Henry looked handsome in his evening attire, holding his hat in one hand as he knocked on the door. An older man answered the door. "Please, come in. The lady of house awaits." Henry gave the butler his hat and Betsy’s and his riding cloaks.

"Howard, I can see them in." An older woman walked over to Henry. Her back was bent with age. Henry took her hand in his and bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Betsy, this is my mother, Mrs. Richard Newcastle."

"How do you do?" said she.

"I do fine," said Henry’s mother. "Betsy, the name sounds familiar. You work for my boy."

"Yes, I do. I’m going to quit before the baby shows."

Henry grabbed his mother a split second after her knees appeared to weaken. "We should get my mother to a chair. Betsy, take her other arm."

Betsy took the woman’s arm and helped Henry take her into the parlor. Betsy didn’t have time to admire the paintings on the walls, wondering if they were family members or just people that once owned this house as Betsy and Henry helped her on to the sofa.

"I’m Henry’s fiancée, Betsy Logan."

Mrs. Newcastle touched Betsy’s bearded cheek. "Miss Logan, you’re a big girl."

Henry entered the room with two women following him. One of the women was carrying a tray with tea and biscuits and set the tray on the table in front of the sofa.

The older lady laughed.

Betsy waved. "I’m Betsy Logan, Henry’s fiancée. He wrote about me."

Henry said, "This is Annabel and Martha, two of my sisters. You women talk. I’ll join the men in the library."

Martha remained standing and glared at Betsy.

Henry kissed Betsy’s cheek then excused himself.

"The men are going to play billiards, smoke and drink," said Annabel. "Betsy, welcome to the family."

"Thank you," said Betsy. Turning her eyes demurely toward the floor, Betsy still felt the weight of Martha’s stare.

"You and my brother are expecting a baby?" Martha asked.

"Yes. I shall bear a daughter in approximately eight and a half months." Betsy gave Martha a quick stare back, wanting to tell Martha if she don’t stop staring at her, she would charge admission like they do at the living oddities tent, but she just sat there, kept her hands folded over her knee and tried to act the lady. "Henry has agreed to give our child a name. He called on my father to ask for my hand in marriage."

"Our brother is honorable," said Annabel.

Martha said, "If our brother was honorable, he would have married Betsy before taking her to his bed."

Betsy smiled, feeling her cheeks grow warm. She kept her thin lips together since a lady doesn’t show her teeth or chuckle. Betsy remembered her mother saying when you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all then go home and brew a potion to turn the lot of them to toads. Betsy would never do that to Henry’s sister, but it was easier to smile at Martha when picturing her as a toad.

Martha sat down on the chair opposite her. "I’m so sorry. I lost my manners." The furniture was old but very well preserved.

Annabel poured her mother tea. "Betsy, would you like a cup?"

"Yes, please," said Betsy getting comfortable on the sofa beside Henry’s mother. Betsy leaned forward to reach for the cup for Henry’s mother. "Ma’am," Betsy said, as she placed the cup in the older woman’s reach.

"This cup is yours," Annabel said, as she poured it.

Betsy admired the nice bone colored china. As she drew the cup to her lips, she felt the delicate piece of china in her hands. It felt old like it had been in the family several generations. "Thank you." Betsy placed the cup on the coffee table and placed her hands on her laps carefully to keep them from moving when she talked.

"Henry is a great uncle to all his nieces and nephews," said Annabel.

"Where are the children now?" asked Betsy. "I would love to meet them."

"With Kate," said Martha. "She’s the youngest. Henry must have told you all about them."

"Henry doesn’t talk about his family much," said Betsy. Henry talked without end about his brilliant sisters. Betsy didn’t want his sisters to know that Henry saw them as brilliant and industrious; they wanted to be beautiful. Betsy doubt that Henry would know a beautiful woman if he saw one. It seemed odd but it was charming in its own way. "I’m sure Henry will make an excellent father."

"Please, relax a little," Annabel said.

"I’ll need your help for the next nine months." Betsy smiled at Annabel, a sturdy woman with the same curly hair as Henry, thinking she was beautiful even if Henry didn’t describe as her as such.

"Would you like more tea?" Annabel asked.

"Yes, please." Betsy leaned forward holding her cup.

Annabel refilled Betsy her teacup, then, poured herself tea. "Do you knit? Making baby’s blankets and jumpers will keep you occupied."

"No," said Betsy. "Perhaps, you can teach me. I shall have plenty of time to learn since I plan to quit working once I’m married although Henry claims that I’ll be back to work in less than a month."

"You should stick to blankets then," said Annabel. "I’ll make the child a jumper and bonnet."

"Annabel, I would like to meet with a midwife early on." Betsy didn't want to shock the midwife with her ugliness on the day of the birth.

"After you are done your tea, I can take you outside to see the gardens," said Annabel. "Henry says you’re fond of herbs."

"I look forward to it," said Betsy.

Annabel opened the gate to the garden. In the afternoon light, Betsy could see that Annabel had thick curly black hair like her brother; her eyes were darker than Henry’s, more hazel than blue. She was wearing a white tailored blouse and a blue and pink striped skirt. Her abdomen went out a bit, indicating that Annabel was also expecting. Annabel took Betsy’s hand. "That is a beautiful engagement ring." Betsy was glad that the alchemist that increased its size didn’t tarnish the gold in anyway. "You have such long fingers."

"They get still lost in Henry’s hand."

Annabel giggled, again. "Henry does have hands like a bear." Annabel pointed to some plants along the walk. "Basil and, beside them, chicory."

Betsy knelt down on one knee. "I see you also have mint."

After Betsy her hand spoke for sometime, Annabel bent down to take a few leafs. As she went to stand, she lost her balance and fell on her bum. Annabel laughed as Betsy helped her up.

"You have a delightful laugh," Betsy said, with her arms still supporting Annabel.

A man over by some oaks, yelled, "Get your hands off my wife."

Betsy put her hands down by her sides. "I was just helping her up."

The man ran toward them on the path. "I can help my own wife. You must be the ugliest woman that I have ever seen."

"Henry loves me for my brain," Betsy said to that rude man.

"Not that I’m surprised. He wanted us all to treat James as part of the family." The man laughed. "James thanks us by, leaving town with half of Henry’s money. He would never have to work a day in his life."

"Henry never mentioned any money. The man broke his heart," Betsy said. "The money wasn’t important. Besides, Henry just won a factory in a poker game."

"Won a factory, did he? Gambling doesn’t make Henry a real man. James was his wife for over five years."

Betsy put out her right hand and shook his hand.

"Good grip for a woman," said Will.

"Thank you," said Betsy. "Annabel has agreed to help me over the next nine months."

"The baby and her have healthy auras," Annabel said.

"Annabel, I’m sorry if my questions about James upset you," Betsy said. "Will, if I’m not being too bold, did Henry ever lay a hand on James?"

"He laid more than his hands on him." Will sounded disgusted.

"I mean in violence. Did he harm James?"

"They fucked."

"I know that. I wanted to know if Henry hit James to hurt him. Did their fights turn violent? I don’t want to marry a man that has a violent temper."

"Not to my knowledge," Will said. "Annabel, don’t bore Betsy with the aura junk."

"A lot of people see auras," said Betsy. "It isn’t nonsense."

"Betsy, can you see auras?" asked Will, placed an arm around Annabel’s shoulders.

"No, I can’t," said Betsy.

"See nonsense," said Will.

"It isn’t nonsense," said Betsy. "Your wife was the only member of Henry’s family not to look at me like I have two heads."

Will stared at her like she had two heads.

"I’m going to visit you everyday. After you learn to knit, maybe, I’ll teach you crochet," Annabel said.

Betsy kissed her cheek. "I look forward to it."

Will clunked his jaw.

Betsy looked down at Will and blinked her eyes. Will was an inch or so shorter than her. "Do you want a kiss, too?"

Will looked Betsy in the eyes and swung his right fist squarely into her nose. In too much shock to scream, Betsy put her hands over her nose. "You bastard, you broke my fucking nose."

"Will, how could you hit a pregnant woman?" Annabel whined.

"That isn’t a woman. Henry had one of his boyfriends put on a dress. No woman shakes hands like that. He has a fucking beard. He didn’t even bother to shave before putting on clothes that he brought at a consignment shop."

Annabel started to cry. "Betsy, I’ll have Martha get you a healer. Howard will get you an ice pack."

"I can’t believe you hit me and here I was worried about Henry’s temper." Betsy continued to hold her nose as the blood covered her hands and dripped onto her white cotton blouse. She bit back the pain, refusing to let Will see her cry. "I have some sideburns and a few whiskers on my chin, but I don’t have a beard."

"Semantics. Henry is waiting inside for you." Will looked away. "Mister, take off the used dress and use your normal voice. You aren’t fooling anybody."

"My nose feels broken. Annabel, I need a healer. Will, you could have killed me," Betsy said calmly. She wiped her blood soaked hands on her white blouse. The blouse was hopelessly ruined. "Annabel, may I borrow a blouse after I see the healer?"

"Yes, of course," said Annabel. "I don’t know what got into my husband."

While walking back to the house, Betsy waved good-bye to Annabel. Betsy met Henry in the library. Howard gave her an ice pack. "Martha is getting an healer." The library had a stone fireplace and hardwood bookshelves. In the middle of the room sat a billiard table.

Betsy racked the balls. "I’ll play you a game."

"You shouldn’t play with a broken nose."

"Sitting here crying isn’t going to bring the healer here faster."

"Put the ice pack on your nose and watch." Henry put his cigar on the rim of the ashtray.

"I’ll still win." Betsy started to sharpen her cue.

"I will play her," Will lit a cigarette as he entered the room.

"No, she needs to keep that ice pack on her nose,"Henry said.

"I’ll still beat you," Betsy said.

"You aren’t a woman," Will whispered to Betsy as he passed her blowing smoke in her face trying to glimpse if she had a bosom.

"Because I’m tougher and taller than you," Betsy said, pretending not to notice the smoke blown in her face.

"I have never seen a woman that acts like you." Will took another drag on his cigarette. "However, you’re too masculine to be one of Henry’s boyfriends."

"If I’m too masculine to be his boyfriend, then I have to be his girlfriend."

"That is the stupidest piece of logic that I ever heard." Will put down his cigarette and picked up a cue.

"It proves she’s a woman." Henry puffed on his cigar.

Betsy sat down. "I’ll watch until the healer comes. I play the winner."

"Will, I warn you she’s good."

"Who taught you to play?" Will smoked the last of cigarette.

"My father." Betsy looked Will in the eye not letting him see that she was hurt. Betsy watched as the men played. She thought about helping Henry along with her telekinesis, but it would take from the joy of beating Will without magic. The healer arrived as Will was making the final shot. Her nose felt normal in a few seconds. "Henry, pay the lady. Thank you some much for healing my nose. Will, be prepared to lose."

"No more talk." Will sharpened his cue and then racked the balls. "Ladies, first."

Betsy broke the rack and sunk her first ball and proceeded to run the table. "Eight ball in the corner pocket." As the ball went into the pocket where she had pointed, she said, "You should have never given me the first shot."

"That is no woman. No woman moved the way she does. Henry, you think you can fool your sisters. You aren’t fooling me. How much did you pay him to wear a skirt? He doesn’t even know how to walk in one." Will took his drink and left.

"How did you get along with my sisters?" Henry picked up his cue.

"Annabel is going to teach me how to knit. Martha looked at me like the freak show came to town."

"What did you say to Will?"

"Nothing," said Betsy. "I have never been mistaken for a man before."

"Will didn’t see it that way." Henry broke the rack without sinking a single ball. "How do I know I know you aren’t using telekinesis?"

"You don’t. Someone with Will’s skill would know in a second. The angles wouldn’t look right. When you throw a ball, you know how the parabola should look when it comes down, even if you don’t know what a parabola is. You would know if an object was being pulled by magic."

"Have you ever used telekinesis when you play?"

"No, at least one person watching would know I was cheating and I would never be trusted again. My father taught me the differences when I knee-high to grasshopper."

"What did you Annabel talk about?"

"Lots of stuff. Annabel said that James wrote your mother last Christmas."

"Mom didn’t show me the letter but she assured me that he was well."

"Don’t compare me to James."

"You’re a far better billiards player than James. Besides you’re interested in more than my money."

Betsy took the pool cue. She aimed the cue ball at the 2-ball. It went in the corner pocket. She then took another turn. After sinking five balls, it was Henry’s turn.

Henry shot and missed. "This is why I don’t play you for money."

"I don’t think I can sit in a house for five months," said Betsy. "I can’t go to the office large with your child. Do the people in the office know about James? Are they laughing at me?"

"No. I’m old bachelor as far as they are concerned."

"Like Richard, your religious friend, didn’t you say that he wanted to be a priest before he met Nancy?"

"He wanted to get his doctor in philosophy."

Betsy sank the rest of her balls. "Eight ball in the side pocket." She used the pool cue to point then made the shot to win the game. "I plan to keep working until my clothes grow tight."

Annabel told Betsy and Henry that it was time for dinner. Mrs. Newcastle had a cook and several servants. Betsy had never been to such a fancy table. Annabel whispered, "Betsy, don’t mention James; we want this to be a pleasant meal."

"I won’t," Betsy whispered back. "The subject is closed."

"Let’s talk about your upcoming wedding."

The next time when Henry visited her at her apartment Betsy had to asked why Will mistook her for a man. "You’re a very masculine woman," Henry explained.

"So that doesn’t make me a man in a dress." Betsy started to cook. "If I look so damn masculine, why was Will the first person to think I was a man?"

"Because man that would stoop to wearing a dress to work at a mill would be more feminine than the ladies there. Will would be the only one to think that I would stoop so low to have my boyfriend wear a dress." Henry handed her a change of workmen’s clothes. "To wear for Will."

Part 5: Why the Judge Has Second Thoughts

Betsy handed Annabel a small white envelope. "I’m sorry we didn’t have time to make proper invitations."

"Will and I will attend," said Annabel.

"No, we won’t," said Will.

"Henry is the closest in age to me," said Annabel. "He’s only two years older. Martha is six years my senior and Kate is four years younger. I fondly remember Henry pushing my swing in the backyard. We teased the nanny, waded in the pond and played many late night games of checkers. You can’t deny me this."

"I don’t want you attending," said Will. "We shall discuss it later. We shouldn’t air our dirty laundry around Betsy."

"Betsy will be family in a week and a half whether you forbid me to attend or not. Betsy, I shall be going." Annabel hugged Betsy. "That daughter of yours has a strong aura. Do you have any more invitations to deliver?"

"You were the last one," said Betsy. "We’re only inviting my parents, my older brother, your mother and you and your sisters and having a judge marry us since Henry doesn’t believe in religion."

"Do you?" asked Annabel.

"I believe in God," said Betsy.

Annabel patted Betsy on the back. "Henry says religion is the opium of the masses."

"I agree," said Betsy. "Sitting in church makes people feel good. Most people do not read the Bible for themselves. They listen to the preacher with half-closed eyes."

"Many people who attend church every week don't take God into their hearts," Annabel said.

Will gave Betsy a brief glance. "Annabel thinks she can see into people’s souls. She asks me to take God into my heart at least once a month."

"Will, I’m taking Betsy to see the midwife," said Annabel. "Let me get Sarah in the pram and we’ll go."

"My parents will be attending the wedding," said Betsy.

"Do not disobey me," said Will.

"Or you’ll break my nose, too," said Annabel.

Betsy, still wearing her coat, folded her arms. "My own brother won’t attend. He says I’m making a fool out of myself."

"Plenty of woman marry because they have a bun in the oven." Annabel put on her jersey than picked up the baby. Putting Sarah in the pram, she said, "We’re taking Betsy to see the midwife."

Will didn’t say good-bye as they left the house. Betsy looked at the roses buds planted along side of the stone path. The grass was just starting to turn green after the cold winter. Annabel put her arm around Betsy’s shoulder. "Does your husband still think I am a man?"

"Not unless you're having an hysterical pregnancy."

Betsy laughed. "Hysterical means womb madness."

"I was in shock. Will is usually a gentleman."

Betsy and Annabel walked the four blocks to the midwife’s house. "Has Will ever hit a woman before?"

"Not to my knowledge. He has been in several barroom brawls in his youth."

Betsy’s mouth dropped open.

"Betsy, I’m sorry."

"I have been ignored by men all my life. I have never been mistaken for one. Henry brought me a change of men’s clothes including shoes, belt and hat. I could see from his eyes that I look better as a man than I do as a woman."

"Did he say anything?"

"He tried to look non-plussed, but he was stunned."

"You carry yourself like a man."

"How does a man carry himself?" Betsy asked.

Annabel reached outward as if she was looking at non-existent birds in the sky. "Like you do, tall, straight, like you have a purpose."

Annabel introduced Betsy to Mary Jane Brooks, her trusted healer. Her office was attached to her house. In the waiting room she had two large worn beige sofas that looked as if one child too many mistook them for trampolines. In the center of the room sat a box of toys, mostly wooden blocks that had splinters and flecks of peeling paint. Mary Jane hugged Betsy upon meeting her. Betsy wiggled out of her embrace and put her arms tightly against her sides as if a solider at attention. "Annabel told me that you need a midwife. Do you have any concerns? If not, we can schedule our next appointment for four months from now."

Betsy sat down on the woman’s couch crossing her legs distancing herself from the overly affectionate woman. "I have one concern now. Why so long between appointments?"

"You’re a healthy woman. All you need from me is consultation and to hold your hand as you deliver your baby."

"I know almost nothing about having a baby," said Betsy, nervously uncrossing her legs and put her hands on her lap to stop her legs from moving.

"There is nothing to know. Eat well and get plenty of fresh air and exercise. Don’t overdo and get enough rest."

"I kept myself very thin for years. It was the only thing that I could control in my life. It seems strange now to eat as much as I want. I want to stop myself from eating long before I am full since I’m not used to having enough food. When I lived alone, I rather buy books or clothing than a necessity like food."

"Eat. The baby needs the calories."

"My future husband loves to eat. I’m always cooking to feed him. He stops at the bakery before he visits me to surprise me with sweets."

"You’re a little thin but eat three good meals a day and you’ll be fine. Annabel, help Betsy learn how to eat a healthy diet," the midwife said.

"I will. My brother loves to eat. I’m sure he’ll encourage her to eat enough."

"My dresses are already getting snug," Betsy said. "I can’t ask my fiancé to buy me clothes."

"You can borrow a few of my dresses for now. I’ll take you shopping after you are married," said Annabel.

"Please, feel free to talk to me anytime you need," Mary Jane said.

"I’ve been dieting for so long I’m uncomfortable about eating," said Betsy.

"The general rule is eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full," said Mary Jane. "It helps to eat small frequent meals; that aids with digestion."

Betsy closed the door behind her. "What did say to Mary Jane?"

"Nothing. I told her that you were engaged to my brother. Nothing more." Annabel shrugged her shoulders.

"Is she always this rude?"

"It was unlike her. She usually invites new patients in for tea."

Betsy wondered if Mary Jane disliked for the same reasons that Will disliked her. Betsy didn’t think she was acting peculiar and deserved such a rude reception.

"Maybe she is having a bad day." Annabel hugged Betsy. "Would you like me to screen another healer?"

"She’s the one closest to Henry’s house."

"Betsy, you were rude to her. She was only hugging you to make you feel welcome."

"The only woman to hug me was my mother and I hate it."

"Can I hug you?" Annabel asked.

Betsy put her arms around Annabel enjoying her embrace. She was a soft and cuddly version of her brother. "I feel weird hugging a pregnant woman."

"Most women like to be hugged when they learn they're expecting."

"I never had a stranger hug me; it gave me the creeps."

"I understand how you felt. I’ll tell Mary Jane that you meant no offense."

"Thanks."

"If I gave her a bad first impression, maybe I can change it."

"She has always been polite to me before," Annabel said. "Talk to me if you have problem before seeing Mary Jane. I’ll tell her that you aren’t used to being hugged. She’ll understand."

"I hope you’re right; I’ll talk to you first."

"Betsy." Annabel put her arms around her. "Why isn’t your brother is going?"

"He told me that I was making a big mistake. He took one look at Henry and called him a pervert." Betsy touched Annabel’s hand as they walked back to Annabel’s house. "I know Henry is a pervert. I love him because of it."

"He was referring to the way my brother doesn’t see women the way other men see women."

"That Henry doesn’t undress women with his eyes. I noticed it when we were ordering dinner at a pub. His eyes didn’t go to the barmaid. I think I noticed her low-cut dress before he did."

"That doesn’t bother you."

"Is that going to cause him to beat me or neglect our child? He wants to marry and raise a family."

"You deserve to be loved."

"I’m homely woman past marriageable age. I do the best I can. He has a nice house and respects me. I could do far worse. A girl in my position would never dream of marrying a man of his stature. My parents have a small business that they run out of their house. Henry is a well-respected businessman. I would have never dreamed about living in a fancy house with servants."

"Many woman cry because they are left in a big house alone all their lives."

"It won’t be me. I have a carpet and I intent to use it. I’m not going to become a bitter old woman."

Before meeting Henry at his house, Betsy stopped in a bar and had a beer. She played a fast game of pool for another round of beer. Betsy drank the second beer quickly noticing the time on her lady’s diamond watch that Henry had just brought her.

"Slow down, lady," the bartender said.

"I need another," Betsy said.

"You shouldn’t be drinking this early in the day," the bartender said.

"Are you my mother or a bartender?" Betsy asked.

"Lady, you had enough."

"I need more. I’m getting married today."

"You should be happy."

"Look at me."

"Can you cook?" the bartender said with a smile.

"Not really." Betsy smiled slightly.

"Is this man of yours old, ugly or desperate?"

"None of the above. That is what frightens me." Betsy left the bar feeling the effect of the two beers on an empty stomach. Betsy greeted Henry at the door of his house feeling nauseous. "Darling, we have to meet my parents at the justice of the peace."

"You had a beer." Henry probably smelled it on her breath.

"Two. I would have had three but the bartender wouldn’t sell me a third."

Betsy was wearing a simple shirtdress and Henry, a gray worsted wool suit. They walked to a house with a mailbox stating ‘Justice of the Peace.’ Betsy admired the white picket fence and the small immaculate lawn in front of the small white cape cod house with yellow shutters and window boxes. The judge’s wife invited them inside the judge’s parlor. Mr. and Mrs. Logan were already sipping tea.

"Hello, dear," said Mrs. Logan, waving to her daughter. Mr. Thaddeus Logan ran over to hug Betsy.

"Pop, please." Betsy blushed.

"My younger child is getting married and we all know about your brother," said Thaddeus. "A comet is more likely to hit the earth and kill humanity than he gets married."

Wanda Logan gave Thaddeus a dirty look. "Pleasant thoughts. Today is our daughter’s wedding day."

"The only reason Henry is marrying our daughter because he knows I would change him into a toad if he didn’t do right by her."

"Please, Pop." Betsy sat beside her father. "Henry is talking to the judge. Henry is good to me; I don’t deserve his love."

"His love is why we are sitting in a judge’s house, instead of having a large garden wedding after a year long engagement," said Mrs. Logan. The veil attached to her hat covered her eyes, preventing Betsy from seeing her tears until they slid half way down her cheeks.

"Due my situation, we couldn’t have had a proper engagement. I wonder what Henry is telling the judge." Betsy looked around the parlor to see Annabel walk through the door.

Annabel hugged Betsy. "I’m sorry I’m late."

"Henry has been talking to the judge for close to forever," said Betsy. "You haven’t missed anything. Mrs. William Flynn, I’m pleased to introduce you to my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Logan."

Annabel sat on a chair across from Betsy’s parents. "I’m Henry’s sister, Annabel. His other sisters couldn’t make it. Betsy and I have become friends over the past few days."

Betsy, feeling her cheeks grow warm, placed her hands on her face. "My emotions are all over the place. That must be the third time I’ve blushed today."

"I’m surprised you aren’t crying at the drop of a hat," said Mrs. Logan. "The sound of birds singing made me cry while I was expecting your brother. I toughened a bit by the time I had you."

"Betsy told me that you're a powerful sorceress. What magic can you do?"

"I can see into the future. When I told Betsy she would have only daughters, she laughed at me. Now she’s expecting her first daughter."

"We better not tell Henry," said Annabel. "He probably wants a son."

"No sons in Betsy’s future," said Mrs. Logan. "Daughters."

"Can you see into my future?" said Annabel.

Henry took Betsy by the arm. "The judge needs to see us now."

"I’m ready," Betsy said as she was pulled to the judge’s office.

The judge looked over Betsy. "So you are Miss Elizabeth Logan."

"Yes, your honor."

"Are you sure you want to marry her?" the judge whispered to Henry.

"She’s the one for me," Henry said proudly. "It’s time that I settled down and took a wife. I want children in my old age. I’m sure that Betsy will be a fine wife and mother."

"I’m sure that she will," the judge’s wife said. "Marry them."

"I don’t think I ever saw an uglier woman," the judge whispered to his wife.

Betsy started to cry. At least, he was only calling her ugly, if he had said that she looked like a man she would have been giving the judge a black eye. As it was, it took all her strength for her not to swing at the judge.

"Stuart, you’re being cruel," the judge’s wife whispered back. "Marry the couple."

Mrs. Logan stared the judge down. "I came here for a wedding. I won’t let you keep my granddaughter from having a name."

The judge glanced at Betsy, standing a few steps in front of the door. "Miss Logan, are you with child?"

"About a month along," said Betsy. "I’m still early enough along to hid that we had a rushed wedding. That won’t be the case if we need to find another judge."

"You wouldn’t be here if you managed to keep your clothes on," said the judge.

"I won’t have you speak to my daughter that way." Mrs. Logan raised her hands as if to cast a spell. She winked at Betsy then lowered her hands.

"Mom, get Pop and Annabel. We’re having a wedding," shouted Betsy.

Mrs. Logan opened the door and walked into the parlor.

"I love you." Betsy hugged and kissed Henry. After dabbing her cheeks with her handkerchief, she placed the hanky in her dress pocket. "Your honor, I’m not usually like this."

"Miss, it’s quite alright." The judge walked around his desk toward Henry. "Do you have a ring?"

Henry took out a hammered gold ring, fitted to Betsy’s large fingers. "Yes, I do."

Judge looked at Betsy and Henry holding hands. "We can begin anytime."

Mr. Logan came in, followed by Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Flynn. Mr. Logan hugged Betsy. "Dear, how are you holding up?"

"My emotions are out of whack," said Betsy. "I’m happy one second and crying the next. Did you cry at your wedding?"

"I wasn’t expecting then," said her mother.

"Everyone here?" asked the judge.

"Yes, your honor," said Henry.

After Henry and Betsy said their vows, Henry placed the ring on Betsy’s finger and they kissed. As the small wedding party left the house, the judge’s wife went over to Annabel.

Betsy dried her face. "Dear, let’s go home. We can have the party there. One day, I want to be able to kiss you and not have people gawking at us."

"I understand completely." Henry kissed her with abandonment.

Mrs. Logan took Betsy’s hand. "I need to talk to you alone."

Betsy gave Henry a fast peck on the lips. "Darling, I have to talk to my mother. I’ll be right back."

Betsy took her mother to the hallway. "What’s wrong now?"

"Those hands. They’re the ones," her mother said.

"What hands?"

"The hands in my visions. The hands that are in my nightmares."

"Mom, if this is to be, running away won’t make any difference. I belong to him now. He’s my destiny."

"How can you do nothing?"

"Mother, you once told me that you would outlive Frank and I. You had us anyway. If he is meant to kill me, then he will. Running will change nothing."

Betsy put her hand in Henry’s hand. "Darling, let’s go home and drink until we drop."

"That isn’t good for the baby," Mrs. Logan said.

"I’ll only have one or two," Betsy said. "Henry doesn’t care for strong liquor. One or two beers and the big man is babbling like a baby."

"I resent that," Henry said.

"You think you’re talking about philosophy but you say the same thing over and over again. It’s like a broken gramophone, but you can’t turn him off."

"Betsy, let’s get you home." Henry pulled her to the door.

"How dare that man call me ugly?"

"Betsy, you’re overreacting." Henry put his hand on her face. "The judge probably knew you were drunk. Everyone knew."

"I don’t normally drink. I couldn’t face my parents sober. My mother is always prophesizing doom."

"The judge only knows that you came drunk to your own wedding."

"I need two or three more."

"You need to go home and sleep it off."

"Is Will right? Do I act like a man?"

"You act like you. Everybody is different."

"I need another beer."

"You need to take a nap."

Betsy went to her bedroom and told Henry to wait. Betsy put on the men’s clothes including appropriate underwear. Betsy brushed her hair and pinned it up so all of it was under her hat. "I need a hair cut. People will see that my hair is pinned up under my hat." Betsy hollered from the bedroom behind a closed door.

"I can’t cut hair," Henry said. "Guests are waiting for us at my house. Movers, in a day or two, will move your things."

Annabel knocked on the door. Henry opened it. "She’s in her room and won’t come out."

"Betsy, come here," Annabel said in a soft, sweet voice.

"I hate myself." Betsy opened the door. "I can’t go out with my hair pinned up under my hat."

"Do you have a scissor?" Annabel asked.

"Yes." Betsy handed Annabel a scissor from her drawer.

Annabel took the pins from Betsy’s hair and brushed it straight. It was layered like a barber had cut it anywhere from a year to a year and half ago. Annabel cried as the first lock that she cut fell on the floor. Betsy didn’t move as her nearly shoulder length locks hit the floor. Annabel combed Betsy’s hair and cut it again so it would be tampered down to her neck. "Comb it yourself."

Betsy put her hand over her very short hair. "There isn’t enough left to comb." Betsy put her hand on her hat. "Let’s meet everyone at Henry’s house. I’m ready to meet the family now."

"Put your dress back on," Annabel said. "You’ll be showing soon."

"I want Will to meet the man he thought I was," Betsy said.

"He’ll throw up," Henry said.

"I think he can stomach it." Betsy put her hat on her head. She put the man’s winter jacket that she bought for this occasion on before stepping out the door.

"You’ll give your mother a heart attack," Annabel said. "Put your dress on."

"I’ll start to show soon. Let me enjoy this now." Betsy walked out the door as straight as ever. Henry walked beside her as if he was walking beside his drinking buddy.

Annabel took her brother’s hand. "She looks like a man. One would think she has done this before."

"She has on election day," Henry said.

As Henry unlocked the door, Betsy briefly kissed her mother. "Everyone come in," Henry said as he opened the door.

"Mom, don’t say a thing," Betsy said, in a deep masculine voice.

"You can’t dress like this when you start to show," her mother said.

"I might hide in Henry’s house the whole time," Betsy said. "I can’t believe I allowed him to talk me into cycling."

"You’ll be happier when the baby is here," her mother said.

"I look like a man," Betsy said. "Will knew it."

Will hugged Annabel. Will nodded at Betsy as he passed her to the bar. "Serve yourself," Betsy said in a deep, gruff voice.

"No caterers?" Will asked.

"I didn’t have time to hire anyone," Henry said. "I brought some deli this morning and made the plates up myself. Make yourself a sandwich."

"What are you?" Will whispered to Betsy.

"Don’t you like what you see?" Betsy asked.

Henry sat down on his sofa and looked in Betsy’s direction. "Sit beside me."

Betsy sat opposite Henry rather straight in the overstuffed chair. Betsy allowed herself to fall into it. "Will, you can put your eyes back into your head," Betsy said.

"If you were a man, I would give you a black eye," Will said.

"Breaking my nose wasn’t enough," Betsy said.

"Annabel, we’re leaving," Will said, after finishing two fast drinks.

Betsy closed her eyes momentarily. Henry must have let her sleep. Henry was smoking a cigar facing her when she woke.

Part 6: The Adding Machine Takes Flight

When the paperwork took flight, all the office staff except Betsy went into the hallway. They had been through this before. Betsy put her hands on her head and thought about the paper settling down into nice neat piles. The paper flew around in a blizzard of white, cutting into Betsy’s arms and face, causing her paper cuts. The adding machines shook. One machine took to the air.

Just then the door opened. "Leave," cried Betsy.The adding machine was somewhere within the cyclone of paper. As Betsy tried to get through the biting papers, she heard the adding machine fall with a bang and a scream. "Helen," Betsy cried. The adding machine and several books made loud clunks and bangs. She heard more screams. At least, three women were hurt. The papers calmed down. The office was covered in a blanket of paper. In the mess, she saw Lois cradling a lady half buried under paper. Betsy focused her eyes through the tears. The adding machine had implanted itself into Helen Martin’s skull.

Blood was soaking the papers red. Betsy screamed, "No. Helen, please, no," as she saw that Lois had a few bruises and paper cuts. Betsy’s chaotic magic had caused property damage and some bruises, but she never killed anyone before. Betsy put her hands through the papers. "No, no, no!"

Lois said, "Tina is getting Mr. Newcastle. You didn’t mean it. It was an accident, a horrible accident."

"She’s dead. I killed her." Betsy sat down. Her feet were too weak to stand on. Her whole body felt limp as she covered her face with her hands. "I want to die."

Lois put her hand on Betsy’s shoulder. "You have the baby to consider."

