“Wish granted. What is your third wish?” the genie asked.

“I wish for a box of Lexi’s Lemonade!” the girl yells.

A puff of glittery silver smoke, and then the lemonade is in her hand. The girl hugs all three boxes to her, beaming.

“Your wishes are granted,” the genie announced.

“Thank you, genie. Boy, I wish I had one more wish left. I’d wish for a lifetime supply of Lexi’s Lemonade!”

The genie shook his head in obvious confusion, then shrugged. “Before I go back in my lamp, do you think I can have one? I don’t want to wait another ten thousand years to taste Lexi’s Lemonade.”

“Sure!” The little girl gives the genie one of her boxes and they both drink.

The words pop on the screen in huge neon glitter letters.

Lexi’s Lemonade—Make All Your Wishes Come True!

Good for Moms Too—100% Organic and Packed in the World’s First Recyclable Boxes!

With a pain wracking my chest, my lungs unable to draw in any air, I hit the floor as dim shouts seemed to come from far away. I clawed for focus, but my vision blurred and the room did a drunken spin. The words got stuck in my throat and refused to emerge. In those final moments before I lost consciousness, one thought repeated over and over.

I should have brought the meeting to a close earlier.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sophia

The day my husband died, I won two thousand dollars.

I was with my church friend, Kathy Burke, and she had talked me into heading over to bingo after Saturday mass. Jack had said he wasn’t feeling well and was going to stay home, and I didn’t give it much thought. I remember telling him I wasn’t sure if I was going to bingo and did he want me to check in, but he said no, if I didn’t come home by six, he’d put in the leftover chicken and take care of himself.

The mass was long because Father Bill was dealing with some drama from the fallout of the church mergers, and some of the congregation had a bee in their bonnet about mass times getting cut. After he addressed the issues, he went into a detailed sermon on forgiveness (probably directed at the specific people who’d been giving him a hard time), and then the birthday blessings came up, and by the time I’d shaken Father Bill’s hand, I just wanted to go home and watch a movie with Jack.