Shane sighed and bowed her head, rocking back and forth in embarrassment.

“Well… I…uhm…”.

Then Carmen burst out laughing and covered her mouth with both her hands.

“Oh my God!”, she whispered, her voice muffled, and still those chuckling sounds emerging from the bottom of her throat, “You’re insane, Shane”.

Shane winced, uncertain between discomfort and joy.

“I didn’t know what you like, I mean, we never really had a breakfast together…”, she mumbled, stumbling all over the words, “…I mean, last weekend we were mostly stuck in bed, so, uhm, well… I thought that –“.

“…Fucking crazy…”, Carmen whispered walking around the table and smelling the food. She lifted her surprised eyes on Shane.

“How long did it take you to cook all this stuff?”.

Shane scratched her temple.

“…Uhm… Three hours, more or less…”.

Carmen looked up and directly into her eyes, biting her bottom lip.

“It’s too much, Shane”.

Shane shrugged.

“I know. Just eat your fill”.

“Will you keep me company?”.

“Sure…”, Shane nodded and chuckled, “…Actually I’m starving”.

”There was a time
A wind that blew so young
For this could be the biggest sky
And I could have the faintest idea…”

“Good?”, Shane asked, quietly, looking at Carmen and hiding a satisfied smile.

Carmen had her mouth full of God knew what exactly.

“Mm-mm”, she replied, appreciatively, and Shane leaned forward, wiping off some crumbs from her face.

Carmen stopped chewing and looked at her. She grabbed Shane’s hand and swallowed.

“We need to talk, Shane”.

“I know”, Shane replied sheepishly, looking down and slowly withdrawing her hand.

“What I told you last night… I meant it”, Carmen admitted, sadly.

“I know…”, Shane repeated, nodding.

“But look at me, Shane…”.

Shane didn’t look up, and Carmen reached for her hand, again, and stroked it gently.

“Babe… Look at me…”, she murmured, softly.

Finally, Shane gave in and lifted her head, staring back at her.

“I do love you…”, Carmen whispered.

Shane’s eyes turned sad and remorseful. Regretful.

“I do love you very much, Shane…”, Carmen sighed, “…I am in love with you and, to be honest, right now I wish I wasn’t. But I am”.

“I love you, too, Carm”, Shane muttered, defeated.

“I need to back off a little, though”, Carmen explained gently.