Carpe Bead'em (19 page)

“Get down, Uncle Jimmy!” I scream and
point to the ground. I am so mad that I’m dizzy from my blood pressure taking a
leap. “I said, now!”

“Sir, you need to come down now.” A
nearby police officer yells through his megaphone.

Once we have Uncle Jimmy down, I rush
everyone to the car. We ride in silence even after we drop Aunt Grace and Uncle
Jimmy off.

When we get home, I let Henry out.
Georgia goes upstairs to go to bed because she has a headache. Prudence walks
down to the basement. The back door opens and shuts behind me. It’s Wilson.

“I want to apologize.” Wilson’s voice is
almost silent. “Your uncle…”

“Wilson!” Prudence shouts.

“Err…I want to apologize.” He’s going to
try it one more time. “I shouldn’t have given your uncle the money. It’s my
fault we lost.” The door closes.

I don’t feel like talking about it.

Chapter
Thirty-Four

“Wow. You look like crap.” Addy’s opens
the doors just as I run up.

I make sure I get out of the house
before everyone gets up. I can’t sleep in. Plus, I’m still upset about what
Uncle Jimmy did at the track.

“You would too if you had my life.” I
point to a coffee cup to signal my need for fuel.

Addy pours the coffee, and I tell her my
story. The story that has become my identity or what I have let become my
identity. I start from the moment my parents died to Uncle Jimmy climbing the
flagpole.

“Stop! Stop or I am going to pee
myself.” Addy’s hand is on her stomach to stop her laughing pains. I’m glad
Uncle Jimmy is entertaining to her. “Only this would happen to you. I know,
instead of Murphy’s Law, we can call it Hallie’s Law.”

I snort because it sounds so unreal. And
if it didn’t happen to me, I don’t think I would believe it.

Addy makes me a to-go cup so I can make
it back in time to get ready for the photo shoot, and see my friends go back to
Chicago.

They are packed and ready to go when I
get back. Prudence is going to hitch a ride with Georgia and the film crew
after the shoot. Yesterday’s events go unmentioned. I think all of us want to
put it behind us.

Fountain Square is buzzing with people.
The models look great in the clothes, Gucci looks fantastic, but the jewelry
adds the sparkle that the camera needs.

I take more samples, just in case the
sizes aren’t right, and the models and some crew members buy my bracelets on
the spot. This is going to leave me in a mad rush to remake almost all the
samples I need for my secret trip to Chicago next weekend.

It’s actually a blessing in disguise. I
need a stress reliever and beading more will help me. That, and a stiff drink.

 And boy, do I need to get out of this
city. Or at least a good distance from Aunt Grace and Uncle Jimmy.

“Your jewelry is a hit.” Georgia goes
over how to spell Beadnicks and how to describe each piece in order for the
magazine write-up. “You know, once this hits shelves in two months, everyone is
going to want your designs. Are you ready for this?”

I know she is trying to tell me to get
my act together and come up with a marketing plan within the next two months.
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “I have a few ideas I’m batting around.”

I want to keep my plan in my head until
I talk with Monk and a few of the boutiques back home.

The crew didn’t waste any time packing
up, and we said our goodbyes. I still keep my surprise weekend visit, next
weekend, a secret.

Wilson went back to his apartment when
we got home. And I worked on more bracelets. I open the basement door knowing
Henry is downstairs.

“Henry?” I hear paws running up before I
finish his name.

I smile at that cute poodle bounding up
the steps. I never would’ve thought I could feel this way about a dog. Not
looking up, the shadow on the steps wants to be acknowledged, too. “I am
sorry.” Wilson looks up. He chokes back the tears. “And I miss Prudence.”

I stand at the top with Henry in my
arms.

“Want a drink?” I feel bad for him. I
know exactly what he’s going through. He looks like a whipped puppy.

“Yes.” He schleps up the steps. “I can’t
believe I’ve fallen this hard for a girl.” He takes a couple of beers out of
the refrigerator, and hands me one. “I’ve been a bachelor all my life. I’ve
dated a lot of women and none of them hooked me like Prudy.” He takes a big
swig, leaving a fizzing sound behind.

“Can you survive a week?” I can’t
believe I’m going to tell him my plans. I might as well ask him to come along.
What if the car died? Then someone will stop to help, but really kill me. See,
a win-win situation.

“Why?” His eyes narrow in curiosity.

“I’m going to Chicago next weekend for
business and a surprise visit.” I forgive him for betting Uncle Jimmy and
daring him to climb the flagpole. “You big baby.” I hold my bottle in the air
and he cheers me.

I don’t know if it is my conversation
with Wilson that gives me the muse to make a hundred more bracelets or the
sight of a lovesick man, or the strong vodka, but I continue to bead as he
talks about his future and how Prudence fits into it.  

I string every bead I have. And I love
every bracelet I make. Before bed, I put together a new bead order. I’ll drop
it off at One Bead at a Time during my morning run.

As I get ready for bed, I take the
Sunday shirt out of the drawer and pull it over my head. I close my eyes tight
and I inhale Bo’s scent into every crevice of my soul. I take another deep
breath in delight because I know in five days I’ll be able to see him. This
weekend isn’t going to come soon enough.

Week Seven

So many beads…so
little time.

Author Unknown

Chapter
Thirty-Five

Staying up late
thinking about Bo, and beading, makes for a difficult Monday morning.
Especially since I dropped off bracelets to Dee before work.

I rest my head
on the desk. I have to pull it together for my conference call with the
managers and big wigs of Gucci.

“Do you have
everything you need?” Beatrice fills my cup. “Can you make a move to let me
know you are okay?”

