September 28,1876. 20:30 at the Old French Opera House
The First Opera House in the United States
Built in 1859, the Frenh Opera House was the cultural center of New Orleans society and
the first opera house in the United States.
Okay Judith, just breathe, remember that you've been practicing during 3 weeks, everything it's going to be all right, just... BREATHE , I told to myself that every time that I have to sing in front of a lot of people.
Tonight is the show of all the activities of the prestigious New Orleans high school
And as I am in the activity of singing , I have to sing, -your turn-, says the lady that's next to me, wait what ?, I'm the next one !!,- go now-, the lady says again but now with an irritating tone, I decided to obey her and I go to the stage , all the lights are blinding me and I can't see anything , when the music starts, I freezed, “come on Judith, sing” my conscience tells me but I just can't move my lips, I.... I can't breathe, suddenly everything is black, and I started feeling as light as a leaf and I feel how my body touch the cold floor and the voices that were around me disappear, while my soul is falling down in an endless hole.
(Judith)
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Beautiful Young Lady from the Late 1800's and One from Jane Austen Era
September 29, 1876, 9:30 , Hospital of New Orleans
1736: CHARITY HOSPITAL AMBULANCE SERVICE, NEW ORLEANS
I'm starting to wake up, but my body hurts as hell, and there's an annoying noise as if I were in a Hospital," it's because you are in a hospital dumb", again my conscience ,suddenly the memories of last night appear and it’s when finally I can open my eyes, the first thing that I notice is the white room and my mother staring at me with a sad look in her face and my dad standing behind her trying to calm her down. "Since when ?" My mom says, okay sincerely that wasn't the kind of question that I was expecting,-" well, thanks for asking mom I'm really good, I mean, if you don't take into account that I…-"STOP Judith this is not funny, answer me and tell me ,since when ?”-, I didn't understand what she was talking about, "are you sure you don't know ?", you shut up, but is it possible that she knew, I earn the courage that I need and I say ,-”mom I don't understand what are you asking me so why don't you calm down and tell me what do you mean when you say, since when ?”-, something in my mom's look change and she says-" since when you started consuming drugs?"- crap!! How does she knows? -"ANSWER ME JUDITH!!!!"-, -" I don't know what to say mom"-, that was true I didn't know how to explain her that I have problems with myself, that I'm not the girl that she thinks I am, that I lived with the constant feeling of abscence, like if something in my life was missing, after a few seconds of complete silence my dad look at me, and with just that look he begged me to tell my mom the truth,-"Mom"-, I caught her attention, -" I ..."- the words can't get out of my mouth and my eyes started to see fuzzy, because of the tears that I don't want to drop , and the only thing that I say is -" I'm sorry mom, I'm really really sorry, but since 6 months ago I started feeling depressed, sad ,like if there's something missing in my life, and without that one thing I'm not complete"-
When I finished my parents look at each other, -" I think that now is the right moment for telling her"-my dad says to my mom, "telling me what ?", my mom just nodded as an answer, -" Judith before I start I want you to know that your mother and I love you so much and that if we did the things that we did is because we love you"-, -" Dad you are scaring me, what do you need to tell me"-. My dad continue without saying anything and my mind started thinking the worst but my thoughts are stop when my dad says -" Judith, a long time ago when your mother and I were recently married we were looking for having a baby, but we didn't have so much luck so we went to look for some answers, once we found them this ones weren’t so good. the doctor told to your mom that, she couldn't have kids, your mother and I were so heartbroken that all our hopes of having a family were completely dead, till one day, a young girl knocked our door begging for help, she was pregnant and bleeding, immediately we took her to a hospital and once we were sure that she was in good hands we left. The next morning the hospital called us and asked us to come to the hospital that it was something important and, they couldn't tell us that by phone, at first we thought that maybe the girl wanted to talk with us but when we arrived to the hospital, we received a surprised when the nurse took us to see our “baby”, your mother got so angry and thought that this was a joke so she decided to go to talk with the doctor, what the doctor said was that the young woman put our names as the tutors of one of the babies, at first we didn’t understand why he said babies when in the baby cot was just one baby, later the doctor explained us that the woman ,had twins ,and she decided to just take care of one, because she didn’t have enough money for taking care of both of her daughters. we agreed to take care of the baby which name was… Judith, yes sweetheart you are adopted”- I didn’t want to believe what he was saying, I am adopted, and I have a TWIN!!, this was so confusing and I started feeling angry and disappointed,-”why you didn’t tell me, why you hide this from me?”-, I can hear how my mom is trying to explain me their reasons of hide this from me, but I don’t pay attention to her, I have a sister, I have a god damn sister!!!, “okay Judith we all know that part of the story, get over it ”, Go I said, and my parents look at me begging for forgiveness, but I continue telling them to go, finally after 10 minutes they go, leaving me alone with the doubt of ,how my sister is? and how does she look? why they hide this from me?.
