Chapter 4

With the horrid reminisces over, Justin began to think about what to do next. He’d been so sure he’d be beaten to death he had not thought of any possibilities for surviving. Under the circumstances, Justin figured he’d wouldn’t be criminally charged with killing his dad, but his life was beyond redemption. The Facebook posting would out him as a transsexual. No one at school would ever let him live it down and his grandparents certainly would not. His only option was to run away. But where could a thirteen year old go? As his reasoning coalesced, he realized there was only one place that offered any hope of safety and acceptance. Krista and the Clan Wells Point.

Standing slowly, the vertigo passed quickly. Silently he headed into the kitchen and rinsed his still sour mouth. Then he used a damp towel to clean the worst of the clotted blood from his face and hair. Before returning to his parents, Justin took all the money, the cell phone and keys to his mom’s 2002 Ford Escort from her purse on the kitchen counter. Back at the table where his parents lay, he took all the money from his father’s wallet. It really creeped him out digging in the dead man’s back pocket. Nearly exhausted, he sat once more on the sofa to think and gather his thoughts.

The pain from his beating and the emotional turmoil was beginning to drag him down. His head was still throbbing in time to his heart and the entire left side of his face was aching something fierce. The vision of his left eye was blurry and he knew from past experience he was going to have one hell of a black eye. Part of him just wanted to give up and let whatever would occur happen. Still, he’d managed to confront his parents and it was they, not he, who lay dead. That had to mean he was on the right track and could not give up now. With new energy and determination, he forced himself to stand.

Digging in his mom’s purse once more he found her Vicodin and took one, pocketing the prescription bottle. At least the pain would help him stay awake. Going to his room, he dug in his desk and pulled out the notebook he’d created concerning Krista’s exploits. Having previously thought of running away to there, he had printed out a Mapquest route.

Dumping his gym clothes from his duffle bag, he stuffed the few treasures he’d managed to accumulate and hide from his parents. The six inch white Coca Cola bear with it’s red scarf was retrieved from it’s hiding place in the back of a desk drawer. Other treasures were wrapped in crumbled newspaper and stuffed in a battered shoebox hidden in the back of his closet. Carefully he checked his treasures. First was a small delicate three inch high multi-hued glass unicorn that was meant to hang in a window. He’d bought that on a fifth grade class field trip to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Next was a finely worked wooden jewelry/music box that appropriately played ‘Music Box Dancer’ as a delicate ballerina twirled when the lid was opened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N_tmH6y7ng This he had purchased at an outdoor flea market five miles from his home. Last summer he’d ridden his bike there to look around at the many treasures and had fallen in love with the darling music box. Of course he knew if his treasures had ever been discovered there would have been hell to pay. That no longer was a concern. With his treasures in the duffle bag slung across a sore shoulder, he grabbed his instrument case and the notebook. The sax had become a window on his soul and he’d become quite adept at playing. The soulful wail of the sax was just about the only escape he had from his otherwise frustrating life. After slipping on his jacket, he grabbed several cans of Coke from the fridge and went out to the Escort.

The car started right up. Fortunately the gas tank was full. Wells Point was one hundred seventy five miles away, a trip of a bit over three and a half hours according to Mapquest. After adjusting the seat forward as far as it would go and adjusting the mirrors, he was ready to leave. Cautiously, he backed out of the driveway, then pulled out in the street. Hopefully he could make the trip before dawn so the night would keep his youth incognito. Once he was twenty miles from home, he pulled over and called 911.

“911, What is the nature of your emergency,” a woman’s voice answered the call.

“My name is Justin Raven. I’m thirteen and live at the intersection of Main Street, Virginville Road, and Gilardone Road in Virginville,” he began startled at how hoarse his voice sounded. “My dad attacked me. He punched me through the wall and I blacked out for a moment. Apparently mom tried to stop him and he began choking her. I clobbered him on the back of the head with a beer bottle then passed out. When I came too, they were both dead. The lights are on and the door is unlocked. Goodbye.”

“Wait...” was all he heard the 911 operator frantically say before he disconnected the call.

The Vicodin was easing the throbbing but also dulling his already frazzled attention. The determined but terrified boy popped open a can of Coke and downed it in a minute. After a loud belch, Justin pulled out and resumed his long trip. It was 1:30am.

