They were properly waxed, scrubbed, washed, combed, braided, and creamed by the time their mother went to check if everything was in place. Their whole skin was as if they were a baby born yesterday, and their hair was soft as the purest furs. The older women took a deep breath throughout some key areas, (armpits, necks, the waist) to check if any foul smell was present, but roses and mint were everything their bodies exulted.

“Very good,” she checked their faces, Gabe first, quickly, then Samir’s, “Alani, see her browns? It needs some trimming, but don’t take too much, it’s her charm for it to be thick like that.”

“Yes, Mother”

“… Do we really have to do it?” Samir hated having their eyebrows plucked. Well, they hated everything so far, so it was a surprise they endured so much already.

Mother ignored her question, but Gabe held her hand reassuringly.

“You are to sleep early today, with all the windows open to reduce heat. Tomorrow we’ll wake up very early to have breakfast and wait. Don’t take another shower tomorrow, but make sure you clean all the dirty areas again and apply some light makeup. Pay attention: light makeup. You all have to appear absolutely natural, am I understood?”

“Yes Mother,” they chorused.

“Good. Alani my dear, why don’t you show me the dresses you picked for the girls?”

“It’s in my room Mother, come see,” and off they went.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Soon enough they were all in their bed. The two oldest slept in the same bedroom and the three youngest in another. Although they had enough money for each of them to have various vanity hobbies and their own passion projects, the house in itself was small, so much so that their simple beds were lined on the vertical and another one in the horizontal wall, touching each other, and their floor was covered in all of their morning attire, stretched organized in neat piles so that they would be ready to go.

Gabe couldn’t sleep. Too many plans and too many ideas were running her head awake, but she knew that would be the case and she knew that the best was for her to be rested the next morning, so she popped one of the pills she and Samir had bought on their way home in her mouth. Each one of them had a different medicine, all of them with their own specific uses.

“Gabe?” Alani whispered.

“Yes.”

“Will this work out alright? Will you really be alright?” She didn’t wait for her to answer, “You know, sometimes I think I failed you. In the first years after you were born, I was too… selfish. You acted, you still act actually, much more like an older sister than what I did. To all of us. It pains me. I should’ve adapted quicker. I should’ve realized that it didn't matter how I ended up here, you needed me and there was no one to be there for you.”

Gabe got up to look at her, struggling to fight off the kick of the medicine’s effect.

“You did what you could, sister. And I might be an older sister to the little ones, but you are so much more. You raised us, Alani. We love you as much as you love us. It’s okay to share your burdens with the rest of us, there is nothing wrong with that. In return, we will keep sharing our burdens with you, as we have always done… Such is the role of a family.”

Alani didn’t get up, and so, slowly, Gabe laid down as well.

“… I am very grateful. To have been born again here and to have you all as my family. I am very grateful.”

As her eyes slowly and steadily got closer and closer to shut, she heard a gulp of another pill being taken.