The red Camry pulled up outside of the coffee shop. Lin hid under the table as if the wooden frame would conceal her from the on-coming torment.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked peering under the table at her friend.
"Nothing," Lin replied, "I..uh…dropped something." She began to search absently for the nonexistent object. No sooner had she began to make her way around the table when the door of the coffee shop flew open.
There were not many people occupying to shop so the lady's outburst wasn't too disruptive, and because this scene had taken place before the coffee shop workers didn't seem to pay her much mind.
"Where is she?" the women who had made the dramatic entrance asked in a fierce tone to the lady working the counter.
Lin was faced toward the wall, not daring to view the scene that was taking place. Apart of her hoped in vain that if she couldn't see the woman then the woman wouldn't be able to see her.
"Oh," Sam said finally understanding the situation, "You're hiding again. Shouldn't you find a difference place instead of always coming to the same sp-?"
"Shh!" Lin warned and tapped Sam on the leg, "She'll hear you."
"Oh don't worry I here you just fine too Ms. Lin," the woman with the fierce voice said.
Lin started under the table and bumped her head as she tried to scramble out from underneath it. "Jane!!" she smiled once she was off the ground and upright.
"Don't you think you're a little too old to be playing games like hide-and-seek Lin?" the woman called Jane asked.
"I'm as young as I feel," Lin replied nervously, wanting nothing to do, but run.
"Witty," Jane said eyeing Lin severely, "Have you been putting that same wit into your writing?"
"Listen Jane I'm having a little writer's---"
"Don't say it," Jane interrupted, "I refuse to listen to those swear words. The manuscript Lin. I need the manuscript. Two days until deadline and I haven't even started editing it yet." Jane hung her head, looking as if she were on the vague of aggravated tears. "I swear you writers. It feels like I have to baby-sit you sometimes. Especially you young ones." She shot a glance at Lin.
"I'm sorry Jane. I had to take a coffee break. It helps me think."
"A TWO hour coffee break?" Jane shot back. "Ugh! I'll get premature grays if I say in this business for too long," she said herself with fevered worry. She took a deep breath in to calm herself and exhaled. "That's it" Jane said finally making up her mind, "If you insist on acting like a child, I'll treat you like one. That manuscript is going to get finished today."
"But-" Lin started.
"No arguments. Now march." She point a neatly manicured finger toward door."
Lin shrank away from the authority in Jane's voice, but did as she was told. She shot a desperate look over her shoulder at Sam as if to say 'Help me', but Sam shrugged apologetically and went back to sipping her coffee. Lin had more than fifty pages worth of manuscript to finish and she had no doubt in her mind that Jane would make her finish all of them, and well too, before the day's end. The thought alone made her want to cry.
"Editors," Lin mumbled as she marched toward the door.
"Writers," Jane sighed, following closely behind.
"Such a headache," they said in unison as they headed out the door.