For once he was glad his dad had forced him to drive the big Explorer on the fire lanes when they’d gone into the mountains deer hunting. The little Escort was a lot easier to handle and didn’t have the overwhelming power of the Explorer. The only rough spot was when an oncoming car passed by. The headlights made his left eye burn and made the throbbing in his head grow worse. Using all his strength to concentrate, he drew on his tough guy shield to bull his way onward. Driving at the speed limit and keeping both hands on the steering wheel he managed to stay in his lane and avoided calling attention to his driving. By 2:30, his bladder demanded relief. It was only then that he realized he couldn’t stop to use a restroom since he hadn’t cleaned himself up. After berating himself for his stupidity, he pulled into the empty parking lot of a business. Stepping outside, the cold air seemed to reinvigorate him a bit. Still a bit wobbly on his feet he staggered to some bushes and relieved his need.

Before he set out, he turned off the heater and cracked the windows to allow the chilly early morning air inside. As he drove, the cool air seemed to help his concentration but it also made his injured face throb. After ten minutes, he pulled over to the side of the road, popped open another Coke, popped another Vicodin in his mouth, and washed it down with a long draught of the fizzy drink. In a few minutes, he was back on the road.

The trip became a series of drives, a quick stop to empty his bladder, pop another Vicodin and wash it down with Coke. In this manner, he made his way south. About every hour on the road ended with a five minute pee and Vicodin break. It was 5:30am when he rolled through St. Michaels. By then he had a nasty case of tunnel vision and was having difficulty staying awake. The cold, caffeine and sugar of the Cokes were barely sufficient to keep the Vicodin from overwhelming his consciousness. It was only sheer determination coupled with desperation that he managed to stay in his lane and continue on.

When he reached Neavitt, he realized he’d passed Wells Point Lane. Slowly he turned around and headed back up route 579. This time he at least saw the road sign for Wells Point Lane as he drove by it. Once more he turned around and this time entered the lane. At the end of his endurance, he felt relieved he’d safely made it. The unpaved lane was a lot narrower than the main roads. The branches of the trees formed an arch over the lane as he slowly made his way. The darkness further dulled his senses and he quickly faded into a stupor as the everything caught up to him. Shortly after emerging into the fields beyond the forest Dougherty lane met Wells Point Lane. At that intersection Wells Point Lane turned northeast at about an eighty degree angle while Dougherty Lane went almost straight onward. In his semi conscious state, Justin continued straight ahead and drove down Dougherty Lane. Dougherty Lane ended in a forty five degree angle where it merged into John’s Cove Lane. The turn was too sharp for Justin to react. The Escort crossed Johns Cove Lane and jounced twenty feet across the tussocked area bordering the road into a corner of the forest on the other side. Since he was only going about twenty MPH, the impact into the brush and trees never triggered the air bag.

The jarring and abrupt stop did snap Justin back to groggy wakefulness, but he was pretty well wasted. Too exhausted even to attempt to back out, he managed to flip the heat and blower back on before he passed out. It was 6:00am.

*****

Dwayne and Phil rose with Jimmy and Tony to join Larry for breakfast before heading down Johns Cove Lane to the main farm to milk the cows. Although they’d only had a few hours sleep, Dwayne and Phil were excited to get a look at what was in store for them once they were fully healed. The five left the B&B in Larry’s Ranger Edge a bit before 7:00am. All were stunned to see a Ford Escort jammed into the trees at the side of the road.

Stopping, they jumped out of the cab and hurried to the car. They could see the engine was still running as the front wheels were still lazily spinning, slipping in the grass and mud rut it had created. They hoped whoever was inside had not succumbed to CO poisoning. What they found shocked them. A bloodied boy about the age of the four guys was slumped over the steering wheel. The entire left side of his face was purple and swollen. Fortunately the windows were cracked open so a CO buildup shouldn’t have happened.

“Tony, call the B&B,” Larry ordered as he tried to open the door. “Tell Leroy, Pat and Dr. Olsen to get down here ASAP. Dwayne, get the blanket tucked under the driver’s seat of my truck. I’m going to try to break in the passenger side door window so we can get to him”.

Larry tried four times using a branch they’d found as a battering ram in a useless attempt to smash the window. The boy had not moved during the jarring blows. It was only due to the shallow movement of his breathing they could see he was still alive. Jimmy finally pushed Larry aside and standing tip-toe reached his skinny arm through the narrow gap at the top of the window to grasp and lift the lock button. Once the door was open, Larry slipped inside and shifted the car into park. The interior of the car wasn’t as frigid as they feared due to the heater still running so Larry decided to let the engine run to keep the boy warm. Taking the blanket, he covered the boy.

