3:15am

Beep... Beep... Beep...

            Grumbling, I pounded my hand down on the snooze button.

Ugh. Who gets up this early? Oh that's right, I do.

I love my job. I love every element of making a character come to life on screen. I love watching how each light adjusts to the perfect angle; I love watching the playback of a scene and seeing myself as someone else. But, I hate waking up early. I hate that damn alarm clock.

In a snail like process, I manage to drag myself into the shower and somehow drive myself to set for a short day of filming. How I manage to do things while still asleep is beyond me. Sleep has become something I didn't have time for while shooting this movie. Wrapping very late last night left me know time for sleep, again. I would surprise even myself, if I get through this day and still be awake and functioning.

 The snow falling from the Toronto sky seems to be coming down heavy and covering everything in its path as I drug my ass into the trailer before the sun was even up. As beautiful as the sight was, I didn't want to see any of that white stuff falling from the sky until I landed in Colorado.

However in a hurry up and wait industry, nothing is set in stone until it's happening in that very moment. Hour after hour, I sit and wait for lights to be finished setting up, cameras to be moved, and then the annoyance of waiting on someone, who was late to set, get ready for the next scene. Sleep. All I could think about was sleep.

Choosing the career I did, I knew it would include giving up a personal life, which was against everything my family was sure I should be doing, but I tried what they wanted, which only hurt me in the end.

            My parents have been hounding me to come home for Christmas more than ever this year. They wanted one year for the entire family to be sitting at the dining room table, having Christmas dinner. My family wasn't my strongest supporters. They had their opinions on what my life should have turned out like, and the career I chose was not what they wanted. Buying a house in Los Angeles, with only my name on the deed, was not what they wanted. I haven't been home in nearly three years because of it or it could be because they tried to use Christmas as a setting of an arrangement for a possible marriage, which I wanted no part in. But with the decisions I had made this year, it was better than being home alone for Christmas.

Against my better judgment and sanity, I rearranged my schedule, which now felt as if it was going to affect the rest of my life, I was going to give them what they wanted. I was giving them another chance, one last chance.

The cast and crew worked diligently together and we finished early, allowing everyone to be free to rush home to their families, spending this cherished holiday with the ones they loved.

"Merry Christmas" I said handing Jennifer, my assistant, her gifts. "Enjoy every minute off! You deserve it."

"Thanks." She said holding the bag. "But you already gave me my gift."

"I know I did... but I wanted you to have some things you wanted and wouldn't buy for yourself..." I smiled thinking about that gorgeous dress she wanted and I even made her try on in Chanel. She fell in love with that dress and was going to be surprised when she opened that box and saw it.

"I hope your trip home is incredible." She placed her phone in her bag, smiling at her boyfriend awaiting her in the doorway.

"Merry Christmas Ben!" I acknowledged him as he patiently waited for Jennifer to collect her things. "Are you staying here for Christmas?" I asked.

"Yes." he said beaming, "We decided to stay in Canada for the holiday. Make this holiday about us for a change."

Now that's not a bad I idea. I tossed what was left of my belongings into my carryon bag.

He turned to me, "I'm glad you are going home this year. It's been a rough year, get some clarity... well as much as you can get while at home with all those people!" He chuckled, "Merry Christmas Amber..."

I had never heard someone say that to me and it not mean a single thing to me. Christmas was about happiness and joy... two things I didn't have.

Jennifer looked over at me, crinkling her forehead. "Is that what you are wearing to the airport?"

I looked down at my navy blue sweater dress that I loved so much, my black tights, and my comfortable suede boots. "Yes." I said proudly.

"Could you at least throw on a belt, emphasis that tiny waist you have." She planted her hands on her hips, bopping her head back and forth. "You never know who you are going to meet at the airport..."

I laughed at her, "I'm just going home..."

Jennifer dug through her bag, tossing me a gray belt. "Humor me... put it on."

Rolling my eyes at her craziness, I put the belt around my wait, buckling it in the front. "Happy now." I asked.

"Much better." Her face lit up.

"You're off the clock now... no more suggestions on my wardrobe."

She waved as she walked out the door of my trailer with a smirk on her face. "Have a safe flight."

The traffic at the airport for departures was lined up for miles. I kept looking down at my phone then out the window as the line stayed at a standstill. The snow was piling up inch by inch quicker than the minutes ticked by. When I finally stepped out of the vehicle, I stepped into a mound of snow. I looked down to see it was just below my knee... everything around me was white. Everything.

