The Girl Most Likely To ...
by Barbara Lynn Terry

(Author's note: I have found the legal citation I was looking for, so I can write this chaper the way I had wanted to. What happens to Roger Watkins in this chapter, is legal, but I am not saying where the legal citation is from because the person involved is a minor. Also the name of the institution is also changed because the residents there are minors. But be aware though that I am using locations in this fictional story from several places, placing them in one location in my story. Barbara)

Part VI - Roger Watkins has his day in court.

It has been four weeks since Ruth Devereaux Watkins was beaten by her husband, and she is now able to get around, slowly. She was served an order from Judge Christine Reynolds, Circuit Court judge, Branch 27, Children's Division, at 9:30am, to appear and give testimony as to why Roger Watkins should not be found to be delinquent.

Ruth thought to herself, that this is just too good to be true. She thought that she now gets to put two bastards behind bars, but she doesn't want that for Roger. For him, she had another scheme up her proverbial sleeve.

"A penny for your deep, malicious, conniving thoughts, woman," Gloria Richards said to her friend, sitting down next to her.

"What makes you think I am conniving anything?"

"By the look in your eyes, and that evil upturned smile you have. You're hatching something, all right."

"Well, I just got served with a notice to appear in children's court for Roger's hearing. I don't want him to suffer in a reformatory. I want something else dastardly done to him."

"Do tell, girlfriend."

Gloria was all ears, to hear what Ruth had devised for Roger. She told Gloria what she was thinking, and Gloria giggled. Ruth said, if the judge would allow it, Roger would be in for the time of his life. The two women sat there talking about this "alternative" punishment for Roger. Then Ruth said that it was too bad she couldn't do the same for her husband, Scott. Gloria giggled, again.

"It would serve that bigot a lesson he would never forget."

"Ruth, Scott will be in prison for a long, long time. He will never forget this."

"I know, but I am wondering if we could somehow see to it that he didn't make any friends in prison."

"Oh no, girlfriend. What are you devising, now.?"

"Something similar to what Roger will get, but not exactly the same. Something where Scott's reputation will, shall we say, precede him?"

"But, what exactly are you planning?"

Ruth told Gloria what she had in mind for Scott, if she could somehow arrange it.

"I heard, Gloria, all you have to do is tell one inmate, or have something in his record, like in the trial that would make him not like being in prison."

"That can be very tricky to do."

"You leave that to me."

"Girlfriend, you are bad, seriously bad."

"Aren't I, though? Tomorrow, I have to be at children's court for Roger's hearing. I don't know if they will allow anybody else in the courtroom. But I would appreciate it if you and Renée could be there."

"We will go with you just in case they do. Now, what say we find something to make for dinner?"

The two women got up, and went in the kitchen, looking for whatever it was that seemed good. Of course, Carl wasn't picky as long as dinner was on time. Well, even if it was late. Renée and Sandi didn't care either way, as long as they had dinner.

"You know what? We can wait a bit. I was thinking of having grilled cheese, french fries, and chips."

"Sounds like a really good meal of cholesterol and fat."

"Yes, Ruth, but we can burn that off, with as much running around the house you do."

"I can burn it off, just by going upstairs, Gloria. I'm still not moving too fast."

"No, maybe not, but you are moving on your own, and that is a good sign."

"Maybe you're right. I should be thankful to you and Mandy."

"For what?"

"For helping me when I needed it."

"Ruth, do you know what a stranger is?"

"Someone to stay away from?"

"A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet. When we met in the mall, I believe we were destined to meet. You are nothing like Roger, or your husband. That is why I said you could come here and live with us. Mandy and Sandi are moving in too. That way Renée an Sandi will have someone their own age to talk to and do things with."

Ruth was looking behind Gloria and around her sides.

"What are you doing, girlfriend?"

"I'm looking for your wings, because you are definitely an angel."

"Well, when we are in human form, we hide them. An angel, indeed."

