You love my daughter? Deciding to cut to the chase and go in for the kill, Mercedes jumped straight onto the topic Shane was expecting and yet dreading at the same time. When Shane continued to stare at the floor, without so much as a sound, Mercedes felt a little anger grow inside of her. But before she could say anything, Shane sat up straight and looked Mercedes straight in the eyes.

With my life.

Shane realized that this was the time to take a stand. To fight for the happiness she had worked so hard for. Whether or not it would be a happy ending, at least she had tried.

Ah Mercedes nodded. She sat back and made herself comfortable, waiting for Shane to continue.

You knew? Shane quivered a little. Mercedes was like an older version of Carmen, and a heavier one. The same jet-black hair that was forcefully straightened, the same intense brown eyes and the same smile. The nose was slightly different; Carmen must have gotten hers from her father. Inside the cool piercing eyes lay a spark of fire, not unlike that of Carmens when she was deep in thought. It seemed almost impossible to read Mercedes, just like she couldnt read Carmen. When Carmen was happy she laughed, and cried when she was sad, never afraid of speaking her mind and never one to back down from a fight, but when she found out about the cancer, Shane found it more and more difficult to read her. And now it was the same with Mercedes.

Mercedes looked at Shane amused.

Of course I knew,  the question should have been when?

Mercedes shrugged a little. Carmen is my baby, the most angelic of my brood, I love her the most, how could I not know?

And you never told her. Shane raised her voice a notch. All this time, Carmen had been worried and scared of her mother finding out, but it was all for nothing.

Mercedes gave out a short laugh before saying, her head swayed from side to side, At first, I was in denial; I refuse to acknowledge it, or believe that it was true.