The Girl Most Likely To ... - Part 16
by Barbara Lynn Terry

"No, wait! There is something," Melanie said, looking at Rachel. "What do you think about Tommy, Rach?"

"I think he is a gentleman. He is polite, and he doesn't talk sex like most guys who are out with three girls."

"No, he doesn't. At least not with us, he doesn't. He also doesn't have a girlfriend right now, either. His girlfriend broke up with him when she found out he came to one of our dances without her. She accused him of all kinds of different things. But, he just shrugged and told her, if that was the way she felt, then there was nothing more to say. He wished her well, and they haven't talked to each other in two years."

"Does she still live in Pine Meadows?"

"Yes, Rach. Her name is Darla Cranston. She lives in town with her parents, about six blocks from the courthouse. If you meet her in town, when you're alone, don't let her get too close. Several of the girls here have tried to be friends with her, but she just gets that haughty look, and walks away."

"She sounds like she needs a friend. Someone who can sit with her and talk with her about things. I think I know just what to talk about with her, too."

"Like what, for instance?"

Rachel told Sharon and Melanie her plan to get Tommy and Darla back together. It might work and then again, it might not. But Rachel said it was worth a try. She said that she had been in such a dark place for way too long, it was time she started helping those whom she can.

"Rach, that has been tried, and it didn't work."

"Mel, maybe if you put it another way with a fresh approach, from someone who has been down the road of disappointment and arrogance, someone who can talk to her without her getting a clue as to what we are doing."

"Rach," Sharon looked at Rachel and smiled. "Don't look now, but you're growing again." Rachel hugged Melanie and Sharon in a group hug.

Jan came walking by, and saw them hugging.

"Well, I see you three are getting along nicely."

"Jan," Sharon stated with pride. "Rachel just said something that showed she has matured in two days without anybody suggesting what she should do or say."

"Why, Rachel, that is so nice. I had a feeling that you would do just fine here, and look at you now."

"But, I'm not doing anything special. I was just telling them of a certain plan to bring two people back together."

"You thought of this, yourself?"

"Yes, Jan."

"That shows growth in maturity. You are doing just fine, Rachel."

"What we told her, Jan," Sharon almost giggled, "was that her plan has been tried before. So she tells us that maybe it needs to put a different way with a fresh approach."

"That is a very mature way to look at it. May I ask who the two people are?"

"Tommy Barker and Darla Cranston. Jan, they are made for each other and Rachel wants to see them back together. She said because she has been down the road of disappointment and arrogance. Now she wants to help two people, one whom she just met, and the other she doesn't know."

Jan went in the room and hugged Rachel. "Rachel, you have shown a lot of maturity in the two days you have been here. I am proud to call you daughter."

"Thank you, Jan."

"I know Darla Cranston and Tommy. You are right, Rachel, they do belong together."

"All we have to do, Jan, sisters, is make sure we can meet her in town, when she is shopping or just walking around. Then we can offer to buy her a soda pop and fries, and if she agrees, we can talk to her about her and Tommy getting back together. I don't think she broke up with Tommy because she was jealous of us, I think it was more about being angry that Tommy didn't invite her to the dance."

"OMG! We didn't even think of that. You just gave us our fresh approach."

"See, Rachel," Jan added, "when you come up with good ideas, others will go for it and help. I think that is a solid plan, but it may take more than one try though."

"I am ready for that, Jan. No matter how many tries it takes, I know they will get back together, again."

"Well, I go off in an hour, so, I have to go and do my reports. Rachel, you have grown so much over the last two days."

"Thank you, Jan."

"No, young lady, it is we who should thank you. You may not know this, but you have been teaching us ever since you arrived."

"Teaching you? About what?"

"About life." Jan hugged Rachel and the two girls, and told them to have a good rest of the day. Then Jan went down to the office to do her reports.

"About life? Sharon, do you think I have been teaching about life?"

"Yes, Rach, you have. When I started having doubts again, you lifted me up, telling me I needed a little retail therapy in town. You, sis, you. You thought that all by yourself, without any help from anyone. That is all a part of life, and since you got here, that is what you have been teaching us. Rach, life is more than just getting up in the morning and getting dressed. Life is an everyday learning experience. When I first got here, I didn't realize that. Then after I was here a while, I stopped one day and noticed a big change in how I was thinking and doing things. Life, sister Rachel, is what we are doing right now. This is all a part of life."

"Then, how come I didn't know this, until I came here?"

"I think you have always known it, Rach, you just didn't think about it. You said your dad is in jail?"

"Yes, when I hit Renée at the mall, security took me in the security office and called the police. The police took me to the detention home, and placed a felony hold on me. That meant I could only get out if the judge let me go. When my mom told my dad where I was, she said he lost his temper and started hitting her, then he said he was going to kill her, and threw her against the wall. He's been charged with attempted murder. Mom had bruises over most of her body from what I was told, but no broken bones."

"OH MY GAWD! No broken bones, anywhere! Well, with your dad out of the way, and can't hurt you or your mother, you are free to be yourself. In the last few days that you have been here, you have shown how mature you really are. You can be yourself without anybody telling you how to behave or who you have to be. Just be yourself."

"Thank you, Sharon. I really appreciate what all of you are doing for me. When Renée and Naomi come back, I want to go in town with them. I want to show them that I can act like a responsible young lady instead of a spolied tomboy." Sharon and Melanie hugged Rachel.

"See what I mean, sis? What you just said, shows maturity. Let's go talk to daddy."

The three girls decided to go downstairs, and talk to the man they called "daddy". Jack Olsen is the house father, but all the girls just called him daddy. As they stepped off of the last stair, daddy was coming out of the office.

