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.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpl74vEN7c
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvpobYQMbT
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOan8LEQmjm
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRip82HKQl
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. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNbs3i7v6H
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?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zQdUI5EAf
“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.” 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0j9MDEArN
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb1Q1GgDoL
“Where did you find that?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajeVxdrKDG
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.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvucRW3Od3
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.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBlJ0XsmDS
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG5ZYd873O
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOKsggkGty
“Uh-huh. By who?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhWkiCU7Cl
“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.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdG28XK1Ic
“Ew! I don’t want that!”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbX2ND0Ou5f
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzfH1AoBaV
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSezfuua2r3
I look up at her. “What?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYomHMzb3Rj
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?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEYOq2bPfL
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkylUWt0LA
“Really? Tell me more!”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPmlvCPBWI
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSERp6Egwc
6:30 p.m.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF18nv8w6l
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. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNIWfhkW7k
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04ej236G07
“Grandmother?”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwNlJWa9lp
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH00sJmP21Z
“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. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYb2UlRHizT
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.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYodGkTV4RC
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.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3JdWcmSS6
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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and then Add to home screen.