SECOND CHANCES(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter 3

.

.

.

After a hell of a week at the office, Mika went to Bulacan that weekend and met up with her parents at her brother's house. Her nephew was celebrating his fourth birthday on Saturday, which turned out to be a day of wobbly jellies and sticky cake... a day of laughter and happy chaos. Mika enjoyed every minute of it.

.

.

.

Trouble stuck in the middle of the following week.

Mika wasn't surprised when she learned that Cienne was not coming in to work on Wednesday because she had looked quite unwell at the start of the week. What was surprising was the way the news was given to her.

She walked into her office early as usual that morning and no sooner had she placed her stuff at the table drawer, the internal telephone buzzed. She picked up the receiver knowing that at this hour, it could only be one person...

"Mrs. Ravena, I would like a word with you."

"Yes, Ma'am Galang". There was never a "please" or "thank you" from her. Not for Mika, anyhow.

She run a quick comb through her hair. She was wearing it down today, a shiny dark cascade down the center of her back, clipped at the nape with an ornamental slide. Today, she was wearing red silk blouse matched with a plain black skirt which flattered her slender, gently curved figure.

She watched her reflection at the glass door. It was passable.

Vic Galang's eyes flicked rapidly over her as he invited her to sit down... checking the suitability of her appearance, no doubt. She had no idea which part of Spain her boss had been the previous week but she had come back with a deep suntan which according to Vina Alinas, made the boss "Even more attractive." Mika had pointed out that it was strictly a matter of opinion.

"I have just had a call from Cienne. She isn't coming in today. I think..." Vic Galang broke off suddenly, content to finish her statement to herself. She was quiet for so long that Mika had to prompt her, feeling uncomfortable under the hold of a pair of eyes which were looking at her but no longer seeing her.

"You were saying, Ma'am?"

Vic snapped out of it at once, her deep voice cold and curt as she spoke. "Yes. You'll be working for me today. It'll make no difference to Kim, since she will be in our Batangas factory for the day."

Her heart sinking, Mika said goodbye to the idea of catching up with her own work while Kim was out of town. The flow of work seemed to be getting thicker with every passing day and she had quite a backlog.

"I... er... this is a little awkward, Ma'am. I've got a backlog of letters on tape which absolutely must be in the post today". She did not add that they should have been in the post yesterday. Thank heavens she'd typed some of them after office hours last night.

"Are they confidential?"

"No."

Vic looked heavenward, speaking with an exaggerated patience which brought a blush on Mika's normally pale complexion. "Then send them down to the typing pool. This is called delegation, Mrs. Ravena. Now, you do write shorthand, I suppose? Unlike Kim, I never use dictaphone machines."

Kim used both her shorthand skills and dictaphone. "Yes, I do but..."

"But?"

But I don't want to work for you, she groaned inwardly. If only Vic Galang didn't make her feel so wretchedly self-conscious, she'd have been pleased to help out in Cienne's absence. But she did, and Mika hated the thought of being in close contact with her the whole day.