“It has Pennsylvania plates,” Dwayne stated as they tried to sort out how the boy had gotten here.

Larry opened the glove box and found the owners and insurance cards. The car was registered to Charles and Lorraine Raven in Virginville, Pennsylvania. On the floor beneath his feet he noted four empty cans of Coke and a notebook. A bottle of Vicodin was in the cupholder. Picking up the notebook, he was surprised to see it not only held a Mapquest route to Wells Point, it also had printed copies of the news reports about Krista!

Leroy, Pat and Dr. Olsen pulled up behind the Ranger. Pat was out and heading over to the driver’s side of the Escort as Larry exited the car with the registration cards and the notebook. Dr. Olsen slipped into the passenger seat as Leroy took the items and quickly scanned them, instantly realizing the boy had fled to them. Pat and Dr. Olsen checked the boy and saw that while he was badly bruised, none of the injuries appeared life threatening. The open bottle of Vicodin and the empty Coke cans were worrisome.

“We should call for an ambulance,” Dr. Olsen stated. “I don’t think his injuries are critical, but the Vicodin worries me.”

“Unless it’s an absolute must, I don’t think we should,” Larry cautiously replied. “He drove one hundred seventy five miles to get here... to see Krista.”

Everyone looked at him in amazement until Leroy spoke. “The boy is from Pennsylvania and he drove here, obviously after getting beaten. In his notebook he has clippings of all the news reports about Krista. He was fleeing something nasty and I think I have a good idea what it is. There is a print out in here of what he posted on Facebook last night. He said he’s a transsexual like his hero Krista and that she’s given him the courage to finally face his parents. It also says he posted this because he wants the world to know why his father killed him.”

“Oh dear God,” Pat exclaimed. “It’s obvious he was beaten and fled here for protection.”

“I’ll contact the Pennsylvania State Police,” Leroy said as a third vehicle pulled up.

It was Jane’s old van. David, Robert, Sheila, Heather Reese, Jaz, and Krista jumped out to see if they could help.

“I think you should read this before we go any further,” Leroy said as he handed the notebook to Krista.

Looking over Krista’s shoulder they read the contents with surprise. Krista handed the notebook off to Jaz and rushed to her mother’s side to look at the battered boy.

“Krista, talk to him,” Pat said. “Let him know who you are and that he’s safe here with us. It might be enough to wake him up. If it does, we can see how disoriented he is to determine if we can handle him or if we need to get him to a hospital.”

Krista nodded her head and stepped beside the bludgeoned boy. Gently she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed. “Justin... Justin.... I’m glad to meet you! I’m Krista... Krista Scott. I’m pleased you were able to drive all the way from Pennsylvania to meet me. Please wake up, Justin, we want to help you. You’ve made it to the Clan Wells Point. Justin, wake up.”

Justin stirred and moaned a bit, then jerked his head up and winced in pain. Then he looked around with his one good but bleary eye. He saw a pretty girl standing beside him touching his arm. “Are you an angel come to get me?”

His voice was ragged and barely above a whisper.

“Some people call me an angel,” Krista smiled as the boy tried to focus on her face. “A few call me a devil. I simply call myself Krista. Welcome to the Clan Wells Point.”

Justin instantly perked up and sat up as his mouth dropped open. “You’re Krista? I made it? Oh thank you God, thank you!” Then he reached for Krista who accommodated his desperate need for a hug as he began to cry into her chest.

When he regained control, Dr. Olsen spoke up. “Justin, I’m Dr. Olsen. I need to ask you this and it’s very important you tell me the truth. How many Vicodin did you take and how long ago?”

Even in his groggy state, Justin recalled he’d heard Dr. Olsen mentioned in the news stories about Krista which immediately allowed him to trust the woman. “I’m not really sure. I took one before I left home, then I took one with every Coke I drank.”

“There are four Coke cans on the floor,” Dr. Olsen explained. “That means you took five Vicodin. What time did you take the first”

Justin frowned in thought. “I called 911 a bit after 1:30 to tell them about my parents so I guess I took the first one about 1:00.”

“That probably means you took about one an hour,” Dr. Olsen calculated. “That’s a pretty high dose but not fatal. No wonder you’re so groggy. It’s a miracle you were able to drive all this way.”

“I had to,” Justin sniffed as he snuggled into Krista. “I killed my dad after he killed my mom.” Justin once more began to cry as he buried his face into Krista.

