“Hmm,” Shane said, mocking Carmen’s sing song voice and pretending she wasn’t interested anymore. She busied herself with the eggs as she snatched the spoon from Carmen. The song changed and Carmen swayed lightly with the slightly darker song.

She heard a strange sound and stopped buttering the toast. Where was that coming from? It got louder and she realized it was coming from Shane. She was humming. Carmen smiled at her and Shane looked up and realized she was caught. The two looked at each other and broke out in song.

“I was walking with a ghost, I said please, please don’t insist. I was walking with a ghost, I said please, please don’t insist-” That was as far as they got before breaking out into, laughter. Carmen covered her mouth with her hand and grabbed onto the counter for support. Shane shook and held her stomach, leaning against the fridge.

“So Shane-”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m a TNS fan. Keep it on the DL,” Shane demanded after they had managed to form words without laughing. Carmen smiled fondly at Shane and continued to do her booty shake as if nothing. They both finished up breakfast. Jenny waddled in rubbing sleep from her eyes right as the door rang. Carmen and Shane smiled, knowing the other was smiling too but not having to look. They finished up their cabaret routine just in time.

“I got it guys. Mornin’ Shane,” Jenny said, she must have fallen back asleep because she looked very sleepy and dishevelled. Shane nodded and buttered her toast, trying not to laugh. Carmen wasn’t breathing behind her and she turned around. Her girlfriends body was shaking with soft laughter and Shane would have thought them to be tears if she hadn’t her the light whooshing sound as she tried desperately to breath. Shane smiled and turned around again, Alice was there.

“Hey girl.”

“Hey girl. I just thought I’d crash your breakfast. Cool?” Shane looked up, eyes showing concern that only Carmen saw, lips smiling prettily.

“Totally cool Al. Your always welcome here you know that.”

“Mee kassa est two kassa,” Jenny ventured, Shane laughed, even she knew that was bad Spanish. Carmen laughed adoringly at Jenny and passed out the plates.

“Park yourself Alice, we made more then enough,” Shane said as they all sat down.

Once they were all fully eating with not a lot of regard to the chit chat that was half-heartedly going on., Shane sat back and searched Alice’s face, her demeanour, her posture, her voice, attitude and eyes. Something was wrong. And not wrong like some other poor soul got Lenored, but like really wrong. Carmen smiled, clearly amused at Jenny again and caught Shane observing from the sidelines, their eyes met and the look there told Carmen, Shane thought something was wrong. She nodded ever so slightly and turned her attention back to her food. When everyone was finishing up Carmen told Shane to leave the dishes but she insisted on doing them with a powerful stare. Carmen shrugged as if she hadn’t noticed and smacked her head.

“Jenny there’s something I wanted to show you! A song- just come with me, K?” Carmen asked even more bubbly then usual. Jenny smiled and grabbed her hand.

“Lead the way miss DJ.”

Shane scrubbed the pan lightly till the footsteps became unrecognizable. She turned around but Alice was already crying.

“Shh baby, I know- I knew Tell me,” Shane murmured to her as she caught Alice before she hit the ground and rubbed her back lightly. She pulled her weight into her arms and dragged her to the living room and let her sink into the couch. Alice cried for a good 10 minutes before she could talk.

“Tell me,” Shane told her firmly as a finger came up to brush the hair, that was stuck to her wet face, away. Alice nodded and wrapped her arms around Shane’s midsection, trying to find words. She rest her head and the curve of Shane’s shoulder and closed her eyes tightly, remembering the scenes in her head as a spectator, trying not to get sucked in.