OFF-TANGENT(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter Seventeen

Mika started breathing again, very slowly and tentatively, hoping that the pain in her chest would go away. You are alright. The world did not cave in under your feet. As long as Mozzy thinks that you did not come home till Saturday, she would not give another thought to the odd behavior of your look-a-like at Macapagal Airport on Friday night... she will have no reason to mention it to any of her friends. You are still lucky, Mika... a lucky, lucky girl.

She vowed to never let Vic Galang be within touching distance with her again. That person screams trouble through and through. She does not have any idea how a small town like Dumaguete work... where anybody's business is everybody's business.

This scrape with disaster was close enough. T'was all the lesson she needed. Only a fool would risk more. And if she was truly favored by the cosmic, Galang Confectioners would go somewhere else, and her home town would settle back into its pattern as a sleepy little town... and Kiefer and Mozzy... and everyone else in town would never need to know what had happened in Angeles.

She tried to ignore the little pang in her heart at the thought that she might never see Vic again... that her resolution to stay away from the young boss might be unnecessary, because she might never come near her again...

"Of course, my friend's husband does not know you well... just by sight... just from seeing you around town... and of course from your show in the tele." Mozzy went on smoothly. "It is not surprising that he might have thought it was you. Isn't that an interesting coincidence?"

She did not wait for an answer. "Shall we walk over the carriage house?"

Mika nodded. In the carriage house, there would be things to look at, to talk about... other than the "coincidence". Sitting across the table from Mozzy felt as if a yawning trap was waiting for her. Also, she had to admit to an overwhelming curiosity to see the place where she might have to start her married life... that was if Vic Galang did not come along.

"Don't fuss with the dishes, dear. I have all afternoon to clean the mess up." Mozzy stopped her as she started to gather the dishes. "I enjoy keeping my home clean and nice for my husband to come to when he is tired. Being a wife is all the job I need to keep me feeling worthwhile."

And that, Mika thought, is the dirtiest dig she has ever heard. Everybody knows they have more than three household help to do the dirty jobs. All Mozzy need to do is flick her fingers and give the orders.

The carriage house was large by any standards, built in the same style and trimmed with the same elaborate gingerbread as the main house. The lower floor had space for three cars, but Mozzy's benz was alone there at the moment. At the corner of the building was a tiny entry way, with a narrow stairway winding up to the floor above.

Mika does not like it already. The stairway was narrow and dark... giving it an uninviting feel. But when she reached the top of the stairs, she was forced to admit that she had judged the place too quickly. It had originally been one huge room, with windows on all sides. At one end, the decorator had partitioned off a bedroom and bathroom, and a gleaming new kitchen had been installed along one end wall of the remaining large living room. The carpet was down, and some of the curtains had been hung. Here and there, a piece of furniture sat---- some finished, others with swatches of upholstery fabrics draped across an arm.

The colors were a pleasant blend of peach and blue. There was nothing wrong with the decorating scheme. But Mika was sure she would have enjoyed designing it herself.

"I still have to do some work on it," Mozzy said, picking up a couple of upholstery swatches. "That's the worst part of re-decorating--- having to decide all these things at once." She studied the swatches. "This one, without question."