Clicking Stones

by Nancy Tyler Glenn

Erica was surprised. Isa always used the computer to communicate except when the call was social. "Hi, Isa. How are the girls?"

  "They miss you."

  "I miss them, too. We'll be able to come see them in a few days."

  "They miss the children at the shelter too, and I miss all the activity at the Center. I'm bored with Florida."

  "Are you thinking about coming back?"

  "No, vida. Nadine would be uncomfortable."

  "Who is Nadine?"

  "She is my lover."

  "Oh, you never told me her name. I don't remember ever meeting her. Why would she be uncomfortable?"

  "You never asked me her name, mi vida. I don't think you've met her. We were planning to live in Los Angeles until I told her that Billy would be there."

  "I'm confused. What does Billy have to do with Nadine?"

  "Nadine was Billy's first lover. When Nadine left, Billy wrote hundreds of pleading letters. You know how it is when your first lover..."

  "Yes, I know."

  "All of their friends told Nadine that Billy went around with that 'lost my lover' look for a long time. Nadine really did love Billy, it was just that they had different interests."

  "You're saying that Nadine doesn't want to come here because she's afraid it will cause Billy to suffer?"

  "Yes, mi vida."

  "Isa, Billy talks about her first lover with fondness, but she's not in love with her."

  "Really?"

  "Really. In fact, Billy is so in love with Britain, she acts... you know... kind of silly."

  Oh, mi vida, I'm so happy. Why didn't you tell me?"

  Erica looked at the telephone. "When do you think you'll be coming to L.A.?"

  "As soon as we get packed, mi vida."

  ~ Chapter 45 ~

  Erica parked in front of the children's shelter, a large stucco house with a well-manicured lawn. Morgan took a deep breath. "I'm nervous as hell."

  "The girls are going to love you. Stop worrying." Erica reached over and took Morgan's hand and squeezed it.

  "Ow!" Morgan yelped.

  "I'm sorry, Morgan. I forgot. I didn't realize it was that painful. I can't understand how an experienced rider like you could fall off a horse."

  "I didn't fall off," Morgan protested. "I tried to jump with Mignon and she dumped me. I don't understand it. Petite Dame used to love jumping."

  "I wish you'd let Victoria take a look at it."

  "It's just a simple sprain, it'll be all right." Morgan opened the car door.

  Erica showed the way to the recreation room and they watched from the doorway.

  "What are they doing?" Morgan asked.

  "It's called Click Dancing," Erica told her. "They do impossible body contortions and spin on their Stones. No adult has been able to determine how it's done. That's Jes over there bandaging a knee."

  Morgan started. "I can't believe it! Look at the way she holds herself... the drawing pencil behind her ear... the way she holds her head. Erica, it's Jesse. I know it's Jesse!" Tears formed in her eyes.

  Erica looked at her. "Take it easy, if Jessica is Jesse, she isn't going to remember."

  Morgan was incredulous. "Of course she'll remember. We were very close." She started toward the child.

  "No, Morgan!" Erica grabbed her hand and then winced. She had remembered too late that the hand was sore.

  Morgan's eyes shot toward the ceiling.

  Jessica whirled and started toward them. Before even acknowledging Erica, she took the wounded hand in her own and held it, looking with intense concentration. Then all at once she sighed and looked up into Morgan's face.

  Morgan thought she saw recognition. "Do you know who I am?"

  "Yes, you're Morgan." She released the hand and threw her arms around the woman.

  Morgan looked at Erica smugly. "She knows me."

  "You're Mother's friend," Jessica told her. "She had pictures of you in her office. I like you, you're an artist just like me."

  "Do I get a hug?" Erica asked.

  "Mother!" Jessica released Morgan and embraced Erica. "Mother, I've missed you so much."

  Erica kissed the top of her head and rocked her. "I've missed you, too." Tears formed in her eyes. "Let's get Isi and go home."

  Morgan looked dazed.

  "Are you all right?" Erica asked her.

  Morgan nodded. "Its just that..." She held up her hand. "It doesn't hurt any more."

  The children were crowded around the television. "Isi," Erica called softly.

  Isi whirled and jumped to her feet. "Mother!" She ran to Erica's open arms. "I've missed you so much!"

  Erica kissed the top of her head and rocked her. "I've missed you, too." Tears formed in her eyes. "Let's go home."

  "Mother, we can't. It's almost time for Mick. Wait till you see him, Mother. He can scratch!"

  Erica looked toward the television as the commercial ended. Mike Williams appeared on the screen. He had traded his beard and long robes for a punk hair-do, leather, and metal jewelry.

  Isi watched Erica's face. "Isn't he rad, Mother?"

