"No. But I know everything."
   

    I know the effect of my words. I have sent her mind reeling. Right now, there are a thousand and one questions floating around in her head. Her brows furrow as she reaches for her vibrating phone. She rejects the call but I know it was work.
   

    "Fuck." Shane says, exasperated. She wants more time to talk but her work, her responsibilities, have caught up with her.
   

    "Shane," I start. I reach for her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "It’s okay. Go. Call me up later and we’ll talk."
   

    She looks into my eyes and I know she’s still thinking of just letting all hell loose on her salon and just staying here with me to talk and to ask all the questions she can manage to think of. But just as she has her Yoda moments, I have moments of clarity where I am able to figure out things that would have eluded me. At this specific moment, I am certain that I am facing a different Shane. A far more mature one. And it is certain that she will choose responsibility over her own wants.
   

    She pulls me in and hugs me for a final time. She whispers in my ear and as the words escape her mouth, I know there will be much fewer questions later.
   

    "Bette, tell her it’s okay. Tell Al I know she told you. Anyone would crumble with your scare tactics." She pulls away and grins. "You should know better than to lie to the master, young Padawan." She takes a step back, winks and starts to head for her salon, leaving me to wonder how the hell she figured out that Al had given in under extreme pressure and told me.
   

    I head back to the hotel and think about all that has happened through the years.
   

    I remember the chaos that ensued after the wedding. I remember the fruitless search for Shane. How Alice insisted Shane would come back when she was ready, obviously holding onto Shane’s words, even though each time that we had nothing to show for all our efforts, I saw fear and guilt in her eyes. There had been no interrogation, no need to push Al to tell. Two months of searching for Shane in vain had finally made her give in.