"Personally, I do not think it's a mother. I think it's a way of life that many women, I guess human women mostly, are taught." He actually looked a little sad, thinking of what his own mother had put up with. "My mother is a product of the old world, and she had a man that treated her ill, that beat her children. She was a good person, she never raised a violent hand towards anyone, but her love did nothing to change him even if she felt she was obligated to stay.

"When a woman and a man are both fucked up and just friends together, trying to be normal? That is a good life. When one is fixing the other? Being hero? That doesn't go very well. Maybe with other ladies you let yourself just be fucked up." Because, as stoic as Una seemed, she also seemed like a woman prone to mistakes and mistakes were awful things that could haunt for decades upon decades.

Though he tried to shake heavy thoughts of his mother. "Now, my aunt? Amazing person. Strong woman who would kick my shitty uncle out on his ass whenever he was shitty. She couldn't make him be a good person but she gave her all to make sure her children were safe." Including him. She had been an inspiration- sadly probably also one for many of the mistakes he had made.

"She couldn't leave him, because she was a good Catholic, but her babies? Always first priority."