If

Tomas

"A- And h-how do you feel about that?" Tomas asked not really knowing how to react.

"I've known for a while but mom finally told me this week." Judah said with that unreadable expression he most definitely inherited from Janet.

"Do you like this new boyfriend of hers?" Tomas asked knowing he was completely out of his depth.

"JD's cool and all but sometimes he tries too hard." Judah said.

"She's dating Jermaine!?" Tomas asked to no one in particular. "She's way out of his league." He muttered under his breath.

"He is not her husband so I'm not worried." Judah said with certainty. "You are. You just need to talk to mom and fix things. You say you're sorry, she says she's sorry and then we'll finally be a family again."

"Jude…" Tomas looked for the right words to say but failed to find them. Somehow Judah got convinced that his parents where meant to be and refused to accept that their marriage was over.

Two years ago:

There are boxes lying around all over the house, all of the boxes have in common the 'Tomas's Stuff' scribbled in front of them. When Janet goes into the living room she sees Judah taking out stuff from inside the boxes. There are books and CD's lying all over the floor.

"Judah, what are you doing?" Janet asked confused. Tomas and her have been fighting more often than its normal these past few months and after the last fight when things almost got physical and Judah saw part of the fight they decided to call it quits. Tomas was moving back to San Diego and Janet was staying here in LA. Judah was yet to come to terms with his parent's decision.

"I'm putting dad's stuff back." Judah said as he continued hard at work. "He's gonna want them there when he comes back."

"Judah, dear, we talked about this remember?" Janet said squatting down to be at eye level with her son.

"But you guys fight all the time, you just have to say you're sorry for kicking him out and then he'll come back us." Judah said it like it was the easiest thing on the world. Like saying sorry could fix a broken marriage.

"It's not that easy, dear." Janet said stroking Judah's cheek.

"But she's your Princess Charming, you have to stay together, you have to." Judah insisted. "Please."

"Its over Jude, Tomas is not coming back." Janet admitted to her son and to herself for the first time.

"But I love him!" Judah cried out loud. "I love him."

"I know." Janet said holing onto the sobbing boy. "I know you love her, I love her too." Even though her eyes betrayed her, she tried to stay strong for the boy whose whole world was coming apart.

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On Sunday's late afternoon Tomas and Judah from San Diego to Los Angeles singing songs on the radio at the top of their lungs, in between songs they stuffed their mouths with junk food bought at a gas station. This is behavior that Janet would not approve of but it was their little secret.

Janet ran to the door the moment she heard the loud rhythmic knock. There are only two people in this world that would knock like that. =

"Here I bring you Sir Judah safe and sound." Tomas said his hands resting on Judah's shoulder.

"Hi, ma." Judah said giving Janet a small hug. "I found my DS, it was at dad's, I'm going to go find my charger." He said as he ran up the stairs.

"JUDAH! What have I told you about running in the house?" Janet called after Judah.