Marta nodded her head and smiled. If Ezra wanted her around, she wouldn’t say no. It was all she wanted too, so should we stay.

“Ok I’ll stay” she mentioned quietly, but listening to Ezra go on about how his father made the bread. It was so good, And she had a hunch Ezra made it just as good, assuming he learned from his father, which is usually how things worked in a family owned business. She was about to ask more about the breads, when she saw Ezra’s demeanor fall. He suddenly seemed sad and she listened as he went on about his necklace.

Glancing at his neck, Marta noticed the gold chain missing. She frowned. She knew right away that Oscar and his friends took it. Why was that necessary? Marta felt her blood boil, but she remained calm for Ezra’s sake. Marta started to think about how maybe she could get the necklace back. Maybe Sarah could help; Marta quickly shook that thought from her head. Oscar has most likely told Sarah about Marta’s new friends and choices she is making, and Sarah would be disgusted and never talk to Marta again. Marta just hoped she didn’t start gossiping all over her school. Marta would figure out who to tell and when to tell them in her own time. But having them hear it through the rumor mill would only end in a catastrophe. There was nothing she could do about it right now, so she put the thoughts on the backburner. 

“Ezra I am so sorry...To have some so irreplaceable taken from you, I can’t imagine.”

[i]It would be like you taken away from me [/i], Marta thought to herself. Marta’s family didn’t have too many traditions or heirlooms. Since her father grew up poor, he did not have many possessions as a child, and Marta’s mother’s sister, who was the older one, ended up with all their family trinkets. So their belongings were fresh and new to them. Maybe Marta would start a tradition. Maybe she would have a daughter she could give something too. And maybe that daughter would receive the necklace from her grandmother, Edith. The thought made Marta smile to herself a little. Having children was 1000 steps too early. Plus, bringing a child into this world right now would be cruel.

She saw Ezra push the rest of his uneaten sandwich in front of her. She was still a little hungry, since all she ate for breakfast was a couple pieces of fruit, but she didn’t want to seem fat and gross and eat the rest of his. But he offered, and it was so good, so she picked it up and took a bite, but set it down for now. Maybe she would finish it later. 

She looked up and saw Ezra smiling brightly at her. She hadn’t a clue what brought on the sudden joy in his eyes. Only moments ago he was mourning over his lost necklace. Out of instinct, Marta reached up and thought maybe she had something on her face and he was just teasing her about it.

“What?” she asked, a giggle escaping her lips, “Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something in my teeth?”