Shane looked at the clock. “*****, babe, I gotta go. I have
to go to the hospital and I’m doing Jane’s hair at three for some publicity
thing.” Shane said as she reluctantly rolled off the bed. She dressed in the
same white t-shirt and black jeans she had put on earlier that morning and
added a black blazer.

 
“Are they releasing Jenny? Can I come with you?” Carmen sat
up in bed.

 
“As far as I know they’re going to let her come home, but
why don’t you stay here and get some rest. Actually I was wondering if you
could hang around this afternoon. I can’t get out of this thing for Jane.”

 
“Shane, do you really think Jenny wants to hang out with me?
Other than a few cryptic non-sequitors, she has barely said a word to me in
weeks. Really Shane, I think my being here is making things harder for her, not
easier. Why don’t you ask Mark if he could stay home this afternoon?”

 
“I haven’t exactly told Mark what’s going on.”

 
“What do you mean? How could he not know?”

 
“I tried to a couple of times, but the first time I thought
I might break down and I just couldn’t let him see me that way, and then this
morning” Shane broke off.

 
“Look Shane, I’ll talk to Mark and ask him to stay this
afternoon, but I really do think it would be better if I weren’t here. I got
permission to use a sound room at the studio to do some mixing, so I’ll just go
there and give you a call later tonight. Ok?”

 
“Really, you’ll talk to Mark?” Shane smiled and shook her
head slightly in amazement at Carmen’s rationality and ability to handle
whatever came at her.

 
“Yeah, it’s ok. I think it might be easier coming from me
anyway.”

 
Shane leaned over the bed and kissed her girlfriend, pulling
her up and into her arms. “I love you.” She whispered in Carmen’s ear. Carmen
pushed back slightly from their embrace so that she could look at Shane.

 
“I love you too,” she said staring into Shane’s remarkable hazel
eyes.

 
When Shane had left, Carmen dressed and went to find Mark.
He wasn’t in the house so she walked out to the studio. Peering through glass
in the door she could see him sitting in front of three monitors, clicking here
and there on his mouse and keyboard, glancing back and forth from screen to
screen. She knocked tentatively. He didn’t move. She knocked harder. Still no
response. She slammed her fist into the door and yelled, “Mark!”