"But, you are. Only an angel thinks of others well being, and guides us through the eye of the needle without getting pinched or stuck. You have thought about nothing but my well being, before your own,even when I was in the hospital. You know, Gloria, it's funny, but I could have sworn I heard voices talking to me, when I was in that little coma."

"Yes, I was talking to you, Mandy was talking to you, and we were talking to the nurses too."

"But, even though I heard these voices, I will be darned if I can remember what they said."

"Dr. Atkins said you may never remember. I was surprised you remembered what Scott had done to you, when you were still in the hospital. Anyway, Roger is in the detention center and his father is in the county jail, waiting for his trial.

"Ruth, how does spaghetti and meatballs sound for tonight instead of grilled cheese?"

"That sounds very good. Do you make your spaghetti sauce from a store bought jar, or ..."

"Oh, heavens no, woman! I make mine home made. It is better and doesn't have any preservatives in it. Do you like stewed tomatoes in your spaghetti sauce?"

"Not really. I think it ruins the taste of the spices."

"So do I, that is why I never use them."

The two women set about getting the things for the spaghetti sauce. Gloria got out the vegetables to be cut up, while Ruth was shown where the spices were kept, and she got those and put them on the table. As they were putting the last of the ingredients on the table, Renée and Sandi came in with Sandi's mom.

"Can we help?" Renée said, looking at all the things on the table.

"Well, this is a two woman job, but I suppose if you want to make the ground beef into meatballs, you can, dear. Sandi, you can help Renée. Mandy, I forgot the catsup in the fridge. Will you get it for me, please? Oh! Mandy! I also forgot the mushrooms."

Mandy got out the big bottle of catsup and the three containers of mushrooms. While the girls were making the ground beef into meatballs, Mandy sat down and started to cut the mushrooms.

"Gloria, do you want the mushrooms in pieces or in slices?"

"Slices, thank you, Mandy."

With six people eating tonight, and Carl always had two helpings of Gloria's spaghetti; Gloria got out her big stock pot, and filled it half way with water. She seasoned the water by putting in a half of a capfull of Italian Seasoning. She let the water heat so it could come to a full, rolling boil. By the time the water was starting to boil, the sauce would be also heating on the stove. Then Gloria decided of put a little Oregano in the water. This way, the two spices would be cooked in to the noodles.

After all the vegetables had been cut and rinsed thoroughly, Gloria began making the sauce. She put in the garlic and garlic powder, onions and onion powder, sage, and a few other spices to take out the sweet taste of the catsup. She also had a few hot peppers she put in, also. After a bit, when the spices and the catsup had heated enough, Gloria put in the meatballs and the sausage.

After preparing this meal for about an hour, Gloria dished up the food, and everybody helped take everything out to the table. She had one of those spaghetti utensils that have the fork and spoon attached, and she set the noodles on the table in the spaghetti strainer over a large bowl.

As soon as everybody was at the dining room table, Carl said grace and they all sat down. The food was on a lazy susan, so they each took a turn in getting their portions.

"Who was that at the door, earlier?" Carl asked, in bewildering tone.

"A sheriff's deputy with a subpoena for me to be at children's court tomorrow morning for Roger's hearing," Ruth answered him.

"We're going along too, Carl," Gloria added. "Just in case they want to hear from us. I mean, we were there, so if they need witnesses, then we will be there."

"Well, I guess I will just stay here, then. No sense in my going along."

"Well, I was kind of thinking we could have something to eat, while we were out. There won't be any time for breakfast, and by the time we are through in the court, it will be lunch time."

"Yes, but, what am I going to do, if they say you can go in the courtroom?"

"Well, dear, they just might not. But just in case, we will be there. As for what you can do, you can be our chauffer." There were giggles from everybody because of the look on Carl's face."

"Oh great! I get to drive around five pretty girls, and all I can do is get something to eat out of it. Darn." There were more giggles.

"Honey," Gloria added, "you can give me a nice kiss."

"Alright, I guess, it will better than sitting around here, being bored."