Line after line, the screen showed maybe what was a blessing in disguise... or maybe just the universe working in my favor. Maybe I wasn't supposed to go home; maybe I should have stood strong against their wishes.

Delayed.

Delayed.

Delayed.

Every flight going out was officially delayed.

Rushing to the counter, the frustrated woman looks up at me and without asking anything she says, "Everything is delayed. I have no idea when flights will resume..."

I began to slightly panic. "I have to make it home for..."

"Ma'am, I understand its Christmas Eve..." She started saying a line I'm sure she has already said a thousand times, "I understand that everyone wants to make it home to their families... I would like to be home to see my children open their gifts, but it doesn't look like either of us will get the Christmas we thought we were going to have."

Exactly how I wanted to spend this Christmas. Alone, with strangers.

Dropping my bag to the floor, I find the only open space to take a seat, on the floor. The runways were covered in snow. Each plane along the terminal was covered in blankets of snow.

A blizzard was stranding me for Christmas in Toronto, Canada. Alone.

With the daunting task of going home, I would at least be around familiar faces. If I could have gone to my home in Los Angeles, I would at least be surrounded by my things, my bed. I covered my eyes, hoping that maybe I was dreaming. If I could wake up, I wouldn't be stuck here in this airport all alone, for Christmas.

 "Can I sit here?" A soft voice of a man asks politely.

I slowly lowered my hands off my eyes to see his white converse sneakers right next to me. As I traveled, slowly, up his body the dark jeans fit him like a glove, in all the right places. He had a simple black scarf tied loosely wrapped around his slender neckline over a white thermal shirt. His coat placed over his arm and his carryon resting on his wrist.

Damn. I thought to myself. He is gorgeous.

"Sure" I smiled at him, looking at my reflection in a pair of dark aviator shades, covering what I'm guessing was a gorgeous pair of eyes that would fit perfectly with the rest of his body. There was familiarity with him. His presence was someone I knew. The way he stood with that bag on his wrist was something I had seen countless times before. I moved my bag out of the way for him to sit.

"Where you headed?" he asked, trying to break the defining silence of irritation that surrounded them.

"Colorado." A smile softly appeared on my face. I was smitten by this stranger.

"Home for Christmas?" He asked looking out the glass window beside us, "So... you are going home to, snow?" His tone of his voice was recognizable. His humor was something I was familiar with.

Home was Colorado, how did he know that? I questioned to myself. Instead of panicking about a stranger knowing things like that, I chalked it up as just common knowledge that most would be heading home for Christmas. "Yes, hopefully not this much snow." I chuckled endearingly, "Where are you headed?"

"Home for Christmas as well. Maryland."

Christmas in Maryland is gorgeous. Maryland?  It couldn't be... I thought. "What brought you to Toronto?" I asked crossing one leg over the other, latching my ankles together, a couple of girls sitting across the room watched our every move. I was sure they were taking photos that would be emailed off to some sleazy tabloid and printed in the morning.

"I'm recording up here with... a friend." He admits. "It's easier to hide here."

"Hide?" I raised my eyebrows, "So, this is a secret project?"

He nodded his head. "Very much so."

I reach my hand out, "I'm Amber by the way. It's very nice to meet you."

He slid off his sunglasses, revealing just as I expected, a gorgeous pair of eyes. Only they were eyes that I knew very well. His soft hands gripped on top of mine. "It's great to see you again Am..."

Joshua.

I should have listened to the pit in my stomach. I knew it was him.

There was a weird moment of quietness. It had been quite some time since we have seen each other. It had been quite some time since we have even spoke. He used to be my best friend. He used to be the person I would run to with everything. "I'm happy to hear you are putting that voice back where it belongs."

His face turns a shade close to garland decorations surrounding this holiday, "You want me recording music again?"

"Of course I do." I said confused. "Don't act so surprised, you know I've always been a fan of that voice..."

"I'm shocked." He said still embarrassed, "Amber Rawson still knows who I am! I'm still relevant to someone in this world." His tone of my name wasn't so friendly.

"Don't say that so condescending..." I fidgeted with my bag, digging through it, looking for nothing. "I have been waiting for you to release music for a while."

"But you are ‘Amber Rawson' after all... everyone knows who you are." He nodded his head as if that was a dumb question. "Everyone wants everything from you right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I got defensive.

"Nothing..." His shoulders tensed up, pushing himself back into his spot on the floor. "... Ya know I can't go through the grocery line at Whole Foods without seeing your face on at least three covers." He swallowed hard, the lump rolled down his throat.

I lowered my head, "I'm sorry..."

"No apologizes..." he said as we sat in silence.