Dan sighed, something which he had been doing a lot of for the past few days. And sat behind the counter of the shop. He had been open for almost three hours today, but he had yet to get any customers.

Not that there weren't any people on the street or anything, the place was practically hopping, people walking up and down the sidewalks looking into storefronts and entering them. He knew his shop was a decided niche market, but he always remembered there being at least a few people entering the store almost everyday.

Today, well today he had nothing.

“Good morning!” called out a sleepy voice as the genie appeared peeking her head around the corner and into the shop.

“Morning? It's almost 2 in the afternoon. You know that right?” Amani shrugged her shoulders and let out a large yawn. “Man today is not my day.” he said as he looked out at the people walking past his shop like it didn’t exist.

“Why is that?” she asked, leaning on the counter and looking over at Dan.

“Not a single customer, not even a window shopper.” he said with a shake of his head.

“I-is that so...” Amani said with a slightly nervous laugh. Dan paused in his movements and looked over at her, what was with that suspicious laugh?

“Amani...”

“Ok I'm sorry, I put a ward on the store to keep people from noticing it, I didn't want to be disturbed as I slept.” she said in a quick and apologetic manner.

Dan’s left eye started twitching, “So, you put a spell on the door that makes it impossible for me to sell my wares...” he said in a low and dangerous voice. “How exactly am I supposed to run a store if I can't get any customers?”

“Well i was just so tired and I wanted it to be-” she stopped what she was saying when she saw the look on his face. “I’ll undo it...”

“Yeah, that would be good.” he sighed, sinking his face into his hands.

Amani walked over to the front of the store and clapped her hands twice, before peering out the window, she clapped her hands again, and then a final time, each time checking to see if something changed.

“We good now?” he called from behind the counter face still in his hands.

“Erm, I think so...” she muttered under her breath.

“Sorry, couldn't hear you what was that?”

“I-uh think so...” she said, this time slightly louder.

“Wait, wait, wait. You think so?” he asked, taking a step out from behind the counter. “What do you mean you think so?”

“Well it's really hard to tell, its not like a ward is a visible object.”

“You are the one who placed it so shouldn't you be able to remove it?”

“Yes, and I think I did.”

“Think you did?” she nodded her head. “Like what percent sure are you?”

“Seventy five.” she said, with a nod.

“So there is still a one in four chance that no one can see my shop?” she hung her head. “You know what? It's fine. Whatever, let's just shut it down for today, let's go to the store, we need food and you need some more, modern, clothes.” it's not like he would get very much business today anyway.

[on merchant street.]

Sara had walked up and down this street almost four times now, where was that store? She pulled out her phone again, maybe she just was on the wrong block.

321 E Merchant Street.

She looked up at the shop she was currently standing in front of.

323 E Merchant Street.

So it stood to reason that the shop she was looking for would be one shop down right? She had done this several times now, but she walked across the front of the store, and much to her surprise there was the shop she was looking for.

The Shoppe of Oddities.

It was a quaint little store that was literally tucked back in between two much larger stores. That however did not explain how she had missed it when she had walked past it the previous four times.

Whatever, she would have to puzzle at her own inattentiveness latter. Straightening out the sun dress she was wearing; it was a bright green dress with some white wild flowers patterned on it. It was cut in a flattering v neck and supported by spaghetti straps. It had taken her almost an hour to pick the dress, not too formal not too casual.

With a nervous smile she made her way towards the door, but before she got there it opened up and out stepped Dan. He was currently wearing a pair of black jeans and a nice button up blue flannel shirt, with the top two buttons undone, showing the black undershirt underneath.

She was about to call out to him when she saw someone else exit the store. Following close behind him was a woman.

A ridiculously good looking woman.

She started breathing hard, had she already lost? Was this another chapter of her life over?

Calm down, calm down, breath.

It could be a customer.

But what was with that outfit? What was she cosplaying as Jeanne from that old show?

The woman skipped out with a noticeable pep in her step. The sun reflected off of that perfect skin of hers, and her breasts bounced with an afront to gravity with every step. What was this?

Sara stepped back slightly to avoid getting noticed, and peaked around the corner of the shop.

“Where to now?” asked the woman.

“Now we go shopping.” Dan answered, as he flipped the sign off and locked the door.

SHOPPING? The two of them were going shopping? Did that mean? No, not this time, she would not lose to some scantily clad hussy whose boobs illogically defied gravity. Taking a deep breath she rounded the corner, only to find them both already in a car and pulling out.

She raised a hand to stop them, but there was nothing she could do as they pulled out. She stood there, hand extended in a pose for much longer than she needed before dropping it limply to her side. She hung her head in defeat as they drove away.

But that was only for a brief second, with a look of determination she psyched herself up. Reaching in her purse she pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote down a small note.

Dan,

Hi its Ms Lawrence, it seems like I missed you. If you could would you please call me when you get the chance? My number is 561-....

She wrote down her personal number and placed the paper in between the screen door and the shop’s door.

Thats right, she wouldn't lose, no matter what.