  Mike's voice came out at them. "Hi, kids, this is Mick the Click, your scan man and biggest fan. Glad you tuned to KLIK, double one on your remote control. Today I'm Clickin. I have radiant sounds from the AHOTs, beginning with an old tune with a new twist, Little Stones Mean a Lot."

  Erica watched, fascinated. "He always said one day he was going to get into broadcasting."

  "Do you know him?" Isi squealed.

  Erica nodded.

  Isi was ecstatic. "Kids!" she shouted. "Mother knows Mick."

  The children from the shelter swarmed over Erica.

  Morgan smiled. "What does it feel like to be a celebrity?"

  * * * *

  August 22, 1984

  Dear Kelly,

  By now you have received the videos of the Summer Games. I've been trying to get the time to write to you about it, but with the girls here I've been pretty busy.

  Isi was responsible for getting all the Stones to the spectators and athletes. She contacted every child she knows and had them contact all their friends. They were able to get enough pre-Clicks for everybody. The athletes loved them and as you could see, flashed them at every opportunity.

  Nero and his one thousand piece band were very impressive. His original theme, Strads and Pipes Forever played throughout.

  I can't help being a little proud of Isi and Jes with the kids from the shelter doing their Click dancing.

  The other big thrill was at the closing ceremony when there were so many Stones - the networks had to put a blue filter over the cameras to get any picture at all. You could see the kids flashing the signal to the crowd before the filter was put on.

  It wasn't really a surprise to me when I saw the spacecraft land. Billy told me she had been in contact with them. When they saw the light, they made their decision. The woman who addressed the crowd was the ship's commander. She came down to the Center later and took off her space suit (which she had to wear as a protection against the pollutants in our air). She looks just like us except she really is that tall and her voice really is that deep. Her name is Theya. She told us they were in contact with many people on the planet, including a woman from Sweden who was being given a formula for a substance called Livemore. The purpose is to prolong life. She said when we hear about it our first response will be disbelief. Just remember you heard it here first.

  Interesting about Mike and Nero becoming overnight successes, but it isn't unusual. The people who couldn't see the light, and then suddenly did, are all doing things they claimed they would do one day. Becky said she always wanted to be a comedienne - now every night you can find her down at Pacific Comedimart doing her bits. Everyone always did say she was a wit. Mark opened his own gem store in the Village.

  Morgan has to go to Seattle next month to get things ready for her exhibition. I won't be able to go with her because the girls will be starting back to school. Morgan was disappointed, but I told her we g
et to be with each other all the time.

  I'm glad wED has taken an interest in computers. It's going to make it a lot easier to communicate with you. You'll see.

  Gotta go. I want to get my little fifteen-mile run before it gets too hot. I'm afraid I can't agree with the woman who stated that running is better than sex, but I do admit it sure enhances it.

  Love,

  Erica

  ~ Chapter 46 ~

  Erica looked tiredly at the circle on her monitor. "Any messages from Morgan yet?"

  "Nothing specific, Erica," the little lips told her. "Just the standard one she leaves whenever she is out of town: Keep the bed warm, I'll be home soon."

  "She input that message over two years ago," Erica said testily.

  "I can't help it, Erica. You know, GIGO."

  "Why doesn't she ever ask me to go with her when she has to go out of town?" Erica asked suspiciously.

  "Now how would I know that, Erica? Why don't you ask her?"

  "Maybe she needs a little space from me," Erica guessed.

  "Is your Stone faded, Erica?"

  "Yes." Tears formed in her eyes. "We Clicked three times before she left but it didn't do any good. It still faded just as fast."

  "You knew when you decided to become mono-Clickamous that this sort of thing could happen."

  "But why hasn't she called me?" A tear rolled down Erica's face.

  "You tell me, Erica."

  "She always intends to call but gets busy and..."

  "Erica, you sound a little down. Are you feeling well physically?"

  "I'm OK"' Erica maintained.

  "Have you talked to Victoria? At your age, hmm, forty-eight, you might need a little estrogen."

  "I don't believe in it," Erica said. "It made me start my period. I love menopause."

  "Maybe you and Morgan need to get away together for a little vacation," the little lips prescribed.

  "We've been talking about going to Europe for two years, but it seems that something always come up to interfere."

  "Are you planning to work today, Erica?"

  "I don't know. What do you have for me?"

  "Just a request," the little lips told her. "It's from Ima Walshaquer. She's been the kitten of the month for Pent Up magazine for the past eighteen months."

  Erica's thoughts darted to a stack of magazines she had found under the girls' bed while looking for a shoe. "What does she want?"

  "She requested that you look at the centerfold of the July issue, and to particularly notice where she's holding her Stone. She states she would really like to Click with you, and at your convenience.

