CJ knew she had to act like the daughter her mother wanted, and she couldn't pick up the stone anyway, but maybe, just maybe, she could talk her mother into changing things a little bit, at least.
"Mother," said CJ, "I would like one more thing, please. Could you wish that you understood how it's good for girls my age to be?"
"Why would I want to do that? I was a girl. I already know how girls are supposed to be."
"It's been a long time since you were a girl my age, mother, and it's easy to forget."
"Do you think you can get out of ballet by asking me that, CJ? Tell me the truth."
"Yes, I do, mother. You want me to be a toy you can play with and show off, not be a person."
"CJ! How dare you!"
"Mother, you wished I would act like you want your daughter to act. And you want your daughter to tell the truth."
"I.... Fine. I wish that I understood how girls CJ's age should be treated." And then there was a long pause.
"Mother?" asked CJ.
"CJ, I'm sorry. You're right. I was treating you like a toy, not like my daughter. I shouldn't force my daughter into going to ballet if she doesn't want to."
CJ was glad, but it still bothered her that her mother was still saying 'daughter'. Wait--the wish was for her to know how to treat a girl. No wonder. Still, it had to be better than ballet.
"But that doesn't mean you can do anything you want to. I want my daughter to become and independent woman who can take care of herself, but still be feminine. So I want you to...."
