Part 3

While Krista was not a glamour queen, she had developed a feminine demeanor so that even dressed in jeans and flannel shirt she appeared to be a girl. The testosterone blockers were doing their job and had effectively shut down her male puberty before it started. Remembering how tough her school life had been in Massachusetts, she went out of her way to smile at everyone and greet them. In her book, everyone deserved a chance to prove their friendship.

The success she had in turning Tony from an overbearing swaggering bully into a nice friendly guy impressed everyone. Most of the kids from elementary school had avoided Tony and his three cronies Jimmy, Dwayne, and Phil. The positive change that Krista wrought in Tony was quite impressive. That Jimmy had moved from the skinny hanger-on in the bullying clique to be Tony's best friend and a nice guy was also appreciated.

At Krista's urging, she even convinced Tony and Jimmy to apologize to their old victims for their past bullying. At first the former victims were leery of the sudden change of their former adversaries, but they quickly realized that Krista was responsible. On top of that, Tony and Jimmy began running interference for their classmates with their former cronies. Dwayne and Phil had not changed and they could not understand or accept the dramatic change in Tony and Jimmy.

When Tony and Jimmy began shutting down Dwayne and Phil’s continued bullying, they nearly came to blows. It was only Tony's former status of a tough brawler that held them back. Dwayne and Phil blamed Krista for turning Tony and Jimmy. They absolutely hated Krista not only for stealing their bully comrades but for being a freakish faggot tranny. It didn't take long for their victims, bolstered by the support of Tony and Jimmy, to stand up to the bullying of Dwayne and Phil. It didn't take long for the nasty duo to become virtually ostracized by their classmates

Almost everyone liked Krista and she steadfastly refused to spread rumors. That isn't to say she didn’t express appropriate feelings about poor or bad behavior, but she made it clear she was opposed to the actions rather than the person.

The snobbettes were almost as put out by the influence of Krista on school society as Dwayne and Phil. The trio was so sure of their higher social status they barely acknowledged Krista. To their way of thinking, a transsexual was the lowest life-form in the school, even beneath the nerds and geeks. Brittany, Chloe and Tiffany went out of their way to let Krista and everyone else know of their disdain for her. Krista pointedly ignored their snubs. Every time they crossed paths she made sure she to smile at them and cheerily greet them. Invariably the girls humphed and tossed their heads to haughtily look away. The other girls who had been socially dissed by the trio all through elementary school took heart. They finally had someone with enough guts to stand up to the snobs.

Brittany, Chloe and Tiffany could see their position at the top of the social ladder was losing it's glamour. Not that they felt they were any less superior, but their audience, those who humbled themselves before their style and admired their class, had moved away from the social ladder they stood atop. Glamour and social status without envious admirers was hollow. They began making comments about how Krista wasn't even a real girl and that she and Tony were a gay couple. Those comments only served to drive hangers-on further away.

On Friday, September 21, the school held elections for student council during morning homeroom. Each homeroom was to elect one boy and one girl as their representatives. Krista and Tony were the only nominees and elected by an overwhelming majority of their classmates.

The election of Tony and Krista as class representatives to the student counsel really irked Brittany, Chloe, and Tiffany. Not that they wanted the menial positions, but that there were no other nominations so they couldn't even vote their displeasure. They realized Krista was now the most popular girl in their class. What made it far worse was that in their bigoted eyes she wasn't even a REAL girl! They felt they were being cheated from their rightful place atop the school food chain.

Dwayne and Phil were also bummed out about the election. Student counsel was part of the oppression the school exerted on non conformists and rebels. Tony had betrayed their red-neck good ole boy stick it to the establishment tradition.

They newly elected student council met during last period. Tony and Krista learned the council served as a two way communication with the administration. They were also responsible for school activities such as dances and spirit day and similar things that would involve the students in school life. Krista and Tony wound up on the dance committee. They tried to have a dance once a month with the first a simple back to school dance in the gymnasium on Friday September 28. Other than organizing a DJ and refreshments, a few balloons was all they used for decorations. The big dance would be the Halloween costume Dance on October 26.

Krista remembered how Kylie had said the Halloween party in gym was lame because it was so difficult to decorate. Larry had commented that the O'Brien barn would make an ideal location for a Halloween dance. While Krista kept her idea to herself, she would discuss the matter with her family.

As Pat drove Krista and Tony back to the farm after school, Krista explained her idea for using the barn as the site for the Halloween Dance. Tony liked the idea and Pat thought it might be a good idea if the school approved and if insurance issues didn't present a problem.