The levity in the Richards/Peters/Watkins family, was all taken lightly and in good humor. To the outsider, this is just a normal family trying to get by with what they have. However, Carl and Gloria Richards live in a large country style house that seemed like it was built for Ma and Pa Kettle and all their children. For city houses, this one was a mansion, of sorts. It actually had more than three bedrooms, it had actually, six all total. With the girls sharing a room, Carl and Gloria in theirs, there were only two other rooms being used by Mandy and Ruth, respectively. That left two spare rooms. One of the spare rooms was Gloria's sewing room, and the other for guests.

As the dinner was over, and Carl decided to go and watch television, the women and the girls helped each other clean up in the dining room and in the kitchen. In no time, flat, they seemed to have both rooms clean, and then it seemed like there was nothing more to do, than sit and talk for a while.

"Ladies, tomorrow when we go to court, You are going to see a few hilarious things come up. I am going to embarrass Roger so bad, that by the time he is old enough to be on his own, well, you will see what I mean."

"I was thinking about going to Denny's right after court," Mandy said, thoughtfully.

"You know, Denny's does sound good. Those that want breakfast can have that and those who want lunch can have that."

"Ruth," Gloria started saying, "I think we can let the rest of the ladies here know what you are planning."

Ruth recounted what she had told Gloria, and wanted to know if anybody had any ideas to go with that.

"I think that if the judge goes along with what you just said, Ruth, then we can hopefully take it from there, Gloria added. "What did the subpoena say, exactly?"

"It said I was to be in branch 27 of the circuit court, childen's division, at nine thirty in the morning, before judge Christine Reynolds. It said to give testimony as to the delinquency of the minor, Roger Watkins. I don't know how this is going to go, but I am hoping I get to suggest Roger's punishment."

"Well, we will see just what the judge does," Mandy said, with a mischievious grin.

"It's too bad we couldn't have him here," Renée stated matter of factly. "I mean, look at it this way. He is a bully, and likes picking on me, specifically. He doesn't pick on anybody else in the school, just me. If we had him here, we could definitely make his life miserable."

"That is an idea, Renée, but I have never been to one of these hearings, before. So, we will see exactly what we can suggest, and what the judge will do."

"Well, I make a motion that we adjourn to the living room, for some family quality time," Gloria stated with finality.

"I second that motion," Renée said, getting up from the table. "Besides, I need to sit on a soft cushion, this chair is making my butt sore."

"I agree," Sandi said, following Renée in to the living room.

They all went in to the living room, and Gloria sat next to Carl, with Renée sitting next to her mother, and Sandi and Mandy siting on the settée. Renée told Ruth to sit next to her, and that took up all the room on the couch.

The movie that Carl was watching was called Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock. The ladies came in just as Wesley Snipes was fighting the police at the outside phone. They sat through the movie, not making a sound. This dark comedy was very entertaining, serious in parts, but mostly funny.

"Well, I have to be at children's court tomorrow morning, so I think I will turn in. I never saw that movie before, very interesting, to say the least."

"Ruth, I said we would go with you, so I think, ladies, we should all turn in," Gloria volunteered. "Are you coming, dear?"

"Yes, I think that is a good idea. Then I can be rested while I'm being bored out there at the children's center."

"Oh, Carl," Gloria said, in mock indignation.

The next morning, oh yes, morning comes fast, in case you never noticed. Everybody took their turns in the bathroom, but since there was no time for a bubble bath, the ladies just used perfumed soap in the shower. Carl came down in his everyday clothes, and when he saw the women in their best dresses and all made up, he bowed and said, "m'ladies, your chauffer is ready". The ladies just giggled, and Gloria took Carls' arm, and they all walked out to the car.

The ride to the Children's Court Center on Watertown Plank Road, was uneventful, except for Ruth going over every little detail. Carl looked at her with surprise.

"You would really do that. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes, Carl, I would. Roger needs to learn a lesson, and he certainly won't get it from his father, and he never listens to me. Maybe finding out just how serious the judge is, and how 'concerned' she is for his 'rehabilitation', maybe he will start to listen to somebody. Maybe."