"I want to die. Please, leave me alone. I’m not safe to be around."

Henry came over to Betsy and hugged her. "Tina, treat Betsy’s and Lois’s injuries. Betsy, do you want Lois to walk you home?"

"I’m a monster. How can you stay married to me?"

"I love you," said Henry. "You didn’t mean for this to happen. It was an accident. Betsy, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to let you go."

After Tina attended their cuts and bruises, Lois walked Betsy home. Henry didn’t even want her to stay and clean up her mess. Every time things went flying before Betsy always cleaned up after herself. This was different. Someone had died. Not someone, Helen Martin, who ate egg salad sandwiches and sang Irish lullabies. Betsy packed up the last of her things from her apartment. They were subletting until the lease ran out. Henry had a nice two-story house, three bedrooms and a maid who came in once a week. He could afford better with two working textile mills and an empty factory, but what would they do with all the extra space?

As Betsy unpacked her belonging into Henry’s room, the clothes from her bag started soar about the room. She sat on the bed and decided to watch the clothes instead of fight her sporadic magic. He had large walk-in closet. His suits covered only part of the one of three walls. He had the movers put her plain oak dresser near his fancier cherry one. The movers had moved the dresser with the clothing still in the drawers. She checked and everything seemed in place. Betsy smiled as her clean clothes landed around the room. Henry had brought her several dozen wooden skirt and blouse hangers. He was so sweet. Betsy hung her clothes smiling to herself. Betsy checked the bathroom that had a large porcelain tub. The cabinet under the sink had enough space for her shampoo and soap. She put her small bottle of after bath splash in the medicine cabinet. She would need to buy a new toothbrush but there were drugstores on Main Street. She would write a list of everything she needed and would picked them up in the morning. Betsy went to the kitchen. The pantry was full with staples. Henry didn’t want her to worry about anything. She started her list by thinking about groceries she would like. She never thought about food as a luxury. She could now eat food for the taste not only to survive. She decided to get a cookbook with her shopping order then take her carpet to a bookstore after she did her other shopping.

"I see you made a shopping list. This should do it." Henry counted out a few bills and handed them to her.

"Two fives, two tens," Betsy counted back. "I can’t go out. What if I kill someone else?"

"Do you have more than one episode a day?"

"No." Betsy looked at the money in her hand. "Ask one of your secretaries to shop for you. I can’t risk it."

"Shop after you have an incident. Your psychic energy will be low. You can’t hide in the house."

"You just gave me more than you pay me in a week."

"You’re my wife not my employee. My money is your money."

"I’m not use to seeing that much at once."

"Your parents probably have as much money, but they hide it in a mattress instead of using a bank."

"Mom opened a bank account a few years back. She claimed the mattress was getting full. Besides, Frank was emptying their mattress for his drinking expenses. Pop didn’t tell me how much money they had but they filled several crates with it. Pop tied the ones in bundles of a hundred and put all the coins in rolls."

"They must have had several thousand."

"That is their secret. They still live like hillbillies. My father and mother don’t have running water and mother cooks over a wood-burning stove. They grow most of the food they eat in their yard. I doubt that they know they're richer than their neighbors."

"I’m sure that they know. Your pop was wearing silk pajamas when we visited."

"They may have money but they still don’t have any class."

"They seem like nice folk."

"Only because you don’t know them very well."

"I like to get to know them better."

"No, you don’t." Betsy rather embarrassed about her parents. They might have had money but they sold love potions and other snake oil for lack of a better term. Her father and mother wanted her to help with the business but she left home instead. "Darling, I was wondering how much money did James take when he left."

"Let just say that it was enough for him to live off the rest of his life if he manage finances carefully, but knowing James, it didn’t last two months. I love to stand around and talk but I need to get to work."

"Take the carpet to Boston."

"I hate those things."

"It’s much faster than train. After a few round trips, you’ll be wondering how you got along without it."

"Another time. I have to catch my train."

Betsy found being a full-time housewife didn’t give her as much reading time as she hoped. The once a week housekeeper meant she still needed to do the laundry and the daily chores. After two weeks, Betsy was still not able to convince herself to leave the house. She had worn the same dress three days not caring about the way she looked. Annabel arrived with Sarah as Betsy was mopping the kitchen floor. "I thought you might like some company. Since Will hired me a housekeeper and cook, I find I have lots of time on my hands."

"I enjoy cooking," Betsy said.

"So do I, but Will insist that we can afford the luxury. I used to spend half my day in the kitchen."

"I spend at least that much time in the kitchen."

"You have gained some weight."

"Thanks. It’s hard to tell myself to finish my plate. I’m so use to going hungry. I rather buy books than food."

"It must be nice that Henry can buy you both."

"It is. What are Will’s views on magic? I don’t want to cause strife between you and your husband."

"He tolerates magic," said Annabel, "in everyone but his wife. He sees my aura reading as silly woman’s magic. He would be happier if I was clairvoyance or had some other practical form of magic."

Betsy sat on a chair in her kitchen. "Will is a practical man?"

"I wish I had magic like yours."

"No, you don’t. My magic killed Helen Martin. Some days I spend all afternoon cleaning up the mess I make in the morning. Clothing, books, papers fly everything. It gets so bad I feel like finding an active volcano and jumping in."

"If you ever feel like jumping into a volcano, tell me or Henry." Annabel walked into the kitchen noticing the sink with running water, a modern coal stove and also an icebox with drip pan. "Let’s see what you have in the pantry."

They peeled then put the potatoes in water to boil for mashed potatoes. Betsy set aside gravy made with the trimmings of yesterday’s roast. Annabel helped Betsy cut up the roast to add to a stew. "Roast is always better the second day," said Betsy.

"See you know how to cook," said Annabel. "Things will get better. You have to believe. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Some auras shine better than others. Once you let God into your soul He never leaves you."

"I don’t believe in the Christian bible." Betsy cut up carrots and onions for the stew. She could cry while chopping vegetables and blame it on the onions.

"Hindi souls and Jewish souls can shine just as bright. The path to enlightenment doesn’t seem important. In fact, more Hindus and Jews seem to have this glow than Christians. That may be because it's hard to be an outsider in a Christian state and they need their religion more."

"Then this glow can’t mean I’m saved. Only Christians and non-Christian who do not know about Christ can be saved." Betsy dumped the cut vegetables into the stew with the roast and broth.

"I can’t answer that. I only know that people with this glow are happier, even when sadness touches their lives. I know this glow is God’s light because I helped kindle the glow in both my sisters by leading them in prayer."

"How do you find this light?"

"Belief in God or any other power (powers) outside yourself is all that’s necessary. You need to give yourself to this Higher Power."

"Now we need to wait for the potatoes to cook," said Betsy. "The stew can simmer until the potatoes are done."

"Did your mother teach you to cook?"

"Survival cooking she called it." Betsy went into the living room with Annabel. The baby was now awake and playing with the blocks Henry bought for the children to play with. Annabel took a doll from her bag and handed it to the girl. Betsy looked at the child, playing on the floor beside her mother. "Mom said that I would have to cook for myself and company. She also taught me to mend my own clothes."

Annabel sat by Betsy on the sofa. "Betsy, you need to believe you’re worthy of God’s love. God made you. God doesn’t make rubbish."

"He allows me to suffer."

"We’re made stronger though our hardships. Many women would be jealous of you. Many are in loveless marriages. I can see that Henry is devoted to you. You’re blessed with his love."

Henry arrived as Annabel was leaving. "Annabel, don’t leave on my account."

"You should spend this time with your wife," Annabel said. "Besides, Will doesn’t like me to be out all hours."

Betsy put her arms around Henry. She kissed Henry’s coarse cheek. "How can you look at me?"

"I love you." Henry kissed her deeply. Neither of them saw Annabel leave the room.

"I miss working."

"I’m sorry. I know you loved your job."

"I’ll get another one when the baby is old enough for a nanny."

Annabel put out some blocks for the two year old to play with. "Henry will just give you another one."

"I won’t let him," said Betsy.

"How are you going to stop him?" said Annabel. "You’re his wife. You have certain duties."

"I need you to teach me how to care for a baby."

"You can help me with Sarah and Jack when he arrives." Annabel sat the two year old on her knee and rocked her. Annabel’s lilting soprano voice sang, "Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top." Betsy, looking at the pregnant woman in a housedress resting a baby on her breast, didn’t want to be her in four years. Henry needed to get her a nanny.

"Darling, you have to go shopping. We’re nearly out of food," Henry said.

"I’m on my way out," Annabel said gathering her child and her toys.

"I can’t leave. I tried. I get as far the yard. I’m terrified."

"I’ll go with you today. Tomorrow, you’ll go by yourself."

"An added machine was implanted in Helen’s skull," whined Betsy. "I can’t leave the house. Annabel puts her life in jeopardy each time she visits me. What if my magic kills Sarah?"

"It won’t."

"You can’t guarantee that."

"Something could happen to me now, but I’m holding you. Honey, go shopping with me. Talk to Mary Jane about a solution. You told me that the incidents were less violent when you weren’t cycling or pregnant. Mary Jane can give you something after the baby is born to stop you from cycling and allows you to maintain a normal weight. Trust me."

"I’ll talk to her about it."

"Now, put on your coat and let’s get some food to eat."

"Sure. Can I bath and comb my hair first?"

"Hurry. The shops aren’t open past six."

After Betsy put her dirty dress in the hamper and washed herself quickly with a washcloth, she put on a clean dress and put a scarf on her head to hide her messy hair then gave Henry a fast hug. "I’m ready to go."

Henry took Betsy’s arm. "We’re off to the grocer. Do you have your list?"

"No, we need everything. I hope there’re still fruit stands open."

"Probably not. You’ll have to get produce in the morning."

"Go with me."

"You have to go alone. Betsy, you can’t imprison yourself in a house the rest of your life."

"You didn’t kill anyone."

"You can do this. Betsy, believe in yourself. You aren’t a demon."

"I feel like one."

Part 7: Mary Jane Arrives too Late

During the seventh month of pregnancy, Betsy had realized that her last attack of sporadic magic hadn’t been for close to two months. She decided that it was time to make a glamour potion so she would be attractive after she had the baby. She hated the way people looked at her and it was time for a change. She didn’t have the money to maintain a potion before and Henry allowed her to buy ingredients for potions without limit. She measured the ingredients and stirred it in a large lobster pot. As she created her glamour potion, she thought about all the times the other women at the mill taunted her, the vile treatment her healer gave her and all the other things that being unattractive caused her. She wanted to look normal, being beautiful meant having regular features. She wanted the golden triangle and a face that would turn men’s head in lust, not disgust.

She planned on about drying it on the screened in porch, as she smelled the foul odor coming from the pot. She cooked it until it was as thick and dry as possible. It could dry the rest of the way in the sun. She would have to stir it everyday to get all the parts evenly dry. Dried potions lasted indefinitely; ones kept moist were lucky to last more than a few days.

As Betsy waited for the baby to arrive, she was still attack free but it didn’t make her feel much better. One attack killed Helen Martin. Even if she could reduce the attacks to once a year, it wasn’t good enough. She needed to find the magic to get rid of them forever. She talked to Mary Jane about the attacks and Mary Jane suggested that fluctuations in her hormone levels may trigger them and she would find a medication that caused early menopause to stabilize her hormone levels. She didn’t want to have another baby anyway because she wouldn’t die until after her second daughter was born.

"I’ll give it to you after you have the baby. You’ll have to bottle feed," Mary Jane said.

"I understand."

"After I give you this medicine, I want you to track any episode that you might have and their intensity."

"I don’t want one episode."

"If the medicine works right, you won’t have any. You have to have patience."

"Helen died."

"We can’t go back in time. All we can do is prevent it from happening again," Mary Jane said. "I’m sorry I was so cold to you before. I understand your concern and I’ll do my best to help you solve your problem."

"Thanks." Betsy laid awake most of the night timing her contractions. She remembered that Mary Jane said that first labors could last over a day and contraction could stop and start a few times before becoming active. As the dawn cracked through the window, Betsy told Henry that she was going to get Annabel to sit with her.

"When did you labor start?"

"Some time last night. I started timing my pains around three in the morning. They stopped twice so I started timing them again at five thirty. I might not have the baby until tomorrow."

"But you want Annabel here?"

"Just in case. It’s dangerous for a woman to have a baby alone."

"I’ll walk with you." Henry hurried into his clothes. "You aren’t going anywhere alone."

"I’m fine."

"You could have a baby any minute."

"I’ll have strong pain for an hour or more. Only second or later babies come that fast. The first one has to open everything up." Betsy threw on a clean dress. "I’ll be fine. I’ll take the carpet if you're worried."

"Take the carpet. I’ll wait here for my sister," Henry agreed.

Betsy rolled out her carpet on the back porch. She had a pain as she sat on the carpet. After she waited for the pain to pass, she said, "Carpet, take me to Will and Annabel Flynn’s house." Betsy relaxed on the carpet as it rose above the houses.

Annabel greeted Betsy at the door. "It’s rather early for a visit."

"I have been in labor off and on all night. I don’t want to be alone if the baby should arrive faster than I expect."

"I understand. Is Henry going to work?"

"He has the shoe factory to look after. He’s begging me to get a nanny and work there with him, saying that he could use my brains."

"He just wants your company at the office," Annabel said. Sarah followed her mother and Annabel put Jack in his sling. "Maybe you should consider it. James didn’t work with Henry since Henry claimed he had no business sense."

"Why did he stay with him for over five years?"

"My brother isn’t a practical as he leads you to believe. He didn’t become practical until James broke his heart."

"I doubt it."

"In business matters, he has always been practical. He didn’t let James near his businesses."

"All the same, I rather work for someone else."

"We should drop Jack and Sarah with their aunt Kate. I can’t be much help to you if I’m chasing a baby."

"Good idea." Betsy told the carpet the address and waited on the carpet as Annabel brought the children inside to stay with their aunt, Kate. Betsy felt two more pains as she waited. Betsy felt the pains come at a little faster and seem hurt her lower on her body. It was like the pain was in her lower back and upper legs. The baby must have been pushing against her back.

Annabel rubbed her legs as Betsy complained about pain being deferred to her legs. "You’ll be able to walk after you landed the carpet. Bend your knees and I’ll try to rub the back of your legs."

"Thanks." Betsy bent her legs and Annabel massaged them until the carpet landed.

Annabel handed Betsy a nightshirt and told her to take off everything but her socks. Women in labor tended to get cold feet. Henry went down the street to get Mary Jane while Annabel sat with Betsy. Annabel wiped Betsy’s brow as she groaned. Betsy, wearing a white nightshirt, lay on the marriage bed she shared with Henry. Annabel put down towels for the bloody show and the afterbirth.

"We should wait until I heal from labor before we mess with a glamour potion," said Betsy before she groaned, again.

"The head is coming. Another push should do it. Most women are in labor for about twelve hours on their first one."

Betsy got into a squatting position and pushed. Afterwards, she took a deep breath. Annabel wiped Betsy’s forehead.

"You’re doing great," Annabel said. "Try to wait for the midwife."

Betsy grunted. "She doesn’t want to wait for anyone." Betsy pushed once more for the baby’s head come out.

Annabel cradled the baby. "One more push should do it." The baby came out. Annabel cleaned her with one of the towels. "She’s beautiful. Do you want to put her on your breast or do you want me to wet nurse?"

"Hand her to me. I’ll nurse her for now." Betsy was nursing her child when Mary Jane arrived. "You missed all the fun."

"I wouldn’t suggest that you bind your chest or return to work until your daughter is at least six weeks old," Mary Jane said, delivering the afterbirth.

"I might stay home with her," Betsy said. "I might attend University part-time. My husband thinks that I would be a wonderful college professor."

"It’s your choice," Mary Jane said. "You’re lucky to have a rich husband."

"Where is he?" Betsy asked.

"He got me and then went off to work," Mary Jane said. "I never expected to see Cynthia nursing on your breast. You surprised me."

"Annabel will wet nurse for me if I need to bind my chest," Betsy said. "I feel like a failure."

"Betsy, you aren’t a failure. You just gave birth to a beautiful daughter," said Mary Jane. "Enjoy her for awhile before you make any decisions."

"My magic has been out of control during much of my pregnancy. I don’t want to risk pregnancy again."

"I’ll give you herbs to take every day so you can delay your next pregnancy. It isn’t a good idea to have babies too close together anyway," Mary Jane said. "I’ll be back in a week to do give you the pills that I promised."

"I didn’t want to use a glamour while pregnant. I didn’t know if it would cross over to the baby," Betsy said.

"Waiting was smart," Mary Jane said.

"Henry tells me that it isn’t necessary, but I want to be pretty for me," Betsy said.

"It’s up to you," Annabel said. "My brother thinks you're lovely as you are. You don’t want him to become upset because other men are falling for you."

"It might shake him up a little bit. It would be nice if the baker or druggist didn’t turn his face when I entered their stores."

"Don’t overdo it," Annabel said. "I heard that some glamour could make every man lose his concentration."

"My father spreads rumors like that. He says glamour is his largest seller," Betsy said.

"Just be careful with it," Annabel said. "It would be nice if my brother recognized you when he came home from work."

"I’ll do it tomorrow morning. Can you come over and help me make the potion?" Betsy sat up holding the baby.

"I would love to," Annabel said.

"I’m leaving. I’ll bill you later." Mary Jane took her bag and left the room.

Cynthia woke up crying. After taking the baby into bed, she placed the crying child on her breast. Feeling her child suck at her breast made her smile, Betsy enjoyed the touch of her baby’s warm skin against hers. Looking at Cynthia locks of thick brown hair, she didn’t want to give up nursing. Annabel bought three spellbooks with her when she arrived in the morning. Betsy, wiping the sleep from her eyes, poured Annabel coffee. Annabel slipped her coffee black. "I found a few potions that will temporary slow milk production so you won’t have leaky breasts while you bottle feed Cynthia. Unless you rather that I nursed her until we're sure that glamour won’t pass into the milk." Annabel finished her coffee.

"Sounds good. I can’t nurse anyway. Breast feeding could affect my hormone levels and I could have another incident."

Annabel washed her coffee cup. "I’m sorry. I love nursing my babies."

"Can you nurse Cynthia?"

"Of course, I can. I wouldn’t have offered otherwise."

Betsy took a packet of premeasured herbs from the cupboard. "Lord, blessed my meditations. Let my magic flow into these herbs." Betsy poured hot water into a mug then put the herbs in a tea strainer.

"Now what?" asked Annabel.

"We let the potion steep for five to ten minutes. Ten minutes is better," said Betsy. "Annabel, you're about to learn what real magic can do."

Hearing her baby cry, Betsy went to check on her. Betsy returned to the kitchen to find Annabel hair looking shiner, her cheeks were rosier, and her breasts grew large giving her more of hourglass figure. Annabel’s dress was uncomfortable tight around her. "What happened? I have taken glamour; it has never done this."

"Didn’t anyone tell you not to drink a potion meant for someone else?" shouted Betsy. "I can’t feed Jack. My milk hadn’t come in, yet. You’re lucky you weren’t wearing a corset or I would be repairing several broken ribs."

"How long will this last?" asked the woman through her tears. "Do I look that different?"

"Yes. That normal stuff doesn’t work on me. This is my own formula. My father’s version of this had to be taken off the market. Men will literally be chasing you around town. In the mirror, you’ll only look a little better. I think it’s chemical."

"How long will it last?"

"For you, two months to six months." Betsy sat down then repositioned her daughter on her breast. "My magic actively fights this spell, so it only lasts a few days for me."

"Will will kill me. I need a mirror. Do I look different?"

"Get out of those torn clothes. You can wear one of my maternity dresses. I’m going to the drug store to get a counterpotion and formula. Will you be alright?"

"As long as the mailman doesn’t come around. What about my brother?"

"It won’t affect him, but I’ll try to be back before Henry comes home."

"Read a book. I’ll hurry back."

"Are you going to take it?"

"After we get you back to normal."

Annabel was sitting on the sofa watching Sarah and Jack play on the floor when Betsy returned with baby formula and a general-purpose counter spell. "Can you make the formula while I figure out this counter spell?"

"Of course." Annabel smiled and her eyes grew wide. She raced into the kitchen with the powder.

Betsy mixed up the potion it up in a few minutes. Annabel drank it down and nothing happened. "I can’t stay this way for several months."

"The problem is that you will stay this way for several months. I brought enough formula for both babies for the month. Would you feel better if I took the potion?"

"It doesn’t matter now." Annabel went back to mending her dress.

"I’m going to pour myself more potion. Don’t drink it unless you want to be irresistible for a year or longer." Betsy knew a second spell wouldn’t increase the length of the original spell, but she was very angry.

Annabel went check on the children and gave the babies their formula. Betsy sat in the kitchen and carefully watched her potion steep. While Annabel looked on, Betsy drank it down. Betsy watched Sarah play with her toys.

"Would you like me to call your husband?" Betsy said.

"No. He could be with a client."

"I don’t think I could work on a counter spell this minute. My mind is going too fast. Henry is going to lecture you tonight."

"You didn’t need to change your clothes."

"My clothes seem loose enough. Henry has never seen me after I had taken glamour." Betsy drank her potion. "Do I look different?"

Annabel mouth dropped open when she looked at Betsy. Betsy went from dog ugly to beautiful in seconds. "You look incredible. I wouldn’t have recognized you. I better stay so Henry will know you're his wife."

"The effects of glamour are wasted on him. I’m no more attractive to him in this form as I was in the other."

"Then, why do it?"

"For me. I have another potion for the bedroom. After he sees you, he won’t be in the mood. Thanks, for ruining my love life. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you what the spell was for. I hope that I can manage to find a counter spell within the week. We’ll still have to tell your husband what happened to you. I hope he doesn’t attack you on the way home."

"How are you so sure that it won’t affect my brother?"

"He isn’t attracted to women; a potion won’t change that. This potion is so strong that being his sister doesn’t make a different."

"How could you insult my brother like that?"

"But he’s smart enough not to touch anyone else’s potions." Betsy suggested that she look for a counter potion at a store that specialized in sexual magic. "I doubt they would have it among the love potions and aphrodisiacs."

"I’ll feed the children. Hurry."

"I will."

Part 8: All’s Well the Ends Well

Betsy found a store in Boston with a sexual name and was told that a man made spells to order at another store back home in Dunstable. After Betsy looked at the name of the store, she would have never guess it sold items for adults and told the broom to go to the address that she was given. One man was behind the counter of a store filled with potions, aphrodisiacs, sex aids and dirty books. "Sir, I need a counter spell for a glamour potion. Its effect is much stronger than normal. I have a sample so you can make a counter."

"I’m sure I can make up something that should work."

"Thank you, Sir."

"I have other customers. I’ll try to have to potion ready by the morning. Are you willing to pay extra for me to work through the night?"

"Anything it takes. Do you know anybody that could have a potion faster?"

"No, Miss. Made to order potions usually take anywhere from two to five days except in emergencies."

"This is an emergency."

"Very well, Ma’am. I’ll try to have it made by morning."

Betsy returned home after buying a few ingredients to make her own counter potion. Betsy dialed Henry’s phone number when she arrived home. She tried to make her voice sound as husky as possible. "Henry, I think we should meet at a restaurant. Annabel is over watching Cynthia."

"I suppose we could afford a hotel room for the night. I can’t wait to see you. I’ll meet you at Harold’s at eight and make us hotel reservations."

"Thanks. I can’t wait until tonight."

"Me, either."

Betsy put her arm around Annabel. "I found someone to make a counter potion. He’ll have it in the morning. I’ll call your husband and tell him that you’re babysitting Cynthia tonight so Henry and I can have a night on the town."

"Thank you."

"My hands are shaking. Could you write down your husband’s work number?"

Betsy dialed the number. "Annabel offered to babysit so Henry and I could have a night on the town."

"Your voice sounds deeper."

"I took a glamour potion. I’m going to meet Henry at a restaurant to surprise him."

"Have a good time. Can I talk to my wife?"

"She’s in the kitchen right now. I’ll have her call you in the morning."

"Very well." Will's sauve voice said before hanging up.

Betsy patted herself on the back. That was too easy. Betsy prayed that the sorcerer’s spell would work. "Dear God, return Annabel to her original body." She had two more hours before she had to meet Henry at the restaurant. Betsy went into the nursery to check on Cynthia; she was asleep. Betsy picked up her Bible, needing all the strength she could muster to get through the night. She suspected that the sorcerer’s spell would work. He made most of his sales by reputation like Betsy’s father did. Betsy put on the men’s clothes that Henry brought her after Will called her a man. Her hair was a little long for a man. Betsy walked to a barber. Other men were waiting for a haircut. Betsy waited her turn standing in line with the other workmen. The barber asked her if she would like a shave. "Yes," Betsy said, trying not to feel self-conscious about her high tenor voice. Many men had voices as high as hers. No one would hear a woman as long as her incantation didn’t give her away.

"Didn’t shave this morning?" the barber asked.

"I was running late for work," Betsy said, apparently the glamour potion didn’t remove her facial hair. She looked in the barber’s mirror still very pleased with the face she was seeing. It was symmetrical, the skin was a perfect pinkish white and without blemish. Her features were basically the same but they were put together in an attractive way.

"Meeting a lady tonight," the barber said.

"Yes." Betsy listened to the barber talk as he shaved her and cut her hair and smiled at her reflection as she paid the barber.

"Have a nice time tonight."

"I plan on it." Betsy put her hat on her head, took a carriage to Harold’s and told the host that she was waiting for a friend. She went to the bar and ordered a drink. She was nervous that Will could drop by their house unexpectedly and find out Annabel’s mistake.

After she drank her gin too quickly and belched, Henry hit Betsy’s back. "It’s good to see you. I knew you would wear those clothes."

"I’m not as fit as you. I was on bed rest the last month," Betsy said, recovering from the slap.

"Honey, let’s get drinks. If you don’t mind me saying so, you look fit." Henry looked at her again. "Better than fit. You have never looked this good."

"I don’t feel that way. I feel like I’ll shatter like glass." After putting a sex change potion into her drink, Betsy glad that his clothes were loose because the effect was immediate.

"I want to skip dinner and take you to our hotel room," Henry said, as he led Betsy to their table.

Betsy touched his gin. "I drank the first one too fast."

"Betsy, I know you're nervous. We’ll take it slow."

"I want to please you."

"You do." Henry put his hand on Betsy’s thigh.

Betsy put his hand on Henry’s hand. "I can’t wait until we’re in our hotel room and I can kiss you all over."

"I want to kiss you so much."

"It doesn’t freak you out that I had a baby two days ago." After dinner and a bottle of wine, they took a carriage to an uptown hotel. "I have never been a man in your arms," Betsy said.

"I’ll be gentle. I check us in and you can meet me in the room. It isn’t like we never did it before."

"I couldn’t use this potion before. Now, that we had our daughter and we’re fated not to have another for quite a few years; it doesn’t matter."

"If you ever do anything like that again, I’ll kill you." Henry looked down at him.

"I thought you liked men."

"I like you."

"I’m still me. I just changed my outside appearance. What is wrong if I change the packaging?"

"How long does the spell last?"

"A day."

"So I’m to have an illusion for a day. That is awful cruel." Henry hit him across the face with back of his hand just hard enough that it stung. "What if I prefer the illusion?"

"I can take it again. I could make one that last several months if that would make you happy. I’m still legally your wife if I took such a potion on the permanent basis."

"You’re sick."

"I thought you married me for my perverted little mind." Betsy kissed Henry in the hallway of the hotel.

"You shouldn’t have done that."

"There is a law in parliament that any act of consensual sex is legal between a married couple. Most people in this hotel don’t have a marriage license."

"I can’t wait to undress you. Wait; I’ll get us the key."

Betsy wanted in the hotel lobby for Henry to return from the registration desk with the key and they went up the stairs. Betsy kept his hands to himself although it was difficult as Henry opened the door to the room and hung out the "Do Not Disturb" sign.

Henry unbuttoned Betsy’s waistcoat while Betsy kissed him deeply. "I can do it faster." Henry finished unbuttoning Betsy’s shirt. He helped Betsy pull it off. Henry put his hand on Betsy’s fair skin. "I can’t believe this is you."

"This isn’t real."

"Does it feel real?" Henry quickly pulled off most of his clothes. Henry pressed his mouth against Betsy’s throat. He moved his hand over Betsy’s flat nearly hairless chest.

"Yes. I have never been with a man this way."

"Your body will know what to do." Henry continued to unbutton his pants. Henry pulled Betsy close to him. "It feels so good to be make love to someone that I love."

"This isn’t our first time."

"Betsy, you don’t how beautiful you are."

"That feels great." Betsy lay down on the bed on top of the covers. Henry put his large hands on Betsy’s bum. He caressed Betsy’s cheeks. Then Henry tasted Betsy’s bum hole. When Betsy squirmed a little, Henry playfully tapped his bum and held on to his cheeks as he continued to eat out his bottom.

They enjoyed each other in several different ways until they both fell into content sleep. Henry hurried into his clothes. "I have to pay for the room and get to work."

"You can leave me the money. I promised to pick up Annabel a few things on my way back."

"Sounds good, luv." Henry gave Betsy a fast kiss. Henry pulled out a few notes from wallets.

"I don’t care if the fates want me to have another child. I’m not getting pregnant again." Betsy dressed.

"It’s up to you. Thank, Annabel for the babysitting."

"I will." Betsy kissed Henry and put his arms Henry and squeezed his bottom.

"It was great but I must get to my morning appointments."

"Hurry. If you stay here, you’ll never make your appointment."

"It would be nice to stay in bed all day."

"I really have to go. Annabel is expecting me." Betsy combed his hair and stuffed the money in his pocket.

"Go. I’ll pay the bill."

Betsy left the hotel, found a taxi and went to the magic shop to get Annabel’s counterpotion. He paid the man that he saw the day before. "It better work."

"I can see from the smile on your face your husband enjoyed it," the man said behind the counter.

"How do you know it was my husband?"

"If you were having an affair, you would have taken your wedding band off," the man said. "I wouldn’t stay in business if people weren’t into kinky sex. If it doesn’t work, I’ll make you a stronger one for free."

"If it doesn’t work, I’m not going back to you," Betsy said.

"If you don’t mind me saying this, you don’t move like a woman that took a sex change potion," the man said.

"Nice haircut."

"Thanks, I must go. The babysitter is waiting," Betsy said. "If this works, I’ll be back to discuss magic in more detail."

"I’ll see you, then."

"Do you mind if I bring my baby?"

"How old is your baby?"

"Three days now. She misses her mummy. I better get back."

"Very well, Sir." The man behind the counter started to laugh.

Betsy took the bottle from the refrigerator to warm it for Cynthia after entering. As he was heating the bottle, someone knocked on the door. Still holding the warm bottle of formula, Betsy opened the door to see Will standing there.

"Can I come in?" asked Will.

"Come in. Cynthia is crying," Betsy said.

"I thought Annabel agreed to wet nurse," Will said.

"We decided that it would be better if I feed her myself. Make yourself comfortable; I have to get Cynthia from her crib," Betsy said and picked up the packet with his free hand. After he went upstairs, Betsy put the counterspell on the bassinet then gave Cynthia her bottle.

Annabel came into the nursery. "Do you have it?" she whispered.

"Yes. Be careful. Will is in the living room. We don’t want your husband to have a heart attack."

Annabel gave him a look. "Did your include snips and snails and puppy dog tails?"

"Not exactly. It’s symbolic. I use a single dog’s hair for a whole pot. It should wear off in a few hours."

"Did my brother enjoy it?"

"Too much. I don’t think I want to do that again. It was like I was inside someone else’s body."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn’t feel like myself. It was terribly spooky. I used this spell to vote but that was a political statement. Besides, my brother was too drunk to vote."

"You voted."

"Once. After using this spell, I decided to get the vote like other women. I marched in Concord twice."

"I’ll go with you next time."

"I would like that."

Sarah ran downstairs to Will, yelling, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy."

"How’s my little angel?" Will said.

"Mommy took Uncle Betsy’s potion."

Will turned around to look at Betsy holding the baby. "I’m going to kill you."

"She’s taking a counterpotion as we speak," Betsy explained. "If you want to kill me, can I at least put down the baby?"

"I owe you a black eye."

"I would appreciate if you didn’t beat me up in front of the children," Betsy said. "And I’m warning you if you ever strike me again, I’ll strike back."

"You’re a man."

"Only for a day, then I’m back to being sweet little Betsy."

"You aren’t sweet or little."

Annabel came down the stairs wearing men’s clothes a few sizes too large. "Will, don’t beat him up. I had no business drinking unmarked tea. I take full responsibility."

"I’m going to make pancakes. Does anyone care to join me?" Betsy said.

"I want one," Sarah said.

"I have to get to court," Will said.

"Court doesn’t start for at least an hour," Annabel said.

"I have meet with my clients although the pancakes sound tempting. All’s well that ends well," Will said.

"Let’s settle this over a gentlemanly game of billiards," Betsy said.

Will kissed Annabel. "I have played you before. If you lay a hand on my wife, you’re a dead man."

"Will, why do you hate me?" asked Betsy.

"Look at yourself," Will said. "I don’t know what you are but a creature like you shouldn’t be around children."

