As Luck Would Have it

A few weeks after placing the ad and young lady came to the factory and asked to see Daniel. “I’m your second cousin, Francine Logan.”

“Daniel Logan, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.” Daniel took her hand in his briefly; he smiled at the pretty girl trying not to look too enamored by her youth and innocence.

“I would have come here earlier, but my mother doesn’t want me making those kind of products.” Francine smiled brightly making good eye contact with Daniel.

“Sex is natural.” Daniel walked toward his office, opened the door and offered her a seat. “We all came here the same way. However, that doesn’t mean a young lady as yourself should be exposed to all the details. I can’t keep my men from being coarse. May I ask how old are you?”

“Sixteen.” Francine sat on the metal chair and crossed her legs. “I have heard everything.” Francine waved her hand slightly and leaned forward to look at Daniel like he was the most interested person in her life.

Daniel felt uncomfortable near the girl feeling that she was asking for more than a job opportunity. “Does your mother mind you working here?” Daniel turned his eyes away from her trying not to give her the message that he was interested in more than her abilities to work in his factory.

Daniel didn’t like the idea of having a minor working there. He feared people would think he was corrupting her morals although from looking at her, she could see that her morals already seemed corrupted. All the men on the floor had job experience and were far from being minors. He liked the job ethics of a mature man. Adolescents tended not to take jobs seriously and couldn’t be trusted to put a hard days work in without your careful eye watching them every minute. Daniel felt weary about hiring someone so young although women tended to be much more mature than men at the same age.

“I’m only here because you’re family.” Francine ran her hand over the edge of his table very flirtatiously.

“And you need the money. Can you stir my kettles?” Daniel allowed himself the pleasure of her eye contact. As Daniel undressed her with his mind, Francine left the office to look over the factory floor.

Francine looked at the kettle and the large spoon stirred itself. “Nothing to it.”

Daniel shook her hand. “You have the job and no moral objections to the potions we make.”

“I’m not sure. Glamour seems like devious stuff. Couldn’t a glamour potion cause somebody find someone attractive they wouldn’t normally?”

“That’s what our packaging claims. We turn toads into handsome pri.”
.”

“I mean, can’t a man use a glamour potion to bed a woman that wouldn’t bed him under other conditions?”

Daniel sat down on the edge of his desk. “A glamour potion will make someone sexier, but it isn’t going to make you attack the boy who pulled your pigtails. It won’t improve a man’s personality or make him a better conversationalist. It’ll only help someone be noticed. Glamour only works if the person has the style and flair to use it; on most people, it’s a waste. It’ll make you appear more beautiful for the moment but it does nothing for the inner beauty.”

“People aren’t interested in the inner beauty.”

Francine had stopped looking Daniel in the eye and allowed her eyes to wander about the factory. She looked at her shoes to avoid his eye contact. “What about the love potion you carry?”

“It’s a mild love potion. It causes bliss and general lust when taken. The directions say it works best when taken by both partners. It doesn’t cause any long-term harm. Our products are very safe. There are probably potions out there much stronger but we don’t want any suits on deception. When my father made potions to order, he took the chance of making a strong potion for a desperate man or woman but now we market for general public. Our potions can be used by anyone without harm.”

“Have you ever used your products?”

“That’s a personal question. I have received a number of letters from happy customers. Just last week, a gentleman asked me what my first name is. He wants to name the child of his old age after me. I have saved many marriages.”

“And yet, you’re getting divorced.”

“Not that it’s any of your business; my husband and I are reconciling our differences. I’m plan to surprise him with our aphrodisiac,” said Daniel, smiling slightly.

“You with another man. That is sick.” Francine made a sour face.

“We’re husband and wife.” Daniel stood then ran one hand from the tip of his head to the tip of his leather shoes. “I did this after we were married. What God has put together, let no man put asunder. Death do us part. Part of me will always be married to him.”

Francine turned from him and walked away.

“You’re only sixteen years old and so little about life. Child, the world isn’t as simple as it seems. Henry and I have a child together. We’ll always be Cynthia’s parents. I’m not ashamed that I love my husband.” Daniel walked out to the floor. “The kettles need to be stirred by a witch. The entire potion needs to be touched by magic. Your magic flows from you. It’s an energy that you make move things. Everything you move with your mind has this energy. The stirrer has your energy throughout it.”

