As Luck Would Have it

Daniel returned to the floor feeling like he had no right to sell such a life-altering potion if he ever created one. He hardly said a word as he checked the work done for the day. Wayne gave him the orders for the next day and showed him that all of it was bottled and ready to go.

Alex came to the back office after she counted out with her calculus book and notebook. “We can do math here since you aren’t living with your parents anymore.”

“You can study on your own.”

“I like talking about mathematics with you. You love it so. You should go to college and teach it.”

“I have a factory to run. College isn’t in the stars. I had two years that is more than most people get.”

“You’re brilliant.”

“I’m glad that you think so but my job is to sell potions.”

“Do you think I’m wasting my time learning?”

“No, you’re learning how to think. That’s never a waste.”

“But what will I use higher math for?”

“Probably nothing. It’s just something nice to know. We could start learning science if you would prefer. Physics tells you have universe operates.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“It uses the math we been learning. Physics is applied calculus.”

“Let’s get started.”

“In a week, I have to locate some books.”

“I’ll work on calculus on my own.”

“That’s my girl.” Daniel kissed her cheek. “Lock up when you’re done.”

“See you tomorrow.” Alex waved as Daniel left his office with the lock bag.

Richard was over the house when Daniel came in. “Hi, Richard,” Daniel said.

“I ate earlier,” Henry said.

“I’ll make myself something. Richard, do you want anything?” Daniel asked.

“Henry and I stopped at the bakery earlier,” Richard shouted.

Daniel joined them in the parlor. “No books to the ceiling today.”

“I liked to study here when I went to college.”

“It’s far from the campus,” Daniel said.

“It wasn’t bad on broom,” Richard said.

“Richard graduated long before I brought this house. I would tease him about living with his parents after I brought my own place,” Henry said. “Daniel, you can join in our conversation.”

“I don’t talk to women about religion,” Richard said.

“Women have souls,” Henry said.

“Their souls are different. They should follow their husbands as if they were the church,” Richard said.

“I can think for myself.” Daniel felt like pulling out his lad and peeing on Richard, but he just bit his tongue.

“Darling, Richard is a guest,” Henry said.

“A wife should obey her husband in all things. You shame your husband by pretending to be a man.”

Daniel looked down at Richard. “I’m a man.”

“You were born female,” Richard said.

“Women have the right to believe differently than their husbands. I have the same soul as any man,” Daniel said.

“Daniel, the Bible teaches us that your body is a temple. You have draterated that temple,” said Richard. “God knows that you and Henry are man and wife. You should stay home and care for Henry and your daughter.”

Daniel folded his arms over his chest. “What about my factory?”

“You have cousins. The factory will remain in family hands.” Richard turned his back to Daniel. “Henry, tell your wife to sit down and listen silently or she can leave.”

Henry said, “You talk to Daniel like you talk to any man or you can leave.”

“I would nevet met my wife shame me like that,” said Richard.

“I’m not you,” said Henry.

“I would like to read some of your journals. Henry said you start to write them as a sophomore in college,” Daniel said.

“Off and on for many years. I wrote a four-volume travel log when Henry and I went to Europe. My father told me that I would have to work at the bank when I came home so I doubted that I would ever find the time to go again and I wanted to preserve all I saw for myself and Henry,” Richard said.

“Could Daniel read it?” Henry asked.

“You still have the volume I wrote about the Sistine Chapel. I spent days in there drawing sketches of the art work and describing everything the best that I could,” Richard said.

“I didn’t want your wife to see it?” Henry said. “You did talk about leaving thculacular world and becoming a priest or monk.” Daniel knew real reason was that Henry was too lazy to return it.

“I would have like to have become a priest. I would have loved to be able to teach others about the importance of God in their lives. It would have been nice to have more time to learn and not having to sit at a boring job. A young man needs dreams,” Richard said.

“Richard thought he had the calling,” Henry said.

