Sally's Dead

"How could you say that!?" shouted Jon's mother. "Mom, I don't know how to explain it, but Sally -" "She's *dead,* Jon! She died years ago! How could you mention this to me *now,* with Aunt Sharon in the car!?" Jon could hear her crying. "Mom, I didn't mean to ... I ..." She hung up on him. "I didn't mean to ..." No one could hear his fading words. Certainly not Sally. Jon put the phone and squeezed the stone. He wasn't sure if it could help, but he had only one way to find out. "I wish ..."