Excerpt from Tribunal by Nancy Hersage, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"Anytime."

"You're doing very well?" she said.

He put the cigarette to his lips and inhaled thoughtfully. As he did, he leaned his back against the door, putting his hands behind his head like the other important men he'd seen. "It's a start," he told her, in his most grown up voice.

She saw how proud he was of himself, how good he felt about the way he dressed and the way he smelled. It made her feel sorry for Enrique.

"Thank you again. Good-bye."

"Good-bye."

He stood smoking at the door and waving as she walked back down the street.

Mr Okano did not, in fact, work in the office where Nita was sent. Nor did she ever get to speak with him. The address was on the second floor of a modest, busy building which stood in the Cultural Centre Complex. It was run by three Filipino men who must have been his associates. Apparently, this was only one of many businesses run by the Japanese man.

There were dozens of eighteen-year-old girls waiting in the crowded ante-room, as Martin had suggested. Many of them, she learned, had migrated from northern Luzon and were desperate for work, too. The chance to make money dancing and to travel seemed like a gift from the Blessed Virgin.

"Nita Pangil," called one of the men from the door of his office. She stood up and stepped inside.

"Hello," he began.

"Hello," she said. She was worried about speaking English. He was sure to hire the dancers who spoke English first. And what would he think of her age? And her family?

"I know about you," he began. "You've been recommended. Would you like this job?"

What did he mean? "Excuse me?" she said.

"We will hire you, if you want this job. Yes?"

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "Yes," she said, afraid not to agree, afraid she was misunderstanding. "I am going to dance?"

"That's right. Mr Okano has said you are hired. Now we must get you a plane ticket and a passport and a visa."

He was saying it all so fast, while writing on the paper in front of him. She wanted to ask him to repeat the words, to explain what he was saying.

"Don't worry about any of this. We take care of it all. That's our job. We'll help you fill out the forms, and get your picture taken. We leave in two weeks. We'll get you through it all by then. For now, you must see Tomas about getting your birth certificate." He stood up and motioned her toward another office. "This way."

"I'm going to Italy?"

"In two weeks," he said. "Congratulations. Tomas? Pangil, Nita. This one's a go-er."

True to his word, the invisible Mr Okano arranged for an advance on her salary. Before she left, Nita was able to see Letty moved into a clean, dry two-room apartment. Together, she and Enrique went to the market. She showed him what to buy, told him what he must feed the children.

"When Letty grows stronger, you must take her back to Doctor Rey for the vaccination. Do you promise, Enrique?"

"I promise," he said.

"Good, because if you do not, I have asked Dalia to kill you."

She meant it as a joke, but Enrique did not laugh. Since the arrival of the money, he had been treating her differently, taking what she said more seriously. If she told him to do something, he did it. If she said something, he believed it.

"I was only kidding," she explained.

"I know," he replied, "but I will take her to the doctor, Nita. I promise."

Nita tried to slow the next two weeks down, but the days would not stop. Several mornings she took the bus to the office building where she had been hired and sat, waiting for Tomas to help her fill out all the paperwork that needed to be done. When he had time, he would translate the forms for her or help her write the letters that needed to be written. She was given a small bag of soaps and shampoo, including a detergent to de-louse her hair. She was measured for clothing and shoes, then told she must pick them up at another address. There she received a small suitcase with two dresses, two blouses, a pair of slacks and undergarments. All of the women were given a physical examination which included several injections. A few of them were given haircuts.

Copyright Nancy Hersage 2000. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher or author.