OFF-TANGENT(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter Ten

It was ten minutes to air time, and Mika was beginning to be concerned. Neither Vic Galang nor her father had turned up yet, and it was beginning to look as if--- for the first time ever--- On Point had been stood up by a scheduled guest.

She poked her head into Cienne's office. "Have you seen my guests?" she asked, knowing that it was a useless question. If they arrived, Cienne would have called her to come and get them--- or else Mika would have run into them on her way from the broadcast-booth to the office.

"Yes. Didn't you see them? They're in the station manager's office."

"Jeron Teng hijacked my guests?"

"He said it would only take a little while. Kim Fajardo is in there too. She'll get them back to you in time."

"The time," Mika noted, "is five minutes to air."

"Want me to call her up on the intercom and remind her?"

"No. That would probably only slow things down. If they have not come out in a couple of minutes, though..."

Cienne nodded. "I'll knock on the door and tell Kim the building is on fire. Here... take this candy out of my office, would you? I can't get my mind off it today. I think I have gained five pounds just by looking at it."

Mika was passing the station manager's office when the door opened.

"Happy to do anything I can," Jeron was saying as he shook hands with Vic then the Mayor. "This town needs economic development."

Vic had seen her. "Miss Reyes does not seem to agree," she said mildly.

"Shall we discuss it on air?" Mika asked sweetly.

The CEO did not answer. She instead smirked and said, "I am glad you're on time today."

"I am always on time," the reporter pointed out. "If you were talking about the television show last week..."

"I was."

"It was not my fault if someone told you to come early."

Vic did not comment. Mika could not tell if the latter believed her. "I see you finally got your box of chocolates."

"I wonder why you sent it," the taller girl mused. She showed her guests into the broadcast booth, closed the sound-proof door, and indicated the two chairs across from the control panel. "Make yourself comfortable."

The Mayor rummaged through the foil box of candy and got one for himself.

"Bribery won't get you anywhere with me," Mika added as she began flipping switches and stacking CDs of commercials and features in the order in which they are to be played.

The Mayor sighed, as if his worst fears about the afternoon were beginning to come true.

Vic's dark eyebrows arched in astonishment, and she said, sounding shocked, "Bribery? I certainly intended nothing of the sort, Miss Reyes."

"Of course not. I'm sure it was intended as a thank you."

"As a matter of fact, it was."

"I bet. By the way, there is a tube of concealer from my handbag." She tipped her head defiantly and glared at the other woman in the booth.

"I know," Vic said easily. "I like all of you just the way you are... eyebags included. There is nothing to conceal, really."

The reporter stared at the CEO in astonishment for a moment before she shook her head and went back to putting her notes in order. It was obvious that she should not fence with Vic Galang, who had turned flirting into an art form.