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.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB4qBpWDFQ
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnTSbJIL84
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxqVMF5FDL
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr5laVCieS
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. 480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx51UGskFEn
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?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgQCFAoQg1
“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.” 480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zfWBGgvBT
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdomESCRxt
“Where did you find that?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomyctvHWnk
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.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6rVIAJS5L
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.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYqlbSUEgD
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd36Op5NK0o
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsYHvyyKmc
“Uh-huh. By who?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrgJ5X4ZSW
“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.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt8bLhZpyY
“Ew! I don’t want that!”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI83UrElHmK
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzCENe5cc7
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PsupaIMC5
I look up at her. “What?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDPhl7vgPS
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?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdmdKQhSkL
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvISJFqR0r
“Really? Tell me more!”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYGNFlOA2T
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC49stBUpO
6:30 p.m.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgc6bjpnU4
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. 480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahozmfP2oa
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50CcEXh2zS
“Grandmother?”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriUTWRZ4To
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ2pJD6rMG
“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. 480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfBsKGaAcn
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.”480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQMS177CVv
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.480Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ2KOWEGKd
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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