“My little Niece loves to explore.” She pats her Elena behind her head as Elena hugs onto Carmen’s hip.

“No that’s ok…I love kids.” Dana said. She was surprised that Carmen hasn’t recognizing her. Part of her was grateful, yet another part of her was screaming to tell her the truth about who she was. She noticed that Carmen was studying her face intently. She turned her head so she wasn’t able to see her face in detail.

“Are you supposed to be a Clown or something?” Carmen asked gesturing the make up.

“Sometimes…” Dana responded. Her voice was distant.

“Hey come here.” Carmen said as she led her Niece and Dana down to a particular spot on the Alter. She saw a picture of her and Alice when they were alive. Another small smile crept across Dana’s lips as she looked at the familiar picture that was placed on top of the table. She remembered that day very well. It was a little after her big win at the US open and decided to treat her friends to a cruise vacation. It was the picture that Carmen had taken while Dana and Alice were hugging each other on the deck of a large ocean liner. It was also the same day that she had proposed to Alice, which Alice gladly said yes to.

Dana tried to keep her emotions at bay when the memories started to kick in.

“These are my friends. Dana and Alice.” She motioned towards the picture.

“They look really nice.” Dana said nonchalantly. It was weird to speak about her self in third person, but she had to in order to fool Carmen. She couldn’t ignore the feeling of guilt that was inside her, but she knew that there was no other way. She couldn’t let Carmen know that she was back.

“They were really good friends. They best anyone could ask for.” Carmen bent down and picked up the picture. She smiled gently as she touched the glass that protected the photograph inside. Her smile faded as soon as she mentally reminded her self that they were no longer living. Or so she thought. Her eyes began to fill with sadness as she placed the picture back onto the Alter. She gently wiped a small tear away from her cheek.

“Awww, don’t cry auntie Carmen. They are in heaven right now.” Elena said. Dana smiled at the little girl’s innocence.

Carmen smiled as she bent down and placed a small kiss on Elena’s cheek.

“I’m really sorry.” Carmen said as she stood back up.

“It’s ok. Really, I’m glad that you had such great friends.” Dana said, this time turning to Carmen. Carmen smiled gently as she held onto her Niece’s hand.

“I should get going now. It was nice meet you uhm…”

“Oh it’s…Nancy.” Dana said the first random name that popped into her head. She had no idea where it came from but she had to say something. She cursed her self for not being able to think up a better name.

“Well it was nice meeting you…Nancy.” Carmen said as she and Elena was about to leave the church. She has this weird feeling that she met this “Nancy” person before.

“You’ve been a great friend Carmen. I wish you and Shane the best of luck.”

Carmen stopped dead on her tracks at the sound of her name being mentioned. She didn’t remember telling “Nancy” about Shane. Suddenly she realized who’s voice that was and where she heard it from.

“Dana?” she said out loud as she turned around quickly only to be greeted by the empty space that was previously occupied by “Nancy.”