Killer Queen

17.

Julia's POV

"Who is she?" My mom's voice followed me up the stairs, the weight of her question sinking into my tired mind. "Who is she?"

I stopped halfway up, clutching the railing for support. Turning to face her, I saw the concern etched on her face. She held the twins close, her eyes searching mine for answers.

"Who is who?" I asked, feigning ignorance, but we both knew exactly who she meant."The woman. The one Marquez is with," she said softly, not wanting to upset the twins.

I sighed, the exhaustion of the past few weeks catching up. "Her name is Thelma."

"And what is she to him?" My mother's voice was gentle but firm.

I hesitated, not wanting to delve into the messy dynamics of our lives, but I also knew my mother wouldn't drop it until she had some answers. "She's... someone he cares about. Someone who's become important to him right."

"And to you?" she asked, her eyes piercing my facade.

"She's... complicated," I admitted, feeling the weight of the word settle over me. "It's not her fault, Mom. She's just trying to survive, like the rest of us."

My mother nodded slowly, understanding more than I had said. "Come down after you've rested. We need to talk about this more."

I nodded, returning up the stairs, each step heavier than the last. Reaching the guest room, I collapsed onto the bed, the softness of the pillow offering a brief respite from the chaos of my thoughts.

As I drifted off to sleep, my mind lingered on Thelma and Marquez, on the tangled web of relationships and survival that bound us all together. Later, I would have to face it all again, but for now, I let the darkness of sleep take over, offering a temporary escape from the storm of my reality.

~~~

When I woke up, the room was dim, the sun had set while I slept. I lay there for a moment, gathering my thoughts before reluctantly pulling myself out of bed. My body ached, but I knew I couldn't avoid the conversation with my mother any longer.

Descending the stairs, I found my mother in the living room, the twins asleep in a playpen nearby. She looked up as I entered, her expression a mix of concern and determination."Feeling better?" she asked, gesturing for me to sit beside her.

"A little," I replied, sitting down with a sigh. "Let's talk."

She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Julia, I've always respected your decisions, even when I didn't understand them. But this situation with Marquez and Thelma... it's dangerous, for you and the twins."

"I know, Mom," I said, my voice tinged with frustration. "But it's not that simple. Marquez is complicated, and Thelma... she's part of that complication. She's not just some other woman. She's... important to him."

"And to you?" she pressed.

I hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "She's a survivor, like me. She's doing what she has to do. I can't blame her for that."

My mother sighed, reaching out to take my hand. "I understand that. But you need to think about your future, Julia. And the future of your girls. Can you see a stable life with Marquez and all this chaos?"

Her words hit hard, but they were the truth. I had been so caught up in surviving day-to-day that I hadn't allowed myself to think long-term. Could I raise my daughters in this environment? Could I continue living in the shadow of Marquez's dangerous lifestyle?

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't have many options, Mom. I'm trapped."the

"You're never trapped, Julia," she said firmly. "There are always choices, even if they're hard ones. You just need to figure out what's best for you and the girls."