Susie-Q

Her name was Susie.
He called her Susie-Q.
She didn't like it. Ever.
She would roll her eyes.
But when she was a baby.
It was her name.
It was endearing.
And when she was eight.
It was her name.
It was endearing.
He was her father. It was his choice. He was the adult.
Not her.
But then she was twelve.
And she really didn't like it.
But it was endearing. And everyone else did.
And he was her father. It was part of the relationship he had with her.
But then she was eighteen.
And she didn't like it.
And then she was pregnant at twenty-five.
Time went by that fast.
And she was still Susie-Q to him.
And she was going to have a girl.
And she couldn't wait for the name that her father would give her child.
She pretended to hate the idea.
She would roll her eyes, like she was twelve again.
And when she was with her father, she could be twelve again. He allowed it.
And then she was eight months pregnant.
And her father died.
And the baby was born. And there was no grandfather to anoint her a new name.
One that was different from the one her parents would give her.
And she wished. And she regretted. And she stopped pretending.
To be above it all.
She stopped rolling her eyes, because there was no one there to react to it.
To her behavior. Like her father did.
She became an adult.
Life. It happened that fast.