“I’m giving the potion my energy,” said Francine.

“Yes, my girlfriend is a healer. Whenever she healed someone, she got weak. When she tried to heal my sick brother, she fainted. She could have died.”

“He tried to heal Frank,” Billy walked over to Francine. “No rewriting history. Betsy did something to Alex to make her change sex. The whole thing was sick. One day Betnd And Alex wetting the sheets like normal folk. The next day Betsy is Daniel and Alex is a girl.”

“Billy, Alex works here. Please, don’t spread lies about her.”

“He healed Frank,” Francine whispered back.

“Yeah, he,” said Billy.

“I won’t have you whispering about my private life,” said Daniel.

“Nothing is private with Alex,” whispered Billy. “The little thing could talk forever.”

Francine whispered, “You’re kidding.”

“If you want to know the story, ask Alex,” Daniel said. “Billy says weird things all the time. He wasn’t sober a day in his youth. Don’t encourage him.”

“You have a sorted life,” Francine said.

“Francine, let’s talk about your potential with my company over lunch. My private life isn’t your business,” Daniel said.

“I know what I saw,” Billy said.

“Truth is the eye of the beholder,” Daniel whispered.

Then Daniel shouted, “Wayne, you have the floor.” Daniel walked Francine to his carpet. “Francine, I’m not the monster that Billy will have you believe. I hired him against my better judgment. I felt sorry for him. He was my brother’s friend and has had a hard life.”

“He sounds like a clown.”

“He is, but he stopped drinking and all men need a second change.” Daniel took her to a restaurant on his carpet. “Child, I should get your parents’ permission for you to work here.”

“I live with a few friends. We share some rooms,” Francine said. “I haven’t lived with my folks in over a year.”

“You aren’t twenty-one. I still want to talk to them. Do your parents know that I changed sex?”

“Everyone knows. You have ads in every sex shop.”

“The ads don’t mention me by name; they mention Logan’s Products. They say nothing about anyone changing sex. It just gives an address for Logan Products and a phone number. Claire has to scan out all the lewd calls.” Betsy did his best to keep his voice down in the diner.

“People talk.”

“If the world sees me as a pervert, so be it. I want you to feel safe at my factory. I won’t do anything that will expose you to sexual material. If your parents feel it’s fine for you to stir my kettles, I’ll pay you for that. Can I have your parents’ phone number?”

Daniel called Francine’s father’s work number. It was his father’s line. Francine’s father must have been one of the cousins that working with his father at the house. “Mom, can I speak to cousin Charlie? His daughter i my my office.” Daniel felt out of touch not knowing the name one of his father’s cousins that worked with him everyday.

“He’s on the porch selling potion with your father. I’ll tell him that it’s about his daughter. He tells us that she ran away a year ago and he has scarcely hear a word since.”

“I’m interested in hiring your daughter, Francine.”

“The brat wants to work for family after all the things she has called our family.”

“Our family has money.”

“What do you want her to do?” Charlie’s voice sounded cold and disinterested.

“Stir pots and do the books.”

“Stir pots. She’s a little small.”

“Sir, she would be using telekinesis.”

“It’s her life.”

“Charlie, are you going to let her work for me? I didn’t know your daughter’s name was Francine.”

“Itmes mes me to know we are kin. Daniel, people will look at my children and think they have sexual problems.”

“My sexuality should have no bearing on how people see you or your children.”

“When people hear about you, I hear the jeers. I have to tell people that you aren’t my cousin.”

“But you work for my father.”

“Money is money.”

“Can I hire her or will I cause a family incident?”

“Daniel, that’s her own problem. She moved out over a year ago. I haven’t heard from her since.”

“You won’t sue me for adding to the delinquency of a minor.”

“You’re keeping her from being delinquent.”

“I make sex potions. Certain people might see it as I’m corrupting her. I’ll bring you a form to sign the next time I see you.”

Daniel told Francine that her father gave his consent over phone and he was handing him a form to sign. Daniel hurried to Henry’s house after putting the money into the deposit slot. “I want to move back.”

“After all we have been through? What myou you come to this decision?”

“That illiterate kid that I hired was calling me a pervert. I’m going to be a pervert the rest of my life. I might as well enit.”it.” Daniel put his hands through Henry’s hair and started to kiss him.

“I’m enjoying it.”

“I brought one of my potions home.”

