Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes Read Free Book Online Page B

really
make it stand out.”
    The others nod their head in agreement.
    It makes me long for my friends. The
simple pleasure of just being around them is something I will not take for
granted again.
    I run my finger down the beading class
schedule hanging on the open door. My interest is flying. I’ve spent a ton
of money buying beaded jewelry.  Why not try to make my own? My girls are five
hours away. I’ll have plenty of down time at night. I make a mental note on the
class times to see if any of them fit into my work schedule. 
    But as I make my way back to my new
home, I wonder what my friend’s are doing in Chicago, without me.
    Prudence is probably working at home in
her office, stopping briefly to take in Lake Michigan and watch the sail boats
going out for the day.
    I check my watch. It’s about time for Georgia
and Lucy to meet at Moksha Yoga. And Georgia is probably taking a walk the
Lincoln Park, before heading to baby in the belly appointment.
    I long to be next to Lucy, lounging on
the terrace watching television and relaxing the day away.
    And me? Looks like I’m going to take up
beading.
    I toss my cup in the trash can outside
the Hyde Bark, the cutest pet store I’ve ever seen, and could make almost
anyone want to get a pet. But I won’t. I have a hard enough time taking care of
myself and I don’t like wiping my ass, much less a furry one.
    I shrug away the thought of a dog and
remember my bagua awaits me. I jog back, trying not to think about my friends,
or pets, or the fact that I’m alone.
     
    The last box is calling me when I walk
into the door.
    “All right, Buddha. Hold on,” I say as I
get my compass and lay down, with my feet almost touching the front door.
    I need to feel the energy of the house
to check my chi.
    Arms stretched way out to my side, eyes close
tighter with every breath. I begin to feel the coziness of the house.  I even
think about stripping down to my birthday suit to feel liberated like I had
last night.
    But my eyes bolt open when I hear a door
slam.
    “Hi, there.” Suddenly a man is standing
over me with the goofiest-ass grin.
    “Get back!” I scramble to my feet, with
fear knotted inside me. “I know karate.” I do my best Ralph Macchio pose. That
pose is the only karate I know.  But I know I can hit him in the balls and take
off running.
    “Yes Daniel-son,” the stranger says in
Mr. Miyagi’s voice, bowing down. “I come in peace. I’m Wilson, and you?”
    “Get out! I’m going to call the police.”
I stand with my fists clinched in the air, panic welled in my throat.
    “Hi, Mr. Buddha?” Wilson bends down and
picks up my Buddha, pretending to talk to him. “Checking out the bagua?”
    He tilts the Buddha back and forth as if
in agreement.
    “How do you know? Were you listening to
me?” Stepping forward, I snatch my Buddha out of his greedy hands. The Buddha
is heavy so I
can use him as a weapon. “Who are you?”
    I pat my pockets for my cell phone. The
only problem, I don’t know my own address to give to the 911 operator.
    “I heard someone up here talking and I
wanted to introduce myself since we’ll be running into each other. Especially
late night refrigerator raiding.” He pats his belly.
    “I’m really going to call the police.” I
yell after he goes into the pantry and shuts the door.
    I’m tired of screwing around with this
lunatic.
    “Where do you think you are going?” I
don’t hesitate to go after him. e
    With Buddha pointed over my head and
ready to throw, I carefully open the door, fully expecting him to jump out and
scare me. I only find stairs. Not a pantry. A basement. 
    I walk down the stairs trying to ignore
the theme song from Nightmare on Elm Street that’s playing in my head.
    I want to make sure Wilson leaves the
same way he came in. He may be harmless, but you just can’t walk into someone’s
house without being invited.
    There he sits, on a black leather couch
enjoying a steaming cup of coffee.
    “Now you