The sound of the tent flap being opened drew everyone’s attention to the tent. A gasp escaped every mouth as Krista walked out. A serene smile filled her bludgeoned purple face as her eyes seemed to be gazing off into the sky. Her bloody tank top and shorts added further evidence to the horrific blow she’d taken. Drs. Olsen’s and Sykes’ mouths dropped as they witnessed the medical impossibility.

No one muttered a word as Krista sauntered toward her family cemetery. The clan quietly parted like the Red Sea as she tranquilly and unseeingly moved through them.

Jaz rose with Jenny by her side and joined her BFF. “Krista, what do you see?”

“My mom and Susan, our clan guardian angels,” Krista answered almost dreamily as she continued smiling off into the distance. “They said I did a good job saving the little ones and God is letting them heal me.”

While Krista spoke softly her words were firm and clear enough for all to hear. Many glances of disbelief were exchanged.

Jenny shivered “Di... Did you see God?”

“I saw his love,” Krista answered. “It’s so beautiful! Death is nothing we need to fear. God’s arms are ready to grasp our soul!” By then she stepped through the gate into the tree shaded cemetery and stopped before the angel headstone marking the final resting place of Carol O’Brien’s no longer needed earthly body. As Krista stood blissfully looking at the stone angel the rest of the clan silently moved so they could see Krista without the carved stone hiding her from view. A bright sunbeam darted through the dappled branches lancing between the rounded tips of the stone angel’s wings to brightly illuminate Krista’s dented and battered purple face.

Everyone caught their breath as the sunbeam illuminating Krista’s face began to cause her face to glow brighter and brighter until they could no longer bear to look at her visage. Several seconds later the sunbeam faded as did the brilliant glow radiating from Krista’s face. Nearly everyone gasped as they were able to once more see Krista’s face. The massive bruising and dent on Krista’s face was gone!

Leroy, Jane, Pat, Lyndi, Teri, Sandi, LJ and Peter rushed to Krista and engulfed her in a hug. Krista then hugged Jaz and Jenny. As Krista stepped from the cemetery the rest of the clan swarmed her. They had all seen the miraculous healing of her bruised face. All were awed with many ready to worship the resurrected and healed girl. Any lingering or hidden doubts they had about being part of the clan vanished.

The warbling of sirens approached. In moments the ambulance and paramedics from Tilgham Fire Department emerged from the forest that separated Wells Point from the rest of the Peninsula. Leroy waved them to the first aid tent. Krista knew she had to get checked out so joined her father and the doctors at the paramedic van. She also heard the whispers of several people saying she was Divine.

The paramedics could see the clear evidence on Krista’s clothes that she had been heavily bleeding but there was no evidence of an injury. Normally they would have been leery of a claim of miraculous healing but they were well aware of the clan and Krista.

Krista exited the tent graciously thanking the paramedics. After they left she mounted the back of a pickup so all could see her. “Please, listen to what I have to say. I am a child of God... just as each of you are children of God. I am NOT Divine! I’m simply myself, a soon to be fifteen year old girl. Granted, I was dead, but in today’s world there are thousands of people who died but came back to life. The clan’s guardian angels kept my soul in my body until my metabolism rejuvenated my life force. I was healed because I’m not done using my God-given gifts to help others. Before you ask I have no idea how or what God wants me to do other than what I’ve already been doing. So far I just seem to know when I have to take an action. I keep my heart and mind open and so far I’ve been able to respond when a need presented itself just as I did today. In November when I crawled into a burning wrecked car to save the Johnson family I shrugged off just how close I came to dying by joking that I was like a cat and I’d just spent the third of my nine lives. Today I know I spent the fourth life. That only leaves me with five more.”

Chuckles swept through the clan.

“I’m not afraid of dying,” Krista smiled. “Also remember we do not die. When we finish our earthly life we graduate to live with God. He calls us home where we meet friends and family who graduated before us and when they graduate we greet those we left behind. I know where I’ll be going. It’s where every member of the clan will go. Please understand that when I spend the last of my nine lives, know I did so willingly and with no regrets. Now... let’s get back to our picnic!”

The picnic resumed as Leroy drove Krista and Jaz home to change out of their bloodied clothes. By the time they returned the party was once more in full swing... except for the softball. It had been decided a safety net needed to be procured before the next game.

