It was a beautiful day, but the calls she’d made had robbed her of some of her previous joy. They had more customers now than ever, but sometimes it was getting the new ones that cost the money. Advertising and entertaining, just plain having the materials to show potential customers: it was all expensive. She always ended the year in the black, but throughout the year it seemed the money went out faster than it came in. That meant she wouldn’t be able to hire a new manager like she’d wanted. Maybe Carol? She snorted to herself. Maybe not. She looked at the large man beside her who was similarly enjoying the beauty of the sun despite the fact that she wasn’t rich yet like she was supposed to be. He was a genie. She’d made the wish, right? What was going on? “I called the bank. Where’s my money?” she fairly snapped at him and was rewarded with a squint of annoyance from him. She had to use her hand as a visor to see his shadowed face. “How should I know?” “Look, you’re supposed to have the inside scoop.
