Chapter 5

           MynagginggotthebetterofJemeventually,asIknewitwould,andtomyreliefwesloweddownthegameforawhile.Hestillmaintained,however,thatAtticushadn’tsaidwecouldn’t,thereforewecould;andifAtticuseversaidwecouldn’t,Jemhadthoughtofawayaroundit:hewouldsimplychangethenamesofthecharactersandthenwecouldn’tbeaccusedofplayinganything.

           Dillwasinheartyagreementwiththisplanofaction.Dillwasbecomingsomethingofatrialanyway,followingJemabout.Hehadaskedmeearlierinthesummertomarryhim,thenhepromptlyforgotaboutit.Hestakedmeout,markedashisproperty,saidIwastheonlygirlhewouldeverlove,thenheneglectedme.Ibeathimuptwicebutitdidnogood,heonlygrewclosertoJem.Theyspentdaystogetherinthetreehouseplottingandplanning,callingmeonlywhentheyneededathirdparty.ButIkeptalooffromtheirmorefoolhardyschemesforawhile,andonpainofbeingcalledagirl,IspentmostoftheremainingtwilightsthatsummersittingwithMissMaudieAtkinsononherfrontporch.

           JemandIhadalwaysenjoyedthefreerunofMissMaudie’syardifwekeptoutofherazaleas,butourcontactwithherwasnotclearlydefined.UntilJemandDillexcludedmefromtheirplans,shewasonlyanotherladyintheneighborhood,butarelativelybenignpresence.

           OurtacittreatywithMissMaudiewasthatwecouldplayonherlawn,eatherscuppernongsifwedidn’tjumponthearbor,andexplorehervastbacklot,termssogenerousweseldomspoketoher,socarefulwerewetopreservethedelicatebalanceofourrelationship,butJemandDilldrovemeclosertoherwiththeirbehavior.