At Veronica’s House
The group was finishing clean up from their last session before their short Christmas break. Everyone enjoyed the archery and agreed it would be a great addition to their curriculum. Veronica presented it as a good hunting skill while Violet reminded the students it was something to engage more parts of their bodies and mind. Nowhere in the process did they talk about using arrows on people. However, the kids were smart, remembering their lessons visualizing the pig demo as the arrows flew. Violet was proud of them when she heard them talk about the anatomic similarities between the two, especially where vital organs are located. By the end of the evening it was decided they would keep training with the bows.
With this decided and the garage clean Owen and his bother left. Derek and Gretchen were the last ones there which was normal. They always seemed to hang around after everyone else left. Veronica and Violet didn’t mind.
It was weird they both like them and neither one of them had normally had any use for kids. Veronica at least in her mind had good reason. She had seen too many of them hurt and or abused. Her mind was superimposing such things on new ones she met, always seeking out clues and such subconsciously. It was a major drawback of her job. It made relationships difficult at every level. Violet just saw them as annoying and lacking concentration.
Derek and Gretchen were different. Special, extraordinary with a purpose and uniqueness that drew them to you as friends
Violet saw a focus in them that most kids lacked. She could use this to train them and make them better people. They made her laugh and were respectful. They were young with but had a special soul. This is what made them important to Violet. She knew she had a sacred duty to teach and protect them.
Veronica, however, just had no use for kids but these two were different. She did not know why she liked them. Maybe it was not being around them during some of their formative years, maybe it was not finding any negative signs of treatment, regardless of how long she knew them or looked. Whatever the reason, she was actually friends with them without either side losing sight of their stations as teenager and adult.
“Guys I got a favor to ask, we will be gone about a week or so. can pop by the house once or twice to check on it, I would really appreciate it? we will be gone about a week or so” Veronica asked.
She knew asking was a formality but it is polite.
Most people would be worried about a couple of teenagers having keys and basically free range of their house for a week or so. Veronica wasn’t worried. She knew their parents, liked them a lot. Their father works on base and their mother was a pharmacist downtown. They went fishing and hunting frequently. As Derek and Gretchen got older, they went more and more with Veronica. Derek and Gretchen weren’t just any teenagers they were friends.
“By all means, feel free to shoot some more out back, just make sure everything is dry when you put it away.” Veronica told her two favorite kids. “And like I told Owen, if he wants to hold a practice or two while we are gone, he has to get with you two since you have the keys.” Violet added, causing Veronica to add some more instructions.
“And if he does, it’s still up to you two to make sure they clean up to what I expect it to look like. Got me?” She said in a serious tone, then her smile broke through. “No wild parties and I know how much is in the liquor bottles!”
“Yeah, Veronica doesn’t like competition!” Violet quipped.
“Whatever. Kids, we should be taking off late tomorrow, so don’t trash the place, no wild parties and don’t forget to practice.” Veronica said as they walked out to Gretchen’s new truck.
New truck wasn’t quite accurate. It was an older compact puck up, the same model and vintage as her brother’s. The truck was an early Christmas present from her parents. They wanted her to have something useful but also not big enough to get her in trouble. For the past six months Derek was helping Gretchen learn to drive while fixing up the truck to reflect her style making sure it was safe for his little sister.
The excitement of having the truck still showed as she slid into the driver’s seat of her truck. Derek tried to calm her down reminding her of promise to be ready to take her test before Christmas.
“Remember just because you drive off road hunting or camping, getting a full, proper driver’s license is different.”
Derek plastered a look of horror and fear on his face beside her and mouthed ‘Save Me!’ as they pulled out of Veronica’s Driveway.