Christmas Eve 1989
Six-year-old Stella sat at the small blue table in her room, making a paper snowflake. When she opened the beautifully crafted snowflake, she rushed to the living room where Maureen was in."Mommy, look!", she called. Maureen shushed her and held up her index finger, meaning "in a minute". "How's the digital delay?", Maureen asked Joanne on the phone,"...I need to know.. Look, just tell me...Well, that's it. I'll just call Mark". "Look, Mommy" Stella whispered, holding up the paper snowflake. "That's pretty, baby" Maureen replied quietly, "Honey, just relax. I'm calling him. I got to go. Love you".
Maureen hung up and began to call Mark. Stella adjusted her pink glasses and sat on the couch, watching her mother pace around the living room. "Hey, Mark, I was wondering if you could help out with our equipment this week" she told him, "Ok, thanks". Maureen sighed as soon as she hung up. She looked at Stella. "I'm sorry sweetie" she said, "me and Mama have been really busy with the protest".
"What's protest?"
"Protest means speaking up or fighting for what you believe in" Maureen replied,"We're protesting because Benny is planning on kicking the homeless people off of Avenue B"
"Why?"
"Benny's a jerk and he wants to build his stupid arts studio".
Stella has never been fond with Benny since she was adopted. "That's why it's important that we fight to keep the homeless in that area" she explained. "Is this for me?" Maureen asked about Stella's snowflake. "Yes" Stella said. Maureen hugged her daughter. "I love it. It's beautiful" she said, "Are you going to make one for Mama?". Stella nodded her head.
"Well, how about we hang both of them up on the fridge so Mama can see them?"
"Ok!" Stella said, "Wait, we still need to leave milk and cookies for Santa"
"Well, I can do that while you get ready for bed"
Stella agreed and went to her room to get her night clothes. "And brush the back of your teeth!" Maureen called to her.
The special thing about Stella was that she adored art. She'd often bring home paintings,drawings, and crafted art pieces home to show her mothers and hang either in her room or the refrigerator.
Maureen hung Stella's snowflakes on the refrigerator while she got ready for bed like she was told.
Later, Joanne came in the apartment and found it silent. "Maureen!" she called before taking off her coat. She walked into Stella's room and found Maureen sleeping in bed with their daughter. Joanne smiled at the sight and closed the door, leaving her wife and daughter to sleep through Christmas night together.