When they reached the farm, Krista and Tony headed to the barn to speak to Kylie. Kylie repeated her thoughts that the gym was a bad location for the Halloween Dance and that the barn would be an ideal spot.

After supper, Krista sat down with her parents and Gram to get their tentative approval. The only major concern raised was insurance liability.

*****

Kevin Stewart called Bill Dougherty and the Scotts on Friday afternoon to let them know the paperwork was ready and that they had an appointment set up for Monday morning at the courthouse to sign and register the title transfer. All were delighted.

*****

The Saturday September 22 football games went smoothly and Sandi cheered her heart out for DJ and Peter. Any lingering reluctance the boys had at having another girl in the family disappeared. Krista was able to dance with her cheerleading squad but still was not allowed to jump.

The Spades had docked in St. Michaels the night before. Once Pat had taken the kids to the football games, Robert and Sheila picked up Frank and Sarah. They drove out to Bill Dougherty who greeted them warmly. Bill climbed into the front seat as Sheila moved into the back seat of the Ford Escape. As they drove up and down the farm lanes, Bill pointed out everything of note. They stopped and stretched their legs at the site on Balls Creek where Bill wanted his new home. Everyone could see the spot was ideal for the purpose and many years before there had once been a home there.

In a bit they were down to the dock and landing at Johns Cove. Frank and Sarah were clearly impressed with the location and facilities already in place. It needed a bit of sprucing up, but other than that it looked ideal. Although the farmhouse was much larger than the Spade's needed, if they were able to provide a place for the Reeses, the space would not go unused.

The barn and fenced pastures are be ideal for several horses," Sarah enthused. "The different environs on this peninsula would make for interesting horse trails."

Everyone agreed with her assessment and another element was added to the plan. With that they headed out to Jane's farm to help prepare the picnic.

When Pat and the kids arrived home from the football games, preparations for the expanded family picnic were nearly complete. Rachel, Evelyn and Kylie Masters were there as well as the Nelsons and much to the twins and Krista's delight, the Spades. After hugs all around, the kids changed out of their uniforms. Then the feast was begun.

After everyone was filled, Robert called everyone together. "On Monday, Sheila and I are going to the courthouse with Bill to finalize a deal. By Monday night we'll be the owners of Bill's farm. We're going to build Bill a comfy cabin with a dock on Balls Creek as part of the deal."

That certainly got everyone's attention. Bill just nodded his head and chuckled.

"We'll move the entire family out here," Sheila picked up. "Laura, we know you've wanted to get a bed and breakfast going so you and David will take the big house and set one up. David, we want to make you foreman of the construction crew.”

David and Laura exchanged smiles. They would both be getting what they wanted.

“Larry, you and Kylie will get the main farm where Bill lives now,” Sheila continued. “Now since that house is pretty big, we figured Rachel, Evelyn, and Tony could move in with you."

Rachel and Evelyn were stunned by the offer to move them to the peninsula although both would love to be out there. "We can't allow you to just let us move out here like that," Evelyn protested.

"Now listen here," Robert scolded. "With Larry and Kylie engaged, you’re part of the family. We have jobs in mind for both of you so you’ll earn your keep. Evelyn, since Kylie has her repair business going in the barn she'll be close to work. Besides, you ran the shop office for Jim, you can do the same for Kylie and take on some of the book keeping from other areas which I’ll get to in a minute.”

Evelyn and Kylie smiled at the prospect.

“Now everyone knows I’m not a farmer but part of the purchase deal is that we keep the farm going,“ Robert declared. “Larry, you’re a good worker but your heart just isn't in the construction business. We know you like growing things, so we’d like to make you the chief farmer. Bill has agreed to serve as a paid consultant to help you out. Rachel, you grew up on a farm and while you may be a bit rusty, you know what it takes to make a go of it so we thought you might be interested in helping on the farm. We kind of think you won’t miss waitressing. Besides, Tony will be closer to Krista and we have other plans for him, if he’s willing. Tony, we’d like you to help Larry. You’ve got mechanical skills so you can help him keep the equipment running.”

“I sure wouldn’t mind living out here,” Tony perked up as he squeezed Krista’s hand as everyone chuckled and Krista blushed.

Rachel nodded her head in agreement that she would not miss waitressing. Larry and Tony were all smiles.

