"But...you said you missed your family!"
She smiled at that. "A girl often misses her family, Senior. I still miss them...in the way you miss something you know you'll never see again. My husband is my life now, Senior. I am Juanita Padraza...now and forever."
The girl scooped her babies up and plugged them into her bosom again. They suckled noisily, and she laughed. "My sons are hungry." she said with pride.
The door opened and the old gangster entered the room, a smile on his face. Juanita waddled to him and they jissed long and hard. I blanched at the look he gave me. It seemed to say "I know you, Sir. I'm not happy with your actions."
Gomez Padraza walked to my bed with Juanita at his side. She looked happy and content, obviously delighted to have her big, strong husband at her side. I could see nothing in her eyes that even suggested that the boy she'd once been was still there. All I saw was a fat, simple-minded peasant girl.
"I must thank you for finishing my spell for me, Senior. I needed a gringo to drag out the last vestiges of her old personality before I could destroy it. The girl you see is now and forever Juanita Padraza. Isn't that right, Juanita?"
He asked this last in Spanish and she giggled and nodded. "Si, my wonderful husband. I can tell that that nasty Yankee boy has finally been chased off. His memories are ...going...gone. He's gone."
She giggled stupidly and hugged her husband. It was plain that her old personality was gone.
Gomez kissed her again. She giggled, then waddled away and stood respectfully behind him like a good, submissive wife should.
The Gomez turned to me...and his smile became cruel.
"As I said. I owe you...and now I should show you my gratitude."
He took my hand...and a terrible burning shot through my flesh. I gasped and felt my body...shifting and flowing like water. I could feel everything, as my bones shifted and my flesh warped.
"No...stop..." I groaned...then passed out.
When I woke...