Aunt Skina’s nagging was getting worse.
Any other girl her age would’ve run away, screaming from the incredibly hard work. It was also a monotonous life, and Silje wondered if she would die here in Aunt Skina’s store like this someday.
However, Silje was fine with it all. She didn’t want to think about anything.
Before you eat, make sure you pray, Silje. The pastor is supposed to visit us in the afternoon. Oh, and don’t forget to make the soup with spinach and carrots, ok?
Aunt Skina used to be a devout Norwegian Lutheran, but when she immigrated to America, she converted to Catholicism. Her dark house was decorated with crosses and the Virgin Mary statues.
The house also reeked of a strange smell. Aunt Skina often suffered from sore throat and tonsillitis, and she drank an awful-smelling syrup for her conditions.
Aunt Skina always insisted on a very long prayer before every meal.
Let’s pray now. Always remember your parents back in Norway. You need to understand and thank your adoptive parents for sending you here. Remember why you came to this place, and do your best to cleanse your sins. Pray, Silje, pray. Look at yourself, and always try to atone for your sins to God and to your adoptive parents.
Aunt Skina could be cruel. She would never allow Silje to forget what happened. Every time they had a meal together, it was a torture for Silje. There were many times when she wanted to escape. Her mind and body felt tired, but it was okay. As long as Silje didn’t think about it, she could endure it. She wondered if perhaps she could just let the time pass like this forever.
Spring, summer, fall, and winter…
Let the seasons pass and turn into years and years of numbness.
This was what she wanted.
Over and over again, Aunt Skina lectured Silje to make her feel guilty. And after a while, Silje replied with blank eyes,
Was it you who killed my baby?
Aunt Skina yelped in shock, and afterward, she lessened her criticisms of Silje.
At least in front of her.
Silje heard many times how Aunt Skina talked behind her back to the neighbors.
That girl is not right in the mind. Please don’t talk to her.
Silje didn’t care. Aunt Skina liked to gossip with her customers and the neighboring store owner who was an elderly Chinese woman.
She would say to them,
She is a relative from Norway. Well, technically, she isn’t really family. She was adopted. She is Frank’s adopted daughter, so I am taking care of her just for a short while.
Aunt Skina told the Chinese woman all the details while Silje ignored them both.
Then one day, a girl who worked at the Chinese woman’s store came to talk to her.
Hey. Are you the one the veggie store owner constantly gossips about?
Her name was Siena.
That crazy old bitch. She comes to our store every day and talks about you. You didn’t know that, did you?
Siena.
Her Chinese name was Sien.
She told Silje about what Aunt Skina was doing, but Silje didn’t care.
Bleached hair, skinny, and wearing high-end shirts and jeans, Siena studied Silje. From then on, she often tried to strike up conversations with Silje.
Your name is Silje, right? Did you eat breakfast? If not, let’s go eat together. There is an awesome noodle shop nearby.
Hey! I brought you something. It’s a leftover sandwich. Have some.
I can take out the garbage for you. I’ll help you.
She acted very friendly, and Silje suspected Siena wanted something from her.
And she was right. After only a few days, Sien asked,
Hey, what do you do after work every day? Do you want to go to a club tonight?
It was dark outside. Silje was throwing out bags of garbage when Sien appeared. She seemed ready to go out in her tight-knit sweater and skinny jeans.
Night club?
Silje turned around uninterested, but Sien continued,
Come on! Let’s go. You are so tall and slim that if you dress a bit better, you would look so hot. Every time I see you, you are always wearing ugly old clothes. Even now, you’re wearing a gigantic coat twice your size. And what’s with those granny pants?
Sien laughed at her outfit.
You look like those farmers I used to see every day in my old village. They used to work before sunrise and come home when it got dark.
Sien’s face darkened as she remembered her past. However, she brightened up and chirped,
So let’s go to a club. There is no need for you to live looking like this. Let’s go have some fun.
Sien offered her hand, but Silje ignored her and walked toward her house. Sien seemed to get angry as she yelled,
Hey! Stop right there! Come with me.
Silje continued to ignore her and walked away.
A night club? She was barely surviving one day at a time…
That was ridiculous.
Yet, Sien was persistent. She wouldn’t give up and a few days later, the elderly Chinese woman came to talk to Aunt Skina. Silje wasn’t sure what was being said, but shockingly, Aunt Skina said to Silje,
That girl who works for the Chinese woman… Sien, right? Apparently that young girl needs a friend. Why don’t you go have some tea with her? You are both Asians, so why don’t you be friends with her?
Aunt Skina even gave Silje ten dollars to go out. Silje had no idea what that Chinese lady said to Aunt Skina, but she clearly wanted her to go with Sien.
But Silje didn’t want this. When she didn’t react, Aunt Skina finally forced her to go. She pushed Silje out the door where Sien was waiting smugly. She quickly hailed a cab and pulled Silje into it.
Silje wanted to get out, but it was too late. The car was already moving.
Soon, the city appeared. It was the real New York scene, and this was the first time Silje had ever seen it. The day she arrived, she went straight to Aunt Skina’s home from the airport and Silje never left her neighborhood since then.
New York, New York.
It looked the same as the picture she once saw on a postcard.
Tall buildings and countless yellow cabs.
Silje became speechless. She finally felt like she arrived in Manhattan.
This was definitely not Norway. Nothing looked familiar.
Too many cars, too many buildings, and too many people.
It was so crowded that Silje closed her eyes. She felt like a lost child.
Silje couldn’t get used to it, but Sien seemed to find the place to be very comfortable. When the taxi stopped, they both got out and Sien took Silje to a place.
When they walked in, it was foggy with cigarette smoke and many guys, who seemed to be gay, were sitting together in couples. The place looked dark and unorganized.
Welcome.
The bartender greeted them with a wink.
Hey, Siena. Long time no see.
Hi, Greg. I wanted to come every day, but I didn’t have the money.
Sien sat down casually and replied while Greg the bartender seemed to be confused by her answer.
Soon, another tall bartender with a bob came and made Sien’s cocktail expertly.
Silje finally realized that this was a cocktail bar.
