Zebrahead (interracial)

B-B-B-B- Brenda Anne

"Brenda? Brenda Anne if I have to call you one more time, I swear-"

"Yes mama?"

"You wash up for supper now, ya' hear?"

"Yes ma'am !" I answered.

Persistent and determined, that was my mother. She got what she wanted when she wanted it, especially from her children. My mother always expected nothing but the best from us, and if she got anything other than the best, she would be on our behinds like white on rice.

I stood, making my way over to my window and shutting it. It was very chilly out for it to be early August. Still shivering, I went across the hall to the bathroom, rinsing my hands and going down the steps quickly before my mother got another chance to yell up the stairs at me.

It looked almost as if everyone was waiting at the table especially for me. I stood at the bottom of the steps, facing my family.

"Well gon' head and sit girl!" My father said, waving his hand over at my seat.

Hurriedly, I did as I was told, taking my seat and bowing my head over the table, ready for grace.

Daddy had said grace like he did over all of the meals, his voice booming so loudly, that I was sure they heard it all over the state of Kentucky.

"Amen." everyone said in unison. After that, the only sound left was forks clinking against glass plates and the obnoxius chewing of my younger brother, Leroy.

"You close your mouth when you chew boy, hear?" My daddy's booming voice said to Leroy.

He shut his mouth instantly, the sound of his teeth clamping together just as loud as his chewing was before. I giggled a bit on the inside.

My younger brother had smooth skin, large cheeks, with big eyes that you would see marveling at the toys on display on Christmas eve. He also had the features of a child that you would expect to be cheeky. Leroy was still in the process of growing back his left eyebrow, since he had shaved it off in hopes of becoming a barber like my father. Instead of becoming a barber like daddy, he got the whipping of his life time. Leroy got it so bad, his behind looked like the American flag itself.

"Are you excited?" My mother had asked suddenly, scattering my thoughts.

Picking at my food, it took me a while to realize that she was speaking to me. Swallowing so hard I nearly choked myself, I nodded vigorously.

"Yes, ma'am. I think." I answered.

She chuckled lightly. "You think? Babygirl, don't you know that people round' here, black people round' here can barely even get the oppurtunity you got? It's not even about getting it anymore, they're just too lazy and scared to accept it"

"Yes mama, I know."

"Then you best stop thinking and start knowing. You got a big day tomorrow and I want you to show them white folks how educated you are, ya' hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

My little sister bubbled over with joy at our little conversation and clapped her hands together. "Oh Brenda, I have the prettiest dress picked out for your big day!"

Forcing a smile I nodded at my sister. "That was nice of you Regine, you'll have to show me after supper,huh?"

She grinned at me after I winked at her.

Regine had long dark hair that was always braided and twisted into these pretty barrettes my mother always bought her. Mama made sure that the barrettes matched whatever dress Regine was going to wear for the day. They both were strong believers in color cordinance. My sister had big, brown almond eyes that would stare you up and down so hard, i'm sure she saw the germs crawling on your body. Her naturally full lips would make you think she wore makeup to make them look so beautiful. Regine had this raw, natural beauty that you would know was there, but would never speak of.

Some people were just too stubborn to compliment her on it and would much rather compare her features to an animal of some sort. For a thirteen year old, Regine was mighty insecure about her looks because the people in Leatherwood were too blind and confused not to understand the definition of true beauty. True beauty for this town, for the whole south, was simply a white woman, flashing her pretty white teeth, her thin body inside a dress of some bright color, with a hairstyle that you would never catch any of our own in.

My father cleared his throat. His gaze on me softening before he spoke.

"I remember when you were just as tall as Leroy, you could barely do anything on your own. Now you're just.."

He paused. And in that moment you could see nothing but love in his big, brown eyes.

"I'm proud of you, Brenda. I know you're going to do good." He said.

"It's well daddy, I'm going to do well." I corrected him, trying to make him smile; and that was exactly what he did, laughter spreading around the table

"Well, I guess this means I stand correct in my praises." Daddy said, trying to sound as proper and polite as possible.

I giggled at his attempt.

This moment with my family eased my nerves about the day ahead entirely.

There's something about family that changes everything. From your mood, to where you go during your free time.

Waking up the next morning for school though, my nerves came right back.

________________________________________________________

Groggily and slowly getting up, I lazily slid to the bathroom, glancing over to Regine's bed and seeing she was still sound asleep, snuggled against her pillow and curled into a tight ball.

That day I scrubbed every inch of my body. Not that I didn't do the same thing any other day, but today was different. Still in my towel, I made my way back across the hall to change into what I was going to wear for my big day.

The second I dropped my towel, my mother came bursting into my room. I yelped and grabbed for anything that would cover my bare body, which left me hiding behind the purple satin curtains.

"Mama!" I exlaimed.

"I'm sorry baby, I just had to give you something before you had rushed off. Now get on out here!" She said, smiling.

"Can you hand me my towel?"

She slowly gave me my towel, and waved for me to sit in the chair that was in front of my mirror. I obeyed and eyed my curly hair, and how it fell over my bare, damp shoulders.

"I just wanted to give you something before you had run off." She said, practically repeating herself in a small voice. Mama pulled a necklace out of her torn, worn out apron and placed it around my neck, making it click and fiddling with it so that the jewel was sitting right in the middle of my neck.

"It's beautiful" I commented, truly astonished.

"My mother gave me this necklace the day I married your father." She said, placing her palms on my shoulders. "She told me not to pass this on until you had your special occasion."

I looked down, ashamed that she felt like this was as special as it would get for me. I was never really good with guys. I felt like they were all the same, all out to make me their wife just to have me cooped up at home watching our six kids and cooking. I didn't want that life. I wanted to explore the world, and meet new people and learn about life and appreciate what I have.

No closed minded man I have ever met in my life had the ability to understand my hopes and dreams. In fact, my Daddy was the only man in my life who had faith in my dreams like I did.

My mother quickly caught on to what she said and spoke, " I think that this is appropriate. This means so much to us, child. Now you're going to wear this old necklace with some pride, keep your chin up, and you smile. You are Brenda Anne Maywood and you make your family proud. Understand?"

"Yes mama." I said, slowly.

She wrapped her arms around me from behind one last time, squeezing me tightly before quickly exiting my room and shutting the door lightly.

I sighed heavily, and brought my eyes up once again to look at myself in the mirror.

"I am Brenda Anne Maywood and I make my family proud."