"Go; your clients are waiting," Annabel said.

"I’m in too good a mood to use black magic on you," Betsy said. "Go before I change my mind."

"My brother was good," Annabel laughed as she picked up Jack. She found that she had no milk. "I’m sure you have a spell in your book to make me produce milk."

"We have plenty of bottles made. You’ll be nursing before the day is out," Betsy said.

Annabel laughed. "After the pancakes, I’ll go home. I’ll return Henry’s clothes later today."

"I’ll have a potion to help your milk restart in a few hours. Please, don’t drink anything unmarked. I plan to take that glamour potion every two days."

Part 9: Betsy Makes a Friend

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 didn’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 for a potion 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 to go 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 formula 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 on her 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.

Part 10: Betsy Has New Responsibilities

Mary Jane knocked on the door, as Betsy was dusting the living room. Betsy opened the door wearing only a man’s shirt and shorts. "I’m not going to breast feed. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you not to bother coming back."

Mary Jane’s face flushed and her hands shook a little. "Mrs. Henry Newcastle?" Mary Jane sat down on the sofa averting her eyes from the alarming attractive woman only half dressed. "Those aren’t your husband’s clothes."

"What I wear around the house isn’t your business?" Betsy used her telekinesis to make a rag to dust the coffee table.

"You look different."

"I zapped myself with an indefinite spell." Betsy looked the bookcases and the rag dusted them.

Mary Jane started to laugh. "I never would use an untested spell on myself."

"I’m more worried about the time it’ll end."

"When did you do it?"

"Two days after Cynthia was born."

"You’ll need these pills to keep your hormone levels down. I’ll check back with you in a couple of months to see if they are working."

"Should I expect any side effects?"

"Menopausal symptoms. Vaginal dryness, possible deepening of the voice and little facial hair; nothing to worry about. Betsy, can I be frank with you?"

"I suppose."

"Annabel told me that Will mistook you for a man. With this medication, it’ll happen more often."

"How do I recommend I compensate?" Betsy didn’t much care if she was mistaken for a man but she didn’t want Mary Jane to know that. Mary Jane never seem comfortable around her and treated her rather distant, but most people treated her that way so she tried play it no mind. It wasn't like another healer was going to treat her like she was a real human being because that would be asking too much.

"Powder your face and magic shave might help. Wear nice clothes. Wear a nice hat, a pearl necklace. Always hold yourself like a lady and it shouldn’t be a problem." Mary Jane was just giving advice without considering the needs of the patient.

"Do I look like a man now?" Betsy moved the rag to the next bookcase. The rag with telekinesis could go places her hands couldn't without disturbing the books. The rag dusted all over the books without them needing to be moved much faster than anyone could do it with his/her hands.

"Not with those legs. If you were wearing trousers, I might have a problem."

Betsy laughed at the word might; she doubt that there was that much difference between men’s and women’s legs. The barber shaved her thinking the few whiskers on her chin and her sparse facial hair was a man’s beard. "Thank you for the medication. I’ll inform you if I have another episode." Betsy told herself to be nice to myopic woman.

"Have a good day, Ma'am," Mary Jane said before letting herself out.

Betsy spent most of Friday doing laundry wearing men’s clothes. After she folded the clothes and put the clothes away, she headed out to do some shopping. She didn’t know how Annabel managed with two babies. Worried about having company, she ate a fast lunch and started cleaning the kitchen. Every ten minutes, it seemed that Cynthia would cry for no reason.

In the wee hours of the morning, Betsy bundled the baby in a couple blankets, packed a bag with formula, nappies and enough premeasured glamour potion for three days or slightly longer. She then unrolled the flying carpet in their small backyard. Finally, she sat with the bundled baby in her arms, "Carpet, arise. To my parent’s house." She landed the carpet in the front lawn of her parent’s farmhouse. She took the baby and her bag off the carpet. "Carpet, wait for my return." The carpet rolled itself and rested itself against the front porch gate. Betsy put the bag on the porch and adjusted the baby in her blanket to hold her with one arm. Finally, she was able to knock on the door.

Her mother with her hair was in curlers and wearing a nightgown opened the door. "Do I know you?"

"I’m your daughter, Betsy and this is your granddaughter."

"And I'm the Queen of England," his mother said.

"Mom, I used a glamour potion of my own design," Betsy said. "The stuff Pop makes isn’t strong enough."

"Dear, if Henry left you and his newborn child," said the woman. "I’ll have your father change him into a toad."

After tracing the baby’s face with her finger, Betsy picked up her bag. "Mother, please, hold the door for me. Henry didn’t kick me out. I couldn’t sleep and I wanted you to see your grandchild."

"Come in, out of the cold." Her mother led Betsy to the kitchen then her mother sat down at one of the four chairs around a small kitchen table. "I’ll hold the little darling. You put the formula in the icebox."

"Thank you, Mom." Betsy took the two bottles, placed them on a shelf near the milk and took off her cardigan sweater as she felt the heat from the fire place. "Do you mind if I make some chamomile tea?"

"No, help yourself," Mrs. Logan said, looking at the sleeping baby. "She’s awful quiet."

"You should have heard her an hour ago. The carpet ride made her doze off. Don’t worry in four hours she'll be screaming like a siren."

"Honey, you look good. I’m going to take the baby to bed with me. You help yourself." Mrs. Logan blinked her eyes, as if she was forcing her eyes to stay open.

"Mom thanks." After drinking a cup of herbal tea, Betsy went to sleep in her old bedroom. The sun was out before she woke. Betsy walked to her parent’s bedroom. The bed was made and her parents were long gone.

Betsy’s mother was in the sitting room under the light of a window with the shade at half-mast. "Honey, I gave the baby her bottle and changed her," said the older woman, rocking Cynthia. "I thought you could use your sleep."

Betsy looked around the sitting room. "Where’s Pop?"

"He’s in the cellar, making more toad potion." Mrs. Logan gave a wicked little smile.

"Henry didn’t kick us out," said Betsy. "He has meetings all morning. As owner, he puts in more hours at his factories than his employees."

"He’s perfecting his glamour potion. He claims it makes men more handsome and women more beautiful." Mrs. Logan continued to rock. "Rocking chairs are great for colicky babies. I couldn’t do without one when I had your brother. You, on the other hand, were so peaceful than I worried about you."

"I’m going to boil some bottles on the stove," said Betsy.

"Go ahead. You know where everything is."

Frank, Betsy’s older brother, came in the kitchen as Betsy was stirring porridge. Frank’s beard was unshaven and his hair uncombed and he appeared to have worn those wrinkled pajamas several continuous days. "So someone, finally, porked you."

"My husband is quite happy with my bedroom performance. He says I do things that a normal woman won’t do. He likes that I’m talented in the act of lovemaking."

"He likes that you’re a slut. Some women have pride."

"I’m a married lady." Betsy showed her ring finger. "You’re just jealous because your odor frightens all the women away." Betsy waves her hand. "Stay down wind."

"Stay down wind yourself. That glamour potion gives off an odor."

"Not as much as you. It might help if you bathed more than once a month." Betsy waved her hand again before removing the oatmeal and bottles from the stove. Betsy poured formula into the clean bottles and put them into the icebox. "Frank, after you take a bath, we can have a polite conversation."

"Are you using a sex change potion or did you just wrap your bosom?"

"I shouldn’t answer that."

Frank sneered.

"I wrapped my chest if you must know. The glamour potion taxes my body enough."

Betsy went to the basement. Mr. Logan took a quick look over his shoulder while pouring liquid into little bottles. "My girl, what brings you here?"

"I wanted you and Mom to see the baby. She’s asleep now. The carpet ride knocked her out."

"You look great." Mr. Logan hugged his daughter.

"I feel wonderful. I made breakfast. Can you can take a break?"

"Don’t say that word too loud. The bottles cost me more than the stuff I put into them." Mr. Logan turned down the flame under his cauldron.

"More love potion."

"No, this is aphrodisiac. I also make stuff that gives a man more stamina. With that potion, Henry could go hours."

"That’s all I need with a baby crying half the night. Mom said you're working on your glamour recipe."

"Maybe later, I have an order to fill. Frank promises to help but he never does. Mom says that we should throw him to dogs but I have a soft spot for the boy."

"I’m surprised he hasn’t jeered me for having a rich husband."

"You should keep that to yourself. You don’t want Frank showing up at your doorstep."

"As soon as Henry arrived, Frank will know. A man wears his status," Betsy stated as she walked up the stairs.

Mr. Logan put his arm around Betsy’s shoulder. "You seemed a little taller than last time you visited."

"I’m wearing new shoes." Betsy did feel taller, but it was probably because she didn't slouch.

"Are you going back to work?"

"Perhaps, in a few years. Cynthia will only be a baby for a short time. I took a glamour potion so I would feel beautiful after having a baby."

"I offered you glamour potion in your youth but you insisted that you wanted to be loved for your inner beauty."

"I had a difficult pregnancy and wanted to look good."

"You shouldn’t have changed your body because society can’t accept a woman who isn’t 5 foot 2 with perfect features. You never cared how people saw you."

"I had just had a baby. My emotions got the best of me." Betsy put her hands on her hips a moment before serving the porridge and put the bowls on the table. "Pop, are you disappointed in me?"

"No. After we eat, I have to see that grandchild of mine. Mom says you may be well into your forties when the next one is born. I don’t know if these old bones will make it that far."

"Pop, you’re going to live forever."

"Or die trying."

Frank came to the table. He served himself a bowl of porridge. "Your baby is crying."

Betsy turned on the gas range to warm a bottle. "I’m impressed you bathed."

"Do I have to listen to that pervert insult me?"

"Betsy is doing the best with what the gods had given her. You could take lessons from her. She has supported herself since she was nineteen. She has never came home begging for money," Mr. Logan said.

"He’s just jealous that I have a love life." Betsy got the baby from her mother, turned off the flame and tested the temperature of the bottle.

"May I?" asked Thaddeus Logan.

"Slowly, be careful she doesn’t get too much at a time. She’s only a few days old." Betsy handed her father the baby. "Henry says that I’m prettier than I have ever been."

"You look very good but don’t get carried away," Mrs. Logan said.

"I have been thin very long. I don’t intend to get as big as Henry."

Mrs. Logan said, "No one does, Dear."

Henry arrived late afternoon and he hugged Betsy as soon as he came inside. "How is my lovely wife?"

"I’m fine. I would have come home in a day or two. You didn’t have to check up on me." Betsy reached up to kiss him.

Frank made kissing noises.

"Darling, ignore him. He’s an idiot. Take a seat."

"Mrs. Logan, it’s good to see you again," Henry said. "I see where Betsy gets her self-confidence."

"It isn’t from Frank," said Mrs. Logan.

"Why don’t you kick him out? He’s only getting soft since you're taking care of him. I have been working in my father’s textile mills since I was fifteen; I have been running them since I was twenty-two."

"No one kicked Betsy out. She left when she was sixteen," Mrs. Logan said.

Betsy said, "Seventeen. It was less than a month from my birthday."

"Frank, no one is going to kick you out if you start helping with the business. I won’t live forever," Mr. Logan said.

"How can you be proud of that freak?" Frank said looking at Betsy holding Henry’s hand.

"When Betsy was born horribly ugly, I prepared to drown her. As I was filling the tub, I had vision of my unborn granddaughter." Mrs. Logan held up the baby she has in her lap. "I knew then that child was worth saving. Frank, I should have drowned you."

"Darling." Betsy kissed Henry again. "I think it’s time we go. Mom and Pop insult Frank all the time."

"Stay for dinner," Mrs. Logan suggested. "I promise to be civil. Frank?"

"Betsy started it. She comes here smelling like musk and complains how I smell," Frank said.

"You sound like a spoiled child," Mrs. Logan said.

"Fine. I’m going to my room," Frank said.

Betsy walked over to Frank and put her hand on Frank’s shoulder.

"I don’t want you touching me," Frank said.

"Friends come and go. Family is forever."

"You smell like a whore."

"The glamour potion has a few side effects. I’ll work them out. I rather live my life than hide in my room. I admit things aren’t perfect."

"Why him?"

"I love him. If you left your room, you would see there is a whole world out there."

"I thank God that I’m not you." Frank lit a cigarette and walked up the stairs.

Betsy looked at her mother. "He would rather hide in his room."

"Sit down," Mrs. Logan said. "Henry, is beans and potatoes okay? Pop, did you collect greens from the garden?"

"We have fresh peppers and squash."

"I’ll make a casserole. Betsy, would you like to help me in the kitchen?"

"I would love to," Betsy said. "Henry can bore Pop with his latest business conquest."

After the meal was finish, Henry got his coat. "I hate to eat and run but would you mind watching the bundle? I managed to get us last minute tickets to a concert."

"I’m not dressed for a concert. I should have dark trousers, a jacket and tie."

"Keep your coat on no one will notice."

"Darling." Betsy added a lilt to her voice and put on her coat. "You spoil me so."

"You deserve a night on the town." Henry unrolled the carpet. "Tell it to take us to the Keene auditorium."

"What did James do for a living?"

"He was a prize fighter. After he lost enough fights to make several healers rich, he sponged off me. When we met, he had talent."

"You have never taken me to a fight or mentioned pugilism."

"He was long retired when he left me. After nursing his wounds, the sport lost its appeal."

"I bet he was gorgeous."

"No. He suffered quite a few facial injuries along the way."

"I wasn’t talking about his face." Betsy pulled her sweater tight. "I’m dressed like a man."

"You can pull this off."

"I don’t want to embarrass you."

"I’m a fag. I can handle it."

"I’m not. If we run into someone, I need a man’s name."

"Choose one."

"Daniel, I liked that story when I was little. It gave me hope for the future."

"Nice name."

"Thanks."

"James has family in Keene. Wouldn’t it be strange if we ran into his sister or brother?"

"God forbid."

Part 11: Henry learns the future

After the concert, Henry talked a man working at the auditorium. "Daniel, this is Mr. Defoe, James’s father."

"It’s good meet you," Betsy said, offering the older man her hand to shake.

"Daniel, it’s a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Defoe said shaking Betsy’s hand.

"All I have left is to clean the bathrooms. I’ll meet you at McQuein’s."

Henry carried the rolled carpet to the bar and placed it under his stool. The bar was full of working class men wearing the factory soiled clothes and threadbare jackets. Henry ordered himself a drink. Betsy removed her rings and put them in her pocket, sat very straight and ordered a beer. Henry turned toward Mr. Defoe as he sat on the bar stool beside him. "Get my buddy what’s on tap," Henry shouted. "So have you seen him around?"

"I received a postcard from Europe. He says that he’ll be coming home."

"The money will run out eventually and he ain’t that handsome," Henry said.

"You supported him for five years. Someone else will," James’s father said.

"He still had his looks, then," Henry said.

"So Danny, do you work for Mr. Newcastle?" Mr. Defoe said, slapping his back.

"I did. I’m considering working for someone else. It is dangerous to mix business and pleasure," Betsy said. "My co-workers claim I slipped the boss a love potion."

"Did you?" Mr. Defoe asked.

"No, I was a bookkeeper," Betsy said. "I have a two-year degree but that doesn’t impress anyone. Henry thinks I should attend the university."

"Danny and I have been together over a year," said Henry, holding up Betsy’s hand.

"You still have an eye for the young men."

"James left me," Henry said. "I don’t remember what we fought about. If he could manage a checkbook, he wouldn’t have to work a day in his life. The man emptied our accounts when he left."

"Good for him," Mr. Defoe said. "I hope he enjoys the money."

"I only wish him the best," Henry said. "Tell him that I asked about him."

"I will." Mr. Defoe walked to a small table with his beer. Betsy drank her beer ignoring Henry.

"Should I take you home?"

"It’s my carpet." Betsy, after picked up the carpet rolled under Henry’s seat, walked to the alley behind and unrolled the carpet then sat on the carpet. Henry was breathing hard as he caught up to her. "Find your own way home."

"Keene is a long ride in a taxi." Henry stepped on the edge of the carpet.

While in the air, Betsy said, "Did you have to put on that kind of show?"

"I was being my charming self."

"I could work for my parents in a heartbeat. I don’t need you and I don’t want you implying that I do."

Henry put Betsy’s hand in his. "You have quite a temper. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you in a room full of strangers."

"You don’t own me."

"You were very glad to live with me in my fine house a few minutes ago."

"I thought we were equal partners. I’m not a trinket to put on your arm. I’m sorry that I lost my temper. I never had anybody treat me like that before." Betsy snuggled against Henry. "When I’m in your arms, I don’t think about the rest of the world."

"I only think about pleasing you."

"You do. What are your sisters going to think? We have dinner on Sunday with your family."

"We can act like nothing happened."

"I look so different. Only Annabel will know I’m the same person."

"Do you have any idea how good you look? A few of the women in the bar glanced in your direction."

"You made me look like a fag."

"I’m a fag. Danny, I didn’t tell you to wear men’s clothes."

"I like how I look in them. I thought you liked how I looked in them."

"I do." Henry asked, "Why do your parents put up with your brother?"

"He’s going to die next year. Mom and Pop don’t have the heart to tell him."

"How old is he?"

"He’ll be thirty-two the year he dies."

"It must be strange having a mother that is a seer."

"Do you know you how you are going to die?"

"Yes, I die by your hand."

"You shouldn’t have told me."

"It may not be you. She said my lover’s hand."

"You mean physically kill you with my hands."

"Seers are quite literal. It won’t happen for a while. I’m not due to have another baby until my forties. After meeting you, Mom admitted that they were a large man’s hands."

"Do you see this baby you have late in life grow up?"

"She never told me."

"You aren’t going to see that baby grow up."

"Then I’ll have to appreciate you and Cynthia all the more. Henry, I can’t change the future. The fates have already thrown their dice. We have to appreciate the moment."

"How am I suppose to appreciate the moment knowing I’m going to kill you someday with my bare hands?" Henry looks at his hands.

Betsy put her hands in Henry’s hand. "Since the moment that I met you, I knew you were possibly the one. It changes nothing. I think you have beautiful hands." Betsy kissed Henry’s hand then Betsy put her hands on both of Henry’s hands. "I’m not afraid of your hands."

"I can’t get my mind off my hands. Do you know how I die?"

"Yes, and I’m not going to tell you. Don’t try to get it out of me during sex."

"I probably kill myself after I realize that I have killed you."

"You can guess all you want; I’m not telling you. Darling, we’ll have a long happy life together. Stop worrying about how it will end."

After they spent the rest of the weekend with Betsy’s parents, they collected the baby and went home. Betsy parked the carpet in their small yard. She rolled up the carpet as Henry held the baby. "Does she want a bottle?"

"It’s her nappy. I’ll change her in the house."

"Mother told me after the neighborhood girls were teasing me. She also told me I would do great things with my life."

While Betsy was cleaning Cynthia, Henry said, "Please, if you feel the urge to tell me the future, again, reconsider. Freewill might be an illusion but I want to hold on to it."

"My mother told me that same day," said Betsy. "That my life is worth living because we grow from our experiences. She could tell me the important events in my life (the birth of my daughters, my great accomplishments, my death) but that wouldn’t be the same as living it."

"What are your great accomplishments?"

Betsy placed Cynthia on the floor with her nesting cups and a stuffed poodle. "Mother hasn’t told me. She says that it would ruin the joy of discovering them."

"Then why did she tell you of your daughters and your death?"

"Nothing can tamper with the joy of having a child and everyone dies. She never told me I would meet a tall, handsome man and he would change my world. There has to be some mystery in life."

Monday morning, Betsy knocked on Annabel’s door. The dogs howling woke Cynthia. "You look like you need a shoulder to cry on," Annabel said.

"I lost my husband," Betsy whined.

"Henry adores you," Annabel said. "Come in. Have some tea and crumpets."

"Thanks." Betsy put the baby on her shoulder to sooth her. "Did you milk come back?"

"Yes, that evening. I made a tea that helps," Annabel said. "Would you like me to nurse her?"

"She’s taking well to formula." Betsy burped the baby. "She has a bit of colic."

"It could be from the formula," Annabel said. "Healers say the one should nurse if at all possible."

"It isn’t possible in my case." Betsy sat at the table. "I’m still taking the potion the healer made for me."

"I understand that. Why does Henry hate you?"

"He adores me. I told him that he would kill me one day. He hasn’t made love to me since."

"I’m not surprised," Annabel said.

"He asked me how I will die and I told him. I couldn’t tell him how he dies."

"How does he die?"

"I rather keep it to myself." Betsy drank her tea.

"You can tell me," Annabel said.

"He’ll be killed in cold blood," Betsy said barely over her breath.

"By who?"

"I can’t tell you. I can see that you’re making a list. Don’t bother guessing. I’m not going to give you an answer."

"Henry doesn’t have that many enemies."

"He has three factories and is trying to purchase a fourth. He has stepped on a few toes on his way up. A man in his position doesn’t make only a few enemies."

"Do I know him?"

"No hints."

"Is he a business or social acquaintance?"

"No hints."

"You take what your mother says too seriously."

"My mother never said that I would spend the rest of my life with Henry. I feel this inside me. Annabel, you know what I mean. You meet someone and you know. Once I accepted God into my life, I knew."

"I knew the same about Will," Annabel said. "Henry will come to terms with what you told him."

"Would you come to terms with knowing one day that you would kill your husband?"

"Will I?"

"I’m not a seer. It was a hypothetically question."

"I suppose I would. Your mother told me a bit about my life. It doesn’t affect my day-to-day living."

Will entered the kitchen. "You can let the help cook. Why is it here?"

"She has a name."

"It can dress like a woman."

"Betsy, ignore my husband; I do most of the time," Annabel said. "I think you look rather handsome."

"Thank you." Betsy poured the coffee and looked at the cabinet the dishes were in and directed the dishes to the table mentally.

"I don’t want you visiting my wife," Will said.

"I found that I stopped having episodes when I used my telekinesis regularly during my pregnancy," Betsy said. "You have nothing to worry about." Betsy returned home with Cynthia and the formula that Annabel no longer needed. She checked the time. It was only noon and Henry didn’t come home until close to eight most nights. She put Cynthia on the floor to play and cleaned the house. Betsy prayed that Henry could stop fearing the future. Glancing in the full-length mirror in their bathroom, she liked the slender, chestnut brown haired woman looking back at her. Combing her very short hair, she thought that she should go out and make friends. There was no point staying in a lonely house. Betsy pushed the pram to the magic store. "Are you interested in someone to work part-time?"

"You don’t need the income," Paul said.

"Annabel wouldn’t mind watching her niece a couple hours a day. It would give me the opportunity to be around people." Betsy picked up the baby from the pram so she could push the pram outside and it wouldn’t clutter the small shop.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Sure." Betsy pushed the pram while carrying Cynthia. "I think I could help you make potions. My father makes potions. I could get copies of his books."

"I’m sure you have talent."

"When Annabel drank my potion, my nerves got in the way and I couldn’t think."

"I understand. How is she?"

"Fine. We should order sandwiches. "

Paul walked up to the front of the deli line. "My treat."

"My husband has money."

"You paid last time. You have a good attitude. I’ll think about hiring you."

"Thank you."

"I have one question for you. Are you going to dress as a man or a woman at work?"

"Does it matter?"

"I rather hire a woman."

"I’ll dress as a woman. I’ll still be butch."

"Butch is sexy."

As Betsy undressed for bed, she touched Henry’s face. "Darling, Mom recognized your hands from her vision at the wedding. She explained to me later that it made no difference. If I didn’t marry you, you would have found me. Please, come to bed."

Henry held his hands up in front of his face. "How can you want these hands to touch you?"

Betsy held Henry’s hands in hers. "How can I live with them not touching me?"

"You should have never told me."

"I thought you would be able to handle it. I thought you were stronger than Frank."

"Did your mother tell Frank something and that is why he won’t leave the house?"

"She won’t tell him so he assumed the worst. He’s his own worst enemy."

"Maybe, if he knew he had less than a year left he would do something with his life."

"He also might kill himself. I couldn’t be responsible for that. Darling, I need you."

"You were born cursed by a gypsy. Your mother is a seer. Your parents sell potions. Magic is normal to you. It’s part of your life. I still have to come to terms with it."

"You better come to terms with it. Cynthia, our daughter, also has magic. Our grandchildren will probably have magic." Betsy straddled Henry then kissed him squarely on the lips. While still kissing Henry, Betsy placed one of Henry’s hands on her thigh and the other on her pussy.

Henry looked at Betsy in the morning wearing only a long sleeve shirt. "You’re as bad as James."

"I never met James. From everything I heard, we couldn’t be more different." Betsy poured a cup of coffee.

"You show no emotion."

"I was teased ruthlessly as a child. You cry; they tease you worse. You learn not to feel anything."

"Could you stop the act for a second?"

"I’m not acting. We have been together for how long." She moved her behind until she was sitting on his face. "Darling, miss a day of work. We can go for a walk together and enjoy the fall foliage. People take their carpets here from all over the world."

"You have a mighty fine ass." Henry started to lick Betsy’s posterior. Betsy lowered herself to the bed slowly. She put his hands on Henry’s chest to balance herself and give Henry better access. "How am I suppose to enjoy your gorgeous body if you're going to talk and distract me? If you open your mouth again, I’ll put something in it."

Part 12: Betsy Finds Her Magic

Annabel arrived as Betsy was cleaning the windows. "What does the maid do?"

"Not much. I was wondering if you would babysit so I could find a job. The man that made your counter potion might hire me."

Betsy put down her dust cloth.

"He only wants to get your sexy body into his bed."

Betsy picked up her tea. "I was a very shy woman before I met Henry."

"My brother had corrupted you."

"And I’m all the better for it. There is only so long you can put up with mediocrity."

"Sometimes, I liked you better when you were a little mouse."

Betsy threw her hands up. "Frankenstein isn’t happy with her creation."

"You were talking about jumping into an active volcano. I have to cheer you up. You were a very straight proper woman and now look at yourself."

"And what is your point." Betsy crossed her legs, placing her hands on her lap bringing attention that she was a woman wearing men’s clothes. "I like me better now. I’m not going back to being a mouse."

"You didn’t date a man before my brother."

"No man ever asked."

"So you married the first man that ever asked."

"Who would want a woman as ugly as I was? I couldn’t afford to be fussy. I get to live in a large house. I have my freedom. What more could a woman act for?"

"You act more manly than my brother."

"It ain’t hard. How did you know with Will?"

"We courted."

"And you're telling me that your brother didn’t court me. I worked for him seven years before he invited me into a hotel room. It was not one night fling. He took me out to dinner and never let me touch the check."

"I’m not saying you didn’t."

"I was destined to be with him." Betsy rearranged the books in her to-read pile. "Annabel, it’s my life." Betsy looked around the room and all the nooks and crannies were dusted. "Housework is so boring. Henry is my life. I don’t stay here because I love housework. A witch with my talent could get a job anywhere."

"You’re only saying that because you believe one day that he’ll kill you. If your mother is such a good seer, why doesn’t she make her money doing that?"

"People don’t want to know the real future. They want romance. We all die. We don’t want to know where and when."

"Do you know where and when?"

"My mother hasn’t told me either. I don’t plan to spend my life worrying."

"Betsy, if you could pass for a man, why didn’t you get a job for more money instead of nearly starving to death at my brother’s mill?"

"I didn’t think that I could until your husband broke my nose. I pretended to be a man once to vote, but to do it on the daily basis never crossed my mind."

After Betsy had cleaned the house and made a few fresh bottles, she looked at the schedule for the diaper service and decided to take Cynthia for a walk in the park. Paul called on Betsy after closing the shop. "Betsy, I thought about it. You might be a little strange, I dare say it eccentric, but you would be good for business. I know you can sell product."

"Thanks, when do I start?"

"As soon as you like," Paul said. "Is afternoon good?"

"Henry doesn’t come home until rather late. As long as dinner is on the table, he doesn’t care."

Paul followed Betsy into the kitchen.

"I need to make dinner. Thanks for coming over."

"Dress like a woman. Your short hair and masculine movements will really sell our sex toys. The men coming to our store won’t know what to make of you"

"They’ll call me a freak like my brother."

"They’ll be asking you to bed. Trust me on this. You’ll increase my sales."

Betsy checked the clock. It was six. There was more than enough time to heat leftovers, not in the mood to cook a big meal. She told Henry while watching him eat two-day-old pot roast, "I start work tomorrow."

"Who will watch the baby?"

"Your sister. She’s bored since Will hired her a cook and a housekeeper. It’ll only be part-time."

"You always manage to get me out of the mood. By the time, I’m interested again, Cynthia will cry."

"Darling, I’m sorry. If I was a normal girl, would you have fallen in love with me?" Betsy put her hands down Henry’s back.

"I wouldn’t have felt sorry for you. You would have needed to be witty and charming."

"That isn’t true." Betsy tickled Henry.

"I invested a lot of time in you. We may have still got together. Would you still have been a pervert?"

"You may have had to teach me." Betsy kissed Henry’s belly and put her hands on Henry’s organs. "Your John Thomas would have still felt as good in my mouth."

"I like your perverted little mind." Henry pulled Betsy’s head down to his bulging organ. They enjoyed each other until the baby’s crying took them out of the mood.

Betsy arrived at Annabel’s house at noon. "Would you mind watching Cynthia for the afternoon?" Betsy took Cynthia out of her pram and laid her on the floor.

"Did you get a job?"

"Part-time."

"I would love to watch her."

"Great. Her bottles and nappies are in the bag. I will see you around six."

Betsy stepped out of the house and walked to the magic shop. Paul showed Betsy how to run the register. "Mattie, show Betsy the most common items in the store."

"Hi." Mattie raised her palm in front of her prominent chest. "Speak to me, not my breasts. You won’t be meeting them."

Betsy looked at her blue eyes. "That is a nice dress. I’m Betsy."

"Let’s get one thing straight. You weren’t admiring the dress."

Betsy took Mattie’s hand in hers. "I beg your forgiveness."

"That is an interesting ring," Mattie said.

"Thanks. My husband picked it out for me. Show me around the store."

"We sell sexual paraphernalia, magical and mundane. Have you and your husband ever used sex aids?"

"That’s awful personal."

"Are you going to blush when I explain what the items are?"

"Probably." Betsy chuckled softly. "Definitely, I blushed three times at my own wedding."

"You’re already blushing and I haven’t showed you anything yet," Mattie said.

"Do your husband and you used any of this stuff?"

"Sometimes we use the flavored oils. He teased me about buying whips and chains."

"I better not bring Henry here." Betsy winched. "He could really torture me with half this stuff."

"Some people are into that."

"I’m not. Having a baby was enough torture. I’m not complaining. Cynthia is a treasure."

"How old is your baby?"

"About a month."

"And you’re working all ready."

"I stopped working at three months. I couldn’t wait to get back."

"What did you do before this?"

"I was a bookkeeper."

"You’re a bit too strait-laced to work in such a place."

"I need a part-time job."

"Betsy, your blush is charming but you might be a bit out of your league."

"My father is the head of Logan products. We sell many of his potions."

"So you're familiar with one of our lines."

"I have had sexual relations all four ways. That must worth something." Betsy was lying but she was rather curious about doing it with a woman, especially if that woman was Mattie. Betsy couldn’t stop thinking about getting Mattie into her bed. Betsy wanted to experience with some of the devices in this room with her and Henry not necessarily at the same time. Although being with both of them sounded good, too.

"It shows you’re a pervert."

"When my husband and I were courting, he told me that I was freak by nature and a pervert by choice," Betsy said.

"There is hope for you." Mattie laughed.

A potential customer entered the store and Betsy helped the lady find a few potions and oils. Betsy tried not to blush when a young woman brought a vibrator. She wasn’t surprised when an older rather homely woman brought assorted sex toys. A man came in an asked her about sex toys used for dominance and submission. Betsy managed to keep a straight face as she directed the man to Mattie.

"If a customer asks a question about S and M, you can’t direct them to me," Mattie said.

"I wouldn’t have minded if he tied me up."

"Flirting with the customers is good, but don’t over do it," Mattie said. "You really like both men and women."

"I told you that I did. Have you ever?"

"Yes, once. It did nothing for me."

"You obviously didn’t have a very good teacher." Betsy licked her lips.

"Behave yourself. Do you think handle the store an half an hour?"

"Yes."

"If you do a good job, I’ll give you some pointers to drive your husband crazy."

"At this point, he would be happy if the baby didn’t cry during it. Do you have children?"

"I have been only married five months. My husband wants to wait at least a year before we have children."

"Lucky you, we had a shot-gun wedding. Not exactly, Pop threatened to turn Henry into a toad if he didn’t give my child his name."

"Are you going on your break or what?"

"I love talking to you."

"We can talk until we close up for the night."

On the following Friday, Paul gave Betsy her first check. Betsy squinted at the check. Paul said, "You worked a full time at the mill. This is part-time."

"Mrs. Henry Newcastle," Betsy read off the check.

"That is your legal name," Paul said.

"When did I become an appendage of my husband?" Betsy asked.

"I run an above board business. Mrs. Newcastle, you may have used a pseudonym at your former place of employment but the coppers use any excuse to shut establishments such as mine down."

