As Luck Would Have it

When she arrived home, she asked her mother, “Would you like me to help with the family business? I shouldn’t have left Frank to do it.”

“I would love your help but you live so far away,” Wanda Logan said.

“Henry wouldn’t mind if I came a few days a week and you can watch Cynthia while I’m here. Pop needs someone to lighten his load.”

“He just hired Alex.”

“He has to train him, but I know the business.”

“Work here with me.” Alex put his hand on her face and kissed her briefly.

“Mom, watch Cynthia,” Betsy said.

“I’m not going to watch your baby so you can do a stranger,” Mrs. Logan said.

“Alex isn’t a stranger; he healed Frank,” Betsy said. “To Henry, I’ll still be the dog he married. Let me feel beautiful once.”

“Your husband doesn’t have to tell you that you’re pretty for you to know,” Mrs. Logan said.

“I want to feel loved,” Betsy said. “Mum, watch Cynthia a few minutes.”

“Go ahead,” Mrs. Logan whined.

Betsy walked to her old room. Alex sat and watched her undress. She was still tall, muscular and hairy but her skin was smooth and unblemished.

“Betsy, I want to touch you. You’re a healthy, sexy woman.” Alex undressed, kissed her forehead and moved his hands over her soft skin. “You feel so good.”

Betsy closed her eyes and focused on Alex’s fingers.

“Relax.” Alex put his hands on her full round breasts then them over her body. “I have touched men and women. When I was a naïve young man, I paid whores to touch me. A man like Henry took me out, I liked that he paid for my meals and talked to me. He wasn’t repulsed by expressionless face. It was nice to be wanted.”

“I understand that.” Betsy rested against him. “Henry was the first man who didn’t look at me with disgust. If I tossed him out of my bed, we wouldn’t have Cynthia.”

“Toss him off your bed?” asked Alex.

“The first time we did danced in the sheets, he pinned me to the bed like he was going to rape me. He said it wasn’t rape because I could use my magic to toss him from the bed, which I didn’t.”

“Whores didn’t even want to touch me. It’s different when someone wants to love you. It feels so much better to be lying down with a friend.”

“I never had sex with anyone that wasn’t a friend.”

“Lucky you.” Alex kissed her briefly then moved his hands down her back.

“That feels good.”

“You don’t have to lie to me.”

“I make love me.”

“Betsy, I know a little about what you\'re feeling. My healing ability gives me a limited amount of empathy. I can’t read minds, but I can sense general emotions. You can’t lie to me.”

“You know when someone is lying.”

“Lying makes your heart race, your hands get sweaty. I can feel inside a person. I’m more of a freak than you are.”

“My magic killed someone. You save lives.”

“Your magic can save lives, too. You stopped those bandits’ guns from firing.” He kissed her belly and put her hands on his waist.

She sat beside him. “I can’t.”

“Let’s get dressed. We can do it some other time.”

Betsy started to cry afterward. Alex watched the naked woman put on the men’s clothes. Alex watched her tie her tie. He found her dressing as sensual as her undressing. She didn’t miss a step as she pulled on her socks then tightened the laces of her shoes before tying them. Betsy walked over to her parent’s room. Her mother and Cynthia must have been in another room. She went downstairs. Her mother was bottling potion as Cynthia was playing on the floor.

“Mom, she could hurt herself with all the glass bottles.”

“You played in the laboratory. She’ll be fine.”

“Mom, I’ll be back in the morning. I’ll tell Henry that I’m working for you.”

“Go ahead. Leave the angel here.”

“Thanks.” Betsy kissed her mom before heading out on the carpet. Henry was in bed reading a book when she arrived home. Betsy closed her eyes and lain beside her husband. They could talk in the morning. “I have to head up to Maine to work with my father so he can train Alex. His last salesman quit after having a fight with Frank. He needs at least three salesmen to keep the place going and he has two with Alex. Mom has been staying up all night making potion so Pop can spend the day making deliveries.”

“Go. Would you like me to hire a nanny or you taking Cynthia to Maine with you?”

“Mom is buying a play yard so Cynthia will be safe while we bottle potion.”

“Do you want to make love before you leave for Maine?”

“It’s up to you.”

“Make love to Alex. I’ll find myself a boyfriend down here.” Henry put Cynthia’s empty bottles and clean diapers in a bag.

“Darling, I found Alex for you. I’m sorry.”

“I am not. He deserves a woman as fine as you.” Henry hugged her after putting the baby’s things on the carpet.

“Pack yourself and Cynthia enough clothes for the week. I have to get to work myself,” Henry said.

“I’ll miss you.” Betsy put her arms around him and kissed him briefly. “Darling, we should try to be friends. We have a child together.”

“Alex will father your next child.”

“You’re my husband. I want your children.”

“I’m not attracted to women. Betsy, it isn’t working.”

“Find yourself a boyfriend just don’t let him run away with all your money.”

