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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3He634wMx
"You are so beautiful, my sweet Judy," she said, smiling. "When you grow up, you will make a good mistress of our home."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9Rbxw7B4L
I closed my eyes and nodded in response.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kWbjRXQKy
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznBAzVJILS
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoFbYGmEfZ
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRulKmuqS5
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr4FiPs07s
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGSTwcPMbw
"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."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YwvSwN6Wv
She held out her arm.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuADvH8OjvT
"Come, dear, we have to go to the market. We are running out of supplies."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwQBfHF4SV
I took her hand and allowed her to help me up.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCw2MzDriF
636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu7ZIFwyi5
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM26GIEKye0
"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."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaMg7z2VaM
"Nah," he answered in a deep voice.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBZddiHvfZ
I immediately arranged the supplies in our pantry, watching him sit by the head of the table and take off his damp, white shirt.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lZOARPNSp
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxOj3Wsw8v
She sat on the right side and handed him a glass of water.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMggII8Kyk9
"Won't you miss work?" she asked.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxLNS3OuBO
He downed the water in one swallow. "No, I'm on a day off," Joe replied. "I could do the laundry."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKaHZUIch4
"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."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDpe3cVMP2
Joe's eyes darted on me as my hands mindlessly brushed my nearly skinny bicep. He smirked and chuckled.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrEgity2pr
"Dude, you look like a plant. Can you take it off?" he said.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgKOAsFsMI
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.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxi8G6yEfZj
My brother stood and walked toward me, reaching out his fingers to remove that embarrassing piece from my head.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhAGv1CaK4
"There," he said, grinning like a dog. "Better."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3EiPa2Afv
He went back to his seat.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YQytKrcTf
Mama's eyes widened in horror. "Joseph! Why did you do that? Don't you see how pretty your sister looks?"636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToiIEl00i9
Joe turned his attention on mama.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHzgJcJR2N
"Ma, Judah is my brother." He allowed the clip to twist between his thumb and forefinger.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFG5HRVFgr
Mama gently took the clip from him and enclosed his big hands in her brown fingers.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXpHs8nUWq
She explained in a soft voice, "My dear boy, I understand where you are coming from, but you do remember my dream, right?"636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHu1OXtsGBe
Joe did not answer, so she gave him a nudge.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSNx1iVXqv
"Right, anak?” Mama insisted.636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWwbnlRkek
His eyes rolled upward and he chuckled. "Judy."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PP08iP2KE
Then he rose from his seat and headed to his room.
Penana
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