“Alice?” Dana asked quietly through the silence, wondering if Alice had fallen asleep.

“Yeah- s-sorry Dane. I hadn’t thought about it until now.” Dana’s heart skipped a beat at her words. “But, but now that you mention it I might.”

——————————————————————————————————————————–

“I’m going to do it Dane,” Alice said suddenly at the Planet a few days later.

“Going to do what?” The tennis player hadn’t looked up from the newspaper she was reading, her full attention not quite on Alice.

“Go to London.”

Dana simply nodded and continued to read the paper. It took a full thirty seconds for Alice‘s words to actually register to her, and when they did she looked up so suddenly that she spilt part of her coffee onto her lap.

“What?”

“Jesus Dana, you’re so bloody clumsy,” Alice laughed as she grabbed a serviette and helped wipe some of the coffee away, an act which left Dana almost breathless. “I’ve decided I’m going to go to London. I think it would be good for my relationship with Ella.”

“B-But, what about…,” Dana racked her brain for a reason for Alice to stay. What about me? “What about money? I mean you need to work right?”

“Yeah I know. Well I was thinking about it and I have a few journo friends there who may be able to pull a few strings. The only real problem is the money for the air ticket, but I’ll just sell my guitar and some other stuff.”

“No,” Dana said quietly. “You can’t sell your guitar. You love that thing.” Alice nodded slightly, knowing there was no good reason to deny it. She did love her guitar, but the more and more she thought about it; the more she was willing to risk it for London.

“I can buy a guitar anytime Dana,” she reasoned eventually. “This is a rare opportunity. It will be good for me and for Ella.” I may even get over you.

“What did Ella say?” Dana almost whispered, looking down at her half empty coffee cup.

“I haven’t told her yet.” Alice wished that Dana would just look at her, that she would show some sort of feeling over the decision. “I-I’m going to tell her tonight.”