**No One Good Enough**
Suzanne’s mother could only sigh heavily as she watched her beautiful daughter. Charlotte had tried—oh, how she’d tried—to convince Suzy that waiting for a knight in shining armour was a fool’s errand. But it was no use.
“Suzy, love, you’re living in a fairy tale,” Charlotte would say, rubbing her temples. “Look at all the lovely lads around you! Your classmates, Tom and Jamie—perfectly decent boys, always hanging about the house. Why won’t you just go for a walk with them? Chat a bit? You might realise even ordinary blokes have beautiful souls.”
“Mum, I don’t *want* a beautiful soul,” Suzy would retort, tossing her hair. “I want a proper stunner, and there isn’t a single one in this village good enough for me. Just *look* at me!” She’d straighten up, her already striking figure becoming even more elegant. The rest of the village boys might as well have been garden gnomes.
Her mother would only shake her head.
“Sweetheart, pretty is as pretty does. That’s how the saying goes, and life’s proved it time and again.”
Suzy had heard it all her life, but she never paid it much mind. If anything, she’d grown more certain that beautiful people were *meant* to be happy. Since childhood, she’d been showered with praise—*”Oh, what a gorgeous girl!”* *”Look at those eyes!”* *”Like a little doll!”*—and she’d bask in it, accepting sweets and adoration without a second thought.
In nursery, she was always the princess at plays. In school, the other girls envied her. Suzy never grasped that too much admiration could turn sour. But Charlotte did.
Still, Suzy, now grown and keenly aware of her worth, wanted a man just as striking. The boys who lingered near her, hopeful and earnest, were met with a smirk.
*Do they really not see the difference between them and me?*
Charlotte warned her—handsome men weren’t always good husbands. Suzy believed the opposite. She’d scraped through school, barely managing to get into college, where she still found no one worthy.
“Mum, I don’t want some average *Dave* or *Mike*,” she’d say whenever marriage came up. “I’ll wait for my happiness.”
Boys had flocked around her endlessly, but after college, when she started working at the village council, the local lads finally got the message. They moved on. Friends married, had children—Suzy stayed alone.
“I’m moving to London,” she announced one day. “There’s nothing for me here. My happiness is there, not with these *ordinary* village boys. Not a single one has the looks I deserve.”
Charlotte took it calmly. She was tired of arguing. Beauty was one thing, but time? Time didn’t stop. And still, Suzy had no family. Her old friends gushed about toddlers and anniversaries, while Charlotte had nothing to say about her daughter.
Suzy turned thirty. Then thirty-seven. Then, luck struck—a job at a respectable firm. And the director? *Exactly* the kind of man she’d imagined. Oliver’s charm, his eloquence, the dimple in his chin—his perfect features left her breathless.
For the first time, a man had caught her interest. Never mind that he was married with two children. She’d always wanted a child—a *beautiful* one, like her—and marriage wasn’t the priority anymore.
*So what if Oliver’s taken?* she thought. *I’ll still get what I want.*
Charming him was effortless. He noticed her beauty instantly, asked her to dinner.
“Susan, I’ve never met a woman like you,” he admitted. “You’ve utterly bewitched me. Pity we didn’t meet sooner—I can’t leave my family. But I’d love to see you now and then.”
“Oliver, don’t fret,” she said airily. “This is just a bit of fun. I’m not after your wife’s spot.”
Soon, Suzy was pregnant—mission accomplished. Oliver helped financially, and she was content. For the first time, she understood happiness. Her son, Nicholas, became her entire world.
As Nicholas grew, he was every bit the handsome lad she’d hoped—but sharp, too. Top marks, trophies from every competition, unmatched in sports. Suzy swelled with pride.
Nicholas knew he was good-looking, but unlike his mother, he ignored the girls who fancied him. None caught his eye. Suzy worried:
*Has he inherited my fate? Please, don’t let him make my mistakes.*
But she couldn’t bring herself to lecture him. She still hoped he’d find someone *beautiful*.
After university, Nicholas landed a prestigious job, quickly climbing the ranks.
Then, at nearly thirty, he called her.
“Mum, I’ve fallen in love. I’m marrying Julie. We’re coming to visit—she’s perfect.”
Suzy was thrilled. Finally! He said Julie had started at his firm fresh out of uni, and he’d been smitten.
But when they arrived, Suzy’s smile faltered. Julie was… *plain*. Nice-looking, yes, but not the beauty Suzy expected.
“Hello,” Julie said warmly. “Nicholas has told me so much about you. You’re even lovelier than he said.”
Suzy barely spoke at dinner. She was disappointed. Julie, sensing she wasn’t welcome, kept quiet. When they left, Julie stepped ahead, letting mother and son say goodbye privately.
“Nicholas, I don’t like your choice,” Suzy said bluntly. “There are *stunning* girls out there, and you pick *her*?”
“Mum, I love her. She’s kind, clever—the best! And yes, she’s from a humble background. So what?”
“Just look at her! What do you even see in—”
“No. We’ve already filed the paperwork.”
Suzy realised she’d lost.
Julie had a daughter. Over time, motherhood suited her—she grew prettier. The little girl thrived, Julie excelled at work, and she and Nicholas adored each other.
Yet Suzy never warmed to her. Not her successes, not her glow, not even her granddaughter changed her mind.
Years passed. Suzy aged, her health faltered. One day, Nicholas got a call—she couldn’t live alone anymore. Forgetful, frail.
Julie didn’t hesitate. “Bring her here.”
They gave her a bright room. Julie tended to her, despite Suzy’s sharp words. But little by little, Suzy relented—what choice did she have? Still, no thanks ever came.
Then, one evening, clarity returned. Suzy looked at Julie, tears in her eyes.
“Forgive me, darling… for everything.”
Julie hugged her. “It’s alright. We love you.”
Suzy died that night—with the faintest smile on her lips.
