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

Alice and Tash were waiting for the doctor to come and tell them if she could be released today. Alice was getting better. They had stopped her morphine the week before, a lot less skittish when she heard loud noises. Bette called her a couple of times. She actually talked to her even though she only said hello and her name and said yes and no three times. It made Tasha and Bette smile especially after they spoke to the doctor. He voiced concerned that Alice was not speaking. When Dr. Morgan sat down he adressed both women.

"Physically you’re well enough to go home with rehab for the next couple of months, you should make a full recovery. I would like for you to see a specialist, Dr. Joyce Witchian. She has dealt with cases similar to yours"

"I dont’ need to see a shrink, I am not crazy" said Alice ;

“I didn’t mean to imply that you were. I just thought she could help you"

Alice looked right through the doctor. He called that the Ice glare. Many of his patients who had seen war got this look, it was “I am total disconnected from the here and now”.

Tasha took the card.  

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

Tina’s pager started beeping. She looked at.

"Bette I need to get this, it’s the owner, I am needed upstairs" said Tina.

"Sure, we can talk later” said Bette.

She left and went home. She took a shower and then pulled out her journal.

“Today Tina saw the real me. It was a relief but devastating at the same time. Now I don’t have to lie anymore but devastating because I will never be that Bette again in her eyes. Now she will be fine to watch what I eat and how much. Checking to see if I am keeping my food and not throwing up when I go to the bathroom. What is what I hate most. This disease is caging us both. I have lost her trust. I will never full have that back. It is such a precious thing.  It looks like I am here again hiding, behind fake, plastic smile. This is a self inflicted exile that I am tired of but I don’t know how to stop. But do I really want to in a twisted way? It is the one true thing that I own even though it has robbed me of so much. One of the hardest things to deal with is the disappointment I see in my father’s eyes. It is a trigger for me. When I was in the hospital it reminded me that no matter how firm of a grip I think I have on this disease, what a deadly delusion that might be”

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

As the time grew closer for Alice to be released the more agitated she became. She rocked back and forth, started humming. Tasha tried to help Alice focus, reciting parts of “The grapes of wrath”. But it was not helping. So she asked that Al be sedated for the plane ride home. Tasha was thankful that Bette had got them a private plane. She shuddered at the mere thought if Al had to be on a plane full of people.

Bette was laying in bed when she got a text from Jodie saying that a check had been cut for the family that found Alice . Then her phone rang, it was Jodie.

“Hey J, what’s up?” asked Bette.

“Bette, we have a serious problem. A person from the hospital that Alice was in says that she no longer has any insurance and that she will need long term care. You might want to look into placing her in a facility that will meet her needs” said Jodie.

“ Alice is family to me. She is not going into a home! I don’t care how much it costs and what she needs. I will take care of her until she can do it herself”

"Look Bette, it’s not that I don’t care. I don’t know this Alice person but I do know you. You’re my client. It’s my job to protect you and your money” said Jodie.

"Thanks Jodie but you’re right, you don’t know Al cause if you did you would know that she will not go quietly into that good night” said Bette, "How is that shoe contract coming along with Nike?"

“They’re working on it. Candice Wiggin’s lawery has some hang ups with and wants his client to get a fair shake”

“Ok, bye J. I got to go talk to the contractors".