Jon wished the yearbook had an index alphabetized by first name. Then he might have a chance at finding Athena. Assuming she had become staff or a student. She could have become some student's mother. Gillian's, perhaps. If only there were a directory of parents. Something he could wish up later. As much as he enjoyed Samantha's company, there were some wishes he could only make in her absence. And it'd be hard to do homework with her around to distract him. He could take Karyn - the original one, not today's obese one - for granted, but not Samantha, a girl who wouldn't exist by tomorrow night.
Jon felt ashamed of himself. He had treated Karyn like background noise. And that was before his wish ruined her! Taken her away from him.
Fortunately, Samantha had been filling the void. Perhaps too well. Part of Jon wanted Samantha to stick around forever. But what if she had a dark side he didn't know about?
He was realizing that he had his own dark side. The way he treated Karyn. All the females in his life. He had the stone rearrange them all for his personal amusement. Arguably violate them since none of them consented. And he couldn't stop them from being violated five more times over the course of the week. The wish couldn't be changed. Only reinterpreted.
What else could "switched families" mean? Temporary switches like exchange students without any biological changes? Zoe Madison would move into the home of some other family - maybe one that didn't originally have a daughter - while some other girl would live under this roof for a while, still keeping her original identity and not mutating into Jon's biological sister like Karyn and Susan had. Who knows, maybe that's what the stone had in store at some point in the next few days. Did it even plan ahead? Could it think? Or would it just do whatever at 3:47 PM?
Jon had some science assignment to do, but he couldn't care about it, not when figuring out how the stone worked was far more relevant to his life. To the lives of everyone within Lake Point.
50-year-old Principal Tiffany Morse was driving a younger teacher to her favorite restaurant, a Lao place in Mount Valley. "You're gonna love it, Sal. It's like Thai, but different. Thai is soooo overdone."
"Great," said Sal Salem. "I love Thai, but I might love this even more. Especially with you."
"Imagine if your students saw us together. So many of them have a crush on you. Probably one or two of the boys too."
"I just hope none of them are at this ... what was it called again?"
"Lan Xang. Million Elephants. Name of an old Lao kingdom." Tiffany Sanders wouldn't have known that. But Mrs. Tiffany Morse had specialized in Southeast Asian history.
Her tastes in men were more ... Western, though. Sal - short for Salvador - was half-Hispanic, half-English. He hardly knew any Spanish, though. He taught English. In theory he and Tiffany were supposed to discuss curricula tonight. In reality ...
"Wish I could stay with you after dinner," said Sal.
"Wish I didn't have a husband." Tiffany sighed. "I don't need him anymore. I've had my own income for a long time, the kids are out of the house ..."
"There are ways to get rid of him, you know," said Sal.
"Yeah." Tiffany parked the car in front of Lan Xang. "Can't discuss that here, though. Have to keep some things secret. That's why I pay cash - so they don't see my name on my credit card. They do recognize me by sight, though." She waved at the valet. "Hey, it's me!"
"Uh ... ma'am?" The valet gave Tiffany a puzzled look. Having been outside the range of the stone, he would have recognized Mrs. Morse. The one who existed until Tuesday. Not this busty stranger in a tight dress. Why would she think he knew who she was?
Jon waved goodbye to Samantha from his front door and watched her fade into the darkness.
Tomorrow morning until 3:47, thought Jon. That's all the time I've got left with her. A shame I've got to waste most of that time on classes. That I haven't even done my homework for yet. Wait, why should I? I went through my regular routine today, but I don't need to. I have the stone. I can wish away my classes. My homework. But there could be ... side effects. Collateral damage. Zoe, Karyn, and his original mother appeared in his mind's eye.
Still ... I want to get to know Samantha better. Even if I find out she has a dark side if she has one, I can just avoid her for the rest of the day.
So many others I want to observe. Maybe even talk to. Like the new Taylor twins, Jackie and Melony. They look like blonde Nordic versions of Yuki Meshida. But I still recognized Melony's smile from her yearbook photo.
I can't keep track of all the changes I recognized in the yearbook. I still want to find Athena. Not like I love her or even like her - she was always just in the background - but ... I guess I want to know if I destroyed her life too. I can't cope with Wednesday World without help.
Jon took out the box that he had hidden from his mother. He paused to formulate a wish before opening it. After straining to imagine any negative consequences and telling - fooling? - himself into thinking there wouldn't be any, Jon picked up the stone and spoke the words he had carefully arranged in his head. "I wish ..."
