Lila's Choice

Chapter 10

I am standing in the kitchen of Julian's house. Spread out along the island are the ingredients needed for a seafood paella. Humming along to the song in my head, my hands are tasked with the busywork of chopping and dicing.

"Mmm...something smells amazing." I hear Julian's voice before I see him. His footsteps grow louder, announcing his approach. "I think it's my beautiful wife." Julian wraps his arms around my waist, his lips moist and warm against my neck.

"I'm trying a spicy, new, organic perfume, you like?" I tease, turning in his arms so that we are face to face. "Why don't you wash up and set the table while I finish up here." He kisses me again before I set back to work making dinner.

It is a particularly warm spring evening so we decide to eat dinner in the sun room with the windows open wide. When we are done eating, we watch the sunset; me wrapped in his arms, while we sit together on the wicker sofa. Just as the sun flares before going out, I feel an intense heat and searing pain. Suddenly, I burst into flames and that's when I wake up in a panic from the dream.

***

At 8 o'clock that night, my fellow progenitors and I are gathered at Aurelio's. We begin with my recounting the details of the last two evenings, from our first meeting with Julian, until my meeting the night before.

"So my Lila, how do you suggest we proceed?" asks Aurelio when I am done with my update.

"While it is a sound investment, we need to consider if it is worth potentially exposing ourselves to Mr. Belo and his employees by granting his probationary clause. If this is of no concern and you still wish to proceed, then I don't know that we will be able to convince Mr. Belo to sell if Jack is involved. I realize that it was his idea, but he is a liability at this point. I believe we need to find someone else to take his place."

"And who would you suggest that be?" asks Esmeralda. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"No I do not. I just know that if we insist that it must be Jack, Mr. Belo will not sell."

"This poses quite a problem," says Zachariah. "Jack will not be happy with this and he is a loose cannon. Now Aurelio, we all know that you have a soft spot for Jack, but he has already caused enough problems in the past. We cannot tolerate his stepping out of line again. If there is any risk of exposure, I believe that it would be Jack. What are we prepared to do if he becomes a problem?"

The others remain silent; no one daring to suggest the obvious answer to this question. "Let us not get ahead of ourselves. I will speak to Jack if we decide to appoint someone else to head this project once the papers are signed."

"So it has been decided that we should proceed with the added clause?" I direct my question to Aurelio but look to the others to gauge their reactions.

"I see no reason why we cannot come to a compromise on this point," Aurelio informs me.

"Compromise?" I knit my brow, waiting for clarification.

"We shall grant his request but only for a period of three months. The sooner we rid ourselves of this mortal, the better." The others nod in general agreement. I am not so quick to agree. While I will be happy once this project is complete, I am not as eager to rid myself of the mortal in question.

"Now we must decide who will be better suited to this task," Esmeralda addresses the last remaining issue. "I vote that we grant the mortal's request and assign Lila. With her in charge, he should have no reason to object to the compromise we are offering him."

"I concur," says Zachariah. The others murmur their assent.

"What do you say my Lila?"

"I am not so sure sir. Do you believe this to be a wise decision? You know that Jack will not be happy being taken off of this project. And if he learns that you have chosen me to take his place it will not bode well. I personally do not need any more trouble from him."