kathryn will be down in just a moment." Mrs. Ottavi spoke gently to me. "She's just got a little upset tummy."

"See what I mean?" Kathryn's middle sister smiled across the table and questioned if I realized her little sister was babied by her parents. "That girl gets us all dressed up and then isn't here to greet her own guests. In my parent's eyes she can do no wrong!"

"Hush up now, Ellie" Mrs. Ottavi joined in the good natured joking. "I seem to recall writing a check for a four week vacation honeymoon for you and Eric just a few years ago. I didn't hear you griping about who was spoiled then."

Eleanor smiled to her mother in defeat.

Everyone took a seat at the large, rectangular dining table. I took notice that Mr. Ottavi sat at the head of the table on one end with his wife to his left and his children to his right. Darry sat at the other end of the table with an empty seat for Kathryn waiting on his left hand side. I sat to the right of Darry with Owen by my side. Ponyboy sat next to Owen and Sodapop sat next to Mrs. Ottavi. For a moment there was silence in the room as everyone looked at everyone else waiting to find out why we were all dressed up and gathered together. The sound of the kitchen door opening behind Mr. Ottavi drew everyone's attention as two female servers brought in hot bowls of soup, tiny sandwiches on platters, and baskets of bread. From the other direction Kathryn entered the dining room with her hair elaborately fashioned upon her head, wearing a long pink cotton bathrobe over her white slip.

Darry stood up from his chair, gently asked how Kathryn was feeling, and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. I heard her tell him she was feeling much better then she walked towards me with a smile. "Scout!"

She leaned down to hug me before I had a chance to stand up. "Sweetheart, it will be so good to have you home again. Darry may not want to admit it, but he is a lot grumpier without you around."

I joked. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"Speaking of seeing things," Kathryn joyously added and grabbed my left hand, "what is this I see upon your finger?"

I blushed, and just as he did at Ashford Owen spoke up. "It's a promise ring. I gave it to her this morning."

A collective "awe" was heard from the ladies in the room along

Victoria's husband, Charles questioned Owen's choice. "Aren't the two of you a little young to be promising yourselves to each other."

Victoria disciplined her husband's comment, "Chaz, leave them alone. Owen, honey, you don't need to answer his dreadful question."

Owen assuredly looked across the table and answered, "When you know in your soul that the other person is meant to be with you forever age doesn't factor into the decision. Plus, I've come close to losing her a few times, so I'm not interested in spending another moment of my life without her."

I blushed deeply and looked down at my soup as Owen grabbed my hand and smiled at me.

"Oh my!" Eleanor declared, "That is the most romantic thing I have ever heard in a long time. Eric, why don't you ever say romantic things like that to me?"

"Cause you're a pain in my rump, that's why." Eric jokingly answered.

Sodapop looked over at Owen. "That's real nice."

I looked up at Darry to find him staring at the ring then he reached over, squeezed my hand and told me "I'm real happy for you."

I was pleasantly surprised by his reaction.

In the background, I could hear Ponyboy and Sodapop warning Owen in good nature that they were sure he had 'bitten off more than he could chew'.

Kathryn congratulated Owen and gave him a kiss on top of his head before she crossed back to sit at the dining room table where Darry had stood up to pull her chair out for her.

Once the servers left the room the family passed the sandwiches and bread and began sipping the soup. When most of the guests were close to finishing their meal Mr. Ottavi looked around at the families and spoke, "I am sure everyone is wondering why you are all here dressed in your best!"

"Not everyone is dressed up." Victoria commented with a grin. "I'd love to know why Ryn didn't have to follow the rules."

Eric straightened his bow tie and joked, "Dressed up? This is how I always dress to eat lunch on a Saturday afternoon."

The group laughed, and Mr. Ottavi looked to the other end of the table. "Darrell, I believe you and Kathryn have something you would like to share with the family."

I looked at my brother to find his cheeks filled with flush as he cleared his throat and glanced at Kathryn. "Alright," he said and took in a deep breath and exhaled quickly before he continued. "First off, I want to extend an appreciation to you, Art, for everything you have done for me and my family, most recently for doing the work to allow Scout to return home, and to both you and Dorothy for agreeing to care for her."

"You are very welcome." Mr. Ottavi accepted the thanks.

"We are delighted to have her here." Mrs. Ottavi added the she looked to me, "we are sure to have plenty of fun while you are here."

Eleanor looked at me. "That means she's going to take you shopping and buy you things."

"Mrs. Ottavi, you don't need to do that." I humbly told the lady.

"No worries, sweatheart." Mrs. Ottavi told me than looked back to my brother. "Darry, you were saying?"

