The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 10)

The tenth installment in the Twelve Days of Stella, in which Stella finds a box. If you missed the previous installments, here are the links:

• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 1)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 2)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 3)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 4)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 5)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 6)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 7)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 8)
• The Twelve Days of Stella (Part 9)

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After searching the basement for twenty minutes, Stella finally found the boxes labeled MAYA. As she brushed off the layer of dust that had accumulated in the last nine years she wondered what treasures her father had packed away. The label on the first box read: MAYA—DRESSER. Her mom’s clothes and jewelry.

Stella started to drift into memories of playing dress-up in brightly colored dresses and costume jewelry, but pulled herself back into the moment. She was here with a purpose.

After setting aside the first three boxes, she found the one she wanted. MAYA—ART.

Hefting the box off the floor, Stella autoported upstairs into the dining room. She could hear Troy and Phoebe in the living room. Rather than venture into the kitchen for a knife, she neofactured one and sliced open the box.

She found a wealth of art supplies. Brushes tied up in a canvas pouch. Rags and sponges for texturing. A tackle box full of half-squeezed paint tubes, sketching pencils, gum erasers, and dozens of other tools.

It smelled like her mom.

The only thing not in the box was a blank canvas. Since she was not about to paint over one of her mom’s works, she neofactured one of those, as well.

Though it had been years since she attempted anything more artistic than an intricate hairstyle, as Stella laid the contents of the box across the table it felt like yesterday her mom had first taught her how to mix her own colors. Pulling the tubes of acrylic paint from the bottom of the tackle box, she paused when her hands brushed over a scrap of parchment.

Stella knew what it would say before she read it.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
—Vincent van Gogh

Her mother’s favorite quote.

She placed it next to the blank canvas, where it could inspire her as she sought the courage to attempt her first painting without her mother’s guidance.

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Tune in tomorrow for the next installment. [Part 11]

Hugs,
TLC