Chapter 1

Jessica Anderson stood on the front porch smiling broadly and waving at her daughter and granddaughter as their station wagon, a U-Haul trailer in tow, pulled up in front of the rambling two story house. At forty-seven, Jessica was still an attractive woman. The years had added a few fine lines around her expressive blue eyes and there was a hint of gray mixed with her short, ash blonde hair. Her breasts were no longer as high as they had once been, but, the fact that they were small kept them firm, and together with her small waist and trim hips and legs, Jessica could easily pass for thirty-five. She still performed her morning ritual of a five mile walk and meditation, so her body and spirit were kept in enviable shape.

When Catherine, her daughter, had been cut as part of a corporate downsizing, Jessica had extended the invitation for the two of them to join her and Carmine, her mute Mexican housekeeper/ companion, on her Montana ranch. She hoped the move would be permanent, but Catherine insisted that the stay would only be temporary until she could find another position. Although Catherine had placed resumes with several agencies, nothing promising was on the horizon, so Cathy had, out of necessity, accepted her mother's generous offer. Besides, Sierra, Cathy's daughter, always enjoyed their infrequent visits and had applied some teenage persuasion of her own. So, with 1997 Taurus wagon and a trailer full of personals, the two had bid adieu to St. Louis and made the trip.

"Grandma!" shouted Sierra slamming the car door and running to hug Jessica.

"Sweetheart, you're growing up so fast. Let me look at you," responded the grandmother as the girl whirled about, smiling.

"Sassy as hell," laughed Cathy as she and her mother embraced.

"And the apple of a lot of boy's eyes too, I bet," smiled Jessica.

It was true. Sierra had grown into a beautiful young woman. Her long hair was brunette instead of blonde like her mother and grandmother, but her hazel green eyes, demure mouth and naturally pouty lips, nicely developing breasts and long slender legs and curvaceous hips signaled her, all too rapid, entry into womanhood.

"Now don't get her started again," laughed Cathy as they stepped up onto the front porch, "She's..."

"... Old enough to pick my own boyfriends," interrupted Sierra.

"Pick them yes, stay out until all hours, no!"

"Mom!" exhorted the girl, "I'm eighteen now! I'll be starting college..."

"... And when you do it will be YOUR decision, fired back Cathy good naturedly. "Until then, if it's all right with Grandma you can invite a boy or two to come over here."

"Why, of course," smiled Jessica, "any time you want, Honey."

Although an attractive girl, Sierra had always been terribly shy and only recently had discovered boys and with them the urge to date.

"Hey, I've got to meet some boys first!" laughed Sierra. "Or am I supposed to fix you two up with dates as well?"

They all laughed as Jessica put her arm around Sierra's shoulder and they started to enter the front door.

"Oh, hello Carmine," smiled Cathy as she saw the attractive twenty-two year old standing in the doorway. The young Mexican smiled demurely, but was about to turn away and return to her housecleaning when Jessica called out to her.

"Carmine, don't leave. You remember Cathy and her daughter Sierra."

The lovely brown eyes lifted long enough to bashfully acknowledge Cathy and Sierra, smile faintly and then the lovely woman disappeared back into the house.

"She still doesn't speak?" asked Sierra.

"Not a word in over twelve years," replied the grandmother.

"Have you ever been able to determine what's wrong?" asked Cathy.

"Roger and I had three different specialists examine her. They all said the same thing, that there is no physiological reason why she cannot speak. There was no fall from a horse or other physical trauma we could discern. For some reason, buried deep inside her, she just decided one day to stop speaking."

"And she never learned to sign?"

"No, she refused, even though we offered to get her a tutor. After Roger died I tried again. She's so shy around strangers that I told her we could get a book/video instructional set and learn together, but she was emphatic. It's almost as if she doesn't want to communicate except at minimal levels."

"She always seems nice, just shy," volunteered Sierra, "and pretty."

"Yes, she's a lovely girl, much like her mother was. I've tried to get her interested in meeting some nice men, but she shies away from them, doesn't seem to be interested in them."

"Hmmmm, strange," said Cathy as the three women walked on into the house. "How about a glass of your famous iced tea and then Sierra and I will tackle unloading the car and trailer?"