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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFLzIpD4En
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwTlxjmdJB
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3rBPywJh1
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6q2ZNQpo1
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7J2TrBOgG
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcvxeMmk3e
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEbHmiWuL9
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXB1lN5PGB
"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."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwyfnyrCjT
She held out her arm.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxghqJDVQBc
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL82aWT66A
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpNM6ahePg
 837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oX3O465uB
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPDJB8e3Ya
"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."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbBF0JCnZi
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvZ4AFt8Cr
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK1DcAq0er
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7YzmdcDwV
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC19OrqeqJ
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMYY73lHiR
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxlzv6sqZb
"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."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0xBhoTAdf
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1OdRvooCj
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxe7spEGwO
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.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3jaCvDiVm
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ275Wbq1q9K
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18JkMVHY5h
He went back to his seat.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn7B9abP1O
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYFhUGcFbv
Joe turned his attention on mama.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8t5MGQiscP
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRHag4ftcQ
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5im6SH4W4U
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlE3SqZnj7l
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6unrwaUNjw
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkR6fJ0h9iv
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."837Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAehYVMzN3y
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.1234 copyright protection833ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3CgwNhwrp 尼

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