From Part Three: Taryn remembered the evil visited upon her after her sister was forced from the home.

All of the women gathered around Taryn in prayer, feeling helpless themselves after hearing what this poor girl had endured at the hands of her family. They had listened as Taryn had recounted the nearly four years of abuse she had suffered, and wept with this girl. Something was needed to relieve the tension and lift the mood; not for themselves, but for this poor girl.
Without even being asked, Joey got up from the table and turned to the crowd of Taryn’s new friends and family and said,
“I think we need to have a party to welcome Taryn home.” She bounded into the kitchen and started by putting on the kettle for some tea. She had baked a cake for dinner, and looked quickly, finding some birthday candles. She called from the kitchen,
“What are you guys waiting for? Let’s get started.”

April and Terri looked at each other; teammates in so many sports over the years, they almost thought alike, and came to the same conclusion.
“We need presents.” They both ran to their respective bedrooms and started looking through closets and dressers. April stood just a tad shy of six feet, while Terri stood well past six-two. Between them, they had just the right things for Taryn. You may recall Tommy stood about six-four, and would have been sorely pressed to find clothing to fit, so it was fitting that she had come to the right place at the right time as her real self. Michelle and Diane excused themselves as they left to go home to get some things as well. Lainey just looked at her new sister and smiled. Taryn had finally been able to stop crying after the ordeal of telling her story, which turned from arduous to freeing and healing as she received the love and acceptance of the women. She looked at Lainey with wonder. She had only seen her sister twice in four years, and even at that, it was as her male self. This was the first time that the two sisters were together, and she couldn’t get over the excitement, now that the sorrow had passed, if only for the moment.

After about forty minutes, all the women were together again, making preparations for a coming out party like no one had ever seen. Boxes were piled on the buffet on the far wall, decorated with an odd assortment of Christmas and birthday wrapping paper. The table was set with tea cups and cake plates and utensils, with an impromptu centerpiece of a bowl of lilac petals hastily but gently pulled and added along with some mint sprigs for color. Diane stepped next to the two sisters and said,
“We had a little contest, and Terri won.” Diane smiled and lifted Taryn/Tommy out of the chair. Still clad in her boy clothes, she needed some help in getting ready for the party, and Terri won the privilege. Diane handed the girl off to Terri, who walked out of the room with the girl in tow.

“This is so cool,” Joey said, having never been to a party in her life. She had been abused and hurt and finally treated like an object for most of her life, and well into her early twenties had never had anything special done for her. The delight over someone else’s joy was a testimony to her own healing, as she had never participated in giving of herself anything voluntarily. She was excited, and she scurried between the kitchen and dining room getting the refreshments in place. A few minutes later, two figures appeared once again in the hallway, but one looked brand-new; evidence that life can and does get better with the help of friends and family and God. Terri stood next to her new friend, tears in her own eyes over the wonderful transformation with which she had helped.

“Ladies, for the first time anywhere, I give you Taryn Anne Esposito.” She gently tugged at the hand of the girl next to her, pulling her into sight. Taryn stood there, transformed. Of course, the clothing had changed her appearance, but the ability to be herself, wearing something that made her feel good about her self; total and absolute metamorphosis from old to new, like a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

Where a strong, good looking shy boy once stood, there stood instead a lovely, sweet and attractive girl. She wore a dark green corduroy mid-calf skirt, complements of April. Terri contributed a nice cream-colored button down blouse along with a pretty dark wine-colored brocade jacket. Michelle had provided some nice dark brown boots, and Diane had given her a nice set of pearl clip-on earrings and a matching gold necklace with a single pearl. Her hair was dark brown, almost but not quite auburn and it fell in soft curls to caress her shoulders. And her makeup was simple but suited her. Her lips were slightly glossy and almost wine-colored as well. She wore just a hint of mascara and her eye shadow set off her dark green eyes and complemented her decidedly Sicilian complexion, which mirrored her older but smaller sister’s lovely face. But the best part…the part that made everything come together in such a heart-rending but delightful way was her smile; a smile that had not seen the light of day for almost three years. She stood in front of her new friends and family and felt for the first time...in her life that she belonged, accepted and loved.

Terri stood back and looked at her once again. The women crowded around her, showering her with hugs and kisses and more hugs, all in wonder at the transformation. Even little Deedee marveled at the sight of her brand new aunt.

Terri looked at Taryn and a thought came to her. An answer came to her for a question that had almost plagued her for nearly two years; the kind of question that would arise from time to time. She looked at Taryn’s beautiful hair, remembering the first time she had seen it herself, adorning a Styrofoam head in a wig shop she had visited soon after she had lost most of her own hair during her chemo. Her own hair had grown back long ago, and she couldn’t help but think from time to time why she had bothered to keep the wig, since she no longer needed it. At one time, she might have attributed it to absentmindedness or a perhaps an unwillingness to let go of the painful reminder of her own ordeal. But she had been healed long ago, not just from the cancer, but the bitterness and anger toward God over failed relationships and devastating illness. So why had she kept the wig. And it came to her, like a gentle reminder of grace and restoration; she had kept it for such a time as this, as it says somewhere. Taryn’s hair would grow eventually, now given "permission" to assume the length she chose rather than the image someone else had of her. But for now, today, it provided a special gift to her that added something restorative and wonderful to an already wonderful day. Her own loss and subsequent healing had been a way to be healing to another, and it was no accident.. And Terri marveled at the girl's name as well, being an afficianado of word and name meanings. Here, in April and Lainey's house stood a new girl, free from the bounds of evil and fear, the girl stood in a place (Es posit - Esposito) of innocence (Taryn) and grace (Anne) Coincidence? No...another wonderful example of providence.

All Love Can Be - James Horner & Will Jennings