Wish

"Yes, Alan. I just...oh, never mind. Shall we?" She says to me as she takes my hand, and I let her. I accept it in mine. I pull her to me again, and we walk with my arm around her, she seems hesitant, but soon her arm is around me. I look at her, she doesn't seem to notice me looking, and I see her smiling. We walk in and she releases me. She takes a few steps forward and spins in total awe of everything going on around her. She looks at all the people, shops, and things going on in the mall. She runs back to me and takes my hand again, pulling me towards the center.

"Alan, tell me again, why did you kiss me?" She asks with out even turning around and being just loud enough for me to hear.

"I am not sure if you believe this, but something just felt right about it. I don't want you to think I am trying to push you into anything?" I say as I am being dragged into a hair salon.

"Remember who you are talking to. I believe in a lot of things." She tells me, as she looks around the salon we are entering.

"Hello, how can I help you?" A young blonde woman standing behind the counter asks.

"Can we get our hair cut here?" Leaira asks

"Yes you can." The woman tells her with a slight grin, as if do say 'duh, don't you know anything?'

"Then we would like our hair cut and I might like to try a color change, if that's possible?" Leaira states to the woman, ignoring the grin.

"Yes, I think we can help you." She tells her back, wondering if this girl is for real. Totally leaving me out of the conversation. The next thing I know Leaira is telling the woman cutting my hair how it should be, and I have to admit, I like it. Leaira gets her hair colored to a lighter shade of red and has it cut really short, a pixie cut is what I think they call it. After two hours of talking and joking, Leaira tells the ladies that I am her finance and we are getting ready for our engagement party. I didn't think she would do something like that and here I thought I was the writer. But, hey cut twenty percent off the bill. I pay and from there we hit just about every store in the mall. We spend extra time at the Victoria's Secret, her idea, not mine, though I am not complaining. Never did get to see her in anything we bought, damn it. We went in to a book store where she bought three books, one on places in the world, a cookbook, and how to use the internet. I told her she needed to read that last one, first. We hit the food court and got something to eat. She seemed impressed when I used chop sticks to eat a slice of pizza. She said she never had pizza and she seemed to like it. We hit a few more stores were she bought five pairs of shoes, a toothbrush, four dresses, two mini skirts, three bikinis, five pairs of jeans, four shirts, a necklace, three pairs of earrings, three pairs of shorts, more shirts, some bedding stuff, and pillow cases. After, what seemed like ten hours of shopping, which it was, just as the mall was closing we went home. We talked up a storm on our way back to my apartment. It was ten-thirty when we pulled into the parking lot of my building. I got out and before I could open her door, she got out with me. I started to look at all the stuff we bought. With a heavy sigh I started to load myself up with all of it. I could have just wished us and the stuff up to my apartment. Again, I made another wish, to myself. She helped me carry it all up, which it seemed to be an adventure in itself.

Once we got to the elevator, Kyle was there, and I had to explain to him who this girl was and why she was with me. I told him it was my little cousin from back home, here for a visit, and who lost her luggage at the airport. I'm a writer, I can make stuff up. Leaira got to, so why can't I? Once we got to my apartment, she wondered where she was going to keep all we bought. I showed her to the spare room where there was an extra full sized bed, that my sister or my friends use when they visit. I had been meaning to turn into an office, but I got lazy. Hey, it happens. She looked around kind of sad, but it kind of cheered her up when I told her we can paint it any color she wants. I showed her my computer and the internet. I told her if she had a question about the world around her, all she had to do was type it into the search engine and click search. I told her to read the book so she could learn a bit more about how to use the computer. Over the next two months we became close, but not to close, we always seemed to keep a distance between us. A distance I wanted to close the gap on. I learn all I could from her about her and what she is. She told me a genie's life span is up to just over fifteen thousand years and there are limits to keeping a genie out of her lamp for long periods of time. She has to go back in every twenty-four hours or she would become so physically weak to the point she could die, if she does become weakened, she must spend eight hours uninterrupted in the lantern, to regain her strength. During those two months she would ask me every so often if I wanted to make a wish. To which I would reply that she was trying to leave me already. I couldn't believe that I could have anything I wanted and all I had to do was say the words, 'I wish' and I can't think of anything I want, but to just have her with me. I feel so selfish, but its what I want. I don't know how to ask her how to work that out. I promised that I didn't want to make her do anything she didn't want to. She and I went to my family reunion two months after meeting. On the plane ride down, Leaira told me if I wanted to fly she could have just conjured a magic carpet for us. I laughed and asked her would it be too suspicious if we arrived on a carpet. She said yes, but it would be fun. I had to agree. While there I introduced her as my friend and not my girlfriend, as everyone would have liked. Doris swore to god she knew Leaira from somewhere, but couldn't remember where. We both wanted to tell her the truth, but we felt it was best to let things be, for now. Everyone was impressed with her. At one point my sister told me stop dicking around and marry that girl. I caught one of my cousins hitting on her, she let him down easy. When we got back home, I got a call from my publisher that my forth book had the green light. My streak is still holding strong.

