How Much for a House on Bliss Street?

Part 1

"Hey, it's finally open. Let's check out the merchandise,"  The suburban residents who lived along Bliss 

Street gathered around a newly opened, Knick-Knack store, Wishes Granted. As its name suggested, it offered a host of trivial items that promised complete contentment. 

Its owner, Mdm A, was a hunched-over, mousy woman with obvious gaps where two side teeth used to be. Though wrinkled, she walked with a jaunt that young people could not emulate. 

Though almost seventy, Mdm A had a grace and enigmatic nature that few people could explain. Wishes Granted soon hauled in more than its fair share of dedicated customers.

Part 2

Michelle de Souza lived a life that single mothers could only dream of.  A tumultuous, failed marriage had left her with three young children, but Michelle, a brilliant accountant, earned a salary that kept her little brood comfortable.

Still, something was missing... a man to complete the family picture. 

Chris Lee was another blissful resident on the street. The young music teacher had his share of students and was renowned for his laid back, yet effective teaching style. His casual yet almost foolproof teaching methods kept the small music school he ran along the street open. 

But it wasn't enough. Chris wanted fame. And he would do almost anything...anything to get it. 

Oliver Subramaniam was a lively Indian entrepreneur who, to everyone he met, had it all. The real estate business he ran was burgeoning, thanks to a property boom that seemed to keep the prices of high-end apartments, well, on the higher end. 

There was a gaping hole in Oliver's heart, though. And only a woman - a pretty, well-heeled one who could satisfy his every need... could fill that. 

Bliss was still somewhat far away. 

Part 3

All three bliss-filled residents found themselves in Wishes Granted one fateful Saturday morning. It was a rare chance for a well-deserved break. 

The hunched, but ever-welcoming Mdm A welcomed them into the store with her characteristic, charming charisma. "Welcome everyone. You're just on time. Wishes Granted presents a gift to newcomers to the store." 

With that, she handed out a small, nondescript vial to each of the three of them. Each took theirs and glanced at their bottle with hearty scepticism. 

Mdm. A watched them and gave them casual, yet meaningful glances. "Don't worry, you'll find that these work. You know where to find me if it doesn't," she gestured to the surroundings of her comforting store."We're near the neighborhood police post and simply can't run away. And this potion's on the house...won't cost a cent."

Michelle casually slipped the vial into her Guess bag, which many female residents of this upper-crust neighborhood owned. Oliver and Chris grinned and slipped theirs into the pockets of their weekend casual khakis. 

Part 4

What could anyone say about a potion that worked? It was the stuff of a charmed legend. 

After Michelle infused it with the dishes from her well-stocked kitchen, she received a slew of responses from the online dating site she frequented in the hope of meeting suitable love interests. 

One, David Gomez, stood out and the two began dating in earnest. They couldn't keep their hands off each other.

Her children, though, grew distant. Teenage rebellion kicked in for her eldest, Adele. Mom only had time for her man, not her. 

Chris Lee closed his music school and started a record company that was, by every means, reaping huge profits. He moved his little school to spacious premises maintained by a dedicated team of in-house staff. And he had signed a host of well-honed artists ready to share their musical talents with the world. 

But Scandal, thy name is fast. It had caught up with him with accusations from a female artist that he ran sign-ups using a casting couch process. The accusations took every legal tooth and nail for him to fight. 

Oliver met the apparent love of his life after swallowing his well-concocted vial. She tried to run every aspect of his existence, from the clothes he wore to the cutlery he used. He filed a restraining order after he threw her out of his home, but she still seemed to lurk around his premises. He kept a constant eye over his shoulder. 

Part 5

They confronted Mdm. A with their obvious dissatisfaction. Ever the enchantress, she laughed them off. 

" I promised you that the vials would work, and they did, didn't they? But you wished for the wrong things. Be humble, you know?" She returned to the back of the store, her witch's cackle unstoppable. 

Michelle knew she had no choice but to break up with David. Her children, upset though they were, reconnected with her. Each of the three graduated at the top of their class and blessed their single mother with in-laws and beautiful grandkids. 

After taking a short break from his music career, Chris returned to life as Bliss Street's dependable music teacher. Though his talent had been noticeably absent for a while, it was even more appreciated, and more young children came to him for lessons. 

Oliver, who became comfortable with himself and his singlehood, focused on expanding his real estate business and began buying property overseas, unexpectedly running into a svelte, sexy blonde bombshell on one of his trips.And Lilian wasn't just blonde and sexy - she could cook up  a storm and was willing to be a stay-at-home mum raising their three lovely daughters. 

Who needs a potion?