“We don’t need a potion.” Henry picked up Daniel and squeezed him hard. “Did you eat dinner?” Henry put him down and continued to squeeze him.

“No. Where is Cynthia?” Daniel stepped back a little.

“In her crib. I’m working less hours than you.”

“I hired a girl that can stir the pots and training Peter to fill the carpets in the mng bng before he starts his route. I hired a new man that has fifteen years experience as a supervisor so I don’t have to be on the floor at all times. I’m paying him more than he made at his last job so hopefully he’ll stay around.”

“You’ll have to pay Peter extra for that.”

“A few dollars. It’ll give me some time in the morning with you and Cynthia. I’m training Wayne and Arthur to run the factory when I’m gone. I want Logan Products to continue after I’m dead and gone.”

“I was hard for me to delegate when I took over my father’s mills. I wanted to do everything myself. I now spend less than two hours a day at any plant unless there is a problem. One day, you’ll just visit the plant once or twice a week just to see how things are going.”

“I doubt that day will come.”

“You’ll even hire a pnnelnnel manager to hire and fire for you so you won’t have to do that horrible task.”

“I feel so strange as I fill my father’s dreams. Henry, I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“Tell me that you love me as I am.”

“Daniel, I love you.” Henry walked to the bedroom.

“I have to move my clothes here. I want us to make the bed creek every night.” Daniel undressedhe ehe entered the master bedroom. “Tell I’m nothing like pitiful frail Betsy.”

“You aren’t. You’re an intelligent handsome businessman. You have world at your feet.”

“Well, I have you at my feet.”

“I love your feet.”

After dressing for work in the morning, Daniel said, “We should have a party.”

“For what reason.”

“To celebrate my first six months ng ang a company.”

“Wait until a year.”

“I will. We’ll have best party ever. I want to invite all my employees and their families.”

“We should rent a banquet hall.”

“We will.”

“We’re supposed to go in for our divorce hearing in a few days.”

“Don’t worry about it. I proponed it indefinitely.”
hav have to get to work. We can talk about our divorce as I unpack my things tonight.”

“You’re completely sick.”

“Honey, do you want me to drop off Cynthia at your sister’s house?”

“No, I might not go in today. Maybe by your first anniversary, you won’t need to come to the plant either.”

“That would be nice.” Daniel kissed Henry a long time before leaving.

Francine was at the plant early. Daniel had her stir and told her to work with Penny to learn about bookkeeping.

Alex arrived at the factory early. “Danny, I hear you went back to your husband.”

“I’m sorry.”

“He likes you better as a man.”

“I like me better.”

“Billy is telling the other men that I use to be a man.”

“You were a boy.”

“I had a genetic defect. You removed excessive material from my cells. You did nothing wrong.”

“And I did?”

“Danny, I didn’t mean that. You did what you had to do. I don’t want to be seen as a pervert.”

“I understand. I don’t think anyone believes Billy. I’m firing Billy for being incompetent. I need you working for me.”

“I’m sorry that I troubled you.”

“I understand your concern.”

Billy arrived as the salesmen were leaving for their routes. “Billy,” Daniel said. “I have some bad news for you. I have to let you go.”

“I’m sorry that I called you a pervert.”

“I per pervert. I don’t need you to stir pots and since you can’t read you aren’t much help sorting the product for sale the following day. I’m sorry.”

“You number the boxes for each product. You only carry six products.”

“Sorry, Billy. job job requires reading. I broke the rules because I needed someone with magic.”

Francine put her hand on Billy’s shoulder. “I’ll teach you to read.”

“Mr. Logan, if I learn to read, will you hire me back?”

“I’ll consider it.” Daniel looked at Billy, always treating him as a child; the so-called child was older than him.

“Thank you for everything,” Billy said.

“Come to the office. I’ll pay you what I owe you.” Daniel counted out the last of Billy’s pay from petty cash after he checked the books. He wrote down the amount he paid Billy in the ledger. “Good luck, Billy. Thanks for all the hard work. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“Me, too. You’re a good boss.” Billy put the money in his wallet. “See you around.”

“Come back if you learn to read. I could use you to box the potion and separate them for the different routes.”

“Sure thing,” Billy said.

Daniel felt odd for firing someone that he considered a friend. He wondered if it would get easier. He didn’t want to be as cold hearted as Henry that had the lives of hundreds in his hands. “Wayne, you have the floor. I’m going to take a long lunch.”

