Chapter XII - Emily Settles In

Emily said she would need some help to move her things over from her apartment, but she also said she didn't have that much. Kendra, Debbie, Lydia, Connie, and I went with her to help her move in. I found out on the way to Emily's old apartment, that trying to get her to pledge Gamma Delta Phi was a sorority project. Everybody knew she belonged there, and everybody tried, but couldn't get her in the front door, much less to pledge.

Her apartment wasn't that far off campus, and all we needed was a cart to bring her things over. I stopped at the men's dorm, and rang for Paul. When he came down, I told him we would need his help to carry over her computer and other heavy things. He agreed to come with us, and also had one of his dorm mates come too.

When we got to Emily's apartment, her roommate was more than happy to help us. Her name is Gladys and she was a junior, and Emily was a sophomore. We got everything packed in less than an hour, and started for Gamma Delta. Emily was right when she said she didn't have that much. Most of what she had were dvd's and cd's. She didn't even have that many clothes. The heaviest things we had to carry over was her computer equipment and her printer. Gladys took me aside and asked me how in the world did we get Emily to pledge.

"We didn't actually. Emily did it all by herself after we explained what the rules for a pledge were, and that is, she could leave at the end of her pledge. I know that when she finishes her pledge she is going to stay."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm not really sure, but after we had all explained it to her, she said 'so I can leave after my pledge is over, I mean if I decide to pledge.' So all we did is what we would do for any other pledge, and she did the rest."

"Sneaky, but I like it. Don't ever let her know she was tricked or she will run for the hills."

"I understand that. But actually we didn't trick her, because everything we told her was the truth. When a pledge doesn't like being with us, then she is free to leave. We told her that she will have ordinary household chores and she will be graded on how well she does, and how well she volunteers to help others, and how she carries herself and acts like a lady. We tell every pledge or prospective pledge the same thing."

"Well what about hazings?"

"We don't do any hazing. We want our pledges to be able to be ladies, and at Gamma Delta we take being a lady very seriously. Our sorority has an international sisterhood that keeps in touch with each other. We even have a newsletter that we send out to current and past members. It doesn't matter where in the world you are, you can always find a Gamma Delta."

"Is there room for another pledge? I mean if there isn't any hazing, and all we have to do is common household chores, and act like a lady, then that is for me. They don't discriminate because I'm not a ten, do they?"

"All you have to do to pledge and be a full sister when your pledge is over, is be female. We accept girls from all walks of life and all academic structures. There is one thing all pledges have to do tho, and that is be seen by the tribunal. They will ask you questions about how can you benefit the sorority, and what will you do to keep the honor of the sorority. But other than that, we are an open sorority with lots of different girls. You know what? Our president is here with us. Let's go and talk to her. Her name is Lydia, and she is very nice."

"All right, let's go."

We found Lydia helping Emily pack the rest of her dvd's. Gladys and I walked over and started helping.

"Lydia, this is Gladys, and she would like to pledge also."

"Oh my gosh! That would be super. Did you hear that Emily, even Gladys wants to pledge. When we get to the house, we will sit down and talk. I'm the president of this chapter of Gamma Delta Phi, and every girl is welcome to pledge our sorority. Looks like we will need a little more help to get Gladys situated too. Now let me see, who can we get to help."

Lydia flipped open her cell phone and made a call. In minutes the entire house was at the apartment helping pack Gladys's things, and marking boxes so that we didn't get Gladys and Emily's things mixed up. Two hours later, everybody was carrying something, and we all headed toward Gamma Delta. When we got to the house, Lydia set down her boxes and unlocked the door. We all went into the living room, where we set the boxes down, and then Debbie and Emily took her things to their room. Lydia wanted to talk to Gladys. Gladys was maybe an inch taller than me, and had mousy brown hair, and heavenly blue eyes hidden behind a pair of thick rimmed glasses.

"Excuse me Gladys, but did you ever think of wearing contacts?"

"Yes, but I keep losing them, and they are so hard to find when they drop. So I just opted for the glasses. At least they are easier to find. Why do you ask?"

"Oh it's nothing, really. I was just wondering is all."

