Holding the scalpel firmly, she cut Dante’s skin, her other hand placed on his well-defined pectoral, palm flat. She saw the redness of his blood and didn’t flinch. The fear was gone. There was only a thin layer of anxiety left, but it was good. You have to focus when you operate. Carmen knew that.

She wasn’t shaking, her breath was regular and calm. She watched Dante’s pulsing heart and then looked up at her staff, just for a brief moment.

“Those eyes…”, she thought looking down again, “…The way she looked…right down into me…”.

Her fingers plunging into Dante’s open chest, touching softly, but firmly.

“…Shane…”, Carmen said to herself, “…What kind of name is Shane if you’re a girl?”.

She realized that everything was going to be just fine.

”Have I told you lately that I love you
Have I told you there’s no one above you
Fill my heart with gladness
Take away my sadness
Ease my troubles, that’s what you do…”

***

A couple of hours later, Carmen opened the door of her office and then locked it. She rested her back on it and took her time, finally, to exhale heavily, several times. She rubbed her forehead, her eyes, as a slight smile appeared on her perfect mouth.

She reached for her desk and saw the book.

It was “Fiesta”, by Ernest Hemingway.

Carmen watched it, puzzled and confused. Then, she took it and ran her palm on the rigid cover. The book came from LAPL, the Los Angeles Public Library.

What was strange, was that Carmen hadn’t checked it out at all.

Carmen jolted when somebody knocked on the door.

She unlocked it and turned the door knob, still holding the book against her breast as if it was something unrealistic and precious.

Helena watched her from the white corridor, then smiled.

She entered the room and closed the door behind her back, then put her arms around Carmen’s waist and pulled her in for a short peck on the lips.

“Hi”, she whispered, softly.

Carmen pulled back a little, but her hand lingered on Helena’s cheek for a fistful of seconds.

“Hi…”, she replied, sighing.

“I thought you’d be here”, Helena muttered, watching her attentively.