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.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUrIFfOvBm
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaB4oj1ia5
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qXKKuPk1c
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNO1dT7bnES
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. 816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSftyDWJ9xI
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?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWTKDn1zNK
“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.” 816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHahFG2MYbM
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97atF1ZBDS
“Where did you find that?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzG165CddI
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.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwAIiT8zcd
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.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRiRdjsX0o
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9zxLidsc8
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHMAjeXM9V
“Uh-huh. By who?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlkQeHGiVG
“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.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZgDXVvkKS
“Ew! I don’t want that!”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofjplZwphx
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNo5PsKllTi
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvTuLds8pH
I look up at her. “What?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsA5TZb4tf
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?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjNj5dxIdN
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe5ZmSA7eg
“Really? Tell me more!”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5cRUV8X4y
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkvL4gC4JH
6:30 p.m.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC6gVKJdLJ
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. 816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM65YX01c0
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrft7z44Cx
“Grandmother?”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmr3SkfyHZW
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOypbYAtR3L
“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. 816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix8WkGdc2E
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.”816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD51LNIii0U
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.816Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGrqRtJxzY
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.
ns216.73.217.114da2
and then Add to home screen.