TakeMyChances42

She was searching frantically all throughout the apartment. She had to get to work! He watched her search and wanted to help, but every time he asked, “What are you searching for?”, she would not answer him. Finally he stood up, walked over to her, turned her around, and put her arms around her. He looked in her eyes and said, “What are you looking for?” “An umbrella!” “You mean the ones next to the front door?” “Oh. Oh ya.” She looked, and there they were. “Why didn’t I think of that?” “It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you get to work.&

She sat among them, the books she loved. They were spread out all around her. Some open, others in piles, all ones she had read before and was going to read again. If only she had several sets of eyes she could read more than one at once. She picked up the one in front of her. It was just two pages until she got to her favorite part. She started reading. These books were her comfort, her love. In them she found escape, adventure, excitement! But also she found the comfort of home, true love, heartache, loss, and redemption. Without them, she was lost.

“I kind of want to do something, but I feel like it will make you feel bad.” “Tell me what it is.” *Whispers* “You can if you want to. That isn’t a problem.” “. . . . . . . Are you sure?” “Yes.” “. . . . . . Really?” “Yes really.” “I feel like this is a trap.” “Why would I say you can if I don’t want you to?”

She looked out the window and confirmed her suspicion. It was raining. She walked out the door and into the backyard. She spread her arms out wide, closed her eyes, and lifted her head to they sky. She let the water drip down her face and soak through her cloths. She felt the water wash away her worries and fears. She felt whole again.

“Come on! You have to keep it level!” “I’m Trying! It isn’t easy to keep a hold of you know!” “Well do better! It’s gonna break!” “Would you just trust me? I know what I’m doing.” “All right. All right. I just worry.” “I know. Let’s just get there ok?” “Ok. You can set it down over there.” “On the table?” “Ya.” *They set down the fish tank and they both look at it* “See? That wasn’t that difficult after all.”

“But it’s so hard! I don’t think I can do it.” “Ya Ya Ya. Hop on the struggle bus with the rest of us.” *Later* “Hey! This is a Pepsi, not a Cola!” “Struggle Bus.” *points* *Much later* “I have a paper due today and I haven’t even started it yet!” *In a chorus* “Struggle bus!”

“But the most important question is: Why did they do it?” “. . . . Do what?” “Destroy it!” “Destroy what?!?” “The amulet!” “. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .” “Well, at least I can fix it.”

She opened present after present, but still she felt empty. At the bottom of the pile was the stocking. She hadn’t even noticed it in all the clutter of the day. She looked through the stocking finding trinkets and bobbles. At the bottom, at the very bottom, was a single orange, just the way he used to do.