Chapter 8.12: Not all parents are the same

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From Rowan's diary

Here in Sim City it's not easy to keep up with exercise, every time I try to do some jogging or ride a bike I start coughing from the smog. But under our apartment there is a playground where I can play some basketball, so I often pass by here in the morning before going to work, when Juno and Nacho are still sound asleep. I've always been like this for as long as I can remember, I only need a few hours of sleep to get me through the day, and I need to spend some time outdoors on my own to release the stress of the day.

Juno: Hi, furry friend!

Nacho likes Juno a lot, that's for sure. That cat has always been a little wary of strangers, but now it almost seems like he prefers her to me.

Juno: Are you already working, Rowan?

Rowan: I'm just checking the emails, to know what to expect for today.

Juno: How is the situation at your office?

Rowan: Bah, new procedures are being started, and the old ones are slowly being processed. Not much interesting going on, in short.

Juno: Oh.

Rowan: But there's not much I can do about it, anyway.

Juno: Good luck, in any case. I'm sure the situation will improve soon, don't worry!

Rowan: Good luck to you too!

We're in late autumn already, and we don't get a free moment among the time spent working, errands, and the exploration of this huge city.

Juno: Every day there is some new festival in town, it's crazy!

Rowan: Are you sure the music isn't a bit too loud, though?

Everyday we go out it's impossible not to get distracted by the bright lights and the loud music at every square. Yet, we rarely waste too much time commenting about them, and quickly switch to more serious topics instead. It's always been that way with her, and I don't think that will change anytime soon.

Rowan: In New Sixam, all this could probably be sustainable, because all the electricity used would come from the large stellar core power plant and would not produce harmful emissions. Not to mention how much they can recycle by using the matter recomposers. How does Sim City provide energy to the city instead?

Juno: As far as I remember, about half of the electricity is nuclear, 35% is from fossil fuels, and what remains is mainly from hydroelectricity. Or at least it was written that way in our textbooks. I don't remember any number about recycling instead.

Rowan: (thoughtful) That's for sure a big difference.

Juno: Yeah, I don't even want to think about how much CO₂ they produce just to switch on a few bright lights in the city centre...

Rowan: Rather, this also applies to teleportation, right? It takes a lot of electricity to make it work.

Juno: Yes, even if it's a pity not to use it all the time to avoid the transportation time, right?

Rowan: Definitively...

We are really careful about our environmental and energetic footprint, but teleportation is definitively the hardest thing to renounce for us. It has been the sixamians' favourite means of transportation for generations now, we're all so used to it. And then it makes it so easy to visit my parents in Sulani, or my cousins ​​in New Sixam... That's definitively not something we can give up lightly.

Juno: Sometimes I feel like we're the outliners, everyone else seems to pretend that none of this is happening, how can they be so calm?

Rowan: Yet, the numbers are on our side, and it's not easy to argue against the numbers. I think they simply prefer to ignore the problem, and keep living the way they're used to.

Juno: Yeah, that's probably it...

We were suddenly interrupted by a loud noise to my right, which made us turn around quickly in that direction.

Juno: C'mon, were the fireworks really necessary!?

We just shook our heads, before picking up our bikes and pedalling back home. I think that if everyone behaved like us, we could make a significant difference in terms of emissions and respect for the environment, but apparently not many people share this thought.

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My parents can't come here very often, it takes too much paperwork to do so. I always tell them it would just be so much easier for us to reach them on Sulani instead, but it's usually impossible to convince them. It's not the same, they say.

Juno: (Entering the apartment) Good evening Mr and Mrs Miller. Excuse me if I'm late, I just arrived from the office!

Alba: Oh, Juno, you surprised me when you stepped in! And don't worry, I remember well how it was back when we were still working. It seems incredible that there is always so much to do!

Juno seems to get along very well with my parents. She would talk to them for hours. In particular, she loves talking with my mom about the time when she worked for the Sulani's environmental agency.

A couple of times she even admitted that she was a little envious about how my parents are and the relationship I have with them, because her relationship with her parents is quite the opposite instead. And, after everything she told me about them, I really don't have a hard time believing it.

So, when Harvestfest arrived, we both could only welcome with a certain apprehension the invitation we had received from Juno's parents.

For starters, Juno had to cook for the day herself even if her parents had invited us to join them in New Sixam, since they had refused to buy a vegetarian turkey. “It's weird,” they say.

