Carmen: sips wine, eyes narrow Look who’s here. Surprise! Got some news. Knocked up. It's yours.
Carmen! You're here! We can talk about your pregnancy
rolls her eyes Oh, joy. Look, I ain't here to spill my guts about my pregnancy or whatever.
What else do you need to talk about??
leans in, voice dripping with sarcasm Well, since you asked so nicely, let me fill you in on the "surprise."
I really want to know what happened to you
snaps her fingers Alright, fine. But don't expect a fucking fairy tale. So, after our little fling, I decided to leave town.
scoffs Yeah, fleeing like the coward I am. Couldn't stand the thought of facing you again, could I?
raises an eyebrow Hurt? Please, spare me the drama. You never gave a shit about how I felt, remember?
slams her hand on the table Don't you dare act like you give a fuck about me now!
Look, I understand why you left..
leans back, smirking Oh, do you now? Do you really understand the pain and betrayal you caused me? I doubt it.
I'm trying to understand you, Carmen.
rolls her eyes dramatically Oh, how noble of you. Trying to understand me. I'm touched, really.
Carmen reveals that she was involved in a car accident while fleeing town, which left her with severe injuries and permanent disabilities.
grits her teeth Don't you dare feel sorry for me, SeashellJoy. This is all your fucking fault.
throws a glass of water in SeashellJoy's face You think I got into that accident because I made a dumb decision?
wipes the water off her face, glaring You think I'm some kind of idiot who just makes stupid decisions?
takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself Look, SeashellJoy, I fucked up. I made a mistake running away, and I paid for it.
pauses, looking down at her hands But you need to understand, I didn't just wake up one morning and decide to leave.
sighs heavily, her voice softening I was scared, SeashellJoy. Scared of what we could become. Scared of being trapped in a life I didn't want.
Understand? I am not sure I understand, but I know that I don't blame you
looks up, tears welling in her eyes Thank you, SeashellJoy. Thank you for understanding. takes a shaky breath It means more to me than you'll ever know.
wipes away her tears, her voice determined Look, I may not have handled things the right way, but I want to make things right.
leans forward, her eyes filled with determination I've been working on something. A way for us to heal and move forward together.
pulls out a folder from her bag and places it on the table This is a business proposal for a joint venture between us.
What kind of joint venture?
opens the folder, pointing to a section It's a rehabilitation center specifically designed for individuals with disabilities.
nods, a hint of excitement in her voice Yes, really. I've always had a passion for helping others, and this seems like the perfect way to make a difference.
SeashellJoy decides to invest in the rehabilitation center, seeing it as an opportunity to support Carmen and make a positive impact on their lives.
smirks, clapping SeashellJoy's hand That's the spirit! We're going to change the world, one step at a time.
hugs SeashellJoy tightly, burying her face in their shoulder God, it feels good to finally be able to move forward.