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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCEjkf85gg
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9e6hGki5n
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaEqCtaCO2
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprfqA3UF8P
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. 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUagLrzmeI
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?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjKhX26RU6
“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.” 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgkaRGTsT3
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiP0PPHoEHx
“Where did you find that?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczyyj5a4ch
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.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Tn1XyVjOH
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.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qFJxc61Rv
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78r3HF7HAZ
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ura24mVcZ
“Uh-huh. By who?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNAXyU8OQH
“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.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRLkZW898s
“Ew! I don’t want that!”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MXbXeeCpE
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM00MonbL5
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC84FNT6FAT
I look up at her. “What?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cviQ0dZOp
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?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8e3910c2Z
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifWr0U9AE0
“Really? Tell me more!”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmadkcCZMh
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO34uTMrUST
6:30 p.m.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrhKSVuSmH
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. 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0JJN21eYd
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuzOazcN3f
“Grandmother?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qzXYPwvqd
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkM1cizR6h
“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. 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiWrrXHjUI
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.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUW12S6wux
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGEokfTKCp
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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