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Sanchez/ Princess Maria and the Adventures of Elena /Page
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“I’m not sure she is going to make it. She is very weak.”
“She is GOING TO MAKE IT! Let me hold her,” says Elena. She takes the scared little puppy
and holds her securely in her arms.
“Alberto, I will be back.”
“Did you have any food ---?” said Alberto surveying the kitchen.
“No-o-o-o. We will be back,” wrapping the puppy in a towel and heading out their apartment.
“I will be in my chambers,” said Alberto as he stepped out of their apartment and stepped three
and a half feet -- to his apartment.
“Abuelita, let me take your hand,” said Elena locking the door.
“No, you have the puppy.”
Elena took a long look at her grandmother. Alma’s once beautiful face, the beauty she passed on
to her daughter, Carmen and Carmen passed on to Elena has been replaced with new lines on her cheeks
and mouth.
Alma has a secret she is withholding from Elena and her daughter Carmen. It started gradually;
she could not keep up with Elena. Their little walks thru Plaza Guadalajara had disintegrated into sitting
on the benches; watching the pulse, the magnificence and splendor of Guadalajara - pass her by.
Alma began skipping a breath. Elena noticed right away. Alma would breathe, say a word and
then breathe again. It was almost a hiccup, but Elena noticed. Alma told no one - that her hands had
become numb at night and she had to reposition them for the circulation to come back and fall back
asleep.
“Hold on - to my shoulder,” said Elena.
Elena, Alma, and the puppy descended three tired flights of stairs onto Avenida Niños Heroes.
She took Alma’s hand as they passed Avenida Juarez and turned left on Avenida Alcade.
Alma had to maneuver her path thru the hundreds of people walking through this intersection, one
of the busiest in Guadalajara. She slipped past students biking from the Universidad de Guadalajara, a few