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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP34SRjUTw
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9nYhGYCwq
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLVKQEWZke
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UCUBDMJaB
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeWFR6uCvp
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKWaOafPbq
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfJ90BioVe
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6yL05Rlgc
"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."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EqWy1bvPp
She held out her arm.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnm6ya3htgO
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbAmcp8sCC
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDd5DIRidDN
 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFpuqU5wBu
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3whTfKorQ9
"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."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tymdWNocs
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFeyJxMjOA
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mjbhCW4xs
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxd1MDPLeU
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDao8mKlbpM
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4NHQ8zyiT
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQOuBzrsPz
"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."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihAWOKQVs3
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gmNqJFAR4
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsielAvyA3J
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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWSZ828RF8
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIMKYN57Jd
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnij0cOikrv
He went back to his seat.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ689CqdyBE8
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTDE50bDa1
Joe turned his attention on mama.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBq0wZ2T5YL
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9EVoW9Owu
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8llHHhB71d
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MWr0TxHRo
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoW6KE80pwb
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBa71zWghq
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzamUeUpHsh
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.8964 copyright protection505ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX4k80lkAO 維尼

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