Bestest Friends

Sometimes family challenges us to better our situation. Sometimes friends do the same. Sometimes, we challenge ourselves to decide what family means. For Alice Freiburg, an evening with friends alters her family choices. Good friends make hard decisions about bad family easier. And the bonds of friendship help sever the ties that choke. An excerpt from Bestest Friends: They got to the sushi place in time to see the streetlights light up and a few fat snowflakes start drifting down. The huge and wonderfully puffy flakes made for a gorgeous walk from the car park to the restaurant, but unless the temperature dropped quite a bit, nothing would stick to the roads. Too bad. Getting trapped here for an extra day wasn’t exactly a terrorizing idea. Jeff held the door for her while she brushed snow from her hair and shoulders. And did he look just a little bit smug? What did her handsome brainiac have up his sleeve? “After you, my little sugarplum,” he said, bowing and waving her in. “Your table awaits.” “What are you up to, mister? I—” That was as far as she got.