As the sun shone through the blind a few hours later, neither Alice nor Dana woke. Dana’s alarm blared happily as both women continued their deep, peaceful slumber.  After the alarm had switched itself off, Sharon knocked gently on the door to see what was keeping them from breakfast, something Alice always ensured Dana had before chemo.  Getting no reply and no sound from the room, Sharon opened the door slightly. The scene that met her was Alice wrapped in Dana’s embrace in the exact position they’d fallen asleep in a few hours earlier, only their tear stained cheeks gave any indication that all was not well.  Sharon tiptoed over and placed a gentle hand on Dana’s very thin shoulder.

“Dana honey, I’m sorry to wake you but you need to be at the hospital in an hour.”

As Dana stirred she nodded in acknowledgement to her mother, kissed the top of Alice’s head and slipped out of the bed and into the shower.

The hot water cascaded over her tired and aching body but for some reason Dana felt strangely revitalised.  She had focused on Alice waking up, getting physically better and then as her own health has deteriorated she felt as though the hell would never be over but last night she felt something had changed within her.  Ever since the diagnosis she felt angry that treatments were taking away good days where she could appreciate life and those important to her and forcing her to watch time ticking away.  She suddenly realised that she was in fact doing the same thing, she spent hours wishing for Alice to get better, for her own treatment to stop and for them both to be able to get back to ‘normal’ what suddenly became clear however was that by doing that she was wishing away the here and now. Alice needed her and she needed Alice and irrespective of what was to come later they had to appreciate that for what it was. Simply quality time together where they both could make the best of a difficult situation.

Dana finished drying and went back into the bedroom where Alice was now awake, Dana went across and gave Alice a morning kiss “How you feeling babe?”

“Better, you?”

“Good.” Dana took Alice’s hand and sat on the bed.

“We’re together and that’s all that’s important just now, whatever happens, happens but we’ll be ok I promise.”

They embraced and Alice whispered “I know, I know. Forever.”