"So this is the wonderful Heather my sobrino Alejandro has talked so much about." Julio Burromuerto said as he approached Heather and gave her a handshake.

Uncle Julio was a famous hypnosis. Known throughout Europe, he had decided to take some time off for his nephews. His attire was black shirt, dark pants, boots and the Burromuerto symbol around his neck. His body was slightly more slim than that of his more physically larger nephews, and he had grown a fine mustache that was slicked thin. It seemed that most of the fashion for the Burromuerto men was consistent.

Uncle Julio had stopped by to Alejandro's apartment for a regular check in on his nephew. He had watched the show and was quite happy that Alejandro found himself a girl who was as every bit as manipulative as the Burromuerto family was. Even before they had become a couple, Alejandro would go on and on about her. Heather gave her boyfriend a curious look, and Alejandro could only shrug his shoulders. But in the back of his mind, something was bothering him. If Uncle Julio was going to do what Alejandro thought he was going to do. Then Alejandro was going to be in a lot of trouble afterwards.

The tradition with Uncle Julio was that with every one of Alejandro's many girlfriends (or at least the ones he could get his hands on) he'd hypnotize them with a ridiculous request to embarrass them and Alejandro. Some were quite funny and entertaining, at least, the ones Alejandro had very little actual feelings for. But this was different.

Alejandro adores Heather, and would never want her to be a victim to his uncle's games. Alejandro would never wish for Heather to be humiliated, and not only that but if she ever figured out what Uncle Julio had done to her, game over, she'd break up with him on the spot. And he was sure he couldn't handle that kind of situation.

Nervously laughing, Alejandro grabbed his uncle into the kitchen and away from his unsuspecting girlfriend.

"Tío, please tell me you aren't going to hypnotize Heather are you?" Alejandro asked, desperate for a "no". "You ask that as if it is a question. Of course! It's tradition for us, sobrino." Julio said with a laugh. "Please, not her. You can hypnotize her entire familia, and I couldn't care less." Alejandro said. "Just. not. Heather."

"My, my, it looks like my nephew has fallen madly in love." Julio said jokingly and with sincere shock in his voice. Alejandro never protested to this before. Perhaps once or twice when he hadn't felt like it, but never with this much concern. "Sobrino, it's just a little fun. Besides I'd like to test something actually…" Julio said as his mind went to work.

Coming back out again, Alejandro had no chance to stop his uncle, watching in horror as Julio began his act.

"Heather, I'd like to play a little game with your mind. If you will allow of course." Julio requested, much to the surprise of Heather, she reluctantly agreed. "Perfecto! Now, I want you to sit down and close your eyes. Relax, and take deep breathes." Julio instructed, as Heather followed her orders. Alejandro crossed his arms, hand to face unable to watch. "Now… you are relaxing into a deep slumber. You won't remember this." Julio said in a soft, soothed voice. Alejandro was tempted to shout out Heather's name to wake her up and kick Uncle Julio out but he noticed something very interesting.

Unlike most girls who would instantly fall asleep, Heather was struggling to stay awake and moved her head slightly as if to make sure she wouldn't be controlled by Julio. Julio hadn't seemed to noticed but decided he'd make it more interesting for his nephew. "Alejandro! Come over here! I want you to take over the hypnosis." Julio whispered as quietly as he could, gesturing his hand for Alejandro to move. "What? No!" Alejandro refused, turning his back on his uncle. "Awww come on sobrino! For your uncle? Por favor?" Julio pleaded. Alejandro sighed. The power of close bonds with family…

"Alright, alright." Alejandro grumbled, taking over the hypnosis. "Um… when I say noodles, you will… dance like a… chicken on fire…?" Alejandro winced as he skeptically gave orders. "1… 2… 3… And you're back!" Alejandro commanded, with the snap of his fingers. Heather's eyes instantly opened. She yawned.

"So… how'd I do?" she asked, leaning back on the couch. "Um, well, I'll tell you over some dinner. Would you like some noodles?" Alejandro asked, wincing. Heather blinked her eyes, "Noodles? Alright then. Maybe some Italian then?" she asked, getting up to grab a drink from the kitchen.

Alejandro sat there dumbfounded.

"What… what just happened?" he asked as Julio suddenly bursted in laughter. He couldn't stop himself and fell onto the couch. "Tío! I'm serious! What happened? The hypnosis didn't work?!" Alejandro asked, sudden relief taking over his stressed body. He put his hand on his forehead and leaned back into the chair. At least this way, he knew that Julio couldn't hypnosis Heather, even if he wanted to.

"Ay, Alejandro, you really know how to pick them!" Julio said before throwing another laughing fit. "It's not funny!" Alejandro said through gritted teeth, "You could have ruined the best relationship I've ever had!"

"Don't you think that's a bit of an exaggeration sobrino?" Julio asked. "It's not." Alejandro said, glaring at his uncle. "Bien, bien." Julio said, waving his hand at Alejandro who was still giving him a dirty look. "Well, I must go. It was good seeing my favorite nephew/hypnotist in action. Oh, and there is a reason I laughed so much at this failed little act. I'll explain one day. Until then, buenas noches sobrino." Julio said, putting his jacket back on and heading out the door.

Alejandro only stood there clueless to his somewhat eccentric uncle as Heather bid him to come help her in the kitchen. A task he was happy to help with.

In the elevator, he recalled when he tried hypnosis on his girlfriend nearly 10 years ago. Why was this so significant? That same girlfriend couldn't be hypnotized, not him or his fellow hypnotists. And a few years later, he married her and they've been living happily with children of their own. So would this mean that she's the one for Alejandro? Julio was almost certain of it.

He chuckled to himself. He can't wait to tell his wife about this. Now if only José could find a woman of his own. Actually, that reminded him, he needs to pay a visit to his sobrino, if he remembered correctly, he mentioned a new girlfriend, and her name… what was her name? Ah. It was a girl named Courtney.