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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6POi0cmVVQ
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM16WJuYXj
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoejjlfrle
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHjokG2GqU
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. 501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4Wq6egBOl
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?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6sh1ei7K2
“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.” 501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI3NZu5ywx
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRPgEW9UdP
“Where did you find that?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWcVEn2Wdd
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.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhObTwhmLG5
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.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPz8Vnco7D
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoEHvOR0I5
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSmlV9jG6v
“Uh-huh. By who?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3I0nbNak3w
“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.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfL0o0ME6k
“Ew! I don’t want that!”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q4KQMMMD5
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub622KaBbo
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw9tdbqlA9
I look up at her. “What?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HwfApz5zo
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?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGbQ3erzZ9
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiY9NJFXzbU
“Really? Tell me more!”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKIwBNXZak
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYQCdQ26qn
6:30 p.m.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGALFJSZy6c
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. 501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWCJiRcWdw
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JRE8YQmAl
“Grandmother?”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc84wkYyqXn
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLzwJ1hSaG
“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. 501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PzOmZ9Iz4
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.”501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4dkDUYJPN
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.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppO77Lhtiv
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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