A year passed, and things went back to the way they were before she left. Francesca resumed doing normal things. Collecting eggs from the chicken coop, doing chores around the ranch and helping at the Mission with her childhood friend, Cecily Chen, was now her new normal. She discovered that she especially felt needed in the classroom with pre-school native American children. She had a natural talent with children. They offered no threat to her person and only challenged her ability to practice patience. But she wanted more. Her beauty was becoming even more evident when young men that worked around the Mission could not keep their eyes diverted. She showed a passing interest, but only thought of Chico Standing Bull as a possible suitor. The more she learned about her feelings, the less sh
