She chuckled, though she could tell Karen wasn’t too thrilled. Then again, Karen had never seemed all that thrilled about anything–at the very least, Alice had never seen it. It was interesting, spending time with Karen. Though they were both well aware of the past, neither of them ever really talked about how once upon a time, they had both been at Glendale, Alice as a patient and Karen as an employee. It didn’t ever seem worth bringing up, though Alice couldn’t help but think of it whenever their paths crossed. She wondered if Karen ever felt the same, or if she even remembered it that well at all. “Yeah, it’s still a little over a month away but what can I say? I’m always eager for the holidays to get here I guess..” When Karen mentioned the beer, Alice thought that maybe she didn’t remember Glendale that much after all. Before her slip up two months ago, she’d been sober for a year-and-a-half and even after her recent slip-up, she hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since then. With a small smile, she said “I’m sorry, I don’t have any beer. I’d give it to you if I did. Besides coffee, though, I also have hot chocolate, tea, or apple cider.”
Karen had nearly forgot her days as an orderly. She had carried a noble wish back then. Wanting to help the patients but then she realized the environment had not been suitable for her. She was too rough and critical of people with illnesses so she decided to move to the second best. Being a bouncer wasn’t all that different but better since her conscience would never feel guilt when she had to manhandle someone. Knowing they were just assholes and drunks sometimes both and not people who were sick. She tried to leave the orderly life behind which is why she never brought it up when she needed to spend time with ex patients like Alice or Jane or Heather or Alice’s husband. She barely mentioned it. “Lucky you. Holidays give me the hives. Too much cheeriness. It gets batshit loud where I live.” Belcrest was an ugly place anyway. She didn’t remeber what Alice’s diagnoses had been so she just shrugged when she said there wasn’t any. “Shame. I’m not into the.... Festive beverages. I’ll take the coffee.” She said realizing how awkward she must be. “What movies do you have?”
