The Girl Most Likely To ... - Part 18
by Barbara Lynn Terry

Chapter 1 - Naomi takes the girls and Renée in to town.

As Rachel and Namomi broke their embrace, Naomi told the girls that were going with her, to get ready. Connie said she still had to help wash the dishes, and make sure the kitchen and dining were clean. Then she would be ready to go. Naomi said she could wait.

"Girls, you don't ever have to feel that you are rushing me. I live here now, so I will have plenty of time to help you in what you need help with."

"Will you do my algebra for me, Naomi?" Sharon had asked, sheepishly.

"I said help, you imp, not do it for you." The girls just giggled.

"I just wanted to see if I could fool you, sis."

"I have been a deputy sheriff for ten years, sis. But also remember that I was a girl your age too, once. So I know all the tricks. See, the tricks haven't changed, only the names and faces have."

"That is why we love you, Naomi," Sheryl added. "Because you not only tell us things, but you elaborate on those things, too. I wish I had been better behaved when I was at home."

All the girls looked at Sheryl Adams and said in unison; "you are home". It was Sheryl's turn to cry, and all the girls had those worried looks on their faces.

Sheryl Marie Adams, thirteen years old, had come to the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls, because she had thrown a flower pot at her father. Rather than spank her and ground her, he called the police and told them to take her to detention. When she made her court appearance, she told the judge that her father was always verbally abusive towards her, and she just broke because she had had enough. The judge asked her mother about that, and she agreed with Sheryl. Sheryl's father was always telling her she should have been a boy and was sorely disappointed when his wife had a girl. So, the judge feeling that the girl needed protection in her best interest, said he was sending her to Pine Meadows, where she could get the protection from the abuse she had suffered at home. When her mother objected, the judge said since she was unable or won't stand up to her husband to protect her child, the child needed to be some place safe, away from harm.

"Sheryl, when I say things to people like you, I try to explain as best as I know how, so you can understand. I have been a deputy for ten years, and I kind of get in to saying things in an official manner. But when I brought Rachel here, I saw a house full of happy girls. I thought maybe I had come to the wrong place."

"There are two houses on the grounds, Naomi. This one is for the teen girls, and the other one on the other side of psychiatric is for the pre-teen girls. Most of them are orphans whose parents died or just were too interested in their booze or drugs or both to care for them. So we act as big sisters to them, and we take them in to town now and then for a treat. They really love that."

"You girls take care of the younger ones?"

"As much as we can. School let out today for the Christmas holidays, so we will have more time to look after the little ones. Naomi, they are our little sisters, and when they are old enough to be in this house, they will be big sisters to the little ones, too. It is a pity they couldn't be placed in foster care, but since they are here, we are going to be there for them, like we are there for each other."

"But, I thought this was just a home for adolescent girls. I had no idea there were prepubescent girls here, too."

"The other house was added just last year, and when we found out that it was for pre-teen girls, we had a meeting with Ms. Wells, daddy and Jan. We told them that we would like to help take care of the little ones, as much as possible. During the school year, they don't call on us much, because of our home work. It isn't all parties and dances and going in to town for us. We know they miss their parents, and some even miss their siblings. That house is ranged from five years old to 12 years old, when they are then transferred to this house."

"Well, if my sisters are going to help the little ones, then as your sister, I will help when I can too."

"Naomi, don't you have quite a bit to do with helping us and your job?"

"Yes, Sheryl, but if someone needs help, and I can help, it won't be a bother. Of course, when I am on duty at the academy or on patrol, I can't come until my shift ends. Then sometimes too, I can't come until whatever we are working on is finished. These young girls didn't ask to be here, and they need more help than you girls, because they really don't understand why this happened to them. So they need a kind heart and decent mind to help them."

"Now you see why we made you a sister, Naomi. You have that decent way that we don't see in most cops. Sorry, nothing personal, Naomi."

"I know, Mel, but it is all right though because I am not just a cop. See, when I graduated from high school, I applied to be a deputy sheriff for Alameda County. They put me through college, where I was in athletics and learned martial arts.. When I graduated from college, they assigned me to the Alameda County Sheriff's Academy to train rookie deputies. I learned a lot from being in law enforcement. But to learn these lessons, I had to have the will power to achieve what I wanted, and that is to make a difference. I hope that is what I have been able to do."

