SECOND CHANCES(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter 3

There was boredom in Vic's voice now. "Mrs. Ravena, we are wasting time. Either you finish your sentence or fetch your notebook."

Mika settled for the latter, wishing she could bring herself to say what was on her mind. She made her nervous. She didn't like her one iota. She thought Vic Galang to be rude. But how would she say this without losing her job. Bahala na si Batman! It would only be for one day, after all...

Vic Galang started by giving her a long list of telephone calls she wanted Mika to make for her. She then moved on to internal memos to various department heads and dictated without notes in a steady pace which kept Mika's pen flying across the paper. Mika was a nervous wreck, taking dictations from her, and was infinitely relieved when the telephone rang and she could take a brief respite. Being tactful, she stood up to leave the office as Vic picked the receiver, but the latter waved her back into the chair. No sooner had she sat, the other line started to ring. Vic waved her towards the outer office to answer it.

Mika sat down at Cienne's desk and picked up the phone. "Vic Galang's office."

"Who is this? Is it Cienne?" A masculine voice asked the question.

"No, this is Mika Reyes-Ravena. May I help you?"

"Put me through to Vic, please."

"I'm sorry, Miss Galang is on another line at the moment ..." She saw from the switchboard that she had just hung up. "Oh, she just finished speaking, actually. Who is calling?"

"Vic Galang."

"Yes", Mika said politely, thinking the man had misunderstood her. "And who is calling?"

There was a smile in his voice. "This is Vic Galang, senior. I meant Victor Galang."

"Oh! Ah. Yes, Mr. Galang, I'll put you through..."

She did so at once... or so she thought. But somehow, she managed to cut the call off. Groaning inwardly, she waited a verbal blast from the adjoining room.

There wasn't one.

The female Vic Galang came in person, stood by the door and just looked at her. "You said my father was on the line?"

"I...Yes. I'm so sorry, I... cut him off. If you tell me his number, I'll..."

"Don't bother. I'll do it."

Mika was very near to tears. What on earth was wrong with her? Why is she allowing herself to be fazed by her like this? She might be the Chairman and Managing Director but she is just human... like her. And she was a mature, level-headed, experienced, corporate secretary --- so what the devil was wrong with her?

"Vic Galang's office."

"Who is this? It is not Cienne." This time the caller was more positive about her not being Cienne, and this time it was a female caller. A husky voice asked for Vic.

Mika went into a similar routine. "I'm sorry, but she is on another line at the moment. May I take a message?"

"Ask her to call me back, would you? It is Miss Pineda, Shiela Pineda."

Mika frowned, Miss Pineda was a name she'd heard once before but haven't met. "Er... which department are you in, Miss Pineda?"

"What?" On having the question repeated, the caller said haughtily, "I'm not in any department. I am a friend of Miss Galang. Ask her to call me back as soon as possible. She knows how to reach me." And with that she hung up.

No sooner had Mika placed the phone down, another call came in. And it wasn't even nine o'clock yet! This time her offer of taking the message was accepted and she wrote it down as it was given to her, word for word. She had just replaced the receiver when Vic did likewise. She went to Vic's office and placed the message on his desk.