Mother & Son

[Year X442 - Norma]

Weisz's eighteenth birthday had finally arrived. Irma got up early, her heart heavy, but determined to make it a special day for her son. Despite the crisis they were going through, she knew that turning eighteen was a big milestone. It was the moment Weisz would officially become an adult, and she wanted him to feel her love, even if times were too hard. And her son's coming of age was especially worrying, since he was still a small-time scoundrel running around Norma.

She spent the morning in the kitchen, her hands in flour, the smell of vanilla filling the air. As she baked the cake, she thought about all the times she had celebrated Weisz's birthdays when he was younger. She remembered the laughter, the colorful balloons, and the carefully chosen gifts. But now, their relationship was strained, and she wondered if that gesture was enough to heal a small part of the wounds. She just wanted her son back for a few minutes.

Patiently, she decorated the cake with custard and fresh strawberries. She knew her son loved sweets, and she hoped that a simple gesture would move his heart a little. When the cake was ready, she put it in a decorated cardboard box and placed it on the kitchen table, ready for when her son came home.

The afternoon passed slowly, and Irma felt nervous. She hadn't seen him since the morning, when a group of thugs had picked him up in a rickety car. And he hadn't answered any of her calls or texts. When the door finally opened and Weisz walked in, his eyes were still full of rebellion. "Hi," he said grumpily, avoiding her eyes and trying to run away from her.

"Hi, Weisz. Happy birthday," Irma said, trying to hide her anxiety. "I made something for you." With a gentle gesture, she lifted the box with the cake and showed it to her.

The blond boy paused, his expression of surprise quickly blending with a mask of indifference. "You shouldn't have," he muttered, but his mother noticed a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"I know, but I thought you might like it," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "You're eighteen. That's a big milestone."

After a moment's hesitation, Weisz approached the cake and looked at it carefully. His gaze softened when he took in the bright colors and the care with which it had been decorated. "It's... beautiful," he admitted, though he tried not to show too much enthusiasm.

"Want to try it?" Irma asked, feeling a spark of hope. "I can serve you a slice."

The boy nodded slowly, and as the woman cut the cake, he felt a sort of awkwardness between them. But, for the first time in a while, there was also a sense of normalcy. When the slice was ready, she handed it to him, and with an awkward gesture, Weisz took it and bit into it.

Her eyes lit up. "It's really good," she said, and for a moment, her face relaxed into a genuine smile. Irma felt her heart beat faster. The simple approval meant the world to her.

"Thank you, Mom," Weisz added, a little more sincerely. "I shouldn't have been so harsh lately."

The blonde woman felt relieved, and in that moment, she realized that despite the difficulties, there was still a bond between them. "We all make mistakes, Weisz. The important thing is that there is always room to start over."

The boy nodded, his smile now a little wider as he continued to eat the cake. "You're right," he said, thinking about his mother's words.

That evening, sitting together in the kitchen, with cake crumbs scattered on the table and the smell of sweets filling the air, Irma and Weisz began to rebuild their bond, one bite of cake at a time.

---

"Nobody move."

A snub nose revolver, well aimed, a suitcase tightly clutched in one hand and a very serious look on her face. Two guys, a black-haired boy and a blonde girl of the same age along with a strange blue cat had entered his garage.