Chapter 7

    Tina gets herself together for her morning run as she sets tying her shoes Bette lays on the bed trying to escape the pounding in her head.

“You should come with me B, I think it would help.”

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll be fine by the time you get back.”

“Okay, are you sure,” she says turning to give Bette one last chance to change her mind.

“I’m good, go.  I’ll see you when you get back.”

Tina heads out the door. She’s ready to fill her lungs with some fresh morning Italian air. Just as she making her way towards the road, she is greeted by Maria.

“Buon giorno, Tina, come sta?” (good morning Tina, how are you?)

 Tina searches her brain for the proper response. “Buon giorno, sto bene, grazie.”  (good morning,      I am fine, thank you) She remembered these Italian phrases from ‘The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Italian Phrases,’ she and Bette read prior to the trip. After meeting Maria’s three year old daughter, Gabriella who could speak Italian fluently, she did feel like an idiot.

“Heading out alone this morning?” Maria asked inquisitively.  

 “I’m going for a jog, Tina said smiling with pride. “Bette has a headache,” she continued. “So she is still resting.”

“Jog, what are you jogging for,” Maria chuckled.

“Good health I suppose,” Tina said looking down at the ground and kicking up a rock wedged in the dirt. “I still have some baby fat to work off,” she patted her stomach.

“Your skin and bones honey, but don’t let me stop you, you have a good morning.”

“Thanks, I’m sure I will.” She starts out running.

  Bette lay in the dark for about fifteen minutes she finally decided she needed to get up. Laying there wasn’t going to help. Maybe Tina was right the fresh morning air was what she needed. Remembering what her Tai Chi instructor would say, the stillness is what you need, not just to be still, Bette put on her sweat suit and went out side.

 In China, only a small amount of the families there knew about the art of Tai Chi.  It had always been a secret heritage to these families. Tai Chi Chuan (supreme ultimate fist) being the proper translation, works on your body and your mind. Relaxing muscles and also calming your nerves. This morning, Bette needed to get back to her routine. Tai Chi had been apart of her life since her college years. She has lived her life buy the code of peace and harmony. She still wears and small yin and yang symbol around her ankle. It’s a circle of dark and light colors, the two constantly merging into one another. In China this symbol is known as Tai Chi. However, even with this form of exercise, she found it hard to find peace or harmony these days.