Friday evening, May 29th
South Riverside, inner Eastern suburbs of Feldaren
Dinner was over, and Violet Conniello had a question for her parents. “Dad, Mom, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, sweetie,” said her mother.
“Would it be alright if I start riding the streetcar to school? My friend Tess lives near here so I wouldn’t be alone.”
“What’s wrong with having your mother drop you off?” asked her father.
“Nothing, dad,” said Violet, “but it feels childish, and I’m almost in high school.”
It was deeply embarrassing; dropping her off really meant a ride in one of the mission’s official cars, with her mother in the back with her.
“We’ve talked about this before, Violet,” said her mother. “I don’t mind dropping you off, and your father worries.”
“She’s getting older, I suppose. This is the Tess we met at last year’s festival, yes?”
Violet nodded. Tess had been her best friend practically since they’d started middle school two and a half years ago, but she wasn’t surprised that her father didn’t remember that.
“Well, how about this, then,” said her father. “You can start taking the streetcar for your Saturday classes until graduation as long as Tess joins you. If that goes well, you two can take it regularly when you start high school in the fall.”