”It’s almost a week to Christmas and you still haven’t purchased a train ticket...you seriously can not be considering staying here for the holiday” said Steph, hand on her hip and an incredulous look on her face.

“That was exactly what I was planning to do. I have three manuscripts to go through. And who else is going to watch Hermie” Audrey answered looking over her glasses.

Stephanie looked at Hermie’s tank and back and Audrey. “You are kidding me right?.....He’s a goldfish. Let that damn thing die already” Steph responded back while rolling her eyes. 

What Audrey could not bring herself to tell her close friend and roommate was that she did not want to face her family after the death of her grandmother and her recent break up with Rick. “Someone needs to feed him. He can’t go that long without nourishment and some human interaction” - at this Stephanie looked at Audrey like she had lost the last bit of marbles she had left.

“Again...its a FISH....how about I just flush his little tail down the crapper and we can pack your stuff and before you say it....THE MANUSCRIPTS CAN SURVIVE THE TRAIN RIDE TO DELAWARE...besides I told your aunt to meet you at the station next Tuesday at 2 p.m”, Steph inched closer to Hermie’s tank. Which caused Audrey to scoot her chair away from her desk.

“Back away from that tank Steph, you so much as breathe wrong near Hermie and I’ll chuck this book at you”

Stephanie mocked horror. “Really, you would risk dented a perfectly good copy of Pride and Prejudice? And all to defend this half dead fish. Woman you really have lost it. Seriously Audrey I know it has been a tough few months but seeing your family really will be worth it. I think you need it. Besides, it would be good to remember the good times.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I will think about it.” 

“You will do more than think about it. You will order your ticket in the morning and go to see your family. No need to sit in this apartment sulking. And don’t tell me you won’t be sulking because I know you. Better than you know yourself. So get the ticket and if you don’t I will just use your credit card and purchase one”, Stephanie said this with a seriousness that let Audrey know that she would do it and probably as soon as she went into the office tomorrow.

Audrey sighed and sat back in her chair settling the manuscript she was editing on her lap. This was her not so subtle cue to Stephanie that it was time for her to leave. It never worked, no when her best friend was on a mission. And she was going to bug the hell out of Audrey until she relented and purchased the ticket. Stephanie just shifted her weight on to her other foot and begun tapping her foot. 

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re annoying?” Audrey said as she turned her chair to face the computer and pulled up the Amtrak webpage.

“Yup, every author I have ever meant. I did not get the nickname Ball Breaker Dickerson by being easy going at Fairchild Publications.”

Audrey set about ordering her tickets. She would be on the 504 Express from Penn Station to Wilmington, Delaware on Tuesday of the following week. She made sure to double check the cancellation procedures. She still had a week to decide whether or not to Weasel her way out of it and stay home.

- This is a draft of the first 600 words of this work. More to come!