There had been chemo, needles, nausea, blood tests, and days when sitting up took more energy than she wanted anyone to see.
Somehow, she was still the kid who was obsessed with making everyone else smile.
Her other obsession was superheroes.
She kept a row of little figures beside her bed and chose one before every treatment.
Alice had been fighting leukemia for almost a year.
« Chemo buddy, » she’d announce.
That morning, Spider-Man was clipped to her IV pole.
I’d hung paper stars around the room and brought a small cake.
Alice looked at the decorations, then at me.
« You did too much. »