Scout and I spent hours at the bar just reminiscing about the old times and laughing. I told her that I hadn't laughed like that since I don't know when and she said the same. I downed four double Irish coffees while Scout sipped on the same glass of soda water the whole time. She admitted to being a big time tee-totaler and everyone liked to make fun of her for it. I told her I didn't think it was funny and that it was refreshing to see a woman who didn't always need a drink. At the ending of our serendipitous rendezvous, we got really quiet and listened to Johnny Cash on the jukebox as I stared into her eyes. They were Scout Finch eyes for sure but the light they once held when she was a child had disappeared.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" She asked as she pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from her purse.

"Am I looking at you?" I asked in return. I knew damn well I was though. "It must be the alcohol."

"Gee, you think?" She shot back as she took a long drag.

"Haha," I said with a smile. "My hotel room is across the street if you want to come over."

"Sure," she shrugged. "Got nothing better to do night."

"Or no one."

"Charles Baker Harris, you are hateful," she said as she wacked me in the head with her purse. She got up though so I believe this is a yes. "But that's why I love you."

"Ditto," I said as I got up with her.

When we stepped out into the dark city street, I still couldn't keep my eyes off of her. I watched the way she walked and it was not her famous tomboy walk of her past. She walked like a lady now but not a demure one; she walked like a woman who had confidence and knew she was beautiful. I almost stopped in the middle of the street to ponder that. Wasn't that the main reason I fell in love with her as a kid? She used to not know her own beauty.

"What are you waiting for, Dill?" Scout asked as she drudged her used up cigarette on the sidewalk with her foot.

"I thought there was a car coming," I said as I started to run to catch up.

"Well, that's life in New York. Get used to it."

Scout laughed at me as soon as I caught up to her. She wrapped her arm around me as soon as we walked into the hotel room. I guess I will never shake loose the southern gentleman mentality even though I haven't lived in the south for practically twenty years. I still wonder what the concierges think whenever I bring a strange woman into my hotel room. I have to remind myself that this is New York City and they've probably seen way more strange people walking in the doors. I wonder how Frank will react when he sees I've brought Scout over to meet him?

"It's open," Frank answers when I knock on the door.

"Hey," I say as I open the door and lead Scout in by the hand.

"Whoa," Frank said as he just about falls off the bed. He was only wearing underwear and I can tell by the lotion on his bedstand what he'd been up to. "How do you do that, man?"

"Do what, Frank?"

"We haven't been in New York for six hours yet and you find yourself a hooker!"

"She's not a hooker!" I hiss at him. God, I'm embarrassed for Scout now.

"Hi," Scout speaks up. "I'm Jean Louise Finch but you can call me Scout. I've known Dill for many years."

"So you two are friends?"

"Yes, bonehead," I say as I roll my eyes.

"Hey, I'm sorry," he says as he goes over to kiss Scout's cheeks. I wasn't worried; he was European and that's just what they do. "I didn't know."

"Well, Dill here is full of surprises. He didn't even write me to tell me he was in town."

"Sly dog," Frank says as he punches my arm. "I think I'll go get dressed and head out on the town a bit and give you guys some time."

"Thank you," I said before Scout could tell him it was okay.

"I'll wait in the bathroom," Scout offered as she headed in that direction.

"Hey, man," Frank whispered as he got dressed. "Listen, don't fuck her up."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean don't let her go."

"Believe me I won't."

"If you're smart you wouldn't," he said as he threw on a coat and headed for the door. "I can tell she's the kind of girl you marry."

I didn't respond. I just waved him goodbye as he shut the door. The type of girl you marry, huh? If only he knew. I knocked on the bathroom door to let Scout know she could come out now. She opened the door and I was pleasantly shocked to find her stark naked. As creepy as it sounds, the image of her at our revival came flooding back to me. It occured to me that she was the first girl I ever saw naked. A memory of being knocked into the pond with her popped into my head. I remember my seven year old self looking at her vagina and being excited.

"You are beautiful," I said, breathlessly.

"Are you sure you want to do this with me?"

"I've waited a long time for this," I confessed with a nod. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah," she said with tears brimming in her eyes. She wasn't ready and I knew it.

"Sweetheart," I said as I picked her dress up off the floor. "Put this back on. I don't want you to do this if you aren't comfortable."

"No, I want to, I want to," she said as she pushed the dress away.

"Well, what's the matter then?"

"I don't know. I just don't want us to get ruined."

"Ruined?"

"I've lost just about everyone, Dill and I don't want to lose you. I don't want something stupid like sex to make me lose someone again."

"Sweetheart, you're a big reason why I am moving here."

"I am?"

"Yes, I told you how much I realized I love you and I meant it. I want to be close to you."

"Oh," she said as she wrapped her arms around me. I picked her up and walked her over to the bed. We didn't end up having sex but we laid on my bed and we held each other. We stayed that way until we fell asleep.