Page 22 of Voice to Raise
“If you say so.” I flashed to the angry man in my office this morning.Was it really just this morning?And how my body had reacted in a way I hadn’t expected. I’d known the man was attractive. I just hadn’t predicted how the up-close and personal would actually feel. Then, of course, my body betrayed me and I got the migraine.
“I do say so. You should use him more often. He should be your front man.”
“He’s already the front man for a band—I think that’s enough exposure.”
“There’s no such thing as too much publicity. You listen to me. We ensured Canada didn’t acquire nuclear weapons. Have you seen the shitshow going on in the world?”
Of course I do. I watch the news every night and despair of our world. That’s why I keep fighting.“The world is in a bad place.”
“It’s a good thing you don’t have children—because what kind of world would you be leaving to them? On the other hand, perhaps if you had children, you might work harder to make things better.”
That familiar knife in my chest twisted. The ache in my heart increased.Let it go. It’s not going to happen, and dwelling over it will only make you feel worse.“I’ll continue fighting, Mother. Whether or not I have children, I still believe in a cause greater than myself and my creature comforts.”There. That should shut her up. For now, at least.
“Well, that’s good. You do better, all right? And call Malik. Ask him to be more involved—not less.”
“I will—”
The line went dead.
Ha! I’d been about to say that I’dconsiderit. Now I’d left her with the impression I actually would make the phone call. Well, her problem. If she had time to call and lecture, but not enoughof her precious time to properly saygoodbye, then that wasn’t my issue.
Moses meowed.
His orange fur glowed in the illumination cast by the nightlight.
“I’ll feed you, buddy. You were very patient.”
He didn’t like my parents. Well, I couldn’t be certain he liked very many people as I rarely had people over. My parents had made the effort almost a year ago. After a very painful visit that lasted less than an hour, they’d departed and Moses had finally made an appearance. Smart cat. I’d have hidden if I could’ve.
You’re forty years old, and you still haven’t dealt with your parents or your issues surrounding them. You need therapy.
Well, probably that notion was a bit extreme. At the very least, I needed to stop trying to obtain their approval. Their praise. Even leaving my corporate job and moving to the nonprofit sector had little effect. Hadn’t even moved the needle.
I snagged my dressing gown and shrugged it on over my pajamas. At least I’d managed to undress when I got home. Waking up after having slept in jeans and a button-down shirt was never fun—but I’d done it more times than I could count.
Moses ambled behind me as I made my way to the kitchen.
Yeah, we’re going to be okay.
I never did get around to calling Malik Forestal.
Chapter Six
Malik
“Are you sure you don’t want to come? It’s going to be fun.” I spoke into my phone as I walked from the parking garage across the street to Vancouver City Hall.
“Dude, your definition offunand mine are wildly different. Seraphina invited me over to her place and I promise you, we’re not going to be discussing policy and plans and zoning and… Uh…”
“They’re discussing a new social housing project.” I looked both way before crossing Cambie Street—even though I had the walk sign.
“Well, Vancouver needs more affordable housing.” Something rustled in the background. “But what does that have to do with you?”
“The land they want to build on used to belong to the Indigenous tribes of the region.”
“Dude, all the land belonged to the tribes—that’s why we say we’re on the unceded territory of the…”
I wasn’t going to fill in the blanks. I loved that most government bodies recognized we were merely colonizers. My affinity with the Indigenous community ran deep. I knew what it meant to be discriminated against for the color of my skin. The grievances of those native to this land ran much deeper, though. They needed my support. “I’ve made it to city hall. Wish me luck.”
