OFF-TANGENT(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter Fifteen

"This is the only job I have ever had", the old man said. His hands did not stop moving as he talked. Not a motion was wasted as he worked his way through a tray of cherry nougat centers, coating each with thick, rich chocolate. "I have been dipping chocolates for Galang's since I was a boy." He glanced across the table to where his apprentice was working, at a much slower pace, and shook his head. "You'll have to pick your speed up", he told the young man in a mentoring tone. "There is a rhythm to it."

Mika, who had just finished a brief on-the-job training session herself, felt nothing but compassion for the apprentice. The job certainly was not as easy as the old man made it look. She glanced at her recorder to be certain it had caught that last remark, and licked a smear of chocolate off her index finger.

"Yep," the old man continued. "Miss Galang's grandfather hired me when I was sixteen. I have been with the company ever since. Those were the days when everything we sold was hand-dipped." He sounded wistful. "Then labor got to be too expensive and the machines came in. Now only a few of our chocolates are hand-dipped."

"What will you do when the new factory opens?"

"I will be there."

"But..." She paused, embarrassed.

The old man gave a chuckle. "But I am too old to move, it is that what you were going to say?" His eyes twinkled gently. His hand did not miss a motion. "Doesn't matter. As long as my fingers hold out, I'll be dipping. What else is there to do?"

"Do you really mean that you would move to Dumaguete?"

"Or anywhere else. I'll take Miss Galang's word for it that it is a nice place. Besides, she asked me to come. She wants to hire a few new apprentices--- have me teach them how to do it so we can expand the hand-dipped line again."

"That," said Vic's mellow voice sounded behind them, "is not supposed to be publicly announced."

The old man grinned. "Your lady won't spoil things for you ma'am Galang."

"I wish I was certain as you are," Vic murmured. "Have you had fun all day, talking to my employees, Mika?" There was a faint cynical twist to her voice.

The reporter checked her tape again and shut the recorder off. "I have had a fascinating time." She had scarcely seen Vic all day. The young entrepreneur had picked her up at the hotel that morning, driven her out to the factory--- keeping up a steady stream of gently non-committal conversation, which she thought was even worse than silence would have been--- and left her on the manufacturing floor while she busied herself in her office.

This action had hurt Mika deeply and left her feeling irritated with herself. She had been just as much to blame for what had happened last night, and they had both said some things that had been meant to hurt. But she had not expected that Vic would simply pretend nothing has happened.

The taller woman spent the day looking over her shoulder to see if Vic was within sight. She had not really believed that the cruel words they had exchanged the night before would be the end of it. Surely, harsh words could not destroy the passion they had shared.

Mika tried to tell herself that it was just as well. The whole thing had been a mistake and the sooner it was forgotten, the better. What good could it do to thrash it all out? Better to let it vanish into the realm of unpleasant memory. She threw herself into her work, and tried not to think about the night, even though she wanted to crawl off into a cave somewhere and lick her wounds.