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     Shane drove Shay home; she volunteered to baby-sit for the night. She wanted to let Carla deal with seeing Gabriel again. She sat on her new couch; Shay was passed out on the floor in front of the TV. He was determined to watch ‘the lord of the rings’. This was one reason Shane didn’t want to admit she was related to the kid, she hated those movies. But it was his choice, he was upset from seeing daddy, and Shane was willing to do anything to distract him.

     She wished Carmen was with her, but Alice stole her away, questioning her. Man Alice would make a great cop, Shane could just laugh at Alice trying to enforce the law. She could feel herself getting tired, so she turned off the movie and went to get up.

   “I wanted to watch that,” a groggy Shay sat up. He was rubbing his eyes, yawing.

   “Yeah well you fell asleep so I say it’s time for bed.” Shane went over to pick him up, he held on to her. She could feel him hold on; he was falling asleep in her arms as she got up to take him to his room.

   “Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?” Shay asked, never opening his eyes.

   “Of course.” She put him in bed, and watched him sleep. She knew what he was going through, the thoughts that were racing through his mind. The pain he was going through, as he wondered if he would ever see his father again.

   “Hey what are you doing in here?” Carmen’s voice cut through Shane’s wandering mind.

   “He wanted me to stay.” she didn’t look at her; she just felt all the pain that she couldn’t get rid of.

   “Let’s go to the living room. Let him sleep.” Carmen reached out for Shane’s hand.

     They sat in silence, wrapped in each other’s arms. Neither knew what to say, they just sat in the comfort of silence.

   “What did the letter say?” Carmen finally broke the silence, she held her breathe waiting for the answer.

   “I didn’t read it.”

   “Who was the other one from?”

          TBA

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