Dana sat on the stoop in front of her house still drenched from her run. She looked around the neighbor hood; it was quiet as most people have already gone to work. She glanced at her watch, it was already nine. She put her head on her hands, feeling the exhaustion wearing her up. She didn’t know how many miles she ran, all she wanted was to get something off her mind, which she had successfully forgotten during the run, only to come back to haunt her after that.

One week ago

Dana almost stumbled when she hurried to pick up her blackberry on the bed.

“Hey Howie what’s up?” She said as she went around her room, searching for her I-pod. She didn’t have to go to her office that morning so she decided to go for a run. She forgot where she put her I-pod though.

“Hi Dane have you read the newspaper today?” Howie asked his voice was purely excited.

“Not yet, what is it all about?” Dana asked as she rummaged the side drawers.

“Now don’t faint after you hear this. Our shares have gone up to thirty USD!”

Dana stopped her motion.

“Oh my god no way! That’s about twenty-five percent increased!” Dana exclaimed.

“Wayyyyyy Dana!”

“I can’t believe it.” Dana sat on the side of her bed and rubbed her temples, too startled at the news.

“Well it’s kind of expected Dane. Now that the market is confident after our merge with the Pieszecki’s enterprise they keep grabbing our shares. Twenty-five percent Dana! Our shareholders are going to love us.”

“That’s really great to hear.” Dana grinned from ear to ear.

“Well another two months and you’ll be free again!” Howie exclaimed excitedly.

“What?” Dana was confused all of the sudden.

“It’s month number four now and you still have another two months to go before you divorce officially. Oh my god you must be so excited now.”

The words hit Dana really hard.

“Dane? You still there?”

“Oh ya erm listen Howie I have to go now. Talk to you later ok?”

“Ok and oh congrats big sis!”

“Ya congrats to you too. Bye.”

With that she hung up the phone, feeling dejected. Just another two months to go, she muttered under her breath. She sighed and shook her head, she definitely need to have her run. She continued to rummage through the drawers and to her surprise she found an air ticket and a small calendar instead. She contemplated for a while whether she should look at it but her curiosity gets the best of her. She opened the air ticket and her shoulders slumped immediately. It was a ticket to New York with Alice’s name on it. And it was dated two months later. And the calendar had markings on it; it was Alice’s countdown to month number six. Great, she can’t wait to leave this place, she muttered as she flopped onto the bed.