“Nancy convinced me otherwise. By the time that I married theology took a less important role in my life. My father would never forgive me if I left the family business.”

“Maybe you should have followed that call,” Daniel said.

“It was only a passing dream to have all the time in the world to pray,” Richard said. “I really should go. The wife worries about me if I’m not in bed at night.”

“Thanks for coming over,” Henry said.

“Thanks for having me.” Richard picked up his broom and left.

Henry handed Daniel the volume of Richard’s journal that he had for many years. Daniel looked at the sketches that Richard drew not impressed and didn’t bother to read the narration. Richard didn’t want to discuss his ideas face to face so Daniel didn’t want to read about them.

Daniel was sure that Richard had romantic ideas on what it would be like to live outside normal society. Richard idea of utopia would be being able to study religious works all day while someone else worked hard to feed and clothe him.

“I doubt it crossed my companion’s mind, for us to rent a house in Italy for more than a month. We could have dedicated ourselves to the warmth of the Mediterranean sun and waited until our fathers stopped forwarding us money. Although I was hesitant to remove my heavy leather shoes and unwrap myself from the layers of New England clothes, I found mysel pea peace of the Italian beach looking at my paler companion wearing no more than a thigh length swimming costume. Henry had the kind of skin that only burned slightly when exposed to the sun but never truly tanned; I, on the other hand, had become as dark as the natives but since I only spoke a few words of Italian rather poorly my tongue gave me away but I was determine to learn the language as I listened to the locals speak. Henry would laugh at my feeble attempts to speak the native tongue as he would speak a few practiced lines as clearly as anyone native born astounding me as always.” After reading a few more passages and having not been terribly impressed with Richard minimalist writing style, Daniel took his broom to Nancy and Richard’s house to drop off the volume.

Nancy took the volume. “Thank you, Daniel. There was no hurry to return it.”

“Henry just had it lying around. I have no interest in reading it myself,” Daniel said.

“His ideas are quite good,” Nancy said. “I love how he draws the scenery. I felt like I have been to Rome and Naples after that volume.”

“He doesn’t think that a woman should think for herself,” Daniel said.

“He’s a man of his time,” Nancy said. “Thank you for returning to volume. Would you like some coffee?”

“I have to head to work. Peter doesn’t like leaving Wayne in charge the mornings that I come in late. I told Peter that I’m no longer working sixteen hour days and that Wayne and him will have to come to an understand to get all the salesmen and women out the door.”

“You said that you didn’t have to work.”

“I like working.”

“You could leave the factory in Wayne’s hands and help your father with research and development.”

“I should but Arthur and Wayne would kill each other and neither wants to stay late enough to close.”

“Ask Claire to close.”

“She stays there enough hours as it is.”

\"So when do you get time for R & D?” Nancy asked as she gave Daniel a cup of coffee.

“I do it at night.” Daniel sat in the kitchen. “How do you live with such a man?”

“Silence. I only talk to him about house and Richie,” Nancy said. “I have friends for conversation. Go in late. Let Wayne and Peter fight it out.”

“I feel like a mother’s fox.”

“Daniel, the factory will be there even if you can’t make it every morning. You need to have more time for yourself. How much time do you spend with Cynthia? Twenty years from now the factory won’t mean that much. What you’ll regret is that you hadn’t spent more time with your child. You should go to Italy and see Rome, Venice and Naples for yourself. See what Richard described for yourself.”

“I’m training a new girl. Perhaps, I can get her to close for me. I don’t know if I would feel comfortable leaving the factory for a month to travel. Does Richard come home early everyday?”

“More often than he doesn’t. Take time for yourself. Life is short.”

“I wish I had more time for R & D.”

“Cut down on the time that you spend at the factory. You can’t do everything.”

Daniel put the empty coffee mug in the sink.

Nancy put her arm around his shoulder. “We can laugh at my husband’s poems.” She opened the volume and read a poem about eternity and the layering of history in Rome. The poet beautifully described how each century built their structures on the centuries of the past. Nancy then turned to a poem describing the men on the street playing a game of chance.

