They finished their breakfast talking, but about more comfortable subjects. Her mother told her how her other brothers and sisters were holding up and reminded her to bring a black dress along for the funeral. Her mother knew her well, and because Carmen had always been kind of chaotic and impulsive, she knew her daughter would have forgotten about a black dress if she hadn’t remind her. ‘But do I really have to wear black?’ Carmen asked. ‘Well, figure out yourself. Black looks good on you,’ her mother answered as she walked over to the counter. ‘I never wear black,’ Carmen said. ‘I know, but you should,’ her mother affirmed her. ‘I know Carmen, with our skin color we can wear every bright color out there but a little integrity is good sometimes. It’s called class.’ Carmen raised her brows sarcastically, still sitting at the kitchen table. Her mother saw her daughter’s face and laughed exuberant, in the way only she could without being irritating. ‘I know Carmen baby, that doesn’t quite fit you,’ her mother said laughing and she petted Carmen’s hair. Carmen chuckled and was glad that things were back to normal again between them, at least for a while.

Shane opened the front door and walked into the living room. She dropped her keys on the counter in the kitchen. She looked around. Magazines and old newspapers were lying around and some of Jenny’s and her clothes were spread out over the couch. ‘Fuck, really gotta clean up soon,’ Shane thought. She always managed to keep her bedroom clean, cause that’s the way she liked it, but when it came to the rest of the house she never really had time for it. ‘When Carmen’s gone, I’ll have plenty of time for it,’ she thought but it didn’t made up for the fact that Carmen was leaving at all. When Carmen was with her, time was their best friend, when they had it. Time to kiss and talk. Time to laugh and cry. Time to make love or just sleep together, whatever they felt like. But as soon as Carmen was gone, time became her enemy and each second of the day seemed torturous long. She took her cell out of her pocket and dialed Carmen’s number. She didn’t answer. ‘Maybe she’s still talking to her mom and I called at a bad time,’ Shane thought although that didn’t seemed very logical to her, it was already 4 o’clock. She walked over to her bedroom and dialed Carmen’s number again. She was just about to press the ‘end call’ button when she heard a muffled ring tone coming out of her bedroom. She opened the door and saw Carmen’s bag sitting on the bed to her surprise, happy music coming out of it. Shane smiled and tucked her phone back into her pocket. But that didn’t stop the music. She could hear Carmen singing through the noises of running water. She was taking a shower. Shane quickly undressed herself and slowly opened the door to the bathroom. Carmen had stopped singing but she still hadn’t noticed Shane who slowly walked up behind her. Shane carefully pulled the shower curtain aside and stepped in. Carmen let out a high shriek when she felt Shane’s hands on her breasts. She turned around and laughed when she saw Shane. ‘Oh fuck Shane, you startled me!’ Carmen said as she wrapped her arms around Shane’s neck. ‘You startled me! What are you doing here?’ Shane said and she kissed Carmen firmly on her lips. ‘I couldn’t wait so long for your call so.. I hope you like surprises,’ Carmen explained as she bit her bottomlip, waiting for Shane’s answer. ‘Well, normally I don’t but if it includes you than I do,’ Shane said smiling as she smoothed Carmen’s hair out of her face. ‘Oh, well I love surprises so you better get used to it’ Carmen said teasingly and she kissed Shane once more. ‘So how did things go with your mom?’ Shane asked when their lips parted, looking worriedly into her lover’s eyes. ‘Actually, pretty good, yeah,’ Carmen nodded. ‘Good,’ Shane said. ‘Yeah, it is. But eh.. enough about my mom and time for some fun,’ Carmen said and she bit her bottomlip while smiling sexy. ‘What kind of fun?’ Shane asked while she pulled Carmen closer to her. ‘Hmm.. well.. you and me.. shower.. use your imagination Shane McCutcheon!’ Carmen said raising her voice and she laughed wholeheartedly. Shane chuckled and shook her head. ‘I missed you,’ she said softly, looking in her brown eyes. Carmen smiled bashfully. ‘I missed you too. And you look really sexy when you’re all wet.’