SECOND CHANCES(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter 6

As Vic ushered her family to the door, Mika went to get changed. She took a quick shower to freshen up. She was glad to have eaten something. It would be unwise to attend a cocktail party without having eaten something first.

She emerged at ten minutes to three, knowing that her boss intended to leave at three. Vic joined her five minutes later having changed into a light grey suit which was teamed with a white silk shirt and the usual matching waistcoat. Armani! Vic's clothes were conservative, immaculate, and had quality written all over them. She looked impeccable and extremely attractive.

The boss said nothing about her secretary's appearance but her eyes did not reflect disapproval as they swept slowly over the black dress which hugged the latter's figure in all the right places. Mika applied light make-up and styled her hair in a softly coiled chignon, leaving a few wisps of curls to frame her face. She had on a plain gold necklace, with small matching earrings, and apart from the rings on her wedding finger, she felt that that was all the jewelry she needed. She looked good, and Mika knows it.

The familiar nervousness took hold of Mika as she underwent her boss's scrutiny. Vic crossed over to her and took the coat she was holding.

"Allow me." She held it open for Mika who slipped her arms into it. "I asked Berto to bring the car around to the main entrance." She said in her deep voice as she stood too close for comfort behind the nervous secretary. For just a moment her hands came to rest on Mika's shoulders and moved away. "If you're ready, Mrs. Ravena..."

The discomfort got worst as Mika stepped inside the elevator with her boss. It was not a small lift, but with Vic inside it, she always felt as though it was and she started chattering in the hope of distracting herself. "Are the twins staying with your grandmother while they are on holidays?"

"Yes... at the family house in Alabang. She lives with my parents."

"She is an amazing lady. She must be... eighty years old?" She kept her eyes on the illuminated panel over the doors, watching as they moved from the penthouse and past the 18th floor.

"Eighty-four, actually. Amazing isn't the right word. She is wildly eccentric..."

The 14th floor.

"She can also be quite deaf when she chooses to be. But don't be fooled. She's also..."

The 12th floor.

"... as sharp as a razor, although she tries..."

The lift stopped.

Mika grasped in horror. At some point between the 12th and 11th floor, the lift stopped dead and the lights went off. She went rigid with fear. Never in her life had she been trapped in a lift. She heard stories like this happening. She saw it happened on television. But she never really believed it would happen to her. No! Not to her. She wasn't claustrophobic. But the thought of them hanging mid-air was enough to place her in a state of panic.

"Oh God! No!" Without even thinking about it, she reached out in the darkness to touch her companion. "Vic!"

"Hey, take it easy!" An arm came firmly around her shoulders. "We'll be racing again in a moment. It's just a power-cut. Don't worry."

"A power-cut!" Mika's handbag dropped to the floor and she started trembling from head to toe. She had visions of the lift cable snapping at any second and them plummeting to the basement. It was pitch black... there was no light from the panel... no sound from outside... NOTHING!

The arms around her shoulder tightened, and she leaned against the warm wall that was Vic's chest. "Good grief, you're shaking!"

"I can't help it.... I c...c..can't.... I can't help it! I'm terrified!"