sweet tea. -tkam

church gossip.

-3rd pov-

"Scout! Scout! Jean lousie finch!"

Scout quickly ran into the coat closet, burying herself in wool coats and rain jackets.

"Scout..." Calpurnia called, taking a very warning tone of voice now.

"No! Im not goin' ta church if i can't wear mah overalls!"

Calpurnia groaned

"Yes you are, now you bring your butt out here right now 'fore I whoop you! I still gotta brush that bedhead, and you'd best not make your daddy and jem late again"

"No!" scout replied defiantly

Calpurnia opened the closet and hoisted scout out by under her arms as scout kicked and flailed around to no avail.

"I'm not gonna go! Put me down! I don't wanna wear this damn dress!" she shouted, nearly slipping out of calpurnias firm hold.

"Scout finch you hold still! Youre wrinklin' up that dress!"

calpurnia ordered, though her voice was a bit strained as she tried to contain the wiggly child.

"No! I-" scouts protesting was cut off

"Scout."

Scout froze, slumping down into calpurnia as her father stood in the living room doorway. She huffed defeatedly, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"Thank you, calpurnia. Her dress will be fine, just brush her hair."

"Mm-mm-mm..."

calpurnia shook her head as she brushed scouts hair, scout still slumped over, deadweight.

Amidst scouts pouting, she whined as cal quickly brushed through her hair. Once cal let go of scout, and stepped away, scout fell onto the floor in a dramatic manner, sighing.

"Get up, scout." Atticus said, touching up his hair in the mirror.

Scout groaned.

"Scout"

"Mmph!"

Atticus sighed, straitening his coat jacket.

"Jem, go to the car"

Jem, adjusting his slightly too large coat jacket smirked at his sisters dramatic display as he made his way out to the black car in the small garage.

"Come on then scout, time to go"

Atticus came to scout, and picked her up. Scout, still remaining limp, dangled her long legs as he carried her out to the car.

Once in her sunday school classroom, scout aggressively sat down in her seat, crossing her arms.

"Good morning jean lousise" said her teacher.

"Bad morning.." she mumbled

When Sunday school was over, scout had moved on past her petty defiance, and forgotten about why she had been angry. Once the services had come to a close, the kids rushed outside, but not scout.

"Oh, see, look how much better you look when you dress like a little lady"

said aunt alexandra, smiling down at scout as she held her face.

Scout scowled, trying to pull away.

"I don-"

Aunt alexandra squished scouts face a bit more

"Wike..wen I ave oo weaw a dwess.." scout finished

Aunt alexandra chuckled softly and ruffled scouts hair a bit.

"We will all be so happy when our prayers get answered honey, when your daddy FINALLY has a daughter."

Alexandra smiled a particularly toxic grin.

Scout, fixing her hair, stuck her tongue out at her aunt as she turned to talk to the ladies at church.

Scout began to wander around, in search of her friend daisy. Scout assumed everyone went to church, so when she couldnt find daisy, she got a little worried.

"Atticus where is miss daisy? She sick?"

Atticus looked around

"Ehm.."

"Yes, shes very sick." Alexandra said, huffing in agitation.

"Sister.." Atticus began

"Sick in the head, sick sick sick!"

Alexandra cried, shaking her head dissaprovingly.

Atticus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to vere of a headache.

"We just have to pray for women like miss daisy, that poor sinful woman. So corrupted by satan, we keep her in our prayers, NOT in our lives. People like her can't really get better."

"No, scout, miss daisy mae is doing fine, just fine. I believe shes at her house, doing her services privately."

said atticus, giving alexandra a subtle glance of annoyance.

"Why don't she jus' come to church?"

"beCAUSE-" alexandra began

"Because she has her own preferences, scout. I don't know exactly why, but its not my business nor is it yours or alexandras."

Scout looked for a moment at her father, who looked so tired mentally, and very over the conversation. She figured it was best to not press him any further about daisy's religious habits.

"Now, calpurnias church gets out a bit before ours, and I believe she is preparing lunch. Please go get your brother, it's time to go."

Scout ran off to find jem.

"Sister...why must you always talk negatively about innocent people infront of my children?" he sighed

"Well sorry you don't inform them about the SINS of our world, atticus, but I don't want MY family to get involved with HEATHENS like her. It's my job to be the good female role model in her life, you know, as jean passed, and, your....cook...just couldnt be the influence a little..normal..girl would need."

"Calpurnia is an amazing woman, but even still, its not a problem that miss daisy is a part of my daughters life."

"Not a problem?! Shes a whore! Do you not care about your children?!"

"Alexandra daisy mae is not a whore, and quite honestly I'd prefer them to know one than to think it's okay to treat people with the disrespect you openly display to them when talking about people you simply don't like."

Alexandra gasped dramatically.

"Well I'm sorry I'm trying to help this family!"

"Mm."

At the table, scout swung her feet as she ate, deep in her wandering thoughts about miss daisy. It hadn't crossed her mind that adults could just lie, but she couldn't belive that daisy was as bad as some other ladies made her out to be.
Atticus seemed just fine with her, but why were other people not? She had thought about asking her, but jem said it would be rude.
So, scout sat, deeply contemplating daisys reputation as she sipped her milk. Was something wrong with miss daisy after all?