Being Sang

She Who Would Lead by Example

"And they're going to change because we can't go on this way. It's not healthy for any of us." I looked around the room and into each individual guy's eyes so that they would realize that I was serious.

"Sang, I still don't understand what you're saying. What's not healthy?"

I took a deep breath and cleared the air. "I informed Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green that I am aware that you all have been keeping secrets from me." I watched Kota pale. "Should I assume that neither of them told you of this?"

"Sang, we can explain." I nodded my head.

"I'm sure you can come up with plenty of explanations Kota, but would any of them be acceptable? If you were in my shoes for one second how would you feel? Do any of you think for a second about how I will feel when you make decisions about my life for me? Without me?" I made sure to keep my voice calm and even and yet I had to make sure I balanced it with the sternness I was feeling inside. Weakness couldn't be tolerated-not when dealing with so many men at one time. "Off the top of my head I can think of three decisions that have been made for me without my consent and they were important ones. While I'm sure you all have the good intentions there's a saying about the road to hell regarding them. What you're doing is making me dependent on all of you and in the end such actions are going to do nothing but embitter me towards you and possibly vice versa. I don't want that. I want us to work together as a family—a happy one. So we can't keep doing this. I understand there are things you can't tell me because of the Academy, but you can't use that as an excuse not to tell me I don't have a birth certificate. I should know that information."

I heard a sharp intake of air but didn't bother to identify the source. I kept my eyes on Kota. "It is my right to know. It's my right to make a decision about what I want to do about it."

"You're right." Kota replied softly.

"So what are we going to do about it? How are we going to fix this? And more importantly do we want to?" My questions prompted the question I knew was coming. I just didn't expect it to be him who asked it.

"Miss Sorenson, are you thinking of leaving the family?" I turned to Mr. Blackbourne and saw that his usually calm demeanor was slipping. It made me sad that I was the cause of that.

"It's not something I want to do Mr. Blackbourne. Do you think it is necessary that I go?"

Mr. Blackbourne adjusted his tie and said, "No. I don't think that at all. I think we can work through you concerns."

"Then we need to work on honesty because without it we're doomed to fail. And since I brought all this up. And before we all make any decisions we all need to be informed of everything that is going on." I turned once more to Kota.

"Kota, there's something I need to tell you. And to be honest I don't think you're going to like it."