There Is Adventure in Our Blood

                       

         Jacqueline, my dearest lovely little sister is fifteen years younger than me, thirteen years younger than my brother, and she is spoiled.

         I got a phone call from my panicked mom at midnight: “Jackie passed out in the bathroom and she is unconscious.” I rushed home and drove them to the emergency room like I was crazy. She lost 4 front teeth and had stitches on her chin. She was on a vicious diet. No one knew.

         She went home one day and announced she was employed by China Airlines as a flight attendant; she’ll start to work a week after she graduates.

         “Really? Why?”

         “Because their uniforms are beautiful.”

         That was a week before her college graduation examination. She was the youngest flight attendant in China Airlines. The company found out that she was under the age of 20 after she had received all the training and was ready to fly, so the company had to cancel her duty and she went home to have my mom sign a release for her.

          She called me one day while my mom was visiting here in California.

          “I’m moving out; and I’m going to live with my boyfriend.”

          A year later, they bought a house together. That’s her. She told us what she did, never asked opinions. Two years later, she called Shanghai while my mom and I were visiting my brother during the Chinese New Year. She broke up with her boy friend of almost 10 years. She moved out, took only her clothes, gave up everything including the house, just left… alone by herself in the never lonely city, Taipei.

          “Really? Why?”

          “It’s my fault. I don’t love him anymore.” (I feel sorry about the 70,000NT sofa we bought for them.)

          Then through the telephone with my mom, I knew she kept losing weight--- 5’7’’ tall but only 105 lb. Even though she said that she was on a diet, I knew vaguely she got drunk frequently; and she’d been finding excuses to stay away from work. I was worried and hurt deeply but there was nothing I could do for her. I could only watch her suffering.

          Suddenly she smiled again. She was very conscientious about her attendance and tardiness. With a clean record, she’d have a better choice of flights. We were all happy for her. Finally our princess walked out from the clouds although I was wondering why she flew to the US so often... Six months later, she went to my mom after a flight from France.

          “Mom, I’m getting married.”

          Gee! Announced again! The following days were so busy. They just flew by. My brother and I hurried back to Taiwan. My mom’s future son-in-law, Johnny, flew to Taiwan from Chicago to visit us. That was the first time we met him. Shortly thereafter, her future mother-in-law, father-in-law flew to Taiwan to tell my mom that they’ll treat Jackie as their own daughter. I think my mom was happy and sad at the same time.

          Jackie quit her job after working nine and the half years with China Airlines. Again, she told us after she did it. We were shocked.

          “What? Are you out of your mind? Don’t you know that after a half more year, you can get the benefits?”

          “So what? All I know is this is the man I would like to spend the rest of my life with and I don’t want to lose him. You should be happy for me.”

          The beautiful wedding was held in a country club in May, 2007. They married after seven dates in different cities around the world. I was happy for her but concerned…

          Now my nephew is four and the half years old; my niece is 10 months old. They created a handsome boy and a beautiful daughter oozing with cuteness and laughter. I went to visit them many times. I want to say: “That’s my girl. She knew what she wanted and got it.” I’m happy for her from my heart.

          I love you, Jacqueline.