I answered: You’re welcome.

Your lives belong to you.

A minute later a small thumbs-up appeared.

It was the first response from her that I had not needed to earn through explanation.

PART 19: The Research Trip

That summer Chloe and Sophie were invited to present their water-network research at a student innovation symposium.

They had enough grant funding to cover the trip, and Marianne had already arranged travel with their teachers.

When Chloe told me, I asked whether there was anything practical I could do.