As Krista, hand in hand with Tony and flanked by Jaz and Jimmy on one side and Jenny and Sam on the other walked amongst the clan people greeted her with smiles and hugs. Phil and Dwayne followed on their heels as the teen couples meandered through the clan. Many hugged Krista.

Krista stopped short as she approached Steven and Cynthia Campbell. The smile on her face turned into a frown. All who noticed the change grew concerned.

“Krista,” Steven began. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” Krista replied as she tilted her head to obtain a different perspective to look at him. “Could you please turn in a circle?”

Not sure what was going on he did so. Upon seeing her frown had deepened he asked, “Something is wrong, isn’t it?

By now more people were watching.

“While I was being healed our Guardian Angels told me I was being given a gift,” Krista spoke softly. “But they didn’t say what kind of gift. Maybe this is it. Mr Campbell, are you positive you’re feeling okay? I see a black... I don’t know how to describe it... a swirling boiling sort of smoke, like a writhing nest of snakes... yet not... I guess the best word would be a miasma. It seems to be coming from your heart.”

Dr Sykes looked at Steven. “Have you had any tightness or pain in your chest, back, neck, or arms?”

Steven shook his head.

“Any pain radiating down your arms?”

Another head shake.

“Dizziness?” Another head shake.

“Fatigue?” Another head shake.

“Lightheadedness?” Another head shake.

“Clammy skin?” Another head shake.

“Cold sweat?” Another head shake.

“Sweating?” Another head shake.

“Abnormal heartbeat?” Yet another head shake.

“Anxiety?” Another head shake.

“Shortness of breath?” Another head shake.

Before Dr. Sykes could speak Cynthia spoke up. “Steven, you were short of breath after playing with Benny and George the other night.”

“That’s just old age and not enough exercise,” Steven grumbled.

“No it’s not,” Krista spoke up. “There is something wrong with your heart. Dr. Sykes, please admit him to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning. You don’t have the time to wait longer.”

“But I feel all right,” Steven complained.

“Steven!” Cynthia scolded.

“Mr Campbell, the clan needs you,” Krista urged. “Please don’t let us down.”

“Okay, I’ll do it,” Steven reluctantly demurred knowing Cynthia would have no rest until he had been checked out.

The picnic continued with only slightly diminished enthusiasm and a powerful sense of belonging to the Clan Wells Point.

The next morning at 8am Dr. Sykes admitted Steven to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. The EKG showed a few irregularities but nothing really out of the ordinary for a fifty seven year old man. The electrocardiogram tests showed similar results. The stress test showed questionable results but raised no serious red flags. Steven was ready to leave but Dr. Sykes asked that he undergo a heart catheterization just to make sure. Grumbling he agreed.

Word spread through the clan like wildfire. The catheterization revealed four severely blocked vessels in Steven’s heart. An emergency heart bypass was performed starting at 2pm. When he went to Cardiac ICU recovery, the surgeon revealed that after they cracked open his breast bone and spread is ribs to access his still strongly beating heart they found two other blocked vessels. He’d underwent a sextuple bypass. The surgeon also stated that he’d been a walking time bomb and didn’t understand how he’d avoided having a heart attack... which would most likely have been fatal. Considering the lack of symptoms and the ambiguous test results, the surgeon wanted to know why Dr. Sykes had insisted on having the tests done in the first place and why she’d insisted upon performing the catheterization.

Dr. Sykes shook her head. “You’re familiar with Krista Scott?”

“From your clan? Yes, I’m familiar with her,” the surgeon said. “She’s a most remarkable girl.”

“Yesterday we were having a picnic and she was hit right between the eyes with a soft ball. She leapt in front of it to keep it from hitting a group of infants,” Dr. Sykes said. “It crushed the bridge of her nose and orbital. She stayed conscious long enough to make sure the kids were okay, then she passed, went into a TBI seizure, and her heart stopped. Dr. Olsen and I tried to resuscitate her but it was no use. She was gone, clinically dead. We covered her with a blanket and left her body in the first aid tent.”

“Oh my God,” the surgeon gasped. “I’m sorry, I hadn’t heard anything.”

