His gaze was intensely fixed on my mother and the newborn, a look of tenderness and anticipation I had never seen before as if he finally had a home. A warm home with a wife and son.
I bowed my head and silently stepped out, looking up at the dark blue night sky while secretly wiping away tears.
Thinking of Amber, whose whereabouts were unknown, I quickly dried my tears.
Without the love of my father or mother, I must keep living well until the day I find Amber, for only then will we indeed be family to each other.
There was a free school in the village, but I had no chance to attend; I needed to work at home.
As my two aunts sent their sons off, they came specially to mock us when they noticed our house was still. "Nora, why isn't Angela in school? It's such a great opportunity that doesn't cost a dime."
My mother just smiled, "I just had a baby, there's no one else to do the chores around here; Angela needs to stay and help me."
Samantha sneered half-heartedly, "Oh please, everyone knows you traded your daughter for your son. What was it you said? A son and a daughter are the same; they're both your kids."