“Tell me what?” Shane said, walking back into the kitchen to get her own coffee. She came back in and sat down in front of Alice and Dana on the coffee table. “What, Al? What can I help you with?”

Dana looked over at Alice and rolled her eyes. She knew there was no way she was going to win this argument. She didn’t anyone else knowing about it. She was embarrassed to begin with, add to that the guilt and the barrage of questions that would follow, Dana just didn’t want to deal. “It’s nothing Shane.”

Shane raised her eyebrows at Dana in question, “You mean like yesterday’s it’s nothing? Because, Dane, that was bullshit.”

“What yesterday’s nothing? Dana, what is she talking about?” Alice asked.

After waiting for Dana to say something, which was sort of fruitless, Shane answered, “Dana got some letter yesterday and it freaked her out. She said it was nothing, but Alice, it worried me. I’m not sure what the letter actually said, but she was pretty freaked out.”

Alice looked over at Dana who appeared frozen in place, “You just got the letter yesterday? That was new?”

“She showed you the letter?”

“Long story, but I didn’t give her a lot of options. She has some crazy stalker chick threatening her. Well, threatening me, it looked like. And Dana was pretty scared.”

Both Alice and Shane were shocked at the anger and decibel level that came from Dana a few seconds later.

“WOULD YOU TWO STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I’M NOT HERE!! I’M SITTING IN THE DAMN ROOM WITH YOU!!” Dana shouted, as she stood up and started pacing the room

“Whoa, Dane, chill. Sorry.” Shane answered. “So, will one of you tell me what the ***** is going on?”

Dana looked over to Alice, waiting for her to speak. “What? You just said you’re in the room. Go on, tell her.”

“What suddenly you don’t want to talk about our lives to people? That’s new.” Dana quipped.

“What the ***** is wrong with you?”

Dana turned away from Alice, “I’m sorry. I’m just scared. OK. I just want to pretend this isn’t happening.”

Alice got up and walked to Dana. She gently placed her hand on Dana’s shoulder. “Babe, you know we can’t do that.” She whispered as leaned in to Dana’s ear. “You know Shane is the one you want on your side. If you don’t want to talk to anyone else, that’s fine. But baby, I leave tomorrow. I need to know you’ll be ok and someone will be looking after you.”

Dana humbly looked up at Alice, barely able to meet her gaze. Feeling so much guilt and feeling so much sadness. “Alright.”

They sat down on the couch together, Alice tenderly holding Dana, supporting her and they told Shane what was going on. Shane felt the anger rise in her. She knew the anger covered the fear. But she was handy that way. Until there was nothing left to fear, the anger would win and she would make sure Dana and Alice were ok, that much she knew.

tbc