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.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DSn0Ndl8w
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mxV3f6aKQ
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECFEHj9lPs
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fj3xONpVK
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. 452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrfab7HHRY
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?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV7UJk2XW0
“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.” 452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6g0UxSTsM
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLgpJnopgU
“Where did you find that?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypKM7aVT7q
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.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWsYhauvZb
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.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAdU3g3GPu
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5JdzPrAXy
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXFJ0Pl4mf
“Uh-huh. By who?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOWAl8Tpz4
“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.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOWGV62Zfd
“Ew! I don’t want that!”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuZfhpdZnt
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMQqYdveO3
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnUefxYNa8
I look up at her. “What?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON9VDhUk1s
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?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzWKQCmVI2
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiDQwr8iqk
“Really? Tell me more!”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZOAwKriR8
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiICzJyCZ2
6:30 p.m.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzWes01uzX
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. 452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkib4oBez3K
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuszgbMexZr
“Grandmother?”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxdPOPn52W
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHicZK6BcC
“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. 452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvdetCM7wN
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.”452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4lV2fFulK
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.452Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSl7xzsjx8
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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