October 5, 1876, 10:30 ,New Orleans, Judith’s House
A famous historic house, a New Orleans mansion, previously the home of author Anne Rice, was for sale.
It’s being a week since my accident, one week since my parents found out about my little drug problem, and one week since I discovered that I’m actually adopted,”what a nice week”, since that day I haven’t talked with my parents, we don’t get along together we barely speak to each other, well.. I barely talk to them, but today is a great day because I’ll tell them that I’m going to leave for a couple of days because I want to find my sister and my biological mother, when we are eating the breakfast I say, -” I’m leaving for a couple of days”-, my dad freezed and look at me with wide eyes,-” You are not leaving-” he said with a cold tone, -”I’m not asking for your permission , I’m just letting you know that I’ll leave”- I answer with an angry expression,-”I’m your father Judith so I said.. -”Are you ?-” I interrupt him, -”what?”- he says, -” I said, Are you my father ?”-, -”JUDITH!!”- My mom scream with a frightened face, -”what? It’s true you are not even my real parents so as you don’t want to help I’m going to tell you this, tomorrow I’ll leave with or without your permission, UNDERSTOOD ?”- I can’t believe the things that I said, but I just couldn’t contain myself, I feel so angry and disappointed of them , that everything they do or say pissed me off, I stand up from my chair and I go to my room and I slammed the door as hard as I can.
October 6, 1876, 6:30 , New Orleans dock
The levee, New Orleans
I’m on the riverboat I’m on my way to Missouri, and why to Missouri you might be thinking?, well, In the last week I talked to some of the nurses of the hospital where I was born and they gave me the name of my biological mother,” Elizabeth Vanderbil ”, and her address, according to that she is living in Missouri with my sister, I just hope that she still living there, otherwise I'm completely lost.
Built: circa 1855. Type: Sidewheel, wooden hull packet. Size: Unknown except for Harpers Weekly illustration.
On July 16, 1863, the steamboat IMPERIAL arrived in New Orleans from St. Louis, marking the opening of the Mississippi River in the closing stages of the Civil War, following the cessation of river traffic in 1861.
, when the riverboat finally moves in the long Mississippi river, one guy sit down next to me, I don’t pay attention to him, but he turns to me and says, -” I’m Henry, Henry Miles”- and extends his hand to me, I take his hand and say, -” I’m Judith, Judith Vinson-”, -” So, tell me Judith what are you doing here? I mean, In this boats is weird to see a pretty girl like you alone”- he says, and I try not to blush , because of his nice comment and I answer instead ,-” the answer of your question is easy, I’m looking for my mom and my sister”-, -”nice, so you are here looking.. wait, are looking for your mom? are you an orphan ??”-, somehow his comment makes laugh, -” No Henry, I’m not an orphan it’s just that”-,I sight,-” it’s complicated”-, I finish my sentence,-" well try me"-, he insists, and I end up telling him all my story, till we arrive to the Missouri’s dock.
When we are getting out to the boat I say goodbye to Henry, and I continue my way to my mother’s house, but as I continue walking I realize that Henry is following me,-” I thought you said, that you were going to take another riverboat for visiting your grandma”-, -”I changed my mind, and before you start asking why let me tell you, that it’s because I will help you to find your mother”-, God what is wrong with this guy?, he is definitely not coming with me, -” I don’t accept a no for an answer “-,he says like if he can read my mind, I look at him like trying to tell him that he is not coming but he doesn’t get it so I end up accepting his offer of helping me.
(Henry)
Unknown solider in a pendant, 1861-1865. Library of Congress.
We keep walking, till we finally arrive to my “mother’s house”, and when I’m about to knock the door, with my heart beating fast, the door opens, and let to my eyes see my own reflection,” My sister”, she is just like me except because she has her hair short and I have it long, -”you!”- we both say and suddenly I can feel her arms hugging me, “She knew about my existence, and I didn’t??”, -” I can’t believe that you are here, my mom thought that this day wouldn’t come but I told her that maybe one day you would be in front of me, and guess what ?? that day has finally come, but please come inside our mother would be so happy to know the good news”- I enter to the house with a knot in my stomach, my hands are sweating, and I feel like if I were about to faint, but somehow the fact that Henry is here makes me feel a little better with the situation.
My sister guide us to the living room, I sit down and Henry is next to me, -”Wait here”-, my sister says, I can’t speak so I just nodded.