"I’m sorry," said Betsy. "I was always Elizabeth Logan at my last job, even after I married Henry. I feel like you wrote out my existence with your pen."

"I didn’t mean that."

"I don’t even look like Elizabeth Logan. I made her vanish with my glamour potion."

"You have no magic in you," Paul stated. "When you started working here, you smelled like glamour potion; now the musk odor is gone. A temporary spell leaves a mark when it lingers in your fat cells before it expires."

"How does that work?" Mattie asked.

"A long term spell attaches to the fat in one’s body and when the fat is broke down for energy the magic is released. Eventually, the magic is used up and the spell fades. Most fat based spells last from two to six months. If one is obese, they could last years," Paul said.

"So there is no magic attached to my fat cells," Betsy said.

"Not to my knowledge. I can see magic when most can’t. Betsy, it won’t expire. You’re no longer that ugly girl you told me about."

"Permanent. I’ll have to chew on that a few weeks. Paul, I hope you aren’t offended but I would like a second opinion."

Mattie put her hand on Betsy’s shoulder. "Are you giving Paul a hard time?"

"I never had a check written to Mrs. Henry Newcastle before. When I worked at the mill, I was always Elizabeth Logan."

"You’re a married lady now."

When Betsy showed the check, Henry burst out in laughter. "You should work for your dad; he’d pay you a decent wage."

"I couldn’t bare to work with Frank. As you probably have noticed, we don’t get along. Darling, is there something wrong?"

"I came home early today and you weren’t home."

"I like working."

"I’ll find something to do on the rare days that I come home early."

"I only work twenty four hours a week."

"I like having you home."

"You expected me to give the baby to Annabel and return to work full-time," Betsy said. "This was never part of the plan."

"I didn’t expect to love you this much," Henry said. "I miss you when aren’t here."

"I miss you all the time. You work such long hours." When Cynthia started to cry, Betsy warmed the bottle. "I’ll look in on her."

"How much longer to Frank kicks the bucket?"

"I don’t know. My mother has never been too exact on those types of things. Everything that she predicts does come true."

"If Frank dies within a year, I’m moving to another country."

"You better pack your bags." When Betsy picked up Cynthia from her crib, she felt the wet diaper. Betsy changed her and gave her her bottle. "Sometimes, I think our lives are too normal."

"Why do you work is in such a place?"

"It’s interesting. You should hear the suggestions that I get and I thought I was a pervert. Mattie, my co-worker, wants to meet the famous Mr. Henry Newcastle."

"Why am I famous?"

"Because you got a man-hating suffragist like myself to marry you." Betsy laughed as she sat down.

"You’re getting a bit of a mustache."

Betsy touched her upper lip. "So I am. My healer said the medicine she gave me will cause me to enter menopause. A bit of a mustache I had handle. I hope my vagina doesn’t get dry."

"If it does, we can buy some of those jellies the magic shop sells."

"Mattie suggests we also buy the flavored oils." Betsy licked Henry’s ear. "You would taste so good rubbed with oil."

"You should try to apologize to Frank before he croaks."

"You’re almost as crude as I am." Betsy sat on the sofa to give Cynthia her bottle while in a more comfortable position. "He won’t accept my apology anyway."

Henry sat beside his wife and daughter. "Will he die from an accident or illness?"

"Illness. Pop will take his carpet to get me but it will be too late."

"At least, he won’t be strangled by someone who loves him."

"I never said strangled. Mother never told me where your hands will be."

"I hope it isn’t during sex."

"I hope it is. I would prefer to go out that way." Betsy kissed Henry. "Would you like to find out if I’m growing hair in other places?"

"Now, I’m curious about the store where you work."

"They have some neat toys there."

Mattie arrived at the house early Monday morning. "You can’t live here," Mattie said as Betsy walked her into the living room. "Your living room is bigger than my whole apartment. You must have a maid."

"Only a girl that come in an hour a week to dust," Betsy said. "I can clean with telekinesis. What brings you here? You don’t need me to open the store."

"No, I just wanted to see Cynthia."

"She’s in her crib. It’s rather boring watching me dust. Would you like some tea and toast?"

"That would be wonderful." Mattie followed Betsy to the kitchen. Mattie poured two cups of coffee from the percolator.

Betsy looked at Mattie sitting at the butcher-block kitchen table. "I never slept with a woman. I lied."

"Would you like to?"

"Are you offering?" Betsy touched her hand, bent toward Mattie and touched her lips to hers. Betsy put her hand on Mattie’s hand."You’re very pretty."

"I think we should do it in the bedroom." Mattie kissed Betsy deeply.

Betsy took Mattie’s hand and led her up the stairs. With her free hand, Betsy opened the bedroom door. Betsy picked up Mattie and carried her to the bed. "If you say anything about the size of the bed, I'll drop you before we get there."

"You surprise me." Mattie fell onto the bed. She was about six inches shorter than Betsy and about 20 pounds lighter. Her raven hair fell in curls about her face.

"I have always been strong. Henry had me chop trees on our first date."

"Sounds romantic."

Betsy put her hand on Mattie’s face. "You’re so beautiful. I could look into your eyes and drown."

"You’re crazy." Mattie kissed Betsy then undid her dress and bodice. Betsy moved her hands over Mattie’s body. Mattie started to undo the buttons on Betsy’s silk blouse. "Your hands are soft."

Betsy took off her peasant blouse and skirt. "My hands must have gotten soft while living with Henry. I grew up in the back woods of Maine. After going to a liberal arts college, I went to work in a mill. My hands have always been rough from hard work." Betsy tossed her blouse into the hamper. She placed her hands on Mattie’s breasts then bent down to kiss one and thought back to the time Mattie said she wasn’t going to be meeting them. Mattie laughed, as Betsy tasted her. Mattie wrapped her arms and legs around her and Betsy fell onto the bed. Then Mattie went to work on Betsy. "Do you want to shower first?" Betsy asked.

"We can," yelled back Mattie. While the water was running, she joined her in the shower. "Paul is expecting us at work. We can’t spend all day showering."

After lathering up a washcloth, Betsy slowly washed Mattie’s back. "Why not?"

"I never cheated on my husband before." Mattie giggled. "Well, never with a woman. You have a little hair above your lip. Do you want me to shave you? I shave Jack."

"Turn around." Betsy kissed Mattie’s shoulder and moved her hand down Mattie’s back. "I like to meet your breasts, again. I wish I was as beautiful as you."

"You’re beautiful."

"You have feminine curves. I’m so tall and straight. My hands are so much larger than yours. I don’t even act like a woman."

Mattie took the washcloth. "I’ll wash your back first then I’ll get a razor." In the warm water, Mattie shaved Betsy, first above her lip then the few whiskers on her chin. "I’m not touching the body hair. I think body hair is sexy on a lady." When the water turned cold, Betsy turned off the water then wrapped herself and Mattie in freshly laundered towels. Betsy glanced at Mattie fixing her bodice as Betsy dressed in her boring blouse and skirt.

"I haven’t gone to the bank, yet," said Betsy. "Would you like to accompany me?"

Mattie slid her shoes on.

The baby began crying. "I need to heat her a bottle," said Betsy. "Would you like to change her diaper?"

"Sure," said Mattie.

"I have a diaper pail in the nursery." Betsy started heading downstairs. "Thank you."

Mattie, carrying the baby, came into the kitchen. "You have a gorgeous house,"

After testing the bottle, Betsy sat Cynthia in his arms to feed her. "Thank you."

Part 13: Mattie and Betsy Save the Day

"We can’t talk now," Mattie whispered, looking at the three men standing in front of the bank wearing businessmen’s attire appearing be chatting about nothing. "Those three men have guns." Their faces weren’t covered and they didn’t look like bank robbers to Betsy.

"I can’t remove guns that I can’t see," Betsy whispered back. "Can you tell me where they are?"

"Yes, but if we unarm one but not the others, it could be dangerous," Mattie said.

"Tell me where they are and I’ll jam the trigger mechanisms while they’re in their pockets so they can’t fire. I can take the guns from them if they removed them from their pockets."

Mattie whispered, "Front pants pocket right side on the tallest man." Mattie whispered the other locations and Betsy locked the triggering mechanisms.

"Let’s cash our checks." Betsy pushed the stroller into the bank pretending not to see the three men in business attire standing nonchalantly in front of the bank.

"You did it," Mattie whispered.

Betsy whispered, "Watch Cynthia as I cash my check." Mattie walked over the carriage and looked at the sleeping baby as Betsy walked up to a teller about her age with dark blond hair and hazel eyes. His face was expressionless as he cashed Betsy’s check.

One of the three men carrying guns went to another teller window. While the first man was handing the teller a bag, another would-be robber was pointing his gun at the guard not realizing the gun was broken. The first man said to the teller, "Give me all your money and no one will get hurt." He pulled the gun out of his pocket.

Betsy eyed the gun waiting for a moment to act. Betsy caused the gun to fly out of the man’s hand with her telekinetic skill. Betsy directed the gun to land on the counter outside the reach of the gunman. The teller grabbed the gun. Betsy turned her head and raised her hand to move the gun up out of the second robber’s hands. The gun floated out of the second robber’s hand and the guard took a hold of it. The customers other than Mattie and Betsy ran to the door as Betsy disarmed the man. A woman fell on the ground and was trampled by the escaping crowd. Mattie pulled the carriage out of the way of the crowd. After chasing it to the door as it was pulled by the crowd of bank customers, Mattie managed to get the carriage. Cynthia slept through the commotion unaware of the screaming and panic around her carriage. Betsy walked calmly to the carriage and looked at the yawning baby. "Cynthia, sh!" Betsy picked up the child and helped her fall back to sleep.

The third robber yelled, "Oh, shit." Betsy looked at third gunman. His gun flew into the air as Betsy lifted her hands.

"Mattie, get the gun. I can’t hold it in the air forever," Betsy whispered. Cynthia started to cry drawing Betsy attention off the gunman. Betsy knew if she picked up Cynthia to comfort her that she couldn’t keep the gun in the air. "Please, take the gun."

"What if he tries to hit me?" Mattie stepped toward the gunman.

"I’ll push him back with my psychic energy while the gun falls. I learned as a child that people don’t want to mess with someone that can hit them from across the room." Betsy took a deep breath. She would need all her concentration to direct the gun while finding Cynthia’s bottle with her hands. Betsy went through the diaper bag and shook a prepared bottle while directing the gun toward Mattie as she walked toward it. Then would-be robber stared at it with his mouth while open. Betsy was right about him being too afraid to move. Betsy picked up Cynthia and she eagerly took the bottle. As she snuggled the baby in her arms to feed her, Betsy was jealous of Cynthia’s innocence,

The police and newsmen arrived as Mattie put the gun on the teller’s desk. The teller that waited on Betsy ran up to the woman with a twisted leg lying on the floor. Holding Cynthia in his arms, Betsy went over to the lady on the floor Cynthia and smiled. "Are you alright?" Betsy asked, pretending not to notice that Cynthia had filled her diaper. Now wasn’t a good time.

"You’re very brave," said the lady.

"I’m not that brave. I broke the triggering mechanisms before the guns left their pockets," Betsy said.

"I didn’t mean to imply you were stupid."

"It’s all right. I’m a healer," the teller said to the woman. The teller touched her leg as it straightened.

"You’re gifted," she said. "Thank you so much."

The teller helped her on her feet. "You’re welcome. Another teller can help you if you have business." The teller continued to sit on the floor. A man from the back office came out to help the teller up and onto a chair.

"Mr. Baker, sir," the teller said, "thank you so much."

"Thank you for diverting a disaster," Richard Baker said.

"I did nothing. These two women saved the bank," the teller said.

Betsy watched the police take the three previously armed men away as the bank manager told the police what happened. The bank manager praised Betsy, Mattie and his blond-haired teller for saving lives and preventing a bank robbery. The police came over to Betsy and Mattie. "The witnesses told me that you two disarmed the men."

"Mattie saw the guns as we entered the bank," Betsy said.

"Betsy crushed the triggering mechanisms with her telekinesis," Mattie said.

"You’re both heroes. You may have saved lives," the policeman said.

"We did nothing unusual," Mattie said. "We were lucky to be born with magic."

"You didn’t have to do anything. You took a risk and followed through. The city is very grateful," the policeman said. "I’m sure the newspapers will want to talk to you."

"Thank you, Sir," Mattie said.

"Should we talk to the newspaper men?" Betsy asked.

"If we give Paul good publicity," Mattie said. "You’re a talented witch."

A reporter took a pencil and walked over to them. Mattie and Betsy told the story how they disarmed the men and Betsy continued. "We work for Paul’s Magic and Hobby Shop. We sell mostly potions. The owner, Paul Watertower, can make potions and antidotes to order. Tell him what you want and if it’s legal, he’ll make it for you."

After the newspaperman left, Betsy told Mattie to hurry to work and tell Paul that she would be a little late. After work, Betsy picked up the child from her aunt Annabel who watched her without charge while Betsy worked. Betsy felt guilty about taking Henry’s sister’s kindness for granted. Betsy met Mattie outside the house. Mattie rolled the carriage inside the house and put the sleeping child into her crib. "We have a few minutes."

"Henry gets home between six and eight. We don’t have the time," Betsy said.

"He won’t be home soon." Mattie started kissing Betsy. "You tell me it is six and eight. I suspect it is more likely between eight and ten." Mattie undid the buttons on her sweater.

"It’s too risky." Betsy breathed in her perfume and felt her large breasts push against her. Betsy felt trapped by Mattie’s odor and wonderfully curvaceous body as she stepped closer, waiting her more than ever.

"I like risk." Mattie wrapped her arms around Betsy.

"Henry will be furious."

Mattie kissed Betsy kicking up her feet allowing her whole weight to lean against her. Betsy held her tighter and pushed her down so she would have the need to put her feet back on the ground. Although Betsy was strong enough to carry Mattie, Betsy didn’t want to bare her weight for more than a few seconds. Betsy stepped a few inches away from her and leaning against the paneled wall of the parlor. Betsy could feel her pulse race and her body temperature rise. Part of her wanted Mattie to leave; the other part wanted Mattie to get closer. While Mattie was playing temptress, Betsy was falling into her trap. Betsy was unable to turn off her feelings of lust for this voluptuous woman staying before her. "I like sex." Mattie pushed her against the wall and kissed her deeply.

"Mattie, stop." Betsy knew that she couldn’t fight her desire for this beautiful woman. If she had wanted to throw her out of the house, she would have done so already. Why did she need to play that she wasn’t interested when Mattie and she knew that she was? Betsy wondered what would happen if Henry came in on this. She didn’t fear being kicked out of the beautiful house that she shared with Henry. Betsy knew that she didn’t need Henry in her life but enjoyed his company.

"You’re enjoying this."

"You’re a beautiful woman, but my husband is going to be home." Betsy pushed her away gently. "I want you." Betsy was shaking a little both fearing and relishing the idea of being caught with a beautiful woman. Henry had a bad temper and Betsy feared that Henry could do permanent damage to their relationship if they were caught. Betsy didn’t want to lose her best friend and lover over some casual lovemaking with a charming woman.

"We’ll hurry." Mattie went into the bedroom and undressed. Betsy caught a glimpse of her lovely breasts and followed after her. Betsy looked at her full figured body and couldn’t wait to hold her again. Betsy knew that wasn’t time to kiss and lick those voluptuous breasts. She could lean her head in her bosom for hours; she was jealous of Mattie’s future babies getting to nurse on such lovely ornaments.

Mattie placed her arms around Betsy. Betsy rested her head on one of Mattie’s large breasts. "If you didn’t jam those guns, we could have had a hostage situation at the bank," said Mattie. "Those robbers seemed pretty incompetent, and we all know about incompetent people with guns. Your quick thinking saved lives today."

"Helen Martin, Henry’s secretary for twelve years, is dead because of me. Henry knew her longer than me. Saving other lives won’t bring her back."

"What happened?" asked Mattie, brushing Betsy’s hair with her fingers. Her fingers played with Betsy’s short blackish brown hair. Betsy had cut her hair to look male when she took that one-day spell and her hair hadn’t grown back. She wished at this moment she had long hair for Mattie’s slender fingers to fondle.

"I never told you how I lost my bookkeeping job. My magic goes a bit crazy. Adding machines are quite heavy when they take flight. Helen Martin died when the adding machine crushed her skull in. I thought about killing myself. I would have if I didn’t have a child to consider."

"Oh, my God."

"I’m taking medicine to prevent cycling. My magic goes crazy a week before I go on the rag. I had daily episodes during my first three months of pregnancy. It slowed down to less than once a week until the seven month. After the seventh month, I didn’t have any more episodes. I can’t nurse because milk production might cause me to have episodes around the baby."

"I’m sorry."

"Don’t be sorry for me. My magic killed someone, not just someone, Helen."

"What was Helen like?"

"She ate egg salad sandwiches on white bread. She sang when using a typewriter. I think she sang Gallic. I know it wasn’t English. I didn’t know her very well. I didn’t really know any of my co-workers well. She had black hair and her dresses were gray or brown. Most of the woman worn skirts and blouses, but Helen wore shirtdresses." Betsy stood up.

Henry entered the room while Betsy was putting her skirt on. "What is going on here?" Henry went to the bathroom. "Bet any judge will see me as the injured party if I ask for a divorce. You’ll end up owing me money."

"Mattie has a husband," said Betsy, hooking her skirt. She then put on her blouse. "There was a bank robbery and we were both upset."

"I give you everything and you bring a woman into our bed."

"The name is Matilda." Mattie gave Betsy a long kiss on the lips. "I’ll see you around." Mattie waved bye-bye to Betsy then headed out the door.

Betsy put her hands on her waist. "She approached me. A woman never approached me before. She’s so beautiful and those breasts-."

"How many times?" asked Henry.

"This was the second," said Betsy. "We did it this morning. I’m sorry."

"Sorry you did it or sorry you got caught?"

"I’m going to play with Cynthia until you calm down and we both end up saying something we can’t forgive." Betsy picked up Cynthia from her crib then went downstairs to warm a bottle and start dinner.

Henry sat at the table and didn’t say a word.

"Do you want me to take Cynthia and go to my parents?"

"No, we have both been under a lot of stress." Henry paused from eating.

"Maybe you should divorce me. I’m not that little mouse you married."

"I don’t want you to leave."

"What do you want?"

"Not to find a strange girl in my bed."

"Other than that."

"I want you to care for Cynthia and I. I expected you to be there for me emotionally as well as physically. I wanted someone for my old age. I wanted what every man wants when he takes a wife. Sex can be gotten on any street corner. I want security."

"I didn’t take away your security. Mattie and I had street corner sex. She has a husband that she loves."

"Why?"

"She has a nice body and she was there. Can we not talk about it?"

Betsy picked up the empty plates from the table. "Could you check on Cynthia while I wash the dishes?" Betsy undressed for bed after giving Cynthia a bath. Betsy lay under the blanket and turned her head from Henry as he put his hand on her naked back.

"You still see that ugly bitter woman in the mirror."

"I don’t. I see the same beautiful woman that you see." Betsy turned toward Henry and kissed him.

"I love you. No magic is going to change that." Henry moved his hands over Betsy’s body.

"It doesn’t make me less insecure. I like that men and women find me attractive."

"I overreacted. It must have been nice to be wanted for casual sex." Henry moved his body over Betsy’s body.

Betsy lifted her ass to give Henry better access. She moaned as Henry fingered her ass. "I love you stamina." Henry rolled Betsy over half way and kissed her deeply while exploring her bottom with his fingers and pressing his body against hers. Henry joined Betsy in bed. He put his hand through Betsy’s hair

PArt 14: Alex Saves Frank’s Life
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 written in 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 touched 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 about 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," Alex said. "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 I’m here 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 closer I’m to the affected organ the better. Of course, I could let you die."

"Frank, let him do it," their mother screamed.

"Mom, 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 Henry was 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 time. 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 understand 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. It must 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."

Part 15: Mr. Logan Offers Alex a Job

Hen ry followed Betsy out of Alex's bedroom. "Alex is a good man. Not many people would risk their lives for a total stranger."

"Mattie and I stopped a bank robbery. A woman was trampled when one of the robbers took out his gun. Alex untwisted her leg with a touch. It was amazing. I don't think Mary Jane has that kind of power."

"Frank is so lucky to have you."

"Alex must think we are both crazy. Now, that Frank has survived his brush with death, you mustn't take your mother's predictions so seriously."

Betsy nodded although Henry was the one uncomfortable with Mrs. Logan's predictions.

"I took the week off. I'll clean up the mess my plant managers cause. You aren't arguing me out of it. I wanted to spend time with my wife and daughter."

"Darling, do you think Frank has another chance?"

"If he uses it, the ball is in his court."

"Pop wants to see that glamour potion I made. I would like to give it to Alex."

"We can stay here. Your parents tolerate me."

"They adore you."

"I got their little girl into trouble."

"I'm no one's little girl." Betsy's face might be more symmetrical, but she was still tall and built more like a man than a woman. A woman should be soft and curved like Mattie. Betsy wouldn't have Mattie to shave or bleach her hair here. Henry would learn how hairy his wife has become. "We should spend a few days to watch Frank. I don't know how much healing Alex did before he lost consciousness. I'll be back in a few hours. Pop wants to examine that glamour potion. He thinks there will be real money to be made. If it's as profitable as my father imagines; I'll need to work here full time."

"Get the carpet and go." Henry looked at his feet and paced a moment. "Can you bring Cynthia with you?" Henry put the six-month-old infant, Cynthia, in her mother's arms. The infant snuggled a moment before wiggling free to play with the blankets. "I'll see you both in a few hours."

Betsy put the baby and her blankets on the carpet. She was glad that the carpet put up a barrier that prevented children from crawling off. Betsy looked at her watch as Cynthia played with the blankets on top of the carpet. It was only eight o'clock; why did it feel like midnight. Cynthia was asleep on the carpet before it arrived at their house. Betsy ran inside and got the lobster pot that she stored the potion. It seemed heavier than she remembered. She wondered how a woman seven months pregnant could have carried the thing. She then remembered how she struggled with the pot to get it inside after brewing it in the yard. Finally, Betsy used telekinesis to move the pot. The potion had been allowed to dry on the screened in porch for two months before she had brewed it for her use. With the aid of his telekinesis, Betsy put the heavy pot on the carpet on the opposite side of the carpet from the sleeping child.

Betsy decided to carry the sleeping child to her crib. She would fly back in the morning after a good night sleep. Pop always said not to fly a carpet half asleep. Betsy woke at dawn. She packed herself and Henry several days' worth of clothes. Alex looked to wear about the same size as Betsy did; they were close to the same height and weight. Betsy packed three more changes of her men's clothes into the suitcase. Betsy transferred the sleeping child back onto the carpet. She held Cynthia in her arms as she flew back to her parents' house. Betsy put Cynthia down to crawl on her grandparent's floor. She hugged Henry. "I got the potion. The pot was heavier than a remembered."

"I'm glad that you're back." Henry kissed her and put his arms tightly around her.

"Do you think they should be doing that in front of the baby?" Frank asked.

"They're her parents," Mrs. Logan said. "Sugar, help me in the garden."

Alex walked over to Betsy. "I need some clean clothes and a bath."

"I bought you some clothes." Betsy hugged him. "I'll get them for you. I need a bath too if you don't mind me joining you."

"Your mother's bath isn't big enough for both of us," Alex said.

"You can bathe first. I'll wait." Betsy carried the large bag upstairs. "I hope they fit."

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Alex looked them over. "I wear a 15 but a 15 and half will do. How did you know I wore a 30 waist?"

"Those are my clothes."

"Oh."

"I dressed as a man for a few weeks. It's no big deal. Since I'm no longer working for Paul, I plan to do it again." Betsy went upstairs. "You bathe first."

"You shouldn't see a man other than your husband undressed."

"Henry, do you mind?" Betsy asked.

"No, I'll watch Cynthia; keep the man company." Henry sat on the floor and watched Cynthia pulled herself up on the furniture. "You watch Cynthia all day. You need a break."

Betsy helped Alex in the bathtub. Naked he looked like a little boy. As she washed his back then chest and arms, he didn't appear embarrassed by having a strange woman wash him. As a healer, he probably had plenty of strangers care for him since regularly gave his health to others. Alex took one of her father's bathrobes and went back to his room on his own power. Betsy used his water to wash herself then dried and put on a shirt and trousers and fixed her suspenders. She touched above her upper lip, feeling the few hairs there. Alex took her hand. "You look good in men's clothes."

"Henry said the same thing."

"I need a little time alone."

"I understand."

After putting on her socks and shoes, Betsy put on her waistcoat and jacket then went over her parents' yard. Betsy walked over to her mother in the garden. "Mom, Henry took some time off. Would you mind watching Cynthia a few hours?"

"I would love to." Mrs. Logan kissed her daughter's face.

"I hate when Frank teases me."

"All big brothers tease their little sisters. Ignore him."

"It hurts because I know everyone else looks at me the same way he does."

Mrs. Logan hugged Betsy. "You have to be bigger than them."

"Annabel said that I was a mouse when I met Henry. I don't want to return to being a mouse."

"Then, don't."

Betsy put her arms around Henry. "We can take the carpet out for a few hours. Mum will watch Cynthia." Betsy landed the carpet in a wooden area near a waterfall. The sound of roaring water filled their ears. The air smelled of spring flowers and clean crisp water. Betsy leaned against Henry's larger chest and soaked in the sun and air.

Henry placed his arms around her and turned to look into Betsy's eyes. "Maybe we make our own future."

"Frank did get sick just as mother predicted."

"She didn't predict that Alex would risk his life for him." Henry kissed Betsy.

"Don't look at me that way."

Henry touched both of Betsy's hands. "You're beautiful."

"I saw the way Frank looked at me. A potion that I took almost five months ago gave me this normal body."

Henry put his hand up Betsy's chin. "Physical attractiveness grants you more opportunities in this world."

"I need more than this illusion."

"Honey, everything is an illusion. We make our own reality. Enjoy your illusion." Henry lifted her chin slightly and kissed her.

"Do you think time itself is illusion and that is why my mother can see past its veil?"

"That is an interesting concept. What's in that potion you took?"

"Herbs, animal hair, mashed clam shell. You know 'wool of bat and tongue of dog.'" Betsy crackled. "You really don't want to know."

"Betsy, you're much more beautiful since you used that potion. You haven't had an attack of sporadic magic since using it. Can you make it again?"

"Sure. I'm afraid to take it."

"Why? Research it. This potion might counteract your curse. It's amazing you haven't had an attack of sporadic magic since taking it."

Betsy smiled broadly. "I could be rid of this curse."

"We'll have to test it. Alex's facial paralysis looks like a curse. Did you get your pot of witches' brew to test him?" Henry kissed her again.

"I was never this beautiful before, even when taking my potion. I've improved it over the years, but I never guessed. Henry, imagine."

"Maybe you should make the new potion. You know what you did better than anyone else."

"I made the glamour potion in the backyard in a fit of passion during my seventh month of pregnancy."

"Think about. Did you at least write down your ingredients?"

"I always write down my ingredients and proportions. I now know what angered Frank. I don't look cursed. I look normal for the first time in my life. I'm so happy."

"Test it on Alex."

"We shouldn't test it on him. He risked his life to save my brother. What if something went wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong. What did you and Alex talk about?"

"Nothing." Betsy took a deep breath. "That I look beautiful dressed as a man."

"You do."

"Let's use the glamour potion on him first." Betsy put her hands on her waist, looked at the water and took a deep breath. "I don't need a new potion. Everyone knows once a curse is broken it is broken forever." Henry and Betsy went for a walk in the woods. After enjoying the woods and each other, they returned to the Logans' house.

Betsy hugged Frank upon entering the house. "My curse is gone," Betsy shouted.

"Never did find the one responsible. Maybe it's one of those hideous creature has a baby and curse is lifted curses," Frank splat out with his tobacco juice.

"Mom, I haven't had an attack since before the baby was born," Betsy said. "Look at my face. Look at my smile. I'm beautiful."

Betsy's mother looked at her face. "What does that mean?"

"After all these years, my curse has been finally lifted. Henry wants to test it but I'm sure because people no longer advert their eyes from me. I was hired as a saleswoman. If I was still cursed, I couldn't sell anybody anything. Why didn't I realize this earlier?"

"Sometimes, we totally miss the obvious. I'm happy for you. We should tell your father. Let Henry do his test, give the poor man his science."

"Where is Pop?"

"I should have noticed the last time you visited, but I was so overwhelmed by the baby; I'm ashamed to say I didn't look at you. Now, that I'm looking at you, it's so obvious. Your face has a sparkle that it lacked before. By the way, Pop is in the garden."

"Pop, I have great news." Betsy bent down and took the spade to help plant.

"I heard your scream. Congratulations." Thad hugged her.

"It doesn't matter. I'm free. Pop, we should give Mr. Gardener the beauty potion. Where's he?"

"Resting. He tried to heal Frank again. He insisted that Frank would be benefit another healing session. He almost died from the first."

"I like his character," Betsy said.

"So do I. Maybe your glamour potion will heal his facial paralysis. It must have been caused by a curse or his healing abilities would have repaired it." Thad continued his gardening.

"I was thinking the same thing," said Betsy.

"Mr. Gardener, I don't know how to thank you," said Thad. "I know. Betsy, make up your beauty potion."

"I can't use glamour," said Alex. "I'm probably immune because of my healing ability." Betsy brewed some of her potion then handed the mug to Alex. "Drink up. I'll work on the taste later."

Alex took a large sip. "This stuff tastes awful."

Betsy smiled at Alex. "Look in the mirror. You look great."

"I'm a handsome man. I have some facial paralysis. It is no big deal."

Thad said, "When did you get this facial paralysis?"

"As a child," said Alex. "What are you two smiling at?"

Betsy hands him the mirror.

Alex touched his face. "My skin feels softer. What you done? I can't go back to work looking like this."

"You're a healer. Your face froze without you getting a fever, didn't it?" said Thad.

Alex blinked at himself in the mirror. "This is amazing. I can't go back to the bank. I'm not Stoneface Alex anymore. Why did Betsy's formula work when other glamour potions couldn't cure my paralysis?" asked Alex.

"Did anyone say anything to you the day you had paralysis?" asked Thad.

"My aunt told me not to frown. She said my face would freeze like that," said Alex. "Adults say things like that to children all the time."

"Ever since Betsy has taken her beauty potion, her magic hasn't gone crazy," said Thad. "People should be more careful about what they say."

"You can work as a healer," said Betsy. "No one with talent like yours should be working in a bank."

"I can't work as a healer because women don't want men touching them and men don't want men touching them, especially not a man like me," explained Alex. "You remember how Frank acted toward me."

"If this potion does what I think it does, you'll have a job with us," Thad said.

Henry returned to the room. "Alex, your girl friend won't believe it's you. You look fantastic."

"I don't have a girl friend. I rarely took the time to date. I can't remember the last time I had a second date."

"You'll have trouble keeping the ladies away," Henry said.

"You destroyed my life," Alex said, touching the lines on his face. His finger ran along the contours. "I'm not me, anymore."

"I can use your help with my formula," Thad said. "You'll never be unemployed. Can you fly a broom?"

Alex nodded. "However, I use a carpet for most of my long distance travel."

"Great, I can use another salesman," Thad said.

"I have two textile mills. I have just taken over a carpet factory and won a shoe factory during a poker game. I always use new help," Henry said. "Alex, let me take you out for dinner and tell you the benefits of working for me."

"Thank you, but I rather work for Mr. Logan," Alex said. "Betsy, you have something with that potion."

"Would you like to accompany me to dinner? Henry never lets me spend my money. I worked two months at the magic shop and I never got to spend a dime," Betsy said.

"Take him out," Henry said.

Betsy touched Alex's hand. "You'll kill yourself trying to heal my stupid brother."

"I didn't risk my life the second time. A man in such bad health as Frank would need several healing sessions. I can't stay here and finish the job," Alex said.

"I'll pay you," Thad said. "You're a healer. I could use your help making my potions. Once we get Betsy's new potion on the market, I'll need more salesmen. Until then, I'll need an assistant to help me with my product line and getting Betsy's potion ready for market."

"Are you hiring me?" Alex asked.

"Yes, I pay my salesmen commission but if you working in research, I can pay you a comparable salary."

"What do you pay your salesman?"

"Ten percent plus flying time. You can't get a better deal," Thad said.

"And you would like me to continue to heal your son while I'm here?" Alex asked.

"No, you healed him enough. Give him the information he needs to take care of himself and after that he's on his own."

"I'll talk him about his drinking and poor eating habits," Alex said. "I don't need to talk to him about exercise. If he collects firewood and does the other chores around the house, he would get more than enough exercise."

"You could stay here while I was training you," Mr. Logan said.

"It's nice country out here."

"Alex, join me for a walk. We can eat at the spitfire grill and I can tell you about my father's business."

"We should take the baby with us. She could use the fresh air." Alex picked up Cynthia who was crawling on the floor.

"You need shoes," Betsy said, taking the baby.

Alex put his shoes back on. "I'll carry her. I'm a healer; I have held babies before."

"You look very good in my clothes."

