Chapter 6

On waking Carmen had just one word in her mind, bliss. The perfect blend of contentment and excitement. Last night with Shane had been simply blissful. She stretched the stiffness from her body, sleeping on the floor of her new apartment was perhaps the only downside of the evening. Carmen finally opened her eyes and gazed at her empty apartment. Her apartment. A 3D empty canvass for her to paint her new life on. Very empty she suddenly realized. She listened carefully as she looked around, there was no sign of Shane anywhere. ‘No, she wouldn’t do that, not after last night. I’d have known if she was lying. She said she was open to this. She wasn’t lying, there’s no way you can fake that kind of connection…. Unless Jason has been right all along.’

Panicking slightly, she scanned the apartment again. Finally, she spotted Shane’s cell phone lying on the kitchen counter. Carmen focused all her attention on it, she swallowed back her hurt for a moment and told herself that Shane could not have gone far. ‘Maybe she’s just out on the doorstep having a morning cigarette.’ Carmen wrapped the blanket tightly around herself and made her way to the front door.

She took a deep breath to steady herself as she stepped out onto her porch. She searched both directions with her eyes. A jogger sped past, another man heading to work stopped a moment to eye her appreciatively, a lady in a bathrobe across the street let her dog out into her yard. No Shane. Carmen sat down heavily, gripped the sides of her head, and closed her eyes. ‘Fuck, Fuck, God how could I be so stupid? How could I let myself fall for her.’ She began to feel pressure building behind her eyes as she sat and let her worst fears wash over her.

“Hey you’re up sleepyhead.” Shane sat next to Carmen and placed her hand on the small of her back. “Too much wine last night?”

Carmen nearly jumped at the sound of Shane’s voice, she inhaled sharply at the touch and looked up. “What?”

Shane made an effort to keep her tone light, she could tell Carmen was less than happy about waking up alone. “You look like you could use some coffee baby, lucky for you…” Shane held out a cup, then opened a bag and pulled out Carmen’s favorite , a blueberry danish from the Planet. “…I come bearing breakfast. Did I say good morning? Good morning.” Shane blushed slightly and leaned in for a kiss.