My Life For Three Quarters

Summary

My parents decided they wouldn’t reveal which of us was the older twin until we turned eighteen.

To keep things "fair," we drew straws every year to decide who would play the role of the older sister.

Being the older sister meant being the pillar of the household—cooking, cleaning, and serving everyone else.

For ten years, without fail, I drew the long straw.

My hands were permanently raw and swollen with chilblains. Years of relentless housework left me small, stunted, and severely malnourished.