Shane didn’t want to leave Jenny, but she had an important
client that afternoon who might be her in for a new gig on a film set. A year
ago she would have blown it off without a second thought, but somehow Carmen’s
ambition seemed to be rubbing off on her.

Jenny had been transferred to the psych ward, or the
“psychiatric evaluation unit,” as Dr. Jameson had called it. Shane had
practically dragged the doctor into the corridor and insisted that Jenny would
be ok at home, but Jenny actually seemed to want to stay.

“Maybe this is for the best,” she had said. “I think I need
a little rest from the world. I’ll be ok, really.” She had told Shane to ahead
and go. She said she’d feel guilty if she made Shane miss work.

“Besides,” she’d said, “At least one of us should be able to
come up with our share of the rent.” Shane promised to have Bette and Tina
check in on her later that day, and that she would come to take her home the
following morning.

As Shane walked into her house she heard someone rustling
around in the kitchen.

“Mark?”

“Hey Shane. Wow, late night huh? Straying again are we?”

“***** you Mark.”

They’d let him stay out of pity, for the much needed rent,
and at least for Shane, because she couldn’t begin to forgive herself for all
the things she had done if she couldn’t forgive him too. But it didn’t mean
that she trusted him, or had any desire to confide in him about anything.

“Hey, I was wondering if we could talk about my new project.
..” Shane cut him off.

“Look, not right now ok. I’ve gotta go to work. I’ll catch
you later.” She left the room before he could respond.

“Eggs?” he called after her.

“No.”

“Toast?”

“No.”

“Cereal?”

Shane turned back toward the kitchen. “Who are you, my
***** mother?”

“Coffee?”

“***** Mark. Sure, I’ll have some ***** coffee.”

“Sorry, just trying to be friendly and roommate like.
Doesn’t sound like your night was much of a mood elevator.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Shane grabbed the mug of coffee Mark handed her and left the
room, glad that he hadn’t asked about Jenny. Not that there was reason to. She
routinely slept until noon these days, and he probably just assumed she was
still crashed in her room.

That night after work, Shane couldn’t bear to go home.
Carmen would still be at the studio, and she knew she had to tell Mark what was
going on with Jenny, but she just couldn’t face it yet.

She walked into the Planet and ran into Kit who was behind the
bar. “Hey Shane darling. I heard what happened. Jenny going to be all right?”

“I don’t know Kit. I mean I’ve had some fucked up stuff
happen to me, but Jenny’s, I don’t know. She’s seems so vulnerable.”

“Yeah, well at least she’s got you to support her. I think
you two are good for one another” Kit handed Shane a beer with a sympathetic
smile and motioned that she had to get back to work.

Shane felt someone standing behind her and turned around.

“Hi.”

Shane couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Cherie was
standing in front of her with her long hair pulled back and sunglasses on,
looking as gorgeous and perfect as ever.

“Uh, hi.”

“Buy me a drink?” She said as she reached up to embrace
Shane. Before Shane had time to react, Cherie was kissing her hard on the
mouth, pulling Shane down to her.

Carmen, who had just walked into the Planet, turned and ran.