Shane pushed Cherie away. “Whoa, hold on.” Shane wiped her
mouth with her jacket sleeve.

 “Aren’t you glad to see me?” Cherie reached behind Shane and
grabbed her small, perfect *****.

 “Surprised would be a better word.” Shane answered in her
most sardonic voice, pushing her hand away. “What’s a woman like you doing in a
place like this anyway Cherie?”

 “Didn’t you hear? Steve and I split. Well actually, Steve
left me for some 25 year old model with bleach blond hair and enormous fake
*****.” Cherie smiled tightly, and tilted her head. “So, how about that drink?”

 Shane turned and motioned toward the bartender. “Hey Lacey,
give me another.”

 Cherie took the beer from Shane. “So, Shane how have you
been?”

 “For the most part, really good, actually. Steve didn’t
actually manage to ruin my career, and I have an amazing, wonderful girlfriend
who has actually enabled me to forget how much you fucked me over. But in all
honesty, I’ve had a ***** couple of days that I don’t really feel like talking
about.” Shane placed her half empty beer on the counter, grabbed her denim
jacket and walked out.

 Carmen wasn’t there yet when she got home. She called the
hospital to see if they would be letting Jenny out the next day. She got the
night nurse who played twenty questions with her for what seemed like forever
before finally acknowledging that she had no idea whether or not she would be
released.

 “Well, thanks for nothing.” Shane slammed the receiver down.
She looked at the clock. It was after eleven and Carmen still hadn’t come in.
She tried calling her cell but only got her answering machine.

 “Hey sweetheart, it’s me. Just wondering where you are. Love
you.” Shane took a quick shower and got into bed. When she woke up the next
morning, she was still alone.

 Carmen and her mother still weren’t speaking, and while
Carmen hand’t officially moved in, she had clothes, much of her music
collection, and all her DJ equipment crowded into a corner of Shane’s room.
Shane started to panic. What if she’d had an accident or something.

 Shane got out of bed and found her phone. She got voicemail
again. “Hey Carmen, it’s me. Baby where are you? I’m really starting to worry.
Call me as soon as you get this. Ok?”