Fearless love is doing what's right for our loved ones no matter cost;
Fearless love is how pop and Nena raised 11 children in the poorest part of Tonga;
Fearless love is how mum and dad risked everything to settle into a new country like Australia;...
It's a Friday afternoon and for once I am on top of my Uni readings and assignments; giving me a free pass to let my hair down for the weekend.
Since my best friend Helen is in the meanest line up to perform at tonight's infamous "HQ" club in Parramatta and I was not going to miss out.
As the day spilled into the afternoon, I began the process of self-beautification. In nothing but my lavalava (sarong) I plotted myself on the floor in front of my wardrobe mirror and began putting my make up on before my little sister Lily joined me and began straightening my hair. It was a bonding activity I made her do with me 😏 and if there was anyone I could trust with a straightener, it was her.
"You mean to tell me my twinny is finally free from uni work to get turnt up?!!", Helen hollered on my mobile's loudspeaker.
"I'm beautifying myself as we speak", I reassure her. "You know I wouldn't miss any of your gigs you egg"
"Seki! (Good!) Girl, I'll see you soon cause I gotta do sound check now. Love ya twinny! Fa! (Bye)", Helen swoons before hanging up.
"I swear that girl is like your spirit animal or the yang to your ying", Lily replied to our phone exchange prompting a smirk at how true her words were.
When I was finally done with the face cake process, I start to assess my handiwork in the mirror when my eyes wonder over to the background to see how my hair stylist was doing. My gaze was only met with a still looking Lily with a blank expression on her face. Her eyes were intensely boring into my bare back at the massive tatau (tattoo) on my left shoulder blade.
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Without a word she delicately ran the tips of her fingers over my tatau. This ink job is not something I like to talk about much and would rather pretend it's not there. Despite how flashy it is with its extensive and detailed Polynesian design flare, I've always been cautious about having it covered at all times.
"I know you don't like talking about it but, do you ever think about getting rid of it? You know dad is totally ready to take you to the tattoo removal place", Lily's curiosity finally formed words.
"Yeah I thought about it", I shrugged. "I just don't think it's worth the thousands of dollars that I don't have in my bank account. That'll just be maumau pa'anga (waste of dollars)."
"You know dad's more than happy to pay for it", Lily replies to which I raised my brow in annoyance. "Why do you choose to keep it then?"
Knowing I can't escape her questions any longer I let out a huge sigh, puckering up the strength for the following words.
"I choose to keep this tatau, as a personal reminder", I carefully start. "With this tatau comes the torment with it and the deep shame I'm carrying everyday is literally on my back." The memories behind this tatau always leave me whiplashed.
"Are you kidding me? What you went through to have this mark on you was brave and selfless! Does Nela know you feel this way?" Lily pouts in confusion.
