None of this kind of privacy invasion would happen in Hilary’s utopia. It was something to consider. When she was actually pregnant, would Miller have introduced a new law to place pregnant women under house arrest? Vivien wouldn’t be surprised.
* * * *
Kerry was tapping her fingers on her desk, raising curious looks from her colleagues. There was no reason to be on edge, was there, not even with Captain Jepsen in his office with the middle-aged woman in the crisp business suit. Kerry didn’t know her, but the woman’s demeanor told her and everyone else in the room that she held authority.
These days, it was all about Miller versus sanity. He had vowed to cut government jobs, a Damocles sword that would come to the department for sure. She hadn’t been the last one hired, so she didn’t think she was in danger at the moment—but you never knew anymore.
“Rivers, Gonzales! Come here for a moment.”
No. Not now.
They might be able to cover the mortgage on Vivien’s salary, but it would be tight, and any family planning would have to be delayed infinitely. Gonzales looked equally as worried. He had been with the department for only three months, and had two young kids at home. A couple of years younger than Kerry, he had been working most of his career as a detective in Vice.
“Come on in.” Captain Jepsen didn’t seem too concerned, and the woman gave the two of them a friendly smile. “Have a seat. Lieutenant Fairbanks is here with a proposal for you that is good for you in the first place, not so much for me, but of course I congratulate you both.”
The lieutenant gave him an indulgent smile before she continued. “You might be aware that there’s been some restructuring in the recent past to make police work in this county more effective and our services more accessible to the public.”
Kerry almost groaned. Was this really happening? They couldn’t fire two people just like that, everyone had to be aware of the lawsuits they’d be in for—however, the powers that be could find excuses to reduce her hours and cut down her salary that way.
“In the light of recent events, I can understand you’re somewhat apprehensive,” Fairbanks said. “Our new governor has made some bold moves—well, we think it’s time to do the same. We are forming a new Hate Crimes unit which is both a preventive act and sorely needed. In the course of some of the rhetoric of late, we have already seen an increase in harassment. Some of it might be seen as minor, but we are concerned about this development. For this unit to work, we want the team and the background of each individual member to be as diverse as possible. Detectives Gonzales and Rivers, we want you both to be a part of it.”
Kerry was speechless for a moment. This was the opposite of what she had expected, and she could tell that Gonzales was as surprised as she was.
“When she says ‘we’, the good lieutenant is obviously excluding me, as I’m not looking forward to losing two of my best detectives. Of course, if you choose to take the offer, I wish you all the best,” Jepsen added.
“How long do we have to decide?” Kerry asked.
“I’d like your decision at the end of next week at the latest. In addition to the investigative work, you’d take some classes and eventually qualify for teaching segments. In other parts of the state where we’ve already introduced this program locally, it’s been welcomed by colleagues with families for its flexible schedule. I know you have a background in sociology, Detective Rivers, so I thought you might be intrigued, but it’s ultimately your experience on the job I find convincing. Detective Gonzales, I was impressed with your accomplishments during your undercover work. Each of our chosen team members will bring unique insights to the table. At the same time, we’ll be part of a long-term study on how prejudice impacts the decision to commit a crime. In short, collect more evidence on how racist, sexist and homophobic views can be seen as a catalyst, lowering the threshold. If we support this link with hard evidence, this matters with regard to accountability, not only for the actual perpetrator of the crime. I’m sure you’ve both seen examples of that in your work. You will consult with the FBI as well.”
Both Gonzales and Kerry nodded. They’d seen enough cases of rape go to court to be aware of a mind-boggling attitude towards women who filed charges against the rapist. Blaming the victim seemed like a safe choice for too many, and the old myths were repeated over and over again.
“One word about the salary.”
Kerry winced, still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“This new position comes with a raise. You can call me sometime next week, or we can make an appointment right now.”
“I’d like to have an appointment,” Gonzales said.
“I’d like to think about it for a few days. I’ll have to talk about this with my…partner.” She’d have to tell Hilary as well, at that dinner on Saturday. Kerry was confident that in the end, Hilary would understand, and she’d present Lieutenant Fairbanks as an example—not everything was going to hell with Millers inauguration. They had to learn to maneuver the pitfalls in this new setting.
She knew Vivien was a bit on the fence about the big move to California, but staying was looking like a better alternative for them. They had invested a lot in their home, making it their own, and the following week, they would see Vivien’s doctor to discuss their options for family planning. Not everything was so bad after all, was it?
* * * *
“I still can’t believe this!” Vivien said with emphasis, and the young blonde sitting next to her on the sofa nodded.
Upon her return home, Kerry realized quickly that it wasn’t a good moment to spring the news on Vivien. She had brought a guest with her, an intern from her workplace, and the two of them weren’t in the best mood.
Sure, with the case of the safe zones lost, and being forced to take a pregnancy test before being served alcohol—wait.
“Say that again. It can’t be legal. I don’t doubt Miller is evil, but he can’t do magic. There’s no way he could have forced through all this legislation in such a short time.”