“That’s because she’s Krista,” Dr Sykes smiled. “She walked out of the tent. Most of her face was purple and the dent was clearly visible on her face. “We watched as she walked into her family cemetery and stood before her mother’s grave. A sunbeam hit her face and she glowed so brightly we couldn’t bear to look at her. When the glow faded she was cured... completely healed without the slightest sign of trauma. The only sign that she’d been severely injured was her blood soaked clothes.”

“My God,” the surgeon looked askance.

“She said the clan’s Guardian Angels, one of whom is her birth mother, kept her soul in her body and that God didn’t want her yet,” Dr. Sykes’ explained. “If I hadn’t seen it I would have difficulty believing it. She WAS dead! Her nasal bone and supraorbital foramen bones had been broken and caved in. Then she came back to life and I and the entire clan SAW her totally healed by a sunbeam! She said she’d been given a gift but didn’t know what it was. A bit later she saw Steven and told us she could see a miasma coming from his heart and that we had to get him admitted to today. I had no choice but to push for the catheterization.”

“I can understand why,” the surgeon agreed. “As bad as his blockages were, if he’d suffered a heart attack I doubt he’d have survived. Since he didn’t have a heart attack his recovery should be quicker than normal.”

Krista was a bit spooked to learn how accurate her prognostication had been but knew she’d been given the gift to save Steven. What remained to be seen was if her gift was a one time thing.

On June 16 the clan grew to one hundred sixty eight members with the birth of Skye Landis, their second child. Elaine and Justin were delighted. The transgender M2F and F2M couple had held off completing their gender confirmation surgeries until after the birth of their second child. Now they could proceed.

Since he was in decent shape for his age and since he hadn’t had a heart attack, Steven was allowed to return home on Saturday. The clan set up an on call nurse from amongst the members. Steven wasn’t one to just sit around relaxing so while his movement was restricted he was able to exercise his mind via computer.

Now that he was forced into being sedentary, several things became evident. First was the clan needed more jobs and businesses for the current members as well as for any new members. The second was to clarify the jobs status the of the clan’s youth to make sure what they were doing was within the law.

Maryland law about the employment of minors required minors obtain a working permit for each employer. In most cases kids thirteen and under could not get permits. For ages fourteen and fifteen the hour limits were four hours on any day when school is in session and eight hours on any day when school is not in session. There was also a limit of twenty three hours in any week when school is in session for five days and forty hours in any week when school is not in session. They may only work between the hours of 7:00am and 8:00pm (9:00pm from Memorial Day until Labor Day). The hours worked by a minor enrolled in a bona fide work-study or student-learner program when school is normally in session may not be counted towards the permissible hours of work.
Minors between the ages of sixteen and seventeen may spend no more than 12 hours in a combination of school hours and work hours each day and must be allowed at least eight consecutive hours of non-work, non-school time in each twenty four hour period.

Exceptions to hours and occupations may be granted by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. Applications for exceptions should be addressed to the Commissioner giving explicit details. Activities not considered employment if performed outside of the prescribed school day and the activity does not involve mining, manufacturing or hazardous occupations. The activities include: Farm work performed on a farm. Domestic work performed in or about a home. Work performed in a business owned or operated by a parent or one standing in the place of a parent. Work performed by non-paid volunteers in a charitable or non-profit organization, employed with the written consent of a parent or one standing in the place of a parent. Caddying on a golf course. Employment as an instructor on an instructional sailboat. Manufacturing of evergreen wreaths in or about a home. Delivery of newspapers to the consumer. Work performed as a counselor, assistant counselor, or instructor in a youth camp certified under the Maryland Youth Camp Act. Hazardous work performed by non-paid volunteers of a volunteer fire department or company or volunteer rescue squad who have completed or are taking a course of study relating to firefighting or rescue and who are sixteen years of age or older.

It was clan policy that kids of twelve who completed the sixth grade took jobs in a clan business. The fourteen year old and older teens working wasn’t an issue. But having the twelve and thirteen year olds working on the surface violated state law. However, there were several reasons why the clan practice didn’t violate the law. Kevin Stewart, the clan lawyer during the legal formation of the clan included documentation that the clan was in effect an extended family. The clan was set up so that the parent was the primary guardian. The board of directors served as surrogates for parents as secondary guardians. The head manager of each clan business that employed youth were assigned tertiary guardianship. All businesses were set up with the clan as owner with the board of directors as head. What this boiled down to was that the entire Clan Wells Point was considered to be a family so all the businesses were family businesses.

