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.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVKHxekUv3
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhb6S9tCcV
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBuADf2s0G
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd2fTzasof
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. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqKTXEuXMg
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?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0cmRmf8nT
“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.” 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCUPsTGdKz
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ8cQHDYwQ
“Where did you find that?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf8KUuMFJh
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.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMM9qirv2m
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.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3az0ILvkAp
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiEBNMdORB
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMCGLfca6c
“Uh-huh. By who?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlOZ782ByG
“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.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLJVn2gzCr
“Ew! I don’t want that!”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQqCdVEN3i
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUV6tCuc4t
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgufHSXPNI
I look up at her. “What?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhCBzqyLAp
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?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzMpmuiNVP
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtLQ7JOOpT
“Really? Tell me more!”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NXHaucOH7
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwgBRGK6WV
6:30 p.m.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJ1dzOha2A
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. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0Jy68prFW
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqKqOqHRZM
“Grandmother?”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtAjJcdXDk
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrLKUj0woz
“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. 453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJhcAA6B36
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.”453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwPShZ6pMI
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.453Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGldmtyvtFT
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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