"I told you before it was from my grandfather. He passed away recently and left me the stone as an inheritance."
Kevin blanched. "Oh. Jess, I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I wouldn't have-"
"Kevin, it's alright," Jess interrupted his apology. Reaching across the table, she patted his hand. "I don't think you're that kind of person."
"You two must've been close."
Jess looked away. "Maybe. I'm not so sure anymore. Lately, I've been finding out more and more just how little I really knew about him. He always vanished for long periods of time without telling anyone where he was going. When he reappeared, he'd have another story about working at some archeological dig somewhere. I never would've guessed he'd discovered magic." Her eyes hardened as she fiddled with the straw in her drink. "Now, he just sends this powerful artifact to me out of the blue like he expects me to know what to do with it. Brilliant decision that turned out to be. What was he thinking?"
She fell silent, lost in her own thoughts. Kevin figured she had finished her rant, and he fished around for an appropriate response. Before he could come up with anything, Jess continued. "And that's not all. To tell you the truth, I don't think he's really dead. He might've just wanted us to think he was."
Kevin blinked. "You mean he faked his own death?"
"I know how it sounds, but it has to be true."
"You do realize that denial is one of the well-known stages of grief."
Tossing her head in annoyance, Jess snorted. "You sound exactly like Karyn. This isn't just a feeling. Everything about my grandfather's death was suspicious. All we know is that some guy walked into a bar somewhere in Egypt, handed the bartender a note saying my grandfather died, and left."
"Let me guess. Nobody knows who the guy was."
"Of course. And he disappeared without a trace. When the local authorities investigated the claims, they only said that they found a body that had died of heart failure. My family tried getting more information, but they refused to give us details. Eventually, my parents gave up and accepted it. I accepted it, too. But just a few days ago, I got a package in the mail. In it was the rock and a note written by my grandfather. Normally, I'd assume he arranged to have it sent to me when he passed on. But his wording in the note seemed to suggest that he hadn't actually died. So now I'm thinking he planned this whole thing."
"Wow, that's pretty surreal."
"You have no idea. But I'll get to the bottom of it. I need answers, and if my grandfather's still alive, I'm going to find him."
"Can't you use the rock for that?"
Jess's voice grew agitated. "You think I didn't try? I used every angle I could think of, but the rock seems to refuse to help me find out anything regarding my grandfather. This was probably a limit he put on the rock himself. And this only adds to my suspicions."
"So how do you plan on finding him, then?"
"I I don't know." Jess rubbed her forehead, fighting the annoying dampness that entered her eyes. "I just don't know."
Kevin felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry, Jess. I shouldn't have pried."
Blinking away her tears, Jess gave him a weak smile. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I've only been your girlfriend for half an hour, and I'm already dumping my issues on you."
"It's nothing. Last time I checked, that was one of the things boyfriends are for."
"Well, I guess I should keep that in mind for the future," Jess sighed.
Suddenly, Kevin's eyes lit up. "Hey, maybe I can help you out."
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe I can help you find your grandfather."