Everyone exchanged looks of shock. “At least that explains his 911 call,” Leroy sighed. “Now I definitely have to call the Pennsylvania State Police. Let’s get him up to the B&B. You can get him cleaned up and get some food into him while I make the call.”

Justin refused to let go of Krista although he did consent to merely holding her hand as David and Robert walked him back to Jane’s van. Jaz brought his instrument case and his duffle bag. Ten minutes later the groggy boy was seated at the table in the B&B sipping hot chocolate. Jane was already spooning blueberry pancake batter onto the griddle to get some solid food into the boy to help dilute the Vicodin. Pat gently wiped the dried blood from Justin’s face and neck. The Vicodin had so numbed his senses he didn’t even wince.

Justin simply let himself float along. His mind was so tired and so drugged he wondered if he was dreaming. It seemed impossible his parents were dead and he was with Krista. With a puppy dog look of adoration he smiled at his idol as she sat beside him resting a comforting hand on his arm. Now that he had seen her in person, she seemed even more heroic. Even though she was wearing jeans and a hoodie, she looked cute. She was a genetic boy, just like him, but he could see no boy in her. Even as he ate the delicious pancakes, he couldn’t help but hope he would be allowed to let his girl side out.

The Pennsylvania State Police were relieved Justin had turned up. They had responded to his 911 call and discovered his dead parents. The scene left little doubt as to the sequence of events and that Justin had acted in defense of his mother and himself. They were still trying to figure out what had triggered the fight so Leroy told them to check the boy’s computer and Facebook page. Leroy assured them the boy was in good hands and receiving care. Leroy also described the boy’s injuries and his overuse of the Vicodin. After giving them the contact numbers for the Talbot County Sheriffs’ office and himself, they ended the conversation.

Leroy then called into the Sheriff’s office to report the incident. Finally he called Judge Watkins to ask that she appoint Pat and he temporary guardians of the boy. When he was done, he sat at the table with Justin, Krista, Jaz, Pat and Dr. Olsen as they ate breakfast. He explained his call to the Pennsylvania State Police and their reply that they found Justin’s deceased parents and that they had already concluded that Justin had acted in self defense. Justin breathed a sigh of relief when he was informed the Scotts had been granted temporary guardianship.

Justin didn’t object to the suggestion he take a quick shower before getting some much needed sleep. Knowing Pat was a nurse he didn’t object to having her in the bathroom to make sure he was safe. When he finished showering, Krista came into the room to give him a spare set of Jimmy’s pajamas. While a bit disappointed in the boy’s PJs, he understood he had to make do with what was at hand, especially as he was an uninvited guest.

Needless to say Justin fell into an exhausted drug hazed sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow in the bedroom he was shown to. Jaz and Krista took turns sitting in the room quietly reading as he slept so the boy would not be left alone. Pat and Dr. Olsen checked in at least once an hour. Justin slept peacefully. While he slept, they checked the contents of his duffle bag. The contents did not surprise them as they were obviously prize possessions. The battered instrument case revealed a shiny gold saxophone. Krista and Jaz smiled, knowing that if things went well, they now had another member for their band.

Judge Watkins, Dr. Sykes and Rev Giles arrived at the B&B about 5:00pm to check on Justin and read the notebook he’d brought with him. Judge Watkins had received the details of the case from the Pennsylvania State Police and they had received her writs stating she had appointed the Scotts as temporary local guardians until the legalities could be worked out for whatever proved to be in Justin’s best interest. She also assured them Justin would be made available for interviews but would be kept in protective custody in Talbot County for the next few weeks.

Dr. Sykes, Judge Watkins, Rev Giles, Dr. Olsen, Kevin, Leroy and Pat joined Krista in the bedroom as it had been decided to awaken the boy. Krista protested until they explained he needed to wake up to eat and to stay up for a few hours so he’d sleep through the night. Once more Krista gently squeezed Justin’s arm as she called his name.

Justin moaned and rolled a bit, then snapped awake to look at Krista. “Krista! It wasn’t a dream! Oh God... that means I killed dad... and he killed mom... oh God!”