  "You know I only Click with..." Suddenly she remembered having seen the July issue. The Stone Ima Walshaquer had been holding was very unusual. Erica took her Stone out of her pocket and looked at it. It had been faded for two days. She turned it over in her hand - and saw the E. She turned it sideways and the E became an M. She sighed and put her Stone back into her pocket. "Tell Ms. Walshaquer I thank her for her interest, but I must decline. Please refer her to her nearest center. I'm sure that someone will be more than happy to accommodate her."

  "Will do, Erica."

  Erica went outside. She looked with displeasure at the Stones the girls had left littering the yard. The gardener always complained they ruined the mower blades. She picked up the Stones and put them back in the toy box, then sat under the tree and looked out toward the corral. Undine was seventeen, and even though the vet said she was in perfect health, Mignon was only four and at the peak of her form. When Erica looked at them together she could really see the difference. She wanted to cry.

  * * * *

  "Honk the horn three times," Morgan instructed the cab driver. "That way she'll know I'm home."

  Morgan expected to see Erica running toward her as she always did after these trips. She was surprised. The bedroom was empty. In the kitchen she opened the refrigerator. She had slept through lunch on the plane and was feeling a little hungry. Nothing appealed to her. Maybe Erica was in her office.

  She opened the door and noticed the computer was still on. She started to turn it off and then, instead, put her hand on the touchplate and tapped her index finger.

  "Well, Morgan - how nice. Who loves you, baby?"

  "I'm not sure any more."

  "Hmm," the little lips said. "Do I detect a little whine and vinegar?"

  "Cute! What mode are you in? I can't tell the difference between Computer Instruction and Counseling."

  "Good observation. Sometimes when I'm speaking with you or Erica I can use either mode. You know, communication is essential in any relationship, be it with a person or a computer."

  "Well, I try," Morgan protested.

  "Try, Morgan?" the little lips scolded. "I'm going to put that utterance back in the preschool file where you got it."

  "She doesn't care anything about my work," Morgan said tersely.

  "What makes you say that?"

  "She never goes with me to install a show. I go with her all the time when she wants to go to a Click."

  "Have you invited her to go with you on your trips?" the little lips asked sweetly.

  "Once. If she wanted to go she would tell me."

  "Have you eaten anything today, Morgan?"

  "I just had coffee for breakfast."

  "I thought so," the little lips said. "It's possible your blood sugar is a teence low. Why don't you have a little bit of fruit, and while you are at it, Erica could use some bioflavinoids."

  "You know how stubborn Erica is. If I tell her to eat fruit she tells me to stop acting like her mother and then she goes out and buys a package of cigarettes."

  "It sounds to me," the little lips observed, "as if you two really need to have a nice talk... and, Morgan... I do mean nice."

  "Maybe you're right," Morgan conceded. "While I'm here, do I have any messages?"

  "Just one, Morgan," the little lips told her. "It's from Contessa Angolotti Sorrentino. She says you're still her little spinaci. She asserts that if you liked her cannelloni della nonna and her panzotti pumarola - you're going to flip your cappelletti over her linguini. She said to let you know she bought you that Lamborghini Countach S you were drooling over. It's up on blocks waiting for you to lower it to the ground, throw in the luggage and fly."

  Morgan thought dreamily about the Lamborghini- with its lift-up doors, five speeds, spoilers over the wheels - cruising along at one hundred and ninety miles an hour. Her thoughts darted to the old station wagon sitting in the garage. She thought of all the miles on it. Then she remembered all the fun she had putting on those miles.

  "Tell the Contessa Angolotti Sorrentino I thank her for her interest, but I must decline. Please refer her to her nearest race course. I'm sure that someone will be more than happy to accommodate her."

  Morgan took an orange from the kitchen and went outside. She walked toward the tree. Wisps of smoke curled upward and disappeared into the leaves.

  "May I join you?"

  Erica whirled around at the sound of the familiar slow, easy voice. "Morgan!"

  Morgan sat next to her. Their shoulders were touching. "I want to talk."

  Erica didn't move away, but answered sullenly, "What is there to talk about?"

  Morgan started peeling her orange.

  "My Stone has been cold for two days," Erica complained. "The girls always go over to the ranch and spend all their time with Billy and Britain when they come up here." Erica threw her cigarette on the ground and crushed it.

  Morgan pulled a section from the orange and popped it into her mouth, looking off into the distance. She wiped a drop of juice from her chin.

  Erica felt thirsty. "I missed you."

  Morgan held an orange section up to Erica's lips. "I missed you too."

  Erica took the orange section into her mouth. She chewed slowly, allowing the juice to slide down her throat. She looked at Morgan. The little dispute was over. Everything would be back to normal until Morgan left on another trip.


  Morgan held up another orange slice, watching Erica's face. It was tempting to forget about having a little talk. Sometimes little talks grew into big arguments. Maybe it would be best to leave well enough alone.