“Lots of night shifts,” the intern commented. “I’m Lee, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you. Wow. I think I’d like a drink too, as long as they don’t yet come to our homes. That is some sort of crazy.”
“Lee grew up in California,” Vivien said. “I think it looks better by the minute.” Kerry sent her a questioning look, and Vivien shook her head. Good. It was better to keep quiet at the moment, even with people they trusted. Hilary and Marc would probably tell them more at dinner, but obviously they planned some big revelation.
“Yeah…I guess I better go.” Lee sounded wistful as she regarded her empty glass. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Vivien. Nice to meet you too.” She gave Kerry the once over, before she picked up her coat and purse and headed out.
“What was that all about?” Kerry asked as she sat next to Vivien. After a long passionate kiss, Vivien slumped back against the backrest. “I’m not sure you want to know. Do you want to know? Well, you’re the detective. Of course you want to.”
“Long day, huh?”
“Yeah. The fact that Lee has a bit of a crush on me is the least of it.”
“Hm. I’d like to be the judge of that.”
Vivien gave her a tired smile. “What about that as of today, the safe zones are gone? Of course we’ll help organize the class action suit, but that takes time. The other side is just as ready, and I believe they have a lot more money on their hands. Hilary and Marc are not the rule; they are the exception. There are many wealthy self-righteous jerks out there who rather waste their money than put it where people actually benefit. Man. Is it really only Monday?”
“I’m afraid it is.” Kerry pulled her close, brushing her hand over her hair. “I know this is important to you. It is important to me too, and I know you want to go on Friday, but be careful. There’s worse than creepy bar managers.”
“Oh, I’m aware. That was crazy though.” Vivien leaned into her, finally starting to relax. “It’s
not necessarily your field, but would you have a chance to look into it? If this is legal, where will it stop?” She sighed. “Sometimes, I think this is like trying to put out fires. You succeed at one end and it flares up on the other.”
“I’ll talk to someone,” Kerry promised. “I wish we could do it,” she said, surprised that she had actually said those words out loud, not just in her mind. “Hilary means business. We both did when we were writing that paper, and frankly, I have been thinking about it. Not only we’d be doing some good, or trying to be a good example for a global change…we’d be moving into a fully furnished house that would be more than we’d be able to afford here. However bad that would make me feel, it’s a nice thought—but we made a commitment here. We have jobs, a house, and you need a doctor you feel comfortable with.”
“I guess so,” Vivien said, leaning forward to pick up her glass. “You’ll be meeting her next week. Big decision.”
“You still want to go with this doctor for the treatment, right? Did anything happen?”
Vivien shook her head.
“Okay. There’s something else. I was offered a job today, being part of a special task force.”
“Really? That’s great! What kind of task force?”
“Hate Crimes. Comes with a raise, shiny new office, training possibilities…”
“…but that’s not why you want to be in it,” Vivien finished for her. “I understand.”
“You don’t sound too happy,” Kerry said, unsure about the job offer for the first time since the meeting with Fairbanks. Taking the job was a good idea, and if she was honest, she had been kind of relieved to have the decision whether to go or stay taken out of her hands that way. Maybe her relief had been premature.
“It’s relevant. It’s great that they picked you, but—I’m not sure how to say this. I want to stay and raise our child here, and I don’t want to look anyone strangely at him or her, because she or he will have two moms. I don’t want this child to grow up in a rape culture, and I don’t want to go to California, because I wish a project like this wouldn’t even be necessary.”
“Are you still sure about the baby?” The idea that this might not be the case chilled her. It was beyond ironic that people like Miller claimed to care about children, when they were happy to create the worst possible circumstances to have a family. “Because if you’re not, we don’t have to do this. I promise.”
Vivien stared at her in shock.
“What? That’s not what I’m saying! We’re not going to give in because there are willfully ignorant people in the world. I want this baby as much as you, but I’m trying hard to figure out what would be the best for this new person. There is no perfect situation, but maybe California would be better. I don’t know anymore.”
“Hilary and Marc can make this happen, start their own community and go from there. The question is, will it really spread?”
“Hate and abuse spreads,” Vivien said. “Maybe living a good example can too.”
“There are people who think they do have to lose something in an equal world.”
“They aren’t listening, and they wouldn’t join anyway…but the silent majority? If they have some clear guidelines, would they speak up more?”
Kerry had no definite answer for her. Both she and Vivien had seen in their jobs the disastrous results of people not speaking up, because something didn’t concern them personally, and they were selective in their support.
She felt tired, and part of her blamed Hilary for turning their world upside down with her proposal. Awareness mattered, but it was hard to handle at times.
* * * *
Hilary felt restless. They had continued the screening talks, scientists, workers, administrative staff, contractors…the names and stories were starting to blur, but at least everyone appreciated the offer, even if not all of them took it.