Darry looked to Kathryn and grabbed her hand. "Kathryn and I have asked Art and Dorothy to invite everyone to be here today to announce a few things to our families. First, I have asked Kathryn to marry me, and she accepted."

Joy erupted in the room as everyone cheered and verbally congratulated the new couple.

I clapped my hands together with excitement, but noticed the nervous look of happiness on my brother's face.

Across the table, Eric grabbed his glass of sweet tea and raised it into the air. "A toast! To a happy engagement for Darrell and Kathryn, may your wedding planning be a breeze and less like planning a Broadway production, which is exactly the way Elli complicate our recent nuptials."

"You loved our wedding and you know it!" Eleanor defended herself as a wedding planner.

Charles leaned forward in his chair and shared some advice with Darry. "Just let her have whatever she wants… that's the key to a happy marriage. Right, dad?"

"I'll drink to that!" Mr. Ottavi agreed with his son in law.

Eric turned to Darry and added with a laugh, "and expect to go broke doing it!"

"He's already broke." Sodapop added with a chuckle.

"Then he's already halfway there!" Eric said as the older men in the room kept laughing.

Darry looked at his future brother in laws and replied, "I think we will get through the engagement pretty easily because the wedding is this afternoon, here in the backyard."

"Oh… so that's why Ryn is only half dressed up for lunch!" Eleanor announced. "I want to see the garden, let's go see."

I looked over at Kathryn and noticed a similar smile of apprehension on her face as she turned to her sister and demanded. "Not now."

"Not yet. We have lunch to finish." Mrs. Ottavi added and motioned for her daughters to stay in their seats

"Today?" Victoria looked down the table at her sister and asked, "I am truly happy for you two, but if I may be so forward, why are you two rushing into this so quickly?"

Darry and Kathryn shared a glance and a giddy grin.

Darry rose from his chair, placed a caring hand upon Kathryn's shoulder, and announced to the group, "Kathryn and I are expecting."

At first, the party guests paused in shock of the news, except Sodapop who used the quiet time to ask a question that had popped into his mind. "Expecting what?"

Instantly, the whole room burst out with laughter, and Kathryn's oldest sister yelled out an answer, "a baby!" Then she and her other sister jumped to their feet to hug and congratulate their little sister.

I sat dumbfounded by the announcement as my eyes grew as wide as saucers. For a moment I didn't know what to say. This was Darry; my 'tough' brother, my 'don't get yourself into trouble' brother, my 'don't make a mistake' brother and here he was telling us this. How could Darry get himself into this predicament?

Owen, being a well-mannered gentleman, rose from his chair and walked over to shake Darry's hand and congratulate him.

With Owen out of the way I looked over at Ponyboy to see him sitting in his chair as shocked as I was. I looked back across the table to see Kathryn standing up while her sisters pressed their hands against her stomach revealing a definite baby bump that she had been concealing beneath her robe. Seeing the sisters smiling and giggling around the young mother made me wonder if I should be across the room sharing in their bliss, so I stood up to join them. I pushed my chair under the table and realized Darry was staring at me with a delirious grin upon his face waiting for me to say something.

"Congratulations Darry!" I told him and then I threw my arms around him. "I know you are going to be a great dad."

Darry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Scout that means a lot to me."

Behind me, Ponyboy and Sodapop had followed me to congratulate our brother, so I followed Owen around the table to wait to congratulate my future sister in law.

"How far along are you?" Victoria asked her sister.

"Four and a half months." Kathryn replied then glanced at Darry.

Surprised by the amount of time Kathryn had concealed the pregnancy Eleanor commented. "Wow… I can't believe this is all happening. When did you two find out?"

"Elli!" Mr. Ottavi seemed to yell out to cease the question.

Elli's face crinkled with a look of confusion at her father's directive.

The look on both of the new parent's faces grew more serious as they looked at each other.

"I can tell them." Darry quietly suggested.

"No, I will tell them," Kathryn told her fiancé.

"Ryn," Mrs. Ottavi slightly pleaded with her daughter. "Let Darry tell them."

"Let me try." Kathryn barked and began to seem visibly upset. "I have to get past this."

"To get past what?" Victoria asked with concern.

Darry stepped close to Kathryn and put his arm around her waist to comfort her. He began, "She told me Monday night, but..."

"Darry!" Kathryn loudly scolded him for interrupting her. "I will tell them."

Then I witnessed a rare occurrence of someone commanding Darry to do something and him complying without argument.