"Well," Carl said, clearing his throat. "It's a good thing I'm not Roger." The ladies just giggled.

When Carl drove in to the Children's Court Center parking lot, he found a space not too far from the door. They went inside, and Ruth went to the window marked Branch 27. She told the deputy sheriff there who she was and why she was there. He said to have a seat, and he picked up his phone.

While they were seated in the waiting area, a tall man, young, chiseled facial features, came over to them.

"Who is Ruth Watkins?"

"I'm Ruth Watkins."

"I'm Hugh Marlowe, no relation to the actor. I'm your public defender and I am representing your interests in this hearing. Roger will have his own public defender. This is a hearing to determine whether Roger is delinquent, and if he is, what should we do about it. The problem we have is that Roger is thirteen, and unless we can come up with some kind of rehabilitation program for him, if he is found to be delinquent, then he is remanded back in to your custody. But, you can make him a ward of the state, if you sign away your parental rights. We can't send him to the reformatory, because he isn't sixteen, and we can't send him to the boys school because he isn't fourteen."

"Isn't there a school for girls at Oregon?"

"Not any more. It is now a minimum security prison for men. There is a residential treatment center for girls at Pine Meadows."

"Good, thank you, Mr. Marlowe. Renée if Roger were a girl, what do you think his name should be?"

"I was just thinking about that. Rachel sounds good to me, Mrs. Watkins."

"Rachel, Rachel, uhm, Rachel Eileen," Ruth Watkins mulled it around in her head for a bit. "Yes, Rachel. Rachel Eileen Watkins. Mr. Marlowe, I want to present this idea to Judge Reynolds and see what she thinks. I have heard where boys have been sent to girls schools before, and I am wondering if Judge Reynolds would go along with my little plan. Mr. Marlowe, Roger is undisciplined, because his father let him do whatever, and every time I would object, my husband would just say let him be, he's just a boy.

"Well this 'just a boy' hit this young lady right in the shopping center, and called me a bitch. He may be thirteen, but he is quite the bully. He thinks he can push people around that are weaker than him. What if the 'weaker' people started pushing him around? Roger needs a very embarrassing lesson in poetic justice. If he wants to beat up on girls, let him be a girl. Let him experience what it feels like to be laughed at, threatened, beat up, ... well, maybe not beat up, but you know what I mean. He needs to be taught this lesson and by making him live, dress and act like a girl, is the only way I know that would knock the bully right out of him. Maybe by the time he is eighteen, he will be a responsible adult."

"Well, I will tell the judge you have something you want to say. She is going to question you anyway."

"Thank you, Mr. Marlowe."

"We have a few minutes to wait, yet. The judge is still in a previous hearing. But we're next."

It seemed the waiting for Roger's hearing was going to go on forever, when a deputy sheriff told them they could go in the courtroom. I am not sure how many have been to a juvenile hearing in children's court, but these hearings are very informal. The judge looked at everybody seated before she started talking.

"Good moring, everybody, I am Judge Christine Reynolds. Where is the minor of concern?" She no sooner said those words, than Roger was ushered in to the courtroom.

"I'm right here, babe. Why don't you come down here and sit with me?"

"Rachel!" Judge Reynolds looked at Ruth.

"Excuse me ma'am, are you related to the minor?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am Ruth Watkins, the minor's mother."

"Why did you just call him Rachel, then?"

"That is what I wanted to talk about. You see judge, just before school let out for the holidays, he was caught kissing this young lady," she pointed to Renée, "forcefully, in the school hallway. The school principal and I came up with a plan, that since my "son?" doesn't have respect for girls and women, that maybe he should live as a girl. I was thinking that maybe he could be sent to a girls treatment center, where he would be treated in every respect as a girl and made to dress and act like a girl."

"Well, young man, what have you to say about that?"

"You ain't putting me in any skirt."

"Oh? And just what makes you think that?"

"Because I'll rip it off and go naked."