On top of that most jobs for the twelve and thirteen year olds were titular. The main purpose was to instill a sense of responsibility by introducing them to the reality and responsibility of the adult world. They were expected to go to their ‘job’ after school for four days plus Saturday. Their primary responsibility was simply to be there. If they had homework, they were to do it. They fetched drinks, swept floors, emptied trash and other minor tasks. If they had an activity at school, church or similar group they were allowed time off, but that aspect applied to all ages.

*****

The first week of May the CWP Contracting & Construction storage barn on the end of Wells Point was emptied and the contents moved to the CWP Excavation and Concrete compound in St. Michaels. Once empty the two story storage barn was converted into eight - three bedroom one and one half bath condominiums finishing the last week of June.

Throughout May and June the clan was approached by several neighbors who were in financial trouble. There were two homes with docks on the north and west sides of Cherry Cove. Both were summer homes of the retired owners. Both sets of owners had lost over half of their retirement portfolio and could no longer afford the vacation homes. The clan made very lowball offers with a sweetheart incentive. The owner would receive a two week free stay at CWP Grandview B&B every year for life and their children would receive a one week free stay for ten years. They accepted.

There were over a dozen properties in St. Michaels that were also on the market. The clan was interested in the three adjacent to their holdings on the block formed by Talbot, Canton and Fremont Streets. The first was a clothing store with three apartments above. The business had been barely hanging on when the economy was good. Now the frustrated owner wanted to sell and retire. Next was a long narrow two story building that housed a books and games store with four apartments on the second floor. The parking lot behind the already clan owned buildings could be extended to cover their back yards. The last building housed an old fashioned country store that needed new life breathed into it with a second floor apartment.

While evaluating these stores, Mary Willis approached the clan. Mary owned the Charisma Clothing Boutique, a favorite with the clan women. While her store was successful, the down turned economy cut severely into her profit margin. The owner of the building housing her store was also hurt by the poor economy and raised her rent. The rise in rent was enough that once the summer tourist season was over Mary’s profit margin would turn from black to red.

The result was the clan bought all three properties and businesses. Mary Willis and her daughter Melinda, who had just graduated high school with Jamie, Freddie, Barney and Ken joined the Clan Wells Point bringing the Charisma Clothing Boutique under the clan’s umbrella. Tuesdays were the slowest business day so the clan mobilized and transferred the entire inventory from the rented shop to the clan owned clothing store blending the stock of the closing store into that being moved in. The clan teens acted like a human conveyor belt to carry the clothes and displays across and one block south on Talbot Street to the new location. CWP Charisma Clothing Boutique opened the next day. Since Mary and Melinda had lived in an apartment above the store the clan also assisted the women to move into a two bedroom apartment above the store. The Clan Wells Point was now one hundred seventy members strong.

St. Michaels Country Store was renamed CWP Country Store. The books and game store became CWP Books & Games. The former owners agreed to stay on through Labor Day to train new staff.
The clan also purchased the two businesses located in the buildings they already owned. The Christmas Shop became the CWP Christmas Shop and the gifts and candies store became CWP Gifts and Candies. The former owners also agreed to stay on through labor day.

Twenty five years ago the Jablonski’s had purchased an independent farm located west of the Bozman-Neavitt Road north of Wells Point Lane. To finance the farmland purchase the northernmost field was divided into twenty three building lots. Over the ensuing years when things got tight thirteen additional parcels that were not prime farm land were sold off for housing including the farm’s buildings. Bay Hundred Real Estate was handling the sales of six of those properties but with the economy in such poor shape they had few showings and hadn’t had any offers. There were also three properties adjacent to the Jablonski farm that Theo’s father had sold before Theo took over. Those were located between the farm, Turkey Neck Point and Harris creek to the west. The three homes, from south to north, were the three most luxurious and expensive properties on the Bozman-Neavitt peninsula. Bay Hundred Real Estate was the primary seller for them and had not even had anyone interested in seeing the million plus dollar homes. The economy was so bad the Bay Hundred Real Estate itself was up for sale.

