That same night

Shane and Carmen sat in garden chairs on the deck staring at the renovated shed.  They were astounded that Mark had managed to pack so much into it.  He was still packing up boxes with books and filling Hefty bags with clothes after having disassembled his computer and his video and sound recorders.  A few minutes earlier he had put his four large speakers into the back seat of his car. 

Carmen and Shane had planned a full schedule including a visit to Tina, but Shane wanted to be certain Mark was out for good.  He was moving in slow motion, grudgingly walking from the shed to his car, and back and with each trip he glanced over at them.  He could have crawled, just as long as at the end, there would be no more Mark in her life. 

The chairs were close and the women held hands, fingers entwined while their other hands each held a beer.  He came out, turned the corner and leaned against the side of the shed facing the deck.  He held a thick envelope.  Carmen and Shane stared at him and he blinked nervously.  Carmen gripped Shane’s hand tighter. 

Mark said the only thing he could.  “Shit.”  He ran his fingers through his hair.  “Shane, please.”

Carmen stood.  She didn’t even have to think about it, she was ready to kick Mark’s ass.   She had taken half a step from the chair when Shane reached for her and pulled her back.

“Are you in love with her or do you want to be her?”

Mark said nothing. 

“So you’re in love with her.  She’s queer, Mark, a woman loving woman, lesbian.  She’s not into the pole.”

“Shane, haven’t I been there for you?  When you needed someone,           who did you call?  All of your girlfriends—Bette and Tina, Alice, Dana, Jenny, all your sex partners, none of them were gonna help you.  You called me.  Me,” Mark shouted.

“Shut up.”

Mark couldn’t shut up.  “You know, you’re so busy thinking the world is against you.  I proved I’m not against you.” 

“Please,” Carmen said sarcastically.

Mark waved the envelope at them.  “Your brother is a mechanic at a place called…”