Chapter Two
Three Weeks Later
Carmen awoke and reached out for Shane only to find cotton sheets cool to the touch beside her. Carmen sat up and listened. The house was dark and quiet. Looking over at the bedside clock she saw that it was only 4:45, not even dawn and her lover was up and about. Undoubtedly, she was with Jenny. Jenny’s emotional state had become a full-time job for Shane. Her lover was always hovering over Jenny, asking her a hundred times a day if she was feeling okay; calling therapists all over Los Angeles. Jenny wasn’t doing much for herself except acting helpless. Carmen liked Jenny. She used to be Jenny’s lover, so she still had feelings for her, but she had waited a long time for Shane and she wanted her new and expert lover concentrating on her and her needs. Carmen pulled herself out of bed and padded across the floor. She tossed on the tank top and pair of bumble bee print boxers that were hanging on the doorknob. She opened the door and walked down the hall to the living room. Carmen saw what she had expected, what she had seen numerous times—Shane was sitting up on the sofa, her arms wrapped around Jenny who was cradled in the embrace. Carmen walked around to the front of the sofa and took a seat across from them.
“So?”
“I heard Jenny crying. It woke me,” Shane whispered.
“We can’t keep doing this. Jenny needs serious help, baby. You can’t save her.”
“We can’t just walk away. We’re friends. She’s my roommate. We have a responsibility.”
Jenny turned in Shane’s arms and slowly woke. She looked up at Shane and then turned to see Carmen. Jenny sat up. “Hi,” she said sleepily.
“How you doin’?” Shane asked solicitously.
“I’m sorry about this morning. I was having a nightmare.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad I was here.” Shane kissed the top of Jenny’s head.
But Carmen cleared her throat. “Jenny,” she said distinctly, getting her attention. “Jenny, we are not equipped to deal with your…your thing. We wish we could…”
Shane’s eyes went huge. She couldn’t believe Carmen would say something like this. “Carm….?”
“Have you found a doctor or clinic? This is really not something we should have to try to figure out…”
“Carmen!”
“Shane.” She only said her name, but Carmen was requesting her lover’s silence while she spoke to Jenny. “Jenny, you need help. I’m not being mean or cruel. Really, I’m not. We can’t help you.