Naomi looked at her watch and told the girls that were going in to town to get ready. Connie had just finished her duty in the kitchen, and was getting her coat and boots. When all the girls were ready, they all asked Madelline for money from their accounts, so they could get something while in town. They all got in to Naomi's SUV and buckled their seat belts. As soon as everyone was buckled in, Naomi started the SUV, and drove toward town. Naomi parked in front of Jim's Hardware Emporium because it was centrally located on Main street. This way the girls could go to most of the stores in just a short time. After getting a few things here and there, they stopped at Glenn's Eatery. It took two booths for all of them, and they behaved themselves, perfectly. Naomi was watching each of the girls, an agreement she had reached with the Home's superintendent, Ms. Joan Wells. Only the girls didn't know they were being observed.

The girls ordered a big order of fries to share and soda pop for each of them. They talked while they waited for their order.

"Naomi, what does it mean, when somebody has an epiphany?"

"Well, an epiphany is like the brightest light bulb going off in your head. It is when you get a thought to beat all thoughts. Rach, you have had more than one epiphany ever since you got here. I am very proud of that. I wish I had a daughter just like you, not like the other person, but like you. You have become a very caring person in just a few days, it is mind boggling. When I saw you in court the first time. When I was talking to the judge, I thought, yep, I hope he tries something. But then you showed me a side of you I didn't realize at that time, that you had inside of you. You took to being a girl, like a duck takes to water. Sis, when you get your feet wet, you don't stop there, you go all the way up to the neck. That is what it takes to deal with this every day existence we call life. Rach, what do you want to do, after you graduate from high school?"

"Have my surgeries and heal from them completely. Then maybe, I was thinking I could apply for deputy sheriff here in Pine Meadows County."

"You would make a wonderful deputy too, sis," Naomi said, with beaming pride.

"Surgeries?!? You're one of those 'different' people. Aren't you?"

Naomi was going to say something but Sharon shook her head no, and then she tapped Rachel's hand and motioned with her eyes towards the girl."

"Yes, Darla Cranston, I am one of those 'different' people, and I am proud to be who I am. If you spent as much time being just you, instead holding that nose of yours in the clouds, maybe people would like you better. Darla, my real birth name is, Rachel Eileen Watkins. I was wondering if we could talk for a bit."

"Why would I want to talk to a freak?"

"Because this 'freak' has been where you are now; in darkness. I know all about disappointment and living in darkness. I have lived in darkness far too long, and it took coming here to realize that. Even though we are in the home, doesn't mean we're not decent girls."

"But you're not a girl, you're just a wanna be."

"Really? Well, I suppose coming from you, that is the best thing to a compliment I am going to get. But Darla, please, I do need to talk to you."

"I suppose. Let's go in the back booth where we won't be heard by others."

Nobody sat in the back booth at Glenn's Eatery because the patrons dubbed it the "quiet booth" where people could go to talk. As Darla and Rachel sat down, Rachel started talking about herself and how she had been when she was another person, and that it took coming to the home to realize she had done wrong. She even said that the girl she always picked on was with her group in the restaurant.

"I would like her to join us, then."

Rachel motioned for Renée to join them.

"Sis, tell her what I was before coming here."

"You mean tell her about the other person that was in your body. Yes, see Darla, I am also transgender and I know who I am. But, Rachel, when she was another person in a completely different mindset, always picked on me. She even forced me to kiss her in the school hallway. The last time she did that, she was caught by the school's geography teacher. The school and her mother agreed on a punishment for this other person, and when they went to the mall, to get her some girl clothes, we happened to pass each other. Rachel then hit me, and was taken to the security office where the police were called, and she was arrested as a juvenile delinquent. The judge sent her here to the home, and since she has been here, she has been nothing but a very caring girl, who only wanted to be there for her sisters, as they call each other in the home. I have been elected by the girls to be an honorary sister, and I have forgiven her for what she has done to me. Why? Because it is the stronger woman who can forgive from her heart. I would rather have a forgiving heart, than go around angry at her all the time. Besides, we have more fun as friends than we do as enemies."

"I never really looked at it that way. But I suppose you're right. Listen, what I said before, I didn't mean. I was just angry at a certain person. Thank you both. If you will excuse me, I have a phone call to make."

Darla went to make her phone call, and the Rachel and Renée re-joined the others.

"Well, you girls seemed to be having a wonderful talk. Do you think it worked?"

"We will find out, Naomi. I bet she went to call Tommy Barker."