“That brings us to the Spades,” Sheila smiled. “We want to open the dock and landing on Steve’s Cove to the public. We could rent canoes and such to tourists and it would be another draw for the bed and breakfast. They would live there and run that portion of the enterprise. When we toured the area earlier today, Sarah suggested we get several horses as the barn and fenced paddocks are already in place. We can open horseback riding on the trails to the public.”

Everyone was enthused at the ideas.

“As we all know, Krista has a way of getting involved in all sorts of situations,” Robert added as Krista squirmed. “If her latest escapade pans out, the Spades will need the large house down there to give the Reese family a place to get themselves back together as a family.”

“Judge Watkins called me last night and said there would soon be some fur flying in the investigation about the Reese family,” Leroy announced. “All she told me was to be prepared to pitch in and help.” Leroy went on to explain the details of the Reese family mess as far as they knew it.

Everyone told the Spades they’d have help.

It was then that Krista spoke up. “What about the people who are living on the Dougherty farm now?”

“The big house Ah rent out ta tourists,” Bill explained. “It’s empty now ‘n while Ah got some reservation requests fer next year, it’s early enough ta cancel ‘em. The first place on Wells Point lane is vacant ‘n it should do jest fine fer Robert ‘n Sheila. The second place on Wells Point Lane has tenants wit a lease that require a t’ree month notice of vacating the premises. The main farm where Ah live will be open soon’s Ah get mah new place. The small house ‘tween the farm ‘n Johns Cove is vacant right now but Ah already signed it up fer lease ta the people who live in the large house by the docks. They were lookin for a smaller place so’s Ah talked in’a moving down the lane. That means the house by the dock will be open in a couple a days for the Spades.”

Everyone was glad no one had to be evicted.

*****

After church on Sunday, the extended family spent the day checking out the what was soon to be their farm.

As Bill had said, the first house on Wells Point Lane was a cozy three bedroom one and a half bath home with a detached two car garage. It needed some cosmetic touch-ups but was perfect for Robert and Sheila now that the last of their brood was almost ready to leave their nest. Larry would stay with them until Bill vacated the main farm.

The second house on Wells Point Lane was a three bedroom with one and a half baths on the north side of the Lane. The tenants took good care of the place so there were no worries there. A sizeable livestock shed sat half inside and half outside the large fenced in triangular field on the south side of Wells Point Lane. The eastern side of the field bordered Johns Cove Lane and the south west side by Dougherty Lane. Bill used it to house steers who grazed in the large field nearly all year round. Hay and feed were kept in the shed to feed them when it was snowy or just to miserable for them to go outside. South of the intersection of Wells Point and Dougherty Lanes was a large livestock barn and a small shed. There were four fenced in pastures radiating out from the rear of the barn, and three of them had fenced in pastures behind them. This was set a dairy farm but Bill hadn't really used it as such for ten years. With a bit of clean-up and sanitizing the milk house it could be operational in weeks.

At the other end of Dougherty Lane where it met Johns Cove Lane, a large storage Barn sat just north of the intersection on the eastern side of John's Cove lane in a stand of forest. It could be utilized for nearly any purpose.

Just west of the intersection of the lanes was a farm road angling south west. They decided to call it Bills Lane because where the lane reached Balls Creek was where Bill's cabin and dock would be built.

About three hundred feet south of the intersection the main farm complex straddled Johns Cove Lane. The large farmhouse was on the western side of the road. A large barn on the south, a medium sized dairy barn in the center, and a livestock shed with attached chicken house to the north formed a fifty feet wide by a hundred feet deep farmyard on the other side of the road. The chicken house was twenty feet wide and 60 feet long. Four fenced in pastures surrounded the barn complex. Here too the dairy barn would have to be cleaned and sanitized for use. Larry was excited about making the farm fully functional and Tony caught his enthusiasm. Rachel had no qualms about leaving her waitressing job and returning to farm life. Bill just smiled warmed by the exuberance of youth.

About two hundred fifty feet south of the main farm complex a single house sat on the east side of Johns Cove Lane. This three bedroom one and a half bath house was the one the tenants were moving into from the larger house just eighty feet further south.

