“Because he’s got a lot of money, of course. Why do you think?”

Gianni Strino She woke and sat up in Uncle Alejandro’s bed. A lamp was lit in another room and Maria got up to investigate. Juana was taking a bath. She was full grown now and she smoked a cigar and her enormous breasts poked out of the bathwater like two perfectly matched islands. She picked up a tortilla and ate it and spoke with a full mouth. “I didn’t think you’d get an old one, too.”

“I didn’t get anything.” Maria pulled up a chair and watched Juana eat. She was such a pretty woman and Maria now realized she was even prettier naked than she was wearing clothes. She looked beautiful with her blonde hair done up in the German style.

“Oh, this mule man. You’ll get him. I know it.”

“How did you know he had mules?” Maria was suspicious of Juana. She seemed to always know everything.

Juana shrugged. “I don’t remember. But you’ll get him all right and then you’ll have babies.”

“Have you had babies yet, Juana?”

Juana shrugged again.

“You don’t know if you’ve had babies, Juana?”

“I’ve forgotten.” She stood up and water splashed out onto Maria and now she was cold.

“Why is it that you never remember anything I ask about, Juana?” She was a little perturbed.

Juana shrugged. “I never forget to come see you when you have a problem, though.”

Maria could not argue with that. Juana was faithful in that regard.

“You know why you’ve fallen in love with him?”

“I don’t know that I have.”

“Oh, you have. It’s because of the old man. The old man who taught you to play cards and shoot. You got a man like him. And he was old.”

“That’s ridiculous. You never had an old man raise you, yet you got an old man.”

“But I didn’t love him. Do now, but I didn’t.”

“Why’d you marry him?”

“Because he’s got a lot of money, of course. Why do you think?”

“I don’t know.” She looked at Juana. “Do you suppose I really do love him?”

“Sure you do.” Juana eyed her. “Go find me a towel, Maria.”

When she returned, Juana was gone. Maria's Trail