“I gave James the money. I put his name on my accounts so he could have access to the money. If he lives with me and prepares my meals, I’ll do the same for the next one.”

“We need money to feed Cynthia.”

“I have three factories running at full speed and the carpet factory will be completely operational in a few weeks. I can make enough money to feed us for a year in a less than a month. The money that I give a lover is excess.”

“So we’re married in name only.”

“That is the best that I can do.” Henry hugged her and kissed her forehead. “Betsy, a leopard can’t change its spots.”

“Go to work. I’ll call you tonight.”

“Kiss Alex for me.”

“I’ll do more than that.” Betsy packed enough clothes forselrself and Cynthia for the week. She cried as she put the bag on the carpet then told the carpet to take her to her parents’ house.

Her mother greeted her on the porch. “I have a play yard for Cynthia so you won’t worry when we’re working in the basement.”

“Thanks, Mom. Did Alex and Pop leave already?”

“Yes, it’s just you and I and thousands of orders to fill.”

“We better get started.”

“Did you and Henry have a fight?”

“A little one. He doesn’t want to sleep with me.”

“Sounds like a big one.”

“Can we talk and pour at the same time? Pop must have cases that need filling.” They went down to the basement to start filling bottles and packing cases.

“He does and no one wants to work with Frank.”

“Why do the salesmen quit?”

“We still have one and we only have three to begin with. It’s hard to keep witches. When Alex learns the routes, we’ll be up to speed.” Mom kept filling as she asked, “Henry is your husband; it is your duty to sleep with him. You know close your eyes and think of England.”

“Henry would prefer separate houses. He wants to take a lover. He wants me to sleep with Alex.”

“That doesn’t sound good. Are you going to sleep with Alex?”

“It’s up to Alex. I don’t know. Before I got pregnant, my body was so thin that I had a boyish figure. Now, that I have filled out my husband isn’t attracted to me.”

“Talk to your husband tonight.”

“It won’t make a difference.”

“It’s worth a try.”

Betsy cooked dinner with her mother as they waited for the men to get home.

The one salesman arrived and dropped off the money he made minus commission. “Wanda, it’s always a pleasure working for you.”

“What happened to your friend that works at the factory?”

“I told him the hours and he still thinking about it.”

“He’ll be working independent and making far more money. Thad rarely checks up on his salesmen. Do you have all the paperwork?”

“Of course. I have a few broken bottles. Do you trust me or you do want to count them yourself?”

“I’ll count them. You should get home to your family. Thank you so much.”

“It’s a pleasure, Ma’am. I talked to two other friends but later found out that they didn’t have magic.” The salesmen left the house.

Mrs. Logan counted the cash and checked the paperwork. The money was right. “Peter never shorts us. I wish we could find another man as honest and hard working as him.”

“I’m sure Alex will do just as good a job.”

“Pop says that he needs two more days to learn the routes.”

“Can’t Pop just write the locations out and the carpet will take Alex there?”

“Alex needs to meet our distributors and learn the routine. I’m sure in a week or two he will be make as much money as Peter.”

“My friend Mattie is a witch. Is Pop against hiring women?”

“Not at all, but she lives in Dunstable.”

“You have distributors in Dunstable, Manchester, Chelmsford, and Lowell.” Betsy put the plates on the table.

“We even supply a store in Andover. Pop could drop off a shipment with her every morning.”

“I’ll ask her about it.”

Betsy hugged Alex when she saw him. “How was day day?”

“Good. I’m meeting all the distributors in northern New Hampshire and Vermont. I’ll need to go to ten to twelve stores a day. I start my day at nine and we go to the last store at six. It isn’t that bad.”

“I’m going to see if Mattie wants to do the Merrimack Region,” explained Betsy.

“Mattie is the raven haired beauty with the cantaloupes?” Alex’s eyes got big.

“Cantaloupes? They’re more like watermelons.” Betsy touched her hand to her cleavage. “I have cantaloupes.”

“You and her? I should have known by the way you looked at each at the bank.”

“She’s married to a man old enough to be her father,” Betsy said. “Well, I’m one of many. She has more lovers than Carter has liver pills.”

“I could be your only one.”

“I’m a married woman.”

“So. He has no interest in you.”

“He doesn’t want a divorce. He likes being married.”

“So stay married.” Alex kissed her deeply.

“We better take this to the bedroom.”

“You should dressing like a lady, at least, outside the house.”

“I thought you liked me in men’ clothes.”

“You’re very sexy in trousers.” Alex put his arms around her. “You can fuck like a lady.”

“I rather fuck like a tart.” Betsy undid her tie and started to unbutton her shirt.

“Are you wearing men’s underwear underneath?”

“There is only one way to find out.” Betsy lead him to her old bedroom as she unbelted her pants. Alex was hesitant to remove his clothes. “Alex, your curse was broken.” Betsy removed her undergarments and unwrapped the binds on her chest.

