Author’s Note: This story takes place in near future. The main character is deaf and therefore there will be a lot of sign language. It will be written in italic (in a conversation). The grammar of English and sign language is very different, so I will write it all as normal English. Otherwise you just wouldn’t get the flow of the story, I think…

Hope you like this one too! Please tell me if you’d like some more :D

CHAPTER ONE

Jade’s POV

JADE’S DIARY

I am Jade. Yes the same Jade – the richest woman in her twenties. But little good has it done for me! After I won like half of the money in the word as it seems to me, I have lost my hearing as a result of some madman’s anger and nothing makes sense to me anymore. Being deaf wouldn’t be such tragedy to me if it hadn’t been such a high fall. Imagine being someone really important in the world, taking pride in every singe second of your life and then falling and falling and falling to become an invalid.

On my 18th birthday, 11.11.2011 I decided to have some fun and bought lottery tickets all over the world. I don’t even remember how many of them I bought over the net, but I sure was stunned when the congratulation-letters started to arrive to my inbox. Millions of dollars after millions of euros; millions and millions and millions... Governments and insurance companies all investigated my sudden luck, but after few months they all transferred the money over to my banc accounts.

It’s pointless telling you what I felt. You try it sometime and then you’ll know. Two and a half happy years passed and then my entire world shattered into pieces. Some Indonesian man thought I was the devil and put a bomb in my car. I was well over hundred meters away from it when it went off, but still... I have no hope to ever hear again.

I hid myself to my Scottish castle, another piece of property I had won. Acres of secluded land surrounding me, making sure the press would never find me again... Finally I could breathe! But apparently I still wasn’t quite like I used to be, because my so-called best friend Liana has hired someone to be my personal psychologist. Like I need one!

I threw my diary across the bedroom. What’s the use? I have never been a girly girl and it sure is too late to start being one now. I sighed in frustration and looked out of the window. Scotland is gorgeous. My castle and the forest around it is like my own little kingdom – the only place where I can at least tolerate everything I have lost together with my hearing. The servants and the businesspeople working for me think I have lost my mind, as does the media. But right here, right now none of it really matters.

Which is way Liana’s news this morning were even more disturbing. She is the closest friend of mine and now she too thinks I have lost my mind? She has been with me since we both were so poor that we couldn’t even go to the cinema! She has been there for me like not even my family has. Yet now she turned her back to me? I guess money really does change people… Maybe I never should have hired her to be my assistant…

I don’t want to think about it! This morning she told me that a therapist or whatever he was would arrive at Taskalglen in few hours; and I have been up in my room moping since then. I thought about kicking Liana out, but then changed my mind again. The thing is that she is my ears and mouth when I need them. How could I manage on my own? I don’t know sign language that well and the people around me don’t know it at all. Frankly I could be a little more eager to learn in my condition. But things are as they are and that means I need Liana. Even if it is just to tell the stable boy that my horse lost his shoe…

Thinking about stable gave me a brilliant idea. In no time I had put on my riding costume and ran down the wide staircase. I had about ten horses, but my favorite was a totally black young stallion named Faustus. It’s “lucky” in Latin. Riding him is bittersweet – my luck had run out, but the horse named by it was still here…

The stables were about 350 meters from the main house. I haven’t seen other stables, but I think my horses had very nice living quarters. Billy was already saddling my horse as he saw me running over the neatly cut grass and jumping over some lovely flowerbeds.

And off I took! Nothing can compare to the freedom you get when the wind ruffles your hear, trees pass and soon no one can see you. Just you and the fast horse, just you and the smell of the fog, just you…

Liana’s POV

I watched my friend running towards the stables. I know Jade is feeling betrayed and helpless. And maybe I really am doing the wrong thing here… But things can’t go on like this. She is depressed and I am afraid what she might do to herself! Being rich is no guarantee to have a full life. If it takes some tough love to get her sorted out, then fine by me! I will never let my best friend be miserable, even if she hates me for what I have to do to bring the sun back in to her days.

“Liana! The man you were waiting for has arrived. I put him to the pool room,” Liza told me. I hadn’t even heard the maid opening the office door; I was so engaged thinking about Jade. Liza was a good local girl, more of a friend now than a servant.

“That must be Nolan! Thanks Liza. Please, bring us some coffee and biscuits there. And also – tell me when Jade will come back, ok?” I said.

Liza nodded and the smile she seemingly always had faded a little. Nobody here really liked Jade after the accident. Can’t blame them though… Liza hesitated a little, but then nodded and left in a haste. I guess the poor girl is as much afraid of Jade’s temper as the rest of the staff. God knows the big paychecks are the only thing keeping them here…

I hurried towards the poolroom and opened the door. Nolan was playing, but he dropped the stick as soon as he saw me.

“Hello Nolan! Good to see you here after such a short notice,” I greeted him.