“It’s okay, Justin,” Krista smiled sadly. “You’re safe with us now. I’d like to introduce you to some of the people who are going to help you. This is Dr. Wanda Sykes, she’s a gender specialist who will be evaluating your gender dysphoria. She’s my doctor so I know you’ll be in good hands! Judge Catherine Watkins, she’s the one who approved my name and gender change and has placed you in protective custody in the care of my parents. Rev. Giles is our pastor and is very understanding and supportive about gender issues. Dr. Olsen is a neurological physiatrist. Kevin Stewart is the Clan Wells Point lawyer. These two are my dad, Sheriff’s Deputy Leroy Scott, and my mom, Patricia Scott, she’s a nurse. These are the people who are going to help you get your life straightened out. They’ll need your full cooperation and honesty. We’ve all read the notebook you brought... by the way I’m flattered and humbled. We’ve also read your Facebook page. We all understand the issues surrounding gender dysphoria and that the only way to treat it is to let the person live there life in a manner that is best for the person. Do you feel up to answering a few questions before we go to eat?”

“No, but I’ll do it,” Justin nodded as he smiled weakly while looking at the concerned faces surrounding him.

The questions asked pertained to what happened in his home New Years Eve. Justin answered them softly and succinctly, obviously distressed by the horrific events. They asked about any other family and he told them of his paternal grandparents and their bigoted attitudes, clearly terrified of the idea of being sent to live with them.

Since Justin’s clothes were clearly ruined by the fight and blood, they provided him with a pair of jeans and sweater from Jimmy’s wardrobe. Justin hid his disappointment as he gratefully accepted the clothes.

The entire Clan Wells Point with their guests sat down to a delicious supper. Justin was made to feel welcome and accepted by all. It was quite a surprise to learn that Kylie, Larry’s fiancee, was also a transsexual! Despite only being a girl for less than two weeks Jamie was quite girlish. Then there was Phil and Dwayne. In most ways they seemed like typical guys, not at all swishy. That the boys were openly holding hands was accepted as normal. This place was just great! No one even blinked an eye at the diversity. Now that he’d seen this life style was not only possible but encouraged made him fear having to leave.

After the meal, those in the bedroom when he awakened gathered with Justin to discuss his feelings of being transgendered. While a bit timid at first, having Krista present and knowing these people were helping Krista transition, he opened up to them. Once the flood gates were opened, his angst and inner turmoil gushed forth. By 9:00pm Justin was clearly worn out. Everyone assured him they believed he truly felt he was transgendered which made him smile.

“Justin, just because we believe we feel you are most likely transgendered does not mean you actually are transgendered,” Dr. Sykes cautioned causing his spirits to droop. “We need several counseling sessions and you’ll need to take a few gender assessment exams before we can give you a professional opinion that you’re transgendered.”

“I’ll see to it that you stay here while you take those tests and meet with Dr. Sykes so I can issue that ruling,” Judge Watkins added. “You will have to meet with representatives from the Pennsylvania State Police and answer their questions about your family while you’re here. For the present we intend to keep your arrival here low key and under-wraps. It will give you time to adjust without being in the spotlight. However, you DID come to the Clan Wells Point, so at some point your presence will be revealed.”

“As your lawyer, I’ll insist you only be questioned in my presence,” Kevin added. “When you prove to be transgendered, I’ll handle the paperwork to get your name and gender status changed.”

“Pat and I have been granted temporary guardianship of you,” Leroy spoke up. “You’ll be coming home with us tonight. Unfortunately, our home is already crowded, so if we get approval for you to permanently stay with the Clan Wells Point, it’ll have to be with another family. Several families are talking it over right now and we should know the volunteer soon.”

“At least for the start of your stay here, I’ll be sharing my bedroom with you,” Krista smiled. “Hopefully we can get you into school with us before too long.”

“I think I understand,” Justin nodded. “Thank you for helping me. Does all this mean I can finally start to live as girl?”

“At least part time,” Dr. Sykes replied. “Until I can make a a professional diagnosis that you are transgendered you’ll still officially be a boy.”

“Justin isn’t a great name for a girl,” Krista added. “Does your girl self have a name?”

“Yes,” Justin timidly replied. “I’m really Jennifer Sue... Jennifer Sue Raven.”

“Well Jennifer Sue,” Krista smiled. “Welcome to the Clan Wells Point. What do you say we gather up the rest of my family and head home?”

“That sounds wonderful,” Jennifer Sue replied with a huge grin as she basked in the warmth of her name.

Leroy and Pat headed out to round up their brood while everyone else gave Jennifer Sue a warm, welcoming and accepting hug. Together, Krista and Jennifer Sue headed out to say goodnight to everyone else. Jennifer couldn’t help but feel envious of Krista as Tony gave her a hug and kiss.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the farmhouse. During the short trip, the younger kids welcomed Jennifer Sue into their family. By the time they entered the home, ‘Jennifer Sue’ had been reduced to a more manageable ‘Jenny’.

