“Say ‘hi’ back from me,” Dana whispered hoarsely.  Despite the fact that every word seemed to take a great deal of effort, Alice’s smile widened as she realised that this was the most Dana had spoken to her in days.  It was a small thing, but it was the first sign of hope they’d had since arriving at the hospital.

“Hey, before I forget,” Alice said excitedly, picking up the flower she had bought in the gift shop and hiding it behind her back.  “I got you something.  Close your eyes.”

Dana obediently shut her eyes while Alice placed something on the table in front of her.  Suddenly, the sound of singing filled the room and Dana opened her eyes.  On the table was a toy flower singing and dancing to “You Are My Sunshine.”  As she watched it, she was filled with a delight that she hadn’t felt for days.  For a brief moment, she forgot that her illness and just enjoyed Alice’s thoughtful present.  

But, when the lines “You’ll never know dear, how much I love you” played, Dana couldn’t help but shift her gaze to Alice, as the truth of those words hit home.  Dana knew that Alice didn’t have any idea just how much she loved her, but inwardly she promised herself that if she ever got out of this bed again, she wouldn’t let the song’s lyrics ring true for them.

Once the music died down, she gave Alice something as close to a smile as she could manage in her weakened state.

“You like it?” Alice asked, bending down to kiss Dana’s forehead.

“Mmm-hmm,” Dana responded quietly, relishing Alice’s nearness again.

“Well, it was the tackiest thing the gift store had to offer,” Alice said, leaning over Dana with a smile.  “But, I thought it was kind of sweet, too,” she added softly.

Suddenly, Alice heard the door open behind her, and she turned to see Dr. Bauer entering the room, reading a chart with a stern expression.  After five days in this hospital, Alice was starting to get used to Dr. Bauer’s almost unwavering seriousness.  Although he tended to be blunt with his words, Alice had appreciated his consistently honest diagnoses about Dana’s condition.  But, his immoveable expression meant that she could never predict whether he had come to deliver good or terrible news.