"Thank you." They walked up a path to a grove of pine trees. Pinecones and needles covered the ground.

Betsy breathed in the pine air and walked close to Alex without touched him. Although Betsy knew Alex was holding Cynthia right and Cynthia was happy enough on Alex's arm and shoulder, Betsy wanted her baby back in her arms. He put the hand not holding the baby on Betsy's shoulder. Betsy pulled the men's floppy hat over her face. "Let's go to the grill."

Alex took off the hat and put Cynthia down on the pine leaves then put a hand on Betsy'sr face. "Look at me."

"Do you want to carry Cynthia home?" Betsy turned away from Alex. "How can you stand to be with me? I ruined your life."

"Betsy, it isn't a glamour spell. You'll never be that ugly girl again and I no longer have facial paralysis. You created something wonderful."

"My mother told me when I was a little girl that my name would go down in history."

"If this potion works out, it will." Alex opened the door to the small restaurant with seven hard wood tables and benches.

"Seat yourself. There is only two people that work here," Betsy said. "Marge and her sister, Ethel." Alex sat at closest table to the kitchen and Betsy sat beside him.

Marge came to the table. "Meatloaf is the special for the day."

"Can you make me some eggs and potatoes?" Alex asked.

"Sure. Would you like toast?"

"Yes," Alex said.

"Miss?" Marge asked.

"I'm Betsy, Thad's little girl. I'll have the special. Do you have apple cider?"

"Fresh."

"Two glasses of that, please," Betsy added. Marge went back the kitchen.

Part 16: Betsy Decides to Work for her Parents

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 for herself 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 your 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 talk to 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."

Part 17 Betsy Tests a Potion

Betsy walked Mattie to Mary Jane's office; it was the first floor of her house. "Mary Jane, this is my friend, Mattie; she's tried of using French letters. I stopped taking my pills. It has been deepening my voice and giving my facial hair."

"I see," Mary Jane said. "I have a new supplier. Let's give it a try. Mattie, sit here a few minutes. I need to give Betsy a shot."

Betsy sat on a chair in Mary Jane's office. "Mary Jane, I was thinking about asking the barber to give me a shave when he cut my hair."

"It might stimulate your hair follicles. Your beard might get thicker. I'll give you something that will lighten your facial hair."

"I'm dressing like a man. Men shave. Shaving won't increase the number of follicles. It'll only irritate the follicles that are there."

"Betsy, you'll get skin like a man's."

"I'll it give a few more days before I decide."

"I have a friend that can use wax to rid you of extra hair. Betsy, stand up and drop your pants. I need to give this in your bottom. Use other birth control for rest of day. Tomorrow, you should be fine. Tell your friend that I can talk to her now."

After Betsy straightened her clothes, she told Mattie that Mary Jane could see her. Betsy took Mattie's hand as they walked to the magic shop.

"Do you want your checks written to Mrs. Henry Newcastle?" Paul said as he saw Betsy enter his shop.

"I'm not going back," Betsy said picking up a few condoms from a drawer behind the register. "Paul, ring these up."

"I see what is on your mind," Paul said.

"Do you blame me?" Betsy said.

"Not at all. Have fun."

"I plan on it."

Betsy greeted Henry at the gentlemen's club that he frequented. "Daniel, we have a problem." Henry lifted her chin. "Look at me. I hate talking to the top of your head."

"Henry, you were just as excited when I told you that the curse was broken. This is should be a dream come true. I have never felt this beautiful."

"Your anatomy shouldn't matter."

"But it does."

"How it wish it didn't."

"What do you want me to do?" Betsy shook her head and returned to looking at the dark tablecloth.

"We can try. I love you so much. I'll pay for the drinks. Let's get our daughter."

Will invited Mr. and Mrs. Newcastle inside. "Annabel, may we talk in the kitchen?" Betsy asked.

"Henry, my good man, I'll get you a drink," Will said.

"I have to tell the cook that two more will be joining us for dinner," Annabel said. "We can talk in the garden while the men talk business."

"Do you like having a cook and housekeeper?" Betsy asked.

"It's nice. I like being with the children. Will has offered to get me a nanny but I refuse."

"I'm going to ask Henry to get Cynthia a nanny. I don't think it is fair for you to watch her long hours."

"I don't mind."

"Why are you so sad?"

"Henry isn't pleased; he wants a man."

"My poor dear. You used to work in a store that sells sex toys. Buy some things to keep Henry entertain. You brag about how much a pervert that you are."

"That idea has merit. I could think up some great ways to abuse him."

"That's my girl."

The cook told Annabel that dinner was served.

Henry helped Betsy into her chair. "I bet that Will has been saying awful things about me," Betsy said, as she sat down.

"Only the best," Henry said.

Betsy put her hand on Henry's hand. "Darling, I want to go home."

"Enjoy dinner."

"I want to enjoy something else," she whispered.

"You have a one track mind," Henry whispered.

"I thought that is what you loved about me," she whispered back.

Henry was eager to undress her when he came home. Betsy handed him a condom as he undressed. "Do you expect me to put a johnny on my old fellow?"

"I'll put it on for you."

"With your mouth."

"Later. I rather do something else with my mouth now."

"I'm looking forward to it."

The phone rang as Betsy was putting Cynthia in her crib. Henry walked the phone to the nursery careful not to trip over the cord. "It's your friend, Mattie."

"Thanks," Betsy took the phone.

"I'm willing to do it. Jack says that he doesn't like Paul anyway. One of my mother's friends is interested. She has an extra carpet that she'll let me borrow until I can afford my own."

"My father will give you a carpet. That isn't a problem. My father will be glad that he'll have time to work on his potions again. He's interviewing a salesman for the Boston area. Frank was suppose to do it but he's totally irresponsible."

"How many stores do you have?"

"One hundred and fifteen. We seem to get more locations each week. Our expensive aphrodisiac is on high demand. It must really work. Many of our potions sell at very low volume."

"I should be able to cover twenty to thirty stores for you in the Merrimack area. My mother's friend will work an eight-hour shift. Jack says that I can work up to ten hours a day."

"The stores are open from nine to five. It's only an eight hour day."

"Fine. Jack will be pleased."

"Paul will hate me again for taking his best employee from him."

"His wife is working at the shop now but she doesn't have magic."

"That isn't my problem," Betsy said. "I'll tell Dad your address. He'll call when he ready to train you." Betsy left in the morning to go to work, carrying clothes for herself and Cynthia to her parents' house. After arriving, she feed Cynthia breakfast. "Mum, how is Alex working out?"

"He's doing the route on his own. Pop still needs another salesman."

"I hired him two. He'll have to drop off cases in Merrimack for them. They should be able cover the sixty stores in that area."

"Pop will be excited. He'll have time to work on potions again."

Alex arrived home around dinnertime. "I miss you the last three days." Alex kissed Betsy upon seeing her.

"I'm not your wife." Betsy pulled away.

"We're sharing a bed." Alex put his arms around her.

"You were supposed to share my husband's bed."

"He doesn't turn me on the way you do." Alex put his hand around her waist. "I like your chest."

"I didn't get to nurse my baby. They're rather useless."

"I like to lean my head on them."

"Betsy, put the dishes on the table," her mother shouted. "I brought Cynthia a high chair. Feed her from it."

"Will do, Mom. Where is Frank?"

"He found our stash. He's probably going to drink himself into a stupor."

"Cynthia needs a bottle." Cynthia climbed up Alex's leg and started to cry.

"Alex, would you like to give her one? I have to help Mum in the kitchen." Betsy put the dirty dishes into the sink and started washing them.

"After the dishes, we have to make the potion for tomorrow. Pop is in the basement making potion already," her mother said.

"He barely ate. He's going to work himself into an early grave."

"Pop loves to work." Mom picked up Cynthia as she crawled to her.

"She's walking around the furniture."

"So I have noticed," Mom said.

After bottling potion long into the night, Betsy snuggled near sleeping Alex. Betsy lit an oil lamp. Betsy moved her hand over Alex's naked body. Betsy moved her hands over Alex's firm ass. She licked Alex's butt hole. "You're still as sexy as ever."

"Could you make a potion that will make me female?" Alex asked.

"My father use to make one that lasted two to six months but he discontinued it due to lack of sales. I'm sure that I could make one."

"Make it."

"I don't get much time to do research."

Alex put his hand on Betsy's face. "Your beard is thicker than mine."

"It's hideous. I had a shot that keep my hormone levels low. My body must make male hormone. My voice is deeper than yours, too."

"Both men and women make male and female hormones."

"Alex, do you have to talk?"

"Please, God could have intended me to be female. I need to know."

"I'll work on it. I want you so badly."

"I won't talk." Alex kissed her.

"Allow me to make you feel good."

"Betsy, your brother can hear us in the next room."

"I don't care what the drunk fool thinks."

Alex took Frank by the hand after breakfast. "I used my healing energy to heal you five times now. I'm not doing it again and risking my health to help someone that isn't willing to help themselves."

"I need to drink."

"You don't need to drink. You aren't the only man with problems."

"I'm not taking advice from a man that enjoys another man's arse," Frank said.

"Then, take my advice," his mother said. "Alex, don't heal him again. Frank, your life is in your hands. Eat with us and stop drinking. Betsy and I cook healthy food twice a day. You could be here to eat it."

"You love that freak more than I," Frank said.

"Betsy works hard and take care of her responsibilities. She has never blamed her father or me for hers problems. Take charge of your life or move out," his mother said.

After Alex and Pop left with their carpets full of potions to delivery, Betsy went to the basement to fill more bottles. Betsy followed the instruction to make her father's famous aphrodisiac. "Mom, work in the garden with Cynthia. I can handle bottling myself."

"Sure, Dear. Mattie called us. Pop is going to train her. If she works out, then he will train her friend. Thanks." Her mother picked up Cynthia from her play yard.

"You're welcome. Do you need me to work five days a week?"

"You should spend some time with Henry."

"I don't want to. I have to talk to Dad about making our curse-curing potion. We still haven't tested it."

"Once he trains Mattie and her friend, your father is rather busy."

"I know but this potion could help thousands of people."

"I'll talk to him about it."

"Thanks, Mom." Betsy called Henry that night. "Darling, I don't know what to say."

"Are you coming home?"

"My father needs me to test that potion I made. I'll need to spend five or six days a week up here."

"Whatever. I can't fly a carpet to visit you."

"My father distributes to stores in the area. I can drop off supplies in the area for him and visit you for an hour at the same time."

"That sounds wonderful. See you in a day or two."

"Sure thing."

Betsy worked on a potion for Alex that evening and put it into half pint jars. She would have to test it later. She wondered if he should test it on Frank but it might cause Frank to take revenge on her then wondered how since Frank didn't have enough magic to fly a magic carpet. Of course, there were always Frank's drinking buddies. Pop said that they made great victims for untested potions.

"Alex, I made you a potion. Pop is going to test my curse-curing potion as soon as we can find a few victims. He's working on it to improve the taste."

"That stuff tasted hideous."

"I made another potion. It doesn't smell as strong. I hope it taste better."

"What does it do?"

"Make a man into a woman. These things are only temporary and skin deep, but it should help us determine what is wrong with you." Betsy poured it into two cups. "Drink up."

"Don't drink it," Alex said.

"I can't expect you to drink something that I won't. Alex, I'll be all right. What if this is the key to learning why your body is immature?"

"The men at the bank tricked me into taking a cheap sex change potion before and nothing happened. They were all rather disappointed." Alex drank his. "It's like a mild herbal tea." After Betsy drank hers, she put her arms around Alex.

"I'm glad that everything I make doesn't taste hideous. Maybe, your healing magic counteracts it. You're still your handsome self." Betsy kissed him then looked in the mirror. "My voice isn't as deep and the facial hair is gone. I'm sorry. My curse removing potion worked on you so you're not immune to all potions so I'm not looking for the right thing."

"At least, it worked on you. The potion must be pretty strong; I believed once you had hair follicles they stayed."

"It might have ruined the birth control Mary Jane gave me."

"Worry about that when you have sex with your husband."

"Birth control wasn't the reason that I took it. I have sporadic outbursts of magic. During one of these outbursts, someone died; I need my female hormone levels to stay constant."

"Stay away from heavy objects and I'll check your hormone levels on the daily basis. If I find a fluctuation, you can see Mary Jane for another dose."

"Thanks, Alex. Perhaps, the potion didn't work on you because it was looking for male secondary sexual characteristics. You don't have any since you never reached puberty." Betsy touched her face. "I always had facial hair since puberty. I didn't have a light beard and mustache until I took Mary Jane's potion, but I had rather thick sideburns. We need to try another formula."

"You can still wear pants if you want," said Alex.

"You rather I wear nothing." Betsy took off her shirt and her pants. Betsy undressed him. "Do you want to fuck me?"

"I'd love to. Your husband is going to hate me."

"He probably has a new boyfriend by now. He's rich and handsome. I'm sure some stupid young man is in his bed while we are speaking."

"His morals might not be as loose as yours."

"Alex, want do you want from me?"

"I don't know. I want us to have a place of our own."

"I have telekinesis. We could build a house in no time."

"With the schedule your father gives us," Alex said.

"We could pay someone to build us a house. We make enough money. You aren't hiding it in the house."

"With Frank drinking, I go to the bank every morning and sleep with it under my pillow."

Betsy dropped off the supplies for Mattie to delivery on Friday morning. Betsy returned to wearing a skirt and blouse. "Would you like to talk? I'm confused about Alex. Maybe you can figure it out."

"What happened?"

"I gave him my sex change potion nothing happened."

"When we were at the bank, I saw something different about him."

"He's physically a boy. I made a potion that should have changed a male to female but done nothing to a female. I drank it with him. It made my voice higher and removed my facial hair, but did nothing for him."

"Maybe, he's just immune to potions."

"Nonsense. The curse-removing potion worked. I'm not looking for the right characteristics."

"If there is a genetic error, maybe he can find it with his healing."

"He must have looked."

"Maybe, he never thought of looking. I'll suggest it to him. I have to get my deliveries done quickly. Jack is having his sister over tonight and I need to get the apartment ready."

"I need to collect your paperwork from yesterday and to count bottles."

"I put them in the closet. I'll be with you in a moment." Mattie brought the supplies and paperwork. "I need more of that expensive aphrodisiac. I brought it for Jack after I saw the sales rise. That stuff is wonderful. Jack wants to take it at least once a week."

"Is it that good?" Betsy asked.

"Jack performs as well as a young man. If he took it every time, I wouldn't feel the urge to cheat on him."

"I only packed thirty bottles of it. We didn't make enough. I'll make three times the normal order and set sixty bottles of it for you that next time I delivery."

"If I could sell sixty bottles of it a day, I would be rolling in the dough," Mattie said. "My friend, Agnes, is interested in selling too. I can vouch for her honesty."

"Pop is very glad about your sales. He might be able to take two more salesmen. He has even more drugstores wanting to carry his line." Betsy counted the money and the supplies. "You're right on the mark."

"As always." Mattie smiled. "You have to go. I need to get on the road."

"I'll see you with more supplies to two days." Betsy blew her a kiss.

Part 18: The Baker Insults Betsy

Betsy flew her carpet to her house hoping Henry was still there. No luck. She wrote a message and taped it on the icebox. "Miss you this morning. Try again in two day. Love, Betsy."

Betsy flew back and made more aphrodisiac. She bottled it in the fancy bottles as her mother worked in the garden. "Mom, Pop is making thousands on this stuff. Mattie says that it makes her husband perform as good as a man half his age."

"Pop will be glad. Men will pay any price to improve their performance," Mom said.

"Pop doesn't take it."

"He isn't a young man. It improves blood circulation; it's good for the man's general health."

"Alex doesn't need it," Betsy said.

"You might think differently in ten to twenty years," her mother said. "We have triple the orders we had last week. Can you make enough of this stuff?"

"Alex wants to build a house here. He has enough money to hire someone to build him a house."

"I'll tell Pop to give him a few days off to build a house," Mom said.

"I want to help him."

"Henry will be angry that you abandoned him."

"He'll live. He wasn't home this morning. I left him a note."

Betsy pulled Alex close at night; Alex put his hands down Betsy's body. Feeling beautiful and feminine, she didn't want to leave Alex's side. In the morning, she just stared at him as he slept. He looked so much like an angel. She needed to do something to get him a sexual mature body. He did so much for everyone else. She kissed his hair lightly, not to wake him. Her morning peace was broken by Frank cursing that he couldn't find any money lying around the house.

Alex gave him two dollars. "Kill yourself. I'm not healing you again."

"Thanks." Frank put the money in his pants pocket.

"Shower and change your clothes," his mother said.

"Sure," Frank mumbled, as he wanted up the stairs.

"Eat," Betsy shouted. "I made eggs, griddle cakes and ham."

Betsy dropped off Mattie supplies. After she collected the money, Mattie gave her a brief kiss. "Mattie, you shouldn't cheat on your husband."

"I like variety," Mattie said.

"I'm cheating on Henry and it isn't a good feeling."

"Alex?"

"He's very sweet"

Mattie kissed her. In a few minutes, they were in her bed. Mattie moved her mouth and hands over Betsy's body. She licked Betsy's earlobe and put her hands through Betsy's hair. Mattie whispered, "Betsy, your body is curvier. More like it was five months ago."

"You feel so good." Betsy put her head on Mattie's breast. "I love your breasts."

"Enjoy them." Mattie pulled her head into them.

"Jack could find us."

"He doesn't care." Mattie put her hair through Betsy's short masculine hair as Betsy kissed and licked the valley between Mattie's breasts. "Are you going to keep your hair short?"

"I may let it grow out." Betsy rolled beside Mattie and took her hand. "But with a eight month old, who has time to wash and brush long hair?" Betsy put her hand on Mattie's breast and sucked on the other.

"Touch them; enjoy them. They aren't feeding Cynthia."

"Relax and enjoy what you feel."

"I don't know what I feel." Betsy kissed Mattie's belly button. "I love your body."

"You hate yours."

"I do not. It keeps changing. I was a thin before I had Cynthia. Pregnancy shifted everything around. Then Mary Jane's potion gave me straighter muscles and shifted my body fat. Now my body fat is way it was months ago. Not to mention, my curse remover changed my face." She touched Mattie's face. "Mattie stays Mattie. Betsy's body is fluid, too fluid."

"Let me enjoy your body the way you are enjoying mine. Let me teach you to love yourself."

"I'm putty in your hands." Betsy moved her head down lower. "Mattie."

"Betsy, go ahead."

"It's beautiful."

"So it yours."

"A man can see his sex organs. A woman's are mysterious. When I squeeze my legs together or use my hand I can feel it, but it isn't shouting at me. Henry wants that loud male sexuality and I can't give it to him."

Mattie dressed quickly afterwards. "Betsy, I need to make my deliveries. I'm sorry that we can't spend all day in bed."

"I'll visit another time." Betsy dressed.

"Never mind." Mattie kissed her cheek as Betsy tied her work boots. "I expect to find a coarse cheek. Lock up."

Betsy put on her jumper. The New England could get chilly in the early fall then suddenly get hot. The temperature could easily range from over 60 degrees F to below freezing within the day. She locked the door behind her as she left. Not wanting to face the cold,

Betsy looked at the fresh bread and pastries downstairs. "Jack, may I have two baguettes?"

"You would be a pretty girl if you let your hair grow."

"I'm pretty."

"You took something that counteracted the male hormones you were taking."

"I take the hormones to prevent episodes of uncontrolled telekinetic energy. A friend suggested that I wear men's clothes. I wasn't making a political statement."

"When people look at you, they see a man. You aren't helping the suffragist movement. You pay Mattie and Agnes a fair commission. You treat woman fairly others will do the same."

"I worked in a mill for seven years," said Betsy. "I've put in fourteen hour days. I know what is it's like to be a working girl." Betsy put her hat with a single hand while holding the baguettes under her arm. Then tipped it slightly toward him. "Good day."

"Please, come again."

"I'll take what you say into considerate." On the way to her parents' house, Betsy ate one of the baguettes.

Betsy looked at herself in the mirror at her parents' house and thought about finding a potion to reduce her bustline. "Can we talk and make potion?" Betsy asked her mother.

"What happened?"

"I brought us some bread at the bakery after my deliveries and the baker thought I was taking male hormone for reasons other than chaotic magic."

"That must have hurt."

"I'm at the house most of the day making potion and not being anybody for anyone." Betsy allowed her telekinesis to fill the bottles.

"Betsy, we have work to do."

"Why did the baker say that?"

"Honey, you shouldn't have wore men's clothes out of the house. What you wear speaks louder than your words. Amanda Bloomer wouldn't have made such a stir if that wasn't the case."

Betsy stayed up late at night to do research for a sex change spell for Alex. After searching several of her father's spell books, she flew home to see Henry after leaving her mother a note that she would be gone for one to two days. Henry was asleep when she put Cynthia in her crib. Betsy climbed in bed with him.

Henry screamed when he found someone in bed with him.

"It's only me," Betsy said.

"How long are you home?"

"A day or two. Pop will have to bottle his own potions for that long."

"How is it working for your folks?"

"They're slave drivers. I work at least fourteen hours a day. His salesmen have it easier. I'm pouring potion all day and night."

"Frank?"

"He's no help. Would you like to enjoy this beautiful body?"

"Is Alex enjoying it?"

"Yes."

"Then, I rather go without."

"Henry, I'm here for you."

"I don't want you here. You made your choice."

"Henry, I'm your wife."

"You're your own man. I want nothing to do with you."

Betsy wanted to scream. How dare Henry made a remark about her being a man after what Jack, the baker, said. Her voice was now deep alto, but she was never a soprano. Hips were curvier. Then, Henry wouldn't notice those things. "We have a daughter."

"I'll visit Cynthia on the weekends. I don't want you in my bed."

"Can we just talk a minute?" Betsy put on his robe and sat up on the edge of the bed.

"I have nothing to say to you," Henry said sitting up.

"I need your advice." Betsy scratched her chin; the gesture mimicked Henry.

"Make up your own mind."

"I'll be back in two days for my daughter." Betsy dressed and took her carpet back to her parents' house.

Alex hugged Betsy as he was loading his carpet with supplies for the day. "I'm making more than I can imagine. What do your parents do with all that money?"

"Buying ingredients to make more potion. Pop says that the pretty bottles cost him more than the potions. I should ask for a pay increase so I can help with your house. Did you buy land?"

"I got an acre about a mile from here. It's beautiful land. It has these beautiful trees. The land is nearly flat prefect for building a little house. I'm seeing an architect my next day off."

"Henry doesn't want me in his bed. He agreed to watch Cynthia for two days."

"I'm sorry."

Betsy worked hard on her potions and filling bottles as her mother worked beside her. Her pop came over to Betsy as she was bottling. "Pop, Alex has the mind and body of child. Do you have any ideas how to fix that? He doesn't response to sex change spells. Is that because his body isn't mature or is that because he isn't male or female?"

"My sex change spell would change a boy into a girl. Puberty isn't a factory."

"Then, we need to find out what is different about Alex then anyone else."

"I know a few healers. I can ask another if they found anyone with Alex's problem and if there is a potion to repair it."

"Thanks, Pop. The baker said that I act like a man."

"You do. It's nothing you can change so don't let it trouble you. Betsy, I'll find an answer for Alex. I'm still working on the taste of your curse-curing potion. It's still hideous. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Make it sweet and double the volume by adding sugar syrup and fruit flavoring."

"I'll do that," Pop said. "I'll have you taste it when I'm done."

A week later, Betsy was still working for her parents. Henry gave Cynthia to Annabel to be raised with her cousins. Henry claimed that Cynthia needed a stable home life and neither of them was able to provide it.

"Alex is physically and mentally a boy you shouldn't be teasing him," Pop said after returning from training a new guy.

"He's twenty-six years old," said Betsy.

"Mentally, he's closer to twelve. I'm not telling you something you don't know."

"You didn't mind when I was kissing him before."

"I talked to a few healers about his problem. It took me five healers until I found someone who treated this condition. In every cell in our body there are twenty-three pairs of chromosomes. In males the twenty-third set doesn't match. Alex has an extra chromosome. If removed by a healer, he'll be a healthy female."

"Do you think I could make a potion will that will do this?"

"Possibly. If he is mentally deficit, do I have the right to do this to him?"

"We should ask his parents." After researching the problem, Betsy located a potion that worked to cure certain forms of retardation when they were extra cellular material; it was one of those many spells discovered and never put to proper use. However, it sounded like the problem that Alex had. If worked for Alex, perhaps, more healers would use a portion to cure retardation caused by extra cellular material. Many cures healers had were neglected and Betsy didn't understand the phenomena, but if Alex was cured perhaps, he could repair the situation.

Betsy woke her father in the middle of the night after she had made the potion. "I did it. This will cure Alex."

"Can we cure Alex in the morning?" her mother said between yawns.

"It can wait until morning. Pop, you had the answer. There are several disorders caused by extra chromosomal material. The physical characteristics are different but that might be due to having a different extra chromosome than Alex."

"I'm glad you found the answer. Let Alex sleep. We will fix it in the morning," her father suggested.

Betsy was too excited to sleep so she returned to bottling potion. She read to see if they were more about this potion. A physical immature male taking the potion would become female when the extra material was removed. The potion would do nothing if there were the normal amount of genetic material. She returned to bottling. The orders were over a week behind. There was too much work to do out of the basement. Her father would need to build a factory; demand was still growing.

Betsy started to make breakfast at the crack of dawn. Her father joined her soon after. "Let's go. Pop, get Alex. I'll get the potion."

"I get the message," Pop said. "This better work. We can't him dying on us. He's my best salesman."

"If this work, she'll be your best saleslady," Betsy said.

"We'll have to tell him that."

"If we are wrong and there is no extra material, it won't harm him in anyway."

Alex came into the room. "I heard you talking about me."

"I want you to take the potion. Pop thinks you have a genetic defect. With my potion hopefully, you'll be a healthy woman," Betsy said. "Your personality will change as well as you appearance. There is no way anyone can be prepared for that."

"I have healing ability. I won't die," Alex said. "Darling, I trust you."

"Wait a minute. I have it downstairs."

"I'll try to be patient," Alex said. "Healers are female. Everyone knows that. I need to know the answer. This has been bothering me for twenty years. Once I know, I can go on. It's the not knowing."

"It doesn't matter," Betsy said.

"What's the first thing you ask when a baby is born? It does matter," Alex said. "I live with the difference."

Betsy brought up the potion she made earlier for Alex.

"We should ask your parents," Thad said. "Once we remove the information we can't put it back."

"They are deceased."

"Let's do it," Thad said.

"This is it. Are you sure you want your genes changed? Your personality, everything, might change," Betsy said. "Please, are you certain? We can't change you back. Another spell would simply change you into another person. The original template will be gone."

"I never felt this nervous." Alex opened the jar.

"Would you like to warm it or drink it with ice?" Betsy asked.

"Room temperature is fine." Alex drank it down quickly. "It's working. I'm smaller. I think I'm going to throw up."

"Sit down." Thad helped Alex into a seat. "You're good six inches shorter."

"You are. I hope you weren't too attached to your height," Betsy said.

"I feel dizzy. Your potions are getting better tasting as you go along."

"You're just getting used to them." Betsy hugged the smaller woman. "You're beautiful. Do you want to look in the mirror?"

"In a moment, I'll need clothes."

"I'll sew you some."

Alex looked in a mirror. "What did you do to me?" she asked.

"We removed the extra information. Most people have forty-six chromosomes; you had forty-seven."

"What now?"

"You continue your life. Alex, you're a healthy woman. We told you ahead of time that you can't put the information back."

"I'm just trying to understand. I don't want to put it back. I want to be normal."

"Do you need to lie down?" Thad asked.

"No, I think I should return to work as soon as possible. Betsy, can you shorten a dress for me. Nobody is going to recognize me," Alex said.

"I can hem a dress for you. One of mom's dresses will probably fix you better. Pop hires new people all the time. So you have the same first name."

Wanda Logan rubbed her eyes as she entered the kitchen. "Who's this young woman?" Mrs. Logan stared at the short, blonde young woman.

"I'm Alex Gardener. Betsy gave me a spell that removed extra material from my cells. Mrs. Logan, can I have a dress to wear for the day? I need to get to work."

"I must be three or four inches taller than you," Wanda said.

"I'll hem it," Betsy said.

"I'll meet you in the den. We can't sew in the kitchen."

"After we eat," Thad said.

After Betsy hemmed a dress, Alex left to do her route. Betsy loaded her carpet to delivery to Mattie. She didn't say a word to Mattie about the potion and what it did for Alex. It would be a day or two before Alex realized that she was brighter. Betsy felt it would be better if Alex told Mattie about the potion herself.

Betsy returned to help her mother with the bottling. "Mom, we need to get a factory. There is more than we can do in a basement."

"We could hire couple of girls to work through the night," her mother suggested. "It would be cheaper than building a factory."

"I'll put an advertisement in the paper for help." Betsy filled bottles with her telekinesis.

"I'll do it. Two people needed with magic to work overnight." Wanda left the basement.

Betsy worked until late at night. The bottling was not even close to done. Betsy turned on a lamp and placed two sheets of paper on her nightstand. She wrote a simple algebra problem on the paper. Betsy looked at the petite woman, trying not to focus too much on that this seemingly intelligent woman had been a mildly retarded man the day before. "Alex, you told me that you were good in math. Would you like to try something new?"

"Sure."

"Have you heard of algebra?"

"Isn't that hard?"

"No, it is easy if you know basic arithmetic."

"I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. I even know long division." Alex stated that she knew long division like it was the greatest accomplish in the world and for the boy that he was, it was. It was miraculous that he could mathematics at all.

"Then, this should be cake. If you work with me every night, you'll be integrating and differentiating before you know it."

"What is that?"

"There is a high level mathematics called calculus that I taught myself as a teenager. Girls aren't suppose to be able learn it. Anyway, that is what I was told when I tried to take it in high school. I managed to get a book from a college book sale, a bag of books for a nickel."

"Calculus."

"It's only a goal. Henry doesn't even know calculus. He can conduct business in three different languages so I think his mind operates on a whole different level. Henry told me that I should teach math at a woman's college. He's amazed at the problems that I can solve."

"You do math for fun."

"All the time. I would bring textbooks to the mill and do it on my breaks. The other girls thought I was studying for college."

"Does Henry have any friends that teach math?"

"He had one. He freaked out at my notebooks. He believed them to be Henry's but Henry didn't know a vector from a function."

"It's all over my head."

"We better get started. Let's find the unknown. The unknown is 'x'."

Alex solved a few problems. "This is easy."

"It get hard fast. Be careful to keep all your lines straight."

Betsy removed her skirt and blouse and snuggled next to Alex. Betsy wore a skirt and blouse that morning because she couldn't see Alex wearing a dress when she normally refused to do the same. She didn't want to imagine Alex that lived 26 years as a boy was more a woman than she was. Betsy didn't feel feminine in women's clothes, but uncomfortable like she was putting on a costume that people wanted to see. The real Betsy wore trousers and shirtsleeves and spit like a coomon man.

"I can't cuddle with another woman." Alex's voice was so feminine sounded and it wasn't just the pitch. She had the inflection of a woman; something, Betsy never managed to acquire.

"Alex, just sleep. I'll buy you patterns and fabric in the morning."

"I can't sew."

"I will. I'll have my mother help me pick out the patterns. Mattie can help me."

Betsy took Alex's measurements in the morning. Mrs. Logan suggested that Betsy used her patterns. "You should make yourself a dress while you're at it."

"I have no interest in wearing a dress. I'm fine the way I am," Betsy said. "I'm too tall. I look better in a man's shirt and trousers." Betsy needed to admit to herself that Alex that was a woman for a day was far more feminine than Betsy that had tried to be a woman most of her twenty odd years of life.

"That's why your husband isn't speaking to you."

"That is because I cheated on him. He was drawn to me because I'm a masculine woman." Henry's eyes got big when he saw Betsy in men's clothes and it wasn't disgust. He thought she made a very attractive man and told her such with more than his words.

"Even so you could wear a dress."

"And be uncomfortable. Mom, this is who I am."

"Are you going to become a man again?"

"Why? I'm can do what I want with this body. Even Mattie was impressed. All right, we used a few of Paul's sex toys but that is what they're there for. I should bring some home for Alex."

"You would scare her off. I can't believe that you and Mattie."

"At least, Jack can't scream about her sleeping with another man." Betsy started working on the dress for Alex.

"You expect Alex to wear a dress and you won't. Make yourself a dress. Try to set a good example."

"Alex's decisions have nothing to do with mine. I wear skirts all the time. Dresses hang on me wrong. We have two other women working in sales. I'll ask them to talk to her."

"Maybe, you shouldn't ask Mattie to talk to her."

"Why? Are they going to compare notes?"

"I wasn't considering that. Mattie's morals are a bit loose."

"Mother, what are you trying to imply?"

"Have you looked in the mirror, lately?"

"Mum, I do the best I can."

"I have to get to the bottling. Talk to you later."

Pop came downstairs after Betsy had made three dresses for Alex. "Hello, dear."

"What do you think of the dresses?"

"They're a little small for you."

"They're for Alex. I have my own clothes."