Daniel started to laugh. “He has an unique way of seeing things. I really have to go.” Daniel showed himself to the door.

Henry heard a knock on the door Saturday morning. Henry put on his robe before answering the door. “James, what a surprise.”

“Your secretary gave me the address. I’m sorry about Helen. Charlotte remembered me.”

“Charlotte would. You look great. This is Daniel,” Henry said noticing Daniel entering the living room only wearing his briefs and a tee shirt.

“James.” Daniel extended his hand to shake. “It’s pleasure to finally meet you. Would you like to join us for breakfast?”

“What do you do?”

“I own a factory. It’s closed on Saturday and Sunday.” Daniel returned to cook breakfast and looked at the man briefly. He looked fit and healthy not at all the man that she expected. James didn’t have an ounce extra fat; he looked fit enough to continue his boxing career.

James followed Daniel to the kitchen. “What do you make?”

“Potions. It was my father’s business. He ran it out of his basement. I made it a respectable business. Logan Products are sold at every drugstore in Northern New England.” Daniel put coffee in the percolator. “We’re expanding our market to Connecticut and Rhode Island.”

“I’m impressed.”

“After you, I decided that I wasn’t going to date anyone without a brain,” Henry said.

“I’m not stupid. I did empty your bank accounts before I left.”

“It was your money. The corporation has its own account. You were welcome to that money. I don’t resent you for taking it. I hope you invested it well.” Henry put his hand on James’s shoulder.

“Actually, I blew gambling and traveling.”

“I’m not giving you more,” Henry said.

“I’m not here to beg. I see you found someone to take my place. What can I say?”

“James, what have you been doing with yourself?”

“Not much. I’m too old to box and I have no real skills or the business sense to manage some young fellow.”

“You must do something,” Daniel said the plates of eggs floated onto the table.

“You didn’t tell me that he was a witch,” James said.

“Do you have something against witches?” Daniel glanced at the coffee pot.

“I have been suckered by a few,” James said.

“When I said potions, what did you think I meant?” Daniel asked. “Eat. The food will get cold.” The toast floated from the toaster to the table. Two more slices of bread left the breadbox and fell into the slots of the toaster.

“Use your hands.” James sat down at the table. “That is creepy.”

“My father served all our meals growing up from the table. The neighbors would visit just to see him do it,” Daniel said. “My brother Frank thought there was something wrong with him when my father and I both had the same gift. It runs in my family. I have a second cousin that also has telekinesis.”

“You don’t have to show off.”

“Actually, I do. If I don’t use it, it makes itself known.”

“I suppose that could be dangerous in a factory,” James said, as he started to eat. “Where did you find this one?”

“Working at my factory. I needed some magical assistance and it took off from there,” Henry explained.

Henry leaned over Daniel and kissed him briefly.

“I took over my parents’ business when my older brother took ill. Henry and I nearly broke up when I was spending most of my time at my parents’ house. My late brother made a real mess of things.”

“I wanted someone to be home wie ane and there he was working longer hours than I was,” Henry said.

“He’s still angry that I’m not home every night to cook him dinner,” Daniel said.

“I could use a job,” James said.

“I have tasted your cooking,” Henry said.

“I learned a little cooking when I was in France. A man kept me for almost a year. We had a great time traveling but all good things come to an end.”

“It wouldn’t work,” Daniel said. “I don’t need any mundane workers. Maybe Henry knows someone with a position open.”

“Danny, thanks for offering but I don’t could hanthatthat much magic all day long.”

“Coffee?” Daniel asked.

James put his hands up to sign stop. “I’ll get it. Henry, how do you handle the flying dishes?”

“You get use to it. You should see it when he cleans the whole house at once. I used to panic when I saw my expensive china washing and drying itself,” Henry said, as he took his coffee cup from James.

