A lot had happened since last Christmas to Diana. The most tragic being the loss of her friend in the Kent State Massacre. The commencement had occurred and that August, William had been accepted into law school at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Diana had decided to apply to the PhD program right away and was accepted at UW-Madison too. Diana had insisted that they live separately. She may have been a liberal in some areas, but she thought of herself as a classy Catholic square, although William liked to teasingly call her a goodie two shoes.

As much fun as it was to analyze Medieval literature, she needed a break from writing her final paper of the semester.

"Veronica, have you found the cure for everything that's in the DSM yet?" Diana was referring to the manual put out by the APA with mental health diagnoses.

"That'll be the day, just debunking some outdated theories about the cause of schizophrenia. You want to go caroling with Carol and friends tonight?" Diana was greatful her best friend decided to go to UW-Madison for grad school and that she and Veronica were once again roommates.

"Are they allowing the underlings?" She loved to be with others who were scholars like her and teasingly called undergraduates, underlings.

"Nope, just Grad students and recent grads."

"Is the cool priest going?"

"Fr. Bob, yup. Carol is going to be here any minute."

" Every time, I go past that church, I whisper sorry to Jesus for the brutal brutalist architecture." The type of architecture was literally called brutalist and Diana thought the name fit.

"I thought you are all about modernizing the church."

"Everything but the building. Is someone making goodies?"

"Yup, we are going from the Capitol Square to the church."

"Fun ,fun."

It was a very fun night singing Christmas Carols walking down the main shopping/dining street that connected the downtown to the campus. Diana's beautiful soprano voice rang out loud and clear and William had joined the group with his soaring Tenor.

William invited Diana out for a drink, but nothing sounded better than the fireplace in her historic apartment and sipping hot cocoa as she stapled together her paper before dropping it off and heading to Ohio in the morning.

The drive to Ohio was uneventful so far and Diana was doing well until a song on the radio brought a flashback.

Four dead in Ohio,four dead in Ohio, sang Crosby, Stills and Nash.

"Pull over,William!" Veronica screamed.

"Oh Diana, I'm so sorry. Do you know where you are?" William had learned how to best help Diana, who he thought had since recovered from PTSD.

"William, is that you? I see blood, so much blood."

"That's in the past, can you open your eyes for me?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, I'm not there, in the past? Oh my goodness. I'm in the car. I thought I was over these, what in the world triggered.."

"A song about it. How that was actually playing so close to the state line, I'll never know." Veronica felt absolutely furious with Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

"Let's stop once we cross over the state line. There is a nice little diner if you want something" Will suggested.

"Well maybe some chicken noodle soup is what I need" decided Diana.

A few minutes later they were at the diner and Diana was still trying to calm herself.

" I went to commencement, knelt in the very spot I saw Mary Ann lay,lit a candle for her at the Newman Center. Dr Williams said it was closure. It felt so therapeutic, why?"

"It happened,it's over and you learned of a new trigger. You survived and should probably listen to the easy listening and classical stations for now." Veronica was glad she could be there for her friend.

A few minutes later William was dropping off his stuff at his parents in Sandusky before giving Veronica a ride to Akron and Diana a ride to Norton. He was looking forward to visiting his younger brother Daniel when home, he admired him very much.

"He seems so smart and mature for his age. You are really lucky to have him as a brother" observed Diana.

"I really am. Your Sister is pretty nice herself." William replied.

"I think she's coming in time for Mass. Are you coming?

"Yup, be at your place 11:30 Tomorrow?"

"Sounds wonderful."

"You looking forward to break,Veronica?"

" I am Diana. Maybe Mom and Dad will let me borrow the car and we can visit."

"Wonderful! Tell your parents I said hi. They were so helpful last summer."

"I'll do that."

After Veronica was home, Diana began to talk about something that had bothered her since last night.

"William, did you see that homeless woman talking to herself last night?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I'm afraid it's going to be me someday."

"Diana,I promise you if you get your grandmother's illness, I will be there for you."

"You will?"

"I will."

"Thank you. William I know we have thought how long we'll be together. If there is a question, you ever want to ask,ask it once I'm done with school."

"Oh, Diana, would that include those nights of passion too?"

"Yes, get your mind out of the gutter."

"Sorry."

"You may however kiss me goodnight and carry in the 2 suitcases."

" Certainly, my lady."

On Christmas Day, the topic of mental illness was again brought up by her Sister, Anne.

"Grandma Como is dying. I'm going back before the New Years to be with her. I'm helping arranging the Mass and am sending out these pamphlets about Schizophrenia to the family. I've been in touch with our cousin Liz, remember her? She's studying psychology at Madison like your friend and has agreed to help me. The Catholic chaplain at Mendota has offered to gIve her a funeral Mass at the church she grew up in,in Madison."

"I'll go to the funeral, but that's it. This is too scary for me. The only time I'll set foot in an institution is I'm committed, heaven forbid." Diana made the sign of the cross as if to protect herself from mental illness.

"Diana, never forget I will be with you no matter what. Now let's go open gifts." She hugged her sister and said a prayer for the family. They could survive anything together. She was sure of it.