It was a win-win situation for Greene Industries. Those who moved would be offered leases on housing, buildings that were mostly finished at the moment, which would bring back in a part of the investment. The financing looked good. Continued tax breaks would allow them to keep up their charity work. At the same time, they were creating a fund for campaigns that would without a doubt be more controversial, once they’d launch the project.
Both she and Marc wanted to give people who had no affiliation to Greene Industries, but were caught in a desperate situation, the chance to build a new life in the Exodus project. This was a grey area outside of the cozy realm of headquarters. They had no way of knowing how it would work out in practice. Trust.
They would have to finish up those first screenings and delegate the next batches. They could keep their plans a secret for only so long. She didn’t think anyone would intentionally tell on them, but this meant a big incision in everyone’s life. People had partners, children, friends—let alone the fact that most of the employees they had talked with, were excited, even more so when learning details.
What mattered was to get precise information out there in a clear press release. She had no doubt that Miller & Co., just as a particular section of the press, would twist their idea into something it was not. This wasn’t something they could avoid altogether, but they had control over what they would put out there: An expansion of business which meant a multitude of options for employees. Forming a community that came with a few simple rules, logically within California law, with feminist ethics. Certainly, the haters would have a field day with the latter.
Marc was recording an interview with news channel ARC, which would be somewhat of a test run. Melodie Timmons was on the moderate side, certainly not their enemy, but all her life, Hilary had been wary of women who were quick to disown the term feminist.
The atmosphere was friendly though. Hilary listened, using the recording as an opportunity for a coffee break. They shared the spotlight equally. At the moment, she was glad it was Marc’s turn.
“Mr. Greene, welcome. First of all, we’ve recently seen the quarterly report come out, congratulations on those numbers.”
“Thank you, Melodie.”
“From previous conversations, we’ve seen that your company favors a quite different approach in some areas.”
“Many big businesses supported the repeal of DOMA,” he countered. “Of course it’s the right thing to do, but make no mistake, it’s a practical matter as well. Treating people equally makes running a company simple and efficient. All else is a bureaucratic nightmare.”
“I want to focus on that point a bit more.” Melodie’s cordial smile never wavered. “You’re offering child care services to employees, and lately, you introduced paid parental leave, something that didn’t go over so well with all of your competitors. Are you successful because or in spite of these ideas that others are, quite frankly, dragging their feet with?”
“That’s a good image, dragging their feet.” Marc kept up a calm and relaxed tone as well. Questions like this, they could foresee most of the time, because they kept coming back. It wasn’t the fault of ARC or Melodie Timmons. People in general were often surprised that you could do things a different way and still make it work, better than before even. To some, it could be frightening. “We want satisfied employees who are proud to identify with our name and products. They don’t have to choose between a family or a career, something that matters to men and women.”
“Yet, women seem to profit more from some of the specifics. You have a higher percentage of women in the management level than any business in the state I’m aware of, and you made a clear statement in support of minimum wage. Is it Hilary running these matters behind the scenes?”
“I believe that question is a bit inappropriate. I can assure you, Hilary is not anywhere behind the scenes—well, at the moment she is, but you know what I mean.” A little joke on the side to defuse the tension. “However, these are ethics that matter to both of us. We hire people for their skills and potential, not their gender. As for the minimum wage, I’m sure you know we are above the num
ber politicians are still quarreling about. We believe that in an economy like this, paying someone a salary so low they still need government assistance, means not standing up to the challenge. It comes back to what I said before—our employees identify with the company brand. We’re not scared of unions, and so far, no one has created a website that says, ‘Greene Industries suck’. If you treat people with decency, you make it a lot less likely that they would want to sue you, which, in return, opens up resources to focus on what really matters.”
Melodie Timmons nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“You supported Governor Miller’s opponent, Congressman Bryson. How disappointed are you and Hilary about this outcome?”
Marc chuckled. “Well, I’ll give you the standard answer. I don’t think it’s a surprise we had wished for a different outcome. Obviously, Governor Miller and I have fundamental differences regarding a wide range of subjects.”
“Like abortion rights. The governor has introduced some controversial legislation. You said that supporting families matters as part of the philosophy of Greene Industries. Do you see a conflict between that and the money you donated to keep the FPCs open?”
“Not at all. First, the FPCs offers various services regarding health care and education that we can’t do without. Second, I don’t believe the governor is qualified to make that private decision for any woman, and frankly, neither am I. That’s why we support the freedom of choice, and family planning either way. You can’t just have one side of the coin.”
“Are you a feminist, Mr. Greene?”
“If I qualify, I consider it flattery, not an insult. You can mark that down as yes.”
They were in the best possible position to make a difference, Hilary mused. For the longest time, as a younger woman, she had tried to downplay her wealth. She knew Marc had similar issues, because being rich, at one time, had been associated with his grandfather’s sexist, disrespectful antics. They had both grown and learned, individually and together, that they didn’t have to remain stuck in the past. There was no shame in being given a head start when you did your best not to repeat mistakes of the past, your own, or past generations.
The Exodus Strategy Page 6