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.376Please respect copyright.PENANAT8EHryP5rc
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAEqZ3piEHNC
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.376Please respect copyright.PENANADYiByXlDSZ
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAf1RBTX099w
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. 376Please respect copyright.PENANAliIRy1fs8G
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?”376Please respect copyright.PENANA3OfTbbRhKR
“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.” 376Please respect copyright.PENANAoNNrIb54X3
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAjicAd3aS2N
“Where did you find that?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAlZ0a2KlDj5
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.”376Please respect copyright.PENANALWFlHSsgmL
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.”376Please respect copyright.PENANA1PliKXVhKi
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAphhsA9yRs0
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAIYlei0k21L
“Uh-huh. By who?”376Please respect copyright.PENANA44viPwPizo
“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.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAtymFzRkdmY
“Ew! I don’t want that!”376Please respect copyright.PENANADgYnVMA1nT
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAiaQEAaQfdn
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAq1TxR9hLTt
I look up at her. “What?”376Please respect copyright.PENANAfOgNUpQHrC
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?”376Please respect copyright.PENANATlSZjEmlvm
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAINd6Ny7YAr
“Really? Tell me more!”376Please respect copyright.PENANA8tmyAwlI2V
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.376Please respect copyright.PENANA9iG8gnZDlc
6:30 p.m.376Please respect copyright.PENANAPllKQEVFRv
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. 376Please respect copyright.PENANAicbrZVcClw
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.376Please respect copyright.PENANASIwCfWixcN
“Grandmother?”376Please respect copyright.PENANA0EzSV8zaJG
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 376Please respect copyright.PENANAGR72WUG1nG
“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. 376Please respect copyright.PENANA95r6LHEClY
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.”376Please respect copyright.PENANA2sMWSJ9oum
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.376Please respect copyright.PENANAYzCjNs1v5Q
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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