"Is that so? Well, let me see just how good you are at your word then." The judge picked up her phone. "Yes, this is Judge Reynolds, would you please send Naomi in here. Thank you."

Naomi Petersen has been a deputy sheriff since high school and worked primarily in the girls wing of the detention center. She didn't work directly with the girls, but she knew most of them, because they were repeat offenders. When she came in the courtroom, the judge motioned her over to the side of the bench. After speaking for a few moments, there was a big smile on Naomi's face, as she looked at Roger. Now, Naomi doesn't look like much and in fact, she weighs only one hundred and twenty eight pounds. But you know what they say about big explosions in little packages.

"Young lady, erm, man, you will go with this deputy and you will do everything she tells you. You will want to listen to this officer, or she will make you listen."

"Oh yeah! There ain't no babe on this earth that can make me do what I don't want." The smile on Namoni's face turned in to an evil leer. She was thinking, yeah, go right ahead and disobey me, go right ahead.

Naomi took Roger out of the courtroom, and was gone for quite some time. This gave the adults and Renée and Sandi time to talk.

"So you said that Roger needs to have respect for the female gender, because right now he doesn't have any."

"Yes, your honor, that is about it. I think it would be poetic justice to have him dress, act, and live as a girl night and day, until he either gets that respect or turns into a sissy."

"Where is the minor's father?"

"In the county jail, your honor, for almost killing me." Ruth recounted to the judge what had happened. "But, your honor, I don't want jail for Roger, I want him to suffer, yes, but not in a jail. I think being forced to be a girl, is the only way he is going to find any respect for us."

"That is an interesting way of looking at this. Roger wouldn't be the first transgender minor to come before this court. I think, I am going to make a phone call. I will be right back." Judge Reynolds went in her chambers, and when she came back ten minutes later, Roger and Naomi still hadn't made it back to the courtroom. "I see our new girl hasn't made it back yet. I just talked to the superintendent of the Pine Meadows Girls Home, and explained what we had in mind. She said she would have a meeting with the girls, and call me back. That call will be transferred here to the bench."

Just then Naomi brought Roger in to the courtroom. He was now wearing a faded red tartan, knee length skirt, a white blouse with a peter pan collar, and ordinary, brown penny loafers. Naomi lifted the hem of Roger's skirt to show he was also wearing a white slip. He was also wearing a training bra, with a slight hint of a bust.

"Sit down, just like I showed you." Roger sat down, smoothing his skirt underneath him. "I'm sorry your honor, but we needed to get all that unlady like hair off of his legs and underarms. Then I did a crash course in teaching him how to behave like a young lady. At first he kind of objected, but then all of a sudden, he was very compliant." Judge Reynolds stifled a giggle.

At that moment, the judge's phone rang on her bench. She answered and listened intently to what she was being told, and said thank you and hung up.

"Young lady, you are lucky on two counts. Number one, because of your age, we can't send you to the reformatory, and second, you don't have to wait three weeks to get your name changed. Mrs. Watkins, do you object to my changing this young lady's name?"

"No, your honor, in fact, if he had a permanent girl's name, maybe then he would realize that this is not a game, and we are very serious about all of this. I think his name should be Rachel Eileen Watkins."

"Then I will take what you just said, as a verbal motion to change the name of the minor, Roger Watkins, a male, to that of Rachel Eileen Watkins, a female, for now and for always. Young lady, you cannot use Roger anymore as your name, because it is no longer your name. Furthermore, this court finds you to be delinquent in the language of the statute.

"Therefore, because of your lack of respect for the female sex, it is hereby ordered that you live, dress and act as female and you shall be sent to the Pine Meadows Girls Home for rehabilitation in being properly trained as a girl, until you are eighteen years old. I have talked to the superintendent, and she had a meeting with the girls. They are expecting you, young lady, and you had better be on your best behavior. This court will review your progress once a year until you are released from the Pine Meadows Girls Home. It is so ordered and this court is adjourned. Oh! You all have a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year."