The next morning, she's introduced to a new way to communicate.

Lucy lay awake in her doggy bed, processing what had happened. Maybe she should have seen something like that coming after Kim fingered her in public, but even if she had what could she have done differently? She was at the mercy of whoever happened to be around her. Maybe she could have fended Henry off on her own, but that would have been a temporary reprieve if his parents took his side. It was fortunate that Dan and Valerie had come to her rescue, and that they weren't mad at her for calling for help.

She could hear their slow breaths now, their sleeping bodies only feet away from her. A day ago she would have been tempted to sneak away, whether to leave the house or to get a knife from the kitchen. But now she felt safer with them than alone, knowing that anyone could decide to take advantage of her vulerable state.

Lucy sniffled and hugged herself, trying to comfort herself as she nodded off.

The sound of the door unlocking startled Lucy into awareness the next morning. Her head shot up, instantly on alert, but it was only Dan leaving the room. He closed the door, not looking back at Lucy, and her attention shifted to the bed.

Valerie was sitting up. She stretched, her arms over her head, and slipped out from under the covers. Throwing on the same robe she'd worn yesterday, she padded over to Lucy and sat on the floor next to her bed. "Good morning Lucy. Do you feel a little better today?"

Lucy nodded with a grateful smile and her mistress continued. "Good. I noticed that you didn't speak to me last night even though I gave you permission. Were you scared that I didn't mean it?"

Lucy shook her head. That possibility hadn't occurred to her until later. There was nothing left to say once Henry had been taken away anyway, she just wanted to cry and be held. Now she opened her mouth, silently mouthing the words. 'Not supposed to.'

Valerie chuckled. "No, you're not. But when I say you're allowed to do something that means it's alright for you to do. And if you're in danger you do whatever's necessary to get help."

The sound of raised voices elsewhere in the house stopped Valerie. Then she patted Lucy on the head and spoke again. "I'm proud of you for being such a strong girl, already trying to move ahead instead of dwelling on what happened. But between you and me, I think mouthing the words is cheating."

Lucy laughed quietly before shrugging her shoulders. She hadn't expected it to be allowed, at least not more than once. But doing it had earned her points with Valerie, and the more favorably she saw her pet the better.

Valerie smiled too. "Maybe we should figure out some new sounds for you. Most pets aren't mute, and you have a larynx for a reason. You were meant to make noise, just not words."

Lucy cocked her head, wondering what her mistress was getting at. "You know, like barks. When dogs need something they bark, or growl, or whine for their owners' attention."

Oh. So I have to bark like a dog now. How degrading, Lucy thought.

"Of course, you're not a canine. So you don't have to limit yourself to those sounds. Maybe you chirp, or meow. Can you whistle?"

Lucy's answer was to purse her lips and blow, producing little more than a windy sputtering. No, she could not whistle.

Valerie laughed, a hand over her mouth. "Ok, we'll workshop it. Just make a noise if you think of one you like. Maybe Dan can come up with some too."