In a world without solace, the girls and women in these ten tales grapple with the meaning of their daily lives. An unemployed realtor challenges herself by helping an ex-felon learn to read. Two feisty PhDs with a housecleaning service confront a request to do more than scrub away grime. A solicitous housewife seeks to gain her family's attention. The eclectic characters in this collection contend with the classic, American quest after freedom while struggling for validation of their existence.