My name is Annette Raleigh. I was born Annette Ann Stevenson. I am, at present, 35 years old, married to Alan Raleigh, 39, with one son, Benjamin and a step son.
I
was born and raised in Upper Manhattan, the youngest of 6 children in
a very devout Catholic family. I spent my formative years in
Catholic schools, where I privately rebelled by smoking cigarettes
behind the gym and occasionally drinking with friends on Friday
night. But, mainly I was a good girl and these bad girl moments were
few and far between, mostly I towed the line, afraid of stirring up
the water or more likely my father's abuse. I was raised primarily
watching my mother submit to my father's undermining, masochistic
behavior and was determined to not allow myself to go down that path,
while being groomed in the appropriate behavior for a woman in
today's society.
I
went to college and studied business and finance, determined to be an
independent businesswoman and break free from the path of the rest of
the women in my family. But, along the way, I discovered boys,
having gone to an all-girls school all my life, and started dating
frequently, with a variety of guys. It was then that I met Alan, who
was a first year law student at the college I attended. I was a
senior about to graduate.
Alan
was older than I by four years, putting him at 28 and me at 24 when
we met. I was overwhelmed by his charm and sense of humor, the
twinkle in his blue eyes melted my heart. He had been briefly
married before, while in college, now divorced, and with a child from
that marriage. We started dating, fell in love, and then...oops, I
found myself pregnant. Since our plan was already to get married, we
were forced to bring that on faster due to the request of my devout
parents...a child out of wedlock, no way! Due to this, I developed a
keen sense of the appropriate, more than ever before, and the need to
hide my true self.
Eight
months after my marriage, I gave birth to our only child, a son named
Benjamin after my husband's late grandfather. It was a difficult
pregnancy for me and thus was warned about the dangers of having
another one. Due to this, I became rather over-protective of my son
and perhaps coddled him a bit too much.
While
Alan finished graduate school and all that entailed, I was the main
bread winner working at a local bank specifically focusing in wealth
management, but once he graduated and got a job at a local law firm,
quickly rising in the ranks at the office, I gave up my job, due to
Alan's insistence and my parents dominance, and became a stay at home
mom. I accepted this, secretly begrudgingly, telling myself I would
go back to work in a few years when Benjamin was older. We fell into
a pattern, acceptable wealthy family roles, to keep up the
appearances while on the inside things were quickly corroding. At
least, I had my son.
When
Benjamin comes home one day, in tears, and tell me of his assault, I
am at once horrified and shocked. I didn't raise my son for that,
but upon hearing his eleven year old reasoning, I start to regain my
position of defending him, at all cost. As we head over to address
the situation with the other boy's parents, I see this as my last
chance to really engage Alan in the parenting of our child and thus
save our marriage.
At
first glance, I am terrified of the impending situation and of
meeting the Novaks and struggle to maintain the appearance of happy
successful thriving family and, more importantly, that of a devoted
mother. But, with the rapid fire of assault by Veronica and,
partially, by Michael, coupled by, once again, Alan's lack of
presence in the situation, brings about my exterior cracks as years
of restraining my true self and feelings start to come forth.
With
the fact, that my marriage may be ending, I realize that all I have
left is my dignity as a woman and mother and that of my child, my
Benjamin.
Find out what happens October 3rd at 8 pm, opening night of Thanks for the Memories production of "God of Carnage". The show runs through October 19th, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 pm and a Sunday matinee at 2 pm. The show is written by Yasmina Reza. This production is directed by Obed Medina.
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