At the southern end of Johns Cove Lane was another farm complex. The lane split into a Y at the very end. The house had five bedrooms and two and half baths was on the north side of the western Y. This was the one the Spades would occupy and if things went well also the Reese family. Behind the house the Y headed to Johns Cove by a large two story boathouse set up to store small boats, kayaks and canoes on the second floor while the first floor had service pits, boat lifts and boat hoists to make repairs. to boats up to fifty feet in length. Beyond the boathouse were outdoor storage racks for kayaks and canoes, a small roofed pavilion with storage shed. The Y ended at a boat ramp fifteen feet wide ran into Johns Cove and twenty feet south of that a pier five feet wide ran out sixty feet into the cove. On the southern side of the end of the pier a twenty feet wide by sixty feet long boat house/pavilion building sat atop pilings forty feet from shore. A large livestock barn sat across on the southern side of the eastern Y with seven large fenced in pastures. This is where Sarah had suggested locating the horse stables. The barn had two sheds on the side right where the road split into the Ys the road and a large shed behind it. There were two separate sheds on the north side of the Y from the big barn.

Heading back north on Johns Cove Lane past the barn in the forest by the intersection with Dougherty Lane the road continued through an intersection with Wells Point Lane to end at the big house. The big house, with ceilings ten feet high, was quite spacious. Built in the early 1920s by a wealthy family from Baltimore, it was their summer getaway from the heat and noise of the city. Bill bought it after the Korean War, the builders had died, their children had smaller places of their own and none of the grandchildren were interested in the huge house. Bill had upgraded the electric and plumbing and began renting it our for the summer. The place would be ideal for Laura and David. What had been the servants wing had six bedrooms, a large sitting area and one bath. The smallest bedroom could be remodeled to join another to form a master suite with it's own bath. The wing connected to the main house through the large kitchen. There was a spacious dining room in front of the kitchen. There was a grand staircase in the large entry foyer with a powder room on either side tucked beneath the stairs. A large sitting room was behind the foyer next to the kitchen. The rest of the first floor a spacious ball room. The ball room and dining room both opened to the grand twelve foot deep front veranda that stretched across the colonnaded front. The second floor consisted of four suites in front, a wide corridor running the full length of the building that opened to the grand staircase and six bedrooms with three baths in the rear. The suites were on the front, two on either side of the open entrance foyer, opening onto six feet deep balconies inside the colonnaded veranda. Each suite consisted of a large bedroom, sitting room, and bath. The rear of the second floor held spacious bedrooms without balconies. There was a shared bath between every pair of bedrooms. It would be an ideal set up for a bed and breakfast. The only major upgrade would be an efficient heating and cooling system. Scott and Sons General Contractors always recommended a geothermal heatpump if the site was suitable.

*****

On Monday the papers were signed and Robert and Sheila became the official owners of the farm. The paperwork was filed for the building and remodeling permits. With the reputation Scott and Sons General Contractors had, there should be no issues getting the permits by Friday.

*****

Also on Monday Tony and Krista sounded out the other members of the dance committee about the idea of holding the Halloween Dance in the Barn. By the end of the day the dance committee was sitting in the principle's office as they enthusiastically explained their hopes for the Halloween dance and showed him the signed provisional permission slip from Jane to allow the barn to be used as well as numerous photos of the barn and environs. The principle was surprised by the effort Krista and Tony had invested in the idea. Silently acknowledging the iron will of Krista when she had a good idea, Dr. Harris agreed to see what could be done from the school's end to approve the project.

*****

Amanda Frost reviewed the files of the court proceedings concerning Heather Resse's trial. The case had been severely botched. She ordered a member of her staff to hand deliver the files of the trial to Judge Watkins with a note urging her to review the records with the Kevin Stewart who had agreed to take over as Heather's new defense lawyer. When he was ready, Kevin was to call Amanda and together they would set up a meeting with the president Judge, the judge who had presided over the trial, and the county DA at the Cecil County Courthouse.

*****

The shit hit the fan on Tuesday. The search initiated by Amanda Frost revealed a multitude of fraud issues involving over-billing the state Medicaid program, keeping discharged patients listed as still in their care, and transferring patients from a higher reimbursement location to a less expensive site while still listing the patient as remaining in the costlier location which is what they assumed occurred with Jasmine Reese. The Maryland State Attorney General's office obtained a general search warrant to access the files of Apple Tree Quality Healthcare Systems. The company operated a statewide network of skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health care agencies. To prevent further deceit, they coordinated simultaneous strikes at each of the eleven company residential locations, the five homecare and hospice offices plus their corporate headquarters. Each strike force included a representative from the State Department of Human Resources which handles Medicaid fraud and human abuse, A state trooper, a deputy sheriff, and an assistant from the Attorney General's Office. The larger facilities had more than one person from the Department of Human Resources At 9:30am they swept into every location. Nearly all the managers went into panic mode when served with the warrants.