Daniel was thinking that James shouldn’t be there when he needs to clean under the sofa. “Henry, are you going in today?”

“And leave you and James to kill each other.” Henry kissed Daniel a little longer than the last time. Henry went up the stairs to the master bedroom.

Daniel continued to eat his breakfast. “You may be an ex-boxer but I can beat you up from across the room. What weight class were you in?”

“Welterweight when I retired. I was running to fat. I fought much better at a lower weightclass.”

“You must weigh less than that now. What are you five seven?”

“About that. I managed a fellow for a while. I insisted that he should drop a weightclass and he was furious at me. I started at featherweight.”

“He built up a bit of muscle under my training. James fought best as a lightweight.” Henry shouted from the upstairs.

“I would be a junior lightweight if I fought now, but I’m too old to go in the ring,” James said.

“I can’t imagine Henry hanging out in a gym.”

“Henry used to go a few rounds with me,” James said.

“Just clowning around.” Henry retuned down the stairs dressed for work.

“I can’t box. They would take one sniff of my magic and I would be disqualified. I have never been into sports.” Daniel turned his nose up and walked a few inches away from James.

Henry touched Daniel’s shoulder as he passed Daniel as to say that Daniel belonged to him.

“I never thought about magic that way. You look active,” James continued.

“I’m on the floor of the factory all day. I don’t lift all the boxes with my mind.”

“I didn’t mean to imply that you did.”

“Henry, aren’t you going over to Peter Downing’s for poker tonight?” Daniel said, as the plates went to the sink to wash themselves.

“Peter and James never got along. Downing lost a shoe factory to me almost two years ago. Now that the factory is running better than ever, he hates me more than before.”

Daniel left the room to dress; James followed him upstairs. “What are you going to do with yourself?”

“I don’t know. My father is a janitor and my brother manages a pub. It isn’t like I come from money like you and Henry. My kid brother says can I work for him, but I didn’t think I can take orders from him.”

“My parents earned their money recently,” Daniel said as he dressed. “I grew up shooting our supper and chopping trees for firewood. My folks have just recently let someone come into their house to install gas and indoor plumbing.”

“I spent all of Henry’s money. I look back and feel I have wasted my life.”

“We all feel that way at times. I have to shave.”

“You don’t use telekinesis to do that.”

“My father does but I’m afraid I would cut myself. Touch has its uses.”

“You’re a very attractive man.” James touched Daniel’s face.

“I have no interest in anyone but Henry.”

“Do you honestly think that I had no one but Henry during the years that I lived in his house?”

“Henry has a bad temper. I nearly lost him due to his jealousy. I love Henry. I don’t stay here because of his money.”

“I stayed for his money. You didn’t believe that I loved the arrogant oaf.”

“He loved you. He was almost in tears when I asked about you when we were dating.” Daniel shaved wondering if he should try to shave with telekinesis and decided he trusted his hands more than his magic.

“He mentioned me.”

“Frequently. He has called me your name in the mist of passion. He adored you.”

James put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder as he heard the door close. “He left for work.”

“I could throw you across the room with telekinesis.”

“You won’t.” James touched Daniel’s cleanly shaven cheek.

“Don’t try me.”

“What harm would it do? I can’t understand what you see in the old ox. You have your own money.” James kissed Daniel’s neck. He turned toward James, reached over to him and started to unbutton his shirt.

“Use your mind.”

“I rather enjoy using my fingers.” Daniel put his hand on James’s hairy chest and allowed James to remove the clothes that he just put on. Feeling that James’s body was as fit as Daniel imagined, Daniel moved his hand over James’s hard body. “Henry will kill us.”

“What did he tell you about me?”

“That you were scarred and running to fat.”

“He would say that.” James started to kiss Daniel’s hard chest and moved his hands to his briefs.

“Not yet.” Daniel kissed James deeply and moved his hands to pull James into his upper body. “You feel fit enough to return to boxing.”

