Marta felt a knot forming in her stomach. She hated the words that were coming from Atalia's mouth. They were the words and thoughts that Marta pushed into the back of her mind. They were the words Ezra said every moment the first day they met. But Marta made herself ignore them, and in result, Ezra has begun to do the same. She brought them both into her imaginary world fill with rainbows and candy. Marta thought everything was going to turn out ok, but Atalia just brought her slamming back down into reality. Marta couldn't say anything, she honestly felt she was going to be sick. She didn't fight against Atalia's words because deep down she knew they were true.

She watched as the girl walked off, and seeing Ezra come towards them. When the two began to speak to each other, Marta saw the care in Ezra's eyes and body language. He was a caring man, and Marta loved that quality about him, but this time seeing it made Marta want to scream. When he hugged, Marta couldn't take it, she sat down on the bench, her head pounding. Why did she let things get this far? What has she done to Ezra? She looked over again, and the guilty weighed so heavily on her. Ezra needed to be with Atalia. Not just because it was planned from their childhood, but they were the best for each other. They knew what the other was going through and could be there for each other. They would be able to get married and understand the traditions that meant. They would have children and be able to raise them Jewish easily. Marta was doing her best to learn something that a Jewish person learns throughout their entire life. Cramming 17 years of knowledge and believes into your mind can be overwhelming. Marta has enjoyed the things she learned, and she would continue to pursue it, but maybe she needed a different teacher. 

When Ezra came over to her, she could see the anger in his eyes. She is assuming whatever he and Atalia spoke about had to do with the recent deaths in their neighborhood. Marta hated that every night she got to go home to her safe, warm house, when Ezra and his family were at risk. Marta had nightmares of the gestapo raided his house, for no reason, and taking Ezra from his bed and killing him. 

Once Ezra was seated next to her, she looked at him and tried to smile, but it was too hard. She wasn't sure what to say or what to do. So for now, she settled with taking his hand into hers delicately. Why couldn't they just run away and be together somewhere safe? They could start a new life for themselves. Ezra would continue to teach her the ways of Judaism, and they would build a home together, and maybe one day fill it with children. But Marta knew that that was impossible. Ezra may care for her, he may even love her, but his devotion to his family and his people was everlasting. Marta didn't want to take him away from that and she couldn't. She knew if she asked, Ezra may say yes, but she wouldn't do that to him. 

"I think...." she started to say, but paused. "Ezra, I think it best if we stop seeing one another."

Marta didn't know how he would react. Would he be relieved? Would he be angry? Would he cry? Would he tell her she is crazy for putting him through all of this just to end it? That is most likely what would happen, and Marta knows what damage she has caused is irreversible, but she couldn't bare knowing how much worse it could get.