made it into the water. And that doesn't even address the loss of biodiversity."
She nodded. It was a simplistic answer, but it was the most she was likely to understand.
They weren't entirely closed-minded. The one boy wanted to argue, but all of them actually listened to what I had to say, and when finally they moved on, I thought perhaps I had at least made all of them think.
"Zoe," said Lilac from behind me as soon as the students had moved on. "These people would like to meet you."
I took a breath to calm myself after the mini-debate with the students, smiled, and then turned around to greet the new people.
I froze.
It was her.
We stared at each other, no one moving for a moment, then I stepped forward.
"This is Angel," Lilac said. "She and her girlfriend were here yesterday. They came back with... I'm sorry, I didn't catch everyone's name."
"I'm Angel," one of the women said, and I recognized her as one of the Amazonian students that had so flustered Katy yesterday. "This is Scarlett." I shook hands with both of them. Angel and Scarlett were clearly U-Madison stud ents, I thought perhaps seniors or possibly recent graduates.
Then Angel gestured to one of the women, even taller than she was. "This is my cousin, Lara. Her wife, Michaela, and my other cousin, Elisabeth."
I shook hands with all three. Lara and Michaela couldn't have been more opposite. Lara had to be six feet tall and built like a... well, I wasn't sure what she was built like. Her wife, on the other hand, was one of the shortest women I'd ever met, and exceedingly delicate in appearance besides. She had striking red hair and sharp features. But when we shook hands, her grip was firm.
But it was the other cousin, Elisabeth, who had fascinated me. It was Elisabeth I'd been stalking. We shook hands, and I couldn't take my eyes from her. She seemed to find me equally intriguing.
But finally we released each other's hand.
I found my voice. "I'm so pleased you could come today," I said. I turned to Angel and her girlfriend, Scarlett. "Thank you so much for the incredibly generous donation yesterday. We'll put it to good use, I assure you."
"You're welcome," Scarlett said. "We're aware of the importance of educating the public about protecting the environment."
"You are, hmm?" I asked, hoping to elicit more.
"Yes," she said. She gestured to Michaela, the diminutive woman. "Michaela was our high school teacher. She taught us well."
"Oh?" I turned to Michaela. She smiled.
"I teach a science-heavy program," she said, "with an emphasis on conservation. My students learn everything I am able to cram into their heads about the natural sciences. Scarlett and Angel have been my favorite two students." She reached out and caressed one of them, then the other, and the affection between all of them was evident.
I asked a few questions and was amazed at the responses. Finally I said, "I can't believe you can teach so much science in high school. What about the other topics?"
"It's a pretty exclusive school," Lara said. "Admittance into Michaela's program is by invitation, and there's an extensive interviewing process. The students are exceedingly motivated."
"That's just because they all want to learn how to kayak," Michaela said.
"Kayak?"
Angel's grin broadened. "On Lake Superior. Michaela doesn't just teach science. She teaches everything. Canoeing, kayaking, camping both in the summer and winter. "
We talked for a few more minutes about her science program. At the end, it was Lara who said, "We're very ecologically minded."
"Are you a teacher, too?" I asked.
"Oh no," she said. "I'm a business woman. But the school exists to teach the children of our employees, and so I'm on the school board."
"I see," I said. "It is uncommon to find business leaders who show much care for environmental causes."
"Lara is uncommon in a lot of ways," Michaela said with a smile up to her wife. I was again struck at the differences between them.
"Is this why you're
She nodded. It was a simplistic answer, but it was the most she was likely to understand.
They weren't entirely closed-minded. The one boy wanted to argue, but all of them actually listened to what I had to say, and when finally they moved on, I thought perhaps I had at least made all of them think.
"Zoe," said Lilac from behind me as soon as the students had moved on. "These people would like to meet you."
I took a breath to calm myself after the mini-debate with the students, smiled, and then turned around to greet the new people.
I froze.
It was her.
We stared at each other, no one moving for a moment, then I stepped forward.
"This is Angel," Lilac said. "She and her girlfriend were here yesterday. They came back with... I'm sorry, I didn't catch everyone's name."
"I'm Angel," one of the women said, and I recognized her as one of the Amazonian students that had so flustered Katy yesterday. "This is Scarlett." I shook hands with both of them. Angel and Scarlett were clearly U-Madison stud ents, I thought perhaps seniors or possibly recent graduates.
Then Angel gestured to one of the women, even taller than she was. "This is my cousin, Lara. Her wife, Michaela, and my other cousin, Elisabeth."
I shook hands with all three. Lara and Michaela couldn't have been more opposite. Lara had to be six feet tall and built like a... well, I wasn't sure what she was built like. Her wife, on the other hand, was one of the shortest women I'd ever met, and exceedingly delicate in appearance besides. She had striking red hair and sharp features. But when we shook hands, her grip was firm.
But it was the other cousin, Elisabeth, who had fascinated me. It was Elisabeth I'd been stalking. We shook hands, and I couldn't take my eyes from her. She seemed to find me equally intriguing.
But finally we released each other's hand.
I found my voice. "I'm so pleased you could come today," I said. I turned to Angel and her girlfriend, Scarlett. "Thank you so much for the incredibly generous donation yesterday. We'll put it to good use, I assure you."
"You're welcome," Scarlett said. "We're aware of the importance of educating the public about protecting the environment."
"You are, hmm?" I asked, hoping to elicit more.
"Yes," she said. She gestured to Michaela, the diminutive woman. "Michaela was our high school teacher. She taught us well."
"Oh?" I turned to Michaela. She smiled.
"I teach a science-heavy program," she said, "with an emphasis on conservation. My students learn everything I am able to cram into their heads about the natural sciences. Scarlett and Angel have been my favorite two students." She reached out and caressed one of them, then the other, and the affection between all of them was evident.
I asked a few questions and was amazed at the responses. Finally I said, "I can't believe you can teach so much science in high school. What about the other topics?"
"It's a pretty exclusive school," Lara said. "Admittance into Michaela's program is by invitation, and there's an extensive interviewing process. The students are exceedingly motivated."
"That's just because they all want to learn how to kayak," Michaela said.
"Kayak?"
Angel's grin broadened. "On Lake Superior. Michaela doesn't just teach science. She teaches everything. Canoeing, kayaking, camping both in the summer and winter. "
We talked for a few more minutes about her science program. At the end, it was Lara who said, "We're very ecologically minded."
"Are you a teacher, too?" I asked.
"Oh no," she said. "I'm a business woman. But the school exists to teach the children of our employees, and so I'm on the school board."
"I see," I said. "It is uncommon to find business leaders who show much care for environmental causes."
"Lara is uncommon in a lot of ways," Michaela said with a smile up to her wife. I was again struck at the differences between them.
"Is this why you're
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