As Luck Would Have it

As Betsy was sweeping the floor in the morning, her father arrived. He tapped his foot on the step while saying, “Frank has taken ill. He needs you.”

“You need to get a local healer.” Betsy filled the diaper bag and a few bottles.

“Your mother is,” said Mr. Logan. “We’re wasting time.”

“Frank’s death is writtenthe the stars. Hurrying is not going to make a difference.”

“We have to make every effect to save him.”

“Pop, I’ll go.” Betsy put a can of powdered formula in the bag.

“We have to go now.”

“I met a healer at the bank.” Betsy and her father sat down on the carpet as Betsy held Cynthia in her arms. “Carpet, take us to First Bank of Dunstable on Main Street near the bakery in town.”

Betsy ran into the bank and raced over to the blond expressionless teller. “I need your help. My brother is dying.”

“John, tell Mr. Clark that I’m needed as a healer,” the man said. “Betsy, it’s Alex.”

Alex ran outside and sat on the carpet near Betsy’s father. Thad Logan had the baby on his lap. “You must be Mr. Logan,” said Alex, the teller.

“Yes,” Thad said as his daughter sat down. “Carpet, take us home as fast as it safe to do so.”

“I’m Alex Gardener,” he said as the carpet took off.

“Can you smile?” Betsy asked as she leaned into the young man on the carpet too small to comfortably seat three adults and a baby.

“No, I haven’t been able to smile since I was a child,” Alex said.

“Alex, my brother Frank, is foreseen to die. Your healing abilities are amazing. If anyone can save him you can.” Betsy rested against Alex on the fast moving carpet. Betsy hed hed the man’s face.

“What are you doing?” Thad asked.

“It\'s a long trip to Maine. I was trying to make Mr. Gardener comfortable.” Betsy touched Alex’s hand. “You could be fired for leaving your job.”

“A life needs to be saved,” Alex said.

“Since I saw you that day that I stopped the bank robbery, I haven’t been able to stop thinking t yot you.” Betsy touched Alex’s leg.

“Mrs. Newcastle, please.” Alex tried to sit up in the fast moving carpet.

“How long have you worked at the bank?” Betsy asked.

“Nine years,” Alex said.

“You have a wonderful husband and beautiful daughter,” Thad said. “Leave the poor man alone.” After a trip that took way too long, especially with the amount of squirming a six-month-old baby can do, Mr. Logan landed the carpet on the back patio. “Hurry.”

As Alex ran in, Mrs. Logan was on the floor holding Frank’s hand. “Frank got a sudden fever. It turned fast.”

“I can get it down.” Alex put his hands on Frank’s face. “Frank, you’re going to be alright.”

After a few minutes, Frank sat up. “Just because you save my life, don’t think I owe you anything.”

“I would never suggest that,” Alex said.

“Alex is my friend,” Betsy stated. “You\'ll treat him with respect. He didn’t have to risk losing his job to treat you.”

“Betsy, it’s okay,” Alaid.aid. “Men often react this way when I touched them.”

“It isn’t right,” said Betsy. “Frank should respect you.”

“He doesn’t respect his body. I can’t expect him to respect a total stranger. I suppose while Iere ere that I should treat your liver damage,” Alex said. “Your body is falling apart. I don’t feel this much ill health in people younger than sixty-five.”

Frank’s eyes pleaded with Alex. “If it isn’t too much trouble.”

Betsy looked at her brother. “Frank, you’re an ignoramus.”

“You won’t feel anything so don’t expect to feel any healthier.” Alex unbuttoned Frank’s shirt.

“Do you need to undress me?”

Alex continued to undress Frank. “I need skin to skin contact. The er Ier I’m to the affected organ the better. Of course, I could let you die.”

“Frank, let him do it,” their mother screamed.

“Mum, do I have to let the pervert touch me?” Frank hollered.

Mrs. Logan took Frank’s hand. “Alex is a better healer. The one I brought you couldn’t do anything. Try to be nice once in your life.”

“Mrs. Logan, I can’t focus on his liver damage if he is going to act this way. I have to repair the cellular damage that takes considerable concentration,” Alex said.

“You’re going to let your sister’s friend touch you and you\'re going to be nice about it,” their mother stated, as she watched six-month-old Cynthia pull herself up on the furniture and walk holding onto the sofa.

“Can I have some herbal tea first? I need to calm down,” Alex said.

Mrs. Logan said, “I’ll make you some. Take your time.”

“I would like to call my husband and tell him where I am,” Betsy said.

“Of course, please do,” her mother said.

Betsy dialed the operator and asked to speak to Henry’s secretary. She told Betsy that Henrs aws away from his desk and to leave a message. Betsy told her she had an emergency at her mother’s house and the baby was with her. “Thank you,” said his secretary. “I’ll make sure that he gets the message.”

“Did you speak to Henry?”

