I don't want to do that, Shane. I love her."
"I'm not saying you should leave her, but now that you're better you should probably think about spending some time away from her. When you were sick, she made her world all about you. Not the same as she did before, but she still did, and she hasn't really moved away from that yet since you've been recovering. That's understandable and all, but you should really think about taking time to yourself and making her do that too. Otherwise you'll both go nuts and we'll be right back where we started, and truth be told I'm in no fucking mood to ever have that happen again," Shane said with finality, and Dana knew without any of them saying anything that the conversation was over. She spent the rest of the lunch making jokes and just basically goofing around. Still, underneath that veneer of joviality she was brainstorming a hell of a lot. She even caught Jenny looking at her a couple times in complete and total understanding. Strangely, and as strange as Jenny was, it made her feel better.
**********
Alice had spent close to two hours with her psychologist, and came home feeling a lot better about the situation and about life in general. As good as it could be to talk things over with Dana, an outsider's perspective certainly helped. She wound up talking to Helena on the rather lengthy drive home, and finally convinced her to play in the basketball game she'd initiated against Papi. Even her shrink agreed that it would be a good idea, something of a bonding activity if she could get all her friends involved.
That didn't mean it was going to be easy, though. While it was a fun idea, Alice knew a lot of them would scoff at it. Still, it was something she wanted to do, and if she was honest with herself she did feel that it might help break a little bit of the tension they were feeling collectively and individually, not just Alice and Dana but the group in its entirety.
Helena agreed, which came as something of a surprise. Helena hadn't exactly been too open about how she was feeling about her own situation lately, but as she talked to Alice some of her anxiety came through the line. She wasn't really worried about the money, just how she was supposed to act in this new role that was entirely different than anything she'd felt before.
"You know I'm your friend no matter how much money you have, Helena. I always was, and you being broke doesn't change anything. I'm sure everybody who matters feels the same way," Alice tried to comfort. Helena just sighed. She knew Alice was right, but that didn't make it any easier to get used to. They talked a few minutes more about their worries and concerns, and Alice hung up feeling a little bit better. She felt better still when Kit immediately agreed to play. Granted, the whole thing was pretty stupid, but in a weird way Alice understood what her doctor had been saying about using it to get her mind off the lingering issues with Dana.
All thoughts of those disappeared completely when she walked into the apartment and heard Dana's voice coming from the living room, sounding pretty serious and deeply involved in whatever conversation she was having. Alice stopped when she reached the end of the hall and grinned. There was a cooking show on TV, and Dana had Angelica in her lap, telling her about the recipe and how the guy was doing it wrong.
"See that? How he cuts up the onion before he needs to put it in? That's not a very smart thing. Now his eyes are gonna sting while he does everything else. Auntie Dana always waits to cut any onions, because they really hurt and they make you cry. Oh, and see those peas he's putting in? I'd keep them in the pods because that's where all the good stuff is. Your earth mother won't eat them though, so I can't put them in anything for her. She doesn't eat very well to begin with. I don't know how she's not grossly fat...she should be. That's why you can't always eat French fries and yummy things, kid. They might taste good, but they're not good for you, and you'll feel a lot better if you eat good stuff. You have to exercise too. I recommend tennis, it's great. When you get a little older I'll teach you how to play, but you'll have to learn to hit with your left arm. Auntie Dana can't hit with her right arm anymore, but I'll still teach you. Alice doesn't let me take care of her very much, but maybe she'll start being healthier if she sees us doing good things all the time. You think?"
Angie just nodded enthusiastically and grabbed Dana's nose. Dana laughed with her and took her hand, looking like she was about to start talking again. It was then that she noticed Alice standing beside the couch, grinning at her with love in her eyes.
"So you're trying to make me behave by watching you, huh? Angie, you should really know better than to go along with a scheme like that. I'd totally be the one who'd look the other way if you ever brought a guy home or something, but nooooo, you're turning against me already, you little traitor," Alice cooed, tickling the baby's stomach, making her laugh and squirm on Dana's lap.
"I thought it was worth a shot. You don't listen to me on that stuff, so I thought maybe watching your earth daughter lead a healthy lifestyle might influence you," Dana said, her cheeks red with embarrassment at being caught. "How much of that did you hear?"
"I came in around the onions part," Alice told her with a smile, picking Angie up and carrying her around the living room.
"Good, you didn't hear the entire plan, then," Dana informed her, kissing her quickly before she started walking again. "Al? I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about before. I know it's gotta be hard..."
"You don't have to be sorry, okay? I know where you're coming from. I don't really like this either, Dana. But we know it about now, right? So we can work on it. It won't get better tomorrow, but we'll get there. I'm working on it."
"I know you are, and I can't even tell you how much I appreciate that. I love you, Alice. I don't ever want you to think that I don't."
Alice would have responded, but a certain scent emanating from Angelica prevented her from doing so. Not long after, Howie and Jason got back. Sensing Alice and Dana's need to talk, they asked to make dinner and watch Angelica while the two of them went for a drive. They readily agreed, and not long after they were headed down the PCH talking things through. Dana mentioned all the points that Jenny and Shane had brought up at lunch, and Alice agreed with their assessment that Dana hadn't really managed to figure herself out after she'd come out publicly.
"I understand what they mean about you doing your own thing, Dana. That's a lot of what I talked about at my appointment today, and my psychologist agrees. If you, uh...want me to move out for awhile, that's fine. I can stay at a hotel or something."
"Alice, it's not like that, okay? Besides, it's your space...or at least it was, before it was mine. I don't think I need to move out. I might just need some space every now and then, okay? I don't need to sit on my hands and decide my whole life. I want to be with you, I always have, so there's no questioning that and no reason for me to move out. We just can't always be so close all the time, okay? I know we've said that before, but we really do have to work on it."
"I know. And if you ever do want to leave for awhile, it's fine. I never meant to rush you into this, Dana.
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