»I look disgusting,« Isabella muttered while staring at her naked self in the mirror.
She tilted her head to the side while her hands methodically wandered over the stretch-marks on her belly and thighs.
»I'm flabby and fat and ewww … just ewww«
She glared at herself before she turned her back towards the mirror.
»There are marks on my ass as well,« she said in astonishment.
»Isabella … darling … would you please stop body-shaming and belittling yourself?«, he asked her. In his arms he held their sweet little baby girl Noemi who they had brought home the day before.
»But Jo … dont you see just how disgusting I am? I look awful,« Isabella whined.
Jo sighed softly and stepped towards her. He held Noemi against his chest with one hand, while he gently caressed the stretch-marks on his wifes belly.
»Do you see these, darling?«
When Isabella nodded he smiled.
»These marks are a badge of honour. You carried our daughter in your body for 9 months. You nourished her, kept her safe and sound until it was time for her to be born. It was a battle for you. You went into this battle with so much dignity and strength and you made it out on the other side just as strong as you went in. So what if you bare those marks? They only show your inner strength and beauty. You are beautiful, my wife. You are a mother. And I heard that mothers are like tigers … they wear their stripes full of pride,« Jonathan said full of conviction and pride.
He loved those marks. He really thought they were an outward sign of a womans strength.
Isabella stared at him with wide eyes.
»You think so?«, she asked softly.
»Absolutely. I love those marks. They are your battle scars. Some people may say they mar your skin, but they are not disgusting and certainly not awful. As for the rest … it will go away with time. You just brought Noemi into this world. Your body is still recuperating from birth. Soon we can start with those exercises the doctor mentioned and you'll be back in fighting form soon enough,« he answered and gently kissed her.
Isabella smiled into the kiss.
»Okay … I … it may take time for me to believe it … but until then … maybe you can believe it for both of us?«, the young mother stuttered full of hesitation.
»Sure, my darling wife,« Jonathan murmured. »I'll tell you as often as you need it to believe it.«
»Great«
»Let's go to bed … who knows when the little princess will wake from her nap«
Isabella giggled and followed Jonathan into the bedroom. She looked into the mirror one last time and stuck out her tongue at her image before she turned off the light.