Edith George- An Outsiders Fanfic

Twenty

Sitting at the dinning room table, Edith ate quietly as her utensils scrapped plates and food shuffled around. The Georges were quiet that night, they wanted a nice relaxing evening with the entire family. With her parents and their jobs, Edith usually ate in her room or wasn't home for dinner. Sometimes her father would be off and her mother would be to, work or at a friend's place, or helping a friend of hers. 

"So, ugh, how was work?" Edith asked, curiously and wanting to break the silence.

"Good," Her father nodded, setting his fork and knife down as he wiped his face with his napkin, looking back to his daughter. "There weren't any calls today, so we got to clean up the dirty place." 

She chuckled and looked over to her mother. "And you, Mom?"

"Lots of things. A nurse is tough, we see a lot, especially with all the kids around here. I felt terrible for this young boy that came in. His mother was sobbing down the halls and her son was crying bloody murder. She had left the grease pan on the stove. He's six years old and went to grab it. The entire thing. Gone."

"No." Edith shook her head. "How awful. What're they doing now?"

Her mother shrugged. "I don't know. I can't say."

"Edith, dear, your mom ain't supposed to tell you anything about her work. It's against the regulations, just like I can't say anything either." Her father chimed in.

Edith couldn't imagine how the mother felt and the poor boy, she couldn't believe that. It was a lesson for her to learn either way. Never leave a hot pan or a grease pan at the front of the stove, anyone of any age could come across it and could turn into something bad. She's cooked before at the Curtis place, especially near the holidays, she would help Darry during the day before returning home to her own family.

The Georges liked the Curtis boys, but they weren't too close with any of them since the death of their parents. They knew the Curtis couple well, but they weren't best friends with them. They were the casual neighbors, especially when Edith was a little younger and they'd have to pick her up from their place or vice versa with the boys.

"I understand, Dad, but it's good to know these things."

"All right... Mary," He nods to his wife. Edith looks over to her mother, wondering why the sudden change of expression in her father. "The thing."

"Oh, right." She smiled and turned to her daughter. "Edith, dear, your father and I will be leaving Thursday afternoon. Your grandmother's ill, so we're going down for the weekend to help out."

"What about me?" She questioned.

"Well," Her father started. "As much as I don't want to leave you here, alone, I spoke to Darrel about you staying over at their place."

"Wait, why can't I stay here? I'm sixteen years old. Single, which means no one will be here. But, Evie of course." She explained. "Come on, you both have to believe me. When have I ever disobeyed you?" She questioned, glancing from her mother to her father.

Their daughter had a point, but arrangements had already been made. As much as they trusted their daughter, they did not want her alone. She was sixteen and even if she was single, that meant anything could happen. They had asked their next door neighbor if they'd help watch over Edith, but they denied the offer because the wife was leaving and the husband did not feel having to care for a kid during his weekend off.

"Because, we aren't comfortable with you staying at the house by yourself. You get in late and besides, you're always at the Curtis house anyhow." Her mother said.

"And Darrel has no problem with you staying over. I gave him a few ground rules and if you disobey them, he will tell us and you will be punished." Her father continued. "This is to keep you safe. The town's a big and dangerous place, Edith, we want the best for you."

She did not have a problem staying at the Curtis house, but she felt like she had let them down when they didn't even trust her home alone for the weekend. She knew she was capable of doing things on her own. Edith new the ground rules about the house, the regular rules and more unnecessary rules as well.

"Thursday after school you'll head to the Curtis house. We will be locking the doors before we leave, so make sure to lock it when you get home and grab your things." Her mother continued.

"Okay." Edith nodded. "What if there's a party? Can I go?"

"We told Darrel no parties." Her father said.

"Dear, one couldn't hurt." Her mother contradicted, deciding it could be all right for their daughter to go to one party.

"Yes." Edith smiled.

"Hold up," Her mother added, raising a hand and wiped the corners of her mouth with the napkin. Edith looked over with a gloomy look, wondering when all the rules were going to be done and over with. "Sodapop will go with you."

Edith shook her head. "No, he'll never go to a party. He goes if the boys go and the boys don't like Soc parties."

"Then you don't go. It's settled." Her father smiled, getting up and set his napkin on his plate. "Now, clean the table please and do the dishes. We've worked all day."

"I went to school." She laughed, joking around, grabbing their plates.