The clan conducted all their banking business with the Talbot Bank of Easton, usually at the St. Michael’s office. It’s where they cut the deal to bring Walters Excavation and Concrete into the clan. Although Steven was physically limited, his business acumen was not diminished. With the clan directors he sat down with the head of the bank’s business loan department. Like every other business the bank was feeling the effects of the economic downturn. The cost of this latest spate of purchases and desired purchases would exceed the cash reserves of the clan. However, the opportunity to buy the properties at a low price was too good to pass up. For the first time the clan wanted to take out a business loan. There was no question about the clan having the property to back the loan. The bank approved the loan at the low bank rates. Several of the owners asked to finish the summer before vacating. The clan agreed with a slight reduction in the selling price to compensate rent. By June 30 the purchases were completed.

The clan did a quick remodel to the Christmas Shop carving out a fifteen feet by fifteen feet area in the front window on the side by Canton Street. That area became the site of CWP Bay Hundred Real Estate.

*****

Bill Dougherty’s twenty five person family arrived Thursday evening July 2 for their three day holiday weekend stay. They newly constructed condominiums had been furnished ready for occupation and that’s where they were staying. His family consisted of two sons, two daughter-in-laws, five grandchildren, five grandchildren-in-law, and eleven great grandchildren. Bill’s oldest son and his wife had two married children with two children each. The younger son and his wife had three married children. The oldest had three children and the other two had two each.

The grandchildren, their spouses and all the great grandchildren had only been to the farm for the funeral when their grandmother died almost five years before. At the time they really hadn’t seen the place. Now they were here to scope the place out as a possible future home.

The grandchildren and their families had driven in individually while the two brothers and their spouses came in one vehicle. They had between a three to five hour drive and they left after work and stopped for supper on the way. Bill with Krista and Tony greeted them as they arrived and showed each to the condo they’d be occupying.

Friday morning the clan gathered in the clan barn for breakfast and a meet and greet. The grandchildren and great grandchildren were awed not only by the size of the clan but also their friendliness. After they finished eating Krista, Tony, Jaz and Kylie pulled the DUKW from it’s garage. The grandchildren and great grandchildren eagerly climbed aboard. That Krista was the driver amazed everyone. Jaz spoke to the girls and Tony to the boys and Kylie to the adults as they drove about the clan lands. They were quite impressed with the clan’s dedication to operating as green as possible. The manure digester and vertical windmills were prime examples of the clan’s green initiatives. After touring the land areas, Krista drove the DUKW down the public ramp at the far end of Neavitt, then cruised around Broad Creek before heading up the boat launch at the CWP Landing. They enjoyed a picnic lunch then moved to the adjacent CWP Horse Rescue. The kids were delighted at the opportunity to go horseback riding. That evening they enjoyed a full meal in the clan barn.

Saturday morning, the fourth, the crew from CWP Excavation & Concrete trundled the old tug boat down a set of tracks into the waters of San Domingo Creek. Once in the water they fired up the engine. Although it had been two years since the small boat had been in the water it had been properly stored and maintained. Then they launched a pair of thirty two feet by fourteen feet construction barges. The sturdy tug gathered the barges and began pushing them out into broad creek. The tug and barges were used for building docks, boat lifts and also stabilizing the shoreline. The tug set off to make the hours long voyage around the Bay Hundred Peninsula to just off Fairview Point in the Miles River.

Later seventy five clan and guests boarded the DUKW, the Teacher’s Peace, The Coconut Island and Teens Ahoy to make the trek around the Bay Hundred Peninsula to join the slower moving barges. The Teacher’s Peace and Teens Ahoy tied up to the barges and dropped anchors to stabilize the conglomerate vessels. The DUKW and Coconut Island unloaded their passengers then cruised down to the public landing and dock at Newcomb southeast of St. Michaels to pick up clan members who had car pooled to be picked up. The slower DUKW made one trip and the Coconut Island made three trips. The one hundred ninety five people on the clan’s collection of barges and boats enjoyed a grilling hotdogs and hamburgers, swimming, and just enjoying the wide smooth waters of the Miles River. As darkness fell, the lights in St. Michaels and on docks and boats in the area made for a jovial atmosphere.

