(Cedar Wells Arizona December 4 2006.)

Chapter one:

That's a big hole. Deanna said.

A big hole, Samantha repeated.

That's what I said. It's a big freakin hole. And somehow that river got stuck inside. Replied Deanna.

Samantha shook her head sadly. Her sister leaned casually on a railing, peering into the canyon. Across the way, the lowering sun's, ray's slanted in from the west, dripping gold paint across horizontal layer's of pale rose, buff, and salmon strata of shale, limestone, and sandstone.

Sometimes Samantha had to wonder if dad destroyed Deanna's soul altogether. Deanna's, nature worked miracles for millions of years to create the Grand Canyon- the Colorado Rivers the reason it's there.

Deanna turned slowly, fixing Samantha with a steady glare. From the way her mouth curled into a mischievous grin, Samantha knew she'd been had. Just because I didn't go to Standard doesn't mean I'm a idiot, college girl. Deanna said.

I didn't say... Samantha paused, stuck. Deanna loved to give her crap about having attended Standford- and almost graduating prelaw- while Deanna carried on the family business.

Look, Samantha, I know what made the Grand Canyon. I know about erosion. I even get why you wanted to stop here we- Said Deanna.

We were just passing so close. Replied Samantha.

What did I just say? Dude, are you even listening to me? Asked Deanna.

When Deanna got in this kind of mood, there was no winning. After her years in college, away from her sister, Samantha had to learn Deanna's habits and quirks all over again. These last months, riding around the country in Deanna's precious 1968 Mustang, she believed she had reacquainted herself with most of those traits, good and bad.

Didn't stop her from stepping right into it from time to time.