The 2nd wish puts everything in motion

“Okay, I think I know what my second wish is.” John said as he finally arrived home.
“That was quick, Master. Most of my masters think long and hard about their wishes, once they waste their first on something like you did.”
“What do you mean that I wasted my wish?”
“Oh nothing, master. It’s just that you wished for your car to be fixed, instead of wishing for an expensive car you’ve always wanted, or the ability to transform into car, or to make cars materialize whenever you willed it, for example. Considering the possibilities open to you, you went for a really modest option.”

John realized that she was right. Even though he had been testing her abilities, he still had his totaled car on his mind, and he let that affect what he wished for.
“On second thought, I’m going to think a bit and get the wording right,” John said, getting out of the car. “Can you go back into your bottle now? I don’t think I’m ready for everyone else to see you.”
“As you wish, mast-“
“Wait, I had one last question to ask you. What would you wish for?”
“Oh, that is simple master. I wouldn’t want a big, fancy mansion or power and prestige, or anything like that. I’ve seen those wishes a thousand times and they never make anyone truly happy. I’d wish for the simple things. A normal human life. A family, friends, all the things that people take for granted. That is what I’d wish for.”
“Hm. Genie, if can get the wording right on my next wish, then I might try and use my third wish to give you what you want.”
“Thank you master, that’s very kind of you. I will go to my bottle now.” And in the blink of an eye she was gone.

John ate dinner with his family once they all arrived back home, and they watched some old movie that was on TV. John barely paid attention to everything that was going on around him, his mind still reeling with the possibilities that lay before him.
When he went up to his room to get ready for bedtime, he rubbed the flashlight and the genie appeared before him.
“Alright, I think I’ve got it. I wish that anything I say while touching a person would become true.”
The genie snapped her fingers.
“Did it work? I don’t feel any different.”
“Why don’t you test it for yourself, master?”

He crept out of his room and looked for someone nearby. It seems he was in luck, because he saw his sister walking to her room on the other side of the stairs. She was still sporting the tomboy look she always did, short hair and baggy androgynous clothes.
John grabbed her hand to keep her back, and said “your hair’s really long today, isn’t it?”
He realized that his words hadn’t changed her at all. Her hair was down to her waist like it always was.
“So? What’s your point? I always grow it this long.”
Maybe he didn’t make contact with her hand long enough. He had to test it one more time. He tried to casually brush her hair out of her face as he said, “You’re wearing especially girly clothes tonight, what’s the occasion?”
His face twisted in confusion for a second, as he saw that for a second time his powers had had no effect. He didn’t know what he expected, but she stood there in the cute summer dress she had proudly showed him last week. The same as before.
“What are you talking about? I always dress like this.”
John stood there a little sad that it hadn’t worked. “You’re right, I don’t know what I was thinking… goodnight,” he said, before shuffling embarrassed back to his room. He realized that he’d have to ask the genie what went wrong with the wish when he woke up tomorrow.

“I don’t understand, master. I worked my magic like I always do. As far as I know, I granted your wish.”
“Well, if it’s granted, how do you explain the fact that my sister’s hair is just as long as always, and she’s not dressing any girlier than usual?” John replied to his confused genie.
“I cannot explain it, master. Maybe the magic is just taking a while to work. Test it out throughout the day, and if you find that it’s still not working, I’ll see if I can’t bend the rules and get you a wish to replace the one that didn’t come true.”
“Great, of all the genies I could get, I had to get the defective one!” John grumbled.
“I’m sorry, master!”
“Just go back in your lamp for now.” John said putting the flashlight away on his night stand before walking downstairs.

He sighed, before hearing the doorbell ring. Who could it be ?