CHAPTER 3

Gravity:
The natural force of attraction exerted by a celestial body, such as Earth, upon objects at or near its surface, tending to draw them toward the center of the body.
The natural force of attraction between any two massive bodies, which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Gravitation.
Grave consequence; seriousness or importance: They are still quite unaware of the gravity of their problems.
Solemnity or dignity of manner.

Around two o’clock in the morning Carmen turns the door knob and walks into her apartment. Shane is right behind her, still motionless in the corridor. She seems hesitant and uncomfortable.
Carmen looks at her.
“Come in…”, she says, calmly.
Shane steps forward and stops in the middle of the living room, uncertain about what to do.
It’s a bizarre situation.
Being in Carmen’s apartment, being alone with her in this empty apartment and despite everything, thinking about nothing else but the comfortable double bed in the other room.
Shane bends her head and stares at her own shoes. She is sure that Carmen can read into her mind – that’s a power she’s always had – and see what she is thinking about, so she hides her eyes from her.
Carmen pulls out her very short velvet jacket, revealing a thinner – even if still curvy – body.
“Okay… I’m gonna take a blanket and a pillow for you. My couch is very comfortable”.
Shane would like to ask her to let her sleep with her, in her bed. She would like to ask Carmen to allow her to hug her tightly and make this sense of emptiness go away. She would like to ask her to remind her how they used to be, even just for tonight.
Shane would like to run towards her and take her into her arms. She would like to forget the last three years and start again.
But she knows she can’t.
This time is very different for their last night after Whistler – when, by the way, she fucked up as usual.
Shane is old enough to understand that dreams are not destined to come true, sometimes.
And painfully, she has a feeling.
Carmen really doesn’t love her anymore.
There are no more sparkles in her eyes, when she looks at her. There are no more hidden smiles or hints of the white heat that used to burn feverishly between them.
This new girl seems entrapped in ice. And she has walls built all around her, walls that keep her at a distance from everyone and everything.