EMILY RICHARDSON girl on the threshold of life, but what can she really expect? This story, is the second in a series of twelve enchanting short stories, fiction mingled with fact, tales of the accelerating and witty encounters Emily faces as she fumbles her way through the journey of ages, trying to find her true purpose. Based on the life and experiences of author Cassandra L Welch, ‘A Tree with Only One Leaf (VOLUMEII): Multiple Vertices Connected By One Path’ masterfully blends fact with fiction set to educate a generation about not only Welch’s achievements, but also illuminate the civil rights movement in a way never done before. When we last left young Emily, she had managed to put together the pieces of a valuable, precious puzzle that defined her newfound Grandma Cartwright, the accomplice in her great escape as the mother of the very sheriff who had picked her up earlier in the day. Puzzles can have thousands of pieces, but young Emily is determined to put them in their rightful place, even while she is completely uncertain about the end result of her efforts. The harder puzzles can seem daunting, but she is convinced they can still be finished. In fact, such a trial proves good for her mind and soul, for it encourages her to reason through her fear. As time gives way, the young traveler comes to realize that everything she endures will carry her to new heights of maturity and growth, of knowing, and of seeing the world and the people in it—even herself—in a new light. Emily demonstrates this tenacious spirit again in this exhilarating volume as she tumbles her way through all the laughter and tears that constituted many real-life paradigms in the 1970s, from the women’s right’s movement to the soldiers returning from Vietnam, and bits of everything in between. The child grows up right in front of our eyes as she encounters so many new characters, some we will recognize and connect with and others who might just surprise us. The young woman understands how to channel and learn from emotions, to adapt to the situation at hand and engage others successfully. Volume II is dripping with reality and raw emotions, and it will leave you anxious to read the next word, even if you occasionally have to put the book down to shed a tear or enjoy a hearty laugh, found all within the confines of a humble Greyhound, the greatest ride of a lifetime for a little girl on a big adventure. The life of Young Emily will offer more than entertaining diversion; it will inform, inspire, and investigate. If knowledge is power and laughter is the best medicine, Volume II is a soothing treasure indeed! Dedication This book is dedicated to my beloved parents, Pastor Julius C. and First Lady Eula E. (Wright) Richardson, my loving and supportive husband, Brian Welch, and my twelve siblings, both here and beyond; only five of us girls remain. Introduction "Of course there is no formula for success except, perhaps, an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings." --Arthur Rubinstein EMILY RICHARDSON STANDS at the precipice, a young girl on the threshold of life, but what can she really expect? This story, is the first of twelve enchanting shorts, fiction mingled with fact, tales of the accelerating and witty encounters Emily faces as she fumbles her way through the journey of ages, trying to find her true purpose. The finale will be a separate novel based on a true civil rights event of national significance. Each engagement will leave you in anticipation for the next complicated twist of fate that allows the young lady to explore life and challenge it, to find the keys to personal growth and success, to see her dreams come to fruition. Only when she begins to listen to those dreams does real transformation unfold. Emily learns many things during her journey, just as we all do. Chief among them is that there really is no formula for living the life she secretly dreams about; however, if she simply accepts and welcomes life, bathing it in faith, prayer and perseverance, that life will reveal itself to her. Take this delightful walk with her, and through these words on a page, you will experience the joyful triumphs and the ever-failing fears as Emily allows her faith and the Universe to show her the way Emily Richardson is a remarkable young girl trapped inside a universe she tries to mold to suit her liking, Emily quickly discovers that its the universe that is molding her. She is forced to follow the twisted paths that the universe presents to her through no choosing of her own. She has no intentions of allowing this to keep her from fulfiling her dreams; her purpose whatever it may be, so she tumbles her way through this tree with many branches as just one leaf.Emily despises racism and has refused to participate, but her heart won't allow her to walk away from the fight. The late great Mrs. Rosa Parks summed it up for young Emily when she said "the only tired I was, was tired of giving in." To fight for civil libert