NOVEMBER 13, 1861

Jewel made Jaslyne turn around one more time. "You look perfect." She had bought Jaslyne a new dress from Grace's boutique yesterday just for their court date. "Make sure you keep a smile on your face, Jaslyne. We want him to know that you're happy with us. Alright?" She watched as the young girl nodded her head while watching Jewel brush down her dress making sure there were no wrinkles.

Melissa and Jacy came down the steps fiddling with their new clothes that Jewel had also purchased for them to wear. "You two look wonderful, too." Jewel stated as her sisters joined them.

"I feel-" Jacy was interrupted by a whistle, so she turned to see her brother standing there. She couldn't help but smile at him. He was one of the most dashing eligible bachelors in town. She considered Samantha very lucky to be her brother's gal.

"I've never seen such beautiful ladies in all my life." Jedidiah exclaimed, as he looked the four of them over. If I was the judge, I'd grant you anything you wanted." Jacy blushed, and Jaslyne and Melissa giggled. Jewel just smiled. She was used to compliments.

"I feel as though it's Sunday, all dressed up in these clothes, or that I'm going to a fancy party." Jacy sighed. She didn't like getting all dressed up much. She was more of a tomboy and felt more like wearing comfortable clothes.

"I like parties." Melissa said. "Don't you Jaslyne?"

"I don't know. I've never been to one." She frowned and looked down at the floor.

"Never, ever?" Melissa was shocked to hear it.

"Never," she solemnly answered.

"Well, that sure will change if you get to live with us." Melissa told her. "There's a party about every month."

"Melissa don't exaggerate." Jacy reprimanded her.

"I'm not, well, just a little, about every other month then," she amended her statement.

"Well, are we all ready?" Jedidiah put his hands on Melissa's shoulders and directed her towards the door. "Come on Jaslyne," he held out his hand, and she took it. Ever since he had been back home, him and Jaslyne had swiftly become friends.

Jacy and Jewel smiled at each other and trailed after the others. Jedidiah helped each of the girls into the buggy and then he climbed aboard. Swatting the team of horses, he headed them for town. The group was pretty much speechless. All in their own little thoughts, each thinking about what the judge's verdict would be.

All five of them entered the saloon. Jacy was a little nervous about setting foot back in the place where she had got intoxicated and not knowing what she was doing and ended up in a hotel room with a strange fellow. She tried not to think about where she was. She tried to just think of it as a courtroom.

Melissa had seen the inside by peeping through the window before, but she had never set foot inside of it. And Jacy had gave her a full lecture about never setting foot inside one because of what had happened to her. She had promised she wouldn't, but of course today was an allowable exception.

They took their seats and waited for the judge to begin. Finally he looked up at the five present, and said, "I have here a request for an adoption of one girl by the name of Jaslyne. Would the person in question please rise?" As instructed she rose. "Alright, I just wanted to make sure which girl it was that was to be adopted. You may sit down now."

She obeyed all the while doing everything with a plastered smile on her face. Melissa squeezed her hand. She had high hopes that the judge would let them be sisters.

"I've been reading some, catching up on past events of this town, and acquiring information about the residents of Dreamville. I've learned that there is one amongst you that is a shifty schemer. I don't know if it would be wise of me to award custody to such a person."

Everyone knew the judge was talking about Jewel. Even Jaslyne knew because the whole family had sat down with her and told her about it. Jewel had made a mistake but she was trying to become a better person then what she was.

Jedidiah stood up to speak for the group. They had decided before they got there that he should be the one to do the talking. "Judge Wereton, my sister has made some mistakes in the past, but she's changed. She's working hard to be a better person, and she's learned from her mistakes. Now I hope you don't want people think that you don't believe in second chances?"

Judge Wereton pondered on the young man's statements, and then made his ruling.