"I'm sure she'll be happy. Mattie will probably take her to pick out patterns and fabric."

"She doesn't know how to sew," Betsy said.

"You can teach her."

"I wouldn't know how to teach her. You taught me to use telekinesis. I can barely sew a button with my hands."

Alex put on one of the dresses. "How do I look?"

"Very good," Thad said.

"I can read better. I read so much faster today and remembered everything. It was great. Everything seems easier," Alex explained.

"How did work go?" Thad asked.

"Fine. The distributors will have to accept a short woman," Alex said.

"They will," Betsy said, "or they'll have to deal with me."

"They wouldn't want to do that," Alex said.

"I hired another man for the Boston route. Alex, you're on your own," Thad said.

"I'll be fine," Alex said. "Betsy, thanks for the dresses."

"Mom told me that I should make a few for myself."

"You look great in pants and shirts," Alex said. "Mattie says she's going to teach me to be feminine."

"She'll probably teach you how to pick up men," Betsy teased.

"I'll talk to you girls later," Betsy's father said.

"See you, later." Betsy said.

"Excuse me, sir," Alex said. "Can I have two days off to find an architect to design my house and afterwards, Betsy and I'll need some time to build it?"

"Go ahead. You need your own place," Thad said. "No potions. I care about the health of my employees."

"You have my word." Alex shook Mr. Logan's hand. Alex looked up at Betsy that was much taller than her. "I read a book today."

"That is great." Betsy put her arm around Alex.

"I couldn't read a book before. I couldn't remember the words. Betsy, I'm so grateful to your father and you."

"Alex, you're so beautiful." Betsy kissed her forehead. Betsy lifted her cheek and kissed her on the lips. "You're perfect."

"I feel small and weak." Alex hugged Betsy. "I feel odd about wanting you as a woman."

"It's all wonderful sensation. There is no main event; it's all fabulous foreplay." Betsy touched her hand and walked her to the bedroom. "Alex, I'm going to show you how easy it's to have an orgasm as a woman." Betsy removed her shirt and tee shirt. Betsy put Alex's hand on her trousers.

Alex undid her belt and trousers. "One undresses you and expects to find a man. The illusion is incredible." Alex looked at Betsy in her tee shirt and briefs; her chest was bound so tightly that she looked like she had well-developed pecks and not a bustline.

"I'm going to take a bath. I'll join you, later." Betsy blew Alex a kiss.

Alex looked at Betsy enter the bath. She removed the tee shirt still looking like a man from the back then unwrapped her chest. She slipped off the men's briefs and got into the filled tub. Betsy toweled herself dry still moving like a man and wrapped the towel around her hips the way men do

Alex laughed. "Betsy, don't you ever think about the way you move."

"Occasionally." Betsy dropped the towel and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You project outward that you're a man," Alex said. "I'm not very bright but I know to wrap a towel around my chest."

"Do I threaten you?"

"No. What do you see when you look at me?" Alex sat up part way in the bed.

"A woman. You're so much more feminine than I. You're beautiful." Betsy touched Alex's arm. "I want to touch you. What do your customers see?"

"I can't read their minds."

"Do they make small talk with you? Do women chat with you when you go by?"

"Yes. I feel comfortable talking back. My mouth moves right. I can smile now. I love to smile and talk with people."

Part 19: Betsy Asks for a Divorce

Mr. Logan knocked on Betsy's bedroom door. "Betsy, I have a possible victim for you to interview."

Betsy opens the bedroom door. "Pop, are you joking?"

"Victim for what?"

"A sex change spell. Someone must have heard about what you did for Alex."

"I didn't do a sex change spell for Alex. I removed extra cellular material."

"Could you make a sex change spell?"

"Of course. I don't know if I want to make one. The ethical issues would be enormous. Besides, I'm a very masculine woman; people would find it odd if I sold such a thing."

"I'll tell him to go away." Thad went to the parlor and returned to the library less than five minutes later. "I told the man that no such potion exists."

Alex entered the room. "I understand now. I can read people on the cellular level. Mr. Logan, would you mind if I touch your hand a second? I'll need to find a woman and another man to be sure," Alex said. "Mr. Logan's chromosomes are different than mine. I have twenty-three pairs. He has twenty-two pairs and two unpaired chromosomes."

"What about Betsy?" Mr. Logan asked.

Alex touched her hand. "The same as me. Twenty-three pairs."

"Test. Mrs. Logan," Mr. Logan suggested.

Alex came back to the bedroom in a minute. "Twenty-three pair. Frank's are the same as you."

"That means you're female on the cellular level. You weren't before. The healer dad talked to said that you had an extra chromosome. You had the two that females have plus the smaller one that men have. My potion made you female."

"I'll take you to the healer that treated it before. She removed the extra material and the boy was very angry that she became a girl. The parents were furious," Mr. Logan said. "Alex, Betsy that she could make a potion and you could become a man again."

"I'll remain a woman for now," Alex said.

"Your well-being is important to me," Mr. Logan said.

"It won't make you any money. An error like mine must be very rare."

"Yes. We have a lot to think about." Betsy put her arms around Alex. "Darling, are you all right?"

"What do you want me to do?" Alex asked. "I told you that accepted that I was sterile. I lied. I enjoy holding Cynthia. I want my own baby."

"I don't think you should have a baby. Alex, you have a lot of growing up to do. The extra material in your cells made it difficult for you to think. You have to accept that you're brighter now," Betsy said.

"I'm afraid."

"Alex," Betsy wrapped her arms around her. "How do you feel?"

"Not like myself," Alex said.

"Is that good or bad?" Betsy asked.

"I feel different. I don't know if it is good or bad. I haven't decided, yet." Alex put her arms around Betsy.

"I love you. I want to spend my life with you."

"We'll build a house," Alex said. "File for a divorce."

"He's going to claim that I wronged him."

"You did. You slept with Mattie and me."

"I slept with women."

"It isn't going to help that you're a dyke."

"That makes you also a dyke."

"I was a boy until your potion took some genetic material away. You're going to have to help me when I go on the rag. Should I force my body to cycle or wait?"

"Wait. If you don't cycle in a couple months, you can force it then."

"Betsy, talk to Henry. He doesn't want this to go in front of judge anymore than you do."

"We can just sign something and let our lawyers see the judge."

"That would be the best solution, but I think Henry is after blood."

"I have no money."

"Talk to him. Do you want me to go with you?"

"That will help?"

"Thank you for making three dresses, but I have to learn to sew. I used to buy my clothes."

"They do sell some women clothes at the store. Sears and Roebuck has a catalog." Betsy delivered supplies to Agnes and Mattie in the morning at Mattie's house. "I need some patterns for a lady's dress."

"For you?" Mattie asked.

"For Alex. You helped her," Betsy said.

"I'll find some patterns that will look beautiful on a small woman," Mattie said.

"Thank you," said Betsy. "Alex can understand more now that she doesn't have that extra chromosome. The extra material must cause mental deficiency. She's so excited about her new abilities."

After landing her carpet, Alex met them down at the deli near the magic shop. "Betsy shouldn't have to make me clothes. She has her potions to bottle."

Mattie said, "Woman get a raw deal in this world. Men vote, run all the businesses, hold government office, make the laws. You should return to the man I met at the bank."

"I can't put faulty information back into my genetic makeup. I'm healer. I'm not able to give people genetic deformities."

"I never though of it that way," Mattie said.

"If someone had diabetes and I cured them of it, I couldn't give it back to them. I had extraneous information in my cells. There is nothing I can do to put it back," Alex said.

"Alex removed some faulty information in her genes and accidentally lost six inches of height," Mattie explained to Agnes. "Alex, I guess things are more interconnected than we expected."

"Now I understand why all your clothes are too big," Agnes said.

"In every direction, if it was just hemming it wouldn't so difficult," Alex said. "It doesn't help that I'm hopeless with a needle. Betsy made me three dresses or I would be going around in clothes twice my size."

"I'll have some more clothes for you by tonight," Betsy said. "Alex, the first store on your schedule is in Vermont. You better get moving."

Mattie said, "Pete is going to quit. He's going to think this is a women's job."

"We haven't been told if a man or woman is taking over the Boston route," Agnes said. "No insult to Peter. I just think they are more female witches."

"I'll see you ladies later," Betsy said. "I have to go back to making more so you ladies can sell it."

"They think it's funny that a little old lady like me is selling male stamina formula," Agnes said. "I got my first few sales through shock factor alone."

Betsy looked at her pocket watch. "The stores open in less than forty-five minutes. You women can talk after the stores are shut for the day. I'll still be making potion." Betsy took her carpet and left to see Henry.

Henry had left the house by then. She called each factory until she found Henry. "I need to see you about divorce."

"How am I going to divorce you?"

"I show up as I am and no judge won't annul."

"That makes our daughter illegitimate."

"We can sign an agreement that no money exchanges hands and that we share custody."

"I get sole custody. You were cheating on me. I have always been faithful to you."

"You have me over a barrel. You get custody of Cynthia. When do you want to meet with our attorneys and get an agreement signed to present to the judge?"

"Next Tuesday."

Betsy went back to his parents' house and started work. Pop arrived around lunch and told Betsy to taste the curse-removing potion. "It's bearable but I'm not a good judge. Ask Alex when she gets home."

"I had Mom taste it and Peter. They said it was acceptable."

"Go with it. I'm going to see Henry about a divorce next Tuesday. I can't believe I'm nervous."

"You'll be fine."

"Henry wants sole custody of Cynthia."

"Don't fight him on it. You're sleeping with two women."

"I know I wronged him. Why do I feel like the one wronged?"

"Because it hurts."

"I'll start promoting the cure for curses and have to administer it myself until we know the shelf life or it is has any side effects. At this time it's for only physical curses. We don't know if it can cure curses effecting the soul, timed curses or behavioral curses."

"We can test it. Start advertising as soon as you have someone to take over the Boston route."

"I'm training a man now."

"At least, Peter won't be the only man in the air."

"You better get to work. We need more potion than ever."

"We need a factory. I can only do so much with telekinesis. I'm filling ten bottles at a time as it is."

"I'll see an industrial engineer tomorrow and make plans to renovate a factory. We have more than enough money to do it. You can be my plant manager after we get started."

"Deal." Betsy found herself talking to the industrial engineer, going over blueprints, and selecting a site. Bright and early Tuesday, Betsy put on her skirt and blouse then met with the lawyer Mattie found her at the Dunstable courthouse. Henry was sitting with his lawyer.

"So are we agreed?"

"I finally am appreciating you now that we're getting a divorce. My father is opening a factory and guess who has to do all the grudge work?"

"You slept with Matt and Alex. You brought this on yourself."

Betsy decided that it was better Henry masculinized the names. She didn't want the lawyers thinking she was a dyke. "I suppose it doesn't matter that you refused to sleep with me."

"Lots of people have sexless marriages," said Henry's lawyer, "that doesn't excuse you from fornicating with two men."

The lawyer whispered to him. "Are you sure you want custody of the kid? It's probably not even yours."

"She looks like me. I believe she's mine."

"Are we agreed?" Betsy's lawyer asked.

"I don't have much choice. No money changes hands."

"Agreed," Henry's lawyer said. "If we bring this to court, you would lose. I rather we rather not have to have Matt and Alex subpoenaed."

"I agree," said Betsy.

"We wait five months and we see the judge," Betsy's lawyer said. Betsy thanked her lawyer and returning to bottling. She dreaded the thought of hiring a staff to man the factory.

"How did it go?" Mom asked her.

"He had me over a barrel and he knew it." Betsy filled bottles telekinetically. "At least, he made it sound like I slept with two men instead of two women."

"I suppose you should be thankful for that."

"He isn't interested in my money."

"Don't worry. Logan's Products has all the money. You get paid a small salary."

"I know that Alex makes more than I do."

Alex looked at Betsy as she climbed into bed. "Don't you laugh. I have to do this again five months from now."

"I haven't seen my sister since I have dropped the excess material. All she has from me is letters. I kept wondering if I should use that one day sex change potion that you used when I visit her."

"Alex, she knows from the letter your handwriting has changed. Your mental facilities have changed. You have even comment on how much easier things are now. We removed excess genetic material. We don't know what was on that gene. All we know is that it didn't have a mate."

"What happened to me?"

"The information on that gene is gone. If you took a sex change spell, there is no guarantee you'll look the same. I can practically guarantee that you won't." Betsy put her arm around her. "Alex, you have to tell her."

"I removed a deformity. I didn't do anything morally wrong, why do I feel like she's going to look down on me?"

"Alex, you always have to be a healer."

"Your brother taught me not to be."

"There are some people you just can't heal." Betsy kissed Alex and moved her hands over Alex's little body. "Henry's lawyer made me feel like a two bit whore. He had the nerve to suggest that Cynthia wasn't his."

"Alex, how can you act so natural?"

"I'm me. It must be part of the personality change that your father warned me about."

"You seem so at home with your new body."

"I'm not. I hate getting on ladders. The men at the shops offer to help me put things on top shelves, not that I dislike the attention. It's nice that men smile at me."

"I could never allow a man to do anything for me."

"That makes us different. Betsy, don't be jealous; if we were all the same, it would be a boring world." Alex put her arms around Betsy. "Hold me. Tell me that you love me."

"Alex, I love you." Betsy put her head on the pillow and placed arms around Alex.

"Betsy, I need you so much." Alex wept in her arms. "Will you come to my sister's house with me? I don't want her to think I did this because I want to be a girl. I wanted an adult body like everyone else. She needs to understand that I had a medical condition."

Betsy sat on Alex's carpet with her on the next Sunday morning. "Alex, just tell the carpet your sister's address."

"I feel like I did something wrong."

"I helped you cure your mental deficiency; the sex change was a side effect. I brought the spell book with me. It explains the condition and the potion to make to correct such a condition. If anyone needs a sex change potion, it would be I. I want to wear pants at the factory and grow a beard."

"You could try to undo what that potion did to you."

"Why? I don't have sporadic magic and I don't need to stop cycling for birth control reasons."

"Betsy, you look like a school teacher." Alex was dressed in a plain light beige blouse and a dark brown skirt. She was wearing a bone colored sweater and women's work boots. Neither was wearing jewelry. "I doubt I look better."

"You look like a working girl."

"I want to look like a working girl. I just don't want to look poor."

"You don't. Your clothes are clean and barely worn. I'll tell your sister that you work for my father and live with my family."

"She doesn't need to know you're going through a divorce."

"I'll just tell her I'm separated from my husband if she asked. I'm working for my dad that is all she needs to know. Does she have witchcraft? I hate to explain magic to a mundane."

"Yes, she's my sister. Her husband and children have magic, too. She's fourteen years older than I so don't feel bad when we meet her grown children."

"Witches. I might want to hire her children when I staff my factory."

"I don't think that is a good idea. It's best if we keep a low profile."

Alex knocked on her sister's door. "Emily, I know that it's almost Thanksgiving and I have only written." Alex hugged her sister.

"Miss, who are you?" Emily asked as she pulled away from the other woman.

"I'm your sister, Alex, and I'm working for Betsy's parents. I told you that in a letter."

"Alex," the woman said. "Come in; Donald is still at work."

"How are the boys?"

"Charlie started working at the factory last spring. He claims that his boss is taking advantage of him because he's a witch. Charlie is over a friend's house; he's too big to spend Sunday with his family. Matthew, David and Donny are in the garden. I'll introduce your friend to them," Emily said.

"I'm Betsy from Alex's letters." Betsy hugged Emily briefly. "I brought the spell book I used to heal Alex. She had a rare genetic condition that caused physical and mental retardation."

"We can look at the books in the garden." Emily walked Betsy and Alex to the garden. The two older boys were harvesting the last of the vegetables in the small fenced in garden. The youngest was watching. "Sit down on the bench. I know it isn't much but you give up space to live close to the city."

"It's very nice," Betsy said. "Emily, I know this is very awkward. I treated Alex for a medical condition. It's explained here. I marked the page."

Emily read what Betsy marked in the spell book. "You've had extra genetic material."

"The potion that I made would have done nothing if she had forty-six chromosomes. Since she had an extra, it changed everything about her as explained here." Betsy pointed out the passages.

"I feel like everything is easier now. I don't forget things. It's wonderful," Alex said.

"People treated you as a man," Emily said.

"They treated me as a boy. I was never treated as a man. The other tellers always helped me so I would be on the penny. Mr. Baker allowed me special privileges at my job because I'm a healer. He allowed me to make errors that would meant termination for other employees."

"Alex, is this what you were suffering from?" Emily asked.

"I didn't want to believe that I was mentally deficient. I always looked for spells to heal sexual immaturity."

Betsy laughed. "My father used to sell a sex change spell. He dropped it because it wasn't selling as well as his other products. I adapted it so it would only change a man into a woman."

Alex covered her mouth as she laughed.

Emily took her sister's hand away from her face. "You don't have to hide anymore. Your face moves normally now. What happened when you took the potion?"

"Nothing to me," said Alex, looking at her feet.

"That's when I knew we were barking up the wrong tree," explained Betsy.

"I've had a facial hair problem since puberty. The potion cured it. My friend, Mattie, thought it didn't work of Alex because the spell was probably designed not to work on children. My father told me that wasn't the case. My father spoke to five healers before he found an answer."

"It's listed in the mental retardation section of the book," Alex said. "I'm glad that I'm now physical and mental mature. Betsy says that if I feel uncomfortable as a woman that she will find me a potion turn me into a man."

Betsy said, "Alex wouldn't be the same man."

"The extra material is gone. I would be a different man. I accept myself the way I am," Alex said.

The boys came to the bench. "Hello, Miss," one of the boys said.

"This is your aunt, Alex," Emily said.

"We heard her talk. A man doesn't become a woman."

"I looked like a boy," Alex said. "I had a deformity. Betsy made a spell to correct it. Allow the boys to read it."

"It might be a little hard for them to understand," Emily said. "I'm having trouble understand all it says about cellular structure and chromosomes."

"Tell the boys that all people are suppose to have forty-six chromosomes and I had forty-seven. The potion removed the unmatched chromosome. That chromosome was the male sex chromosome. I have felt the cellular information in a few men and women by touching their hand. Men have a smaller chromosome and the larger one and women have two larger ones. I had the pair that women have plus a copy of the male chromosome. The potion rid me of the unmatched chromosome. Removing a matched chromosome would have been much harder to manage and if the wrong one was selected, I would have died."

"I understand that part," Emily said. "Boys, are there anymore squash? The first frost is any day."

"Nothing," the youngest boy said.

"Help me light the oven," Emily said. "Betsy, can you cut the squash so we can cook it."

"Sure," Betsy said.

"What do you ladies do?" one of the boys asked.

"I bottle potion," Betsy asked. "I'm building a factory."

"Women don't run factories," the oldest boy said.

"They can do anything they want," Emily said.

"I'm not running a factory," said Betsy. "I plan to hire someone to run it. All I'm doing right now is talking to draftsmen."

"Betsy, what kind of potion do you sell?"

"Glamour and love potions," Betsy said. "Alex is one of our salesladies. My brother would run it but he rather drink himself to death."

"Betsy, don't tell my sister about your brother's drinking problem," Alex said.

"You must have written her about it." Betsy cut and seeded the squash from the garden. "What does Donald do?"

"He manages a store," Emily said.

"It's Sunday. No stores are open today."

"He has paperwork to do and he has to get the store ready for the week ahead. The owner has another larger store to manage. Donald should be home anytime."

"I'm done." Betsy put the squash halves on the large cooking tray. "Would you rather I seasoned them now or after they are cooked?"

"Once they are cooked."

"I brought cheese, bread and fruit," Betsy said.

"We have enough food. I went to the butcher yesterday. I had him cut me up a chicken. We don't have enough for guests."

"I'll manage on the squash and cheese," Betsy said.

"I can never buy enough food with four boys," Emily said. "I made four loafs of bread this morning. I doubt there's one left."

"I brought two loaves. We can't expect you to have brought extra food and the bakeries aren't open on Sunday."

"A few are."

"Only in the morning," Alex said. "Emily, I don't want you to hate me because I'm a woman."

"I don't understand one thing. You were with a man when you thought you were a man. Now, you're a woman and you're with a woman. You got it all wrong."

"He saw me as a boy. I couldn't approach a woman the way I was. Bill approached me. He brought me dinner and enjoyed my company. It was a nice situation until he kicked me out to find another boy."

"A man kept you," said Emily.

"I had a job the whole time. Bill had a nice apartment and brought me nice things. I won't argue that I liked the expensive clothes and the nice restaurants. Who doesn't want to be spoilt? I had the mind of a child. I didn't understand."

"Children understand that men don't sleep with other men."

"I enjoyed the three years that I spent with him. I don't regret it. He showed me love when other people wouldn't look at me."

"You now introduce me to a woman that is more manly than Bill. She walks and talks like a man. She holds herself like she's in authority."

"I won't have you insult Betsy," Alex said.

"I don't have to be a man to be confident and self-assured," Betsy said. "I won't make excuses for the way I am. I was an ugly child. Someone wasn't happy with the reading my mother gave her and had a gypsy curse my mother who was carrying me at the time. When Alex healed my brother, my father offered some of the potion I made to cure me. After he had a normal face, I think he became more interested in having a normal adult body."

"Betsy, thank you for treating my brother," said Emily. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Turn the burner on and put the chicken in a pot after I clean it." Emily turned on the water and cleaned the chicken under running water. "I have some canned vegetables if you think we need more food."

"There should be plenty," Betsy said.

Part 20: Betsy Opens the Factory

As Betsy continued to work on the plant, Thad tested the curse-removing product. Betsy spent most of her time at the factory. The plans were moving along better than expected. She would have two lines open at first with two men filling the bottles and someone at the end packaging it and two more lines ready if needed. There was space for more lines to be built later. There was a doorway for the carpets to be filled. Betsy was rather impressed with the factory.

As Betsy was checked the line and bottling a few potions on her own, a few boxes took flight. Only a mechanic was in the building but she couldn't have her magic go wonky when the factory was fully staffed. The boxes fell after a few minutes, but Betsy was worried she had hoped that the sporadic magic was part of the curse but apparently it wasn't. She would have to see Mary Jane every three months for the rest of her life.

Betsy lit a cigarette from a pack left by the workmen. She coughed as she inhaled it. She inhaled it again not allowing the fumes to bother her this time. Six more cigarettes in the box she thought as her smoked her third getting ashes on the clean floor on the factory. She decided that she didn't want the men to smoke on the floor; it would decrease work production. A few of the older ladies at the mill smoked. She thought back then it was a wasteful habit but the fumes were relaxing her now.

"Sir, you have to hire people to staff it." The man wasn't going to comment on the flying boxes. Being called Sir was no longer a surprise to Betsy but an occurrence that she came to expect. If the mechanic had called her, Miss or Ma'am, she would have been surprised. Her mother called her Daniel at the factory keep the confusion to a minimum.

"I'm aware of that." Betsy put the butt on the cigarette into the trashcan. Betsy stuffed the rest of the pack into her trousers' pocket.

"It looks great," the mechanic said. "Would you like me to stay on as a mechanic?"

"Sure. I could use a mechanic. Shit, I need Henry's advice on staffing. I have to get the phone." Betsy picked up the phone in her new office.

"Sugar, we have to talk."

"Mum, I need you to work in the office. You have taken orders for years. You can train a girl if you prefer." Betsy coughed into the receiver.

"I'm happy for you, but," said her mother.

"What is the but?" asked Betsy. Frank must have died. Her mother wasn't shouting in joy.

"Frank died. He chocked on a chicken bone. I only left him alone for two hours. I should have known. My predictions were never wrong before."

"I only gave him two months."

"Betsy, those were two good months and it was almost three. You gave him hope."

"Do you want me to fly over?" Betsy lit another cigarette; she would be out soon. They were habit forming and Betsy teased Henry about his cigar smoking filling their house.

"It's up to you, there is nothing you can do here."

"I could use Henry's advice about now. I have no idea how to pick men to man my factory. I'll need six men to work the equipment and another to load the carpets."

"You could load the carpet," Mrs. Logan said.

"I have to supervise the works. I'll need to check product and do all that I do now on a bigger scale. I need to keep track of our sales."

"Hire seven men. They don't have to be witches," Wanda said.

"The two stirring the vats must be witches or no magic goes into the potions."

"Don't the vat get stirred by the equipment?"

"Automatic stirring means no magic in the potion. I can stir them with my telekinesis if we don't hire someone right away. I was planning on it anyway. I just start them and my magic will stir them all day and continue to add my magic to the mix. Pop can fill in for me if I'm not here."

"You sound like you have a plan."

Thad entered the building as Betsy was on the phone with her mother. "I'm going to call Henry." Betsy put a help-wanted sign on the factory and advertised in local paper and, also, put an ad for witches in several papers. Mr. Logan screamed when he saw the starting cost.

"He's going to give you faulty advice," said her father.

"I don't think so. He opened two factories while we were together. I think I can trust him when it comes to business."

"He must hate you for what you did," Mr. Logan said.

"He was jealous that I slept with Alex. Alex was supposed to be his lover."

"Alex had other plans," Mr. Logan said. "Obviously, she liked you better."

"He's just angry because I had two lovers and he had zero. I didn't tell him not to look."

"He's very busy with his factories. You're just managing one and pulling your hair out."

"I have magic to worry about. He doesn't."

"I'll add magic to the mix when you aren't able to be here."

"Thanks, Pop." Betsy hugged him. "I'm sorry about Frank."

"Mom is taking care of it. We'll have the funeral Saturday."

"We still make our deliveries as normal."

"The man running the Boston route was stealing from us. I'll be back doing Boston for awhile."

"Sorry. We're never going to get that new product started."

"We will. Have faith."

"Frank died. If he got his life together, he would have been the one opening the factory."

"I tried to reason with him for years."

Betsy kept her voice down; she didn't want any of the workmen knowing she wasn't a man. "This is his. I'm your daughter. I should have married and never stepped foot outside my house. Pop, why?" Betsy felt like she had to be strong like a man now that Frank was gone. No one was ever going to see her as weak and feminine again.

"You're up to the responsibility. He wasn't."

"Did you think that you would be giving it to your daughter?"

"I did give it to you."

"That isn't what I'm asking."

Thad spoke near a whisper. "I have three women making my deliveries. I never thought I would be doing that. I might hire two women to do the Boston route. When I started hiring salesman, I didn't think I would have a single woman working for me. If you asked me five years ago, if I would had my daughter run the factory, I would have said no."

"That's honest."

"Who would think that women would be selling sex aids? This is a new century."

"No one but my closest friends and family even know I'm a woman. The men that I hire will think I'm a man. I don't know if I can handle the shame if someone slips and tells one of the new people that I wasn't always a man."

The tall thin man looked at his daughter smoking a cigarette. "No one will give out your secret."

"You'll find someone to take over the Boston route."

"I put an ad in the Globe. It says flying time and a good commission."

"Many people won't take a job on commission."

"Since the factory is out in the boondocks I'm paying for the flying time. Most people don't do that. If I say how much my saleswomen make in a day, people would see it as an exaggeration."

"The man on the Boston route was an idiot. He made a large one day profit when he could have made more over the long haul."

"Nobody else pays ten percent."

"Nobody else needs witches. Pop, you'll find someone."

"I want to make this new potion. It could improve countless lives. Look what it has done for Alex and you."

After closing the door so no one would overhear, Betsy called up Henry after her father left. "Henry, I'll be interviewing to fill my factory in the morning. What should I look for in employees?"

"People that are honest and have good work records," Henry said.

"I handle very expensive and dangerous potions," Betsy said. "You make cloth, rugs, and shoes."

"It's the same," Henry said. "Would you like me to come over?"

"I would love that. Do you hate me?"

"No. I couldn't be too civil at the divorce. You did sleep with two women."

"Thanks for giving them male names."

"Dan, you have really come into your own. Managing a company worth more than all my companies combined."

"I doubt that."

"You sell a sex potion at three and a quarter a bottle and you can't keep it on the shelves."

"What do you know about that?"

"My new boyfriend suggested I use it. I had to get Mattie to sell it to me personally."

"Did it work?"

"It was as good as it was when I was twenty. It was worth every penny."

"So you're cheating on me."

"I didn't date him until after you started divorce proceeding and you can't prove otherwise. I don't want to ruin you."

"I believe you."

"Good luck with your company. Did you ask your mother if I still strangle you?"

"How could you? We'll be divorced in a few months."

"I still care about you."

"I care about you, too."

Betsy could believe over a hundred men tracked through the snow to get a job. They all stood in line and waited to fill out applications in the freezing rain. Betsy walked down the line and only sensed magic in two or three of them. Betsy had always believed that magic was a common phenomenon growing up in a town where most of the villagers where witches. Betsy remembered that Cynthia's first birthday was in a week and she hadn't planned a party for the child. Annabel was certain to do it; Annabel liked doing things like arranging children's parties.

Between interviewing applicants for the factory jobs, Betsy went to visit Mary Jane. Betsy knew that Mary Jane would judge her for wearing her hair in a man's style and men's shirtsleeves and trousers. Betsy looked at her 9½ men's shoes on her feet. Mary Jane was going to let her have it for dressing like a man. Betsy glanced in a mirror in the men's room before leaving the plant. No one would see a woman in men's clothes. Betsy smiled at the handsome young man in the mirror as she fixed her tie and collar. "Betsy, I see you did something about the facial hair."

"Could you do me a favor? Another healer and a magic sniffer say I'm clean of magic and I would like a your opinion." Betsy continued to use the same deep masculine voice that she used at the plant. She doubted that she could sound feminine if she tried.

"Sure." Mary Jane touched her hand. "No magic."

"I took a spell a months ago and it hasn't worn off. I was wondering if it was permanent."

"What did you do?"

"I made a potion for a friend and tested it on myself; it cleared up the problem I was having with facial hair, but it did nothing for her. I'm having sporadic magic again. Alex says that my hormone levels are fluctuating again." Betsy hoped that Mary Jane did judge her too harshly. The last time, Betsy had saw Mary Jane wearing men's clothes she was hostile to her; the lack of hostility frightened Betsy. Betsy knew that she looked much more manly this time. She might have taken a potion that removed the facial hair and restore her feminine curves, but he was more masculine in her manner. Since Jack insulted her, she perfected her manner so no one would see a woman except in the bedroom.

"I'll give you another shot, but please don't test any potions on yourself," Mary Jane said. "You're due for another shot anyway."

"Thanks."

"I don't understand there is no lingering magic on you."

"The ugliness was a curse. I'm hoping to market a curse remover that I discovered soon."

"Most people with curses are willing to try anything."

"Exactly."

"If it works on your victims, you can test it and locate the active ingredient."

"I hope so. It tastes terrible."

"How is your daughter?"

"Henry has custody. He used the fact that I wanted to sleep with a woman against me. All right, it was two women. They're now friends and probably laughing behind my back."

"Two women?"

Betsy nodded.

Mary Jane prepared the shot and told Betsy to drop her trousers. "I'm afraid you might grow a beard again. Betsy, I'm sorry."

Betsy flew back to factory and saw two more men about jobs. She couldn't understand why there was a line for interviews; obviously, it wasn't for the job requiring witchcraft. She had more than eight people for the jobs before the day was done and told the other men to leave.

The bottles were being boxed and placed on the floor. Betsy could help the salespeople in the morning get their orders. She left a message for her father to have everyone fly to the factory every morning and night. Logan Product line had six different items to be packaged. The machines weren't rinsed between runs so the products had to be of similar composition.

Paul came to the factory as Betsy was doing final checks before starting the following Monday. "Hello, Betsy. So this is what you left the Magic and Hobby Shop for?"

"I start production in the morning."

"Mattie told me. She delivers to the magic shop."

"So what do you think?" Betsy took out a cigarette and gave Paul one.

"Allow me." Paul lit it. "I didn't think that you smoked."

"I didn't. It has been a stressful week." Betsy took a puff.

"You're going to need more lines."

"We have two glamour potions and three aphrodisiacs and a general purpose love potion."

"The male stamina potion. You better be increasing production on that. We can't keep it on the shelves. We see the same customers every week."

"You laughed at my father's line."

"That was before that potion came to market."

"Paul, I didn't expect my life to work out this way. Thanks for coming over and wishing me luck."

"You're welcome. No hard feelings. Betsy, you shouldn't dress like a man."

"I'll have a beard in a few weeks. The men I'm hiring are calling me Mr. Logan."

"I don't understand."

"The treatment I have for sporadic magic gives my body male characteristics. I counteracted it and boxes flew all over the factory. I can't run a factory if objects are taking flight. We do what we have to do."

"You can use wax or shave."

"Shaving or waxing won't change what people see when they look at me. I look in the mirror and I see a man." Betsy knew that no one saw a woman when they looked at her.

"Then, I shan't call you, Betsy."

"Tell Mattie that the name is Daniel if you see her before I do. I'm afraid that I'll need to live the rest of my life as a man."

"Danny, you can. You looked like a normal man the day we met."

"You stared at me."

"If I wasn't for my magic, I would have thought the man was the natural you and the woman was the illusion."

"Frank, my brother, teased me about it for weeks when I used a one-day spell to vote in his place. He said that I was a better man than he was."

"You are."

