Suzine

My life has been formed by a series of events. My mother met my father while away on a trip with her folks, to visit friends in the UK. Yep, I have an American mother and a British father. It can get downright hilarious at times.

My father was so sad when my mother's parents took her home. But he had no say in her leaving or staying since she was only 17 years old.

Mother was full of joy and always had a smile on her face, except the day they went back to America. But that didn't stop her from writing father every single day.

It wasn't until 5 years later that father had saved enough money to come to the states. He wanted to surprise my mother by just showing up. He found that she worked as a waitress at a very interesting restaurant in Dallas Texas. But on his way there, he was in a devastating car accident.

The police showed up at my mothers job and informed her that father was in the hospital and she was listed as the next of kin.

She rushed to see him, but he had no clue who she was.

Mother was devastated to find that he had amnesia. He couldn't even remember his own name.

Mother did all she could and nursed him back to health, his memories recovering slowly but also as if methodically.

It wasn't until father had gotten a letter in the mail informing him that grandpa was dying and all he wished was to see his family once more, at my father's wedding.

Mother was angry, assuming that grandpa had decided father was to marry who he had picked, but to mother's surprise, grandpa pa had indeed chosen her for my father's wife.

Mother and father had the most beautiful wedding that grandpa had paid for. Grandpa pa was there, with his fancy cane and his lawyer to write up a prenup mother had accused.

When grandpa finally got mother to settle down, he told them of his intentions to make them the recipients of a huge inheritance after his pre-determined demise. You see, grandpa pa was terminal. So he did not have long, but wanted to make sure mother, father and I were happy, even tho I had not come along yet.

It was then, mother decided to tell grandpapa he was going to indeed be a grandpapa.

Mother said if he could have jumped for joy, he would have soared.

Father was in shock. He wasn't sure if he knew how to be a father. He was afraid. Afraid he would mess me up. But he in fact did not. I was born in Aukland New Zealand, as mother and Father had been visiting the places on the world they had always dreamed of. My first home was in Aukland. I was born, in the backseat of my father's limo. Which oddly is how they came to name me Suzine instead of Suzanne. It was an odd name for sure, but it was mine. I couldn't help growing up knowing these three very different accents. One from a native Texan, one of British and the New Zealand accent. I grew up playing tricks on my poor unsuspecting teachers. I even went so far as to ask my Dallas 5th grade teacher on our lunch break "please sir, may I have another?" In my perfect British accent.

I was pulled by my ear to the principal's office. I went there almost daily. The principal in my Dallas Texas school thought it was funny, as he would snicker at my janky jokes. Then I was off to boarding school in the UK for my basically, 6th 7th and 8th grade years. I M not sure on a boys boarding school, but those for girls are very boring.

My headmistress there threatened to glue me to the sign outside as a warning to other girls that "young lady's don't behave this way."

It didn't matter. I was me and that is all mother and father told me to be. Next we were back off to Aukland. Where I spent the remaining years of school before college. If I made it that far mother would giggle.

My first day there, I was called a redneck and made sure the girl understood what it was like to actually have a red neck. (I still snicker to myself telling that story)

Bit one day, I was sent to the office, yet again. I told them just to let me set up shop there bit they wouldn't hear of it "you can be reformed" they would say..

I went in and it was like I had just seen an angel. A new boy had been enrolled. Oh was he something handsome and fierce. I just had to know his name. Just hear his name.

"Jason Isacson! Please follow me." One of the teachers said.

As I walked into the door, mother looked at me quite suspiciously. "What have you written on your book covers young lady?"

I looked down and proceeded to say nothing and run upstairs. As a matter of fact, I had scribbled my name all over my book cover with the last name Isaacson behind it.

Like that would ever happen in a.million years. He didn't even know I existed.

That summer, mother and father wanted to go to Ireland. So we went. I was 17 and had no intentions of seeing Nessie. I wanted to see what the locals my age had to offer.

I told mother and father I was off to see the Loch. But in fact I was trying to blend in with the local youth.

As I walked up on a group of young people, I almost hit the floor. My Jason was there in all his glory. He was gorgeous. His staffed hair, his leather jacket. Those tight jeans. Then he spoke.

"Suzanne right?"

"Um.. I... Well." I proceeded to trip and fumble my words until I cleared my throat and finally answered. "Yes." There, great answer Suzine, I thought to myself with a satisfied smile on my face.

He chuckled and I realised, wait, he is not an Aussie. So I said "hey." Good one again, I thought.

"Come join us." He said with that thick texas drawl.

Could this be real? Was he really from texas? How small this world really is.

This went on for about a month. I was with Jason and friends down by a river one night. We really hadn't done anything wrong. Just led my parents to think I was going to the loch by myself every weekend. They had nothing to do with it. None of them even knew.

"Suzine Adelaide Bancroft! Come here this instant! We are going home!"

I was under the impression home was at the lodge we had been at, but they meant home home back in Aukland. I was so upset and heartbroken. They thought I had lied about so much more, when the only lie I ever told was that I would be at the Loch.

To my dismay, they had booked a flight that night back to New Zealand. My life was a mess. Brought on by so many unplanned events. So many but until this moment, my life had been one anyone would love to have, now I was heartbroken.

"That boy is no good for you Suzine." Mother said to me as we packed. I couldn't understand why she said that even tho she had never met him. Father was just as upset. I didn't speak a word until we boarded the plane. I looked out and uttered one word. "Jason."

Father pushed me aside and looked out the window. "How did he know, who did you tell?" Father probed me but all I could say was the truth. I had told no one. No one at all.

I couldn't bear this anymore.

"Mother, why is he not a good boy for me?" Tears were in my eyes. Father took me to the stairs of the plane. He wanted at Jason to come forth. And then he explained.

"My dearest Suzine. I love you so much." I looked up and saw mother at the door, crying as well.

"Suzanne, there are a series if events in everyone's life." Mother said.

"We just don't want you taking the same events as we did and making them you're own" father said, walking me back inside the plane.

It was clear now. All the trips, the new places. It was to replace the hole they had. Mother and father were trying to find happiness together when they weren't happy.

"I will find you Suzine!" Is all I could hear as the door shut.

I was quiet the entire flight, all I could do was remember was the plane taxi down the runway, as Jason stood there, soaking wet, watching me get farther away as he stood in the rain.