The Clocks

As they were headed down the street toward an area that had several moderately-priced gift shops that would be still be open, Jason asked Yoko, "Why did I need to leave? I already know what's going on."

Yoko used her thumb to massage Jason's palm. He was getting excited, and they'd discovered that heading things off, before even the first sign of him acting on his impulses to bounce or spin or whatever, was the best way to go.

"It's like this dearest. What Biki's gonna say ta Genie will embarrass her. Remember what I told ya about how people act when they're not ready ta take a close look at something?"

Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah. They get embarrassed or angry, usually. Or both. Then they pretend that they have no idea about whatever it was, although they really do. If they didn't, they wouldn't act that way in the first place."

"Bingo. I know it doesn't really make sense, and ya can't analyse it rationally. That's 'cause people aren't rational when it comes ta their hearts."

She smiled up at him. "Like how it took you a while ta understand how you feel about us. And you let us help you figure it out, right? Most people either won't or can't let someone else help. Just imagine how hard it woulda been for ya all by yourself."

Jason nodded, more confidently this time. "I see! Of course. I might never have looked at some things if you hadn't helped me with them." He looked around at the crowd. "But most people look like they know what they're doing."

"That's 'cause almost everyone learns as a child how to pretend and not ta let other people see how they're really feeling. There are lotsa reasons, and it might take a lifetime ta understand even half of 'em, so please just take my word on this'n, OK?"

"Roger that." Jason grinned. "I learned that from a guy I met who was in the navy. Uh, is it OK to say that since I'm not in the navy?"

"Sure you can, but it's best only with friends and family. With strangers or in formal situations, you want to use your 'careful' words. "It's hard for me ta talk that way too. Usually I don't care how I say somethin' as long as folks understand me."

Jason nodded again.

"OK. So whadda ya think we should buy for Mira? Something to wear, or something to display in her room, or maybe something else?" While they chatted about Mira's gift, Yoko kept in light contact with Hibiki, in case she were needed.

(By the way, if you believe that, we have a lot of work yet to do. She was dying of curiosity about how Genie would react and was looking forward to getting a running commentary on how embarrassed she was, how much she blushed, and sundry similar things over her private channel with Biki.)

Back at the Donetti's:

Hibiki 'watched' the others on the way out then reported, "OK, they're outside. It's safe to talk."

Eugenia looked back and forth from Hibiki to her mother, several times. "Uh. Fine I guess. But what is it we're going to talk about?"

Miranda sighed. It was going to be one of those. "All right Genie, let's put it in context. What's the first rule for an agent."

Genie looked puzzled at the change of topic but stood and recited, "More than anything else it is important that an agent understand herself. If she doesn't, when stressed, she's likely to react according to instinct rather than according to her training. Such action may compromise either the mission, her life, or both."

"Good so far little one. Now, apply that concept to what happened today, and I don't mean just to what happened at the warehouses. I mean everything since you left until you got back. Don't just react, analyse."

"Yes Mother. Please give me a minute."

"Take several. Rushing when there isn't an urgent need can also be dangerous."

Eugenia remained standing, but closed her eyes and assumed a thinking position.

OK. Let's see. First - frustration, embarrassment, anger at being caught.

Taking it out on Mario.

(Hibiki noticed the first signs of a blush at that point and grinned at Miranda.)

Gradually coming to see what a sensitive, compassionate, and intelligent person he was. Enjoying his company. Appreciation of his support during and after the incident.

Lunch. Oh, my....

Normally when you're with someone who is almost a stranger, you'd sit across from them. She'd not only sat next to him but had slid over till their hips and shoulders touched. That wasn't how you act with a stranger. It's what you do with your lover.

No wonder Mario had tightened up for a moment. Now that she thought of it, Alicia rarely waited tables any more, and she'd seemed to be in an unusually good humor. Oh no!

Her face was suddenly flaming. Both Miranda and Hibiki turned around, not to give Genie privacy, but to cover up the wicked smiles each was wearing. Had Jason been looking at Yoko, he'd have seen the same thing. Unlike the others, she was snickering, but at the same time she was doing her best to stifle the sound. She valued her dignity very highly, and it wouldn't do for those around her to think that she was laughing at nothing at all and was a bit "off."

"All right. You can turn around. I know what you're doing, and if you're going to laugh I want you to do it to my face and not behind my back."

Eugenia had her arms crossed on her chest and was glaring at the others with an intent, exasperated expression.

"So, Mother, O Font of Wisdom, what are you hiding up your sleeve this time? You wouldn't have invited him to dinner tomorrow if you didn't have some sort of plan."

Miranda fluttered her eyelashes. "Who? Me? Whatever could you be talking about daughter of mine? How could you think I was up to something?"

The effect was spoiled by Hibiki dropping to her knees and laughing uncontrollably, which prompted at least a few strained but genuine chuckles from Genie. Her mother sat unmoving behind her desk, trying to project the air of one who would never stoop to such unrefined behavior.

If it hadn't been for the twitching of the corner of her mouth as she tried to keep from laughing along with Biki, she might have managed to pull it off.

Once Biki got herself under control and resumed her seat, Miranda said, "I'm sorry dear one. I'm sure you've heard me say it dozens of time, but it bears repeating. In my line of work, you don't have many opportunities to scheme about something that doesn't risk someone's life. Doing it when it means making one of my children happy, well, there's just about nothing I could think of that could give me greater pleasure."

