I was sitting on a chair in front of a tall mirror, while mama stood at my back. She was combing my hair repeatedly as if wishing for it to grow long.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcVZzXqUUe
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaLcF4BbrM
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppaSykdtRw
Whatever caused mama to be firm in raising me the way mothers bring up women confused me. She's been very vocal about her faith in God at home, in school, and most especially in the church, but she was also actively taking part in something that she knew was against His standards.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6caeyPmlq2
Her children, including yours truly, happened to be all-male, but instead of being thankful for His wonderful gifts, she was still wishing for something impossible.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdqoiYYDBc
When papa had not yet stepped on the ship, he once told us that Mama had always desired a daughter so that she could have someone to help her with the chores and bond with by combing and braiding hair, putting on make-up, dressing up, and other girly stuff.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWK4lFaA120
He even said that when I was born, I looked—you know, like that girly type of angelic the media portrayed angelic to be: soft, white skin, pinkish lips, and round eyes covered in thick, curly lashes. So she raised me as a girl. Of course, papa was against it, but the last thing he wanted for himself was to endure Mama’s unbridled bombardment of snide remarks. So this angelic-looking twelfth grader suffered the consequences.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQXqHkk6Kc
My eyes flew open when something cold and hard buried itself in the strands of my hair. I fought the urge to raise an eyebrow as her butterfly hairpin sparkled above my right ear.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueHYv8skzL
"There, beautiful." She appreciated before lacing her fingers through my hair for the last time. "I hope your hair grows longer. Let your beauty shine."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlg2RxMnvq
She held out her arm.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgrYFMeB5O
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGU1gZm93CR
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mAV9EVhxn
537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7ooZWktqX
We were about to leave for the market when one of my brothers arrived, carrying loads of supplies. It was our eldest. He placed the bags on the table when he reached the kitchen. Upon doing so, the band that kept his hair in a neat bun snapped, causing the black, wavy strands on his head to tumble about his broad shoulders.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8NNAew1XL
"Oh, thank you so much, Joe, we didn't have to go to the market," said mama. "I hope we haven't taken up your time."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbtI6TbgsV
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaleDYYleW
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLnPzTBEiW
My lips tightened at the sight of it. I wish I was more like him. I wish I had his lean yet perfectly sculpted muscles, his hard, square face, his thin mustache, and his low, husky voice. But mama’s dream of having a daughter has wound me into becoming the keeper of the house. Me looking more like a girl must have added to it.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xNcyt3OLi
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB5SVLPLMh
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AZKb5G6DF
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbLBjtDmvt
"But you don't need to, my son. You are a man." She placed her hand on the ripped arm of my brother. "Besides, Judy is here. She can take care of everything."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAkYHWS9Wm
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2QOwkHk8Z
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpyYa0LOno
He was talking about that golden butterfly clip Mama planted in my hair. I sighed but in relief. Finally, somebody realized just how awkward that looked.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC3zDhFcIJ
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRc5VWfo7p
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbXYOUuhnN
He went back to his seat.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy7uPbgsqZ
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fmFaGHFKA
Joe turned his attention on mama.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9Epogymir
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjubTWycqdt
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfuR5QeMKr
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XRV29L4L8
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx9uOwZmi1
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgcWnt8RlN
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nPTIrfUMR
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.
Penana
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