Isabelle Monologue

My dearest Isabelle, when you were born, I was thrilled, my very own daughter. Your hair, a bright gold and your eyes, such a clear, gorgeous blue. I had ambitions for you and me; I was going to teach you to be an independent woman who broke away from society’s norms. Every night from the day you were born I repeated my beloved phrase to you, “you will be strong, you will do anything you set your mind to, your future will be wonderful, you will be free!” Alas, your father never liked my ideas about your future, a women’s objective in life was to find a pleasant and wealthy husband.

On the Fifth morning after your birth I awoke feeling odd, you had not woken me with your cries, nor had your father demanded I attend to you, to “stop that awful

You were my only happiness. All day, every day I felt guilty for leaving you alone, the guilt ate me away making me feel empty inside. I was angry with myself for allowing your father to take you without putting up a fight. I imagined you alone calling out for me, sobbing for me to come and protect you, weeping for me, your mother. The pain inside my heart grew with each hour that passed. My rage began to increase, I loathed myself for not being there for you, for not being a proper mother. My days consisted of standing over your cradle, grieving, my beautiful Isabelle I could not cope with myself, your blankets became damp with tears. I wanted to leave, but without your father, I was nothing. He provided me with everything. Without him I would not survive, without him I would never have enough money to raise you. I began to loathe the words I once repeated to you, I was not strong, I could not do anything I set my mind to and I was not

I could not stand to think of anybody else being your mother. Your father too gleeful to understand my pain and caught up in his victory that he did not even notice that any love I had held for him was long gone. Abruptly a question began to form in my mind, why do I allow him to control me like this? I can be just as independent as any man. I do not need him, I can survive on my own. I can make a life for just me and you. I will be independent, I will do anything I put my mind to starting with leaving this house. I opened the door knowing that by now your father would have begun his daily work at the factory and felt my bones screaming for freedom, I put one foot firmly outside the house and shrilled “I am free!” and with that I walked away from the house, I walked away from your father, who was no longer my husband. I watched as the house became smaller and smaller the further I walked away. I had made up my mind, from now on it would only be me and you, I would never face your father again. You were my Isabelle, and my Isabelle will never be taken from me again. You are my daughter, you are my second half, and now you are my only love. You are my life, my world and I am coming to find you. I began to run, feeling the wind rush alongside me. The word freedom hanging from my