The tennis player was mildly disappointed to see that Alice wasn’t in
her usual spot. Shane was there, along with Jenny, reading the paper.
Dana signaled to them and went to get a coffee.

“Hey Miss Dana,’ Shane greeted her, giving her a big, slow smile. ‘How
are you feeling today?’ she grinned again for good measure.

Dana looked at Shane suspiciously. “I’m good, Shane.” She answered slowly. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Shane gave Dana a “Come on, it’s me, Shane” look and then decided to
let it go. “Well, for one thing, you’re soaking wet and you look happy
to see me,” she joked, nodding at Dana’s wet, white tank. The
transparent state left little to the imagination.

Dana knew she was missing something but also decided to ignore it. She
gave Shane what she hoped was a haughty ‘***** you’ look. Shane laughed
happily.

“Hi guys.” Alice greeted everyone. “Hey Dane,” she greeted the tennis player, taking the vacant seat next to her.

Shane observed this quietly and offered Alice the same slow smile and asked how she was doing.

Alice stared back at Shane for a moment and then threw a quick look at
Dana to see if she was just being paranoid. Dana gave her a ‘beats me’
shrug.

“I’m fine Shane,” Alice finally smiled back. “Thanks for checking in,” she said in exaggerated sincerity.

“Good to hear everyone is doing so well,” Jenny smiled, standing up.
“I’ve got to run. I have ‘yoga’,” she explained piously. She kissed her
roommate on the head and waved to the other girls as she made her way
out.

“Alright guys. Spill it,” Shane demanded as soon as they were alone.
Her eyes danced from Alice to Dana back to Alice, trying to figure out
who would be the easiest to make talk. Dana looked at her with wide
eyes and a little awe. Alice just looked at her.

“Come on Dana,” Shane encouraged.

“Shane. Am I missing something?” Alice interrupted. “What are you talking about?”

“Okay. This morning Carmen and I drove by Miss Dana here’s at 7 am
coming back from that gawd awful sunrise wedding I told you guys about
at the beach. Imagine my surprise to see both Dana’s Subaru AND your
Mini-Coop, Al.” She looked at them a little smugly.

Alice rolled her eyes. “I spent the night,” she shrugged. “Shane. We’re
not back together. We did not have ***** together. Stop looking at us
like you caught us at Milk in the bathroom.” Dana closed her mouth and
nodded.

Shane stared back at Alice curiously for a moment.

“Okay. And the fact that Bette has seen Dana’s car at your place?
Look, guys, if you aren’t back together as a couple that is fine, but
you must know we’d be happy just to see that you have made up as
friends? It means the world to me, why the secrecy?”

Shane gave them a baffled look.

Alice and Dana exchanged an uneasy look. Were they back together as
friends again? Forget that unspoken need last night, and the whole
‘sleep over’ thing- they still didn’t speak on the phone, or make lunch
dates. *****, they barely spoke when Dana slept over. Were they friends?

“Shane. If we’ve been a little quiet about this, it’s because we
are still trying to figure out things between ourselves. I don’t think
we’re comfortable yet making promises,” she eyed Dana for her
agreement. She was surprised to see the unguarded love in Dana’s eyes
staring back at her.

Shane saw it too. “Whoa.”

Alice looked at her watch, biting her lip, “Look Shane. I hear you. We
both do. I think it’s safe to say that Dana and I are both working hard
on our own issues and that we both want our friendship back,” she
shrugged. “I hate to bond and run guys, but I just came into grab a
coffee, I have a heavy load today.” Giving Dana a brief look, the radio
host, smiled again faintly and left.

“That was fast.” Dana noted, confused. She looked at Shane for confirmation.

Shane nodded. “It was fast,” she agreed. She didn’t know what to make of Alice’s quick exit.