Anne had managed to stop herself calling Abby, she had also managed somehow to stop herself from shaving every inch of her body below her chin.

She had been paranoid enough about her body before her sister had crassly pointed out the difference between her and Abby, now she was obsessed. Abby knew she didn't shave though, they had talked about that years ago. She couldn't remember the reason Abby had given for her personal preference and that bugged her, she had worried the thought round and round all night.

This morning she paid special attention to her appearance, she put a pleat in her hair, made sure her blouse was ironed, she wore the silver pendant that Abby had given her for her birthday years ago. Her sister caught her checking the reflection in a window and winked around her mouthful of toast.

She waved goodbye on the way out the door and skipped, actually properly skipped, down the pavement. She was going to ask her. She had decided yesterday that it had to be in person, she had avoided phoning because she didn't trust herself not to ask, to blurt it out as if it wasn't the single most important question she had ever asked anyone in her life.

She reached Abby's house, suddenly the nerves caught up with her, she hesitated at the door, hand raised to knock. Suddenly the door opened. "Oh, Anne, you're early. I'm dashing out, I have an early meeting. It's good you're here, Abby is still moping in bed, go pull out of her pit would you?"

The impeccably dressed woman didn't wait for a reply, she flowed past Anne and into her car and was gone, leaving Anne with her knuckles raised staring after her.

She came to her senses and let herself in.

She considered sneaking up the stairs and surprising Abby, then thought she could make her a nice surprise breakfast. In the end she just walked up the stairs, she called out to her friend and pushed the door open.

Abby was indeed still in bed, asleep. She was sprawled diagonally across the bed, her duvet only covering one leg.

Anne eeped and shot out the door. Then she peeked before she realised what a terrible thing that was to do and stopped. God she wanted to peek though. She closed the door gently and shouted "Abby!" There was a rustle and then a thump. "Ouch." Came the reply from the bedroom.

She knocked politely, "Can I come in?" She was half hoping, half dreading Abby would let her in whilst she was in that state of undress.

"Just a second." Anne let out a deep breath. "Okay you can come in."

She entered the room to find Anne in her nightie, something she hadn't seen in years, it was always pajamas when they had sleepovers. She could help thinking how cute she looked, and how the old nightie only just covered her bum.

She bit her lip and noticed that Abby had tidied, the room was tidier than she had ever seen it, other than the unmade bed. Abby was busy grabbing clothes from her drawers, Anne averted her eyes as the short nightie threatened to show too much, secretly wanting to look.

"Sorry Anne, I was up late reading last night and I must have slept in. I'm just going to jump in the shower." She gave Anne a look that Anne took to be her wanting to make a crude suggestion but stopping herself. She disappeared out the door without another word.

Anne looked at her friend's bed, briefly lay down in the warm spot she had just vacated and smiled. She gathered the duvet in her arms and cuddled it before getting up and making the bed. With the effort she obviously put into tidying last night Anne thought a made bed would finish the job.

She trotted down the stairs, the shower was still running so she thought she might just speed things up by making some breakfast. Unlike the day before they weren't exactly rushing, her friend was not however, known for taking short showers.