The Clocks

She put her idea into play at dinner that evening. It went exactly as predicted, for a while. Then things got interesting.

Stavros was saying, "There's a new store we found a few days ago. Well, I guess it's more that it's new to us. The building looks kinda old. Anyway, the owner is an old person who is a real grouch...ah...I mean...uh...doesn't seem to like kids much. He almost threw us out of the store, but before he could 'Suela mentioned a few of the titles we were looking for. That's when he stopped yelling and actually looked at us."

He looked over to Consuela and she took up the story, "It was almost as scary as when she was being nasty at us. She just stared for a good half a minute, then she started to stroke her chin and said something like, 'Well. Well. I guess the younger generation isn't entirely hopeless.' That's when she waved her arm at the store, like she was telling us to go ahead and look around. After that she sat down and picked up the book she was reading when we first came in."

'Suela did a quick look around and saw that she had the attention of everyone at the table. For the first time, she realized that getting attention for doing something good hurt a lot less than when it happened because she was in trouble again.

"Anyway, we looked around, real careful like, with our hands behind our backs."

Figuring that if her mother was interested and went with them the next time, it would be easier to do a more thorough examination of the stock, 'Suela smiled at her mother with a calculating look. "There were a LOT of books that looked really interesting. Most of them we haven't seen at any of the other stores."

Before Miranda could say anything, Stavros said, "It was really funny though. There was this one set of shelves in the back. We could see it from the door, but somehow when we wanted to go look there, we found ourselves getting turned around, like we were lost or something. And it happened three times! We never did manage to look at what was on them."

Nobody moved, but there was a sudden change in the atmosphere of the room. Miranda turned casually to Sara. "Do you have anything pressing on your schedule tomorrow afternoon? If not, why don't we go see what this gentlebeing has to offer. Perhaps Paolo could accompany us? We'll need someone to carry what we buy. What do you think?"

Sara made a show of thinking it over, and then nodded slowly. It wouldn't have fooled a professional, but she was getting close. "Yes. That sounds interesting. Let's do that. We'll be up early enough that I can send a message to Bishop Lundgren and ask for Paolo's services for the afternoon."

She turned to her husband with a mildly wicked grin. "We even have a messenger right here, so I won't have to go find one."

She batted her eyes coquettishly at Paolo.

He pursed his lips briefly, then resumed his dinner. He'd have her explain what was going on later, after they were private. The way that she and his mother were talking around the subject, it was clear that it wasn't appropriate to discuss at dinner.

Genie and Mario didn't even twitch and continued their meal. They'd talk about...whatever it was...later.

Miranda turned back to the twins. "You two can lead us to the store after school...and after you finish your homework. I assume that you will so do quickly, efficiently, and accurately so as not to keep all the rest of us waiting. Is that not so?"

Seeing their vigorous, almost frantic gestures of assent Miranda continued, "Very well then. it being a Monday tomorrow, and all the stores being open till at least 9 p.m., let's plan on an early dinner for a change. Then we can leave here by 6:00 and have plenty of time to explore whatever we find when we get there."

That night, as she was almost asleep, it hit her, hard enough that she sat bolt upright in bed and exclaimed, "There's no way it could be that easy!"

Fortunately Robert was a sound sleeper, or it was rather that, after being married over 20 years, he'd become accustomed to her antics and they no longer roused him.

It was beyond delicious, and all the players needed were already at hand. The only thing missing was information about the specifics, and she knew right were to find those too.

Unfortunately for her, she'd never acquired the knack, or practiced the discipline that would allow her to immediately go back to sleep after formulating a new plan. As a result, she was awake another two hours before she managed to drift off.

----------------------------

The next morning she had no problem arranging time alone with Mimi. The younger three children were all at school, Robert, Sara, and Paolo were at work, and Mario was doing therapy at Dr. Kastner's. She sat herself down in her office, not behind her desk but in an easy chair to the side. She'd arranged another across from it. She didn't want this to feel like an inquisition or a master giving orders to a servant, though she was seriously beginning to wonder if Mimi could be considered such. Given what she'd learned in the past day, and adding in the earlier puzzle pieces she'd been handed, Miranda hoped that she at least rated the title of "co-conspirator" in Mimi's eyes.

Well, brooding about possibilities was going to get her nowhere, so, "Mimi, would you please join me for a while?"

"Indeed. I was wondering when you would call. Assuming that you would, I've completed my morning duties. My time is yours until I must ready things for lunch."

Unlike her usual prim-and-proper demeanor, Mimi was lounging on the chair across from Miranda, seemingly totally relaxed.

Miranda decided to soldier on and see where things went. Trying to second-guess herself at this point would be futile, it would probably confuse her, and it would definitely make her look like an idiot.

"Very well then. You needn't go into any details, but how far can you go when you do, whatever it is, when you travel from one place to another so quickly?"

Mimi sorted through her options at almost lightning speed. She had expected this particular question to arise eventually, but what she'd been prepared for were ones relating to her use of magic the day before.

"Once again you've managed to surprise me. I had not foreseen that particular question at this particular time."

Mimi cocked her head to the side and grinned. "But then that's what makes being here so much fun. If one were able to anticipate everything exactly, life would be altogether boring."

Her eyes took on the unfocused look that twins have when speaking to each other. "Let me see.... Assuming you mean on this particular planet, I believe that it would be safe to say that, oh, say...hmmm.... Yes. That measurement would be appropriate.

She shrugged herself into a more erect posture and faced Miranda directly. "You may consider that London would be a doable distance, though it would be difficult to do so more than once or twice a week."

(Please note class that her statement was true, as far as it went. Any more frequently than that would seriously interfere with her duties. Her thinking at the time was that giving Miranda something concrete to latch onto would, probably, prevent her from pursuing all the ramifications of "blinking," which would be highly premature and possibly extremely dangerous.)

To say the least, Miranda was elated, though she contrived to show nothing of her feelings in either her expression or body language.

Mimi found herself unexpectedly impressed. She couldn't read Miranda at all.

"I see. Thank you Mimi. That being the case, if you would please arrange it so you can accompany us on our trip to the bookstore this afternoon? I suspect that there may be some other volumes that aren't exactly what they seem, and your input would be most valuable."

Mimi nodded her aquiesence. While it was highly unlikely that there would be any other dangerous books in The City, she didn't relish the possibility of having her tail bitten by relying on that assumption. She stood and bowed. The time for chatting was over.

"I shall be pleased to do so Madame. Dinner will be ready promptly at 5 p.m. so that we may leave on schedule."

Miranda stood. "Thank you Mimi, for both your time and for the information. I shall do my best to put it to good use."

Mimi nodded then whisked herself away and closed the door behind her. If she were going to accompany Miranda and the others, she needed to instruct the staff as to what to do while they were gone.