Jumps up and yells Bravo! That is my chile she’s going to be a star! She claps the hardest and loudest. Tears of pride in her eyes, as she graciously thanks everyone who tell her how creative and inventive she is and how my costume stole the show. And we march over to Miss Collins, who is about as equally pissed off as little Sarah and Claire. And Mom said to her. “Miss Collins, I’ve always told Sharmaine, there are no small parts just small actors. And of course (beat) there are those with small minds that think little Black girls shouldn’t play the lead.” (She laughs.) And that was my mom always in the front row. Clapping the hardest and the loudest in my corner. Giving me the strength and the courage to fight for what I wanted. And I needed you. beat I still need you. (two beats) You wiping the tears for every audition I didn’t get. You told me I was beautiful when they told me I wasn’t White enough, didn’t act Black enough, not short enough, too fat, and too skinny. And every time I wanted to give up, you wouldn’t let me. You gave me the ammunition to keep going. Fight for what you want Sharmaine. preparing me for battle. But when I met Jasmine, my defenses were down. I fell hard and fast. And I knew right then, that there were two things I was supposed to do with my life. Be an actor and love Jasmine. Me loving her, and she loving me. Two women in love. Caught up with her, she was all up in my head. I memorized her body, her taste, memorized her like my favourite script. Not wanting to ever forget her smile, her laugh, and how her touch makes me feel. And I am in love. And no it’s not easy. But I am learning to deal with so call friends who turned their backs on me once they found out. My girl not wanting to drink from my pop anymore, because everybody knows what those lesbians do right? But in the same breath she tells me how she finally convinced her man to go down… town. (laughs bitterly, two beats) And of course I always hear I couldn’t possibly be a lesbian because that’s something only White girls do, right? (two beats) And there’s a certain kind of pain that can permanently paralyse you when your own sister tells you she doesn’t want you around her kids anymore because… just because. And I’m learning to deal with the looks, the stares, people calling me sick. Making our love sound like something unnatural and wrong. I am learning to deal with their shit! And really I think I can deal with them! Because you showed me how to fight! So I can deal with shit! But I can’t! Mom I—I can’t deal with your silence! I can’t deal with the fact that you can’t bear to look at me anymore!