In the facilities, the patient lists were compared to the reimbursal lists. Discrepancies occurred at every site. Patients who had been discharged were still on the reimbursal lists. Many patients who were listed on the state records as being at a rehab center were found in less costly facilities. None of the centers found Jasmine Reese listed on their in house rosters. It turned out she was one of twenty four unaccounted for patients who were comatose or so mentally deficient they were like helpless newborns yet were listed as being in expensive rehab centers in the state reimbursal lists. The fraud and deceit was company wide, not one facility had their in house patient roster match the billing. Extra investigators were called in from all those involved. Deputy sheriffs were detailed to stay on site 24/7 until the site investigation was completed.

It was late afternoon when the investigators in the main office discovered an unlicenced facility that housed the twenty four missing patients. State police were dispatched to lock down the site until investigators could get there. It had been a privately owned facility Apple Tree had purchased five years before. The patients were moved to other company owned facilities and the place shut down with the staff being transferred or terminated. After letting it sit vacant for a year and letting the license lapse, they cleaned the inside. They left the battered and worn old sign in place out at the entrance. As the place was located out of site of the public road, no one knew they were reopening it. One by one the company began moving comatose or mentally deficient patients from the more expensive rehab centers. Jasmine Reese was one of those relocated to the clandestine but clean care center.

All twenty four patients in the facility were alive but emaciated, many like Jasmine were curled into a foetal position. The staff changed the diapers three times a day and rolled the patients from side to side every two hours. An LPN on each shift took care of the metering the patients' IV nutrient and liquid needs. Other than changing diapers, there was no attempt to keep the patients physically fit. Except for the manager and the company doctor who stopped in one day a week, none of the staff was aware they were working in an illegal operation. All expenses including wages were hidden within the budgets for the rehab centers.

The owners, managers, and staff who had perpetrated the fraud were arrested and the entire business seized. Most made bail. The owners promptly fled the country to tap their multi-million dollar foreign bank accounts. The state placed new managers in every facility and began the process of trying to find another company to take over the business. The unlicenced facility was to be closed as soon as possible with the patients being transferred to acute rehab centers around the state. The Requard Center for Acute Rehabilitation on the fifth floor of The Memorial Hospital at 219 S. Washington Street in Easton was part of The Shore Health System, which in turn is a part of the University of Maryland Health System. Since the entire investigation started out of the search for Jasmine Reese, Amanda Frost pulled a few strings to have her placed there by the next day.

The coordinated raid made the local and state news that night but all that was released stated that serious discrepancies in the record keeping and billing procedures of the Apple Tree Quality Healthcare System were being investigated and that to the best of the investigator's knowledge the clients were not in any danger.

*****

The Spades began to move into their new home. They didn’t have much as they’d been living on their boat for the last two years. At least with the pier on Johns Cove they were docked right next door to the house. At lunch they visited the Goodwill Store in Easton to select furniture.
Earlier, Robert had told them he’d have his guys pick up the furniture and deliver it to the house first thing Thursday morning. After selecting furniture, they went car shopping. They settled on a low mileage 2005 Ford Expedition nearly identical to the one Pat drove.

*****

For the last class period of school on Wednesday Dr. Harris called a special meeting of the student council to discuss the possibility of having the Halloween dance at the O'Brien barn. The school board had given tentative approval dependant on liability insurance. The school insurance agent and Jane O'Brien's insurance agent were there and had made preliminary arrangements for a one-time liability insurance contract to cover the school and Jane. The cost of the one day policy would be five hundred dollars. It was up to the student council to raise the money and they had two weeks to get cash together. While excited about the having the dance at the barn, they had no idea how they could raise the money. It was mainly Krista’s upbeat attitude that they would find a way to raise the money that kept their hopes high.

After school let out, Leroy was waiting for Krista and Tony. Instead of going home with Pat, he'd be taking them to Easton to meet up with Frank and Sarah Spade to visit Jasmine who had been transferred to the rehab facility at lunch time. The three were anxious as they drove, and even more so when they met the Spades in the lobby. In a few moments they were identifying themselves at the reception area of the Requard Rehab Center. Aware they were coming the receptionist led them to a conference room where Dr. Grace Olsen, the staff neurological physiatrist who was handling Jasmine's case, and Kevin Stewart met them.

