After graduating college, Austin Curtis returns home without really knowing what to expect. Time has helped her mature, but through the years she spent away from Tulsa, there was a nagging in her mind about how she left everyone...more specifically...
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Ike's Chili was one of the oldest restaurants in Tulsa, and Austin couldn't believe she forgot it existed. After receiving their Christmas bonus checks, Darrel and Sue-Ella Curtis would take their four children to Ike's as a celebration for the holiday. It was very seldom that the Curtis siblings experienced the luxury of eating away from home as kids, but early holiday meals at Ike's were always the exception and a treasure. When her parents died, Austin shut their memories from her mind in hopes that not remembering them would dampen the pain of losing them. Now that she knew better, Austin pulled up to the restaurant with joyful memories of her brothers and parents flooding her mind.
Gracie found Darry's fluffed, ungreased hair moments after the bells on the door ceased ringing, and led the way towards her fiancé. Darry and Dallas rose from their seats and Gracie greeted both men with a smile and light hug before sliding into the booth beside the father of her child. Austin offered Dally a small smile and he met her nod at kindness by holding out his arm and gesturing for her to slide in first. A deep breath of emotional preparation filled her lungs before she lightly kicked Gracie's foot under the table for forcing her to sit beside him.
"Sorry we're late, I took Austin by the house," Gracie said as she linked her arm with Darry's and smiled boldly between the two siblings.
"It looks great. Your family is going to have a lot of wonderful memories there," Austin said as she noticed the slightly panicked look Darry gave Gracie.
"Thanks," he sighed before he brought his eyes back to mine. "Did she tell you about Mom and Dad's house?"
"Yeah, she mentioned it yesterday. I—um,"
"I know you're not sure about what you're doing yet, so I just wanted to let you know that if you can't take it, Dal said he'd buy it from us," Darry continued through his sister's stammering.
"Not if you wanted it though." Dallas's eyes flicked towards Austin, but she continued to bite at her pursed lips and avoid his gaze. "I can always sign a new lease on my apartment; it's just more money in rent than the house is in utilities."
"Um, yeah, I still don't know the plan is yet. I guess it matters on if I get a job out here or somewhere else, but I can definitely let you know before it's too late." Austin didn't like talking of her childhood home as if it were just a thing. She'd grown up in that home. She'd learned to cook in that kitchen, and did homework in the living room alongside her brothers every night. That was where her first sleepover happened and where she learned she was going to be a big sister not once but twice. It was where she and her brothers learned to rely on each other, and it was where any north-side greaser knew they would be welcome, no questions asked. She couldn't give that away and she hated that it was even a possibility in her mind, however she did find solace in giving the place to Dallas, regardless of not knowing where she stood with the man.
"The interview went really well." Gracie was proving herself to be a masterful craftsman in the art of changing the topic of conversation away from Austin.
