Fox Spirit 61 – Flight
“Jerry, you need to understand what’s happening.” Sara unconsciously slipped back into their earlier informality as she outlined the situation to her boss on the phone. Jerry Wang also forgot his reserve in response to her urgent tone.
“Of course,” he said, his voice admitting no argument. “The son belongs with the father’s family. In Chinese history and legend, the Old Empress always controls the prince.” Sara had to laugh at the sudden vision of herself as a Dowager Empress whispering commands from behind a screen. Laughter felt good.
Then she called Storm to outline her plan. His reaction was quite different.
“I don’t understand, really. What is different, their taking your grandson from his father and hiding him away, and you taking him and bringing him to China? He is their grandson also…”
The tension of the week had been hard on Sara’s self-control. With Storm’s objection all her own doubt and fear broke out as anger.
“What do you know about being a parent? Don’t talk about what you can’t understand! He’s my son’s son! I’m taking him for his father, to bring him up like his father’s people! You, a Chinese, should understand this! And they’re trying to steal him, not even speaking to his father. They can’t be trusted!”
Sara realized how shocking her raw emotion must be to Storm. She struggled to regain control. “Please, Storm, hen dui bu qi. I’m sorry for losing my temper. This is hard for me. It’s my family. It’s important.” She stumbled over the words, groping to find some formula which could contain and explain her emotion.
Storm spoke slowly, as if thinking aloud. “I think I see… in China we want a son to continue the family name, and also he must be raised in agreement with the family tradition. If the father is an educated man, the son must also be educated. If the father has a special kind of work, the son will follow in this work. You are perhaps more Chinese in this way than I’m myself.”
Sara fought to speak calmly. “It isn’t about following a tradition of work – we are talking about a toddler! He’s only two years old – he can’t choose now what life to lead. But he’ll be taught by the people he lives with to believe one thing or another. I won’t have my grandson told lies about his father, about who he is! I won’t give up this boy to another family to raise!” She stopped suddenly, remembering what Storm’s parents had done.
Storm’s response came slowly. “As you say, I haven’t been a parent. But I’ve been the child caught between two families. I think most Chinese would agree – the mother’s family is always the wairen, the outsiders. But this isn’t a problem for logic.”
“Then maybe for this time you can be a little more Chinese?” Sara insisted. “I’ll need your help, I think, if our plan succeeds.”
Storm’s voice was quiet. “You know that I’ll help you if you need it. Whether you are right or wrong, I’ll help you.”
His assurance gave Sara the calm she had lost. “Thank you, Storm. I think I’m right, for now. If later I’m wrong, I’ll let you know. Now let’s plan…”
Flight. Sara turned the word around in her mind. Flight equals flying, as in hopes taking flight, flight schedule, birds in flight. They were certainly doing that, the three of them side by side in the 747’s center seats, Richie wriggling, questioning, whimpering, giggling and finally dropping into sleep; Sara cajoling, consoling, lulling with songs and now drowsing, remembering how her Chinese had made visas so much easier at the Chinese embassy, thankful that only a small payment was required to add Richie to her passport as her under-age ward. Mark was asleep in the window seat, still gripping the portfolio of papers which would open the next door. They were definitely in flight.
Flight. Flight equals fleeing, as in taking flight from peril, “flying from a sea of troubles.” Somehow the word held an undertone of cowardice, of reluctance to face the menace, of weakness. What if Mark had insisted that Richie stay with him? Could he have fended off the Cavallos, in the court and afterward? Could he have guarded Richie against another abduction attempt? Could he have succeeded as a single parent? Should Sara have been so certain? Should they have had an alternate plan? Did Mark feel a secret relief at having someone else take over, take Richie off his hands? “Fleeing from a sea of troubles;” yes, she was definitely in flight.
She looked at Richie, asleep, curled up in the airline blanket, the crayon provided by the stewardess still clutched in one hand. Richie would be safe, cared for, doted on. But what would happen to Mark? She shoved that worry aside.
