Shane sat alone in her room listening to the sound of the rain pound against the roof. It had been raining for four hours non stop and didn’t show any signs of relenting. Tapping her barren foot on the floor she looked around the room in search of something-anything to do. Jenny wouldn’t be home for awhile and Shane had exhausted all her means for entertainment. Alice and Dana were in Palm Springs visiting Lenore and Bette and Tina were still in the stage where all they wanted to do was have ***** and Shane didn’t want to keep them from it. Her foot begin tapping faster as her mind raced to find something to do. Reruns were the only thing on television. She’d listened to every CD she owned a million times before. All of the crossword puzzles were done…her foot came to an abrupt halt as she thought of the most brilliant thing to do .

***

“*****, *****, *****” Carmen exclaimed quickly pulling her hand away from the hot pot. She stuck her index finger in her mouth and sucked on the burnt, now red tip. Her mothers voice floated in the back of her.”You must be more careful Carmen, you’re going to burn the house down one day.”

Carmen rolled her eyes at her own thought. Even now that she’d moved out and gotten her own apartment she was still letting her mother control her life. Using a potholder she grabbed the heavy pot off the stove and poured its contents of noodles into a strainer, the steam from the water rising up in her face. Carmen pursed her lips and mimicked her mother.

“Be more careful Carmen you’re going to give yourself a third degree burn one day.” She shook her head lightly trying to rid herself of thoughts of her mom.

“I’ve got to get out more.” she said as she sifted the noodles making sure all of the water had seeped out. As she poured the noodles back into the pot the doorbell rang. She looked suspiciously in the direction of the door wondering who would dare come out in this kind of weather. She tossed the pot holders on the table as she left out of the kitchen and into the hallway. The doorbell rang again.