As Luck Would Have it

After her spell had expired, Betsy wrapped Cynthia in a blanket and put her in her pram. She rolled it to the magic shop. The man that was behind the counter told a woman dressed in a long dress with puffy sleeves to take over. Betsy looked at the woman wearing a tight bodice. Her large breasts were pushed up and over it. “Betsy.” Betsy took her hand and kissed her fingertips.

“Mattie.”

Betsy looked her in the eye. “Charmed.”

“I’m Paul,” the man said.

“There is a sandwich shop down the street. My father makes potions.”

“What kind?”

“Love potions and such.”

“He could have ask him for help.”

“And tarnish the poor lady’s reputation.”

“Can I hold the baby?”

“She’s asleep.” Betsy pushed the pram a little faster.

“You should be suffering from baby blues.”

“I heal very fast. It also helps not having a womb for a little longer than twenty hours.”

“And your husband thinks about all this?”

“He says that it’s my body. He knew who I was before we were married.”

“You talk like a man.”

“What happened to the glamour potion sample I gave you?”

“I trash it. I never worked with a glamour potion that strong before. I didn’t think anything of it. Glamour potions are a dime a dozen.”

“My father makes them. That was my special brew.”

Paul opened the door to the sandwich shop so Betsy could roll the pram in. They went to the counter and order their sandwiches. Betsy paid. Paul pulled out Betsy’s chair. “Why would someone like you have a baby?”

“Henry wanted me to gain enough weight to be healthy. I ovulated soon after we rolled in the sheets and the rest is history.”

“You don’t take that potion on the regular basis.”

“Only twice. Why don’t you and your wife join my husband and I for cards some night? I’m warning you that Henry talks philosophy when he’s drunk.” Betsy wrote out her address. “My husband tends to come home early Friday night. I hope you and your wife don’t mind pot luck.”

“You’re weird.”

“I had always been proper before I met Henry. There is no point in having money unless you can be eccentric.”

“The money is his not yours.”

“We’re married. It’s mine.” Betsy smiled. “Besides, my parents have more money than he does.”

“I’ll see you Friday.”

“Ta Ta.” Betsy waved as Paul left. Betsy finished her sandwich. Cynthia started to cry. She checked her nappy and feed her a bottle. Betsy looked through the spell books that Annabel left behind forotiootion to restart milk once it had dried up. She found a fairly simple one to make. She brewed that while she brewed some herbs for relaxation. Annabel returned to Betsy’s house mid-afternoon to drop off Henry’s clothes and to drink the tea that Betsy made.

“It is safe?” Annabel asked.

“I made it from your book. It’s supposed to restore milk production. It won’t grow scales or anything like that.”

“That isn’t what I’m worrying about growing,” Annabel said.

“It spooked me having it when I used the W.C. the first time. Henry’s interest in it was another matter.”

“What you and my brother do is your business.” Annabel drank the tea. “I’ll cast black magic of my own if this doesn’t work as you said.”

Betsy started laughing. “If I read the instruction right.”

“I have o hoo home and make dinner.”

“I have to make dinner myself. I doubt Henry will take me out two nights in a row. Ciao.”

“I’ll take two more bottles of ula ula in case it doesn’t start my milk immediately.” Annabel put the two empty bottles on the counter.

“I have several in the refrigerator. Help yourself.” Betsy removed a chicken from the icebox and cleaned it. As the chicken cooked in the oven, she sliced a few potatoes to cook along side and then she sprinkled seasoning of the lot of it.

Henry arrived home early. “Where is my sister?”

“Home.” Betsy wrapped her arms around Henry and kissed him. “Would you like to give her her first bath?”

“Later, let’s eat. Have you thought about returning to work?”

“I like being your wife. We don’t need the money. I want Cynthia raised by me not a nanny.”

“Betsy, why the change of heart?”

\"I realized that I don’t have to be anything for anyone. I can be me. God loves me for who I am.”

“It’s about time.” Henry took her in his arms. “I love you.”