“My body is abnormal,” Alex said.

“I’m sure that you look fine.” Betsy pulled off his shirt. His chest was hairless, his shoulders were wide and his waist was narrow. He had a slight amount of breast tissue. His muscles lacked the tone of a man.

“I can’t ejaculate.” Alex put his mouth on her neck.

“Just do what you can.” Betsy kissed him and wrapped her arms around him. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six.”

“You should have entered puberty long ago.” Betsy kissed his left nipple. Betsy hugged Alex and kissed him briefly. Betsy fingered his small hard penis. “Alex, don’t be nervous with me. I don’t make much vaginal juice anymore. I need a lot of foreplay to enjoy sex. I really don’t mind if it is all foreplay.”

“Betsy, if you don’t mind me saying,” Alex started.

“I don’t mind.”

“A woman as young as you shouldn’t be post-menopausal. Honey, is something going on with you?”

“I’m seeing a healer. Things fly when I cycle. She gave me medicine to induce menopause. Before I had Cynthia, I stopped my own cycling through diet. Medicine is better. I don’t have to starve myself.”

Alex kissed her. “No more healer talk. I can use my tongue in way that will even get your juices flowing.”

Betsy put her hands on his head and directed him toward her pussy. She wanted some loving. She felt a bit odd having a man in her bed with an obviously sexually immature body, but if he said he was twenty-six, he was twenty-six. Besides Alex didn’t have a child’s face.

Finally, Betsy went to the cloth fair with Mattie the following weekend. While pushing Cynthia’s carriage, she admired Mattie’s cleavage. She looked up from her baby and Mattie’s chest to examine the bolts of cloth. She looked at checks, stripes and seersucker. She touched the gingham a seller offered. The pastels weren’t for her. Neither were the bright reds, oranges and blues.

“You shouldn’t dress in men’s clothes. You’re beautiful.”

“I don’t feel beautiful. I do my shopping in men’s clothes and people treat me differently. I like how the shopkeepers treat me.”

“Your voice,” Mattie said.

“Mary Jane’s pills deepened my voice.\"

“You’re playing a dangerous game. Someone might rape you when they realize that you aren’t a man.”

“I have telekinesis. No one can harm me. Mattie, how do I look? What am I going to tell my husband? I\'ll have to buy some French letters. I stopped taking Mary Jane’s potion.”

“Take it.”

“It’s deepening my voice and causing me to have facial hair.” Betsy touched the hair on her side of her face.

“It isn’t bad.”

“I have hair on my chin and a mustache, too. Hair follicles don’t go away.”

“Betsy, the sporadic magic could have nothing to do with the ugly curse. It might be a side effect of your natural telekinesis.”

“I’ll take it.” Betsy went into the kitchen and took a pill. “Mary Jane is getting a new provider. He makes the menopause causing drug in a shot to be given every three months.”

“I’ll go with you if you would like company when you talk to her.”

“That would be great. Do you remember the healer from the bank?” Betsy asked.

“The blond man about your height and weight,” Mattie said.

“I convinced him to heal my brother in Maine.”

“Are you working?”

“With my father and Alex. I spent four days week at my father’s house bottling potion and measuring ingredients. My father was busy showing Alex the routes. My father hired Alex after he took my potion.”

“Which one?”

“The glamour potion. But it isn’t a glamour potion; it\'s a curse-removing potion. We’re still testing it. We hope to have it on the market in a few months. I just feel like I abandoned you.”

Mattie placed her arms around Betsy. “I still want to be with you and I know you still want to be with me. I like to consider you my friend.”

Betsy hugged her. “Always.”

“We’re still friends.”

“Mattie, we\'re short a salesman. Would you like to deliver to our Merrimack valley stores? Since my father does the Boston area, he can drop off the bottles in the morning and pick the receipts at night. You can make up to three times more than Paul pays you in half the time.”

“Will he provide me a carpet?”

“Yes, but since he’ll be dropping off the crates, he won’t be paying you travel time. It’s still ten percent commission. You sell ten to twenty bottles per store and go to five to seven stores a day. You can calculation as well as I can.”

“Your expensive ones sell for two dollars at least inexpensive ones cost about forty cents. I forgot about the most powerful aphrodisiac that the Logan line makes. I think that is two and half-dollars. We sell two or three bottles of that stuff a week. Occasionally, we get a run on it. I hear the stuff really works. We have to call your father once and order thirty bottles of it.”

“That’s the price Paul gets. There is a mark up.”

“I know how retail works,” Mattie said. “I’ll ask my husband. Jack has a phone at the bakery. I’ll call you and tell you my decision.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Betsy wrote down her father’s work number. “If you know an honest witch in the area, let me know.”

“Most witches I know are dishonest.”

“Sad, but true.”

“The witches of my mother’s generation tend to be honest. My mother told me that all evil is visited upon you three times. Young witches have to learn for themselves.”

“We’ll take older salesmen.”