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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dnelhRbID
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VA6rOXTVx
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE76I3vlc68
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnDcbGq0Uu
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzZeG28EED
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaR2kfPzpqI
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1CLF7rnWy
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXhiMHCW2S
"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."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVId6j2yvB
She held out her arm.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lSrhW4kwT
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxV9Clh9Kw
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nIj1AEetP
548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYEbDMqm5n
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡng0ht88yMc
"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."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jYylNiH06
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCDqoIHKrI
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d4gnvpiSR
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGYvvnkf7I
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwffC7yblz
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKD3EPKGwJ
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ607jchwOMK
"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."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlrOIXzDW0
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzLzHubCYf
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksNV5X9BXL
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.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zJuKhfxJW
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZdjHmdC0E
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEoYOcgcYI
He went back to his seat.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMcW5uusQE
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAfcRcCYRM
Joe turned his attention on mama.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOebbeUusl
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ht61SaR23
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVVZRj8URs
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHIuCY07Rz
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsSBMANFJE
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2XQkTklTy
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."548Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4pxXXmXOa
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.
Penana
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