"Amber" is getting to the good stuff, and nearing 7,000 words. There's a whole lot of symbolism creeping out in this one that just took me by surprise, which I guess I should have seen coming, given the cyclical nature of the story to begin with. Anyhow, I hope to be done with it by the end of the week, because my two-week paternity leave begins next Monday and I seriously doubt I'll be getting much writing done during that time (although I will try to edit "Bambino" while the bambina sleeps).