Dear Diary,

        After the events of today, I am quite certain that there is no recourse for me, but to end the tyranny the Captain has declared over Amber.

        As we entered the ballroom, my pride in Amber’s resolve was only matched by my love for her. I actually enjoyed seeing Captain Winter’s face turn red as his consternation and embarrassment grew. The majority of his so-called ‘high-society’ guests seemed somewhat shocked by us, but their tolerance for our relationship was, if not openly shown, at least evident in their resumption of small talk and dancing. I have no doubt, as two women of different races who were holding hands, dancing and kissing, we were upon most of their lips as their hushed conversations took fresh flight.

        It was not until I felt the stinging blow of the bastard’s cane upon my cheek that I realized he was not just upset, but monumentally irate, and his wrath was being delivered upon us both. I saw Amber reach up and place her hand upon her own cheek, which had gone bright red, and the confusion and fear I saw in her eyes, cemented my hatred for the animal who sired her.

        My face is still swollen, and the sight from my right eye is mostly comprised of my right cheek.

        I will NOT allow him to harm her further! I have obtained the laudanum from the apothecary and will, one way or another, see it delivered to his belly. I will watch the evil bastard die, though it condemn my soul to hell! My true love shall be free!

Helena Cooper,

October 18, 1887

[ ...excerpt from the diary of Ms. Helena Cooper. The diary was discovered by Amber Winters after Ms. Cooper's passing, from what has been established now as laudanum poisoning... ]

(c) 2017 - dustygrein

I am her mother. A girl needs her mother. No one can love her like her mother does. She needs me. 

I told the teenager watching my baby that her father knew I was coming to take her tonight – that it was planned. I had put on my best dress and touched up my makeup before coming to the door, and as long as I kept my eyes downcast and managed to stop my hands from shaking too badly she would have no reason to doubt me. I gave her all the crinkled bills I could find in my sweatshirt pocket and she didn’t even glance back as she left. 

Now it is just me and my baby. We are together again just like we were meant to be. She will fill the emptiness and I will get better. We will play with dolls and have tea parties and play princesses. No one can keep us apart. Everything is going to be okay.

******************************************************

She took her! My ex-wife came to my house and stole my sweet baby girl to take her God knows where. I called the police and tried to tell them as much as possible about the places she used to go and the people she may have reached out to, but as I drive around town looking for any sign of them I am terrified. I can’t help but think that this is my fault; that I gave that insane woman too many chances and now she is going to harm the most important person in my world and I don’t know how to stop her. 

It hurt when no amount of rehab or counseling made a difference; it burned when I found her cheating on me; it stung when I knew no amount of “I love you’s” could fix us; it broke my heart when our baby girl was born and I knew that I had to divorce the woman I thought was the love of my life in order to protect the precious gift that is my daughter. But this, this is going to kill me. 

It’s been nearly two years since we saw the woman last and I thought my sweet angel was safe. I was so wrong. I can’t ever forgive her for this. If anything happens to my baby girl the police had better find the woman first because I won’t be able to hold back, not anymore; never again. Hold on, sweetheart, Daddy's coming.