Genie sighed. Even if it was at least half an act, she couldn't stay mad at her mother when she said something like that. "All right Mother. I'll accept that reason, at least provisionally. Now, quit trying to avoid my question. You're the one who taught me not to get distracted when someone tries to change the subject. So, what are you planning?"

Rather than answering directly, Miranda turned to Hibiki. "Biki dear, what did you all feel when you 'checked' them?"

"Warmth. It was like the sun in spring. It takes the chill off you, but it is not hot enough to burn. It was flowing between them. Genie was like, how to say it, like the moon I guess. It cannot shine without the sun."

She smiled at Genie. "Yoko said it a few minutes ago, but you may have thought she was teasing you. She was not. We are not going to have to find you a good man. It looks like he found you instead."

She tilted her head to the side. "To tell the truth, I never believed this 'love at first sight' stuff. Even now I must confess that I am not entirely sure that I do. After all, it took Yoko and I almost two years before we realized that we loved Jason.

"Answer this for me Genie, and please, tell me the truth. Right this minute are you in love with Mario or is it rather that you would feel, uh, I guess the word I want is 'incomplete' without him?"

Eugenia's blush threatened to return, but she fought it down. "Um, well, to be entirely truthful I don't know. He's smart, he treats me like a person and not a 'girl' he has to talk down to because I'm female. He's also kind and compassionate.

"As you say, I may not exactly be in love with him, but," she lifted her chin and looked directly and firmly at Hibiki even though her blush had returned with a vengeance, "I think it wouldn't be all that hard to fall for him."

"Thank you Genie. You know as well as I do that most adults have convinced themselves that children cannot think, cannot feel strong emotions, and cannot plan for the future. That's crap. They just conveniently forget their own childhoods and do not listen. In fact, from what our mother has indirectly told us, your mother depends on it and collects a lot of information from the kids working for her. Though I doubt that any of them know what they are really doing."

Surprise filtted across Miranda's face briefly, then she supressed it.

"No Mrs. Donetti, we do not know exactly what you are doing, and Mother would never blab about secret stuff to us, but we have lived with her all our lives. I think all of us are pretty good at what you call 'reading between the lines'.

"For example Yoko and I still have not figured out how Sara got out of the house that evening after the exams. Her room was further from the landing than ours, and our door was open. She could not have passed by without us seeing her, yet somehow she did. We were most surprised when she did not come down for dinner, and we almost passed out on the floor when Paolo brought her home! We never mentioned it, because it was obvious that Mother did not want to talk about it. That does not mean we have given up on finding out though."

She forced herself to ignore the sight of Genie's chin dropping toward the floor in astonishment and continued, "It has been over six months since we caught Avi. Did you think we would forget if you did not talk about it? Do you think that we do not know that you killed him or had him killed?

"To most people we are just 14 year old 'kids'. Let me tell you a secret. Kids lie to their parents ALL THE TIME when you ask us, are we scared, worried, or whatever. The average kid is probably just about as good at keeping secrets as you are. If things are bad for our folks, we lie and say we are fine. We are not stupid. We see when just a bit more stress will overwhelm our parents, so we hide it. Even when we love and trust our parents we hide things from them."

She turned back to Eugenia. "How many knives are you carrying right now Genie?"

Genie shrugged her shoulders then faced her mother. "Four."

Miranda's eyebrow twitched, but she didn't make any other response.

Biki cleared her throat then added, "Did you ever think that the bullies at school are just mean? We know better, especially now that we and Jason can feel what they feel. Most of them are scared stiff about something and are lying to themselves about how awful they feel. They bully other kids because they do not know how to deal with their fear."

Hibiki smiled self-deprecatingly. "Look at me. I sound like Jason, going off into 'lecture mode'. What I was trying to say is that Genie will tell you, and us, what she needs. You do not need to do everything for her any more. The difference from us and other kids is that we KNOW we can talk to you about this kind of thing. What you need to remember is that we have brains and we can use them."

A giant smile spread across her face. "That being said, I should love to be a fly on the wall when Mr. Donetti meets Mario tomorrow. I shall wager that you do not intend to let him know before hand that Mario will be here for your Sunday dinner. Am I correct?"

Miranda turned her head and looked up at the ceiling. She didn't say a word.

"MOTHER!," burst from Eugenia's lips. Then she also began to stare at the ceiling. "I need to make sure that I'm somewhere I can see his reaction. I'm looking forward to it too!"

A happy, masculine voice broke in on Hibiki's thoughts, "We found it Biki. We found a really pretty pendant that will fit Mira perfectly. It's purple and pink, and it'll go well with what she wears at school, but also when she's out with friends. It didn't cost all that much either. Does that sound OK?"

"Yes dear, that sounds fine."

While she was talking to Jason, she was on "channel 2" with Yoko, filling her in on the rest of what happened. When she finished, Yoko pulled Jason to the side of the road, to a niche between two buildings. She backed into it and pulled Jason forward so his body blocked anyone from seeing her. Then she grabbed his lapels, buried her face in his chest and began to shake.

Because of their link, Jason knew that nothing was wrong. In fact he knew that she was nearly deliriously happy and was shaking with unvoiced laughter. However he had absolutely no idea why she was feeling that way.

Later, after she'd calmed and they were on their way back to pick up Hibiki, she refused to answer his questions about what happened beyond saying that it was "girl stuff." Fortunately he already knew not to pry when one of the twins raised that particular flag, no matter how curious he was. That doesn't mean that he understood. He didn't. As the years went by, he learned that most men never do understand everything about the women in their lives. It's just the way it was.