"Alan?" That musical voice sings, on a cool September evening. A few days after we got back.

"Yes, Leaira?" I say as I am cooking dinner. There are four bottles of Doris's wine out, that she gave me from the last visit.

"I have never had a master that didn't want for anything. So, why don't you want anything?" As she is putting the dishes out on the table.

"I have just about everything I want, Leaira, besides I was raised to work for what you want." I tell her as I continue to cook the stir fry out in the wok.

"You don't even ask me to do anything around here. I like to do nice things for you." She states as she finishes setting the table.

"I told you before I don't want you to do anything you don't want to." I say as my cell phone goes off. My standard ring-tone, the opening theme to the first Superman movie. I check who it is. It's my ex-girlfriend, Michelle. I deleted her number from my phone, thought she would have done the same. I don't know if I should answer it.

"Alan, you never have made me do anything I didn't want to." She looks me in the eye, then frowns, points at my phone.

"Are you going to answer it?" Leaira asks.

"Oh yeah." I say with a nod as I open my phone. Leaira shakes her head and smiles. She does that a lot around me, for some reason. Maybe, because I am absent minded sometimes? I don't know.

"Hello?" I answer with some pain showing on my face.

"Alan, can we talk?" Michelle asks.

"Sure, what did you need?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to get together for drinks at Guy's tomorrow? You know to talk?" She seems unsure. Guy's is this bar that I go to once in awhile, not to far from my building, just with in walking distance.

"Talk about what? I have nothing to say to you that I haven't already said." I grimace.

"Alan, it's important. Just come by, please?" She pleads.

"Can I bring my girlfriend?" I ask and smile at Leaira.

"You have a girlfriend? When did that happen?" Sounds like she already knows.

"About four months after I broke up with you." I really think she doesn't need to know.

"That doesn't matter. I really just need you to meet me tomorrow." She states nervously.

"Why?" I really don't care.

"Tony and I had a fight three days ago and he walked out on me." She sounds sad.

I am serving up the stir fry and Leaira is uncorking the wine with her magic.

"Alan, meet with us tomorrow and I will tell you." Angry she is now. Leaira is handing me a glass of wine.

"Us? What do you mean us?" I say, catching her slip.

"This friend of my dad's, he's an antique dealer. He wants get a book published about his finds though the years and would like a writer to help him. I told him about you, and thought you could help him out?" She tells me with a sigh of defeat.

"Tell your friend, I'm sorry, but the answer is no. I am already busy with my own books and don't have time to work on collaboration piece." I say as I sit down and grab up a pair of chop sticks.

"Alan, he won't take no for answer. He's..." She's angry.

"Well he's going to have to." I interrupt her as I am using the sticks. Leaira is using them so much better than I am.

"Please, do this this for me and I will do anything you want." Sounding a little desperate. I'm hoping to ask for her to lose my number.

"Maybe, let me think about it and I will tell you tomorrow." I say with a sigh as Leaira tries to feed me.

"Really?" She asks.

"I'm not promising anything, got it?" I try to sound stern with a mouthful of food.

"You can bring your girlfriend." She begs.

"I will talk to her about it, ok? I have to go. Talk to you later." I hope not to have to talk to her later. I hope she will forget about tomorrow.

"Was that your ex-girlfriend? Do I have to worry?" Leaira jokes, as she takes a sip of wine.