"You see… I didn't want to wait so long to tell him… but with all the stress and recovery Darry has had to go through these past weeks. I didn't want to burden him with what I have known for months. I did try to tell him early on. I went to see him… that night ... at the laundry mat." Kathryn covered her mouth for a moment to hide her welling emotions, then she looked towards me, "…that is why I asked to talk to him alone... but before I could tell him..." Kathryn sighed heavy as her eyes moistened, "Oh, just thinking of that night upsets me ... I can't shake the memories of falling to pieces seeing Darry laying there. I was so scared he wouldn't pull through to be there for the baby and me. Then I remember seeing you…and what that monster had done… "

Kathryn bawled, "Oh, Scout…I am so sorry!"

Owen wrapped me in his arms and gave me a comforting squeeze.

I looked at my future sister in law and lied to her to offer some comfort. "It's alright … I was okay."

"But you weren't okay, and it was my fault!"

I watched Darry lean towards his bride-to-be to whisper in her ear to calm her down.

Then Mrs. Ottavi told my brother that Kathryn would be fine and that she would take her to the other room to help her calm down. Mrs. Ottavi escorted the young woman out of the room which led to a hushed atmosphere with all eyes unintentionally on me.

I stood frozen in my spot looking back at all of the guests then I looked to my oldest brother and began to defend myself. "I just wanted…"

"Scout!" Mr. Ottavi called out to interrupt me from where he was standing on the other side of the room. "Sweetheart, it's not her fault, and it is certainly not your fault. Forgive her, in her condition she's just a little weepier than she normally would be. You need to understand that Kathryn feels guilty for being selfish and wanting to speak to Darry that night."

"Just like many of us, those memories are hard to clear from our minds." Mr. Ottavi looked away from everyone and shared his recollection of the night. "I remember that night so vividly. Ryn called from the hospital. She was hysterically screaming that Scout had been attacked and that Darry had been stabbed." Mr. Ottavi began to be audibly choked up as he recalled that evening. "I remember she said, 'daddy, I think he is going to die and I can't raise our baby on my own'. I didn't think I had heard her right, so I asked her what she meant and that is when she told me about the baby." Mr. Ottavi paused long enough to wipe away a tear before he looked at me with her reddened eyes. "Scout, she feels that if she hadn't gone there to tell him about the baby he would have been there to protect you."

I frowned and looked at the patriarch of the home. "It's not her fault."

"It's not your fault either." Owen told me in front of everyone.

"It's James' fault and no one else's!" Soda proclaimed.

Charles walked over and placed his hand on Art's shoulder. "Dad, are you okay?"

Mr. Ottavi's gazed drifted away again. "I won't ever forget running into the emergency waiting room and seeing my baby girl sitting there with blood on her clothes, and crying that it was all her fault…" Art looked up at Charles. "A scene like that can break a man."

I looked over at Ponyboy and saw him quietly hiding his tears.

Sodapop, who was standing near Mr. Ottavi, added matter of fact, "I've had to witness that a few times. I haven't broken."

Mr. Ottavi looked over at my middle brother. "No, you haven't. You are a strong young man, Sodapop. I am proud of you. That night, I watched you taking care of your younger siblings. I was greatly impressed. In fact, watching you hold everything together helped me to keep my head clear as well."

"You done good, little buddy." Darry said.

From the doorway I heard Kathryn's steady voice call out to me, "Scout! I am sorry I became so upset. I just love you and your brothers so much that I lost my composure. Please forgive me." The girl approached me and wrapped me in her arms.

I hugged the new mother as Mrs. Ottavi entered the dining room.

Kathryn squeezed me tight. "I think there is just so much about that night that we haven't had a chance to talk about and it can be overwhelming for me. I want you to know how sorry I am for what you had to go through."

"I am sorry too." I told her.

"Girls," Mrs. Ottavi came close to us and sweetly spoke, "you two girls have absolutely nothing to be sorry about! Both of you are being far too tough on yourselves. No one, absolutely no one is to blame for this tragedy, but James Young. Both of you are loved so much, and have so much joy ahead of you. So let's brighten up and finish our lunch, we have quite an exciting day ahead of us!"

Kathryn and I both agreed, and Mrs. Ottavi instructed everyone to return to their seats to finish their meal.

While everyone returned to their place at the table Kathryn apologized to everyone for her outburst.

Mr. Ottavi smiled across the room at his daughter, "You know darling, I think once the festivities are behind us It may be good for everyone to sit down and talk about that night. Perhaps then it will be easier on you."

"I'll make arrangements for that next weekend." Mrs. Ottavi suggested. "Perhaps the trial will be over by then and we can put a final end on this tragic event."

"Splendid." Mr. Ottavi told his wife and no one else uttered a word about the incident.

Following lunch Kathryn stood up and cleared her throat to make an announcement. "Guests should be arriving shortly, so I think now is a good time to ask Victoria if she will stand in today as my Maid of Honor."