"I will not take that bet, sis, because it is a fool's bet. But I am with you, because that is exactly what I thought, too, when you said she went to make a phone call. If this worked, sister Rachel Eileen Watkins, you will have not only have my respect, but my undying friendship til the end of time."

"Oh Naomi, thank you so much. I...just...uhm...wanted to..."

Naomi handed Rachel a few napkins to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. Before Rachel came to Pine Meadows, Renée had never seen Rachel cry. But that first time at the home, when she saw Rachel in tears, she kind of was at a loss to understand who this person really was. I mean, she looked like Rachel, but she wasn't acting like Rachel.

"All right, woman, just who are you, and what have you done with my BFF Rachel Eileen Watkins?"

"You...you...uhm...real...ly...think that...that I...am that...diff...er...ent?"

"No, girlfriend, I don't think you are that different, I know you are that different. You definitely are not the same person that left Alameda County just a few days ago. You are a completely different person. I don't think anybody at school would recognize you by the way you are now."

"When you go back to Forest City to get your things and move up here, will you stop at the school and give my apologies to everybody, including the teachers?"

"Why don't you come along, and help us move? I am sure the home will let you."

A thousand watt light bulb went off in Rachel's head.

"Do you really think they would let me?"

"Not only you, sis," Sharon and Melanie said in unison. "We want to go along, too."

"All right, Sharon, I can only take three girls, and I have them in you three. So, when we get back to the house, I will talk to Madelline to see if she can approve you three going with me, or if Ms. Wells, your superintendent has to."

"Naomi, any house parent can okay a home visit. This is what it would be marked as in the record book."

"Thank you, Sheryl. Then when we get back to the house, I will ask mom, if she will let you three come with me. Rachel, Sharon, Mel? This will count towards your therapy program, and I will make sure it does,"

Rachel, your mother, Renée's mother, and Sandi and Mandy will stay here and get the house in order. We four will pack everything, and bring it up here, even if I have to order a moving van company to help us. We have a little time yet, before we have to head back. Who wants to go outside and see the stars?"

All the girls said, "we do", and they paid their bill and left. Naomi, after everybody was buckled in, drove to a part of town, leading back to the house, so they could see the stars without any street lights marring their view.

The girls were so happy that they were playing a game called find the constellation. They found several, and the most impressive and clearest one, was the Big Dipper. They all had so much fun, that they were all yawning, and Naomi took this as a sign to head back to the house.

Some of the girls were almost asleep, when Naomi said they were home. They all sleepily got out of the SUV and dragged themselves inside. When they got inside, those not going with Naomi went to their rooms to go to bed. Naomi and the three girls went in the kitchen, where they found Madelline having a wonderful alone time, with a cup of coffee. All the other girls were in bed.

"Maddy, I want to ask you for permission to take Rachel, Sharon and Melanie with me to Forest City to help me pack and move up here. They have behaved themselves very well, even when Rachel talked to Darla Cranston, she was the epitome of a lady of breeding."

"That is wonderful, Rachel, I am so proud to hear that about you. Talking to Darla Cranston must have been a wonderful experience for you."

"Mom, she started talking down to me, but I stabbed right back. She finally said we could talk, and it was Renée who actually got her thinking by telling her that Renée would rather have a forgiving heart than go around angry at me all the time. Darla excused herself and said she had to make a phone call."

"Naomi, yes, the girls can go with you, but I want a full report when you get back."

"Thank you, Maddy," Naomi said, giving the house mother a sisterly hug.

The girls all hugged Madelline, too, and then Naomi said they should be going. Madelline went in the office and wrote this entry in to the report book for Jack and Jan to read in the morning.

"Deputy Naomi Petersen of the Pine County Sheriff's department, took nine girls in to town, eight from the house, Renée Richards, and Naomi drove. When they came back, Naomi reported that the girls were well behaved, and that Rachel had talked to Darla Cranston, who started talking down to Rachel. But Rachel said she stabbed right back, and soon the two girls were talking. Then Naomi asked permission for Sharon Hardesty, Melanie Roberts, and Rachel Watkins to go with her on a home visit for some open quality time. I am putting this down as part of the therapy for the three girls, and I know, I just know, they will be the epitome of femininity. This will be Rachel Watkins first time away from Pine Meadows County since coming here and I think this is a very important step in her therapy, too, because it shows we are trusting her. They left for Forest City at 9:15 pm. All the other girls were well behaved, and just watched television in the rec. room. End @ 9:30 pm. Madelline."