Gladys is going to need a complete makeover. From her head down to her toes, and if I have anything to say about it, it won't be long before this caterpiller is a full fledged butterfly. So we have two caterpillers to work on, Emily and Gladys. But that's all right tho, that is what being a sister is all about; helping others to show their full potential.

After Gladys had all of her things inside, Lydia asked her to come in to the sitting room, or living room if that's what you want to call it. Lydia told Gladys that this house was set up for seventeen girls. and we only had fifteen at the present. Her and Emily made a full house. She was going to put their names on the roster, and send their details to national. Lydia asked Gladys if she had any questions, and she said no. We helped Gladys take her things up to her room, and she was going to be rooming with Sondra, who was captain of the varsity cheerleaders. Sondra wasn't stuck up, and liked getting into conversations with others. Whenever we had special events like the pledge dance, she was always right there to volunteer. She was pretty, and had huge brown doe eyes, and her light brown hair shined in any light. Her smile was contagious and she bounced rather than walked.

When we got Gladys settled, Sondra asked if she should know anything about Gladys, and all we said was "fawn". A "fawn" is a person who needs a lot of guidance in one thing or another. Emily and Gladys were "fawns". Sondra just smiled at Gladys and promised her they were going to have a lot of fun. We knew Sondra would help Gladys become the beautiful butterfly she is, if only she would loosen up some, and let that mousy hair down. But Sondra will take care of that.

Lydia and I went back downstairs, and we talked a little more. Kendra came in and asked me if I would like to be PR rep for the house. Duties included building up the house to propsective pledges, and others who think that all we are is just another sorority.

"I would love to be PR rep. But why me though?"

"Because in the short time that you have been here, you have been building Gamma Delta Phi up, and didn't even know it. Everytime somebody asks you about us, you have only positive things to say. When you make your dinners, you even help clean up, and then you even help others without being asked. So, that is why I asked you. What do you think, Lydia?"

"I think she would make a very good PR rep. She has that contagious personality that you can't help but be attracted to as a friend, fiancá¨, or sibling. I agree with Ken, Jean, that you should be our PR rep. What you would do is bring things that we want to do to the attention of others on campus, including the faculty and staff. Even when some of the girls were giving you the silent treatment, you still had a positive outlook, and ready to defend Gamma Delta with your life." We all giggled, but Lydia wasn't far off.

Pledging this house and becoming a full sister had been my dream ever since my mother told me about her experiences here. I never dreamed in a million years all this would have happened like it did. I was thinking more along the lines of I would have to fight to get even in the door. But a very open minded sister was watching me when I was sitting on that stupid bench. Oh my gosh! I just remembered tomorrow I have to go for my surgery, and that means I can't go to class.

"Yes, but Lydia I just remembered that tomorrow is the Friday I go for my surgery. I won't be back right away. I..."

"And we will come to see you too. I heard you were going to be in the hospital quite a while. About two weeks not only for the surgery, but from what I hear tell, they are going to do blood work and other tests too. So you might even be there a little longer than two weeks. But not to worry though, I will get your assignments, and tell your professors where you are and for about how long. I'm sure that Dr. McClellan will come to see you. I know I will."

"Thank you Ken, you have been my supporter from the start, even before I knew what was going to happen."

"I'm sure all the girls will come to see you, Jean."

"Thank you, Lydia. But are you sure you want me to be the sorority's PR rep?"

"Yes, we're sure."

"Thanks, I won't let you down."

"As if you could. Oh my gosh Jean, you just have that type of attitude that makes you, you. Never let anyone ever tell you different, either. You are now a sister, and you have every right to defend our honor, as we all do. Anyway I have to go and do president things. I have to put Emily and Gladys on the roster, and post the new roster. Then I have to call national and tell them we have two new pledges, making us a full house. Wait til they hear Emily actually pledged. Cya all later then."

Lydia left, and Ken and I went outside for a little walk. Now I don't know if mother has a radar for these things, but she was just coming from the alumni parking lot.

"Mother," I said giving her a big hug. "Ken and I were just taking a walk. Do you want to walk with us?"

"I'd love to. You have your surgery tomorrow, and we have to be there early. You have to check in by eight, and they will take you right up to the room. Bobbie said you are going to be there for a bit afterwards so you can heal and they can do more tests. But after you heal though, they are going to make you walk a lot so you don't get lazy."