Juno: You're not obliged to come, really, I really don't know what to expect from them this time. Also because, you know... They used to get along with Francis, a lot, and I'm afraid they may not be very fond of you instead, so to speak.

Honestly, the idea of ​​introducing myself to her parents was quite intimidating. But I couldn't let her go alone either, isn't it, my dear diary?

Rowan: I don't think avoiding them would solve much, and in any case I'll have to meet them, sooner or later.

Juno: (unsure) Uhm...

Being capable of cheering people up has never been my strong point, yet I knew perfectly that Juno had many good reasons to be worried at that moment. Think, Rowan, what does she do when she wants to cheer you up instead?

Rowan: Don't worry, it's just for this afternoon.

Juno: Thanks, really.

We met them in a square near their place in New Sixam, they said they didn't have a table big enough for everyone at home.

Juno: C'mon, it's lunchtime!

Juno's mom: Can I say it smells terrible?

Juno: ... 

Juno is not a bad cook, on the contrary. Honestly, this veggie turkey is better than the one my parents tried to prepare a few times. I was already about to specify it, when Juno turned towards me to tell me, with a single look, to forget about it. Already before leaving, she warned me to avoid any useless argument, but it's so difficult to ignore such mean allegations.

Juno's dad: We met Francis the other day, he seems to be doing well.

Juno's mom: Yes, apparently she has a new partner now. They are expecting a baby too, it should be born soon.

Juno: I see. Good for th—

They said it in an accusatory tone, even I can tell they were implying something like: "See? That could have been you!”. And they didn't seem to want to listen to Juno either, because they didn't even gave her the time to comment before passing to their next question.

Juno's dad: Would he be the famous Rowan instead?
Juno: Yes, dad.

Juno's mom: You put a lot of absurd ideas in her head, do you even realize it? Why did she need to remain in Sim City, or...

Rowan: (serious) If I may, I'd like to stress that Juno didn't need to be convinced of anything. It's her own ideas she's been following, that's it. 

I was about to add much more, a similar attitude towards their own daughter was simply inconceivable to me. I held back only by seeing Juno, and realising that she had passed her limit too.

Juno's mom: But…

Juno: (raising her voice) I'm old enough to make my own choices, okay? Continuing to lecture me about every little thing won't change anything!

Juno's mom: But, my darling, we...

Juno: Sure, of course, you're "doing it for my sake"... Who ever asked you? Please, I would ask you to stop always telling me what I should or shouldn't do, as if I were completely incompetent. I'm happy like this, and that's enough for me!

That sudden stance left Juno's parents speechless, too shocked to respond. They almost seemed to no longer recognize her. So Juno shook her head, quickly retrieved what was left of the vegetarian turkey and the dishes we had brought from home (we never use disposable tableware), and she warned me we were returning back to Sim City. Just before teleporting, she had once again turned towards her parents to say goodbye to them, also adding:

Juno: (tensely) Best wishes, have a nice Harvestfest.

It's impressive how she manages to be kind even when she's mad at someone, sometimes she's way too nice for her own good...

Shortly after, in the Sim City apartment

Juno: Probably I brought too many dishes, do you need some help to clean everything up?

Rowan: No, I'm almost done. Rather… (cautiously) Is everything okay?

Juno: It's nothing. I'm just making some popcorn, do you want some too?

For most people a popcorn machine might seem superfluous, but certainly not for Juno. For her, taking a bowl of popcorn and nibbling them in front of the TV seems to be a comfort, and she certainly has no intention of giving it up.

Rowan: If you have a handful left over, why not.

Rowan: Are you sure everything's okay?

Juno: Uhm... it's complicated. But at least I'm happy I was able to tell them what I think, for once. Do you think they understood?

Rowan: It couldn't have been clearer than that, if they don't get there yet it's certainly not your fault.

Juno: Uhm...

Having said this she curled up even more, and then started nibbling on that popcorn again. It had been a long day, that's for sure.

Rowan: (trying to console her) You did great, really.

Juno: … Thank you.

Juno has many friends here in Sim City, both old mates from college and people she met at her job. Yet, she surely cut a lot of ties when moving here from New Sixam (Francis, her family, her old schoolmates...), probably she misses her old connections back where she grew up. 

I don't consider myself very capable with relationships, but even I understand she needs someone she can really trust now. Most of the time I don't really know what to say or do, but I swear I'm really trying, my dear diary.

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