Once might completely fell everyone lined up along the shore and in over a hundred boats on the Miles River. Then an orange/white streak burst from the dark point of land about twenty five hundred feet north of the cove housing the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The bright streak faded to nothing as it soared skyward followed a few seconds later by the thunderous BOOM of the mortar. Then a multi hued starburst appeared high in the sky above and yet reflected by the quiet waters like a fiery bloom amongst the stars. As the brilliant streaks dropped and faded half a dozen delay fused flash-bangs detonated. The multiple BOOMS echoing back and forth over the water.

Then the cannonade began. The mortars sending streaks into the sky as fireworks burst above, searing their brilliant light and vivacious color onto the mesmerized watcher’s retinas. Each one drawing an fantastical flower pattern into the sky. Every new streak a curve of sorts, brilliant lines with a living feel, organic in the way they grow. Fireworks explode above, vivid colors igniting the otherwise black sky. The brilliant soaring vermillion, golden and acid green flares of igniting minerals crafted to resemble flowers bursting at high speed. In between explosions the awed "ooh"s and "ahhh"s were heard throughout the crowd. The younger kids amongst the clan enjoy the thrill of shuddering at the sudden bangs as the adults smiled at the startled gasps of the children.

The phenomenal show ended twenty minutes after it started with a tremendous barrage of Booms and starry chrysanthemums. When the show ended the sudden silence was brief. Enthusiastic applause rippled amongst the onlookers as boats blew their horns. A few moments later the boats headed for their docks and the crowd on shore for their cars. The Coconut Island began the three trips to ferry the clan and guests back to the dock as the DUKW made one trip. The DUKW, Teacher’s Peace, and Teens Ahoy began the trip around the Bay Hundred Peninsula. By the time the Coconut Island returned from the third drop off run to pick up the last people for it’s return trip. The barges were well anchored and secured. They’d return the next day to haul them back to CWP Excavating and Concrete. The tug accompanied the Coconut Isle back to CWP Landing where all would anchor for the night.

By Sunday noon the barges and tug were back on land on their rails. The clan and guests gathered on Wells Point for another all day picnic. The safety net for softball was up and functioning. The Dougherty family thoroughly enjoyed the comradery and open acceptance. At one point the clan directors gathered them under a large canopy erected over six wooden picnic tables.

“I’d like to invite you to join the Clan Wells Point,” Robert addressed them. “You’ve all met my feisty granddaughter Krista.”

The Dougherty family smiled and nodded.

“This clan was created around her,” he continued. “What you see us doing, living together in harmony, helping others, is because of Krista. She has motivated us and given us a heart. If she see’s someone in dire need she does what she can to help them. You’ve met the Johnson family. They were involved in a catastrophic car crash right in front of us, trapped inside of their burning car. Krista ran to the wreck, crawled inside, removed the car seats and handed the children out to Jenny and Jamie. Ed and I were able to force the passenger door and we pulled Kelly out and carried her free. Ben was trapped by his arm and the flames were getting worse. Krista is the one who amputated his arm. It was the only way to free him.”

The looks of astonishment were clearly evident.

“Yes, she had the fortitude to cut off a man’s arm,” Robert affirmed. “Once he was freed I dragged him out with Krista making sure the tourniquet she’d placed on his stump wasn’t torn off. My hat was on fire, Krista’s hair, face and hands were burned and her jacket was on fire. The interior of the car was fully engulfed seconds after she got out. Krista is a force to be reckoned with.”

Jane explained the two Guardian Angels who looked over the clan telling how they had aided the clan. “I know much of what we’ve said seems impossible. On June 14 we had a picnic much like this one. An incident occurred involving Krista. The safety net we’ve erected is a direct result of that incident. A foul ball was hit heading directly for the toddlers. What happened was recorded.”

