Marta could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she stood there, not moving a muscle, not even a twitch. She waited, and would keep waiting, until Ezra gave her his decision. When she finally saw him nod his head, it felt like she was able to breath for the first time. He was on her side, he was going to help her. But Marta kept her composure, as glad as she was he was helping her, she knew it was going to be a bumpy road ahead. 

And her assumptions were confirmed as Ezra began to lecture her on just a few of the small details of what it meant to be Jewish. Marta absorbed every word, taking in as much information that she could get. At this rate, she was going to need pencil and paper so as to not forget anything. Some of what Ezra said, she knew already. She understood she would be sacrificing Christmas, and the other lavish perks of her life. But all the information on food was new, and she was intrigued. She would love to understand why they do the things they do. She had much to learn.

Feeling him take her hands and putting them around his pendant, Marta felt the value of it sinking in so much more. This symbol would become something very important to her soon. This symbol could also be the death of her. But Marta wasn’t having any doubts. This is truly what she wanted.

When Ezra compared himself to Hitler, Marta’s head snapped up. She could slap the boy silly for making that comment. She let him finish speaking, feeling him pull away from her. Marta understood the dangers that lie ahead, and she would do everything she could to make sure Ezra wasn’t hurt because of her. If it meant leaving behind everything she knew, cutting all of her hair off, and wearing potato sacks as her clothes, she would. If it meant she could learn about this new world she was already beginning to accept as her own, she would. And more importantly, if it meant that Ezra stayed safe while she was in his life, she would do it. 

The intensity of the moment was getting to Marta. Her skin felt prickly, like the air was filled with electricity. Marta was ready and her energy was amped up and she needed an outlet before it bottled up too much and she imploded. Looking at Ezra, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and pulled him into another kiss. But this kiss was different, it was not like their first two. This one wasn’t soft and sweet. This one was filled with heat and passion. Marta parted her lips, wanted the chance to taste Ezra. She wanted to be connected to him, even if for a moment. She pulled away a minute later, breathing deeply from the lack of oxygen in her lungs.

She stayed close to his body, her front flush up against his. Her eyes darkened, pupils dilated from the power of the kiss.

In a low voice she said, “You are nothing like Hitler. You are more of a man than he ever will be. And you are not forcing anything on me, I choose this. I choose this faith. I choose this life. I choose you.”