“So when was the last time you let someone do it to you?“  Harper finds this fascinating.

“You really wanna know?“  Shane is surprised.

“Yeah.“  Harper isn‘t looking to get jealous.

“Carmen.“

“Really… why her?“  Harper‘s interest is more for clinical interest.

“She was the second girl who I ever slept with more then once.  And there was this connection between us.  So I thought I should try and explore it.“

“That‘s a good reason, makes sense.“  Harper smiles at her to let her know it‘s ok that she‘s been intimate with Carmen.

“I wish I could erase that part of my life sometimes.“  Shane says with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“What?  Carmen?“

“No, not just her, all of it.  Everyone.  Sometimes I wonder how you can be with me knowing all of it.“

“Shane,“ Harper reaches over and smooths the hair from her eyes.  “You aren‘t the only one with a sorted past here.  If I held your ***** life against you I would be a total hypocrite.  I think you forget that I was a big old ***** for awhile too.“  Harper gets Shane to laugh with her.  “And I know that if I can change that part of me, then you can too.“

“Why are you so ***** perfect!“  Shane can‘t believe her luck.  “You don‘t try and change me and that blows me away.“

“It‘s not up to me to change you.  We are the only ones that can change ourselves.  Other people can inspire you to want to change.  But trying to change a person rarely works out.“

They lay there staring into each others eyes smiling.  The silence is broken by the loud growling of Harper‘s stomach.

Shane cracks a crooked smile, “Hungry?“

“I guess so.“  Harper laughs.

*

Starvation eventually gets them out into the world.  They explore more of Harper‘s hidden city treasures and grab a bite at the Yaffa Caf.  They spend most of their lunch on the phone trying to organize a dinner for that night.  Harper wants to see her friends and introduce the ones that haven‘t met Shane.  And Shane wants Harper to meet a few of the people she is working with.

They walk hand in hand back to the hotel through an old Lower East Side neighborhood of Harper‘s.  It‘s been cleaned up a lot since she called it home.  Most of the stores have been replaced by hipster boutiques and furniture stores.  The corner bodega is still intact, looking as rundown as ever.