The following year, just two days after Christmas, she found herself expecting her third child. Her husband complained bitterly about how he could not afford to feed three children, especially now that she no longer worked at the laundry. While the charms she sold were a help, they were barely enough to help them squeak by.

"What do you want me to do?" she demanded. "Should I sell our children, our fine, strong sons?" She could stand up to him now, despite his bluster, because she had learned during her first pregnancy that her husband was at heart a good man. "If I have to, I will do washing here to bring in money."

So that is what she did. For some reason, this pregnancy did not weaken or tire her, and she scrubbed with the vigor of three younger women, and it was as if the hot water and harsh soap didn't bother her hands in the least. At the same time, she also discovered a strange gift for mending, and could darn tears and patch holes so that the cloth looked as if it had just been woven. She also noticed that the charms she crafted were of a finer quality than she had ever managed before. While she was tired at the end of each day, she was not worn out, and the extra money that came in did much to ease her worries.

All the while, the child in her belly flipped, skipped, and hopped like the magical beans that were sold to amuse children.

She wondered how on earth one child could be so active. Then, one day, she felt identical kicks on opposite sides of her belly. Twins? She was carrying twins?

Roja and Blanca, the two chickens she had carried with her from Mexico City and who between them still laid five eggs a day, confirmed that this was in fact so.

"Such fine, strong, active sons," she crooned. There was very little bitterness left in her heart. When she was in a dark mood, she often wondered if she would ever realize the great destiny that had been promised to her, but for the most part she was happy enough with her sons and with a husband who had stopped drinking and who now treated her like a queen. "All of my boys will be big and strong, but you two will be the strongest and most nimble of all. You will be like two steady hands--dos manos--who will help your brothers to be the strongest, most able men they can be."

The twins were of course named Tres and Quatro. She had been more than blessed, but a flight of sparrows at noontime told her that she would be blessed once more.

Anne, this is rocking so hard. I love the vengeance demon shoutout, too.

I would love to see this made into a comic book

Anne, I'm adoring this more than I would have ever thought possible.

It just rocks.

I'm loving this thing.

Thanks, everyone! If there's anything that needs work, please let me know. If all goes well, I'll have another chunk up tonight.

but they never foolish

there's a "were" missing right here.

Anne, this is, honestly, my favorite story right now. I want it in a book so I can own it. A pretty graphic novel type book.

Anne, just chiming in to say it's wonderful.

Anne, I'm saving it 'til I see the episode all the way through (okay, I've peeked, but I am mostly waiting), but you're really churning this out. I think your muse bit you on the ass.

the determination of a woman who carried two chickens all the way from Mexico City should never be underestimated

I adore this line. I want to bear this line's children. No, I want to steal it and claim I wrote it.

Anne, I too adore this story.