“She’s lucky…”

“Why?”  Dana was confused and her facial expression showed it.

“To have a best friend as loving and caring as you.”  Alice smiled when Dana began to blush. 

Dana began to laugh.  “I learned to be such a good best friend from her.  She taught me everything about being a best friend, how to love them unconditionally and how to support them fully even when no one else does.  I took her and our friendship for granted once and almost lost her.  Now I try to let her know every chance I get that she’s my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without her.”  Dana saw the tears forming in Alice’s eyes and she reached up to wipe the tear that began to slip from the corner of Alice’s eye.  Dana pulled Alice toward her, shut her eyes, and placed her lips on Alice’s forehead. 

Alice began to pull away.  “You need to get some sleep.”  Alice felt Dana tense again, just like this morning.  Alice locked her arms around Dana, preventing her from moving.  “Don’t!  Don’t shut me out like this morning.  I didn’t say that to be mean.  I said it because of the dark circles under your eyes and…”  Alice looked away.

“And what?  Look at me Alice.”  Alice shook her head from side to side, refusing to look at Dana.  “Look at me.”  Dana waited until Alice finally turned and looked at her.  “And what?”

“Nothing…”

“Bullshit!  And what?”

Alice let out an aggravating sigh.  She was mad at herself for opening her mouth too far and becoming upset with Dana for pushing her to answer.  “And because if we don’t stop I’m going to do something we may regret in the morning.” 

Though not the answer she was expecting, Dana was glad Alice had the self control to stop anything else from happening because she wasn’t sure she had the self control to do so.  “Okay.”  Dana stood and allowed Alice to help her into the bed.  Dana fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.  Alice stayed for a few minutes longer, just massaging Dana’s head and watching her sleep.  Alice finally left the bed to go to sleep.

_____

(Wednesday morning…)

Dana was surprised to see Alice bringing water and her pills into her room. 

“Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”  Alice placed the pills and water on the night stand and picked up the trashcan.  She was able to make it back just as Dana hung her head over the side of the bed.  “If this is what morning sickness feels like I’m not sure I want to have kids.”  Alice began laughing as she walked into the bathroom to get a wet washcloth for Dana. 

“Don’t worry…I think morning sickness is much worse.”  Alice was able to step back and dodge the fist Dana flung in her direction.  Dana finally rolled over to her back and pulled the blanket up over her.  Alice’s goofy domineer changed when she looked at Dana.  “Dana are you okay?”  Dana mumbled and pulled the blankets up around her more.  “You normally don’t still have nausea this long after your chemo treatments.”  Nausea was all Dana needed to hear to have the few fluids she just put in her body revisit her.  “That’s it…”  Alice moved from the edge of the bed walking across the room for the cordless phone.  “I’m calling Dr. Kelly to make you an appointment and canceling your PT with Josh.”  Alice words were spoken quickly and filled with worry.