What's in a Name?

Xiomara Stuart

Xiomara Stuart- Colombian (mother); Scottish (father); Xiomara Stuart is a caring, warmhearted, and receptive woman with a laidback approach to life whom develops a romantic relationship with Hannah Quigley's father. She is a Spanish teacher at the middle school whom spent a significant part of her life in Bogotá, Colombia, where her father, a redhead with Scottish ancestry courted and eventually fell in love with her mother. She grew up in a bicultural household in which she spent many occasions enjoying bandeja paisa, which is the national dish of Colombia, and playing vallenato music from the countryside. She has also had exposure to certain Scottish traditions such as haggis and claims that she would walk about a mile to school, where she excelled in mathematics. Sra. Stuart takes enormous pride in her Hispanic roots and always encourages her students to speak Spanish with proper grammar whenever she is in class, using "vos" over "tu" when referring to someone. Her Spanish is fast, often swallowing the s at the end of her words, and she claims that she has 24 cousins from both sides of her family, each of whom stayed with her during the summers. Because Bogotá is at a high altitude, she is used to dressing appropriately for chilly, unpredictable weather, owning an abundance of scarves and coats. She actually enjoys the winter season in Valley Stream and has a particular appreciation for El Dia de Acción de Gracias, an American tradition. Sra. Stuart has stated that the rhythm of the city is faster, as social life often revolves around dance and "rumba", and she tends to use slang words such as "vaina" and has sayings such as "ponte las pilas". She is considered to be pretty in an approachable way and instantly wins the affection of Hannah, who adores her and secretly plots to set her parents up on a date. 

She is kind, but fair and considers Hannah to be one of her better students due to her having been raised in a working-class neighborhood that was filled with Latinos, whom she interacted with colloquially. She also takes pride in having certain "street smarts", or resourcefulness when it comes to finding a clever way out of a problem or to see through a trick. Mrs. Stuart likewise notes the country's transformation and resilience despite past decades of conflict, as well as the recurring drug problem with the narcs. She usually drinks coffee in small, sweetened cups called "tintos" throughout the day, often as a social ritual rather than just a morning caffeine fix. As a child, she would get together with her friends after school and play soccer in the field, although she took a liking for reading magazines and had a childhood crush on Enrique Iglesias. She would sometimes watch telenovelas such as the popular Mi Gorda Bella and El Cuerpo del Deseo with her grandmother on the living room couch. Sra. Stuart is described as having olive skin, brown eyes, and medium length chestnut hair, as well as a curvy figure, standing at around 5 ft 1 in tall. Callum became enamored by her physical beauty but remained guarded and a bit hesitant at the idea of pursuing a relationship with her, as he was still coping with the loss of his late wife from a terminal illness. She is invited by Hannah to attend the family's annual Messiah sing-along, after which they go on their first official outing together when they go to Barnes & Noble and she discusses her favorite books. After she decides to teach in Trujillo, Spain for a year after being undecided between Callum and a different man from her past, she takes the time to focus on herself and reflect. Sra. Stuart realizes that hers and Callum's feelings for each other have intensified despite the long distance separating them, and the flowers he sent along with a long, passionate letter remain among her most treasured possessions. 

The two confess their love for each other on a cloudy December day in a wooded area, after which he proposes to her and admits that their time together has made him look forward to the future and brought his soul back to life. They make love in his room at one point and assume that Hannah's is sleeping over at a friend's house, leading to an awkward situation when she is stuck in the closet late at night and accidentally catches them in the act. They make plans for an August wedding yet face obstacles when Sra. Stuart's half-sister ends up in the hospital after experiencing a medical emergency. Sra. Stuart was continuously surrounded by joy and laughter for the first few years of her life and says that she deeply misses Colombia and would love to visit some nearby countries, such as Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil if she ever gets the opportunity to do so. Her parents unfortunately separated when she was 7 years old, with her father choosing to settle down in Albuquerque, New Mexico and remarrying to another woman. Her biological mother devoted her entire life to being there for her and her younger sister Yarelis, moving to New York with the two girls when she was 13 years old. There are times in which she prefers to simply get away from everything, as she tends to find peace and comfort in her solitude, and she is actually taking a course through Udemy to see if it will help open new doors for her. Sra. Stuart is generally cheerful, family-oriented, patriotic, and perseverant, often balancing a strong work ethic with a love for celebrations. She became a naturalized US citizen at 28 and despite her busy schedule, remains supportive of her family's endeavors, although she is initially unaware of Yarelis' aspirations of going to Dartmouth college. 

She proceeds to assign Hannah a flurry of chores, believing her capable hands will ensure that everything runs smoothly. This well-intentioned plan begins to wear on her potential stepdaughter however, who harbors a deep desire to dedicate time to her Vision Board, a project she prioritizes. Yarelis is a young, intelligent, and eccentric girl who is characterized for having a sharp wit and a passion for entomology. Her poor social skills often lead her to act without considering others' consent for the things she does however, causing unintended friction. Cynical by nature, she doubts the effectiveness of her older sister's eco-friendly efforts, believing they have minimal impact on the environment. Despite her skepticism, she is self-sufficient and often capable of solving any complex issues that are handed to her with ease. Sra. Stuart is generally content when it comes to her bond with Callum, as they spend time together doing hobbies such as indoor gardening. She also meets Liam Quigley in March when he returns to Long Island during Spring Break and earns his approval, with his being truly satisfied to see his father starting to move on and open his heart to new beginnings. When April, the month of his late wife's birthday takes place, he concludes that a part of him is still grieving Lilly and that he remains in love with her and the memories they created. The two have a heated argument that drives them further apart, and they decide that they are ultimately not as compatible as they once appeared to be. When the two have cooled down and confront one another about a week after the incident, Sra. Stuart selflessly puts her fiance's feelings first and says that although she wants to share her life with him, she knew that his greatest loves were his kids. 

The month of October proves to be a difficult time for him as he copes with the void in his heart, and he chooses to go to therapy after having some doubts about his sexuality. With the help of Hannah and Liam and some valuable links they seek out on the web, he begins to process everything and says that while he did feel a romantic attraction for Lilly, he only had sexual feelings for someone if there were deep emotions involved. His therapist suggests that he is a heteroromantic demisexual, which lifts a heavy weight from his shoulders and answers many of his questions. Sra. Stuart's father, determined to connect with his kids, asked Xiomara and Yarelis when they were ages 6 and 4 if they would like to do something with him after he finishes a few repairs around the house. Xiomara, touched by the offer, eagerly agrees, and after she puts her baby doll to bed, he steps outside to find them helping their mother decorate the tree in the yard for Navidad. The locals often tell him, "There's nothing you can't fix," which is a sentiment that seems to both comfort and haunt him at once. Deep down, he knows that the one thing he can't seem to fix is his relationship with his children, although he never stops loving any of his offspring and tries to break the cycle in terms of his treatment of Jimena with his new partner. Several decades pass, and Xiomara still feels a certain fondness for Callum and is continuously open to Hannah if she is ever in need for some advice or guidance. She helps out her father when he reaches old age and makes periodic visits to him by flying to New Mexico, in addition to sending him money and trying to make sure he has proper housing. She mostly regrets not having waited longer for Callum and for very suddenly and abruptly ending their story before it ever truly began. She is shown to have aged well when she is 58 and continues to practice good habits such as working out at the gym and occasionally going on jogs and walks outside, as well as healthy eating. ISFJ 3w2