"Hey Jon, how was school?" My mother asked the same question every day, and every day received the same answer.
"Fine," I said, not even thinking about it. She was seated at the kitchen table working half-heartedly on a crossword puzzle. I knew that she was really waiting anxiously for me to get home so that she could vicariously re-live her high school days through me. My flippant response did little to deter her.
"Did you have any tests? What did you learn in Biology? Did Karyn have a nice break? Was-" I held up my hand to break off the barrage of questions.
"Do you want me to actually answer the questions, or would you prefer I just stand here and nod while you answer them?" I asked with a chuckle. My mother cracked a smile and tried to apologize.
"Jon, I-"
"No, nothing, and yes." Realizing that I was hungry, I opened up the freezer and pulled out an ice cream. My mother looked as though she was going to tell me that I shouldn't spoil my appetite before dinner, but thought better of it. Since Grandpa died she had been trying her hardest not to scold me in any way. She probably thought I was grieving. Little did she know that I thought him still alive.
"I've got some homework to do," I said as nonchalantly as I could, and headed for the stairs up to my room.
"Oh really? What subject?" she asked, one last deperate attempt to worm her way past my defenses.
"Mom..."
"Right, right. I understand Jon," she sighed, "I just wish that you'd let me inside your world a bit. I bet it's lonely in there sometimes." I silently reminded myself to keep the stone away from my mom. It wouldn't do to have her making wishes like that left and right, as there was no telling the damage she could do.
"I understand Mom, it's just... I really do have this homework to do, and I'd kind of like to get started on-" She nodded curtly and returned to her crossword puzzle with another sigh, leaving to my own devices. I climbed the stairs quickly and closed the door behind me with alacrity. No sooner was it closed than the box containing the wishing rock was out of my pocket and sitting on my dresser.
My mind raced with possibilities as it had ever since I first read the note containing my grandfather's instructions. Even before I knew that it really worked I had ideas in my head about all the wishes I'd make, but now, having seen the stone in action I was really hesitant to make further wishes. I didn't want another mistake like what happened with Karyn.
"Karyn..." I wondered how she was getting on with the consequences of her inadvertant wish. I'd find out sooner than I had figured. The phone was ringing. I flopped down on the bed and lifted the handset that was on the nightstand. "Hello?"
"Hi Jon, It's me." Karyn's voice sounded a bit wavery, as though she had been, or was on the verge of, crying.
"Karyn, what's wrong?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "How are your-" I stopped myself in the nick of time. Asking her about her breasts was probably not the right thing to do at this moment. Not that I wasn't interested of course, but this wasn't the time for that.
"My breasts?" Damn.
"No I-"
"Oh come on," she said with a hint of accusation in her voice. I could hear her take a deep breath on the other end of the line. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." She started to cry. "Things are just really odd Jon, do you have time to chat, I could use a friend."
"Of course," I said as reassuringly as I could. "Now tell me what's so odd."
"Well..."
