Ty was startled to hear a car door slam, and then the sound of high heels on the floor. It was his foster
mother June. Sure it was her and Mark's house, but since Ty had discovered his powers, he hadn't really been
bothered by the 'rents. He sat back and imagined that he was invisible, and so he was. June looked around
nervously, and was glad to see she was alone. She set down the small white bag she was carrying and tool out
an orange prescription bottle. Her hand trembled as she took out one purple pill. She put it her mouth, and
made a face. She started for the cupboard, but stopped. She saw the full glass of water sitting on the
counter. She had no idea that it used to be the neighbor boy Jeremy.
She grabbed the glass and drank the whole thing with her pill, and then she sighed, "Oh, these last few days
have been so weird. The doctor assured me it was my nerves, and that the hallucinations I was seeing were
just that. I hope that purple pill works. Oh, my I'm having a hot flash, I guess," she said wiping her brow
and sitting down at the kitchen table. She rubbed her temples, and laughed humorlessly, "Now I'm talking to
myself again. Maybe I'll fell better if I lie down for an hour or two."
June closed her eyes, and breathed deeply. Ty couldn't help, but feel sorry for her. But his curiosity about
how Jeremy would integrate with June's body was greater than any sympathy he felt. At least for the moment,
he was just going to watch.
Dustin entered and headed toward the refrigerator. He saw his mother, and said, "Hey, mom, you okay?"
"Oh, I'm fine, son. The doctor prescribed something. I think I'll just like down for a bit, and then I'll
come down to make dinner."
"Okay, mom, do you want me to wash the lettuce and make the salad?" Dustin asked.
Highly irregular, his mother thought. Dustin had never been thoughtful before, but something had happened
these last few days. She was sure it was the cause of her hallucinations, and Dustin's improved behavior. She
forced a smile and said, "Why thank you, Dustin, that's very thoughtful of you. Be sure to use the tomatoes in
the crisper drawer, the ones on the counter aren't ripe yet."
Then she left the kitchen. She hesitated in the doorway. Thank goodness, Ty wasn't in the living room. The
boy seemed positively all wrong now. She couldn't explain it, any more than she could explain why she was
upset by Dustin's sudden model citizenship. A mother knew her children, and these weren't the same. Oh, they
were the same, but something had happened. Something had changed. Mark had noticed too. He was barely home
these last few days. He kept finding excuses to go in early and come home late from work to avoid meals with
the boys. No, the doctor is right, June, you're just overwrought, and this crazy paranoia will pass. Your
children are not pod people. A nap will make everything right.
She spun around on the first step. She was sure she heard laughter right behind her, but no one was there.
She froze for a moment listening intently. Invisible Ty covered his mouth. He had been reading June's mind,
and had found her thoughts hysterically funny. He hadn't realized how others were reacting. It was odd,
because he knew that she had accepted that Dustin had been less than developed than Ty as a fact on the day he
discovered his powers. But now, somehow she was becoming aware of the magic, and she was in total denial. He
would have to ask Peter what had caused her to notice. Perhaps, he was using too much magical energy? He
could imagine someone building up an immunity to the magic due to massive exposure. Maybe that's what had
happened, her perceptions were adjusting to the glamorous illusion that everything had always been this way.
Or maybe he had accidentally done something to her- oh, yeah, she had drunk Jeremy. He snickered again.
She froze halfway up the stairs, shook her head and continued to her bedroom. She lay down, and had the
oddest impression that the neighbor boy Jeremy had just come into the room. She looked around, and closed her
eyes. It was just her imagination. She felt really sleepy, the medicine was starting to work.