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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgR2eJFLRbR
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3ZRSELZkd
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqcwtoQMs3
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxo4AUBGYBa
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVxwCLzVKo
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rQD9uHauX
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmA8qho6lZi
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Rejh4ATI6
"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."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JsJSPAiDz
She held out her arm.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWBrxcWrh0
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXyIBQxjrP
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3c0QzG8aV
 645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zOtxqgAYy
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGNZpNV1T5
"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."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtp7bcU1rh
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l1R0xD4A2
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPNYWQsaVX
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSVi8nSv2v
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTN6JBK7RK
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnlOG7DmTt
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EpoHvB9BY
"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."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oLRxKCrjD
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLabOd3Tkw
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyigFa3fC7H
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.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRmTnvpnTT
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp4M69kAWP
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxgrsJkOh7
He went back to his seat.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekcT5bp5rK
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4rmnWYwJe
Joe turned his attention on mama.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvEHp2rdqs
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8acHqDcteV
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWDdWRcYnB
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMt2xRzCxk
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3OwGFm0yE
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8ozkYrhqd
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."645Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb4oLGr5pe
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.8964 copyright protection641ＰＥＮＡＮＡdao5XW4Iyk 維尼

216.73.216.82