“I got his secretary. He’s never at his desk. She’ll tell Henry to meet me here.” Betsy took a few sips of her tea. “Alex, Frank is always this way. He didn’t put on the charm for you.”

“I can’t heal a man that is spitting on me.” Alex sipped his tea.

Betsy said, “Frank, if you’re nice, he’ll repair your liver now.”

Alex pulled Frank’s tee shirt up and placed both his hands on his exposed abdomen. “As I said early, no pain receptors go to the liver.”

“How do I know that you\'re really healing me?”

“You’ll have to have faith.” Alex drank a little more of his tea. “Don’t put your shirt back on. I haven’t done it, yet.” Alex found the place to put his hands. “I’m going to be giving you my healing energy. In other words, I’m intentionally going to make myself weak and sick to heal you. I expect some gratitude.” Alex’s eyes partially closed, but nothing else on his face showed that he was concentrating on the damaged cells. His face as usual was a blank slate. His hands and body were still; only his chest went in and out when he breathed, as he focused all his attention on Frank until he passed out.

Betsy and Thad carried the man to her childhood bed. Henry arrived as Betsy finished her tea. Henry followed Betsy up the stairs to Betsy’s old bedroom. Betsy stood in the doorway. “Healing wears him out. He might sleep a long t He He said that Frank had the body of a very old man.”

“The poor man,\" Henry said.

“Frank or the healer?”

“The healer. I don’t feel sorry for Frank.” Henry was smiled at the healer as he awoke.

“How did I get here?” Alex asked.

“My father and I carried you to my bed. You passed out after healing my brother,” Betsy said. “This is my husband, Henry.”

“How is he?” Alex asked.

“He’ll live. How are you?”

“I’m a little tired; other than that I’m a fine. Your baby?” Alex asked.

“My mother is watching her. She just had her bottle.”

“You were very brave, taking the guns away from three bank robbers. I knew that baby was yours since you have a mother’s worry; Mattie didn’t.”

“How could you tell?”

Alex sat up a little taller. “I have healed children before. You can always tell who the mother is.”

“Could you die when you heal someone?” Betsy asked.

“If the damage is great enough.”

Henry’s face turned white and his jaw dropped open. He shook his head a few times. “You risked your life for her worthless brother. I bet he doesn’t underd thd the magnitude of what you did.”

“I explained it to him,” Betsy said.

“Not that anything gets through that head,” Henry said. “I thought all healers were female.”

“A few us are male. I never met another male healer though,” Alex said before collapsing and falling back to sleep.

Frank came into the room a few hours later with a bowl of chicken soup. “Eat up,” said Frank. “Betsy told me what you did. I’m very grateful.”

Alex sat up to eat his soup. “Use this chance to make your life better.”

Frank pulled the chair closer to the bed. “No one has ever risked their life for me. I really have a second chance?”

Alex nodded his head slowly. “Take it one day at a time.”

“How?”

“If a day is too much, say ‘I can improve my life for one hour.’” Alex looked at Betsy as to say, Frank is your brother.

“Look for a job,” added Betsy. “Help our father with the business. Learn how to bottle potions. You don’t have to memorize Dad’s spell books today. You can learn one spell.”

Henry came into the room as Alex put a spoonful to his mouth. “Frank isn’t giving either of you a hard time?” asked Henry.

“I rather that you gave me a hard time. Anyway, Frank was almost civil. He promised to use his second chance. Not many people get one,” Betsy said.

“I’m going.” Frank left the room.

“I don’t know upsets him more the way I look at you or the way you look at me,” Henry said.

“The way you look at me. ust ust be hard for him to accept that his deformed sister has found love and he hasn’t,” Betsy said.

Alex took another spoonful of soup. “Don’t mind me?”

“What’s really upsetting him is that he knows he wouldn’t risk his life for anyone.” Henry put his hand on Alex’s thigh. Henry stayed with Alex as he ate his soup.

“What are you looking at?” Alex asked.

“You, Betsy thinks you’re very attractive,” Henry said.

“I’m not into ménage a trois,” Alex said.

“Betsy wants me to be interested in you so she could be comfortable about leaving me.”

“I’ll talk to Betsy.”

“Alex, rest. I’ll talk to Richard Baker about your job.”

“You know him.”

“We’re poker buddies. He owns me several hundred. I don’t expect him to pay up but it\'s nice to have him in my debt. When a man owns you money, you have power over him.” Henry had given Richard more than several hundred but he didn’t keep track of the amount. He just handed Richard money when they played poker without saying a word or ever expecting to be paid back.

“I have never had that kind of money.”

“Maybe one day, you will.” Henry kissed him briefly.

Betsy stopped standing at the door and came back in. “I’m happy to see you two at hitting it off.”

Alex sat up. “You talk to your wife. I\'m used to living off the kindness of strangers.”