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.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tfKlxH2yw
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSlakGTUKf
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxvPCPK6Vb
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhF4HIq2xJr
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. 485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDz3YDT0wG
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?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9LrhSBCPM
“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.” 485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKsiF4xcGZ
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYVCrqmCTj
“Where did you find that?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaKZddcb4p
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.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoneMHq3EI
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.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4qgMbYH0i
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENBjWMyafQ
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp4DSobSWd
“Uh-huh. By who?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiKtdbifVX
“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.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG7dEje9FE
“Ew! I don’t want that!”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsP9pdrXHF
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6noTmFgov
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy84AhjylM
I look up at her. “What?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOui39MbL4y
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?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2BWp0FEuQ
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDfkNEGAe3
“Really? Tell me more!”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnH4ADb5Er
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fK6mv661u
6:30 p.m.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskVhUzD2Yf
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. 485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwQk4HMtYw
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf24vbA93T1
“Grandmother?”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dApJiHUol
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOZjZXQe00
“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. 485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMVPUN8Ek2
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.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGiv3m2oQJ
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.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0az6SwhW62
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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