The Changing Rock (Part 2)

            When Steve and May got to the second room, May was amazed at the variety of stones she saw.  There were many kinds of stones there.  There were a few small rocks, colored rocks, and stones which looked like glass.  There were many more rocks. 

“Hey May, look at this!” said Steve in an excited voice as he spotted a stone similar to the stones on May’s restaurant door.  May came over to where Steve was and said, “Wow! You have done it again”  “Thank you” she added.   “Not a problem”, said Steve. 

The rock that Steve showed May was colorful.  It was a small stone.  The rock was beautiful.  Steve placed the rock in a small case and gave it to May.  May carefully placed the case on a nearby table. 

After a few minutes, Steve asked, “Do you love me?”  May looked at Steve in shock and replied, “Yes, I do” “I want to live with you” added May.  “Ok. As long as you do not mind having plenty of rocks in the house” Steve said.  “No, I do not mind” May said with laughter in her tone.  “Good” said Steve. 

May picked up the small rock carrying case and smiled to herself.  “Well, it is time for me to get going.  Thanks again for the stone replacement” said May as she exited the room and walked to the front door.  “You are welcome” Steve called out after her.  “I love you” he added.  “I love you more.  Bye for now.  Until next time” May shouted back with enthusiasm in her voice. 

Now outside Steve’s house, May could not stop thinking about Steve.  She could not wait to see him again.  After an hour of standing outside May decided to leave Steve’s town and walked home.  

Four days after Steve visited May at Yummyland, Ruby returned to the restaurant to claim the last of the rocks on the door.  May was busy cleaning the restaurant when she heard the knocking on the door.   Ruby came knocking at the front door as it demanded “Where is my missing stone?”  May responded, “This is my restaurant.  I am in no position to give you what you demand.  You do not demand anything from me.  I still have one stone and it is the most powerful one.  Please leave or I will be forced to use it”.  Ruby began to move back as it realized that it could do nothing to convince May to give in.  Ruby was hopeless and at May’s mercy. 

After Ruby recovered from being shocked at May’s words, it demanded, “What do you mean?  The rock has no power”  “Why do you want it back then?” May asked.  “They belong to me” said Ruby “The rocks that you have are my own eggs” Ruby added as it lunged forward to enter the restaurant.  May said, “No, I will not give you the missing stone.   In fact, I want you to give me back the stones I gave you.  You cannot convince me that the stones are yours”. “And you can’t convince me that that last stone has any power” said Ruby getting more and more aggravated with May. “Listen here Ruby; let’s just call it a truce.  Will you? I mean after all; you have in your possession most of the rocks so, I will keep this one rock because it was on my property.   Therefore, it and the others that I graciously gave to you belong to me.”  May went to shut the door in Ruby’s face, but it came with a quickness and lunged out at May trying to grab hold of her arm, but she felt something pulling her back.

As Ruby turned frantically, it realized that all hope of ever recovering the rock was lost.  Ruby was powerless and was forced to leave.   Ruby desperately wanted the rock.   “How can I convince May that the rock is really my egg?” thought Ruby.  “There must be a way.  I will get the last rock eventually.  No one or nothing will be able to stop me”, it said aloud.  

Despite Ruby’s failure to obtain the last of the stones, it continued to visit Yummyland for seven more times.  During the seventh time of Ruby’s visit, Ruby tried a more friendly approach.  It knocked on the door softly.  “Can I come in?” asked a soft voice.  May was busy closing down the restaurant when she heard the voice.  It seemed pleading and May could not resist. 

May opened the door just a little and recognized who it was.  “Maybe I will let you in” said May from one side of the door.  “Please, I want to talk” said the voice on the other side of the door.  May debated whether or not she should let this stranger in. 

After five minutes, May finally reached a decision and decided not to let Ruby in.  She would talk to it outside.  “No, you may not come in” said May in a firm voice.  “We can talk right here” she added.   “Ok fine” said the voice. “What do you want?  Why have you returned?” asked May as she stepped outside closer to where Ruby was.  “I want the rocks” said Ruby desperately. 

“You see May, I am only a mother rock” continued Ruby.  At those words May was silent for a moment.  She was trying to determine whether Ruby’s words had some truth to them.  May finally asked, “Can you prove it?”  Ruby said, “Let me show you.  Come, May, let us go to where I live and I will prove my case” 

“Wait” said May.  “Is this a trick?” asked May.  “No, it is not” said Ruby.  “If you want, I can give you time to think about it.  I will return two days from now” Ruby continued.  “Ok, I will give it some thought” said May as she turned toward the restaurant door.  “Ok, that will do” said Ruby.   “I will be on my way” it added.  “Bye” May called out as she opened the restaurant door to let herself in.