At more or less 14:40 the storm finally stopped, and we were able to go home. The sky was still very dark, and the wind was blowing strong, but it didn't stop me from walking Julia home. Even though I knew we were okay, I still felt like something was wrong, she felt so distant, and I couldn't understand why. I tried to make conversation but she every time she found a way to kill it, until I had enough of it.

- Okay, that’s it, was it wrong with you? - I said while stopping her from the hand.

- Nothing - she responded cold and without looking at me.

- Come on Julia, I think we are way pass that point, besides I know you enough to see that something is bothering you, so what is it? - I added very serious.

- Okay! Before Bianka got sick she went to visit me in the qarihopte, she told me how you said we were not longer azhnerechj’x because our azhnechjzaa was just an “agreement”, it really made me feel fuiraleh and made think I had done something to bother you, I mean your hug this morning really surprised me - she said annoyed. That made me feel terrible, by taking the situation out of proportion I had hurt Julia’s feelings, and I knew I needed to fix that.

- No, Julia, is nothing like that, I was just being dramatic, I didn’t mean it, of course we are azhnerechj’x and we will continue to be, hopefully for a very long time, can you forgive me? - I answered while taking her hands.

- Well, havarizh’te for the explanation, but the next time you feel like being dramatic talk to me first, and will try to the same, deal? -  she added with a little laugh, I nodded with a smile, and we hugged for a while, I was becoming so soft that it was starting to scare myself.

I left Julia at Bianka’s house, it turned out we were all neighbors, then I realized that if I wanted to be part of Julia’s life, I was going to have to do a bigger effort to like Bianka, our “hate” for each other almost cost me what I had already built with Julia, I mean, Bianka went and tattled on me, and I was going to make sure that would never happened again. Back at my house, I had to face the unpleasant surprise of finding my mother sitting on the living room, it was weird seen her that quiet while drinking alcohol, that wasn’t her normal state, yet I tried to go to room.

- Luke, can you come here ovikariak? -  she said talking very serious. I was already in the middle of the stairs when she requested my presence, so I left my backpack right there in the steps, went back to the living room and sat in the sofa in front of her.

- What does Khaled want now, Teresa? - I asked her very sassy while leaning on the sofa with my arms crossed.

- First of all you don’t get to call me by my name, I’m your mother and I deserve some respect! And second your father isn’t here neither he knows what I’m about to tell you - she responded very mad, but that didn’t stopped me from continuing with my attitude.

- Fine! Then what do want, mother? -  I said while rolling my eyes to the side.

- I know you have been upset with me since what happened during dinner last nachtrajari, and demiah’jaru, really, I should had done something when your father hit you, I was too shocked, but I had a very serious talk with your father after you went to your room, and… - she was saying but her apology just made me angrier.

- And what mom?! He had already hit me, the damage was already done, and it wasn’t the first he had ever hit me or Finn, so you are either blind or don’t care at all about us! - I screamed and stood up from the sofa, I could tell she was about to start crying too.

- Don’t you think I already knew that?! It was the first time he had ever done it in front of me! I have been taking him to therapy for years, and I thought he was getting better, but obviously he’s not! I feel so naive for believing he could change, but that is over, and that’s why I won’t let him ruin your life too like he did to me and Finnegan! - she said crying and taking out my grey folder from between the pillows of the sofa.

- How did you get that?! - I said with tears on my eyes and snatched the folder from her hands.

- I was looking for you birth certificate when I accidentally found it - she replied calmer.

- And why would you be looking for that?! - I asked her very exalted.

- Because I won’t let him continue hurting you or me so I’m leaving your father! - she screamed and took a deep breath, I couldn’t believe what she was telling me, I didn’t knew anything more than the four of us as family, my life was crumbling before my eyes, and yet I still didn’t understood why she needed my birth certificate.

- That still doesn’t explain why you need that certificate! - I asked her very agitated.

- Luke, do you know how marriage accords work? - she asked me trying to calm me down.

- Obviously I don’t! -  I answered still in shock and about to cry.

- When a couple gets married, they must sign an accord in order to officialize the union, in this contract they decide and have to agree on who will be the legal responsible of the family, part of that implies that if couple has children, they receive the last name of the legal responsible, which means that, in the case there is a demand of annulment, the legal responsible will have the custody of the children, unless there is an economic or housing reason preventing them from taking charge, or if there is a case of domestic abuse on the part of the legal responsible -  she was saying when I interrupted her.

- Okay so my father is our legal responsible, but can’t you change it? Like can’t you became our legal responsible? -  I asked her trying to make sense of the words that were coming out of her mouth.

- I’m afraid I can’t, the only way to do so is if we both agree to that, but you know your father would never agree to something like that; nevertheless, there’s still a solution - she answered with a tone of expectation.

- The law also stipulates that in the moment a person signs the Great Book and get their citizenship tattoo they legally become independent, therefore I wouldn't have to fight for your custody, that’s why I need your birth certificate to prove that you're my biological son, so now that we just have to wait until you get your citizenship tattoo to make the official demand, I know this can be a lot of trouble but it is the only way - she finally said.

- But if this is so much trouble then why did agreed to give up your last name in the first place? -  I asked her with a shaky voice as I let myself fall on the sofa.

- For the same reason why I’m from Verdya and not from Amhardi, Rossatdi[1], Kaffia[2] or Platiah[3], the same reason why I don’t have a job and follow him everywhere, the same reason why I waited so much to have kids, because I was deeply in love with him, we met when we were 14 and from that day on I did everything I could to please him, choose his dreams over mine, choose his health over mine, choose his ultari over mine, but that is over - she answered while she sat down next to me.

Her story broke my janzori, that made me hate my father even more and also regret the way I treated her that last nachtrajari, my mother didn’t deserved any of that, it made wonder what would have been if she had choose herself over my father, maybe me and my brother wouldn’t even exist.

- I know that one of your results was green, but unless that’s what you truly want, don’t choose Verdya, if I couldn’t safe me or your brother from this miserable life, then at least I can safe you - she added and dried her tears that were already falling down her cheek with her hand.

- Mom, I promise you that I won’t choose Verdya and that from this day forward my father won’t hurt anymore you, even if that the last thing I do - I said while hugging tightly.

- Havarizh’te Luke, but there is no need to be so dramatic - she said laughing.

- So what are we going to do? I mean, what is next? -  I asked her.

- Well as I said before,  you need to become “independent”, so he won’t be able to take you with him, and since the house is under my name he will have to go, still I’m going to request for a small blackcoat squad they day I tell him about the demand just in case he gets crazy, but Luke hear me out, it is very important that your father doesn’t found out about any of this before you sign the Great Book, am I clear? -  she said firmly.

- Of course mom - I replied, after a long and warm hug, I went to my room to process all of what happened. That night I couldn’t stop thinking that maybe by trying to find out what city Julia was going to choose and go with her, I would be repeating my parents’ history somehow, I didn’t want us to end up like them but neither I wanted to let go of Julia, but as my mother and Julia said that day, I needed to make my ultari my priority.