"Not at all, she wants to meet me for drinks tomorrow to talk to an antique dealer." I sigh as I take a bite to eat.

"Are you going to go?" She sounds worried.

"I'm not sure, she told me I can bring my girlfriend." I say as I stare at her.

"You mean me?" She's unsure of what to say.

"Yes, I mean you." I touch her on the nose slightly with my index finger. She blushes and I note that I have now made her blush twice now.

The conversation turns toward getting to know each other more and more joking around. She tells me I know how to make her laugh, as she does me. Her personality is so rich with experience. We watch a romantic movie and drinking up the wine. By midnight we are both feeling a little drunk. I am so comfortable with her, she's easy to talk to, and she utterly amazes me.

"I didn't know genies could get drunk." I say while the credits of the movie roll.

"We can, but no one has ever let me drink this much before." She tells me as she finishes her glass.

"I think... I am going to go to bed... now." I say as burp slightly, "Excuse me, whew..." I finish and try to turn off the television. I fumble with the remote a few times hitting the wrong button a few times. Then I get it as I smile at my success.

"I'll join you." She gazes at me with her eyes, lovingly.

"Real..Really?" I stutter.

"Yea, I'm going to my room." She rises off the couch, as I rise with her.

That feeling takes over again, I can't explain it. The way she looks at me with those eyes. I can't seem to break the gaze we are sharing right now. I lean down for a hug, my body moves of it's own volition. She embraces me back. We are still looking into each other's eyes. We stay like this for a moment, when she moves her head towards me, lips aimed at mine. I am surprised as her lips are now on me. First it's just a gentle long peck, then our mouths open, and soon we are making out. Time seems to stand still as it always does when you are kissing a girl you like a lot, doesn't it? Her hands begin to roam over my arms, chest, back, and finally gripping my butt. I can't help, but feel like I been given the green light, and I start grabbing her butt back. Without breaking the kiss I lift her into my arms and carry her somewhere, anywhere will do at this point. I go off memory as to where my room is. I peek a little as I go down my hallway, just before I enter the room on the right. I finally break the kiss. She stares at me for a moment as I stare at her, like she is saying with her eyes, she wants this.

"Leaira, I..." My whisper is cut off by her finger on my lips.

"Alan,I have to tell you, that in all my life you are the first and only person that I wanted to be with in a very long time. You never pressured me into anything or made any wishes. No mortal I have ever know has that much resolve, that much willpower. I want you to know that I have loved you since that first day you freed me." She whisper as if she is about to cry. She looks at me pleading for some response and she doesn't have to wait long.

"I love you, Leaira." I kiss her again. Fade to black. Don't you hate that in movies? I know I do, that's why I am doing it. I'm going to tell you this is private and personal moment. So, mind your own business. I wake up in my bed naked, by the sun coming into my room. Right now, I wish I wasn't alone, but I am. As I blindly grope for her, don't find her, but I do find a note. I pry my sleepy eyes open and hold it out in front of me.

Without thinking I read it aloud:

"Alan, I'm sorry, but I had to return to the lantern. I almost exceeded my 24 hour limit. I would have loved to have woken up next to you. Hopefully next time?

I will see you in 8 hours. Leaira. I made you breakfast. (This is followed by a little drawn heart.)."

I smile to myself and check the time and see it's ten o'clock in the morning. Wow did I sleep in. I get up, walk into my kitchen and see she has made me breakfast. I walk out the door to my apartment and grab the newspaper. I sit down at the counter, unfold the paper, and eat. She out did herself with this meal. Bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs from just egg whites, and rye-wheat toast with low fat butter. I think of today as a day I should jog, but I just don't feel like it. I decide to get some work done after I clean up my mess and do the dishes. I check and see it's come quickly on two o'clock. I take a shower, get dressed, and check my phone. I see that Michelle called me and left a text. I check the text and it asks to meet me at three. I guess finishing that chapter I started isn't going to happen today. I write a note telling her I went to talk to Michelle, that I would be back in an hour, and the most important part telling her how much I love her. There wasn't enough room on the paper to tell her all of that. I state that in the note. I leave it on Leaira's lantern, where I am sure she will see it. I walk out into the hallway and after I lock my apartment door, Kyle's hand comes up on my shoulder and it scares me for a second.

