Looking at the picture, caressing it, Dana deeply sighed again before placing the photo on the coffee table. Taking the phone she dialled.

“Can I see you?…yeah I know is late, Im sorryyeahyesokthanksyes.I see you there ten minutes thank you”

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

You want chocolate milk? Asked Bette, her voice sweet as candy.

Shaking the head, Dana tried to smile behind the tears that were dying to get free. Looking at her, Bette noticed the struggle, the pain her friend was going through, the fear that was freely running through her sick body.

Come here” Bette whispered, opening her arms for Dana.

Letting herself go, Dana let Bette arms comfort her. Feeling her warmth, her sweetness, she let herself cry for the first time since she got the news. She cried and cried till the tears cleared her throat.

What am I gonna do?…what if?…she managed to mumbled in between sobs.

Nodding, feeling Danas grip loosening, Bette nodded and moving apart tried to look at her friend.

Shhhis ok honey.everything is going to be okshhhherecome here ” she whispered, welcoming Dana in her embrace again.

What if is not?…what if?…” Dana mumbled, hiding the face in Bettes arms.

Honeywe will be therewith youwe will beat this thingwe willdont worry sweety”

Bette didnt know what to say, she didnt know why Dana called her, why not Tina, or Alice, or even Shane. Why her? She was not good at these things Caressing Dana soft thin hair, Bette let herself go, let herself quietly cry for her friend, for all of them. She didnt want to imagine how Alice was going to take it. How all of them were going to cope with such a fact, with such an ugly scaring reality. It wasnt fair, she didnt understand it.

Feeling Dana relaxing in her arms, Bette sweetly whispered.

Dana, honeywe should go homeLara might be worriedyou have to get some sleep”

Nodding, moving away from her friend, Dana smiled. She smiled because there was nothing else she could do, she smiled because she loved her friend, because she believed her, because she knew that Bettes words were real, honest. She smiled because once again, Bette was there for her, because, once again, she was right. She smiled because even now, years later, Bette was still the rock, the one all of them deep down look for, because she was wiser, because she was older, because even when she was wrongshe was right. Dana smiled because she could feel Bettes loved, her concern, her pain. She smiled because seeing her drive, while going home, she could see Bette looking after hershe also smiled because even when Tina was, on paper, the motherly type, Bette was always the one that really look after all of them, her family, her friends. Because Bette, letting others take the wheel, was always the one who really knew the road to take.

Letting the wind clear her shuttered heart, Dana smiled because Bette, as she knew when she met her almost eight years ago, was the one with whom she always counted with, her surrogate mother. No one knew their secret, and Dana was sure that Bette never betrayed her and because of that, she smiled again.

What? Bette asked noticing the sad smile on Danas face.

NothingIm ok “

Opening the front door, she added,

Will you?”

Nodding, Bette interrupted her saying,

Ill be there and then I will talk with the others, ok?”

Nodding, Dana bit her lip before hugging Bette again.

I love you”  Bette whispered before kissing her on the cheek.

Now, go get some sleep” she added, pretending to sound motherly.

Yeah” sadly giggled Dana.

Thanks” she added.

Nodding, Bette smiled.

Shhhgo inside” she added closing the door.

Entering her car, Bette felt her body shivering. Placing the hands on the wheel she felt a thunder breaking her apart and a sudden force ripping her from inside. Opening the door quickly she jumped outside and kneeling down she let herself to throw out all the fear and the pain she had been hiding for the last hours. Cleaning her mouth she got in the car again and closing the door she sighed deeply before turning the engine on. She drove two blocks before stopping suddenly. Gripping the wheel tight she felt it coming and then, as a waterfall, she cried. She cried tears of sorrow and fear, tears of anger and desperation. She cursed the gods for her friends luck while crying tears of hope. She quietly cried while praying. For Dana, for her friends and for her family Looking at the empty road she felt emptiness eating her alive but then, as she noticed, far, far away the shy sun rising, she felt air filling her lungs and as if a ghostly force was pushing her, she sighed again. Turning the engine on she took the road again. She was going home, knowing that home was meaningless word just filled with Angelicas smile and Danas hope.