"Marie!" Ms. Gibson cried out. "Don't forget your facebow"
Marie groaned her discontent.
"Don't give me that. You heard Dr.Mither." Her mom took on a patronizing tone. "You can stop wearing it when you and Karen move into your dorm."
"I like it." Karen interjected. "My dorky Marie. I think it's cute." She giggled as she draped her arms over the shorter girl, and kissed her from behind.
Marie rolled her eyes and brushed them both off as she darted back up the stairs to get the torture device.
Ms. Gibson put her hands on her hips. "So have you two decided where you're going to go yet? I was young too once, I get the whole, 'wherever the road takes us' but you need some sort of plan."
Karen shrugged. "Haven't really decided Ms.G. Marie really enjoyed the beaches, but I was peeling for weeks, and was still just as pale. Me and the sun just don't get along anymore." She crosses her delicate pale arms. She had somewhat gone back to her old style, but there were definitely feminine and goth elements to it that were not there before. Her constantly pale skin was just one such element.
Ms. Gibson nods. "Well, wherever you go, Make Sure To Call Me. You can call your parents too, but I'll keep them up to date." She huffs with the weight of nostalgia. "It's going to be weird not having you two around the house. Mrs.Black and I have been planning a reading club since we're finally going to have some free time again."
Athena had just stepped elegantly down the stairs and puts a finger to her bottom lip in thought. "You and Marie should go on tours of the haunted houses around the country." She smirks as Zoe trots behind her. "That's what we're going to do when we graduate." she smiles and wraps an arm around the Zoe. "I bet Marie's a total scardy cat. It's the perfect opportunity."
Marie and Ms.Gibson speak at the same time. "Perfect opportunity for what?" Marie was curious from not hearing the conversation, Ms. Gibson was indignant from hearing the conversation.
Karen laughs. "Sounds like a good idea Athena. You two have fun."
"Karen!" Ms.Gibson protests.
"Enjoy the Book club Ms.G!" Karen grabs Marie's hand and tugs her out the door.
Ms. Gibson turns her gaze to Athena, who responds it with a confident smile. "I swear you girls are going to be the death of me."
"Don't worry mom, we don't do anything." Zoe insisted.
"My mom didn't believe me, and I don't believe you." Ms.Gibson quips. "I'm fine with you two being together up there, but NO SEX. Goodness, the last thing I want is you two having a child in highschool."
Athena nods. "You don't have anything to worry about Ms.Gibson."
The pair return to Zoe's room as Ms. Gibson sits down to sort through the mail. Bills are filed away... Junk mail is shredded... coupons, oh that's nice. That goes into the purse... More junk mail... junk... junk... junk...
The sound of the shredder continues almost non stop as she works her way through the large backlog of letters sitting in the roll top desk. Then, it stops. Something caught her attention. A letter addressed to "Jon Gibson" from her father Jack Gibson. Gibson is her maiden name, not the name of the man she briefly married after Marie was born, so it couldn't be intended for him. And Zoe's name was Zachery before she transitioned. So that couldn't be "Jon." Besides her father knew Zoe as Zoe. She was only ever Zachery when she was still young. It had an additional return address, the address of Jacks lawyers on it. That at least explained how it reached her from beyond the grave.
Curiously she opened the letter and read the contents.
"Jon Gibson,
My dearest grandson. If you're receiving this letter then it is quite possible that I've met my demise. I know how unlikely that may seem given all that you now know, but know also that I lived a life of risk and adventure where danger was never farther away than the next street corner. I still recall telling you my fantastic stories when you and your sister were young. I'm sure you now realize just how true these stories really are.
Undoubtedly by now you've been on more than a handful of your own adventures. I do hope that they have not asked more of you than you have been able to give, but have no doubt that the man you are now is far and above who you once were. Be sure that many more await you in the future. It is my dearest hope and greatest confidence that you will become the man I know you to be, and use your full potential to change the world for the better. That's why I entrusted you with my most prized artifact. You've a keen head on your shoulders, a good heart, and the best of friends. May you have a wonderful graduation.
Good wishes and the highest hopes forever.
-Grandpa
P.S. If you find your early adventures to be greater than you can bear, (I knew and expected such things of a teenager. haha!) know that I've planned ahead for you. My stone will allow you to "unwish" anything from before your graduation."
Ms. Gibson read it once, then twice... What a curious letter. She had saved many of his thoughtful handwritten notes, but every now and then she would get a weird one. She always worried that he had developed dementia when she read notes like this one. He should have known about Zoe's transition, and there was no 'Jon' in the family. It bothered her, and she again began to wonder about the condition of his death. With a sigh, she went to stick it in the paper shredder. Reading nonsense from their grandfather wouldn't do the girls any good, and she had already saved any notes with sentimental value.
Right as she began to position it a cry erupted from from upstairs. A cry from Zoe. With a blush of furry and embarrassment Ms.Gibson realized that the cry was not one of distress, but pleasure. Immediately she rose from her chair and began to tromp up the stairs. "WHAT ARE YOU GIRLS DOING UP THERE?"
A softer voice could be heard. "N-nothing mom. I... I just stubbed my toe."
"You did not stub your toe!"
Athena laughed and uttered "Are you coming in? Better knock..."
The letter fell from the paper shredder, and drifted perfectly beneath the drawers of the desk. It was well out of sight with only the corner barely visible from the right angle. Here the message came to rest... and here the message waited.
The End
Hey guys! Thanks for reading. I hope my quirky little story was enjoyable to you all. I had hopes to add much more, but amidst a busy life this became a race to the finish rather than the more methodical stroll I'd have preferred. I'd have liked to proofread more thoroughly, and to add a few more chapters about the aftermath of Sarah disapproving all wishes, and a little more about the mall, but finishing the story took priority. I hope that me using wrong names here and there, or poorly constructed sentences wasn't too much of a detriment to the story.
I'll be around, but now that this is done, I need to focus my priorities elsewhere for a while. Have fun. Be well. See you next time! Perri.
