"Don't get me wrong... I just want to take advantage of this situation," she said, smiling at John. " I think that it would be neat if you could do me a favor and leave him that way." Her tone turned more serious. "He has been such a jerk lately."
What the heck is going on here? John thought to himself. He knew that he could sometimes be argumentative, but he always thought that he got along with Katie pretty darn well. Now she wanted him to remain a dog for the rest of his life. He just stared at her, lost in saddened thought. What could she know about him that made her feel that way?
She must have been able to read those sad thoughts because she suddenly shifted her tone once again. "Just kidding you goofball. I don't want to marry a dog." She then went up to him and hugged his neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just know how much of a joker you can be. I thought that you would get a kick out of me returning the favor."
Very funny indeed, he thought. Let's see how you would feel if you were once a man, now man's best friend.
The wizard gestured Katie to stand back, and she complied. He then muttered something simple about canine and rewind that caused the soft, shimmering glow to appear around John's form again. The room was growing smaller. The fur was receding from his arms and legs. Legs. Oh crap! My pants. John saw them behind him. He crawled back and grabbed them.... with his hands. I have hands again! He then slid the pants on quickly, noticing Katie giggle, out of the corner of his eye. He then replaced the rest of his clothing and stood up.
"There you go," said the wizard, proud of his work.
John didn't know what to say at first, but then an idea came to him. "That was an experience," he managed. "I was a little scared there for a moment." He turned to Katie. "And you. You are something else," he said, changing his initial serious facial expression into a smile. "You really had me going there for a moment."
The old man went back to the counter and set the wand down. He then asked, "was there anything I can help you with? - now that we have finished with all of that mess?"
"Oh yes... I was going to tell you about how your service staff needs to be a little more respectful about people and their wishes to be left alone, but I guess that the saleslady was only trying to do her job. I can't really blame her for trying."
Katie was confused. This wasn't the John that she knew. He was pretty mad earlier, and he wasn't one to give up an argument easily. But then again, he was just a dog a moment ago. That kind of thing might make someone act a little odd for a while.
"I will speak to her about not being too pushy," the old man said with a sigh. "Here, let me get you a gift card for your troubles today." He then turned and walked back into what must have been a storage area behind the customer service section. John leaned on the counter and waited. Shortly after, the man returned with a card in hand. "Here you go." He gave it to John. "This will give you one free outfit fitting from our new clothing designer. She is one marvelous artist."
John took the card and pocketed it. He then used the same had to shake the old wizard's hand. "Thanks. It has been, well... an experience. We have to be going. We have a dinner with some friends tonight." He then turned and took Katie by the hand. They made their way out of the store and, eventually, out of the mall.
"That was certainly big of you John," she said once they reached their car.
"What was?"
"The whole forgiveness thing. You know.. both for the man, and that saleslady," she replied.
"Oh that." He looked around briefly. "That was just a cover."
She lifted one eyebrow at him.
"You see darling, there are more important things than gift cards," he said as he pulled his other hand out of his jacket revealing his prize.
"The wand! You stole it!"
"Shhhh! Geeze.. you want everyone to know?" he said, pulling her into the car. "I figured that we could really have some fun with this."
"But what about that wizard? Isn't he going to be a tad pissed off when he realizes what you have taken from him?"
John smiled. "I thought of that. You obviously didn't see that large box of "to-be-repaired" wands behind the counter. I just pulled a tag off of a wand that looks like this one and set it where this had been. He might get a little confused, but I removed a few more tags. I think that I have left him with a sticky situation of his own. He won't likely even bother to retest the wand that I left on the open counter."
"You better hope not, you idiot," she said, falling into an angered tone. "If he does, you might just as well get used to being called Fido for the rest of your life, and just like always you pull me into things. Do you think I want to be turned into a dog!"
"Honey... I just thought"
"No. No you didn't. You never think. That is your problem."
----
The whole ride home was silent. John had been in this situation before. He knew that he could find a way to make things right. They never stayed angry with each other for long, and the make-up sex was great.
The silent treatment continued up into the apartment. It was only when they were both inside that Katie broke it.
"Let me see that thing," she said.
John was a bit hesitant. Give an angry woman a tool as powerful as this? I think not. "Honey, I think we need to calm down a bit before we use this thing."
She walked over to the couch and sat down. "I just wanted to take a look at it. I'm not really all that angry anyway. I just wish that you would consider the ramifications of your actions. You need to realize that I am with you from now on, for better or worse... even if we haven't said the words before our families yet."
She was right. He had been a jerk. It was stupid to steal the wand. But it was sooo cool. He had something in his hand that could affect the universe around him in who knows how many ways. And then there was Katie, snuggling against his arm. He did care for her, a lot.
He decided to........