It seemed odd, but the kitchen was empty when Jon got there. Maybe Zoe and Mikey would still be getting ready, but mom and dad were always downstairs by now. It felt odd, but Jon shrugged it off and poured himself some cereal.
A few minutes later, his mom did come down, by herself, looking rather lethargic.
"Mom, are you okay?" Jon asked. "You seem kinda off this morning."
"Same as usual, honey," she said. "You know I'm not really a morning person."
Yes you are, thought Jon to himself. He watched her closely as she moved over to the refrigerator and opened the door. As she was bent over, seemingly looking for something that didn't exist, Jon snuck his hand into his backpack, gripped the stone, and whispered, "I wish Mom was a bit perkier."
It occurred to Jon that that may have been a hasty wish, but before the thought could complete itself, his mom's head popped out from above the fridge's door. Did she have different expression on her face? Jon was pretty sure that even her hair was changed, somehow. A little wavier, a little longer?
Somehow it made Jon feel better, and he sort of ignored it as his mom sat down at the kitchen table with her yogurt and spoon.
That's when Jon's dad entered the kitchen, looking his normal self in his suit and tie. But his belt was off-center, and his tie was a bit loose. Usually mom made sure he looked absolutely perfect. As he poured himself a cup of instant coffee, Jon looked between his two parents. Normally this would have driven his mom up a wall, but she didn't seem to even notice anything wrong with his dad's outfit.
Before Jon could think too much about that, though, Mikey came bounding into the kitchen, a mass of 8 year-old exuberance. That seemed odd to Jon as well, but not nearly as odd as a moment later when his gothy sister Zoe strolled into the kitchen in a light blue skirt and black halter top. And she was smiling, too.
What was going on?
