A Girl's Best Friend 

Jana's favorite doll is named Gretchen. She has blond hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful smile. Jana tells Gretchen everything, and Gretchen always listens. When Jana was sick, Gretchen was by her side. Gretchen goes everywhere Jana goes.

Jana got sick a few yeas ago when she was five. She felt tired and didn't want to play with her friends. Her parents were worried and took her to a doctor. The doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, so he sent Jana to another doctor. The new doctor, Dr. Ross, told Jana that she had cancer. Jana was sad and scared. She did not understand what was happening to her. Dr. Ross sat down with Jana and explained to her what cancer is, and what she would have to do to get better. Jana found out that she would have to go through chemotherapy and probably would lose her hair. Her blond hair was long and curly, and she loved to have her mom braid it and try new styles. Now, her hair would be gone. That's when Gretchen came into her life. Her parents gave her the doll, so she could play with her hair. But Gretchen also became Jana's best friend during her time in the hospital.  Jana was in the hospital for a long time. She was sick and lost all her hair. When the first strands of hair fell out, Jana cried and clung to Gretchen. She was there when Jana came back to her hospital room after her last dose of chemotherapy. Jana held her close the day she left the hospital. 

Three years later, Jana is in remission, but she still holds Gretchen close and loves to play with her hair. Jana's hair has grown back, and is long and curly again. "Gretchen, I think your hair needs to be in pigtails when we go to the store with Mom," Jana says as she looks on her dresser for the perfect hair bands. "These butterfly bands will be perfect." She moves Gretchen to her vanity and puts her in the chair. She brushes Gretchen's hair and parts it down the middle. She brings one side up and puts the band around it, then works on the other side. When she is finished, she looks at Gretchen. "Perfect!"

She carries Gretchen down the stairs into the kitchen where her mother is filling out the grocery list. "Mom, we're ready." 

"Good. I'm almost done with the list. Check to see if we have any carrots. I'm going to make my famous chicken dish tonight, and I have to make sure I have the carrots." 

"Yum," Jana says as she walks to the refrigerator and opens the door. "I love your chicken dish, and we do have carrots and celery."

"Thanks, Jana. I was just about to ask about the celery. Well, it looks like my list is finished, so we can go to the store. Get your jacket. It looks like it might rain." 

"Okay, Mom." Jana walks to the hall closet and picks out her pink jacket. She then runs upstairs and gets Gretchen's pink jacket, so Gretchen can match her. She puts the jacket on Gretchen and heads out the front door to get in the car. 

First she buckles Gretchen in. After she knows Gretchen is in just right, she buckles her own seatbelt. "Okay, Gretchen, we're going to the grocery store." 

Jana's mom smiles when she sees both Jana and Gretchen buckled in. "Is everyone ready to go?" 

"Yes!"  

When they get to the store, Jana carefully unbuckles herself and Gretchen, and grabs her mom's hand. They walk in, and her mom picks a shopping cart. Clutching Gretchen, Jana climbs onto the bottom and sits down. She plays with Gretchen as her mom picks out  mushrooms, and all the other items that will make the chicken dish perfect. When they get to the cereal aisle, Jana stands up and chooses her favorite cereal. She sits back down as her mother continues shopping. They get to the checkout, and Jana hands the coupons to the cashier. They load the groceries into the car and head for home. 

Jana unbuckles her seatbelt when they pull into the driveway and jumps out of the car to help her mom unload the groceries. She loves to help unpack and put up the groceries when they get home from the store. 

"Thank you so much for helping me, Jana. Do you want to help me make the chicken dish?"

"Yes. What do you need me to do?"

"Look at the recipe and line up all the ingredients on the counter. I'll get the chicken ready while you do that."

Jana takes the recipe card from her mom and finds the ingredients and puts them on the counter one by one. After everything is lined up, Jana checks the card again just to make sure she has everything. "Mom, all the ingredients are ready."

"Great! Thank you. The chicken is ready, so all I have to do is chop the vegetables."  Jana's mom puts the chicken in the dish and begins preparing the vegetables. She puts them in the dish with the chicken and pours broth over the chicken and the vegetables. Then she puts a lid on the dish and puts the dish in the oven. "Everything will be ready in an hour, so you can go watch cartoons until it's ready. Your daddy will be home by then, and we can eat." 

"Okay." Jana walks into the living room and turns on the television. Her favorite cartoon is on, so she sits on the couch and begins to watch it. Suddenly, she realizes that she doesn't have Gretchen. She runs back into the kitchen to look for her, but she's not there. She goes upstairs to her room but can't find her. "Mom!" Jana screams as she runs back down the stairs. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I can't find Gretchen!" By this time, Jana is crying. "We have to find her!" 

"Have you looked everywhere?" 

"Yes. I've looked in the kitchen, and the living room, and my bedroom and everywhere else, and I can't find her!" 

"Calm down, Jana. We'll look together. I'm sure we'll find her."

Jana and her mom search the whole house, but Gretchen is nowhere to be found. "We're never going to find her," Jana cries. "I've lost her." 

"No you haven't. I bet you left her in the car."  Jana's mom says as she looks out the window. "It's raining right now but as soon as it stops, I'll go out there and look. You go back and watch your cartoon."

"Okay." 

When the rain stops, Jana's mom walks out to the car. There, sitting in the seat, still buckled in, is Gretchen. Jana's mom picks her up and carries her back into Jana who is still watching cartoons. Jana's eyes light up when she sees her mom holding the doll. "Gretchen! Thanks, Mom!" 

"You're welcome. Turn off the television, now. Your daddy just pulled into the driveway, and the chicken dish is ready." 

Jana grabs Gretchen and walks to the table. She puts Gretchen in the seat next to hers, and the whole family sits down to a delicious dinner.