"Is Darian coming over tonight?" I asked my 18 year old daughter.
"Yea, he'll be here around 7." She said as she walked from the bathroom back to her bedroom. "He's gonna help me clean my room.
It had been 3 days since I'd asked her to clean it. The floor, littered with dirty and clean clothes and random dishes, was borderline hazardous to walk through. But, if she wanted to leave the house, she had to clean it. Hence, Darian's arrival at 7.
She was smart, witty, driven and lit up a room when she entered it. She had that intangible 'something' that people label charisma. After graduation, she asked if she could take some time off, not start college right away. I thought it was a good idea.
"Work and save your money for college. Avoid the student loans if you can."
She'd agreed and that was that.
On her days off, streams of young people entered our home. Jack, who works full-time at chick-fil-a. Then there's Pat, who pops in unannounced and begins telling me about her recent dramatic event.
"I cut all my hair off. You like it?"
"I love it Pat! It's very cute on you."
"Well, my mom hates it! I'm banned from Angel's house now. Cause she cut it for me. My mom says it makes me look like a lesbian. And that's NOT OKAY with her."
"I think it suits you Pat. You've got amazing curls." I reached over to touch them and she smiled.
Lilly walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Pat! When did you get here?"
"I've been here a minute. I'm talking to your mom."
"Come to my room, I wanna show you the new video. We are going to learn the dance today. And Darian's going to do our photo shoot!"
"After you clean your room!" I shout as she and Pat walk down the hall.
The next day
Lilly and I are putting away clean dishes and chatting.
"You did it again Lilly. Your room looks great! How you manage to get people to help you.....every time...." I shook my head and opened the cabinet holding the glasses.
"Will you do the silverware please? You know how I hate that sound." She said, as she put away the plates.
"Yes, if you'll sweep the floor."
"Deal."
She finished sweeping and walked into the living room where I was curled up on the sofa watching Law and Order.
"I love Pat's new haircut. I can't believe her mom banned her from Angel's house." I said, sliding over making room for Lilly.
"You know her mom hates it that Pat's gay, don't you? She's a super Christian."
"Well, that's just so sad."
"I can't wait for you to see the photos Damian took. They are really good! We did night time shots."
"He's such an artist! I hope he gets into SCAD."
Lilly's phone beeped and she hopped up and headed to her room.
"Thanks for being the gay safe house mom." She said just before her bedroom door closed.
"What?" I snapped my head around.
"Yea, you know that all my gay friends come over here because they can be themselves. Darian, Jack, Pat, Dora, Laura, Renna." She stood outside her room.
"Oh, that's great! Thanks for telling me." I grinned and I wiped away a tear.
I'd always wanted to have the house where kids felt loved and accepted. I wanted to be the mom that fed every kid in the neighborhood peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The safe house. Yep. that's what I'd wanted for my life. Without realizing it, I'd achieved my goal.
"Yea, he'll be here around 7." She said as she walked from the bathroom back to her bedroom. "He's gonna help me clean my room.
It had been 3 days since I'd asked her to clean it. The floor, littered with dirty and clean clothes and random dishes, was borderline hazardous to walk through. But, if she wanted to leave the house, she had to clean it. Hence, Darian's arrival at 7.
She was smart, witty, driven and lit up a room when she entered it. She had that intangible 'something' that people label charisma. After graduation, she asked if she could take some time off, not start college right away. I thought it was a good idea.
"Work and save your money for college. Avoid the student loans if you can."
She'd agreed and that was that.
On her days off, streams of young people entered our home. Jack, who works full-time at chick-fil-a. Then there's Pat, who pops in unannounced and begins telling me about her recent dramatic event.
"I cut all my hair off. You like it?"
"I love it Pat! It's very cute on you."
"Well, my mom hates it! I'm banned from Angel's house now. Cause she cut it for me. My mom says it makes me look like a lesbian. And that's NOT OKAY with her."
"I think it suits you Pat. You've got amazing curls." I reached over to touch them and she smiled.
Lilly walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Pat! When did you get here?"
"I've been here a minute. I'm talking to your mom."
"Come to my room, I wanna show you the new video. We are going to learn the dance today. And Darian's going to do our photo shoot!"
"After you clean your room!" I shout as she and Pat walk down the hall.
The next day
Lilly and I are putting away clean dishes and chatting.
"You did it again Lilly. Your room looks great! How you manage to get people to help you.....every time...." I shook my head and opened the cabinet holding the glasses.
"Will you do the silverware please? You know how I hate that sound." She said, as she put away the plates.
"Yes, if you'll sweep the floor."
"Deal."
She finished sweeping and walked into the living room where I was curled up on the sofa watching Law and Order.
"I love Pat's new haircut. I can't believe her mom banned her from Angel's house." I said, sliding over making room for Lilly.
"You know her mom hates it that Pat's gay, don't you? She's a super Christian."
"Well, that's just so sad."
"I can't wait for you to see the photos Damian took. They are really good! We did night time shots."
"He's such an artist! I hope he gets into SCAD."
Lilly's phone beeped and she hopped up and headed to her room.
"Thanks for being the gay safe house mom." She said just before her bedroom door closed.
"What?" I snapped my head around.
"Yea, you know that all my gay friends come over here because they can be themselves. Darian, Jack, Pat, Dora, Laura, Renna." She stood outside her room.
"Oh, that's great! Thanks for telling me." I grinned and I wiped away a tear.
I'd always wanted to have the house where kids felt loved and accepted. I wanted to be the mom that fed every kid in the neighborhood peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The safe house. Yep. that's what I'd wanted for my life. Without realizing it, I'd achieved my goal.
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