Enigmatic Love - Part 1

Once upon a time, somewhere in the 1830s, there was a young girl called Isabel. She was a seven year old and lived with her parents and one brother in the outskirts of Florence, the then capital of Italy. Her family originally belonged to the suburbs of America but had moved to Florence in search of work.

Isabel was a simple-looking girl who did not have any friend as there was no child of her age in that colony. Also, she was usually left ignored by her parents for some or the other reason. This made that little loner, create an imaginary friend, Taylor. She spent her time sitting in the veranda, playing with dolls, toys and Taylor. None of the other family members took much care of Isabel. Her mother was always busy doing the household work, her father worked in a small rug-making factory along with her brother who was six years elder to her.

Young Isabel

Isabel loved her fantasy land as she was not a loner in it. She had Taylor by her side. Whenever her parents scolded her for any kind of mischief, Taylor was the one who used to console and support her. She used to played with him, fought with him, had long talks with him and most of all, carved dreams with him. Over the years, Taylor became an important part of her life and she loved him, much!

Once, when she was fourteen years old, a family moved to their neighbourhood. Due to all the unrest caused by the liberal revolutions in the city, many people were displaced from their native places and took refuge in the outskirts of the city and so did their newly shifted neighbour. They had a sixteen year old son, Paolo. He was a handsome-looking boy having light brown hair and big eyes. The family was a decent Italian family and Paolo’s parents easily gelled with Isabel’s. But both Isabel and Paolo were a little reluctant in the beginning, to befriend each other. Isabel was not in a habit to talk to any other male and Paolo found Isabel beautiful but weird. They both used to get really awkward with each other.

Young Paolo

But as the time passed, the sheet of uneasiness between them began fading and they became good friends. Like all other love stories, the boy fell in love with the girl. Yes! Paolo, by the age of twenty, fell madly and deeply in love with Isabel. On the other hand Isabel still took him as her good friend. She was not absolutely sure of Paolo’s feelings but she had a hint that he loved her. She could tell this by the way he treated her and made her feel special in every possible way. She liked it too. Who would not like to be treated special, anyway? But she did not let him come very close due to her self-made boundaries. Even Paolo, at times, felt that there is a part of Isabel of which he is unaware.

Everything else was so typical and perfect. Their family members began thinking of their children’s marriage. Mothers indulged themselves in the art of planning the wedding and fathers got busy in discussing the dates and finance. But things were not meant to be this way, as far as Isabel’s life was concerned. And an unanticipated and unturned stone came to light, the day Paolo confessed his feelings to Isabel.

Read the next part here.