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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNybeiGDdNq
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiWB7upXsv
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwJ2Ud7Phf
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8hZJBHhQc
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqzMRTCoV4
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eX2bqrEnu
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8y8Jw1Hhz
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdBnAMyPLR
"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."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2717lELvkN
She held out her arm.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GiV2C8zFf
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWOy3siBJm
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3GW0tS1c2
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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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDBGJ5BgRK
"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."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJtVUmTyM7
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay80Imh1f1
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGmy4j7e9z
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNppiVhnOfk
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HUgPyGKNL
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYeNQzj4Uk
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVT7yVnWLwn
"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."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJqBNLejnt
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLYPlBtlbG
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjTQ8JuFlJ
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.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDfc4AkpMG
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Af5GziBWb
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzY7zro9bf
He went back to his seat.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB702KNx973
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEcSj7d73u
Joe turned his attention on mama.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjLu8pwHVi
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQWaSiuelw
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtPlUXqL87
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKYhUdcElh
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLK1vUh7bP
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmvba8hrHy
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9gVIclMXq
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.8964 copyright protection520ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4R1RSA9OGv 維尼

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