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"Honey, I'm back"...
Dana called out and nudged the front door shut with her foot, while simultaneously juggling the takeout food containers she had picked up on her way home.
"I brought dinner, hope you're hungry"
Dana put the containers down on the console, slid out of her coat and put it up on the hanger in the hallway.
"Stel?"
There was no response.
Dana continued on into the living room. She found her girlfriend huddled on the couch.
"Stel? What's wrong?"
She had not reacted at all to her voice or her presence. Her mind seemed to be miles away.
Silent tears were streaming down her face. Her eyes had a glazed, far away look and she was white as a sheet. That's when Dana noticed she was clutching a piece of paper to her heart.
Dana gently touched her arm, causing the blonde to jump slightly.
Stella? Hey,...love, what is it?
Please talk to me!
Stella slowly looked up at her, eyes red and swollen...
and when Dana sat down next to her on the couch wrapping her arm protectively around her girlfriend, Stella started sobbing all over again and fell completely apart in her arms.
Dana furrowed her brows in concern. She had never seen her like this. She held on to her until the sobs slowly subsided.
Stella looked back at the paper in her hands and tenderly ran her fingers over it.
What do you have there, honey?
Stella hesitated for a moment, then carefully unfolded the paper and handed it to Dana.
It was a child's drawing. It had a house, a sun in the corner...and in the middle of it, there were two people, a woman with long yellow hair and a girl with a brown ponytail holding hands.
Next to the figures was the outline of a pink heart and a kid's writing that said 'I love you mommy'
Dana's eyes grew large.
"Stel?"
"I'm sorry"...she brought out, her voice stricken with tears. "I'm sorry I haven't told you yet."
"Oh my god... Stel. That little girl...is she...are you...?"
Stella nodded as a fresh wave of tears rushed from her eyes.
"Her name was Amy.
Today would have been her birthday."
"Oh honey...I'm so sorry. What happened?"
"Car accident, some drunk bastard overlooked a red light and crashed full force into the side of our car. She didn't stand a chance. She was dead immediately."
Stella started sobbing again..."My poor baby"
Dana was crying now too.
"Oh my love, that's horrible. I'm so, so sorry."
"I can manage and push it to the back of my head most of the time but...God, I miss her. Especially on days like this.
I'm so afraid I will forget what she was like eventually."
"Why don't you tell me about her?
I'd like to know everything about Amy Gibson.
She sounds like a wonderful little girl."
"You're not angry?"
"Love, why would I be angry?
I can imagine how painful this must be, believe me"
"What do you mean?"
"I have a child too. I had to give him up for adoption back then because people were after us and his life was in danger. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. I miss him terribly. I know it's not the same but..."
"I had no idea."
"Come here"...Dana pulled Stella close once again and hugged her tight. She was so glad her girlfriend had allowed herself to be vulnerable around her.
Stella rested her head on Dana's chest and closed her eyes and soon felt her girlfriend gently stroking her hair.
Dana noticed Stella get calmer by the minute and eventually realized by the quiet rise and fall of her chest that her girlfriend had fallen asleep.
She placed a soft kiss on top of Stella's head and whispered
I love you...I love you so much!