Chapter 1

Patty entered her home in a rush, tossed her book bag on the counter, slammed her tight little teen butt into a chair at the table and ripped open the wax sealed envelope that bore her name in pale purple calligraphic script. She squealed in delight as she read the greeting and first line. She broke into tears as she read further down, finally dropping the sheet on the table and burying her head in her hands and sobbing; All in less than a minute. Ann hurried to her daughter's side wondering what had happened.

"Oh momma," Patty sobbed, "I want this so bad but I don't think I can do it."

"Honey, you are probably blowing things out of proportion, it can't be that bad."

Patty gasped at the word 'blowing' and realized her mother had no idea of the significance of what she had said. Rather than try to answer, she just handed her the paper and continued sobbing.

Ann read the first line or two and yelped out a "woo hoo, congrats." Before she read much further down the page finishing with an "Oh my."

A hand written note was stapled to the sheet.

Ann looked down in sympathy at her young daughter. "Honey, the decision is yours. I'll not influence you either for or against this initiation. But I will support you no matter what you choose to do." Ann turned and began to prepare dinner.

"Mom!" Patty whined, "I'm 14 years old. I don't know the first thing about any of this stuff."

Ann looked over her shoulder at her distressed daughter and said,

"Patty, I'll call your father and discuss it with him. Before you go off the deep end over this wait, and find out what he says, Okay?"

Ann turned back to the stove so Patty couldn't see the smile spreading over her face as she relished the thought of her ex-husband's coming distress.

"Hello?"

"Robert its Ann. Time for you to do some daddy stuff."

"What's up?"

"I'll let Patty explain it to you, but before you talk to her, I want you to understand that this is something that means the world to her and I'm in favor of this 100%. I think its only fitting that you get to be the one to play teacher for this. Understand?"

"Sheesh Ann, can't you give me some idea of what I'm in for with this?"

"Nope." She laughed then continued, "Robert, just remember what I said. I'm 100% for this, okay?"

"Yeah, okay Ann. Tell Patty I'll be there at 7pm. See you then."

No Robert, you won't. I'll be out this evening and won't get home until after midnight."

Robert groaned and said, "You're not going to help out one bit with this whatever it is are you?"

"Nope. This one is all yours."

Ann laughed as she hung up the phone. There was no way she was going to miss this. She just wanted Robert to think she would be gone for the evening. Ann knocked on Patty's door then opened it and told her that her father would be over at 7 to talk to her about it and that she would be out until midnight. Ann closed Patty's door as she left.