“Hello Liana. Good to be here. I could use a little time off. Traveling is fun only for so long,” he said. We shook hands and I offered him a seat under the alcove.

I took a long look. Nolan was my relative of some sort. My father and his stepfather were related somehow. He and I have spent a summer together when we were kids, but our ways parted long time ago. So I was really surprised when he agreed to come here and offer his help with a certain problem called Jade.

“So how have you been?” I asked him trying to start a conversation. I can’t just act all business-like with a relative whom I haven’t seen for over ten years comes for a visit.

“Oh you know – sill looking for my place in the world, but happy if all things considered. You?”

“Happy, happy,” I answered. Thankfully Liza knocked at the same time saving me from an embarrassing silence. She came in and put the tray on the table.

“Would you like some?” I offered Nolan. He nodded and that bought me some time to think about some things I didn’t quite know how to tell him.

“Liana, tell me about Jade. Why did you say I was your last hope?” he asked in a casual way.

I was relieved he brought it up. I turned to him and started: “You know Jade’s story, Nolan. You know about how poor she was and about the lotteries. And surely you know about the car bomb… She is depressed about being deaf. You are a psychologist. A very good psychologist and you also have learned sign language. I was hoping that maybe you can make her see the brighter side of life. She is a very stubborn and altogether rather…complicated person. Nothing I have tried so far has been successful; and I have tried a lot! Her family doesn’t care too – they got the remittances and are god knows where living the glamorous lives. I have tried to make her talk to other professionals, but they all refuse to work with her after the first few days. I just don’t know what to do anymore! You are my only hope, Nolan! I KNOW you could handle her,” I begged him.

Nolan looked at me and I could see the mixed emotions fighting in him. I was afraid he might not agree to help, so I continued. “She is a good person, Nolan. But Jade has lost her balance! Ever after the attack she has been so…miserable! You have never met her before, but believe me when I say that she was a very strong person before. After winning the money she was very active in charity – her motto is easy come, easy go! Now she doesn’t even want to hear abut how her charity-projects are going! She just doesn’t care about anything anymore! If you don’t care about Jade, then think about all the children missing her money! She kept them away from the streets and was giving them a chance for a better future!

Jade is a special girl, Nolan. I just can’t stand seeing her so beaten. She acts as if nothing matters anymore. I am losing my best friend! You are my only hope now. I know that she can learn to respect you. And I know that you won’t let her push you away like she did with all the other doctors. Please Nolan, help her,” I said.

Nolan looked at me and smiled after some consideration. “A little challenge is just what a man needs to feel alive. I’ll do it!” he told me. I laughed with relief and he joined me. While devouring the biscuit selection he asked where the patient herself is.

“Jade is riding her horse. I don’t know exactly where she is now. She takes off alone and stays away for however long it takes for her to calm her nerves. Usually the whole day…” I informed him. Nolan didn’t say anything, only knit the brows.

“Well, if you agree to stay here for a while then I should show you your bedroom and give a tour of the house. Shall we?” I stood up and offered my long lost relative a hand. He rose too and together we headed to the main foyer.

“The castle’s name is Taskalglen. It’s from a Scottish name Tasgall. That means something like the cauldron of the gods. And glen means a valley of course. Taskalglen really is worthy of its name – it is beautiful here! The forest, the mountains, the lake… First I was not that pleased when Jade told me she’d like to move here. After all, we both were raised at Brussels! Moving so far from cable TV and asphalt seemed bizarre to me. But Jade needed this after the hospitals and all. Now I’ve grown to love this place,” I told him. Nolan was interested in everything he saw. So I told him the little I knew of the estate’s history.

Finally we reached the room I had planned to give to Nolan. It had taken quite long to walk through all the halls, living rooms, offices and etc. He wasn’t as impressed as I had thought he’d be. I remember how in awe I was the first time I was introduced to Taskalglen. I guess Nolan really has seen the world.

“So this is your room. Jade’s rooms are in the very end of this hall. If you need to talk to her, push the button, that makes the lights flicker in her room and then she’ll know someone’s at the door. My room is right across from you. But let me show your room!” I pulled him inside the large and stylish guestroom. It had wide windows facing the front yard and the lake on a distance. White walls and antique furniture made of dark wood made it look distinguished. Private bathroom with all the equipment needed was to the left, and huge walk-in closet was to the right.

“This is really nice, Liana,” Nolan told me. He walked around the room touching the giant writing desk and finally sat on his queen-size bed. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it. The dinner should be served in an hour. I hope Jade will be back by then so you two could meet,” I told him in anticipation.

“Yes, it would be lovely to meet the infamous Jade, the wild cat,” he said laughing. At that moment I truly noticed what man Nolan truly was and finally I was sure that everything would work out for Jade.