“I have dinner in the oven.” Betsy broke from his embrace.

“I look at you and think that I must be the luckiest man in the world,” Henry said.

Betsy took the chicken out of the oven. Henry served himself some chicken and potatoes. “I invited a couple to join us for dinner Friday. You don’t mind.”

“Don’t challenge him to billiards,” Henry said.

“If you don’t talk about Kant all night.” Betsy served herself chicken and potatoes then sat at the table.

“You can eat as long as you take your birth control.”

“When I became a man, you were all over me. I’m taking a glamour potion now. Another man would be all over me but you’re only slightly interested.”

“I want you just as much as I did then.”

“That’s not true.”

Henry threw off his clothes as he walked through the house. Betsy picked up the clothes as he followed behind Henry. “I’m not your maid.” Betsy tossed the clothes in the laundry bin.

“Undress before the baby starts crying,” Henry ordered.

“Undress me.”

Henry put his hands around Betsy. Henry quickly undid the buttons of her nightshirt. “You’ll need clothes.”

“I made myself some housedresses. I won’t be going back to the mill and I can take in my maternity dresses for now. My old clothes will need to go to Salvation Army. Being married to you, I’ll never be that thin, again.

“Stop talking and make love to me.” Henry put his hands through Betsy’s hair. “I love how your hair feels through my fingers. You’re so beautiful.” Henry lifted Betsy’s face and kissed her. “I love you so much.” Henry moved his hands down Betsy’s back.

Betsy lowered herself in front of Henry. “I’m yours.” Cynthia started to cry. Betsy pulled herself from Henry’s embrace and threw on a dressing gown. She warmed a bottle of the gas range. As the bottle warmed, she did the dinner dishes. She tested the bottles temperature; it was warm enough to serve Cynthia. She checked it again by dropped a drop er wer wrist. Betsy changed Cynthia’s napkin before giving her her bottle.

“Can I hold her?” Henry asked.

\"She’s yours.”

Betsy returned to the kitchen to make more formula for the next day. Henry came into the kitchen wearing no more than his shorts holding the newborn in his arms. “I’m sorry that she woke you.”

“She has half my genes,” Henry said. “She’s delightful. I’m glad that you didn’t give her to my sister to raise.”

“Never.” Betsy took the baby and bounced her on her shoulder. “I have a daughter and husband. When I’m in your arms, the world seems different. It feels so good to be loving you.”

“You don’t have to do anything.”

Betsy sat down at the table and bounced the baby on her knee. \"Let’s take the baby to see Grandmother and Grandfather.”

Henry took the baby back into his big arms. “I’ll take a three day weekend.” Henry stopped rocking the baby and she started crying.

“I’ll bounce her.” Betsy took the baby. “Will hates me, again.”

“What did you do?”

“I did nothing. His stupid wife drank my potion. I didn’t even go to my dad for help; I was too embarrassed. Any child knows not to drink someone else’s potion.”

“She’s back to her normal self.”

“I haven’t heard if her milk came back. Otherwise, she’s fine. I brought her a couple cans of formula.”

“My sister?”

“It was only a glamour potion. I didn’t want her husband to pass out from excitement.”

“The poor woman.”

“I told her to let it steep for five to ten minutes. She had no business touching it.”

“Did you tell her that it was yours?”

“No, I didn’t think I had to.” Betsy started laughing then stopped abruptly. “Shh! The baby is asleep.” Betsy put the baby in her crib. “We can continue what we started.”

“I need to get some sleep.”

“You own the factories. You can come in late once in awhile.”

“In the morning.” Henry was asleep as soon as he lay on the bed. Betsy returned to reading one of her many books. Betsy glanced at the young woman in the mirror and wondered if she liked that face: her cheeks were unscarred and her face had a symmetry Betsy’s normal face lacked. She didn’t look like Betsy, only her brown hair was the same color. Her nose was smaller and unblemished even her eyebrows were less fuzzy.