She walks into the room, her arms at her sides, her legs bouncing up and down, and her mouth set in a bright smile. I watch her with a smile as I cook dinner.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDRuzyyJW7
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXZLZfsawu
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaqUlBZNCs
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoXteIa97e
Her already-wide smile broadens even more and I chuckle as I watch her open the door and skip down the stairs, two at a time. 454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzu44To4gw
A few minutes later, I hear the pattering of steps and the panting of the little girl. Before I can even tell her that dinner is ready, she exclaims, “Grandmother! What is this?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjr5u4t3lL
“Yes?” I ask, with my back to her. But when I turn around, I am shocked to see what my granddaughter has found. I stammer in shock and disbelief, “I-I-I ...that's...oh wow.” 454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRo1FYGYm5y
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EGfflfnb2
“Where did you find that?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxbnc38RaK
She shrugs, “In a basket in the back that also has a picture of you and Grandfather. And then I think there is another picture with you and the rest of your family.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaebIZeCNO
I walk over to her and give her a long, tight hug. When I step back, I whisper, “I found that and-” I smile. “-saved the world.” I laugh as I watch her face grow in delight. “It’s a gem that I found. I think I also have a map and a...a pendant.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WWzJ7W7Yw
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CqOs4ofZa
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyWu0CdK2w
“Uh-huh. By who?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd0VsLCwVy
“And old man. His name was -” I search through my memory, trying to savor everything that I had carelessly tried to forget. “-Let’s see...I think it was Divinos Palladium. Yes, I think that was it.” I watch her wait for me to say more. But, instead, I declare, “Okay, okay. Enough. Set the table, Lila. Hurry up, or else you’ll get cold soup for dinner.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8eXJeqRNP
“Ew! I don’t want that!”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdb6uLLURF
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cYZDl70Dq
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNJBzU2i4R
I look up at her. “What?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabL1f9y1i5
She sighs and I hold in a smile. “Grandmother! About the old man. Is it true or not? What about the gem? What’s that about?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcH77dEpNrK
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipwwBaBgtU
“Really? Tell me more!”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYz359pSoLp
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNISg4rp9MM
6:30 p.m.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6Qzwc9zrS
I try to think back to the time that I was talking to my younger sister and brother. Way back when I was younger. When everything and everyone was younger. 454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oCLvwMnu4
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sFbIg0XSt
“Grandmother?”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9mtjwo7Lm
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaLUwTv092
“It will take a long time to tell. It is a long story, yes. So maybe not today.” I look out the window and see the sun setting over the hills. My mind flooding with the priceless memories of my childhood with my parents and my siblings when they were four or five years old. And then I think of the old man. The wizard who was undoubtedly the most important person in my life. Even though no one may have known, I knew. 454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT0rhB8tm4
Smiling, I say, “Maybe later.” I look back at my granddaughter, her hair glowing against the sunset. “Now,” I playfully groan as I stand back up and look down at her, “Let’s get you to bed or else your mom will get mad at me for keeping you up.”454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1p0IvBUMAb
As I walk up the stairs with the little bundle in my arms, I think, The old man. The adventure. The courage, and trust in him. The pressure and angst. But, it’s invaluable. And, hopefully, the children after me will experience everything that I did and more.454Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEpNXklhzJ
Lila is already asleep, with her head on my shoulder. I walk into her bedroom and stop as I am about to close the door. With one last look out the window, I turn my back and close the door, laying my granddaughter on her bed.
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