“And now what do we do?  Alice asks frustrated.

“Just wait,” Helena answers.

“I guess we should give her some time alone.  She’ll come around.”  With that, Bette signals the girls to leave the house.

As they do this Tina pleads holding Jenny’s hand, “Jenny please call us if you see any change in Shane’s mood.”

“I will.”  Jenny opens the door as they all say their goodbyes.

———————–

Shane is in her bed looking at the ceiling doing the only thing she’s been doing lately: thinking.  The images of the encounter with her mother still fresh in her mind; the scenes flow easily in front of her eyes replaying in a never-ending loop…

*******

“I’m sorry, honey.  I’m sorry,” apologizes the teary-eyed Shane’s mother while stroking Shane’s hair.

“I’ve missed you so much.”  Shane mumbles among tears still kneeling and with her head on her mother’s chest.

“I’ve… missed you too,” the woman’s voice trails off uncertain about whether she had the right to say that sentence or not.

Shane holds her breath after hearing that sentence.  Her mother stops the stroking scared of her daughter’s reaction.  Shane slowly moves up until she’s seated right next to her.  Weeping her own tears, Shane looks directly to her mother’s eyes.

“I…”

“Shhh…”  Shane puts a finger on the woman’s lips.  “We’ll talk about that later,” then she holds her hand and just stares at her.  Both are now smiling at each other.

*********

Shane tosses and turns, the memories make her sad and happy.  She starts crying quietly on her side.  All these feelings are overwhelming.  As her crying subsides, she lies on her back again.  She feels that even though she got to enjoy her mother for only two months, something inside her has been healed.  But at the same time there’s a hole in her heart that no one can fill, not even her mother.  She submerges herself into her thoughtful state again, thousands of things in her mind.  Suddenly her face changes from showing distress to expressing determination.  Shane gets up abruptly and jumps out of bed.  She takes her cell phone out and presses some buttons.

“Hey, Helena I… No, no I’m ok.  I just…I need to talk to you.  Can we meet tomorrow?  Yes, your office is fine… Uh huh.  What time do you? …yes, it’s perfect.  I’ll see you then.  Thank you, bye.”  Shane hangs up with a sigh.

She leaves her room and goes to the fridge to grab a beer.

“Shane!  How are you feeling, sweetie?” asks Jenny from the desk, laptop open.

“I’m better thanks.  I’m…way better.”  Shane answers her friend with resolve in her eyes.  She takes a chair and sits next to her.

Both friends exchange deep gazes.

Jenny smiles and strokes the back of Shane’s head seeing hope in her eyes.  “That’s good.”

Shane returns the smile and leans her head on Jenny’s shoulder.  She hugs Shane and kisses her forehead.  They stay like that for a while.