When she got home she went through the ritual that has been a part of her life for the last seven months. She changed into sweats, sat on her couch and started talking to the empty room.

“Dana, if only you could have seen Shane try to pretend that she didn’t care that Carmen was sitting one seat down from her on the couch."

“I know, Al. Shane has a hell of a battle in front of her if she wants to fix this.”

Alice felt it. This was different that all the times before. She didn’t hear Dana’s voice inside of her head, she heard it for real.

“Dane, is that really you?” Alice asked, looking around her living room.

“Yeah, who do you think it is, Al, the boogey man?”

“Well, yeah, I’m getting a little nervous Dane. Normally, you don’t actually answer me, you know? You’re sort of….well, sort of dead.”

Alice heard Dana’s laugh echo through her apartment. That just freaked her out just a little more.

“Al, you and I both know I’m gone, but do you think I’d let Christmas Eve come and go without me just saying hello?”

“Um, yeah. I sort of did. Because, you’re well, dead!! Dane, this is just freaky. I can hear you, but I can’t see you. It was bad enough when we talked in my head, but now you’re actually talking to me and even I know that’s just wrong.”

“Al, do you really think I wasn’t there for all of those conversations? Of course I was. I was right here with you every night. Where else do you think I’d be?”

It took Alice a moment or two to answer because she had so many answer to that question, she wasn’t sure what should come first.

“I’m thinking there are a few places other than here that a dead woman should be.”

“Really? Well, I guess if my life ended when I had actually been where life meant me to be and if my heart could leave this place without regrets, you’d be right. But they don’t let you fully move on until you’ve made peace with life as you knew it and Al, I haven’t made peace yet. I left without finishing things, I left before I could let you know what was real.”

Alice sat staring in front of her at the wall in her living room. As she sat looking at the soft paint on the wall, she saw Dana. Dana as she looked when Alice showed up at her condo at four am, grey sweats and a white tank top. Alice jumped off the couch, when she felt Dana’s arm over her shoulder.

“Al, it’s ok. I have tonight. I have tonight to make it all ok.”

“But, Dana, this can’t be real….you’re gone.”

“Yeah, but I’m right here. Yes, I’m gone. But I have tonight. Don’t freak out, Al. I need you to believe this. The sooner you do, the more time we have before I need to go.”

Yes, Alice was scared. She was scared that she had finally lost her mind and she was scared that she hasn’t and that Dana was really there with her. Though she was scared, she was ready for whatever adventure Dana had in store for her. For almost ten years, she had given Dana her absolute trust, this wasn’t the time to renege on that.

tbc