A projection scree had been set up. The recording began with the toddlers playing. The CRACK of the bat, the warning yells, and Krista’s leap saving the toddlers followed catching the catastrophic injury to Krista in all it’s gory. When Leroy was carrying her lifeless body to the first aid tent he’d traveled past the cameraperson capturing closeup the bloody smashed in face. Another person videoed the kneeling distraught mourning of the clan as Pastor Giles offered a heartfelt prayer. It also captured the moment the tent flap opened with Krista serenely exiting. The blood had been wiped away during triage but the ugly purple dent in her face was plainly visible. The absolute silence and awe of the gathered clan was captured as was the sunbeam piercing through the tree canopy to illuminate Krista’s crushed visage as she stood in front of her mother’s tombstone. As the intensity of the light on her face grew the recording ‘whited’ out for a few seconds. When the light faded the image revealed Krista healed. Her short speech had been captured.

They Dougherty family was clearly stunned. Specially when Krista stepped forward.

“I’m nothing special. I’ll admit at times I get a bit over zealous. I know what it’s like to live on the edge. I’ve been homeless and responsible for the safety of my younger sisters. I simply do what should be done. One of the phrases I hate is people who say somebody should do this or somebody should do that. Each of us are a somebody. If something needs to be done, simply do it! That’s what the Clan Wells Point is all about.”

“The last thing you need to know, in case you haven’t already learned, is that the clan is LGBTQ friendly,” Krista said. “We have nine male to female transsexuals, three female to male transsexuals, and six gay members. My aunt Kylie is a post op transsexual and adopted mother of two. Justin and Elaine are a pre-op transsexual couple who just had their second child. I’m one of the male to female transsexuals. To join the clan you’ll need to accept us. We’re willing to discuss or explain why we are LGBTQ. Finally, I hope to be able to welcome you to the clan.” With that Krista waited to see if anyone had questions, then left.

There was a lot of discussion, James, John, Darlene and Irene informed their kids and grandkids they’d learned of the LGBTQ aspect of the clan on their visit but had purposely kept it quiet.

“I’ll be the first to admit I always thought being LGBT was a choice,” James began. “We also had preconceived notions about them. I’ll freely admit that after meeting Krista and the other LGBT members of the clam our ideas and impressions were dead wrong. We fully accept that being LGBT is NOT a choice. Each of you have to decide whether you join the Clan Wells Point. You don’t have to join. But we, your parents or grandparents, will be joining.”

The discussion that followed was short. By mid afternoon Bill Dougherty’s family had decided to join the clan. They were welcomed aboard growing the clan to one hundred ninety five members.

It was understood the newest members had to return home to close out their affairs. By the end of July they were all back with the clan.

James, Bill’s oldest son, and Darlene Dougherty would settle into a two bedroom apartment above CWP Books & Games and take over management of CWP General Store. Their son Daniel and his wife Betty wold both join CWP Handcrafted Toys. They would live in one of the condos with their daughters Janelle, eleven, and Debbie, ten. Harry, James and Darlene’s youngest son and his wife Jeanette would take over CWP Books & Games. They would live in an apartment above CWP Charisma Clothing Boutique with their son Karl, nine and daughter Julie, seven.

John, Bill’s youngest son, and his wife Irene would take over the CWP Bay Hundred Real Estate and live in an apartment above CWP Hairy Wish Now. Their son Kevin and his wife Linda would take over the CWP Christmas Shop. With their daughter Megan, nine, son Curtis, eight, and daughter Judy, six would live in a three bedroom apartment above CWP Country Store. Their daughter Virginia and her husband Howard Smith would work on CWP Organic Farms and live in one of the condos with their son Dean, eight, and daughter Nicole, six. Their daughter Karen and her husband Mike Kline took over CWP Gifts and Candies and would live in the apartment above the store with their daughters Yvonne, seven, and Wanda, six.

The clan slowed their expansion until they regained financial stability, which for them meant no debt. While their assets far exceeded their debt, they didn’t want to overextend themselves. They prospered as many about them floundered.

The rest of the summer passed peacefully. Their organic veggies, meat, poultry, and eggs were in high demand. The expansion of the vertical wind turbines continued. Already the clan operations on the peninsula were energy independent. Soon they’d be selling enough electricity to more than offset what they had to purchase in their St. Michaels areas. The property purchases they’d made along Harris Creek provided lane side locations to add an additional three hundred windmills.

*****
This is the last chapter of A Summer’s Odyssey IV.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Krista’s Odyssey.

Rest assured Krista’s story is not over.

Real life and other story ideas do require me to take a hiatus.

Jennifer Sue
Boys will girls if they’re lucky.