“I could help you unpack if you like. I’d like to hear about your adventures.”

“Sure! Let me just get my bags from the trunk. Be back in a second!” he told me and ran to the stairs.

Nolan’s POV

My shabby Jeep was parked right in front of the front door. I was opening its doors when I heard galloping. I looked up and saw a black horse flying out of the forest. Its rider was so stooped on the horse’s withers that I didn’t really see her, but I was sure it had to be Jade. So I started towards the stables where the horse most likely was headed.

So this was Jade… When I reached the barn, she had already freed the horse from his saddle and was drying his sweat. She didn’t notice me since her back was to me and therefore I took my time observing her.

No man could say Jade didn’t have her charm. Every part of her showed clearly that she was an athlete. Oh yes, the newspaper once wrote that she used to run at marathon races or something. She was tall and her posture was self-reliant. Being the head of an empire takes that… Her black hair reached her hips and as she was grooming the horse her ponytail danced on her back. To think this was the most desired bachelorette of the world… And to think this was my new patient…

But I had been standing there long enough, so I approached her and tapped lightly on her shoulder. She flinched and turned to look at me. She was frowning and staring. I could see why Liana is worried about her friend. I’d be terrified!

“Hello. My name is Nolan. I am a friend of Liana’s,” I signed her. But apparently I wasn’t worth her time and she just turned her back to me. Great!

I tapped at her shoulder again, but this time she only turned her face even further away from me. It is hard enough to talk to a person’s back, but when that certain person is also deaf, it makes it impossible to talk at all. So I figure I gave her a bad first impression…

I wandered off to find someone to talk to about Jade. I believe that pushing her to talk to me if she doesn’t want to would be a bad move. Who likes aggressive anyway?

A stable boy was in a room near by cleaning the stirrups. I knocked and he dropped them on a floor with a loud noise. Jumpy, huh?

“Hello! I am Nolan, a friend of Liana’s and Jade’s new psychologist!” I gave him a little wave. He stared at me nervously before greeting me and introducing himself.

“Nice to meet you Billy. I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about Jade.”

Billy winced and stuttered. “Jade is my boss, the laird of the estate. I take care of the horses, me and other stable workers that is.”

“Yes, I know. But how is she? How do you communicate?” I asked.

“Jade doesn’t talk to anybody but Liana. Liana tells us what Jade wants. When Liana is not near by, she writes down what she has to say. That has happened only once though – when Liana had to go to London for a weekend and Faustus game back limping…” Billy informed me. “Faustus is her favorite horse. The one she rode today...” he drifted off shyly.

“But Jade lost her hearing as an adult and therefore she still knows how to talk even if she can’t hear it herself! It’s been only six months and the muscle-memory would allow her to talk normally for at least three more years!” I said.

Billy only shrugged. “I know nothing about that, doc, but that’s how she is. Doesn’t talk with her mouth at all. I have seen her talking that hand-language. Looks so weird! Liana is the only one who can understand it here.”

“It’s called sign language, Billy. And there is nothing weird about it at all.”

Billy seemed ashamed of being corrected and blushed. Young man felt uncomfortable now. I asked him anyway, “But Liana is not here now. Jade just came from riding. Doesn’t she need to give you orders or something?” I was superstitious.

“Oh no! We have worked out a system! She doesn’t like anybody around her, so the staff lets her to be alone. When I hear that she is leaving the stables, I will go out and have a look at her horse. If she hasn’t done something, then I see it myself and do what is needed,” Billy informed me happily. It was plain to see that he took much pride in his work. I personally think Billy mistook Jade’s need for privacy for something else entirely, but that is none of my business.

“OK then. I should go then. I think the dinner should be served soon and all…” I told him absent-mindedly.

“Sure thing, doc!” he replied.

I went back to Jade and saw that she was now finishing with taking care of the horse. I waved to get her attention. She looked up and I signed her to come get something to eat at the main house. Surprise, surprise – she didn’t respond to me any way. I made my mind up not to give up that easily. I leaned on the wall near the entrance and waited. I know she saw me there, but she didn’t pay me any attention whatsoever.

Finally she ran out of the small things to do to pass time and turned to go to the castle. She still refused to have eye-contact with me, but such a small thing doesn’t stand on my way. So I don’t really know how much of my signing she saw, when I said, “You have a beautiful home. I am very happy Liana invited me. I hope to stay here for a while. Did you know I am a doctor? Yes, I am.” And so on and on till we reached the door and she ran to her room upstairs without giving me a second glance.

Liana was at the main dining hall setting the able when I walked in. “You were gone for a long time. I take it you met Jade? How did it go?” she asked me.

“Well, she doesn’t want anything to do with me, but all things considered – it went well! Now if I only could make her look at what I am signing, things would be even better. So what’s for dinner?”

Liana only laughed and pointed for a seat I would be having.