Chapter 1“Kiss.”
Esmerelda, Max, and Eddie often lined up side by side according to height, three-feet-two, three-feet-four, and three-feet-five and a half. Fleckman, Ushinger, Cooper, and Underhill Laboratories’ recently completed EME Primate Study and Jungle Sanctuary was named in their honor. The female, male, and male chimpanzee, bonobo, chimpanzee trio watched my hands intently with their affectionate deep, rich copper eyes, eyes that reminded me of my Eli. Most things did in one way or another. Deaf since birth, I needed my hands to communicate. All three little ones recognized American Sign Language. Eddie, who’d signed kiss upon seeing me that morning, was most proficient.
“Kiss.”
A huge smile showed every one of his thirty-two teeth when I signed the word back, then doled out o
