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Cody has one hand covering his mouth and the other squeezing my arm, eyes wide from sadness and shock.
“Isa,” he whispers. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this. There’s really no other way?”
I shake my head, knowing the truth.
“Nope. All I can do is wait until next year to apply again.” The sadness washes over my body in painful waves. “And since I can’t work for a U.S. company, I’ll be out of a job.”
“There has to be another way,” Cody mutters, almost to himself, as he stands up and starts pacing his office, shaking his head. Suddenly, suspiciously, really, he stops and his expression immediately changes. A wolfish grin spreading across his face. “You could get married!” He practically yells the words, catching me off-guard and I physically startle.
“Yes, you can get married,” he repeats. “If you marry a U.S. citizen, they’ll issue you a green card and you can stay.”
“You can not be serious, Cody.” I’m completely taken aback by his suggestion and also sure that ithasto be more complicated than that. But Cody is so thrilled with the idea that he can’t top talking. For the millionth time in the last few days, I hear nothing. The idea is turning around and around in my brain like a jagged rock polishing into something shiny.
Because, I realize, it actually might work.
Chapter 4
Isa
“Marryingsomeonetogeta green card?” The actual idea verbalized out loud sounds so bizarre to me. I know Cody’s just trying to help, but I’m in no position to ask someone tomarryme. Who the hell would I even ask? There’s literally no one. Not even some random man from an app.
Not a single soul.
Not even a potential.
Cody doesn’t see the problem, though. He’s clapping his hands, brain wheels clearly spinning and cooking up some elaborate scheme like this is a goddamn rom-com.
“You have no other options, Iz. Not that you aren’t completely invaluable around here, but you won’t get a green card just for working. Maybe you'd have a chance if you're C-suite level but since that's not even an option...” He trailed off.
He seems dead-set on this absolutely bonkers idea of a plan. And I’m completely speechless. I don’t think Cody even realizes I haven’t said anything other than to repeat his thought.
“I’m pretty certain I know the answer, but do you have any immediate family members who are U.S. citizens or have a green card?”
I’m shaking my head before he can finish the question.
“Nope. It’s just me out here.”
Cody leans forward, forearms on his thighs as he looks thoughtful for a long moment.
“I don’t really see what other choice you have,” he says quietly. “But look, I’m just spitballing here. I know how badly you want to stay in this company and in this country.” He grabs my hand and I almost start crying, but I take a shaky breath.
I look at Cody’s brown eyes and feel a twist of sorrow and a sharp stab of regret. How could I have been so careless?
“I know you’re just trying to help, Cody. And I appreciate you so much for wanting me to stay. But marriage is…it’s a big thing, you know?” I turn my head to look out the window. The bright blue sky is a painful contrast the storm inside of me. “I know that for some people, it may not seem like that big of a deal, especially in this situation. But for me…”
I trail off and Cody squeezes the hand I didn’t realize he was still holding.
“Girl, please. I have been fighting my entire life for marriage equality and my right to stand in front of all of my friends and family and marry my person. So I definitely agree that marriage is indeed a big thing.”
I nod, absently.
“Especially in my culture… where I come from…” I start and stare up at the ceiling, a reel going through my brain of all the happily ever afters I heard growing up. “Did you know divorce isn’t even legal in the Philippines? It’s like the only place left. And while I don’t agree peopleshouldn’tbe able to get divorced…” Another deep breath as a second reel passes through, thinking about the horror stories of people who desperately wanted out of their relationships after growing apart, infidelity, or worse. “It’s just so much to pledge. Ideally, when I do get married, it would be for love. Not just for my personal gain.”
Silence stretches between us as I feel Cody processing everything I said.
“I get it,” he finally says, voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry for bringing up the idea. I was just thinking…I was just thinking that I don’t want you to have to leave.”
I give him a weak smile, because I also don’t want to leave. But this is all my fault. I ignored Teresa’s advice and went to London. I was careless, and didn’t think of the fact that my visa extension was pending. So everything that’s happening to me now is my fault, and I would be okay with accepting the consequences if it just impacted me, but its going to impact my family, and most importantly, Lia.
