“Paige, nice to meet you Carmen.” Paige flung her hair behind her shoulder.

“So Paige—why the long face?”

“I just lost my job, and I’m fighting custody for my son.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you for being concern.” Paige laughed softly and rubbed her forehead. “Is your life any better than mine?”

“No,” Carmen shook her head. “I just lost my grandmother while I was away on vacation.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks. It’s really hard for me because that woman raised me while my mother was trying to support our family. I want my girlfriend to be by my side, but she doesn’t want to be.”

“I hate that she won’t go with you.”

“I thought she would be there for me and comfort me, but I was wrong. I guess she won’t ever change.” Paige reached over and touched Carmen’s hand.

“I wish there was something that I could do for you.”

“You’re doing it right now. You’re sitting and listening to me. You’re like my therapist.” Carmen smiled, and Paige laughed.

“That’s funny that you say that because I tried to be a therapist, but I didn’t finish my years in college.”

                Shane walked into the Planet looking for Carmen. She walked through the crowd and tried to make her way to the counter. She stopped when she saw Carmen sitting at the bar talking to a blonde. She saw Carmen smiling and laughing with the woman. Shane felt her heart drop when she saw Carmen reached over and touched the woman’s hand. She turned away and looked back up. She watched the two women enjoying their selves, and she swallowed hard. She turned back around and walked out of the Planet.

“Well Carmen—I need to get out of here. I need to get my son from the babysitter’s. It was really nice meeting you and talking to you.” Paige got up.

“The pleasure was all mine. Maybe we can do this again, you know over a cup of coffee.”

Paige nodded. “I would like that.” She grabbed a pen out of her purse and grabbed a napkin on the counter. She  wrote her number down and handed it to Carmen. “Here’s my number, give me a call sometimes.”