“Bruce what the hell are you talking about?” I asked

“Come on Shane…you don’t really want me to spell this out do you?”

“Actually yeah I do because from what I am gathering you want me to live with both of you because Carmen is in love with me.”

“And you are in love with her.”

“This is not helping me….not in any way….you guys are really weird…I need to get out of here……”

“Shane don’t….don’t go…please….” Carmen took my hand and gestured for me to sit back down.”

Did I know these people had I been abducted by aliens? Did I step into the outer limits of the twilight zone?

“Alright I’ll admit that Carmen is,” I couldn’t admit anything. I couldn’t tell this guy that was going to marry and have kids with this woman, this woman who I thought about while I was awake most nights since we met….I couldn’t tell him anything about her. I was not very comfortable talking about that at all.

“I known Shane,” he added. “I know…..and it sounds weird, me telling you that I am ok that you love the woman that I grew up with, the woman who would be the mother of my child. You probably think this is some kind of game. It isn’t, I don’t play games. I know my Carmen. And she knows me. And I know that you two have some kind of thing that won’t keep you apart. So I want her to be happy. And I like you. You are honest and cool…..and I know that you are not the type of person that would use her and abuse her…..”

“So what…..you are Humphrey Bogart and you are just gonna walk to the fog lighted airport and not give damn Sam?”

“Yes exactly…..”

“Carmen?”

“I….didn’t know he was going to say this so soon…..we just wanted to help you…”

“It’s the truth Shane…she is telling you the truth.”

I couldn’t think of anything. I didn’t know that this could happen to people. I didn’t know that people could love each other to the point that they would give themselves away for others to be happy. I didn’t know what was worse. The idea that he knew that I was falling for Carmen, that Carmen was falling for me, that I was being stalked, that my place burned down, that my brother might be a Ranger, that my dad knew I was gay, that Alice was indeed an insane person….that…well. Let’s just say that I couldn’t take it anymore and my head hit the table and I passed out. When I awoke I was somewhere else…..