INSTALLMENT 67
 




   Alicia paces around her apartment, trying to ignore the vibrating of  
her cell phone in the other room.  Ever since she had her meltdown at 
O'leary's the other night, she has done everything she could to isolate
herself from the real world. 
 
   Despite her best efforts to resist, she finds herself walking over  
to her kitchen counter and looks at her phone.  When she sees Gillian's  
number on the caller id, she instantly answers it. 
 
   "Hello?"  
 
   "Alicia!  Thank god you answered!"  Gillian exclaims. 
 
   "Of course, why wouldn't I?"  Alicia asks, trying to sound blase. 
 
   "Well after what happened at O'leary's, I figured you would be  
hiding out from the world."  Gillian replies. 
 
   Alicia takes a deep breath, trying to remind herself Gillian means 
well even with her foot in her mouth. 
 
   "Is there something I can do for you?"