"Were. He died this week." Betsy handed Paul another cigarette.

Paul lit the cigarette. "You have my condolences."

"My father and mother don't want me to stop work on their factory to go to the wake. This factory is their dream; they don't want me to stop getting it operational because Frank didn't have the decency to wait to die until it was up and running."

"Your parents have their priorities straight."

"I understand though. Why lose their dream due to Frank's untimely death?"

"See you around."

"I'll stop by your store and we can talk."

"Come by anytime."

Betsy looked at herself in a mirror at her parents' house. Betsy wondered what she was going to tell Alex. Alex told her that her hormone levels were fluctuating but she didn't want to think about the price of treatment. "Alex, we have to talk."

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"I'm going to dress like a man from now on. I had an episode of sporadic magic."

"You'll need a man's name," Alex said. "You could use a name that begins with an E."

"I'm using Daniel. I told the men at the factory my first name. I was tired of being called Mr. Logan by men older than I. I can change my stationary. I should do it now before the factory is running. I didn't think about the ramifications of having another shot until later. Paul visited and told me that I should just live as a man if I'm going to dress as one. I hate that I'll have to do this the rest of my life." Betsy looked in the mirror again. Daniel had come to mind as she thought about needing a male name before. It meant, "God is my judge."

She had whiskers and they were darker than before. Mary Jane had fixed her new shot to have more male hormone; she knew that Betsy's body would react much faster than a mundane's body. Betsy was furious as she saw the dark hair on her chin and on the sides of her face only a day later. At this rate, she would be shaving in less than a week. She feared that she would have the hard straight body of a man long before her next appointment. No wonder Mary Jane said that she was sorry.

The day had come to open the factory to open. Well, the factory was opening Monday morning. Betsy combed her short hair and looked in the mirror at her face. Her beard was rather thick and unkempt looking. She looked like a man that hadn't shaved in over a day; she needed to look clean-shaven at work. Businessmen didn't grow a beard. "Pop, I need you to teach me to shave."

"Just take a razor and do it," her father said.

"Just show me."

"Betsy, ask your healer if there is another way. You did have this much hair last time you were treated."

"Help me. I can't go to work looking like something the cat dragged in. As I shave, my face will become coarse and manlier looking. I see a man in the mirror as it is."

"And you want that."

"Help me make shaving lotion and use a razor. I don't want to cut myself."

"It isn't so hard."

"I can't have the barber shave me every morning. I do have to get to work early."

"Many men have the barber shave them each morning."

"Just show me. Pop, I know the changes in me are frightening. People came here looking for a long term sex change spell."

"You could make one." Thad mixed up a shaving lotion and took his razor from the cabinet.

"I could. I don't know if I should." Betsy put the lotion on her face and picked up the razor.

"Daniel, people are going to continue to ask for it. You should sell the people what they want."

"I'll make one on my next day off and talk to Mary Jane about taking it." Betsy stopped talking to concentrate on using the razor; it felt odd to be shaving, again. She washed the remaining lotion off her face and touched her face; it felt smooth. "Not too bad. I didn't cut myself. Pop, what am I?"

"My child. Daniel, you'll survive this."

"You called me Betsy earlier in the conversation."

"I made a mistake. You want to be treated as a man. I should call you by a man's name."

"I want to be your Betsy. Dad, I never told you that my name was Daniel."

"Mom told me that the men at work were calling you that."

"The men at work call me Danny as if it's some kind of insult."

"You're young."

"Daniel?" She touched her face. "Do I act like a man? Can I pull this off?"

"You don't act like a woman; you never have. You'll get through this. You're a strong person."

"Just like that I'm a man. I'm going to need a double mastectomy. I don't know a surgeon and how much it's going to cost."

"I'm sure Mary Jane can recommend one."

"I hear stories about surgeons not using clean instruments or washing their hands. Healers know about hygiene; surgeons don't."

"Maybe you don't need to go under a knife."

"I'm not looking forward to the pain."

"Ask Alex. Maybe, she can remove the fat without cutting you."

Betsy's father knocked on the door a few minutes later. "We need to talk about your curse removing potion." Betsy scratched her head as her father said that we needed to find someone cursed to test it on. Betsy sighed. "You and Mom didn't let me go to the funeral. You said that get the factory running was more important than saying good-bye to my brother."

"It is. My mother and I weren't going to lose our dream because Frank didn't find a convenient time to kick the bucket. Daniel, we can't stop our lives for a funeral. 'Let the dead, bury the dead.' We now need someone new to test potion on."

"Sad, but true. Maybe we can invite one of his drinking buddies over to test its affect. Billy Parker teased me as a kid. Let's invite him over to test our potion."

"No one would waste their money to curse one of them." Pop pulled out some weeds.

"Billy Parker, he started drinking suddenly. He lost his job and moved back home with his parents after he became a drunk. We could tempt him with five dollars."

"Billy Parker, he was promoted over the manager's son. The son must have cursed him. I'm sure he's cursed. He didn't drink a drop until after he got that promotion. Great choice, Dad." Betsy waved her hand like catching flies. "Why five, we could do it on two?"

"Yes, but why appear cheap?"

Betsy went over Billy Parker's house on Saturday morning. An older woman came to the door, "How can help you?"

"I'm Frank's brother, Daniel. I would like to talk to Billy about my brother."

"Frank said you were cursed."

"I was cured."

"How did you find the cure?"

"We don't know. Maybe Billy saw something or Frank could have told him something. It's really important that I speak to him."

"Anything to help, sir."

Betsy looked at the man with acme-scarred face, the uncombed greasy hair and prematurely lined skin. "My father and I would like to talk to you about my brother," Betsy said.

Billy asked as headed toward Logan farmhouse. "You aren't going to give me any of your father's toad potion."

"We wouldn't do that. You were Frank's best chum. Come up. Let's have a few drink together and reminiscence."

"No toad potion."

"No, an anti-toad potion. I would like you to drink the stuff that cured me."

"What did you look like before taking this potion?"

"Hideous times five."

"You were Betsy; Frank doesn't have a brother?" Billy scrunched up his face like eating a lemon. He was probably recalling Betsy's single fuzzy eyebrow, lumpy nose, fleshy eyelids or any of Betsy's less appealing features or, Heaven Forbid, the whole hideous package.

"I'm afraid so."

"I used to tease you that you wanted to be a boy. Now look at you."

Betsy put a hand on her waist. "I'm opening a factory. What are you doing with your life?"

Thad invited Billy into the house and directed him to the kitchen table while Betsy brewed a mug of her potion. The oak kitchen table had seen better days. Her parents had all this money and they still pumped water into their kitchen sink and had an outhouse. Betsy wanted to introduce them to indoor plumbing.

After it steeped for ten minutes, Betsy handed Billy the mug. "Drink up."

"This won't make me a girl."

"No," Thad said. "I'll take the first sip if it makes you feel better."

"Frank said that Daniel and his lady love were Betsy and her boyfriend when you were first going at it. Why should I trust anything that comes out of this house?"

"Alex has always been a lady. I get a shot four times a year to treat my sporadic magic; it makes me look like a man. I have no potion that can make a man until a woman. Frank drinks too much to know what goes on it this house."

"I trust that the potion is safe." Billy made a sour face as he emptied the mug. "That stuff tasted awful and I've drank some pretty awful stuff in my day, but that takes the cake."

"Pop, make a note that we have to work on the taste." Betsy said.

"So am I gorgeous?" Billy asked.

"Pop, get him the gentleman a mirror," Betsy said.

"I should have brought a hand mirror down first," her father said as he got up from his seat.

"So Danny, what do you think?" Billy asked.

"Your worry lines are gone and your acme scars are disappearing. Time will tell," Betsy smiled.

Thad handed Billy a mirror; Billy admired himself. "Not bad. If you can do something about the taste, you could market this stuff. Will it fade over time?"

"Yes, two to six months," Betsy stated.

"Wonderful, but you're going to cut yourself out of the market. Glamour sells because it fades faster."

"Thank you for your time," Thad said.

"You gave me a glamour potion that won't fade in a day. I should be thanking you. I'll see myself out." Billy left the house with a swing in his step.

Betsy combed her nearly collar length hair. It was much too long to wear at a factory. "Pop, I'm going to a barber. I can't run a factory looking like I'm from the backwoods."

"You look fine."

"I know how I look. I told myself to take it one day at a time but my mind is dreading the future."

"Go. You have to run the factory starting Monday."

Betsy sat on the carpet. She thought about making potion to make herself permanently male, but she promised Mary Jane that she wouldn't take any potions. She would talk to Mary Jane about it on her next visit. It was that or a double mastectomy and that sounded painful. Betsy watched her hair fall to the ground as the barber cut it.

"New job," the barber asked.

"I just opened a factory. I can't look worse than my employees. I don't need a shave today. I shaved last night."

"It won't hurt to shave again," the barber said.

Betsy shuttered at the thought; her face was starting to look as coarse as Henry's. She felt like she had a lump in her throat; it was like she wanted to cry but couldn't. Betsy looked at herself in the mirror and tipped the barber. What did Mary Jane put in that shot? The hair on her arms was getting darker and the musculature looked different. She was turning into a man right before her eyes. She rolled up her sleeve and that was definitely the forearm of a man.

"Good luck with your factory."

"Thank you." Betsy walked to the closest drug store. She found stuff to increase the bustline but nothing to shrink it. It didn't matter; she promised Mary Jane no potions; more importantly, she couldn't have her sporadic magic killing another person because she couldn't wait until her next appointment. Betsy flew back to the house remember to make a list of her concerns to ask Mary Jane at her next visit. Betsy took off her shirt and looked at the muscles in her arm.

The feminine fat was gone and it was the solid arm of a workingman. The muscularity could be seen under the dark hair of her arm. The bluish veins were more visible the ever before. Mary Jane gave her a potion that was giving her the physical characteristics of a man. She was certain that her legs and other large muscles looked the same way. An Adam's apple had formed in her throat; Betsy was certain that Mary Jane was laughing at her. If it were like the potion she had created for Alex, it wouldn't affect her sex organs only secondary sexual characteristics. Her bosom might shrink a little but it would still remain.

Mrs. Parker came over a few hours later. "How dare you experiment on my son?"

"He gulped that stuff down faster than I could have told him no."

"You set him up."

"He wasn't the first to take it. Myself and a friend have already taken that potion without ill effects."

"Then, why aren't you marketing it?"

"As your son pointed out, it tastes pretty awful. Have you noticed any behavior changes in Billy?"

"He hasn't touched a drink all day."

"Ma'am, do you think we should market this stuff?"

"As what?"

"Curse remover. Join me at the kitchen table. Would you like some tea?"

"Your father makes potions. I'm not drinking anything in this house."

"Let's sit in the parlor."

"Billy has never been cursed." Mrs. Parker sat on the sofa.

Betsy smiled at the older woman. "My father and I believe he may have cursed by a man that he was chosen for a job over. Remember when he had that job managing the grocery down the street."

"Of course."

"Did you find it odd that your son that never touched a drop of alcohol was drinking like a fish less than a week later."

"How dare you imply that my son was cursed and I didn't know anything about it?" Mrs. Parker stormed out of the house.

Betsy went down to the basement where her father was working on his potions. "It works on behavioral curses too."

"I'll have to get it bottled and sold at the house. I'll tell a few of my distributors that we're selling curse remover at the house."

Part 21: Logan's Curse-Remover Is Sold

A month had gone by, Thaddeus Logan tested it on customers at the door. He discovered that it had to be made up by a magic user. Betsy was very busy at the factory.

Billy showed up at the factory on magic carpet. "Your ad said that you needed a magic user."

"I need you to stir my vat each time I change potions. You have to stir them thoroughly. Then, you can help box until the next batch needs to be stirred."

"How much will you pay me for this?"

"Forty cents an hour."

"I have never been offered that much."

"That is because your job is very important. You'll be putting the magic in the potion."

"Then, I should get paid better."

"Billy, I can continue doing it myself."

"I get the message. Fifty cents."

"Fair enough. It makes my job easier. I'll be checking samples to see that they aren't inert."

"I understand." Billy stirred the vat after all the ingredients were poured in.

"You have to stir all of it then the mechanical stirrer can take over. Do you have sufficient magic?"

"Would you like a demonstration? I'm an alchemist." Billy continued stirred the vat.

"You should have made cheap whiskey for my brother." Betsy's telekinesis took over.

"I have." Billy picked up a pencil and it turned to a copper rod. "It isn't gold but it'll have to do."

Betsy takes the rod and bangs onto the kettle. "It's solid metal."

"May I have it?" Billy returns it to being a pencil. "Frank was jealous that I had magic. He said it wasn't fair that you had all the magic and didn't use it."

"I created the potion that stopped you from drinking."

"That was after you came back home."

"I made it while I was living on my own."

"But you returned home and rubbed it in his face."

"I didn't mean to. Frank discovered that it was more than a glamour potion. I tested it on Alex and she was able to smile first time since her childhood."

"Why haven't you marketed it?"

"Because we don't have the manpower. Now, you're stirring we will."

"Now, if you didn't need magic carpet delivery service."

"That is our trademark. We'll find more witches. Pop is interviewing three people this week for sales position."

"It sounds better than stirring."

"It's a lot of work. Ask my delivery people. They get here at seven thirty. I have to fill each carpet with merchandise. They have to go to seven to ten stores a day. Peter goes to fourteen. He has been working for us much longer than the rest of our staff. We have a three to five day rotation for stores. It isn't as easy as it sounds. A few of our magic shops need to be stocked every morning."

"I think I'll stir."

"Your job is the most important on the line. Without you, we're selling pretty bottles." Betsy watched Billy stir for a few moments. "Billy, I have to check paperwork and filing out the orders for the next day."

"I'll fill boxes with bottles between times."

"Thank you." Betsy went back to her paperwork. After the vat was empty, Betsy shouted that everyone had a fifteen-minute break. She checked a bottle at the end of the line for magic. It was good.

As everyone returned from their coffee break, Billy and she poured the ingredients for the next potion into the vat. "Another job I need a witch for," Betsy said.

"Doesn't anyone else have magic here?" Billy asked.

"Some estimate it is one in twenty," Betsy said. "I test all my potential employees. I would swear it was closer to one in a hundred."

"Then, I should get big bucks."

"Billy, the door isn't that far away."

"Fifty cents is much better than anything I got before when I could find work. Do we have to say any magic words?"

"I always recite what potion I'm making but I don't know if it is necessary. It makes the men in the line happy. Billy, do you want the honor?"

Billy poured in the last batch of herbs then turned on the water. "What kind are we making?"

"The good stuff."

"Male stamina potion. Anyone caught removing bottles of it will promptly fired," Billy shouted. "Can I stir this one myself?"

Betsy whispered, "If you think it'll perform better with your girlfriend, why not? I'll start the other line." Betsy started the other line. She bottled the male stamina potion most of the day. The following day they would make the glamour potions and their other aphrodisiacs. Betsy counted sales as her salespeople arrived. Peter was the first to arrive back. Betsy counted his money and checked his receipts. "Everything sold."

"I have my order here for tomorrow," Peter said.

"Good man." Betsy added up the columns to get the total of for each of the seven potions they sold. She put the cases on the carpet while waiting for the next salesperson.

Alfred, a new salesman, in the Boston area arrived. Betsy took care of the money and receipts. "You're doing very well. I'm sorry we were short on your order this morning. I'll fill your order for today."

"I have people ask about a long term spell," Alfred said.

"We sell no long term spells," Betsy said.

"The kind you took."

"I take a potion at the healer's office every three months. It's for my health and no use to anyone else."

"Rumor has it that it made a woman into a man."

"Rumor is wrong."

"Daniel, people say that you were a woman."

"I'm a woman," Betsy whispered.

Alfred's face went rather pale. "I'm too old for such nonsense."

"I take something that causes me to have male characteristics. I look too manly to use a woman's name. It's all rather embarrassing." Betsy put her hand in Alfred's wider ones. "These are the slender hands of a woman."

"Your wedding ring?"

"Yes, I'm married. When I started going by Daniel, I put my engagement ring in a safe deposit box. I hated taking it off."

"Why do you take it?"

"Because it would be dangerous for me not to. Alfred, I don't want everyone here knowing I'm a woman. I'm going to talk to my healer about the side effects the next time I see her."

"A healer gave you it." Alfred looked like he was losing his balance. Alfred lowered himself to the carpet carefully.

"Yes," Betsy whispered. "When I cycle, my telekinesis goes crazy. I killed a woman at a previous job. I'm on medication for the health of others, more than my own health. Don't let it out to the other workers. No one wants to work for someone with dangerous magic."

Alfred's voice squealed with panic. "Your magic is under control now?"

"Yes, as long as I continue to take my medication."

Alfred touched Betsy's shoulder. "Danny, you're really a woman under your clothes?"

When Betsy nodded, Alfred took his hand from Betsy's shoulder and blushed. Betsy still whispered although it wasn't necessary, "How do you manage to talk about the male stamina potion?"

"I say the good stuff. People know what it means. I don't know how my wife handles it," Alfred said.

"Women seem to have less trouble talking about these things," Betsy said. "One of our saleslady used to tease me about my blushing when I started in the sex potion business."

"It's your father's business."

"As child, they never told me what it was for. Believe it or not, I was an innocent as the day is long. Alfred, everything seems in order. You can go home."

"I'll wait for my wife."

Betsy continued to load the first carpet. She finished the first carpet and started Alfred's carpet. "I'm glad to see that everything is added up right. Peter still makes me do all the addition. This store," Betsy pointed on the order form, "gets a daily delivery."

"I'll correct it from now on," Alfred said.

"No big deal. I'll add it in," Betsy said.

Alfred's wife and Agnes arrived. Betsy was guessed that Mattie and Alex had stopped somewhere to talk. "Mrs. Hartman, I'll try to get you out of here."

"I'm in no hurry," she said. "It's Dot."

"Dot, your paperwork looks good. Mrs. Logan has your order for tomorrow. It'll be ready when you get here. Thank you for doing the addition." Betsy counted the money and put it in the till.

After Betsy finished with Agnes, Mattie and Alex still hadn't shown. They must have stopped for dinner. Betsy remembered Paul commenting about Alex gossiping. Betsy filled the carpets for the next days order. As she was about to lock the factory for the night, they showed. "Next time, you girls decided to go out for dinner, drop the receipts off first."

"Nobody robbed us," Mattie said.

"With the magic you two have no one would try," said Betsy. "That isn't the point. I want to get home."

"Our receipts are good. Has either of us ever shorted you?"

"I know where both of you live so you wouldn't try. I'll fill your order in the morning. Give me the money so I can drop at the bank and go home."

Mattie didn't bother to add like usual. Alex's numbers were on the mark. Betsy counted Mattie money and did her addition. At least after spending all those hours with a former bank teller, Mattie could have asked Alex to do her addition. Betsy counted Alex's money and it was number she wrote. Betsy added up all the money and put them in the leather lock bag. She took her money to the deposit drop at the bank.

Finally, Betsy could go home. Three people were waiting to speak to her. Two appeared to be female, but Alex said they smelled of magic. "I have no long term sex change potion and I don't intent to make one."

"People say that you used one."

"People lie. Please, go."

Betsy climbed into bed beside sleeping Alex. "I need your advice as a healer."

"In the morning." Alex yawned. Alex said to Betsy as they filled the carpet with the daily orders. "You were so cruel to those ladies."

"The factory is closed the next two days. You can show me the work done on your house."

"I don't want our business discussed here."

"Darling, I love you. Getting the factory open has been very stressful. I'm sorry if I have been ignoring you. The factory is closed on the weekend. We'll have time together then."

"You think I'm a joke."

"I don't think you're a joke. Alex, you're the sweetest person that I have ever met. I still can't believe you risked your life for a total stranger. We'll talk this weekend."

"Danny, I don't know who you are anymore."

"I have a factory to run. I wish I could spend more time with you. I would like nothing more than to lie in your arms."

Betsy went back to filling the carpets. Billy arrived. "Make the simple glamour potion. The ingredients for a vat are listed."

"Can you show me?" Billy asked.

"Can you read?"

"Of course," Billy said.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about if you can't. I can help you with the potions until you memorize the right ingredients. Peter, help the men load the last two carpets with merchandise. I have to help Billy."

"Will do, sir," Peter said.

"Danny. We're all on the first name basis." Betsy walked over to Billy. "I'll open the packages. You dump them in."

"Secret ingredients," Billy asked.

"I wouldn't tell you. It's prepackaged. My father mixes the secret ingredients in the basement."

Betsy dumped the potion into the vat. Billy stirred it. Betsy returned to getting back to his salespeople. Henry arrived during lunch. "Dan, I'm so sorry for how I treated you."

"I'm not going back to you." Betsy led them to a private office and closed the door.

"I wouldn't suggest it."

"Your boyfriend split."

"He didn't get any of my money this time."

"Henry, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. As tough as nails."

"I thought I was."

"You are."

"Visit Cynthia. I'm sorry that I took her from you."

"Does your lawyer know that I look like a man?"

"No."

"Thanks for not embarrassing more. I can't take a potion to make me look female. I'll have to look like this at the hearing."

"That's partially my fault. An employee told the insurance company how Helen Martin died. If your magic kills someone while you aren't under medication, a judge can force you to be medicated or worse."

"I can be hung for witchcraft." Betsy swallowed hard. What happened to Helen was an accident. She hadn't been ordered by a judge to take her medication, but the judge might not see it that way. A judge could say that she knew her telekinesis could go chaotic and her medication could have prevented it. Betsy remembered the boxes flying. No potions.

"Dan, I'm sorry." Henry put his arms around her.

"The insurance company was bound to find out," said Betsy. "I'm so sorry for Helen's family. I'm thinking about having my breasts removed. I'm going to ask Alex if she can remove the breast tissue without me needing surgery."

"Dan, if you need a friend, I'm always willing to listen."

"Henry, you told me to get out of your life."

"I was jealous. I miss you. I can't tell you how good you look."

"It's an illusion."

"I don't mean that. You look in control; you look like you are finally getting your life together. You're a successful businessman."

"I have a business to run."

"If you want to talk about anything, I have two ears."

"I'll keep it in mind."

Betsy was very busy with teaching her crew to make potion when Mattie arrived. "Billy, make the male stamina potion next. Mattie, read the ingredients for him."

"Will do?" Mattie said.

Betsy counted her out. "Didn't talk to the distributors today?"

"No sly comments," Mattie said.

"You're short ten dollars."

"A retailer shorted me," Mattie said.

"I see the note. No problem. If it happens three times, we'll no longer use their location," Betsy said. "Mattie, help Billy. Then I want you to take me to the retailer shorting you. I'll show him some real magic."

"You wouldn't."

"I'm going to shake things up a bit." After Betsy gave Wayne the floor, she sat on the carpet beside Mattie.

"I miss you." Mattie touched Betsy's knee. Mattie put her hand on Betsy's pants. "You're still female where it counts."

"Alex and I are getting a house together. I want to be faithful to her. Please, don't tempt me."

"Carpet, to Sam Levin's Drugs." Mattie folded her hands on her lap. "I'll be good."

"Henry told me one of his workers told the insurance company that my magic caused the death of a co-worker. If I don't take the medicine Mary Jane gives me or if I take something to counteract it, I can be held responsible if something happens if my magic go off."

"That's a lot of ifs."

"I didn't mean for her to die." Betsy felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I didn't know her very well. Nothing I can do can bring her back."

"We have to move on. It was an accident."

"Taking the potion that reversed the effects of Mary Jane's potion wasn't an accident."

"You wanted to show Alex it was safe to drink," said Mattie. "You were being a good friend. Don't blame yourself."

"What if the factory was full of people when my magic went off? It was foolish luck that only one other person was there and he was working on the other side of the factory."

"Maybe, Mary Jane can lower the amount of male hormone in her mix. It would still keep you hormones in balance without the other effects."

"It doesn't matter. Hair follicles and a deeper voice are permanent changes. Taking female hormone won't make them go away, and Mary Jane doesn't want me taking any potions. My mother claims that I have another daughter. I don't see how."

"It'll all work out." Mattie placed an arm around Betsy. Mattie hugged her and they sat silently the rest of the way. Finally, the carpet landed outside a corner drugstore.

"Sam Levin." Betsy walked over to the druggist counter and smiled at the small man with glasses. "I'm Daniel Logan of Logan Products. I hear you're shorting one of my saleswomen."

"You can't threaten me," said the small man, wiping dust off his white coat.

Betsy fixed the hat on her head before opening the door to the backroom. She focused on a couple glass bottles containing pills and made them shake a bit. "The insurance company is going to wonder why you had an earthquake and the neighboring buildings didn't."

"You can be arrested for using magic," said the small man.

"You can't prove I was even here. The pill bottles broke on their own," said Betsy. "Are you going to pay up or are you going to learn what happens when you short a witch?"

The little man opened his cash drawer. "Here is the twenty I owe her. 'Do not suffer a witch to live.'"

Mattie took the money then handed ten to Betsy. "The first ten is mine. The first time he shorted me I took it off my commission. I thought I could handle it. No one ever shorted me before."

"Seeing the color of someone's underwear has its uses, but nothing scares someone like some old fashioned telekinesis." Betsy watched the little man touch the fringe of his undergarment.

Mattie took Betsy's hand and led her back to their carpet in the alley. When they were in the air, Mattie said, "You didn't have to frighten him like that."

"No one cheats Logan Products. If he is so against witchcraft, he shouldn't sell our products. He's a hypocrite."

Part 22: Betsy Starts Work on a Potion

Betsy wondered if her father was having any luck with the curse-removing potion. Now that it was spring, she came home to a line around the house and her father was chasing them away. "How much are you charging to break curses?"

"Two. Mother wants it to be affordable. I'm hiring two more salesmen to sell this potion. It has to be given to the person to be treated by a witch. It doesn't work on curses affecting the soul and I haven't tested timed cursed. I hate telling parents that I don't know. I don't want to give them false hope."

Alex came to the kitchen. "Danny, can we just talk?"

"I won't discuss business."

"My problem doesn't concern business."

"What is it?"

"I want to return to the man that I was."

"Alex, I don't have any sex change potion. You, of all people, should know that. I thought you liked being a woman."

"Permanent is scary," Alex said.

"I'll work on your potion then I'll join you in bed. It probably won't be done for a few days. You can think about it. I also want to see the house you're building."

"You haven't had dinner."

"I'll eat before I make the potion. Alex, I get so tired for working from dawn to way pass dusk."

"Your mother can help more."

"She gets the orders and checks the math. She files all the records so we have paperwork for the tax records. I know I stretch myself thin. The men on the line can help you get all your orders on your carpets in the morning."

Betsy served herself dinner. "Pop, you said it would be easier in a factory."

"It should be."

"I have nine people doing what I did and I'm still working as hard as before."

"We're selling much more potion."

"The demand is incredible."

"I have to make a vat of the curse remove potion," her father said. "That stuff goes too fast on two dollars an bottle."

"Raise it to three until the demand drops down," Betsy suggested.

"I need salesmen."

"You can't have any of mine."

"You're fully staffed and I'm glad."

"I have locations that take thirty bottles of the male stamina potions twice a week. Pop, are you still ordering from our herb supplier?"

"Mom is doing that. You should get a large shipment each week."

"I'll look for it. Pop, do you ever plan to retire?"

"I like what I do."

"I could use a vacation."

"Alex could run the factory," her father suggested.

"I had Mattie help me, but Alex is just as capable. I hope to have my men trained so I could trust them. Mom might have to work on the floor when I take a vacation."

Betsy looked at her notes regarding her earlier potion then looked at her father's notes on his short-term sex change potion. Her father's potion only affected outside appearance. His potion was safe enough that a pregnant woman could take it, look fully male and not miscarry.

Alex deserved to be truly male; she shouldn't settle for an illusion. Betsy needed to do more research; this would take time. After circling a couple spells and writing several pages of notes, she went up to bed.

"Any luck," asked Alex.

"It'll take time," said Betsy. "I don't want to poison you or have you looking like a freak. You're a beautiful woman now. I'm the freak. Can you move the fat in my breasts to around my middle?"

"Fat in the middle isn't healthy," said Alex.

"Can you do it?" asked Betsy.

"Of course," said Alex. "I healed Frank. Moving some fat around is nothing. After I'm done, you'll be able to go around in your shirtsleeves at work."

"Please, do it."

Alex bowed slightly with her left hand and head. "I'm at your service." She then placed her hands on Betsy fairly slender waist. The roll of fat grew a bit bigger. "Don't you ever ask me to move fat from a healthy location to an unhealthy location. A doctor wouldn't do it. They have a hypercritic oath."

"Fat is fat."

"Each inch of fat around the waist is an year off your life," said Alex.

"That's an old wives' tale." Betsy removed her shirt and the binding around her chest. The binding was much looser than it was this morning. She looked down at her now flat chest. "I don't have much hair, but over time I'll grow more."

"I hope you're happy."

Betsy kissed Alex's cheek. "You're so beautiful. I know you don't feel beautiful right now. I'll make you your potion. Beauty comes from the inside."

"Then why did you make me get rid of the fat in your breasts?"

"They were annoying to bind. I was binding them so tight that the sweat was bothering me. This was a comfort issue. As a healer, I thought you would understand."

"If you make that potion, will you become a man?"

"I'm a man." Betsy felt her chest. "I look in the mirror and I can see changes no one else seems to notice. I looked at my legs in the bath and the muscle tone was different and the hair was thicker and darker."

"So it's appearance."

"I have to see Mary Jane for another shot tomorrow morning. I'm behind schedule. Henry told me that his insurance company knows that my magic caused Helen's death. I need to get my medication."

"You're very handsome." Alex moved her hand down Betsy's body.

"I feel like I'm going through puberty a second time. I want to be a real man."

"You'll be one day." Alex kissed her.

"When you look at me, do you see a man or a woman?"

"I have always seen a man. You have to accept yourself."

"I feel trapped."

"You shouldn't feel that way." Alex kissed her and put her hand on Betsy's lap. "I love your body the way it is."

"It's just that each day it seems to change. It hasn't been that long since I had Cynthia." Betsy put her arms tightly around Alex. "I have almost as much body hair as Henry. Mary Jane put extra male hormone in my shot. I didn't grow body hair like this on the pills. I barely had a few whiskers."

"Ask her."

"She won't admit it. She told me to just wear a fancy hat. She knew what she had done. She knew my body would express it much faster than a mundane's. I wouldn't see her if I wasn't afraid of a judge's order."

"I'll go with you. I'm a healer. Maybe she'll explain herself."

In the morning and after another math lesson, Alex accompanied Betsy to Mary Jane's office. "Mary Jane, this is my associate, Alex Gardener."

"Nice to meet you," Mary Jane said. "Mr. Logan, how long has it been?"

"Three months. My body responds well to magic. I had male sexual characteristics within a week of getting my last shot. What was the meaning of that?"

"I thought you wanted to look like a man."

"I do. You have no right to do something like that to me without asking. I thought I was going to grow a dick, too."

"I have nothing that can make a woman into a man. I asked around. Use an illusion spell when you use the urinal."

"So I'm supposed to have the body of a man without the sex organs."

"No, I'll look around some more. Do you mind if I examine you?"

"I just came here for my shot. Alex is going to show me the house that she's building us."

"Can we just talk a moment?"

"I'm here."

"I'll make up your shot and join you in my office."

After Betsy walked to the office, she took off her coat and scarf. She looked at the small mirror at her face. Her beard was growing in thick. She looked at the dark hair on her arms. Betsy sat on the chair facing her desk and looked at all the books on anatomy and biology.

"What are you thinking?" asked Mary Jane.

"You knew what you did to me. You put it in a shot so I couldn't stop it from happening. If I wasn't a nice person, I would have your license."

"You aren't a nice person. You aren't going to sue me because the publicity would hurt you more than it would hurt me."

"Why did you do it?"

"I had hoped that your magic would express the hormones faster than a mundane but I had no idea."

"I have been shaving every day since the day after you gave me that shot. Only a day after I got the shot, I started to grow a beard. Each day, the hair on my body seems to get thicker and darker. I'm building bulk in my muscles. I have the definition of a working man."

"Mr. Logan, can you remove your clothes? I like to examine you."

"You just want to gawk at my body. It gives you delight to know that you made a woman into a man. I have straight muscular legs. There isn't a trace of feminine fat on my body. You knew what you were doing."

"I did it for you."

"You laughed at me when you gave me that shot. I hate you."

"Remove your clothes. I need to give your shot."

"I don't want to drop my pants."

"Why?"

"Because I don't have a dick. I need one to use a public restroom. How dare you make me into a freak?" Betsy turned away from Mary Jane and dropped her pants. "You did this to me."

Mary Jane found the fleshiest part of her rump. "You have the fat deposits of a man. You're starting to get a beer belly."

"I don't drink beer."

"Fat on the waist is the easiest to shed. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Step on my scale. Undress to your underwear. I want to see what the shot is doing to you."

Betsy removed everything but her briefs. She stepped on the scale. "One hundred fifty-five for a man of five-ten that is far from fat."

"Your weight is fine. You have very good muscle tone. However, men are more prone to heart problems so you have to watch out for high fat foods and remember to exercise and keep stress to a minimum. Get off the scale."