After the ‘goodnights’ were exchanged, Krista led Jenny to her bedroom where she handed the new girl a bathrobe, nightgown, panties and slippers. Jenny trembled as she meekly accepted the girl’s clothes. Never before had she had an opportunity to even check out girl’s clothes, yet now she was being given some to wear! The trauma of the last twenty four hours seemed surreal.

In a few moments the duo were in the bathroom. Jenny showered first while Krista brushed her teeth and removed the small amounts of makeup she’d worn. When Jenny was done, Krista handed her a towel.

Krista,” Jenny asked. “Can you please show me how a girl wraps a towel around her?”

“Of course,” Krista smiled and instructed the new girl in the proper procedure.

Once she stepped out of the shower, Krista stepped in. Jenny picked up the panties that went with the nightie and smiled broadly. With a smile of sheer delight she looked at the enticing panties from every angle, remembering how for the last few months she had so desperately wanted to wear panties. With great deliberation she slowly stepped into her very first pair of girly undies, trying to memorize each delightful sensation as she slowly drew them up her legs to snug them about her tush. For a few moments she lost herself as she took in all the delectable sensations the lace edged nylon tricot panties created as they tickled and caressed her eager flesh. In a few moments, the towel was hung on the rack and the ankle length long sleeved flannel nightgown graced her body. The flowing soft flannel nightgown whispered deliciously against her body as it freely moved, totally unencumbered, nothing like drab boyish clothes. Glancing at her reflection in the mirror she saw her true self... Jennifer Sue! At that moment, finally seeing the girl that had always been hidden within her, she knew she could only be happy as a girl. If something happened to send her back to her grandparents, she’d simply kill herself. She was still reveling in her newfound girlishness when Krista poked her head out of the shower.

“You’d better brush your teeth,” Krista giggled as she grabbed her towel. “My sisters are waiting to get in here. We can enjoy your girlishness in our bedroom.”

Jenny blushed but set to the task. As the girls exited the bath, they knocked on the bedroom door of Teri, Lyndi and Sandi to let them know the bath was vacant. Krista and Jenny were soon snuggled into bed and the lights turned off.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Jenny whispered. “I’ve always known I was different from the other boys. They teased and bullied me unmercifully and my parents and grandparents made it clear they would not let me be a sissy. I learned to hide my inner self but I absolutely hated trying to be a boy. I just felt so alone and lost. When I heard about you on the news, I realized I wasn’t alone. You became my hero. It’s still hard for me to believe I’m here with you! You gave me the strength to go on and after hearing about your Christmas dance, finally the strength to tell my parents. I fully expected dad to kill me. I was ready to die. I never expected to be the only one surviving. God it was horrible.” Jenny began to cry as everything overwhelmed her.

Krista was nearly overwhelmed with compassion for Jenny as she wrapped her arms about the sobbing girl. “Believe me, I KNOW how it feels to have lost someone you love and to have killed someone,” Krista consoled as a slight tremor of guilt about killing Tony’s dad swept her body. “Neither of us EVER intended to hurt anyone, but circumstances merged to force us into the deed. We really had no choice, but that doesn’t mean we have to like what we did or relieve us from feeling guilty. It’s just something we have to live with... like we have to live with being girls in boys’ bodies. It’s simply the way things are. But know this, Jennifer Sue, Jesus lived as a human. He understands from first hand experience how cruel this earthly life can be. As long as our hearts are pure and our intentions good, he can accept and forgive the bad we do. Jesus died to save us. God welcomes the loved ones we have lost. They are with him now. What’s more, when our time here is done, we’ll meet them again! God truly loves us!”

For Jennifer Sue, this was an honest revelation. Her experience with religion had been one of hypocrisy. Going to church where everyone said the right words but seldom lived them. Always do as I say, never do as I do. Yet Krista’s reassurance about God’s love and acceptance was simple and believable. Moreover, Krista walked the walk. Her simple words were soft yet utterly honest and came from the depths of her heart. For the first time in her life, Jennifer Sue had met someone who REALLY knew and loved Jesus! It felt cleansing. Krista wasn’t just a hero... she was a saint! Jenny snuggled in Krista’s welcoming arms, almost purring with delight as she relished her finally realized girlishness. Krista smiled and felt warm all over as Jenny quickly slipped into a peaceful slumber before she joined her new friend.

*****