"Hey Kyle, what's up?" I ask, as turn to face him, shocked.

"I wanted to talk to you about your cousin." Point blank, not like him, this must be serious.

"What about her?" I feel like I have to hide this from him, I don't, but I don't think he would believe the truth anyway.

"I know she isn't your cousin." He states.

"Ok, she's not and I'm sorry I should have told you the truth. Again, I'm sorry, but I am in kind of a hurry." I say as I try to walk pass him.

"The reason I know that is because, about three days ago a man, sharply dressed, was asking questions about a young girl. He said he had reason to believe she was here, in your apartment. I would have sent him up to you, but I knew you wouldn't be home." He states as I stop in my tracks. I remember what I was doing three days ago, Leaira and I went to my friend Bill's wedding, upstate.

"What?" I turn slowly.

"He handed me this card and said he wanted to talk to whoever lived in that apartment about that lantern. Made mention that he's been looking for it for awhile." He hands me the card.

"This guy, what did he tell you about the girl?" I take and read the card:

Eli Gil Broome

Antique Dealer

Collector of Antiques and Oddities

(xxx) xxx-xxxx

"He told me that she is very special." Kyle looks like he just delivered my death sentence.

"There's no address? No website? No email? Just a phone number? Do you think that's weird? I think that's weird. I guess this is the card he uses to pick up the chicks at bars." I say laughingly, trying lighten the oh-so serious mood.

"How did he know about the lantern?" I ask, realizing that he is in a pair of tan shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, thankfully for his sake it's unseasonably hot out. It's the kind of shirt that was thrown up on by another, better looking Hawaiian shirt.

"That was my fault, I spilled the beans on that. He was asking all sorts of questions about the girl. He seemed to want to talk to person who occupied your apartment, but I didn't like him one bit. No matter how nice he seemed, he was acting rather shifty." I see him smile a bit.

"I guess you want to know about her, huh?" I ask.

"Are you nuts? I think, the less I know, the better off I am." He states.

"I trust you, Kyle, but I know you love a good mystery." I relax a bit more and motion towards the elevator, as I walk and he follows.

"That way if he comes back and asks me more questions, I can tell him you told me nothing. Besides the only mysteries I like are in books and figuring out what the wife is making for dinner." He makes his way to the elevator with me.

"How did he know where to find me? That's what I need to know." I hit the button for down.

"I'm not sure, he said he was tracking down that train lantern of yours for a buyer and it lead him to here." He rubs the back of his neck.

"How can he track down something I got from a family friend at a yard sale? I think I need to talk to this guy." The doors open and we walk in.

"He was just here not to long ago. I told him I didn't know if you were home, but he said if I found you to send you down to Guy's. Said he had to meet a client there and if I could send you that way to do so. Although, it seemed he knew you might be there anyway." Kyle hits the ground floor button.

"So, what should I do?" I ask.

"Well, every man has to face his own challenges in his own way." He says as we feel the elevator rumbling down.

"When do those challenges involve a person possibly making my life worse, for some unknown reason?" I state as the doors open and we begin to walk through.

"If this is all about a girl, she better be something special. I think I have a feeling she is." He winks.

I make it to Guy's. Three block walk and it's a busy Friday late afternoon. The sun is hanging in the sky like a eye, watching me. I feel like I am going to a show down. Too bad I don't like guns, otherwise I would go in guns blazing. Wait a minute, this me going to see an ex-girlfriend. That Broome guy probably isn't here. I walk in and see a lot of the regulars that I hang out with here, even the wait staff here knows me. John the bouncer greets me at the door.

"Hey, Alan. Where's that little redhead you were here with last week?" As he comes up to me with his hand out to shake mine. No one knows, but me that this big sweet black man actually owns this place. Named after his grandfather who used to own it. I helped him out a few years ago, becoming the first and only silent partner

"She's at home, I'm just here to meet a friend." I say as we shake hands and he puts his large hand around the scruff of my neck.

"Too bad, that girl can dance!" He says laughing.

"How's the wife and kids?" He guides me to his favorite spot on the bar.