...was nowhere to be seen. Wow, I thought. I'd only glanced away from her for about five seconds. She certainly walked fast. I stood there disappointed. I did want to make things up to her, and now it looked like I'd lost the chance. It occurred to me that I could wish to know where she was or where she was going and that it would probably work. But I looked at my watch and saw that it was already after 5:00. I was late and had to head home.
I lived alone with my mother in a small row home in a not so attractive part of town. It was all we could afford. My father left my mother before I was old enough to know anything. My mother was an extremely hard worker but she didn't have a college degree, so it kept her from getting any really decent paying jobs. I was going to community college since it was all we could afford. I had to study hard in the hopes of getting good enough grades that I could get a scholarship to a full university. My mother expected me to be home and study hard when I wasn't in class or at my own job. Considering that I owed everything to her, and wanted to have better opportunities for myself, I obliged her. She wouldn't be pleased that I wasn't already home.
I walked up the steps to the house and turned the doorknob slowly. It was my intention to sneak in past her, if possible. I walked into the living room from outside and could hear my mother in the kitchen, which was the next room. I crept slowly toward the staircase, but my mother called out, "You're late."
I dutifully walked into the kitchen to present myself. "Sorry about that, Mom," I said.
"Why were you late?" she asked over shoulder. She was making something on the stove and had her attention fixed on that. That was typical of her, to be focused on the task at hand.
"I helped some old lady who'd left her purse in the store," I said. "I just noticed it and was able to get it to her before she got on the bus."
"Well, good for you," she said. "Always do what you can to help."
"Mmm," I said. "Yea, she even gave me this ring," I said. Instantly I regretted saying that. I didn't really want to tell her about the ring. But I found it difficult to keep things from her.
She turned around to look at me. She looked at the ring on my finger and frowned slightly. "Doesn't seem to be your style," she said. "Why did she give that to you?"
"She said it would grant my fondest wishes," I admitted.
My mother chuckled. "Did it?" she asked.
"Oh, of course not," I lied. "But so what?"
"Right," she agreed. "The important thing was that you helped. So why don't you relax for a few minutes. Dinner will be ready in about 15 minutes." She turned her attention back to the stove. I left the kitchen and walked upstairs to my room.
I closed the door behind me and plopped down on my bed. I didn't like lying to my mother, but I wasn't ready to tell her about the ring's actual power. I sat there for a minute and thought about a few things. I looked at the ring constantly. What else could I do to test the ring in the next 15 minutes?