As Spencer approached the house, she spotted Carmen’s black Escalade parked in the driveway.  Carmen herself was standing at the front door. 

“Carmen, what are you doing here?” Spencer called out, stepping out of the car as Carmen walked towards her.  Spencer quickly moved to open Sammy’s door. 

“Mamá !” Sammy exclaimed, tugging the straps of the seatbelt  on her car seat.  Spencer sensed Carmen approaching behind her as she unbuckled the little girl, her shadow blocking the sunny Los Angeles morning.

“What do you mean why am I here?” Carmen asked crossly.  “Do you even check your phone? I called you last like 100 times. ”

Spencer, thinking the number less an exaggeration and more an accurate count, lifted Sammy and passed her into Carmen‘s waiting arms.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t know.  My phone must have been on silent.”  She walked quickly to the front door, Carmen on her heels.    “I thought we were meeting you at Chuck E. Cheese.”

“You were until I couldn’t get in touch with you.  Where did you stay last night?”

Spencer turned back in surprise, nearly stumbling over the step at the front door.  How could Carmen possibly know she’d spent the night away from home, she wondered.  Deciding her ex-wife was only guessing in an attempt to trick her into some sort of confession, she chose to play dumb.  “What are you talking about, Carmen?”

“Where did you stay last night?” Carmen repeated. “It’s a pretty simple question.”

Spencer unlocked the front door and stepped inside the house.  Cool, stale air immediately rushed over her.  She could’ve kicked herself for the money she’d wasted by leaving the air conditioner on at such a low temperature with no one in the house.  “Carmen, please.  Let’s not get into this right now.“

Carmen glared at her for a moment, before turning to the little girl in her arms.  “Mija,” Carmen said, softening her voice, “Where did you and mommy stay last night?”

Sammy looked back and forth between her two mothers.

“Don’t do that,” Spencer said.  “Don’t bring her into it.  My boss didn’t want me to drive home late so we spent the night at her house.  No big deal.”

“Spent the night and did what?” Carmen asked skeptically, setting Sammy down on the living room floor.
“Nothing,” Spencer sighed.  “We worked. We ate. We slept.  That’s it.”