“You haven’t figured out how to give me a hand?”

“I haven’t figured out how I can touch you.”

“Don’t be silly,” Alice reached out to take Dana’s hand but wasn’t able to.

“I’ll figure it out.  I just have to keep reading,” Dana said.

“You don’t read,” Alice said as she walked back into her bedroom.  She continued to put things back in order.

Following her into the bedroom, Dana looked up as if counting in her head.  “I’ve finished 881,231 books and I figure if I keep at it and read every book that exists, I might have a few ideas about making that connection.”

“Oh, Fuck,” Alice sat on her bed.  “I just wanted a sex dream.  Why can’t I just have that?  Now this is some shit I’m going to have fucking analyze.  It’s not really Dana, it’s actually me…I have to try and emotionally connect…”

“Al, shut up,” Dana said.

“Just wake the fuck up,” Al whinned as she sprawled out on her bed.  Moments later Alice sat up in her bed.

“This isn’t a dream, you’re awake,” Dana said.

“But you’re dead!” Alice shouted.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“How did…I…how are you here?”  Alice asked desperately.

“I don’t know, there I was with break point against Suzanne Lenglen, and the next thing I know I’m in a room with a séance going on.”

Alice gasps. 

“I don’t know how I’m here and I don’t know how to get back.”

Alice stares in disbelief.

“Al, it’s crazy.  I have a match scheduled against Arthur Ashe and how am I going to play?   Mr. Piddles is gonna freak, he’s coaching me and is quite the task master.”

Alice continued to look on, with more and more disbelief.  She started shaking her head.  “There is no way you can beat Arthur Ashe.”

“Fuck you,” Dana said and walked through the door. 

“Dana,”  Alice opened the door. 

Dana turned around obviously hurt. 

“I’m sorry,” Alice said.

Dana smiled at her friend.

“It depends on the surface, maybe you have a shot.”

Dana waved her hand at Alice as she plopped down on the couch. Alice joined her, grabbed the remote and started channel surfing.

“Shit.”

“What?” Dana asked.

“There was a hot girl here who wanted to have sex with me.”

Dana nodded.

“I sent her away and now I get to spend the night with a fucking poltergeist.”

Dana nodded again.  “Look, All about Eve is on,” Dana informed Alice.

“Oh,” Alice said.

“Go back, you passed it.”

A FEW DAYS LATER

Alice walked into an office.  She waited, flipping through magazines until a 50ish, nicely dressed woman opened the door.

“Alice, hi, I’m Dr. Lillian Schneider.”  She took Alice’s hand and they walked inside.  “Who referred you to me?”

“Don’t take it personal but you’re the earliest appointment of all the doctors in my insurance network.”

“You really needed to see someone urgently. 

Alice nodded.

“Are you going to harm yourself or anyone else?” Lillian asked.

Alice spoke under her breath “crossed my mind but she’s already dead,” Alice laughed. 

“What was that?” Lillian asked.

“Huh?” Alice said.

“Did you say something?”

“No.”

There was a moment of silence between the two women.  The therapist finally spoke up. “Alice, what would you like to get out of therapy?  Why have you come here?”

“I see dead people,” Alice said.