-” Relax Judith, everything is going to be fine”- Henry says, but I can’t answer to him, I can’t move, after a couple of minutes a woman comes down and once she looks at me she starts crying, I don’t know what to do, should I hug her ? or should I tell her that everything is fine that I’m not angry with her, that I forgive her?, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?, the woman starts walking straight to me and when we are face to face she hugs me and whisper in my ear-” my baby, my beautiful baby, I thought I would never see you again?, I can’t believe that you are here”-, I don’t know for how long she is hugging me, but I know I feel comfortable in her arms when we end up with our hug we both sit down and I ask her, -” why you gave me in adoption?”- , I can’t hide the pain on my voice and she notices it, because she cries one more time, -” well, as you may know I was a teenager when I had both of you girls, and I was alone and so scared that I didn’t know what to do, and when you were born and the doctors told me that you were twins, I got even more scared, I didn’t want to leave you on your own, because I was scared that you end up in hands of mean people, but I also didn’t have the enough money for taking care of both, so I decided to leave one of you in the hands of the marriage that helped me that night when I was dying”-, When she end up, I was done a complete waterfall I was crying so much that I thought I would dry, -” Let’s stop crying sweety, and tell me what’s your name?, because I bet it’s not the same name that I put you “- my mom said, -” I’m Judith”- I said and my mother smile, -”well, I guess they left you the name that I chose”-, I try to make a smile but I end up doing a grim, -” well let me introduce you to your sister ,Sara”-, So that’s her name, Sara, I look at her and we shared a nice smile.
The rest of the day we spend it talking about me, about my parents, my house, my school, even about Henry, MY PARENTS!!, I guess that know I should talk to them, I excuse with my mom and I go to the kitchen for talking to my parents, when I call I wait 3 ring and after that I hear my mom’s voice,-”Judith?”-, -”I’m sorry mom, please forgive me for being such a bad daughter with you and my dad, I didn’t mean to hurt you, I was just impressed about the news, but please mom forgive me “- I beg -” Baby, you don’t have nothing to forgive, it was also our fault for hide you during all this years the truth we.. we are really sorry, but tell me how are you ? are you coming back soon?”- she says, -” I’m fine mom, and good news I found her,I mean, my biological mother, maybe I’ll stay here for a week, and I promise that after that I’ll be back, for telling you and dad everything”-, I tell her with excitement but she just answers me with a cold “- OKay baby have fun, I got to leave you, bye “- and then she calls off, so I decided to return to the living room and continue talking with my mom, Sara and Henry.
October 13 , 1876, 10:30 , Elizabeth’s House
Vernacular Architecture in
Rural and Small Town Missouri:
The original house was built in the 1840s. In 1906, Sandison’s
colleague, Moberly architect N.N. Meredith
Today I’m saying, goodbye to my mother and to Sara, But with the promise that I’ll be back with my parents for introduce them, Henry is talking to my mom while I’m saying goodbye to Sara, -” do you have to leave?”- Sara tells me with that dog’s face that she does when she wants to persuade someone,-” We already talked about this I need to return with my parents, I missed them”- I say to Sara, -” I know, I know, is just that I don’t want to let you go”-she says, -”I’ll promise I’ll be back”_-after saying that I hug her for a while and then I go with my mother for saying goodbye, finally Henry and I start walking to the dock, while we are walking we talk about, how much fun we had, and how lucky I was to find my mom, Once we are in the riverboat I fall asleep, with a big smile on my face.
-”Hey, lazy girl wake up, we are in New Orleans again”- I hear Henry’s voice but I don’t want to wake up I just want to continue sleeping, -” If you don’t wake up, I’m going to leave you here”-, he warns me, immediately I open my eyes and I start walking behind Henry, when we are on the dock, I ask him , -” So tell me Henry, what’s going to happen next?”-, he takes a couple of minutes before answering,-”Simple, you are going to take me to your house and we are going to keep in touch, deal ?, I laugh and answer with a loud Yes.
I knock the door 3 times, for then watch my dad standing in front of me, I say a shy -”Hi Dad”-, he laughs and says -”come here, Judith-”, and I hug him, with a huge smile on my face, -” I missed you so much dad”-, I whisper in his ear,-” I missed you too sweetheart”-, when I get rid of his arms , I introduce Henry to him, and while they are talking, I go straight to my mom, and I hug her so hard that I think I might be smothering her. the rest of the day I talk with my parents of how was my mother and my twin, and about the meeting that we will have in couple of weeks, Henry talks about how we met?, and how he helped me for finding my mom,when it’s midnight Henry says it’s time for him to leave I agree and I say goodbye to him.
when I return, my parents are staring at me with a smile, -” what ?”-, I say, -”Nothing it’s just that I’m happy for having you here”., my dad says, I give him a smile and say, -” Don’t worry dad everything, is back to the way it always was”-
September 28, 1882, 20:30 , Church of New Orleans
An Exhibition From the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Historical Archives Hellenic Center Fellowship Hall
Judith Breathe, today is the great day, relax, okay everything is going to be fine,” sure, fine, as the last time that you said that”, be quiet conscience and stop bothering the bride,-” You look gorgeous”- both of my mothers say, -” I’m so nervous”- I say to them, -”2 minutes for starting”-, Sara says, holy crap, I’m about to get married,”noooo? Seriously “, come on shut up and leave me alone, stupid conscience,-” You have to go now”- Sara says, she look so beautiful as my maid of honor, and when I start walking at the end of the church hall ,I see Henry, my future husband,”Breathe Judith, Breathe” I tell to myself.
The end