"As if, Mrs. McMillan. When Jean isn't with Paul, or doing her studies, she is a whirlwind around here. I'm sure that after even an hour in bed, she is going to want to get up."

"That I know, but the nurses have a routine they have to follow. A physical therapist will come and walk with you. Of course, it is up to Bobbie when you leave, but you're going to have to take those walks. Usually they involve walking up and down the hall as well as a few stairs. This is to get your muscles working again, after laying in bed a while. I am staying here tonight. I have already called Lydia and told her. That way we can go right from here. Bobbie will meet us at the registration desk.

"Now what Bobbie is going to do, is remove the testes, and invert the penis, until you can have your regular surgeries. This way the girls won't be so uneasy around you, like some of them are now. So what are you talking about?"

"Well, we got Emily to pledge, and her roommate Gladys. Lydia is making a new roster with their names on it. We have a full house now, and Lydia is going to tell national."

"How in the world did you get Emily to pledge?"

"I saw here at the librbay and invited her to dinner. It took some talking to get her to come even for dinner. But during dinner, everybody was telling her what a great sorority she will be a part of, and that if she doesn't like us after her pledge is over, then she can leave, no strings attached. She was concerned about hazing, as was her roommate. But when we told both of them we don't do any kind of hazing, and we don't have secret handshakes or have a secret password, Emily pledged. Then when we were getting her things from her apartment, her roommate wanted to know the same things, and we told her what we told Emily, and Gladys pledged too. So now we have a full house."

"That's great. We only had fourteen girls when I was president. Looks like my litte girl isn't so little anymore. Having a full house means that Becky from national will come to see the new pledges. This is one for the record books, and I suspect we have my daughter to thank for Gladys and Emily."

"Well none of us could ever get Emily to pledge, and when we were moving Emily's things from her apartment, Jean was talking with Gladys, and took her over to talk with Lydia. So yes, I do suspect that Jean is the culprit alright." We all giggled, and then we noticed we were by the guys dorm. I said just a minute, and went in to ring Paul's room. He answered, and then said he'd be right down. When he got to me, he gave me the biggest kiss on my lips you could imagine. That one took my breath away.

"Ahem young lady, there are others present you know." We all giggled while Paul looked confused.

"This is a wonderful surprise, Jean. I was just closing my books for the night."

"I have to go in the hospital tomorrow, Paul, for my surgery. I will be there for about two weeks while I heal and they do more tests. Will you come to see me?"

"You bet, princess. Maybe I'll rent the room right next to yours." We all giggled.

"Oh I would just love that, because then I could walk right into your arms. That would be the best get well therapy in the world."

"Ahem young lady, I think you need to be hosed down. But yes Paul, when you visit her, make sure there is no ummm, hanky panky, because she will be very sore. She is going to be there for a while. Her doctor wants to run some tests, as well as do a little surgical procedure. Anyway, I need to get my things up to the room I will be using for tonight. I'm taking Jean to the hospital tomorrow, Paul, if you would like to come along."

"I have classes in the morning. If this would have been Saturday, I would go in a heartbeat. Jean, I will come right after my morning classes. I don't have another class after that until two o'clock, so it will give us a couple of hours with each other anyway."

I laid my head on his arm, and just wished he could be with me for always. I really didn't want to be in the hospital for two weeks, but if it will show the girls that I am serious about what I need to do to be complete, then this is what I have to do. Mother was being facetious telling me I need to be hosed down. Well maybe just a little. I giggled.

"What was that for, princess?"

"Oh it's nothing, just something I thought of."

"Come on princess, I'll walk you ladies home."

We started walking towards the house, and I was surprised that Kendra hadn't said anything this whole time. I took Paul's arm, and we just kind of strolled back to Gamma Delta. When we got to the door, Paul and I kissed passionately, until we were both out of breath. We said our good nights, and then mother, Kendra, and I went inside. I watched from the window as Paul walked back to his dorm. When he was out of sight, I told Kendra I was tired and was going to bed. I gave mother a big hug, and said good night. Then we all went to our rooms. Tomorrow starts another adventure on my road to womanhood.