"I want Karyn to be here," Jon said.
Now Leonard blinked. "You want me to alter reality so Karyn is here?"
"No, I mean I want her to come over before you do anything else. I've got an idea that I want her here for." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, said, "Call Karyn," and lifted it to his ear.
As he heard it ringing, he put his hand in his other pocket, feeling for the stone, thinking it might be useful to have.
He hadn't brought it, he immediately realized. Before he'd left his house, he hadn't even picked it up at all, just looked to verify that it was still in its hiding place.
Karyn picked up on the fourth ring and said, "Hey, what's up? We're still on for dinner and a movie, right?"
"Change of plans, maybe. I'm in Leonard's basement. He's showing off a new invention. I think you should come over and see it." He lowered his voice. "I'd say it's interesting."
"Didn't I tell you to relax about that?" Karyn asked. "What is it, a browser plugin that downloads porn 10% faster? That's about the level of his previous amazing discoveries."
"No, this one seems to be bigger than that," Jon said, taking another look at the large device. "But listen, before you show up here, I need you to stop by my house and get something out of you-know-where."
"You mean get the magic rock out of your secret hiding place?"
"Shh!"
"Jon, no one can hear me on this end, and even if someone could hear me, they wouldn't think there was such a thing as a magic rock. Anyway, why don't you just go over and get it while I'm on my way over?"
Jon looked over to see that Leonard and Sarah were rummaging through the basement refrigerator for beverages, not paying much attention to him, but kept his voice down anyway. "I'm worried about Leonard using his invention while I'm not here and affecting it, and me."
"Okay, whatever. I guess I'll see what you're talking about when I get there, and it better be worth it. I just got out of the shower, by the way. I've been naked and dripping wet this whole time. Does that do anything for you?"
Jon gulped.
Karyn continued, "The good news is I'm using a different tail shampoo because of your wish, and I really like the scent. Anyway, let me get dressed and do my makeup and ride over to you -- see you in 20 minutes?"
"Sure," Jon said. "See you then. Bye."
Leonard and Sarah were sitting on the ugly plaid couch that is an obligatory feature of most basements. "She'll be here in 20 minutes," reported Jon.
"Excellent," said Leonard. "Feel free to grab a drink."
Jon went to the refrigerator and took out the least weirdly-named flavor of Vitamin Water he could find.
"So why do you want Karyn here?" Leonard asked.
"I just want to share the experience with my girlfriend," Jon claimed. "I mean, your girlfriend is here."
Sarah interjected, "Ha, why do you really want Karyn here?"
"Because I want to change something, and I want her to see what's been changed! Why else?"
"Okay, whoa," said Sarah, taking a sip of her diet soda.
"So what is it?" asked Leonard. "Maybe we can work on exactly what we're gonna do before she gets here."
"Fine," said Jon. "It's..."
