A couple weeks after I left Silvi, she stopped trying to goad me into talking to her and broke down in the lunchroom crying. She told some of her co-workers that we had broken up, but that was not all, she told them some details of our relationship. I wasn't sure what she said but after that day I knew that rumors were spread about me.
On break one day a coworker named Sami asked, "Did you stick your tongue up Silvi's ass."
"What the fuck Sami? Why would you ask me that?"
"John said he heard the girls talking about you. Silvi said you stuck your tongue up her ass."
"Sami. For god's sake. Don't say things like that."
"Do you want to know what else she said?"
"No!"
Sami dropped the topic, but I heard other rumors. Guys like blurting out nonsense to get a rise out of somebody.
I could sense hostility from some of my coworkers because of the stories Silvi told, but the secretaries in the front office were sympathetic. They went out of their way to be friendly, as if to let me know that they had taken my side.
One day I was working on the head secretary's computer, and she whispered to me "I don't believe the rumors about you Will."
The other three secretaries were seated close with just small barriers between us, and I wasn't sure if they could hear us. "I pay no attention to rumors."
"Well, I think Silvi is lying." She said.
I didn't want to call Silvi a liar, so I responded loud enough for others to hear. "I am sure some of the things she said were true."
It was a difficult situation at work. I had publicly dated a co-worker for six months and now everyone at the plant had heard some version of our breakup, and I still saw Silvi almost everyday.
In December, Luiz, one of the younger secretaries, came to my work area. "What are your plans for Christmas?"
"Um. None. Going home to stay with my family. They live about two hours away."
"Doug and I are having a Christmas party." She handed me an invitation. "I really want you to come."
The party was more than a week before my vacation so I immediately told her I would come.
Luiz smiled. "Good."
At the party there was about twenty people, mostly Luiz's neighbors and her friends from the plant. No one mentioned my ex-girlfriend and I had a good time. A girl named Tanya was introduced to me and we talked. She was Luiz's younger sister, about three years older than me and she had a cute face, but she was a little bigger than girls I was usually attracted to.
When one of the ladies from work held mistletoe over Tanya and I on the couch, Tanya leaned towards me. To be polite I leaned in for a kiss. Tanya gave me a good one, with open lips and held me in place for a while until I heard a comment of approval from the lady holding the mistletoe and I pulled away.
On Monday, Luiz approached me and asked about the party. I was polite and thanked her. "What about Tanya? Did you enjoy talking to her?"
"Sure. She was nice."
"Well, I told her I would give her your number, is that ok? Or you could call her."
Luiz had put me in an awkward position. "No. Yeah. Sure. Give me her number, I will call her."
Luiz was ecstatic, there was no hiding it.
A couple of days went by, and I forgot I had the number. Tanya called. "Hello Will. Sorry to call, but I thought Luiz might have given you the wrong number."
"Maybe." I didn't tell her I didn't try it. "Well, I am glad you called." She was silent for a while. So, I added. "What have you been up to?"
"Ummm just work." There was a long pause. She blurted out. "I was thinking of seeing that new movie 'Three Men and a Baby.'"
I suggested 'The Running Man.' I got off the phone with just a little more conversation. There was no avoiding taking her out.
I noticed how large her breasts were while I sat next to her. After the movie, we went to a coffee shop and I drove her home. I dropped her off in front of her apartment, before she got out, she leaned in for a kiss. This time I kissed her back until things got a little heated.
After she left, I drove home thinking that I shouldn't have kissed her and led her on. Once she started kissing me however, I couldn't stop easily. Almost every time I kissed Silvi, I initiated it. I had to work on Silvi to get her to be responsive. From the way Tanya kissed me and slipped her hand up the front of my coat I could tell that she wanted more. I didn't want to start a relationship with Tanya, especially since Luiz and the girls at work would know all about it.
I had one weekend left before I went home to visit my parents. The secretaries were friendlier than ever, Tanya must have told her sister we had a good date. I would have to date her again, hopefully I would get away with not calling her when I returned.
That Saturday I dropped her off and after kissing me briefly she said, "Let's go upstairs."
She guided me to take off my coat and sit on the couch. She brought me a can of beer. "Here. It's nice and cold. Will you give me a minute?"