Sara led the way out of the customs area and through the crowded terminal, Mark trailing behind his mother and his son, pushing the laden baggage cart. Sara remembered her first impression of the thick air, the chatter of reuniting families, the swirl of people and luggage descending to the subway, and the waving flags of the tour guides as they herded tourists to waiting buses. She turned to reassure her son, then waved as Jerry Wang’s car pulled to a stop out of the whirl of traffic. Sara made introductions and then all three were bundled into the car with a flurry of comments from Jerry Wang about Richie’s travel equipment. Apparently no-one in China had ever used or seen a child’s car seat. Mark and Richie slept in the back seat, while in the front seat, Sara and Jerry Wang talked in low voices as he maneuvered through traffic.
“Silver Wing has found a crib and other baby things for you to use – they are all waiting for you at your apartment.”
“So kind of her. So kind of you, too, to come to pick us up. I have troubled you too much.”
“Don’t be so polite. We are friends. Silver Wing is so excited about your grandson’s coming, as if he were her own baby.”
”She’s very generous and Scarlet Li also – so many preparations!”
“Yes. Manager Li is a fine one to organize.” They chatted about the different people who had helped to prepare for Richie’s coming, about the trip, about things to be done when Sara returned to the office. “Manager Cheng has been traveling in Suzhou. He will return to the office tomorrow. He’s found some good business for us there, I think.”
Sara had scarcely had time to think of Storm since their one conversation. There had been so much to arrange, so much tension involved in spiriting Richie away, so many family concerns to manage. The mention of Storm’s name brought his image into her mind with such force that she caught her breath.
Jerry Wang shot a sidewise glance at her. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, just thinking about all the things to be arranged.” How would Storm fit into a life with Richie? And what would Mark think of him when they met? How would such a meeting go? They were two different parts of her life that couldn’t fit together. She pushed the thought aside. Mark would not be here for long.
Again, Silver Wing was waiting in Sara’s doorway, outlined by the light behind. Sara ushered Mark and Richie into the apartment, which suddenly seemed much smaller. Scarlet Li and Silver Wing had set up a small crib in a corner of the living room/kitchen, sheltered behind a folding screen. Extra bedding on the sofa was on loan during Mark’s stay. Milk and fruit filled the small refrigerator Wa, bread and cereal was fresh in the cupboard. A collapsible stroller was parked in the entry next to Sara’s bicycle, which had been fitted with a very basic child seat.
“Silver Wing, thank you again. You and Scarlet Li have done so much….”
“It’s nothing. He is your grandson. He must be cared for. This is the Chinese way, no question.” Silver Wing reached out a slender hand and gently stroked Richie’s sleeping head. “He is so beautiful.”
Jerry Wang moved beside Silver Wing and took her hand. “We’ll go now. These travelers need to sleep. Manager Miller, perhaps tomorrow you can bring Mark and Richie to the office so that everyone can see the son and grandchild of whom we have heard so much? And Manager Li needs your help with arrangements so that Richie can attend the Children’s Palace.”
“Of course. I’ll bring Mark and Richie just before lunch time, all right? That won’t disrupt the office too much, I hope?”
“Everyone will be very glad to see you return and to meet your family. We’ve missed you, Manager Miller. But now we will go, so that you and your family can sleep.”
Sara stood at the door watching as Jerry and Silver Wing drove off. So much kindness! Then she turned to the urgent business of settling her family for the night.
“So, here’s my office.” Sara unfastened Richie’s stroller harness and set him upright on the floor, then rose to introduce Mark and Richie to Jade Wang.
“Come on, I’ll give you the tour.” She led Mark and Richie from the spotless, orderly front lobby past the cubicles with their standard furniture and tangled power cords and into the littered engineering lab.
As the engineers bowed their introductions, Sara suddenly realized that Richie had vanished. She hurried back to her cubicle and stopped short on the threshold.
Storm Cheng was there.
Chinese Puzzle Box 