"I can't be with Aisha," Karmen admitted, the words barely a whisper.
Carlos lifted his head from his book, his brow furrowing. "Why?"
"I don't pursue connections like that because of the inevitable pain they bring," Karmen explained, avoiding Carlos's gaze. "And I have to believe the future isn't fixed; that things can change."
Carlos gave a slow nod. "My visions, Karmen, are never wrong."
Karmen offered no reply.
"Did she... reject you?" Carlos pressed, his voice softened with a hint of compassion.
"Well, it's a bit more complicated than a simple 'no,'" Karmen replied, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"You know you can confide anything in me," Carlos assured him. "I'm here to listen."
"I liked her for a reason even I'm unaware of," Karmen continued, reflecting on the woman he nearly married. "Aisha had a lover; they married right after we finished college. Then, recently, her parents set up a meeting with me."
