Marta flinched a little when Ezra slammed his fist onto the counter. The flinch wasn't out of fear of him hurting her, it just startled her. She listened, her face and body like a statue. She tried to keep all emotions from her face. And Marta did not cry.

It was like her stubbornness turned into pure ambition. She was determined now. It suddenly felt like this was how it was suppose to be. Ezra wasn’t just going to be the person that she wanted by her side, but he was going to help her understand the world around her better. This is what she wanted and she hoped Ezra would at least understand that, even better though would be him wanting the same thing.

After he finished his rant, Marta didn’t say a word. She turned and picked up the phone once more, this time dialing zero to be connected to the operator.

[i]”Hello how may I direct your call?”[/i] said the operator over the phone.

“Yes, Max VanMarten residence please.” 

[i]”One moment while I connect you.[/i]

The phone rang twice, before being answered by Victor, her uncle’s butler.

[i]”VanMarten residence, how may I help you?”[/i]

“Victor, it is Marta, could you please put my mother on the line?”

[i]”Of course.[/i]

Marta heard him place his receiver end down on the counter and heard loud voices in the background. Sounded like the party was a success. A moment later, she heard the phone being picked up and then her mother’s frantic voice.

[i]”Marta, darling, where are you? Are you ok? Why haven’t you arrived, you are nearly three hours late![/i]

“I am fine mother. I apologize, I will not be able to make it to Uncle Max’s party. I was late leaving school, and while I was walking there, the storm hit and I was drenched. Thankfully, a fellow classmate of mine, Sarah, lived on the street I was on and was kind enough to let me come into her house and dry off.”

[i]”Oh poor thing. But are you sure we can’t send you the car and you can join us? We will be here all night! Your father’s partner’s son, Frederick, is here. He has been dying to meet you.”[/i]

Marta held her tongue, making sure not to lash out on her mother. Marta had no desire whatsoever to meet this Frederick boy, who undoubtedly owned his own car and fifty gold watches.

“No mother, my hair's a disaster and I am awfully tired. Sarah’s father has offered to drive me home, so I will be leaving here shortly.”

[i]”Ok dear. Call us when you arrive home. Goodbye darling.”[/i]

“Goodbye mother.”

Marta hung up the receiver on her end and stared at it for a moment. She could only imagine what Ezra was thinking at the moment. She had a hunch that he was upset even more, assumed she made up that story about Sarah because she was too ashamed to admit where she was. And that was partly true, Marta didn’t want to let her mother know where she was, not because she was ashamed, but because Greta would send out every cop to her location to make sure she was safe, even more so if she knew she was on this side of town.

Finally turning and facing Ezra again, Marta keeping her face impassive, not letting any emotions show at the moment. Though, there was something fierce behind her eyes. Something that had never been there before. 

Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around Ezra, pulling him into a hug, not saying a word. She buried her head in his neck, taking in the smell of his body. It smelled of flour and sugar; that made a small smile tug on her lips. She then pulled back slightly, but stayed near him, reaching up she placed both her hands on his cheeks, forcing him to make eye contact with her.

“Ezra, this is going to happen one way or another. I am going to learn about your religion, and maybe even accept it as my own. I did not have the choice to be a Christian, I was raised to be one and forced to call it my faith. But with everything going on in this world, how can I live with myself when my religion, and people who believe the same things, are creating a hateful world. A world I don’t want to live in.”

She stepped back, giving them some room again. 

“I am not proud of being a Christian, and I am old enough now to make my own choices. And I choose to, and have the right, to expand my horizon. To learn about things I never knew before and to allow myself to put my faith into myself and love who I want. And if Judaism allows me to do that then I will not stop until I am Jewish. And it does not matter the risks, I understand what I could be sacrificing by doing this. My belongings, my parents, even my life. I will do this, no matter what, but it would be much easier with you helping me and by my side.”

Taking a deep breathe, she continued on, “If you don’t want to help me, and you want me out of your life forever, then just say the words. And I will leave and never return again. You will never have to see or hear from me again. But if that isn’t what you want, then be here with me. Let me into your world.”

She laid it all out on the table. And Marta didn’t stutter or tremble. She stood there, as tall as she could be, with such determination in her eyes. She would be completely heart-broken if Ezra made her leave, but she would continue her battle of being part of a world that she wanted to be, a world without hate.