“I tried, but the years haven’t been kind.”

“You look younger than I.”

“A fighter’s career is short. By twenty-seven, you’re too old. What made you move in with the ox?”

“I love him.”

“If you have this great love, why are you in bed with me?”

“Because you\'re here. Henry caught me cheating on him once before. I have no shame.”

James put his hand on Daniel\'s ass. “You have a great ass.”

“Henry says the same thing.”

James put his hands around his behind moving the hand forward. “Daniel, you’re a pervert.” James fondled one of the toys that he found in the top drawer of the nightstand. Mattie and Betsy had used toys and Henry use toys to amuse himself when Daniel worked late.

“So?”

“We’ll use the toys.” James fondled a rather large dildo with his finger. \"I could never get Henry to experiment. All he wanted was me on my knees or on my back. I didn\'t know that the old dog could be taught new tricks.\"

After some mid-morning loving, Daniel looked at the clock on the table. “James, Henry usually only spends half a day at work on Saturday.” Daniel hurried into his clothes.

“Dress.” He threw James’s clothes at him then pulled out a cigarette from a crumbled pack.

“Smoke?”

“Never started that bad habit.”

“I’m sorry that I did.” Daniel put the cigarettes back down. “I don’t know how much money I burn on these cigarettes.”

James touched a bottle on the dresser. “What’s in this bottle?”

“Stuff to put hair on your chest,” Daniel said, putting his clothes back on. “You have enough hair; you don’t need it.”

James touched another unmarked bottle further back covered with a slight layer of dust. “What is this one for?”

“Bear potion. Henry’s friends called him a bear. He asked if I could change him into a bear when we were first going together. It was never used.”

“Any potions that change people to white mice or frogs?”

“No frogs,” said Daniel, doing his last button on his shirt. “My father has a toad potion. He never used it. It could be colored water as far as I know. You should get dressed. Not that I mind the view, but Henry might get suspicious.” Daniel lit a cigarette.

James started to dress. “Give me a couple of bucks. I’ll hit the deli.”

Daniel watched James dress as he enjoyed a cigarette. “I’m not surprised that Henry gave you all his money. You’re definitely worth every penny.”

“I ain’t a whore.”

“You shouldn’t touch my potions. Henry’s sister accidentally drank one and smelled like a harlot in heat until I could have a counter made.”

“What were you doing with something like that?”

“It was a base. No one was supposed to drink it straight.”

James put on his shoes. “Can I have a ten? I’ll go to the deli.”

“Five.” Daniel opened his wallet and gave James’s a five. “Get me a corn beef and Swiss with mustard, onions and lettuce. Get a case of beer as well.”

“I’ll see you in a hour.” James blew Daniel a kiss.

Henry returned, as Daniel was cleaning using his telekinesis. “Did James leave?” Henry asked, watching the dust rag clean by itself.

“I gave him a five to get us sandwiches and beer. Why did you tell me that he was scarred and running to fat?”

“He was running to fat when he left me. What did you talk about?”

“His boxing career. He thought he could get back into it but he was getting beaten up by younger stronger fellows.”

“I sure he bored you to tears.”

“He’s charming. I see why you were taken by him.”

“He’s a tease. He was hoping that I would take him back.”

“He isn’t that desperate.”

“He’s short on y any and has no skills.”

“He’s a strong young man and could find a job anywhere. He probably tried of traveling and decided to look you up.”

James returned with the beer and sandwiches. “Henry, I got you two; I remember you appetite. Are we going to Peter’s house tonight?”

“He never liked you.”

“I remember he claimed that I cheated at cards.”

“I don’t play,” Daniel said, taking his sandwich from the bag.

“Peter used to come to watch James fight.”

“I didn’t think people would bet on a queer fighter,” Daniel said.

“People didn’t know I was queer. Henry looks queer; I don’t. I did get bets placed against me because I had a queer manager. I’m out of it now.”

