“Lara, uh, hi. It’s Alice. I…I…left you a bunch of messages on your cell, but I guess that you haven’t gotten them and I don’t know when you’ll be back, but when you get home, before you do anything else please call me.” I listened to the quietness in Alice’s voice and immediately I know that something is wrong. I dialed Alice’s number and swore out loud when her phone went directly to voicemail. I try her house, but the phone just keeps ringing. I leave a message on both of her numbers and then I get in the car and drive over to Dana’s house.

I can’t tell how long I sat in front of her house. When I tried the door it was locked so I just waited. It’s getting late and someone has to come here sooner or later. It doesn’t seem real to me that I’m sitting here and my mind is having trouble forming a thought that I can hold together for more than a few seconds. I know that my thoughts are full and concentrated, but I have no idea what I am thinking. Alice’s car pulls up to Dana’s house a long while later and if my entire body wasn’t already numb I am sure that my ass would be very uncomfortable right now. I get up to greet her as she gets out of the car, but when I see her face I freeze up.

My thoughts are clear now as I look into Alice’s face. Her eyes are red through her glasses and the answers are written all over her face. I finally tear my eyes away from her and she steps in front of me to unlock the door. We walk inside together and I look around noticing the piles of mail sitting by the door and the neatness of the apartment. It already feels like no one lives here anymore. It already feels empty. I’m so numb that I can’t even feel the tears rolling over my cheeks. Alice is staring at me now her own face shiny with sorrow. And before I can understand what’s happening Alice’s mouth is closing on mine and I can’t make a move to stop her because It’s the first thing that I have felt since I heard her voice on my answering machine…