9 - Wishes

Maia had realized that having someone fall in love with you didn’t mean they would stay in love with you.  Falling in love was magical, but staying in love wasn’t easy and required a great deal of work. That’s what the genie had meant when he said that the rest was up to her.

And speaking of the genie, Maia decided it was time to call on Aashif again.

 “Master, I am at your command.  What is your next wish?” Aashif Salib asked Maia.

“Well, I've realized it is probably better not to have the fathers of my children love me,” Maia said.  “Love is just going to make my task that much more difficult, and possibly dangerous.” Maia told the genie about the encounter she’d had with Steven.

“Do not worry, Master.  You are well protected by both magical and mundane forces.  Without dark and powerful allies, this magician and any others like him cannot harm you, especially while you and your children are under the guardianship of the Grim Reaper.”

“The reaper is protecting us?”

“Certainly,” The genie nodded.  “He wants you to succeed in this challenge, and bearing his own children is no small matter to him, either.  Not many women could give birth to and lovingly raise the reaper’s children as you are doing.”

Maia considered what the genie said. “Then there is much more to this challenge than what appears?”

“That is always the way of magic.  But I’m not allowed to speak of it further,” he said.  “Now, have you settled on your second wish, Master?” 

“Yes,” said Maia.  “While love will complicate matters, I still need to find potential fathers for my future children.  In order to attract them, I need to be irresistible.  So my second wish is for beauty.”

“Ah. If that is your wish, I shall make you beautiful beyond belief,” Aashif said.

Maia felt the power of beauty and magnetic attraction surround her, levitating her.

“Your wish is granted. You have but one wish remaining, Maia,“ the genie reminded her. “Call on me again when you are ready to make it.”

While Maia pondered who the next father of her next child would be, she spent as many hours as she could with the kids she had.

Romeo and Juliet both were honor roll students, and did well in their after-school activities.

David was so sweet, and was soon a toddler.

But Maia knew she was going to have to go back to work soon, and she hated leaving her children with a babysitter, who might not be able to protect them as well as they needed to be. 

And that was how she hit upon her third and final wish.

“Aashif, I’ve decided on my third wish,” Maia called.

“And what is your wish, Master?”

“I wish for your freedom from the lamp, and for you to remain in my home as an advisor to me, and a magical protector for my children when I must be away,” Maia said.

“Remain in your home?” Light flashed from the genie’s eyes and erupted from his mouth, and he began to rise into the air.

Maia was frightened.  Had she angered him? Had she broken some rule that she didn’t know? Should she try to cancel the wish somehow?

Then suddenly, the lamp was gone, but the genie was still there.  He looked different without his turban.

“It’s about time you asked. Now it’ll be easier to help and protect you, as the reaper intended,” Aashif said with a grin.  “Personally, I had my doubts, but he was right about you.” 

He would say nothing more.