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.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVwjGaRFnU
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUi20IkYcm
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq4PP2LAJk
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavLY0cvN3G
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. 577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglpJ41bBo6
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?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhif3e63AE
“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.” 577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej0rdGoXtq
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMvmD9cP6W
“Where did you find that?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrysds9alX
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.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlHeobci3o
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.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bLmztpURZ
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWG4ctJHNg
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8jAup2b02
“Uh-huh. By who?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsgWJ1my7B
“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.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7RG9onNNW
“Ew! I don’t want that!”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj0N09YRTn
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ltqDRZsSo
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8kawNLWY5
I look up at her. “What?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAQO32dbp1
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?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmMYYORd7T
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEQO3jteMx
“Really? Tell me more!”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnj3qT3HR2
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4TrB2oXsy
6:30 p.m.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXxJwxSWl1
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. 577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu7Vvc6YK8
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarL1RUhvDC
“Grandmother?”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqZYz52Cp2
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBRPtTaENH
“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. 577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Atk6ezbRe
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.”577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFzyY6vzuE
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.577Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmKw15CIZc
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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