Juana stood up. "I know that this situation is not at all... standard. Still, you will have had Johnny first and for me that means you will have a claim on him that I will honor. Do you see?"
"I think so," Esmeralda said. "Does that mean I'll need your permission to sleep with Thomas?"
"You have it."
"Okay, thanks. You can have Johnny, too."
I said, "Ahem," and they both looked at me.
"Oh my," Juana said. "I am sorry. You must feel a bit like a piece of meat that we are bargaining for."
"A bit," I said. "But in a good way."
"Good." She began to back away but Esmeralda grabbed her hand and stopped her.
"Please, Mom, I want you on the bed with us. I want to be holding your hand when it happens."
Juana looked at me.
"It's fine," I said. "This is Esmeralda's time, and everything that