Betsy stepped down. "May I dress?"

Mary Jane checked Betsy's blood pressure and pulse. "You aren't taking any other potion but mine."

"No, Ma'am." Betsy lit a cigarette.

"Smoking will destroy your lungs. More men die from lung cancer than women."

"If it wasn't for the stress that you caused me, I wouldn't have started smoking."

"You were smoking your last visit. I'm not as stupid as you think. No scar tissue from a double mastectomy."

"Alex is a healer. She pulled the fat from my breasts and put it into my waist, yesterday. I don't have a beer belly; the fat hasn't had time to be used as fuel. She then made the skin smooth over my pecks."

"You're a very healthy young man. Try to quit smoking your lungs will thank you."

"Except that I'm dickless. I would have put socks in my briefs if I knew you wanted me to undress."

"I can't help you with that. I won't ask you to strip again. Your body reacted to that shot much better than I expected. You're a very attractive man. My husband wouldn't mind having your muscle tone. How do you feel when you look in the mirror?"

"That I'm becoming someone else. Betsy is becoming a distant memory. You stole my life."

"I gave you a new life. You can't tell me that you want to return to being boring, unhappy Betsy."

"How dare you make this choice for me?"

"Mr. Logan, admit that you like the changes in your body."

"That isn't the point. Alex and Will saw me as man even when I was dressed as a woman. Henry found me attractive because I acted like a man. It wasn't your right to do this."

"Take your potion to reverse it and see me in the morning and I'll make you a shot that has no male hormone in it and only will cause early menopause if that is what you want. I can make it so that it reduces the level of naturally occurring male hormone so your body is stable and free of sex hormones."

"You knew about the insurance company knowing the cause of Helen Martin's death and I wouldn't refuse a shot especially after I complained about boxes flying at my new factory."

"Go back to being a woman. I'll have the new shot ready by morning."

"I like being a man. You did this to me knowing that I would accept it. You deliberately changed a rather masculine woman into a man."

"Are you going to sue me or you going to try to find a way to become permanently male?"

"I'll remain a man. I'm a man to my employees. I can't go back."

"If you find a way to be a whole man, see me immediately afterwards. I might have to check your hormone levels. Men make both male and female hormones."

"Alex told me that."

"I'll try to find a potion that will lower the levels of female hormones in a man. Good luck, Mr. Logan."

Betsy threw her cigarette butt on the floor and crushed it under her shoe. "It's Daniel. May I dress or do you want to admire my pecks a little longer?"

"You have very nice body."

"And you're thinking that it's a shame that I'm not a real man." Betsy dressed. "You must have had other women with my problem."

"I would have solved it by giving them a complete hysterectomy."

"It wouldn't have been my first choice."

"I have only suggested that one woman have a hysterectomy for a hysterical magic. She decided that she rather try to avoid situations that aggravate her magic. You were dressing as a man. Another woman would have done all she could to make herself look feminine. Mr. Logan, you wanted this. Don't blame me." Mary Jane said Mr. Logan like it was a dagger.

"I'll be back in three months unless I find a way to grow a dick before then."

"Alex did a good job on your chest."

"Thanks." Betsy put her arms around Alex. "Let fly your carpet to your house. I hate that woman. She knew what she did to me. She acted like I wanted it. She implied if I was truly angry that I would have returned to her office the moment that I knew that my body was changing."

"Did she ask you to strip?"

"Yes. I kept on my briefs. She gloated about how well my body reacted to the hormones in the shot. Although she knew there was nothing there, I felt better not showing her. I wished I were a whole man when she was gawking at my body. I would have been great if I could have pissed all over her. Next time, I see her I'll use an illusion spell to give me a cock if I don't have one by then. I'll not have that woman mock me."

"Locate a spell." Alex put her hand on Betsy's hand.

"Can't you just create me one?"

"I can't. You don't have that information in your cells."

"Could you read it from a man and give it to me?"

"That could be dangerous. That addition information made me the way that I was. I need a way to lose one of your female chromosomes and replace it with a male one. Then, I can read it and give you male organs."

Betsy was detracted as she thought about finding a permanent sex change spell. She smiled as she saw the partial completed two-bedroom house. "Electricity and running water. All the modern conveniences. It'll have gas heat and a stove." Alex showed her the line.

"I'm impressed."

"It should be finished in a few weeks. Then, we can have the fun job of decorating it."

Betsy worked on the potion most of the next three nights. The fourth night she stayed up all night. She felt she had it. The potion would create the right genetic material and express it. It would be as permanent as if one was born that way. She had to combine two unrelated spells but she hoped she got the proportions right. She had to order the ingredients from three different suppliers and then get some mice to test it on. Combining potions could be very dangerous and it would be a long time before a human being could take it.

Part 23:Henry Misses Betsy

"We're going through a divorce," Betsy said.

"You can see Cynthia. I miss our conversations."

"You miss more than that."

Henry followed Betsy through the small factory. "So. Daniel, I won't deny that we had some good sex. I was jealous."

"You're jealous that I'm succeeding business. Billy, get one of the men to help you read the instructions."

"Two day glamour potion?" Billy asked.

"On the first line, when the second line ends, start making our mildest love potion," Betsy said.

"Will do," Billy said. "Charlie, help me fill the vat with the necessary ingredients."

"Sure Billy," Charlie said.

"Henry, I have paperwork to do. I hired another office girl but I still have to check our production matches our orders. Potions has a short shelf life when it isn't touched by a witch before use," Betsy said.

"I have my own factories to watch."

"You have plant managers that you can trust. I haven't found anyone able to do it. Mattie and Peter knows the business well enough, but I need them in sales."

"I know that finding good help is hard. I'm happy for you. Let me take you out for a drink after you close."

"Sure."

"I'm having a party next Friday night. Come over."

"I'll join you for a drink. I'll think about going to a party with you."

"For old times sake. We'll just have a few beers. Alex can come to the party."

"She doesn't drink. You know how she feels about alcohol."

"Whatever." Henry put his hand on Betsy's face and briefly kissed her. A few of the men on the line hollered.

"Get back to work," Betsy shouted. Betsy lowered her voice. "Henry, I can't talk and work at the same time. I meet you by the bar by the auditorium at eight."

"See you, then." Henry left the factory.

Betsy counted the receipts and made the drop at the bank. Henry put his arms around Betsy as he greeted her at the bar. "This isn't a queer bar."

"I'm over six foot tall and strong as a bear. Nobody has ever messed with me."

"Not when you were dating a prize fighter. James's poster was everywhere. I rather go to a queer bar."

"Picky, picky, picky."

"You can sit on the carpet with me. You must know of one or two in the Boston area. No one has ever called the police claiming you were making a public disturbance."

"In James's hometown, are you out of your mind?"

"No one has loyalty to me."

After the carpet took off, Henry asked, "Why did you build here?"

"The building was here and the right size. I transport my product by carpet. This location is more central anyway."

"Only to Alex's route," Henry said.

"According to Claire's calculations the route should take less than five hours, Alex takes more than eight."

Henry put his arms around Betsy. "I missed you."

"I miss you, too. I'm not calling off the divorce."

"I'm not asking you to."

"I now know why not many people open factories making magical potions. You don't have to worry about who touches your shoes and when. I have two magic users on the line. Billy is illiterate and more trouble than he's worth. My mother quit after two weeks and I have two new girls in the office. Hiring office girls was easy. The girl that does the accounting had more experience than I and Claire is fantastic answering the phone. My mother recommended her; she gets us more orders than we can handle. I'll have to open a third line more often."

"Welcome to business."

"I feel like all my money goes to salaries, supplies, and building maintenance. I didn't know how much it cost to light a factory and keep the machines going."

"Daniel, you have come a long way." Henry kissed her.

"I'm not some little man you can manipulate." Betsy pulled away.

"I like that we're equals. I had to always baby James. You're as tough as I."

"What happened? You ordered me out of your life."

"I was jealous of you. Daniel, you're very attractive man."

"Henry, I always thought you were better looking than I. I couldn't understand why you didn't do better in the love department.""I'm too busy with work. Go to the party at Richard Baker's house. You might meet a nice girl there."

"I have Alex."

"Take her."

"I might be late but I'll go."

"Annabel is having a party, too. You're invited. She has been asking about you." Betsy put her head on Henry's chest. Henry stroked her hair. "We're coming up to Boston. Do want to go for that drink?"

"Why not? Go to a place that caters to woman, too. We can swap partners if the police should raid."

"There're always more men in those places."

"I don't want to spend the night in jail."

"All they want is to lay a fine on us."

"It's embarrassing."

"You pay the lousy fine and go home."

"Next time, we'll go to house Alex built. I need to help her decorate it."

"You need to meet people outside of work. Relax." Henry kissed her as they entered the bar. It was crowded and both men and women filled the spaces.

Betsy made her way to the bar. "Sir, I manufacture potions. This flyer explains the one that I sell at the house. I sell six others at any drugstore."

"At the house?" the bartender asked. "I heard about your curse remover."

"It isn't shelf stable. I can't mass-produce it. It even needs to be served by a witch or it loses its magic."

"I understand. If it was easy to make a curse remover people would have done it ages ago."

"If we weren't making it for humanitarian reasons, we won't have bothered. We make enough money with our six other potions."

"I'll let anyone know. Can I have more copies? I'll give them to other bartenders. You're doing good work healing people of curses."

"Thank you, sir."

Henry put his hand on Betsy's shoulder. "Love, I brought you a beer. We're here to socialize not to bore the bartender with talk about your business."

"He's helping people," the bartender said.

Betsy pulled out ten more flyers from her jacket about the specialty potion. "Give them to other bartenders. Let everyone know that this potion makes permanent changes. My potion cures behavior and physical curses. I can't help anyone that has a curse that affects his soul or anyone with a timed curse. My father is tired of sending people away."

"Thank you. You're doing good work."

"I hope to prevent a lot of misery." Betsy left the bar and walked to the table holding two beers.

A man came to Betsy's table. "I heard you made potions. Are you the inventor of that curse removing potion?"

"Yes," Betsy said weakly.

"It saved my niece's life. I couldn't be more grateful," the man said.

Betsy drank down her beer. "Luv, dance with me."

"I have never danced with a man before."

"Put your arms around me and feel the music."

"I rather not," said the man.

"We can talk." Betsy walked over to man's table. "I'm sorry I was rude to you. I tend to make an ass out of myself around a handsome man." Many times straight couples accidentally went to a bar that caters to homosexuals.

The woman sitting beside the man said, "I'm Ruth and this is Art."

"Daniel." She looked at Art who looked more masculine than Henry. Betsy shook his hand and sat at their table.

"Is it Logan?" asked Art.

"Yes, Daniel Logan of Logan Products," she said. "I just gave some flyers to the bartender."

"People are talking about you and your potion."

"I suppose that my father must have treated thousands with my curse removing potion."

"The talk on the street is that it's a real lifesaver. You should be proud of yourself."

"I thought people would think that I was trying to get rich using other people's problems."

"It can't be that expensive to make."

"My father makes it in large vats. I have suggested that he increase the price to slow demand. We'll lower the price once we have more product. This is my soon to be ex-husband, Henry."

Henry extended his hand to Art then Ruth. "It's always a pleasure."

"You were a woman," Art said.

"I still am," Betsy said. "I'm working on a potion but it's for my girlfriend. I have no desire to take it. I don't need a dick to be a man."

"Daniel is taking male hormone for a medical reason," Henry said. "The physical changes are a side effect."

Ruth complained that Art was abused at his current job for being a magic user.

"That has happened to me. I would never put you at odds with the other men," Betsy explained as she started her second cigarette.

"About half of Dan's employees are magic users. I have never heard one complain," Henry said.

"I paid them very well." Betsy gave Ruth a piece of paper with her home and work number on it. Betsy kissed her briefly. "Call me anytime."

"I'll keep your number. Thank for the advice." Art hugged her briefly.

"Are you going to wear pants to our divorce?" Henry asked.

"Yes, after what was reported to your insurance, I need take my medication. If I did an illusion spell, someone could believe that I'm not taking my medication," Betsy said. "It isn't worth the risk."

"We don't have to get divorced." Henry kissed her deeply and held her very close.

"Have your lawyer call my lawyer and we can put it on hold. Unless you are planning to remarry."

"Not bloody likely."

"There is nothing illegal about it. You were a woman when you married him?" Ruth asked.

"I started living as a man recently. I don't want the men that work for me knowing I'm a woman. It wouldn't be good for my image. I usually pee in a stall although I do it standing up. With telekinesis, I aim better than men."

"I don't know why I married you."

"Because I became pregnant and my parents would have killed you if you didn't make an honest woman out of me."

"I'm glad we had Cynthia."

"So her aunt can raise her."

"I have three sisters. What is the problem?" Henry asked. "Lots of children are raising by aunts."

"Dear, there is a reason that you kicked me out."

"I didn't want you to have your own life. I was being selfish. Daniel, I'd like us to try again."

"I'll have to think about it."

"Who else could make you feel as good as I?"

"No one." Betsy kissed him back. "We should go back to your house before the night is over."

"I agree."

"We won't keep you." Ruth giggled. "Talk to Art. Maybe you can convince him to quit working at the loading dock."

"He has my number." Betsy kissed Ruth's hand. "Ruth, you can call me, too. I love talking to a beautiful woman."

"I will."

"Ruth, you don't belong in a club like this. This is club where men dance with men and women dance with women."

"Thank you," Ruth said.

Henry watched Betsy put out her cigarette. "Do you need to smoke like that?"

"It relaxes me. You smoke cigars."

"Only one or two a day. You must have smoked a pack of cigarettes while we were here."

"I smoked less than ten. I rarely smoke more than a pack a day."

Henry and Betsy went home. Henry's eyes followed Betsy's clothes onto the floor the bedroom floor. "What happened?"

"Mary Jane didn't deny that she did this on purpose," Betsy said. A little telekinesis made the clothing go into the laundry hamper piece by piece.

"You look fantastic."

"Don't mock me. Three months ago, I was a normal looking woman. I still think I'm imagining things when I see my reflection in the mirror."

"I had to hang out at the gym when I managed James. I know a good looking man when I see one."

"You managed James."

"A few months until I could convince him to retire. He got tired off having his brains bashed in."

"You have an interesting life."

"It's not over yet. Danny, I'm not laughing at you."

"You'll when I take off my pants."

"I just imagine that you've one."

"I'll see an alchemist. I can't continue like this. I need to be a man naked."

"Danny." Henry put his arms around her. "You're beautiful the way you are."

"I was so angry at Mary Jane."

"Let me enjoy your gorgeous body."

"She was right. I wasn't angry about the end result. I was angry that she took upon herself to change my body. I knew what she did to me immediately."

"And you kept it to yourself."

"I would have never done this to myself."

"I know." Henry kissed her neck. "You have an Adam's apple."

"I noticed that when I started shaving."

"Danny, just hold me."

"Why must you say my name?"

"I like saying it."

"I feel like such a scoundrel." She kissed Henry's hairy chest. She put her hand on his male organs.

"You can."

"You can't do the same for me."

"I can imagine."

"I promise you won't have to imagine long. You deserve a real man in your bed."

"I have one."

"Why do I think about having sex with you as a man? I'm your wife. I should want my female organs to function again."

"Danny, you see yourself as a man."

Betsy put her hands on Henry's organs and licked his cock. She pushed back the foreskin with her tongue and teeth. "I'm always fantasizing that I'm a man with another man."

"Would you like me to fuck you like you're a man?"

"I don't have a prostate gland."

"Sex is ninety-five percent mental. Have you ever had an orgasm from thinking about it?"

"It has been a long time since I was able to have an orgasm."

"I could use my tongue and try."

"It would be a waste of time." Betsy continued to work on Henry's enlarged organ. Henry put his hands on her bottom. "Don't."

"I'll be gentle."

"Not too gentle." Betsy felt some pressure and a mild burning sensation. It was probably better with a prostate gland. Betsy just didn't feel sexy the way she looked. Henry moaned in pleasure as she just lie there waiting for it to be over.

"Dan, maybe you should see an alchemist."

"I'll try to be more responsive. I feel like an empty shell."

"Would talking dirty help?"

"I doubt it." Betsy put her arms around him. "I feel like a freak."

"Danny, sex isn't everything." Henry licked her ear and put his hand against her coarse cheek.

Betsy picked up Cynthia in the morning and took her to Annabel's house. "I have to get to the factory early," she said.

"Are you and Henry back together?"

"We're talking." Betsy removed Cynthia from her carpet.

"You're doing more than talking from the grin on your face."

"So your brother is good in bed. I must go."

"Talk a minute. You don't visit anymore," Annabel pleaded.

"I'm teaching Alex trigonometry. I told her that it was flipping triangles around. It's boring. We're starting limits next week. She has all this empty space in her head that needs filling."

"I don't understand."

"She had a genetic defect I helped heal. She went from having below normal intelligence to superior intelligence in a matter of seconds. I'm surprised that she can stay sane. She was mumbling something about sine and cosine in her sleep two nights ago. Her mind is an open book. I wish Henry would come over and teach her languages."

"I'll suggest it to him."

Peter was setting up the other carpets for shipment. Most had the freight loaded the night before. "Charlie, Todd, Jerry, help me get the last boxes for Agnes's route," Peter shouted. "Charlie, I need ten cases of the love potion. Jerry, I need seven cases of the male stamina spell and Todd, four cases each of the two glamour potions. I'll get the cases of aphrodisiac."

"I'm sorry that I'm late," Betsy said. "Peter, thanks for opening the factory and getting everything set up."

"No problem, sir," Peter said. "I have friends that are interested in making as much money as I."

"Daniel, we're on a first name basis around here. My father needs more salesmen for his new potion. Send them to the house," Betsy said. "We have work to do. Agnes, are you ready to go?"

"I have everything," Agnes said.

Betsy checked that the other carpets were load right as Dot and Alfred arrived. "I'm thinking about opening a third line. If your kids have magic please send them my way. As you know I pay well."

"When Daniel opened the factory we had a hundred men apply for a job, three had usable magic and none of them worked out," Peter said. "I have to go."

"We'll talk to our son and daughters," Dot said.

"Potions need magic which makes this a lot more difficult than running a shoe factory," Betsy said, "and if the magic isn't mixed in well, we end up with useless slime."

"Don't Billy and Wayne do a good job?" asked Dot.

"They can't manage three lines," said Betsy. "I can manage the other one and help them stir, but the stirring stops if I leave the factory floor."

"You don't stir constantly," Alfred said.

"No, but you have get the magic in all the bottles. Billy and Wayne do fine. Having two more stirrers is the top of my Christmas wish list. If we can find another telekinetic, I can leave the shop."

Dot said, "I think Sam has telekinesis, but you can't afford to pay him."

"Billy complains that it is so boring that he wants to quit all the time. Wayne isn't so bad. He helps me with load ingredients into kettles and helps me order supplies." Betsy thought that Billy only did a good job stirring because Betsy frightened him. Billy wasn't about to mess with someone that could move industrial-size kettles with her mind.

"I have a solution to your problem," said Dot. "Why don't you write an ad in all the major papers asking for a telekinetic? Explain that you will provide office space."

"That's a great idea," said Betsy. "Thank you. I now know why big companies have vice presidents. Brainstorming works. If you have everything, you may go."

"It seems like I have enough," Dot said. "I could do more stores. I've to wait an hour for my husband."

"I enjoy talking to the merchants," Alfred said. "Dear, you don't have to hurry through it."

"I would like you to be done by five," Dot said. "It would be nice to fly home together."

"I'll try to move a little faster," Alfred said.

"It's no race," Betsy said. "We aim to be friendly to our distributors. Alex, you don't have to be so friendly. Claire tells me that your route should take only five hours. You use eight or nine."

"I like to talk," Alex said. "Where were you last night?"

"I went out with a friend," Betsy said. "We'll talk when we get home tonight."

After working on the floor a few hours, she checked with his secretary about messages. Art, the man from the bar, had called him. "Claire, I'll be in my office if anyone needs me."

"I'll let your staff know."

"Thank you, Claire."

Betsy called Art; he left his work number. "Hello, did you mention that you needed an alchemist at your factory?"

"I didn't but I'm thinking about letting one go. That would be great." Betsy hoped she didn't sound too excited on the phone. "I'll give you directions to the factory. We can have lunch tomorrow and talk about the job. I would love to learn about alchemy. Do you mind if I call you Arthur?"

"Art. I'll see you for lunch."

"Art, can you get here for an interview?"

"No. I'm still working at my other job."

"I'll meet you in Boston on Fisherman's wharf. I'll be at the seafood restaurant near the big bakery. A week from today."

"I'll see you then."

Alex returned later than the other salesmen and women to the factory.

"Darling, I went out with Henry. It was late so I slept his place. We aren't going to get a divorce."

"Are you going back to him?"

"I want us all to be friends. We have a party this Friday if you want to go. If not, I'm going without you."

"Dan, you seem so cold lately."

"I have always been this way."

"I want you to love me. Are you going to pretend to be a man all your life?"

"I don't put socks in my drawers. You flattened my chest for me. It's at the point that I could walk around in my drawers in a locker room and no one could see the difference. My legs are as hairy as any man's and they have long lost their feminine shape. I'm building muscle mass like a man. I lost much fat and gained muscle all over my body. I would ask you to reshape my pelvis bones but plenty of men have hips wider than mine."

"With your briefs on, you look like a man. Let's go home and explore it a little closer."

"I forward that motion. I'm going to talk to an alchemist tomorrow. He might be able to help me."

Alex undressed as soon as she entered the bedroom. "The house will be finished next week. I can wait until we have our own place."

"Me, either. I should be a man by then."

"There is no hurry." Alex watched Betsy undress. "Keep your briefs on. I want to see what you look like with them on." Alex put her hand on Betsy's flat chest. "You have nice muscles. You're starting to grow a little chest hair."

"That feels nice."

"You're a very attractive man."

"Until I take off my briefs." Betsy put her arms around Alex. "I want my body to be as perfect as yours."

"It is."

"I'm a man with a pussy."

"Giving you a hysterectomy wouldn't make any difference."

"Could you make me a penis? It doesn't have to function as long as it looked normal."

"I'm not an alchemist. You said Arthur was."

"I might just ask him." Betsy mixed up the potion that she had written down. She feed it to two mice and they changed sex and didn't die. She would need to test more mice and then bigger animals before giving it to people. Betsy extended her hand to Arthur.

Arthur shook her hand. "Would you rather talk over the bar or over lunch?"

"Lunch."

The maitre d' asked Betsy, "Do you have reservations?"

"No, is that a problem?"

"Not at all, sir. I'll seat you and your friend right away."

"Business associate."

"Of course, sir."

"I read a bit about alchemy. It's more like an art than a science."

"It's a little of both." Arthur ordered a drink at the bar as they waited to be seated.

"I would like you to make me into a man," Betsy said.

"I have never done anything like that," Arthur said.

"You must have repaired skin of burn victims and other kinds of accidents," Betsy said.

"I have. I heal injures regularly on the dock. If I serious accident happens, I'm found while others are calling an ambulance. I never created new organs. I only repaired ones that existed." Arthur finished his drink.

"I have faith in your ability," Betsy said.

"I'll pay for the drinks," Art agreed.

Betsy looked at the strong muscular man of slightly over fifty years. His face had the character of a man his age. His dark brown hair was salted around the temples. His coarsely shaven face showed the graying on his beard. It was a handsome face of an older workingman. Something about his manner made Betsy feel like she could trust him.

"You're drooling." Arthur sat back in his seat.

"I don't mean to. You're a very handsome man."

"Maybe we should order; I'm rather hungry."

"Maybe we should go to another restaurant." Betsy waved at the waiter for service.

"I need to get me a flying carpet. Ruth thinks they yell magic. She would rather take mundane transportation."

"They come in handy. In a few days, Ruth will wonder how she managed without one."

"Could you replace my female organs with male ones? My girlfriend is a healer; she said an alchemist could do it." Betsy put her hand on Art's arm and whispered into his ear.

"You weren't lying to me."

"I have repaired torn flesh and I healed a girl who had burns over half her body and was missing most of her face. Sex organs should be easy."

"Have you ever repaired ones that were damaged?"

"Once."

"I couldn't do it in a restaurant with us both dressed. Would you mind going to a hotel with me?"

"Mind?" Betsy felt like her mind was going a thousand miles an hour; she could stop herself from having sexual thoughts.

"Mr. Logan, I'm not interested in you in that way."

"I know that. It doesn't mean that I can't admire the handiwork."

"Why do you want to be a man if you like men?"

"Because I'm a man. I'm a man that is attracted to both men and women like Henry is a man that is attracted to men and you're a man that is attracted to women. That doesn't make me less of a man." After the meal, Betsy took Arthur's hand as they walked out of the restaurant. "What do you do?"

Arthur pulled his hand from Betsy's hand. "I work on the loading dock. Thanks for treating me."

"Company expense. I really could use another manager. Magic isn't required but it helps. I do make potions."

"I'll keep it in minmind. Is there good fishing up there?"

"There are lots of rivers and streams, but I have never fished there myself." Betsy fished in the river near her home and fished off piers many times. She recalled fishing with Frank when they were both children.

"I have been meaning to buy a fishing boat but you know the story. The days pass so slowly but the years just fly by."

"I'm still a young man."

"When you get to my age, the world will seem a little different. You'll look back and wonder where did the years go. I look at Ruth and still see the beauty that I met twelve years ago."

"The blossom hasn't left her cheek, yet. She's an incredible beautiful woman. A woman's beauty only improves with age like a good wine. The lines on her face add character and make her more beautiful. A young woman could never compete with that. You don't mind if I smoke."

"Go right ahead."

Betsy lit her cigarette. "I feel like I have no right to offer advice to people that lived so much more than I." Betsy walked outside finding her carpet was still under the bench that she left it. Betsy told the carpet to take her to the closest hotel. Betsy paid for a room; Arthur followed her up. "I feel cheap getting an hotel room for less than an hour."

"Have your girlfriend share it with you tonight. I was wondering how you manage a girlfriend and a husband."

"Not well. My husband is no longer jealous, but my girlfriend is. I don't want to tell her that I got a hotel room with another man. You know what she'll think."

"I can't change your body," Arthur said. "Do you trust me?"

"I would like to have sex with you." Betsy removed her trousers.

"That isn't going to happen."

Arthur touched her with his fingers. "Your sex organs are in rather bad shape. You have the vagina and womb of a very old woman. They have withered beyond the repair of the best healer or alchemist."

"I asked you to get rid of them."

Arthur put his hand on her genital hair. Betsy didn't feel anything unusual. "Done. Your womb and ovaries are gone. You should feel healthy, but I can't do what you asked. I did more than I should by saving you from the surgeon's knife."

"That is it."

"I need to be a man."

"You're another man's woman. I removed the damaged tissues. Do not ask for more."

"Thank you for your assistance." Betsy dressed. "Alex could have done as much as you did. I thought you were an honest alchemist. I couldn't trust the alchemists that my father knows with a dog."

"I suppose she could."

"I thought you could do more."

"I would never mutilate a person's body. What you ask for is sacrilege."

"From a Jew that practices witchcraft."

"I do only good with my magic and never use it for trifling matters. Daniel, I saved you from pain."

"Thank you for that. Can I have your number?"

"Sure." Arthur wrote it on the stationary provided by the hotel and left the hotel room.

As Betsy smoked a cigarette in the empty hotel room, she thought about Henry calling and having sex with him. Arthur said that he saved her from pain; lack of pain would be an improvement. It was mid-afternoon and Henry was probably at a boring meeting. However, that didn't stop her from thinking about romping in the sheets with the large bear of a man, but she had to dress and return to work. She hooked her trousers slowly; disappointed that Arthur only removed her damaged organs.

Betsy left the hotel room and returned to her factory; she asked Claire if she had any more messages. She was relieved to hear none and headed to the factory floor. She was jealous of Arthur's maturity. Her mother's vision told her that she would never reach the age that she could defer wisdom on the generation before her. She would never have the quiet sophistication that only comes with age.

Betsy called her mother. Father was selling the curse-removing potion to larger and larger crowds. He had five salesmen and had raised the price to three and half-dollars. Mom insisted that Pop not raise the price again. She insisted that demand would drop. He hoped to get salesmen from other cities to distribute as far as Florida or Kentucky. He told stores of people in his line coming from as far as Asia or Africa for healing from a curse.

"I would like to help him sell it on the weekend."

"You have enough work with the factory."

"It helps thousands of people."

"The lines never seem to get shorter. People sleep on our doorstep to be the first in line. Pop sells to only five hundred people a day. He pays a neighbors boy to count people in the morning. When he has five hundred, he tells the rest to go home. Sometimes, we have five hundred before eight o'clock in the morning. The boy stands at the end of the line and tells everyone to try again the next day. It's so sad to see so many people have to head home. A few days, we turn away many more than we can help. We need more salesmen and a larger vat of potion."

"That many people need help," Betsy said.

"It's an amazing potion. I didn't know this many people were cursed. People are coming out on train, by boat, and anyway the can."

"Keep up the good work."

"How is Claire working out?"

"She's heaven sent. Thanks, Mum. What are you and Dad going to do with all that money?"

"We're giving some of it to the Universalist church. We helped the library and sponsored the building of a concert hall. Pop loves being able to give back to the community. The boy that counts people tells the people in line that part of the money goes back to help the community."

"I suspect it's still making you two very rich."

"It is. Daniel, if you ever need more capital for the factory, let us know."

"I will. The factory is running very well."

"I have no doubts of your ability to manage the place. I'm sorry I quit on such short notice but Pop needs someone to help him at home."

"I understand."

Betsy directed her carpet over to Alex's little house. Betsy had a key. Alex had brought furniture the day before and had just moved her belongings into the house. Betsy walked into the bedroom to surprise Alex with her presence. Betsy flipped on the electric light to see the pale green wall and the white and green afghan on the bed. Betsy looked at the small white oak dress with a small vanity mirror. Alex screamed as Betsy undressed throwing her clothing into the white hamper in the corner of the bedroom. Betsy wrapped her arms around Alex. "The alchemist did nothing you couldn't do. All he did what repair my vagina so sex shouldn't hurt and removed more other female organs. He said they were rotting inside me and a surgeon would have brought me pain."

"I could have done that."

"I used my hand his afternoon." Betsy put her hand on it. "It feels better. I had my first orgasm in many months."

"Danny, I don't know if I can handle this."

"Alex, you should have relieved my pain, not a stranger."

"I'm sorry."

"I thought you would like it." Betsy tried to undress Alex; Alex went into another room. Anything Betsy had with Alex was over; she couldn't stop thinking about being with Henry. She wrapped her arms around a pillow and fell asleep.

"Alex," Betsy said as she woke. "I want to love you. Alex, you're very important to me. Would you like to study your math? I would like to look around the house and see what you done to it."

"Can you teach me history or science?" Alex asked.

"Anything you want. Why don't we go to the library together and pick out some books?" Betsy went to the kitchen. She filled a teapot with the hot running water from the sin. She liked that there was hot and cold running water and a gas stove. She lit the pilot light and put the teapot on the burner. She opened the small white icebox and took out the dozen eggs and butter. Betsy glanced at the white oak dinner room set and the pale yellowed flowered wallpaper in the kitchen and dining room. and wished she were consulted about decorating the house. Everything was pale and looked like it was faded when it was brand new. Betsy went into the kitchen cupboard and located a frying pan to fry the eggs.

"I want to learn British history, how we settled the colonies, about India, about Native American populations, about everything." Alex entered the kitchen. "What do you think of my little house?"

"Is there a hot shower?" Betsy whined.

"Yes, pull the shower curtain around the bathtub and turn the knob until the water comes out of the top faucet. I'll finish making breakfast. You enjoy the shower."

Betsy looked at the white porcelain tub with the gold colored faucet. The shower curtain was the same yellow and white that Alex seemed to be fond of. The whole house other than the kitchen, which was wallpapered, was painted the same horrible pale green. Betsy thought as she was showering that she should have made time to help her decorate. After her shower, Betsy put on her robe and entered the small kitchen. "I'll help you pick out twelve books. When you finish reading those I'll help you pick out twelve more."

Alex started massaging Betsy's back. "You really think I can read twelve books a month?"

"Yes, you can read while you are flying your carpet to your retailers. You travel all over Vermont and Northern New Hampshire. You spend more time in the air than my other distributors."

"Twelve books a month," said Alex. Her hands were still on Betsy's naked back. "I've only read children's books before. Can we go to the library now?"

"Why don't you do your morning deliveries and we'll go to the library after lunch? I still have to get dressed for work and my clothes are still at my parents' house."

"Your clothes are at Henry's house. I'm not stupid."

"Most of my clothes are at my parents' house. I do my research there. Henry doesn't have a laboratory." Betsy wasn't in the mood to argue.

"You shouldn't smoke," Alex said.

"I know it's a bad habit. I was going through a lot of stress. I had an attack of sporadic magic again. I smoked a cigarette to calm down after that. Before I knew it, it became a habit."

"It isn't good for you."

"I know. It helps me relax and I'm going to die soon anyway."

END PART 23