The door opened to reveal the person who Shane suspected she should be most in fear of.  Staring at Shane, her mouth agape was Carmen’s mother.  Shane had run over every scenario as to who might open the door.  A part of her hoping for the possibility that there would be nobody home, that she could say she tried but that maybe destiny was talking and she should just leave it.  When she tried to consider whose face might greet her if the door did open, the possibilities were limitless.  That was one of the things she had loved so much about being with Carmen – the large family that she had been a part of.  There was no telling which of them might open that door.  Even when they were together Shane had never quite figured out who actually lived in the family home, any time they had gone over there, extra people appeared to be happily ensconced within its walls looking comfortable enough to suggest that it was their home.

She had toyed with the possibility that one of her brothers or cousins might open the door and she would get the follow up to what they had started on her last visit.  She considered the possibility that one of her sisters would answer the door and start to scream at her creating a very public scene.  She had even contemplated what the reaction she might get would be had it been Carmen herself who opened the door.  She imagined a door slamming in her face and an abrupt ending to her attempted conversation.  It was this picture however that had terrified her the most.  Shane’s experience of her own mother had been limited but she had enough life-experience to realise that the protective instincts of a good mother were a stronger force than any other you could conceive of.  Despite any disagreement they might have had over Carmen’s sexuality, this woman had proven beyond doubt that her love for her daughter out-weighed all else when she had shown up for the wedding. It was for these reasons that Shane had concluded that this was the person she was most scared of seeing on the other side of the door.

Attempting to maintain her upright posture and resisting the urge to flee, Shane met the gaze of the formidable woman before her.  Try as she might, Shane could not read what she was thinking, unsure whether to wait to be spoken to or to speak herself they stood in silence for what felt like an eternity but in reality was just awkward seconds.  Slowly as her brain kicked into gear Shane realised that it was she who had knocked on the door and as such the obligation was on her to explain her presence.  Suddenly aware she had been holding her breath since she lifted her hand to knock on the door; the hairdresser pursed her lips and gently blew out a small breath before gathering in more air and the final piece of her courage.  Her fingers still clutched around the mirror in her pocket she began.