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Woven Thread
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The quiet murmur of serious voices filled the room. The gallery resembled a chessboard with its contrasting inhabitants dressed in basic black and white. A rare splash of colour came in the form of vivid red streaked walls, the latest work of an 'in' New York artist. With a glass of berry coloured liquid in hand, Lilja drifted among the masses.
"Excuse me." Someone behind Lilja grabbed her arm. "Are you the Lilja from Deep Destinations?" A middle-aged woman, the enquirer, smiled warmly and reminded Lilja of a favorite aunt.
"Have we met?" Lilja asked, though she already knew the answer. Her mother was an etiquette expert and her father a business tycoon; Lilja had been bred for networking parties and luncheons like this. Her mother would be proud of the warm while imposing tone of voice she had mastered.
"No, but I've heard a lot about you, and I understand your new business was looking for suppliers of shipping equipment." The woman followed Lilja's example and used a formal voice, but it seemed as warm as her smile nonetheless. The two, speaking of Lilja's newest business venture, slowly made their way to a quieter corner of the room. The woman was Emily Saenz, who made and sold hand-braided custom ropes. Lilja expressed her surprise at such an unusual business. "It's a small market," she told Lilja, "but there's a market for any quality product."
"Anyone with ships needs rope, but I really haven't had time to look into it yet." Lilja commented. She swallowed the last of her colourful drink and examined the empty glass. "I was just headed out to get some real food. If you joined me we could talk about this some more." Emily glanced at the caviar and fruit on the buffet and nodded, then the two agreed to head to a nearby café to talk business.
Lilja, at seventeen, had moved out of her parent's home and cut off all ties with them. While in college she had worked at a travel agency, planning holidays for the wealthy. At twenty Lilja became the head of advertising in the company, the success of an internet campaign as the basis of her promotion. She owned a succession of travel companies over the next few years, and was soon supporting many of the local small businesses. Now twenty-five, Lilja's interest in sailing had developed into a new cruise ship company. Deep Destinations, as it was to be called, was almost ready to set sail.
"I will definitely need some of your rope, but I have to ask the captains before I place an order." Lilja ended the business conversation with one of her favorite tricks. She left the deal open, and in her favor.
They were comparing stories of their journeys abroad when a child on the other side of the room screeched. "I don't like it!" Lilja winced. She knew that she could never be a parent, and said so when Emily asked what was wrong.
"Children drive me mad! I couldn't stand to have them running around my house, constantly making noise and being messy and interrupting my work." Lilja grimaced as the child cried out again.
"Actually I can't stand children either. But I do have one boy of my own. It's a strange story actually, from when I was in Asia." Nervously, Emily looked around. "In China, there is a limit to the number of children a family can have. I met one pregnant woman, who promised me money to take her child. She thought the child would be a girl, which she would not want in a crowded orphanage. I didn't want the child, but she was desperate. Anyways, it was a boy, and I brought him back with me, but he has to stay hidden. I shouldn't be telling really, but I trust you, Lilja."
Lilja gave a small smile, but later the burden of that trust would prove to be heavy. She paced in her office, thinking over her responsibility toward Emily. Normally, she would simply call the police. The law was being broken... But it's a human life! A voice inside of her cried out. If, God forbid, she had a child of her own, and had to give it away, what would she do? Let him stay in an already crowded orphanage, or send him to the 'Land of Opportunity'.
In the end, curiosity overcame her. Lilja vowed to visit the boy, and see if he had an opinion. Then, she thought passionately, then I... we... will decide his fate.
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**Author's note** I'd like to pre-apologize incase I got the China thing wrong. Let me know if you know otherwise, but I think I read that that's true. somewhere. Sorry again if it isn't.
The quiet murmur of serious voices filled the room. The gallery resembled a chessboard with its contrasting inhabitants dressed in basic black and white. A rare splash of colour came in the form of vivid red streaked walls, the latest work of an 'in' New York artist. With a glass of berry coloured liquid in hand, Lilja drifted among the masses.
"Excuse me." Someone behind Lilja grabbed her arm. "Are you the Lilja from Deep Destinations?" A middle-aged woman, the enquirer, smiled warmly and reminded Lilja of a favorite aunt.
"Have we met?" Lilja asked, though she already knew the answer. Her mother was an etiquette expert and her father a business tycoon; Lilja had been bred for networking parties and luncheons like this. Her mother would be proud of the warm while imposing tone of voice she had mastered.
"No, but I've heard a lot about you, and I understand your new business was looking for suppliers of shipping equipment." The woman followed Lilja's example and used a formal voice, but it seemed as warm as her smile nonetheless. The two, speaking of Lilja's newest business venture, slowly made their way to a quieter corner of the room. The woman was Emily Saenz, who made and sold hand-braided custom ropes. Lilja expressed her surprise at such an unusual business. "It's a small market," she told Lilja, "but there's a market for any quality product."
"Anyone with ships needs rope, but I really haven't had time to look into it yet." Lilja commented. She swallowed the last of her colourful drink and examined the empty glass. "I was just headed out to get some real food. If you joined me we could talk about this some more." Emily glanced at the caviar and fruit on the buffet and nodded, then the two agreed to head to a nearby café to talk business.
Lilja, at seventeen, had moved out of her parent's home and cut off all ties with them. While in college she had worked at a travel agency, planning holidays for the wealthy. At twenty Lilja became the head of advertising in the company, the success of an internet campaign as the basis of her promotion. She owned a succession of travel companies over the next few years, and was soon supporting many of the local small businesses. Now twenty-five, Lilja's interest in sailing had developed into a new cruise ship company. Deep Destinations, as it was to be called, was almost ready to set sail.
"I will definitely need some of your rope, but I have to ask the captains before I place an order." Lilja ended the business conversation with one of her favorite tricks. She left the deal open, and in her favor.
They were comparing stories of their journeys abroad when a child on the other side of the room screeched. "I don't like it!" Lilja winced. She knew that she could never be a parent, and said so when Emily asked what was wrong.
"Children drive me mad! I couldn't stand to have them running around my house, constantly making noise and being messy and interrupting my work." Lilja grimaced as the child cried out again.
"Actually I can't stand children either. But I do have one boy of my own. It's a strange story actually, from when I was in Asia." Nervously, Emily looked around. "In China, there is a limit to the number of children a family can have. I met one pregnant woman, who promised me money to take her child. She thought the child would be a girl, which she would not want in a crowded orphanage. I didn't want the child, but she was desperate. Anyways, it was a boy, and I brought him back with me, but he has to stay hidden. I shouldn't be telling really, but I trust you, Lilja."
Lilja gave a small smile, but later the burden of that trust would prove to be heavy. She paced in her office, thinking over her responsibility toward Emily. Normally, she would simply call the police. The law was being broken... But it's a human life! A voice inside of her cried out. If, God forbid, she had a child of her own, and had to give it away, what would she do? Let him stay in an already crowded orphanage, or send him to the 'Land of Opportunity'.
In the end, curiosity overcame her. Lilja vowed to visit the boy, and see if he had an opinion. Then, she thought passionately, then I... we... will decide his fate.
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**Author's note** I'd like to pre-apologize incase I got the China thing wrong. Let me know if you know otherwise, but I think I read that that's true. somewhere. Sorry again if it isn't.