“Lenore did what,” Alice groaned. “I’ve only been gone for an hour…. Where is she now? No thanks, Shane. I’ll go get her.”

Hanging up the phone, Alice stood explaining, “Lenore has found the Planet and is on her way to being extremely wasted. I have to go get her before I regret anything she may do.”

“Okay,” Dana said standing to walk Alice out to her car.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, college grad,” Dana said.

“You know you don’t have to come to the ceremony. It is going to be hours of boringness just to see me walk across a stage.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Dana said sincerely with a smile. “Now get going before you mom decides to jump Shane.”

The look of pure panic that crossed Alice’s face at the suggestion made Dana double over in laughter as Alice sped off.

**

“So are you all packed,” Irwin asked his eldest as they strolled through a park near the Fairbanks.

“Yeah, mostly. I just have a few last minute things that I will throw in tomorrow.”

“I wish I could be there with you, bumblebee,” Irwin said, the fact that he wasn’t allowed to travel for a few more months remaining unspoken. They both knew the reason but neither really liked talking about it. “You are going to do great.”

“Thanks, dad. Conrad has worked really hard to put this together. If I can do well, I should be set to get recognized by the USTA when I graduate.”

“And that is what you still want?”

The question stopped Dana in her tracks. Her whole life have been about this. How could her father question that she wanted it?

“Yes,” Dana exclaimed trying to reign in her hurt. Did her father not think she could do it?

“Bumblebee,” Irwin began seeing his daughter’s turmoil. “I want you to be happy. I think sometime syour mother and I have pushed you so hard…too hard. I want you to do things because it is want you want. It is something that is going to make you happy. Life is short…”

“Daddy…” Dana tried to interrupt not liking when her dad referenced in any way his near death only a month prior. “Tennis is what I am. There is almost nothing I want more than to be the best…”

“And if that is what you want, you know I support you. I just want you to be happy Dana. That is my first concern. Life…”

“Dad, if you say life is short one more time, I think I’ll jump off a roof,” Dana said touched by what her father was saying but, ready for the serious conversation to be over.

“Okay, okay, just think about it bumblebee,” Irwin said.

**

TBC

**