Working Late Ch. 02

"Do you think Jay would approve of me?" Claudia asked, then blinked. It had slipped out before she really thought about it. "You know, hypothetically." she added.

Linda frowned a little, but she didn't press on the implications of the answer. In stead she focused on the actual question. "I'm not sure... She can be a bit abrasive."

Claudia could only nod at that. She had no idea whether Jay's initially dour mood was the default mode of operation for the young bartender.

Linda continued. "But she wouldn't have told you those things if she didn't think you were serious about... well, your interest in other women."

"I'm still not sure if I am..." Claudia sighed. "I've been reading a lot of stuff since my discussion with Jay... I never really thought about who I slept with in a... well, political context."

"Then don't." Linda said firmly. "It's only as political as you make it. Just because Jay sees her sexuality in those terms doesn't mean you have to."

Claudia nodded at that. She couldn't help but wonder whether she was too impressionable. The fact that she was only now trying to work out certain things about her sexuality, and asking questions about her sexual identity that most people started asking themselves during puberty, didn't make things any easier. "She seems rather intense about it..."

"Oh, she is." Linda said with a small smile. "But that doesn't mean you have to be. Would you like to talk to her again? We could go to Petra when there's a few more people around."

Claudia's heart practically jumped at the fact that Linda invited her again. She knew that deep down inside it probably meant nothing, just her personal assistant being friendly, but for one brief moment she allowed herself the fantasy of Linda introducing herself to all her friends as 'her girlfriend.' In stead she just smiled. "I'd like that... I'd love to meet your friends."

If Linda suspected that this next visit would be anything more than that she didn't say it. She just smiled over her hot chocolate. Slowly the conversation drifted away from Petra, and towards more mundane matters, mostly regarding their work. By the time the cab pulled up to take Claudia home the emotional buzzing in the older woman's head had mostly subsided, but she couldn't help but look forward to the next time Linda would take her to the bar.