Alice decided against words this time, instead just moving her seat closer and taking Dana’s free hand.

“I have cancer so I want to do everything and see everything I’ve ever wanted to just in case you know? Its like I’ve been told to run with someone holding me back so I can’t. I can’t see all that I want to see because I need to sit here for 6 fucking hours straight and watch this poison drip into my body. It just shit Alice, fucking shitty.”

Alice had no answers.

“We just have to make the most of the time between treatments then babe, whenever you feel like it, we’ll do something just for you ok?”

Dana smiled, “You are the only person I would want here, the only person I could be that nasty too and not hate me and the only person that actually makes me want to beat this thing so badly that it hurts.”

“Ok easy on the drama Dane, I’m only here for the candy.”

After an hour or two the two woman started to forget about why and where they were as they read magazines and newspapers, making fun of everyone and everything they could.

“Ok Dana” Penny started as she disconnected the drip.  “That’s you finished for today, we’ll see you back here next week. Take it easy and phone us at any time if you have any questions.”

“Thanks” Dana half mumbled, she felt physically and emotionally exhausted and just wanted to go home to bed even though it was only 5 o’clock.

Alice took Dana’s left hand in hers and they made their way to the door of the centre, both glad it was on the ground floor.  The sun hit their faces as soon as they were outside.

“That’s good isn’t it? Bit of fresh air.”

Dana stayed silent using all of her strength to put on foot in front of the other, thanking Alice for parking so close to the door and knowing that she probably did it deliberately.  That thought ignited a nanosecond of  anger somewhere deep inside Dana that shocked her, the one thing that she dreaded more than anything about her situation was becoming an image for people to pity, she hated it and hated putting Alice in that category.