I wave a few
fingers in the air without lifting my head up to acknowledge her existence.

“You have your
conference call in five minutes. I’ll buzz you when it’s time.”

I wave again
without lifting my wrist and keeping my body still.

She puts the
mail on the edge of my desk.

I straighten
myself up and push the button when it buzzes.

“Hallie from Cincinnati
boutique.” I bring my chipper voice up from the bottom of my stomach. Thank God
the conference calls aren’t Skyped. I’m in no shape to be seen.

Beatrice takes a
seat with her pad out ready to take notes.

“Hallie!” I
would know Piper’s voice from anywhere.

The sound of her
voice sends spin numbing shivers up my back.

“Good morning,
Piper.” I might look tired, but my voice doesn’t reflect it.

“You know, we
should v-log about your boutique opening.” The excitement in her voice
escalates. “Everyone is raving about what a fabulous job you have done.”

V-log? “What in
the hell is a v-log?” I put my finger over the microphone and whisper to
Beatrice. She scribbles,
video log.

Of course, v-log.
Doesn’t everyone know what a v-log is?
“Are you kidding me?”
I throw my
pen in the air and mouth to a smiling Beatrice.

“I appreciate
your interest, Piper, but I don’t have time to video tape all of my actions or
the actions of employees.”

Of course I
don’t have time. Any time I have, I want to bead.

“I understand
that, but it will be helpful for the future of the company to be able to go
into each project strong right from the beginning.”

I’m
flabbergasted by her comment. Flattery will get her nowhere. Beatrice writes
something down and holds it up.
Frenemy
.

“What?” I ask.

She reaches over
and put the phone on mute. “She’s your frenemy. She pretends to be your friend,
but she’s really your enemy.”

I sit back in my
chair and ponder this frenemy thing.

“You know, the
old saying: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Beatrice reminds
me.

I haven’t seen
Beatrice in battle and I like it. I was worried about how thick her skin is,
and what’ll happen when I leave in five weeks.

Five weeks left.
Just thinking
about the five weeks, gives me the boost of energy I need to finish this call.

“Thank you for
the vote of confidence, Piper, but since it’s your idea…” I pause to get the
words out correctly. I know
my
Michigan Avenue store sales are down, and
it’s my time to stick it to her, “I think you should v-log about your store and
all the good things you are doing since I’ve been gone.”

I’m amused at
her stammer, “I, I…”

“I left you with
an established store. Not only established with awesome associates and faithful
customers, but also during the busiest season.” I have no problem reminding her
about the shape the store was in before she gave me the boot.

Michigan Avenue
boutique always brings in big numbers during the summer time.

“Good morning,
ladies.” The mysterious voice, who I refer to Charlie, as in
Charlie’s
Angels
, booms through the phone. “First, I want to ask Hallie how the
weekend photo shot went with Fit Pregnancy Magazine.”

It’s just
another jab at Piper, and a feather in my cap, as I talk about how gorgeous the
day was and how the background made the clothes pop.

“How on earth
are we going to replace you in less than five weeks?” Charlie asks.

“Sir, if I may
introduce my assistant Beatrice.”

He interrupts.
“Yes, I have heard about her.”

We look at each
other inquisitively.
Who in the hell told him about Beatrice?

“The girls told
me about her. I understand she’s been fielding your phone calls.” I completely
forgot about the time I was late and Beatrice came up with the wonderful idea
about Fox 19 doing a story on the boutique.

“Yes, sir, and
she’s doing a fantastic job.” I confirm.

I believe
Beatrice is a true Gucci manager and loves the G’s as much as me.

“As a matter of
fact, Beatrice is the one who knows the good people of Fox news and set up the
interview. She comes in early and stays late. She even suggested a few of the
outfits that made it into the magazine shoot.” There is silence which allows me
to continue. “She is the fastest learning associate I’ve ever worked with. She
has the potential, with the right grooming, to make it to the top.”

“Grooming?”
Beatrice mouths in a pissy sort of way. She mutters under her breath, “I’m not
a dog.”

“It sounds like
you’ve put Gucci above your needs and thought about the future when you leave.”
Charlie is pleased. “Very good, Hallie. Everyone please join me in applause for
how well Hallie has made a success out of our boutique there in Cincinnati.”

“Five weeks
left?” Piper is curious.

Why? Is she
planning something?
I don’t trust her.

“Yes. And I’m
going to miss Cincinnati, but I’m ready to come home to my associates.” I want
her to know she’s still treading in my territory, even if Bo isn’t in the
picture.

“Maybe you
should take a staycation when you get back.” She suggested.

Beatrice
scribbles,
Vacation when you stay home
.

I don’t
understand all this combining-word stuff. What happened to Webster’s Dictionary
straightforward words? Vacation, no matter where you are. Frenemy? Just say
enemy. V-log? Just say videotape.

“I don’t think
you should worry about me.” I’m tired of her trying to one-up me. “I’m not
planning on staying in Cincinnati.”

“I’m sad to
announce that Hallie has declined the regional manager position we offered
her.” The voice comes through loud and clear.

“I was just
saying we’ve all heard how hard you are working and maybe when you get back you
should take in
your
city.” I don’t like the way she emphasizes
your
.
“You can take a few days to relax.”

Charlie chimes
in. “Piper.” He is trying to interrupt her as she babbles on. “Piper!” The
phone goes silent. “Gucci would like to thank you for your contribution, but
you’re no longer a regional, as Hallie is. Remember, she’s your boss now.”

Yeah! Take that!
I want to yell into the phone, but refrain and let Charlie take care of me.