Amy

Jo and I have always butted heads. She's so headstrong and I'm always right. Or is it the other way around? We are a lot more alike than either of us care to admit. Only she's older and thinks she can boss me around. She thinks she can boss everyone around. I've a good mind to "I'd prefer" her. I won't, it's just so frustrating.

Beth tried her cheeriest. "Okay teammates. Let's share what we know about our gifts so far. Who wants to go first?"

Jo and I sat there with their arms crossed.   Beth tried again. "Come on girls. Maybe we can help Sarah's roommate for starters. Sarah mentioned she's dying."

Jo mumbled. "I'm not sure how I can help. I could teleport there I guess..."

I shouted, "Jo, that's amazing!" I must have looked impressed.

Jo lightened up. "Yeah, it's pretty cool but it can't help a sick girl."

I inched closer to Jo on the bed. "Can you bring someone with you?"

"I did once. So maybe I can teleport others? But even if we did get in the hospital then what?" Jo looked a bit defeated. "A lot of good my powers are. I mean I can see the entire world but can't save a soul."

A smug smile crossed my face. "Maybe I could help?"

Jo clicked her tongue. "Help how? Give me a better sense of style?"

I couldn't help myself. "Jo, I don't think there are enough powers in the world for that!"

Beth  couldn't stand it another minute. She shouted, "The world is going to heck in a handbasket and you two are still at each other's throats. "Would you two knock it off! Amy, what are your powers?"

"Basically I can get people to do whatever I want." I looked as sincere as possible. "I simply have to say, 'I'd prefer' and people listen. It's how I got to New York City today. I forgot my wallet so I told the conductor 'I'd prefer you didn't ask me for my ticket' and he didn't.

"Wow..." Jo stood up and paced to the window. So your power is petty theft?"

I objected. "It's more than that. I can change people's minds, big or small."

Jo turned around. "Can you change my mind?"

Jo scared me a little. I gulped. "I think so..."

Jo egged me on. "Go on Amy. Try."

"Jo, I prefer you would hop on one foot."

Jo began hopping on one foot.

"Okay very funny guys." Beth told Jo, "You can stop now."

Out of breath Jo replied. "Actually Bethie... I can't. This is great!"

I waited another minute. I wanted to wait longer.  "I prefer Jo would stop hopping on one foot."

Jo stopped.

"Wow... that's... insane... Amy!" Jo hugged me. "I've never seen anything like it."

Surprised by Jo's sudden  admiration I  explained, "It's why we went to Paris for a month that summer. I preferred it."

"You little devil." Jo smacked me really hard on the back.

Beth objected. "She's not a little devil Jo. She's clever!"

"Mom told me to stop after the Paris trip." She said I was being manipulative and selfish. Gifts are to be used for the good of mankind."

Beth blurted, "Mom told me the same thing!"

Jo and I sat on either side of Beth. Amy leaned in almost nose to nose and asked simultaneously, "Bethie, what can you do?"

I looked over Beth's outfit. "And where did you get such fashionable clothes? Hmmmmm?"

Beth stammered. "I...I...I..."

Bob must have been eavesdropping at the door. He shouted. "She can make toilet paper appear out of thin air."

All three of us shouted, "BOB!"

He stuck his head in the door. "You called? As I was about to tell you 'dinner is served' I overheard part of your conversation."

Jo admitted, "Bob knows about me. I uh... transported him to Washington Square Park when I thought he was a jerk. No offense Bob."

Bob stepped inside our room. "None taken--for I formerly was a jerk." He genuflected then bowed.

Sarah popped in. "Eavesdropping is jerk-like Bob."

I noticed Sarah's eyes were red and puffy. "Sarah come in. Has there been any more news about Allie?"

"Our neighbor let me use her landline. It took me over an hour to get through to the hospital. They think Allie could die in the next couple of days." Sarah burst into tears.

I showed a bit of her softer side. "Could we visit her?"

Sarah shook her head. "No one is allowed to visit the sick.  She's quarantined. They wouldn't even let me talk to her. They said she's on a ventilator and couldn't talk if she wanted to."

"That's it!" I blurted. "We're going!"

Sarah sniffled. "We can't. They wouldn't even let you in the front door."

Jo smirked. "Who needs a door?" She smiled at me.

Beth remarked, "Jo could teleport in but what then? We need a plan. Amy, do you think you could 'prefer' Allie to be well? Be healed?"

"I could try Bethie! I've never tried healing someone before."

Sarah's eyes grew wide. "What are you saying?"

Bob sat in the desk chair and crossed his legs. "Don't you know Sarah? Your friends have super powers."

All three of us corrected Bob. "Gifts!"

Bob held up his hand. "Super powers, gifts... Potato potata whatever. These sisters can do stuff that us mortals are incapable of.  I still haven't figured out what it is that Beth can do. I mean if her only power is conjuring up toilet paper I'd call her a side kick!"

Beth took out a notebook and concentrated on drawing something. She wouldn't show us until she was finished. Then she showed us what looked like a bag of diamonds in a black velvet bag. 
Bob blurted. "Not bad... could use a bit more shading."

When Beth opened her purse and pulled out a black velvet bag containing 21 perfect diamonds everyone gasped.

Bob exclaimed, "We're rich!"

Beth quickly erased the diamonds and they disappeared into a puff of smoke.

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