"Hi girls, how is everything going?"

"Just great, daddy," Melaine said with a smile. "Do you have time to talk for a bit?"

"I always have time to talk to my daughters. Let's sit in the living room."

They sat in the living room, and Sharon started talking.

"Daddy, I would like to go to a movie this weekend with Rachel, Melanie, Naomi and Evie. The Princess Diaries is playing, and I think, maybe, the other girls might want to go, too."

"Sounds like a plan. I will talk to Madelline when she comes in in a few minutes. Jan and I are going off, shortly, but I will talk to Madelline. When is the first show?"

"It starts at twelve noon, on Saturday. I know it has been here, at the Grand before, but it is coming back this weekend. Rachel, I don't think has ever seen it. Have you, Rach?"

"No, Sharon, I haven't. I would love to see it though."

"All right, I will make a note of it right now. When I come back in the morning, we will all sit down and see who wants to go and see The Princess Diaries." He got up and went in the office, followed by Madelline.

"Hi mom," the girls all said together.

"Hi girls. I will be with you, shortly."

After about ten minutes, Madelline came in the living room. Jack and Jan gave the girls hugs, and said have a good evening, then they left.

"So, daddy tells me that Rachel hasn't seen The Princess Diaries, yet. Well, I think it is a good idea to go as a group on Saturday. Sharon, did you say that Naomi was coming up this weekend?"

"Yes, mom, she is. She is coming with Renée too."

"Good. Rachel, you may not know what has been happening the last few days that you have been here, but this is all a part of your therapy program. You have bonded with the girls nicely, and I don't see why you can't continue. When we get a replacement for Dr. Poole, we will see about you taking hormones to develop. You're still small enough, and your voice hasn't started changing yet. So if we can gt you on hormones before puberty starts setting in, then you will develop like the rest of the girls. But, there is no reason to feel emabarrassed because you are a lte bloomer. A lot of girls develop late."

"Does that mean I can have my surgeries before I am eighteen?"

"We will see what the new doctor says. So, what are you girls up to, for the rest of the day?"

"We don't know, yet, mom. We were talking upstairs, and then I got the idea to go to the Grand this weekend. I think Rachel is going to love this movie."

"I have seen The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Enagagement a few times, myself. So, we will make sure that whom ever wants to go, gets to go."

"Thank you, mom," Sharon said, giving her a hug. "You're the greatest." Rachel and Melanie gave her hugs, too, and then they all decided to go outside and build a snowman.

Now, we all know that you can't just build a snowman and let it go at that. Oh, no! You also have to have a good snowball fight. Sharon started singing as they were building the snowman.

"In the meadow you can build a snowman
and pretend that he is parson Brown and
he'll say 'are you maried' we'll say no man
but you can do the job when you're in town."

"What song is that, Sharon?"

"Rachel, you have never heard this song, before?"

"No, I haven't."

"It is called Walking In A Winter Wonderland. It's a Christmas carol."

"Oh. I've never heard any Christmas carols."

"OMG! You have NEVER heard a Christmas carol, at all?!?"

"No, I haven't. This one sounds really nice."

"Have you ever heard Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer?"

"No. Sharon."

"Girl, you stick with us, and you will not only know all the Christmas carols there are to know, but you will be singing them like you have known them forever. Let's try an easy one, Rach. I will say the words, then sing them so you get the melody, and then when you are aready, we can try it together."

"Okay."

"This is the easiest Christmas carol next to Rudolph. This is called JIngle Bells. It goes like this; Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh. This is how is sung." Sharon sang the first part, and then wanted Rachel to try it.

Rachel tried singing it, but got some of the words mixed up.

"Rach, that is all right. Nobody gets it right the first few times. Here, let me sing the first verse, so you get an idea.

"Dashing through the snow
in a one horse open sleigh,
o'er the fields we go
laughing all the way,
bells on bob-tail ring,
making spirits bright,
oh what fun it is to ride and sing
a sleighing song tonight.

"Now, you try it, Rach."

"Try this," Rachel said, giggling, and promptly threw a snowball at Sharon.

"Oh you! You wanna throw snowballs hey."

Sharon made a snowball and threw it at Rachel, then Melanie got in to it, and soon there were more girls, and they were having a great time. Madelline watched through the window, and just smiled. Rachel sure has come a long, long way in just a short time. Soon they were all tuckered out, and decided to go in the house.

Madelline went in the kitchen and started making the hot water for the cocoa she knew the girls would want. After they had their coats, mittens, gloves, boots and hats put away, they all went in the kitchen and sat down.

"Did you girls have fun?"

"Yes, mom," they all said in unison.

"Mom, a tragedy has happened."

"What is that, dear?"

"Well, there is just no getting around it. It has to be dealt with."

"Oh, is it very serious?"

"Yes, mom, it is very, very serious. Rachel doesn't know any Christmas carols." A chorus of girls said 'oh, no' together."

"Oh my, yes, that is very serious indeed. We will have to get right on that and make sure something is definitely done about it. Rachel, fom now on, you will take instruction in not only learning the Christmas carols, but how to sing them, too."

"Yes, mom."

Everybody hugged Rachel and she in turn hugged them back. Then, guess what? Yep, Rachel started crying. Melanie got her a few paper towels, and they sat there telling Rachel that they will make sure she is taught the things that she missed when she lived at home. Rachel looked at everybody, and then said through her tears...

"I...don't...I, uhm...don't...don't..." Rachel couldn't finish because she was just so overcome with emotion, that the girls all decided it was time to go in the living room for an impromptu group therapy session.