“Yes, I think so. I don’t know where you were before, but you were talking about Wilson a bit.”

“What did I say that made you so sad? I don’t remember saying anything too new.”

“It wasn’t that it was new Al. I think that was why it bothered me so much. Normally, when you talk to me, you tell me about what went on that day, about what the girls were up to and then by the end, you’re crying about me. I think what got me this time was that you were talking about Wilson, about how much he liked you and how you didn’t want to go back there again. You were scared of getting too close to them, to Helena and her kids, scared you would just put Helena off and you’d lose all of them, not just Helena. Alice, that broke my heart that you feel that you need to isolate yourself like that.”

Alice couldn’t respond. When you have conversations when alone in your apartment with your dead friend, you don’t actually expect to ever have to answer for the things you say. It’s one of those times you’re pretty sure that you’re safe to say whatever you want without repercussion. She hadn’t exactly planned for this.

“Alice, look at me.” Dana said gently, “Please Al, why would you think that?”

“This is my Q and A session, so I get to ask the questions. You were telling me how you got back here.”

“Nice try. Alice talk to me. Why would you say that?”

“Dana, you finish explaining the why and how you’re here and I’ll answer. I promise.”

“Al, we need to talk about this. This is why I’m here. When you said that, I just knew that I needed to get you to understand. You need to understand so that you’ll keep living.”

“OK, we’ll talk, really we will Dana. But first explain to me how you’re here. All of this is sort of making my head spin a bit. I mean, I’m throwing away all logic and reason by even talking to you.”

“But when you thought I wasn’t here and couldn’t hear you, then you could talk to me? How does that make sense?”