Victoria giggled with delight. "Ryn! I would be honored to stand up for you and Darry!"

Kathryn walked over to give a hug to Victoria, and then turned towards Eleanor to ask, "Ellie, would you please be my bridesmaid."

Eleanor joked with a sarcastic grin, "Well, if I can't be the Maid of Honor I guess bridesmaid is my only other option."

I watched as the sisters joined together in a hug.

Across the room Darry rose to his feet and walked to the side of the table where his family was sitting. "Little buddy? Will you be my best man?"

Sodapop looked at Ponyboy and gloated with a charming smile, "He picked me to be the best man!" Then Soda stood up to wrap Darry into an overzealous hug.

Ponyboy muttered back, "that's no big surprise."

"I heard that Pony!" Darry said sternly, but in a good humored manner. "You know I need groomsman, and I was planning on it being you if you don't get to smart with me."

Instantly, a wide grin grew on Ponyboy's face as he looked up at our oldest brother. "Yeah, I'll take that!"

Darry leaned forward and put Ponyboy into a playful headlock and affectionately nuzzled his head as my twin fought to keep from having his hair messed up. When Darry was done he dropped his hand onto Owen's shoulder and asked him if he would serve as a parking attendant and an usher.

Owen happily answered, "Absolutely Darry, whatever you need me to do." Darry thanked my boyfriend and then asked Charles and Eric if they would do the same. Both of the men responded that they were honored to be a part of the wedding.

Darry looked across the room at Kathryn, "Well, that's all taken care of. I guess all that is left to do is for you to get dressed and the rest of us to welcome the guests."

Kathryn grinned. "I do believe that's it."

I looked around the table for a moment and realized I was the only one at the table who was not invited to be part of the festivities. For a moment, I told myself that was okay then I felt a blanket of sadness fall upon me as I slightly slumped into my chair with a weak smile on my face.

Darry leaned down and wrapped both of his arms around my neck as he spoke in a teasing tone into my left ear, "You didn't think I'd leave out my Sissy, did you?"

I physically couldn't look up at my brother, so I looked across the room at Kathryn who was smirking at the joke the two of them had played on me.

I answered, "It kinda feels like you did."

Darry kept me in his grasp as he spoke. "We were thinking since you were dad's baby girl maybe you could be my flower girl for the wedding. Will you?"

"I'd be honored." I told my brother with a grin as he leaned close and kissed me on my cheek.

Minutes before the ceremony I went downstairs to find Darry alone, pacing the living room. I laughed and walked in. "Nervous? This is a side of you we rarely see."

"Sissy." Darry said my nickname then grabbed me with a one arm hug.

"Darry, I need to talk to you about something."

"Yeah?"

I pulled my brother's hand and invited him to sit on the couch by my side. "Before you get married I wanted to be sure to thank you because I don't think I have taken the time to say thank you enough for everything you have done for me... or ...for us."

"You're welcome," Darry said with a loving smile on his face.

"And I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for being a handful here at home during the trial. I acted like a child and I shouldn't have. I am sorry."

"Scout," my brother sighed and told me, "you are a child, and I forget this sometimes. Especially when you look like you do right now."

I smiled. "Even though that may be true, I still should have been more respectful after all that you have done for me, and now that I am home again I am going to listen and follow your rules better than I have lately."

"I appreciate that." Darry told me then he reached his hand out and gave my knee a tiny squeeze. "Here's my first rule... go get ready to be our flower girl!"

I laughed, but I didn't follow his direction. Instead I sat quiet a second and then asked, "Darry?"

"What?"

"Are you actually in love with Kathryn, or are you just doing the right thing by marryin' her? Because, you know you don't have to just because."

Darry laughed again. "You should know me well enough to know I don't do things just because the rules say I should."

"I know, but I kind of remember you saying she said she loved you but you couldn't say it back."

"Not couldn't, wouldn't." Darry's gaze drifted across the room. "At the time I was only thinking about you three and focusing on trying to get you all raised and on your ways, so I just couldn't find the time to worry about what I needed."

"So you love her?"

Darry replied, "Absolutely!"

I smiled in relief.

"Now..." He poked me in the side and said with humor, "practice following my rules and get out of here so I can pace away the rest of my nerves!"

I looked into my brother's eyes. "Nope, I think I'll start following your rules tomorrow. Right now I want to make a change to my role in your wedding."

"Oh really?" Darry asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, instead of just being a flower girl, I want to be a flower girl who walks her older brother down the aisle so he doesn't have to be alone!"

Darry sighed a happy sigh and said, "I love you, Sissy."

I smiled back. "I love you, Superman!"

The End

Next installment: A New Beginning

Be advised; the next installment will be slow to create and publish