In a small bedroom in the back of a house sat an mother brushing her daughter's hair. They were so alike in some ways, same face ,same smile ,but their eyes told two different stories. A mother's struggle to raise her only child ,a daughter's confusion of her life ,and trying to understand it. The daughter looked up to her mother with pride for what she had accomplished and scarified ,but also in fear because she's seen what life could give someone, she's seen her mother cry late at night ,and saw the shame in her mother's eyes that blamed herself for not providing an family for her daughter. She loved her mother ,and wanted to be like her ,but scared of meeting the fate. " Your so quite... is something wrong" the girl looked up into her mother eyes to see concern and tiredness. "I'm fine mama.. I'm just thinking about things " She said with an weak
smile ,and then looked back down at the floor that she sat on. She loved her mother brushing her hair ,it was relaxing to her being close to her, smelling her slight soap smell ,that always made her happy. even if she always got fussed out about how she kept it. She could hear the frustration in her mother's tone as she ran a comb through her hair. "Melissa... you should try to get care of your hair more.. your hair is so thick and pretty like the boys like it.. you just need to keep care of it. " I know mama" She closed her eyes and leaned back on her mother's knees and just listened to her voice, not her words. " It's really easy to do, you just take your time ,and practice.. I mean if you want to get married you have to look nice, if you can't keep your hair nice how are you post to make it out in the world. I want you to do well in life hun." "Mama.. what does curling my hair really have to do with anything. I can pull it back like I always do" She mumbled. "Boys like girls who keep care of themselves, your so pretty ,but you never do anything with your hair. If you did, I'm sure you could meet a nice young man to marry with a nice job who can support you and children." "But mama, I don't need to get married soon to have a good life or for support, I can be happy supporting myself. "These tangles are just horrible" She felt small sharp pains as her mother tried to untangle her hair. "Every young girl should be neat ,polite ,and pretty waiting for the right one to keep care of her, she shouldn't work , but stay in the house ,keep care of kids ,clean and stay pretty as her husband works all day" She finally got the tangle out ,and was combing her daughter's hair again in long ,gentle strokes. "Your so pretty Melissa, it won't take you long to find someone to care of you and be happy with... Boys like girls with pretty straight hair like yours... it almost reaches the floor when you sit down on it... it's gorgeous " The comb stopped ,and she knew it was time for her to let her mother rest. She stood up ,and gave her mother a kiss good night. " I love you" she slowly left the room and closed the door behind myself. " Pretty... I need to stay pretty or I won't be happy" She thought over and over again as she walked through the house. " I won't be happy unless I find an husband to give children ,cook, and clean for" She whispered as she entered a small bathroom beside her room. She stared at herself in the mirror, at her long thick brown hair that her mother admired so much. "Boys like pretty girls with nice hair.. " She opened the cabinet and pulled out an pair of scissors. "My mother is wrong " She started to cut her hair slowly off until it was to her ears, she never felt more free in her life.
