It was a very hot and dry day in West Hollywood. Shane and Alice were sitting at a table at the Planet. Alice was working on her new piece tonight at KCRW. Shane took a drink of her coffee and leaned back into her chair.

“So have you called her yet?”

Alice sighed. “I will when I’m ready Shane.” She looked away from her laptop and took a drink of her green tea. “Patience is a virtue.”

“Al, you went through so much hell to get with her, but now after she left you—you’re not going to put up a fight.”

“Dana made her choice that she didn’t want to be with me Shane. I’m going to except it.” Shane shook her head. “I’m not begging you to get back with Carmen.”

Shane looked at Alice. “I made a mistake when I asked her to marry me, I—I guess my father was right. I am him, and that’ll never change.” Shane took a drink of her coffee.

“Do you know where she went?”

Shane shook her head. “She left and went back to Texas with her sister. She wanted to get away from me as far as she could.”

“I wouldn’t blame her,” Shane shot her eyes at Alice. “Sorry.” Shane looked up and saw Bette and Tina walking in.

“Here’s my renowned lovebirds,” Alice had a huge grin on her face. The two women sat down at the table. “See there, that’s love that we all need to see.”

“Alice, we’re still working on that part. We’re taking each day step by step.” Bette looked at Tina and grabbed her hand.

“I’m just glad to see that somebody trying to make it.” Shane took one more drink of her coffee. “I gotta get out of here you guys. I gotta go to work.”  She kissed the girls on their foreheads and walked out of the Planet. Tina pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“How is she?” Alice looked at Tina and then back at her screen.

“She’s hanging in there.”

“You shouldn’t be worried about Shane. What about Carmen? Look what she had to go through.” Bette chimed in. “I feel sorry for her, she shouldn’t have to go through that.”