MISSING SUZZIE

MISSING SUZZIE

''I'm sorry mum, but I won't do it.'' 

''But why, honey? We all thought that this is what you always dreamed about.'' Mum asked me.

''Mum that was ten years ago.''

''But who will we leave our family bakery to? You know very well that your grandma left it to your dad and now it's your turn to take over. You are eighteen now.'' She replied.

''Mom, please. I'm sorry but I just don't think that this is the right job for me.''

''You are a disgrace to this family!'' dad got up and shouted. ''What will you do, eh? What!?''

''I already told you. I want to be a writer. I have a dream to publish my own book.'' I said trying to stay calm. ''I'm going to stick with this and see where will it get me. After all, if I don't succeed in writing, I can take over the bakery later.''

''I don't care. Chose what you want.''

''Thanks, dad-''

''But'' he lifted his index finger in the air, ''I won't be paying for your school.''

''But why, dad?'' I asked on verge of tears.

''Geez, I wonder why.'' He said badly imitating my voice. ''Because you ain't even my daughter.''

''What? Dad, what are you talking about?'' I asked shocked.

''Oh, you didn't know. Well, we-'' he started bud didn't finish.

''Robert! How can you talk to our daughter like that?'' mum shouter with anger in her voice.

''But, she ain't even our daughter.''

''OK. That's enough. I think that you had a little too much beer. That's enough for today.'' She said and grabbed a beer bottle from dad's grip of his meaty hands. ''I will take this.''

''Nooo! Anastasia, please don't. How could you do this to me?'' he wailed after mum who already left for the kitchen.

''You're definitely drunk. Go to sleep and leave me alone!'' she shouted back. I followed her into the kitchen.

***

So, where to start? You may ask yourself: ''What kind of family is this?'' or ''Why is her dad like that?'' or basically any other question. And I'll try to answer them. 

My grandma bought a bakery when she was young. When my dad turned eighteen, he inherited the very same bakery. Over the years it was renovated countless amount of times but it still has some original stuff. Don't ask me what is it because I don't know but I keep hearing my dad and uncle talking about originality and authenticity. And because I turned eighteen last month, traditionally I should inherit the bakery. But I'm not interested in it. For the last few years, my ultimate dream was to become a writer. And I practiced and practiced. I'm a lot better than I was in the beginning. There's still room for improvement, of course, but I'm proud of myself.

***

When I came to the kitchen mum was already washing the dishes. 

''Mum, why did dad say that?'' I asked her.

''Oh..., that stupid man...'' I heard her muttering under her breath. ''I'm sorry sweetie. He's just stressed about the bakery.''

''Yes, I know but is it true? A-am I adopted mom?'' 

She sighed loudly. ''I'm sorry we didn't tell you earlier. We were planning to tell you when you turned eighteen, but when we saw how happy were... we didn't want to ruin your birthday.''

''Oh, so it's true.'' I said in a tiny voice.

''Yes, but I want you to know that we will always love you like our own daughter.'' I could hear pain and sadness in her voice.

''Mom? Are you OK?'' I asked worriedly.

''Yes, yes darling. Just- Look I wasn't planning to tell you this but, your dad and me... we had a daughter. She-'' she was on verge of tears.

''Mom, it's OK. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.''

''No. No, you need to know this. We had a daughter. She was our first child and those were the happiest years of our lives.'' She started speaking with a distant look in her eyes.

''When she was three years old, we left her in the kindergarten one day. When we got back, she was nowhere to be found. We searched everywhere. We called the police. They interrogated endless people, but they couldn't find her. After a year and a half, they gave up and told us that they did everything they could. They told us that our little girl is probably dead.'' Her voice cracked. I was surprised and shocked at the same time. ''We never stopped looking for her but we realized that it was pointless. After some time we decided to adopt a kid. We fell in love with you the first time we saw you. You had the same dark brown eyes as her. You were the same age as her. You were just perfect.'' She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

''I'm so sorry.'' I said as I hugged her. ''I'm so, so, so sorry. This must have been very hard for you.''

''It's OK. It was a long time ago. I just want to ask you one thing.''

''Sure what is it?''

''If you will search for your biological parents, do you promise not to leave us? We can't lose another child.''

''Of course mom, I would never leave you. Dad maybe, but you...''

''Don't speak like that. He loves you too.'' She said quietly.

''I'll go to my room now. I need some time to think.''

''Of course. Just tell me if you need anything.''

As soon as I came into my room and closed the door behind me, I threw myself on the bed and started crying. It was too much for me. I was crying because of myself, because my real parents left me. I was crying because mom and dad, because they lost a child. I was crying because of a little girl, because nobody knows is she dead or alive, and if she's alive where she is. After some time I fell asleep. Knocking on my door woke me up. 

''Dad? What are you doing here?''

''I am just checking up on you. Look, sorry because of earlier. I heard that mom told you everything and I can't believe that I said that to you. I will never forgive myself.''

''It's okay. If I forgive you, then you can forgive yourself too.'' I smiled at him.

''Yeah... The dinner's ready. Come down.''

''I'm not hungry. I'll eat later.''

He went away and I closed the door. I waited till I heard no more footsteps. I turned on my computer and first searched for a page of missing children. I placed the date fifteen years in the past, scrolled a little, and... JACKPOT! Here it is.

Suzzie Matthiews, 3 years old, today disappeared from her kindergarten... Blah, blah, blah.

But the real treasure was the picture with the report. I opened it and found myself looking at me. Actually not me, but myself at the age of three. I first thought that it must be some crazy coincidence but the longer I looked at the picture, the more sure I was.

***

 It's the next day and I just got home from an appointment with a social worker. I found out something crazy! I was brought orphanage by an orphanage worker who found me all alone in some dark alleyway in the city. They reported the child with no parents to the police but the police never answered. After a year and something, my adoptive parents came and adopted me. They never realized who I was because children at such a young age grow up quickly. They thought that I just looked like their daughter, when, in fact, I was their missing daughter all along!

***

A YEAR LATER

''What am I doing now?'' you may think.

Well, everything turned out all right. I told my parents everything, they sorted out things with the police, so they finally removed Suzzie Matthiews from the missing people database. Both of them were crying with relief and happiness. We organized a huge party. 

''And what about the bakery? Tell us, tell us!''

Well, I inherited the bakery, but I'm writing in my spare time and my first novel will be published soon. I can't wait!

THE END