Outside the Williams house. Zoe and her family are setting up for a braai. The teenagers are all outside on their phones and the twins are playing in the sand. The adults are inside prepping food while Zoe sits on a chair next to her grandmother.

Wilma: So, Cruz, how’s school going?

Zoe: OK, I guess.

Wilma: You’re in Grade 9 now, right?

Zoe: Yeah.

Shane: How come you don’t have your dad’s last name?

Daphne: Shane, not every woman takes their husband’s name.

Shane: Yeah but—but Zoe’s his kid so…

Fred: Shane, drop it, dude.

Zoe: Dad said he wanted me to take my mom’s name. They don’t really talk about it.

Shane: So then shouldn’t your dad have taken your mom’s name?

Zoe: I don’t know.

The adults come outside.

Martha: Hmmm, John doesn’t like his name. He hasn’t liked it since that silly fight. Silly Johnny.

Annie: Mom, let’s not get into that now.

Johnny: Silly fight, huh? Must be nice to not remember.

Lena: We talking about that night you stormed out?

Annie: OK, lets just start the braai.

Johnny: I stormed out?

Marcus: Well, what else would you call leaving home?

Johnny gets upset and walks away. Marcy follows.

Marcy: Johnny, wait.

Annie follows them.

Marcus: Sheesh. He’s always so angry.

Lena: He’s always been dramatic. I mean, he was the night he left, remember?

Zoe: My dad was a little older than me when he left home, right?

Marcus: Yeah, he was about Fred’s age. Always wanting to be Mr Tough Guy, so it’s no wonder he enlisted.

Zoe: My dad joined the ARMY?

Marcus laughs.

Marcus: Your aunt Lena and I were much younger when it happened. Apparently it didn’t go down too well with your grandparents.

Tell us: Can you relate to being surprised by the things your parents did before they had you? How does it make you feel to imagine their lives before parenthood?