“Would you like to talk?”

“No, I feel too young to be in charge of some many people.”

“You should be proud of yourself,” Wayne said.

“I got my company from my father.”

“But he was running it out of his basement, you made it a real industry.”

“Thanks, Wayne. I’m going to lunch.”

Daniel put his belongings into a suse. se. His mother came upstairs. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just wanted some time alone. Wayne can handle the factory a few hours.”

“Your father is selling your potion from the house. The line is down the block. He has your cousin pour the potion and make it up. We have three salesmen that sell the potion from other locations including Paul’s Magic and Hobby Shop. We’re making as much money from this line as you’re making from the factory.”

“I’m sure you are. You don’t need as much staff.”

“Why are you sad?”

“I’m moving back with Henry. I feel like I made a fool out of myself.”

“Do you love him and does he love you?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Logan hugged her son. “Then, you aren’t making a fool out of yourself.”

“You told me that I have another daughter.”

“You will.”

“So eventually, I split with Henry.”

“I can’t tell you everything.”

“I thought Alex was going to have my daughter.”

“Daniel, let the future take care of itself. I told you more than I should have.”

“You don’t think I should go back to Henry.”

“If it makes you happy.”

“Mum, you’re confusing me.”

“Danny, you have to figure these things out for yourself.” Mrs. Logan helped Daniel close the suitcase.

“I drop off the suitcase before I return to work. Mum, I’ll see you later.”

“You have to tell Alex that you’re leaving.”

“I’ll see her at work. She knows it has been over for a while. She probably has another fellow by now.”

“She’s a very shy girl.”

“She’s not as shy as you imagine. I hear stories about her talking to her distributors for hours.”

“You can’t believe everything you hear.”

“Mum, she’ll be fine without me. She has a house and a good career, more than most girls have. I wouldn’t worry about her.”

Daniel put the suitcase in the bedroom he shared with Henry. Henry was out with Cynthia for the moment. Daniel left a note to the icebox that he had stopped by and no one was home and that he would unpack later. Daniel returned to work feeling a little better.

Wayne put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder upon his return to the floor. “Is everything alright?” Wayne asked.

“I had a little personal business to take care of. Wayne, I can handle things. Did I have any personal calls?”

“Ask Claire.”

“I will. You have the floor,” Daniel said.

Claire said that they were two more stores interested in their line and three stores were dropping their line.

“Repair the schedules,” Daniel said.

“Will do. Mattie will get two more stores and Alfred will lose two and Peter will lose one.”

“Make it so,” Daniel said. “Any personal calls.”

“Three.” Claire handed him the slips of paper.

“Thanks. I don’t know where I would be without you. Claire, do you think I’m too young to handle this?”

“No.”

“Most my employees are older than I. I fired a man three years older than me today.”

“Was he able to do his job?” Claire asked.

“No, he was incompetent.”

“Then, he deserved to be fired.”

“I’ll be in my office if anyone calls. Please, forward the calls to me.”

“No problem, sir.”

Daniel dialed the first number on thssagssages. It was just someone wanted to know more about his line. Daniel relaxed as he informed a customer that none of their products were harmful and that their male stamina potion could be used for both men and women. All it did was improve circulation with the right combination of medicinal herbs and vitamins.

“Is it safe?” the man asked.

“It’s good for general health, too,” Daniel said.

“Do you take it?”

“No, I’m still in my twenties. My friend has taken it from time to time and he finds that it makes him feel more energetic. There are other products on the market that we don’t manufacture that will give you more energy. I can’t recommend a healer or pharmacist for you to speak to on this matter. I hope I have been of service.”

“Thank you, sir, for your time.”

Not long after Daniel returned to the floor, a woman in rather formal dark clothes came to the front office to see Betsy. Her face was covered with a veil. “I don’t sell the curse removing potion here, Ma’am,” he whispered. “It’s sold at four locations.” He took the flyer with the locations from Claire’s desk.

“I’m interested in the other potion,” she whispered.

“I don’t have a sex change spell.”

“I heard rumor.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you then.” Daniel wondered if he should sell such a potion at all. He managed to change the sex of rabbits without giving them much pain. However, a third of them died from unknown causes. He was far from selling such a potion and he couldn’t give it to Alex and hope Alex could handle the dangerous combination.