When nothing apparent happened, Jon relaxed. Interesting, he hoped, didn't mean disastrous. He headed downstairs for dinner and found his mother working on dinner and his sister on her phone. His mother wasn't known for elaborate meals, most nights. She did have a job at a law firm, and she was a single mother, trying to take care of three kids.
"Zoe, can you set the table?" Linda Gibson asked. Zoe didn't respond. "Zoe?"
Jon sighed. "Mom...you know she isn't going to pay attention...I'll take care of the table," he said, helpfully.
Linda looked frustrated. "Zoe," she called. "Zoe!"
Zoe got up. "What?!?"
"I asked you to set the table," Linda said. "You could stand to help out around the house."
Zoe muttered something under her breath, but went to set the table, doing a half-hearted job. "Happy now?"
"Zoe...I feed you, house you...I even give you the money to buy outfits like that," she said, gesturing to Zoe's Gothic aesthetic. "I don't think setting the table is unreasonable."
Jon sighed...Zoe hadn't cursed once, which was good, or even screamed. His sister was a brat, and his mom was usually too tired to fight with her much.
As the two of them fought, Jon gently squeezed past, intending to just set the table the way he'd offered, before Zoe did start swearing like a sailor. As he picked up the stack of plates, the arguing suddenly stopped. He whirled around.
Both his Mom and sister were frozen in place, facing each other.
"Mom? Zoe?" He called. He tried to shake them...but no response.
The two females started to glow slightly...a very familiar glow...forcing him to look away for a bit, and when he turned back...both had changed.