"I'll be perfectly blunt," Dr. Olsen began. "I've skimmed the records that came in with Jasmine and I've had a chance to examine her. She's in poor shape. Her muscles have been allowed to atrophy and she is undernourished. Without this intervention I doubt she'd have lasted another three months. As it is, we can't guarantee she'll recover. I've already had our physical therapists begin remedial exercises to stretch her muscles and to get her joints flexible and we're in the process of reconfiguring her nutritional supplements to encourage growth. I've already told Mr. Stewart I'll go on record as saying her care was substandard and any doctor who has been signing her records is guilty of willful misconduct. He's also explained your interest in Jasmine."

Frank, Sarah and Krista were clearly upset.

"The good news is her eyes are responsive," Dr. Olsen continued. "That shows her brain is at least partially functional. Her records indicated no physical trauma or head injury so apparently the anxiety of the forceful separation of her family and the psychological damage done by her subsequent rape left her mentally unable to cope. As far as we can tell she mentally pulled inside her mind in an effort to retreat from anything that might hurt her. If there had been adequate treatment and outside support to provide reassurance and stimulation she might have had a chance to emerge from the mental cocoon she created. Unfortunately it's been two and a half years and at this point she might not be able to emerge. I'm hoping you'll be willing to spend time with her every day simply talking to her, even reading to her. If there's any spark of will left in her, the stimulation may fan it enough to bring her out of her self-imposed mental prison. We'll take care of her physically, but you'll have to reactive her brain by simply spending time with her."

"We will do our best," Frank declared as he squeezed Sarah's hand.

"We'll help too," Krista added with determination. "Do you think it would help to get her sisters to come talk to her?"

"Any family would be great," Dr. Olsen nodded.

"The sisters are in separate foster homes right now," Kevin Stewart stated. "If you give me a letter requesting her sisters be available as often as possible to assist in their big sister’s recovery, I think I can get them transferred from Cecil County custody to Talbot County custody. I know Judge Watkins will sign the order, we'll just have to get a judge in Cecil County to sign off too."

"We'll accept temporary custody of the girls if that helps," Sarah declared.

"Your offer will help but I don't think it's a good idea," Kevin said. "You'll need to spend a lot of time with Jasmine and that would preclude you from taking the girls. We'll definitely look for a home where the girls can be together."

"Dad, we can take them," Krista looked at her father. "We've already proved we can take care of Sandi, Ivy and Holly would fit right in with us."

"I'd like to do it," Leroy said. "But we already have six kids in the family."

"Leroy, if you and Pat agree to take the girls, I know Judge Watkins will approve," Kevin said. "She knows your family and the Spades will be available with any help you might need. Besides, if we can present the judge in Cecil County with the fact we already have an approved family willing and able to take both girls in, it'll cut a lot of red tape."

"We'll take them," Leroy stated. "Pat and I have been discussing the possibility since we learned of the situation. Kevin, do you think you could use this to get the mother released pending a new trial?"

"We'll sponsor her if you can," Frank spoke up.

"I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to meet the supervising judge, the judge that presided over the case and the prosecuting DA," Kevin smiled. "Judge Watkins already sent her opinion on the case and I'll have the assistant State Attorney General who blew open the Apple Tree scandal. She sent me the trial transcripts and records. I'll hit them with the custody transfer of the girls right away. Since this whole mess went down in Cecil county, I think they'll be willing to deal."

"I'm glad to see this girl finally has some support," Dr. Olsen said. "Now, I'll take you to see her. If you feel like crying, either do so quietly or leave. We don't want any negative stimulation. Once you recover, you can come back into the room."

In a few moments they were looking through a glass window into the room. Jasmine seemed impossibly skinny. Every bone in her body was visible. Her blue veins were clearly visible through her pale flesh. She looked like she'd been rescued from a Nazi concentration camp. Every one cried to see the pitiful girl.

"My God," Sarah gasped. "It looks like they shaved her head!"

"They did," Dr. Olsen confirmed. "It was easier to keep her clean."

After taking a few moments to collect themselves, they entered. As they crowded around the bed, they gently touched Jasmine and told her they were friends who were going to help her get better and to bring her family back together. They told her she was no longer alone and safe.

It was a very somber group who left. Sarah stayed by Jasmine's bed to talk to her while Frank would return with super for Sarah and himself. They began a vigil of hope.

Leroy stopped at his parents home to let them know what they faced. They told Rachel when they dropped off Tony. Once they arrived home, Krista told her family what she saw. Even Sandi volunteered to help the hurt girl.

*****