The Blessings Guild: The Beginning

Jamie and Emmaline passed out the badges to all the girls. One badge lay at the bottom of their baggie.

Emmaline glanced at Jamie. "Who's that one for?"

"Well..." Jamie thought a moment. "I have a friend at therapy who might want to join. Let me ask her. But you haven't heard my first plot yet."

"Okay, what is it?" Emmaline asked.

Jamie beckoned her close, and whispered in her ear. Emmaline smiled.

"All right, then, I'll see you tomorrow night. How are you going to manage with – well, I mean..." Emmaline let her words trail off, and gestured hopelessly to Jamie's wheelchair.

"I have a plan, don't you worry!" Jamie wheeled away to her parents' van.

Emmaline shrugged. When Jamie had a plan – it usually turned out all right.



At Jamie's house the next evening, the Blessing Guild met. Each girl brought something – cans of food donated by their parents, some fresh vegetables from their family's garden, and, wonder of all wonders, a little cooler with frozen goods in it. Lastly, the twin sisters Jessica and Janine brought bread and cookies; baked just that morning.

"Okay, what's next?" Jessica asked. Her black pigtails bounced with excitement.

"You and Janine can put all the food into the baskets. My mom gave them to us." Jamie pushed a stack of baskets across the table to the girls.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Jamie's mom got it, while the girls continued to make their plans. Emmaline was in charge of a group of three, to decorate the baskets. The other girls were going to crochet & knit dishcloths. In one hour, each girl could have one done.

"Hey, how's it going?"

A dog barked. The girls turned. Behind them stood a fifteen-year-old girl, and a dog. Across the dog's back was spread a coat that said "Service Dog". The girl unlatched its harness and walked slowly to the table.

"Chair on your right, Leelee." Jamie said quickly. "Girls, this is my friend Leelee. We go to the same therapist, who teaches us to do things that we might not otherwise be able to."

Leelee smiled. "After the accident, I didn't think I'd ever get to crochet or knit again, but my therapist taught me how." She paused ,then continued. "Could each of you say your names so I know whose voice is whose?"

The girls complied eagerly, and soon they chattered with Leelee as naturally as with Jamie.

The hour sped by.
"Okay, time to go!" Jamie called. "Dishcloths into the last basket!"

She held the basket out to Leelee. The older girl cautiously reached out for it, and gripped the handle. Then, she dropped her dishcloth inside. The other girls added their dishcloths on top, and the basket was done.

"But, Jamie, how are you going to sneak up to the Hansen family's house? That wheelchair isn't going to roll across the lawn very well," Emmaline pointed out.

"Wait and see!" replied Jamie.

To be continued...