Jon checked his black stockings for runs, then sat on the bed and slipped on his stilettos. It had been nearly three months since Jon realized that he no longer had access to the stone. That first night, he searched his new house high and low, but found absolutely zero trace of his former life. He was on the complete opposite end of town now, and the stone was, he felt certain, back at his old home. Probably with some beautiful young woman living his life. Panic nearly overwhelmed him that first night.
Jon was a rational person, though. He managed to calm himself down and think about the situation. He couldn't just barge in there now, he'd probably just get arrested. No, he'd have to wait it out. Just play along for maybe a couple days before he could find time to go to his former home and explain things to the "new Jon." She would at least have to know about the stone... and hopefully hadn't made any more wishes like he had.
The biggest problem, though, was that Jon could never find the time. Between having a full-time job and a family, the days turned to weeks, the weeks into months. And now here he was, getting ready for another day at work.
As he paused to brush a clump of mascara from his lashes, he thought about how stunningly easy his job actually was. He was a local sales rep for a major pharmaceutical company. It sounded daunting and complicated at first, but he quickly realized what it was really about.
The medical field was still notoriously male-dominated, especially at the top. All Jon had to do was show a little leg, open his blouse a little bit, and sit in a conference room for a couple of hours schmoozing with doctors and administrators. In fact, Jon was beginning to enjoy how easy it was. It gave him a sense of power and confidence, which helped him cope with his own situation.
What wasn't easy was how time consuming it was. He easily visited a hospital and two or three clinics every day. By the time he got home he was exhausted, his feet were aching, and he had to deal with Roger. Jon was initially amazed at how much control he had over the man who had once been an absolute authority figure in his life. He was well behaved, but had all of the energy and curiosity of a 5-year old girl... with a 40 year old man's body.
Then there was Jacob. Not Jake. Jacob. That was the man's name. They had, apparently, met in college, and fallen in love. He did something involving trading and stocks. Jon didn't quite understand it. What he did understand was that they were quite well off. The three of them were in a house much bigger than Jon's family of five lived in. There were lots of designer labels in Jon's walk-in closet (which helped with the job), and even Roger showed signs of being a bit spoiled.
Jacob seemed like the perfect man. Jon could understand why this woman would've fallen for him. He was a complete gentleman, a great father, and great husband. Which troubled Jon. There was no way he could bring himself to be intimate with another man, and he repeatedly refused Jacob's advances. Jon had gotten pretty creative in coming up with excuses, but as time wore on Jacob resorted to more and more romantic gestures. Dinner at four-star restaurants, trips to the opera. When Jon came home one day to find a bouquet of roses waiting for him, he really had to fight down the butterflies in his stomach.
All the more reason to try and get the stone back. Maybe he'd be able to finish work a bit early, and head over to his old neighborhood. He at least had to see what this woman actually looked like. He gave himself a once over in the full length mirror before grabbing his purse and heading out the door. The slim pencil skirt, silky blouse, tights, and heels (not to mention makeup) he was wearing probably would have made her look stunning. Although, he had to admit, he didn't think he looked too bad himself.
