The Last Wish

Barry looked at his watch.  It read 2pm.  He knocked on the door.  When Cindy opened it, she glared at him.

“What do you want?”

He took a deep breath before he spoke.  “Let me in.  We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said.

“Wait!  Give me a chance!”

“You hurt me, Barry.  I don’t wanna talk to you.  Go away!”

“But - “

The slamming of the door ended the conversation. 

Barry hung his head and walked back to his car.  He pulled the door closed and pulled the seatbelt over his shoulder, fastening it with a click.  He was about to start the engine, when he looked at the passenger seat next to him.  The strange lamp he’d found on the beach was still there.  He took a breath and rubbed it.  A puff of smoke and a whiff of ozone later, the genie appeared before him, as it had earlier.

“That was your second wish,” his booming voice said.  “You have one left.”

“Let me try again.”

“Are you sure?” the genie asked.  “You’ve tried twice already, and failed.  This is your last wish.  You can have anything you want.”

Barry smiled sadly and shrugged.  “I want her.”

“Your wish is my command,” replied the genie.

POOF!

Barry looked at his watch.  It read 2pm. 

“Make sure you do it right this time,” he told himself.

He knocked on the door.  When Cindy opened it, she glared at him.

“What do you want?”

He took a deep breath before he spoke.  “I’m sorry that I hurt you, Cindy.  I love you.  Can we please talk?”

She looked as if she was about to shut the door, but when she looked in his eyes, she saw tears in them.

“Okay,” she said.  “Let’s talk.”