Alice sighed.  Ever since the earthquake, she’d been a huge bundle of nerves when it came to Dana.  Any little cough or ache of Dana’s scared freaked Alice out, and she practically demanded to rush Dana to the hospital for anything little thing, sure of imminent death.  Alice knew she was overreacting, but she couldn’t help it.  The problem was, she realized that she must have been smothering Dana even more than she ever had.  However, Dana hadn’t seemed to vocalize any problem with the behavioryet.  Alice was terrified it was going to happen.

Okay, this isn’t helping.  Now I’m just worrying myself and getting depressed.  I’ll call Shane.  After three rings, Shane answered.  “Finally, someone’s answering their phone!” Alice shouted, practically giddy to hear another person’s voice.

“What?” Shane asked, a tone of bewilderment evident in her voice.

“Never mind.  I’m just so ***** bored!  I need someone to talk to.  An adult, that is.  I tried talking to Angelica, but unfortunately, I can’t speak whatever baby language that is she was babbling at me,” Alice replied, falling back onto the couch.  “So, I need some intelligent conversation.  I figure you’ve got to be at least a little more capable of that than Angie.” 

Shane chuckled.  “Thanks.  I’m insanely flattered, if you couldn’t tell.  So, what’s up?  Besides being bored, that is.”

“Nothing.  Just talk to me.  Tell me what you’ve been doing since we had coffee,” Alice demanded, pulling a couch cushion into her lap.

“Okay,” Shane said.  “Well, I came home today and there was a postcard from Tim.”  Shane had been touched that ever since Jenny’s funeral, Tim had taken the time to send the occasional postcard and called them to make sure they were all doing well.

“Ohh, how’s he doing?” Alice asked.  “I haven’t seen him since Jenny’swell, since the service.”  Alice tried to get out the word ‘funeral,’ but failed.  Somehow, it still seemed wrong to mention Jenny’s funeral, as if it hadn’t really happened.  It was still hard for her to accept.  For all of them, really.

“He seems to be doing okay.  That swim team he’s coaching?  Well, they just won some big meet and now they have a chance to participate in some thing in Florida.  And he met a girl.  Sounds like it could be getting serious,” Shane told her.