Josefina is a Mexican woman in her late twenties who is stuck in the grief of losing her sister V. The scene opens with her preparing for the typical Sunday dinner, but this Sunday is different. Her niece Isabella is visiting, and she is making her favorite traditional Mexican dishes. One in particular connects Isabella to her late mother. Josefina tells the story of what it was like to grow up with a little sister that was only twelve months behind her. Their relationship almost felt like they were twins. But when V became a teenager, their lives went in different directions. She began to change, and unfortunately as some relationships would have it theirs began to fall apart. But it is when V returns home and shares with the family that she is pregnant that she begins to get her life back on track. Unfortunately, shortly after the birth of her daughter Isabella, V goes missing, never to be seen alive again. This is a story that deals heavily with the concept of femicide in Mexico. Josefina will not rest until she finds her sister, but is she truly ready for the consequences of what that reality will look like in the moment and moving forward? The loving story of the endless time that a sister is willing to commit in order to make sure that her sister in some way shape or form returns home. A heartbreaking situation that makes you wonder how important is the presence of women in the world today? Or are they being ignored when they disappear from existence?
*Character must be Latinx and does speak Spanish throughout.
For Isabella
(Josefina, a Mexican woman stands in her kitchen. She seemingly dances around the room grabbing ingredients, a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, stirs and then tastes. It’s missing something. She thinks for a moment, smiles then begins to speak.)
Today is Domingo. (She looks at the audience and laughs) It’s Sunday. (Smiles) We have been home from Mass for a few hours. My husband and my daughter are upstairs (She turns her head to listen) playing some video game that she loves, and he hates (laughs) and soon it will be time for Sunday dinner. (She turns behind her and presents the meal) growing up in Mexico if there is one thing that we could count on it was Mass on Sunday, if not a couple of other days during the week. (laughs) But in addition to Mass the family knew that on Sunday we were having dinner as a family. And I mean the entire family, everyone who had our last name or our last name adjacent all came to my mother's house at the end of the street on Sunday for dinner. But the real treat of family dinner in addition to all of my cousins being there and being able to go outside and get covered in sweat and dust from playing soccer or dodgeball and just running up and down the street, the biggest treat was the actual meal. (Beat) But today is special, today is different. Today I am making dinner for my family but also for my niece Isabella. She has been living in the United States and the last time we spoke on the phone she told me, “Nosotras temenos pizza Mexicana, nachos mexicanos, chile mexicano.” (Huge laugh) I had to tell her that tostadas, chilaquiles, and mole are not traditionally found at the fast food drive through in America. (Smiles) I told her, “Mexican pizza, nachos, and chili, absolutely not! (smiles) I just don’t want her to forget us, so today I will remind her of who we are and who she is. And I will make sure to talk about her mother. Her mother was special. Her mother loved her very much.