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.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaNO9A8mu7
She looks at me and asks, “Can I go up to the attic, Grandmother?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2RloxTQEQ
Grandmother. Never had I imagined that somebody would call me that.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnWLpmJUbO
I nod. “Of course, Lila.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvN8vjEtT1I
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. 578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8k8zGZeX0
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?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvP2zdKieD
“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.” 578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbqeGJPEZk
My granddaughter stares at me in confusion. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpN3427jyY
“Where did you find that?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRu28DHjdw
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.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUBu4qKBgR
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.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS28ibSaToJ
“Grandmother, where did you get that? Where did you find it?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuxZighA1Z
“Oh, oh, no. I didn’t find it. I was given it.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oJG7v6nfo
“Uh-huh. By who?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2XU6IDFkb
“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.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObsjKB4vQO
“Ew! I don’t want that!”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Y6HM7GM3D
“Exactly why you should hurry. Let’s go.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeIQvjYTxi
When we sit down and start eating, she asks me again, “So, is it true or not?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziyoCAP5OY
I look up at her. “What?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBF6CBfkPL
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?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBf9XDwoAqW
“Everything is true. Everything. Oh, fun fact, Lila. I because leader of the whole city after I got rid of the government.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRCZrLal4o
“Really? Tell me more!”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRziIOG8gS
I rub my eyes and look at the clock.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyiLLyZQpd
6:30 p.m.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nV3yOb4R4
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. 578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TtBlMKenZ
I smile. Yes, that’s it. It always works on the young ones.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbv3aUtnf9v
“Grandmother?”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KBGLr6gLi
I look at Lila and bend down, putting my hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. 578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UHGE1vdrS
“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. 578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLLGxPM8UE
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.”578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwOOSI7SdX
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.578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6wMv9gR9e
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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