“Let’s see Peter tonight. I have a little money I can lose.”

“James, you better have your own money,” Henry said. “Or we won’t go.”

“I don’t have the kind of money that you and Downing play.”

“Neither does Baker, I just let him own me,” Henry said.

Daniel suggested, “We can play cards here and drink beer.”

“That would be no fun. Daniel and you share expenses and I’m broke. I should head back upstate,” James said.

“I’ll take you on carpet.” Daniel grabbed another beer. “My factory is near your folks.”

“Is it safe to drink and fly?” James asked, also grabbing a beer for the flight.

Henry said, “Dan does it all the time.”

Daniel put his arms around James when the carpet was in the air. “Would you like a hotel room for the night?”

“I think not. Daniel, it was nice once but I rather not make it a habit.”

“You have someone.”

“No, I don’t want to ruin your relationship with Henry. The old goat seems to really care about you.”

“You really expected him not to have anyone when you came back.”

“I had my doubts. He gets so involved with work. It’s nice that he has someone to love him.”

“What did you fight about?”

“He expected me to clean his house and learn to cook if I was going to continue to live there. I told him I wasn’t his fucking maid.”

“You should have. If my family didn’t need me to run the business, I would have.”

“Probably, but I didn’t want to see myself as his wife.”

“I’m his wife. I wear his ring.” Daniel showed James the ring.

“Henry doesn’t seem the type to exchange vows. You must have dragged him into it, kicking and screaming.”

“No, he got down on bended knee and asked me to marry him. It was very sweet at the time. Henry does have a romantic side. He just doesn’t show it very often.”

“One second you\'re having casual sex with a stranger and the next you\'re telling me how important your relationship is. I don’t get it.”

“You lived with Henry five years. Your relationship must have had its ups and downs.”

“We didn’t have a relationship. I gave the old man sex. Any relationship we had been in the old man’s head.”

“If that was true, you wouldn’t have been disappointed when you saw me in my tee shirt and briefs.”

“So, Dan, you read minds, too?”

“I don’t read minds. I make carpets and dishes fly. I didn’t have to read your mind to see that you were disappointed. You cared about Henry. That’s why you couldn’t face him after you took his money.”

In the silence, Daniel realized that Saturday morning had passed and he didn’t go see Cynthia. He wasn’t going to show Cynthia to James. He like James didn’t know his history and to James, he was only a man that Henry slept with.

James, finally, spoke, “What do you see in old goat?”

“He\'s intelligent, romantic, generous, I could go on for hours. Most importantly, he can fuck like nobody’s business. He knows how to make a man feel good.” Daniel flew the rest of the way to James’s parents’ house, enjoying the beautiful Monadnock Mountains.

Mr. Defoe asked Daniel to come in but he said that had to get back. “Daniel, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you at that bar.” Mr. Defoe stepped out onto the front porch.

“I didn’t expect Henry to act that way.”

“He wanted me to know that he had found someone after my son left. It wasn’t personal.”

“I felt like everyone was looking at me,” Daniel said. “I really have to go. Henry is expecting me.”

“It’s Saturday night,” Mr. Defoe said, taking a seat on the front porch. “Have a beer. Talk awhile.”

“I really can’t.”

“Wouldn’t your life be easier if you were with a woman?” Mr. Defoe asked.

“Is anyone’s life easy?” Daniel asked.

“I deserved that.” Mr. Defoe took out a cigarette.

“Allow me.” Daniel took out his lighter.

“Thanks.”

“Tell me one thing. What does James see in other men?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what I see in my man.” Daniel finished his cigarette and left.

Daniel decided instead of spending Sunday doing her research that he would spend it with Henry and Cynthia. He would have to put in fewer hours at the factory if he wanted to spend more time doing research. Daniel decided that he should be falling asleep in Henry’s arms instead of falling asleep in his notes. He didn’t have the time to worry about our people’s opinions of him. He was going to enjoy his life and cherish the people that he loved.