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"Please… please tell us the story again granny?" A spritely girl begged as she danced about the ottoman. Her sandy curls bouncing off the shoulders made her seem younger than she was. "Please, I can't get enough of the story."
With a heavy sigh and a groan as her bones crackled while adjusting in her seat. A raspy laugh escaped her withered lips. With a wave of her hand, she motioned for the girl to sit. Her voice suggested annoyance but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Act your age child. You're three days past your majority now."
"I'll act my age if you tell me one last time about your best autumn holiday ever!" The girl, who just turned 18, could hardly hide her excitement. Hands resting firmly on her knees as she sat on the edge of the over stuffed sofa.
"Very well.. where to begin?" The grandmother started rocking slowly. The wooden chair squeaking out its age as it slowly moved back and forth. "I have always loved the fall. With its crisp air, the falling leaves, and the trees painted with hues of orange, brown, beige, yellow, and red. The lingering smells that hung aloft, as if to seduce a person to sneak into the kitchen and steal a taste. And the kitchen was always full of breads, pies, and muffins."
The old woman sat back slowly in her chair. Letting the wooden rocker cry out one last moan as it finally come to rest. The old woman ignoring the sounds of the wooden rocker. "I was sixteen. That fall I had fallen ill and had been running a fever. So to my room I was bound. No walks to see the changing trees or sneaks down to the kitchen for a peak. No, I had my window for a limited view outside with chicken broth and crackers by my bed. Hardly a fitting substitution for the season. But that's when I saw him!"
"Who? Grampa? Who was him?" The girl interrupted impatiently. Her heels clacked against the floor as she tried to control her excitement. "Was it your dad, the police? WHO?" Her brown eyes locked on the older woman as she listened on.
The woman sighed as she turned her eyes to the living room window. The maple trees outside had already turned for the season. "I didn't know who he was. I had yet to meet your grandfather." Wishful longing clung to her words as desperately as the girl did. "He was the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. Just don't tell your grandfather I said that."
The girl let out a squeal of delight. "My lips are sealed. Now please go on! What did you do?" Behind the old woman a crowd started to gather in the doorway. Listening to the story being told.
A thin smile formed on the woman's lips as she was urged to speak on. "I put on my robe and slipped out with no one seeing me. He was under the largest of our maples singing to the birds and leaves. As soon as his emerald eyes fell on me he stopped. Standing ramrod stiff." Her eyes closed as the story took life in her mind.
"I'm sorry if I was bothering you Madame. Just stopped to rest my weary legs. Please, I beg your pardon." Soot black hairs danced in the breeze and enhanced the color of those deep set eyes. Dressed in a fine suit with a fleece coat. "Besides, you shouldn't be out here. You will catch a death of a cold."
"The more I looked at him, the harder it was to breathe. It was like some long forgotten memory had held me fast. A part of me knew him but I didn't know how or why." Grandma said softly. No longer talking to anyone in the room. She was talking to herself as she relived that day over again. "Why are you here? There are no houses for miles." The younger version of herself snapped. "I want your name."
The man chuckled. "My apologies your majesty. I didn't know I was standing before royalty." He bowed sharply at the waist. Showing off a lean physique. He was clearly toned under those layers of clothes. "But I'm not at liberty to answer all those questions. Like I said, I'm just passing by and stopped to rest."
"The sound if his laughter and voice warmed me to my soul." Her already rose cheeks darkened even more. A foot dawned with only house shoes stomped against the fallen leaves on the dried grass. "That's not funny." She huffed. "I really want to kno…" Her words cut off as a round of coughing set in. Weak from the fever and now chilled, she started to swoon. Almost collapsing to the ground.
The old woman rose up from her rocker as she walked over to the window. Placing her hands against the cold panes. Her dull eyes fixed on some invisible entity no one else could see. She paused as if trying to remember or to maybe catch her breath. "I never hit the ground. He caught me in his arms."
No one in the house spoke a word as they listened. For some this was the first time hearing the story. To others it was a grand fairytale and nothing more. But to the crone who was well past her prime, it seemed to be real and that's all that mattered. No one dared to say otherwise.
"My dear girl, are you alright? You're chilled to the bone." He pulled the young girl to him, wrapping his coat around her to lend some of his heat. "You have a fever! You should be inside." But he didn't try to move a step. Only holding the girl close. "Now I feel even worse for bothering you." Picking her up into his arms, he drew her closer. "I'm taking you to bed."
"Please don't." Her voice trembling as she spoke. "Can I just stay here with you a little bit longer?" She shivered as the fever spiked. Sweat beading across her brow. Still her questions hadn't been answered and she wanted to know who he was. Why he seemed so familiar some how.
He brought his lips to the girl's ear and whispered ever so softly. "I just wanted to see you once. This was my deepest wish. But I didn't know you had been ill or I would have never come." Once more he started to sing his haunting lullaby. With each step the world around her seemed to fade away.
The old woman paused as if struggling with the next set of details. "Before I knew what was happening we were in the air, at my window. Then everything went dark." The grandmother said ever so softly. "I don't even remember him tucking me into bed. Or the red ribbons he placed into my hair as an autumn gift. However I do remember my mother's look when I came too."
Ever so slowly she started for her chair once more. Her legs wobbling as she went. A few of the men came forward to help the crone into her seat. "You see, my father died shortly after I was born. I had been singing his lullaby in my sleep. The same song the man sang." A wrinkled hand patted one of the red ribbons in her silver hair. "Mom said he would tie red ribbons around my crib. Just like the ones found in my hair."
Her smile was gone as she placed a hand over her heart. "I fell in love with the stranger at first sight. Seemed I've loved him all my life." Her eyes closed as the rocking chair creaked out with the shifting of weight. "See, it had also been my autumn wish to just once know what my father was like. To hear his voice."
Looking around, everyone could be seen hanging on every word. Her withered spouse, the kids and grandkids. Everyone amazed by the old woman's tale. "We didn't have any pictures of my father, and my mother never sang his song. It was the following year I met my husband and a few years later that we married and started a family."
Ever so slowly she started rocking once more. "If you don't believe me then that's ok. It was just outside this window that he came to me. And every autumn holiday, when the sky is clear and the air is crisp, you can still hear him humming under the large maple tree." The old woman let out a low sigh. "Then again, I had been very sick and it could have been hallucinations from the fever."
As the gathering thinned to eat, mingle, or play. The young girl who begged for the story grabbed the throw from the back of the couch and put it over her grandmother. "I believe you grandma. Love is magic this time of year and stranger things have happened." She kissed the old woman before joining the rest of the younger crowd.
The warmth of love radiated throughout the home. Sounds of laughter and cheer clung to the air. Smells of cinnamon and spices fragrantly hung aloft, enticing anyone to gorge themselves on the tantalizing sweets.
Outside, in the shadows stood the tall man with short soot hair and emerald eyes. Standing next to a petite woman with ginger curls and a slender frame. "You did a good job raising her." The man said, lacing his hand in hers. "She has your heart and your gift for storytelling if you don't mind me saying."
"I would've never had the chance to if you hadn't save our daughter all those years ago." Raising up on her tiptoes, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "Come on, our time here has long ended. We will see her again. No worries. For now let us go and let them enjoy the autumn holidays." With that the two ghosts of memories past faded into the chilly night. Only a faint humm of a distant lullaby could be heard outside. While the sounds of love and happiness filled the grandmother's home.
With a heavy sigh and a groan as her bones crackled while adjusting in her seat. A raspy laugh escaped her withered lips. With a wave of her hand, she motioned for the girl to sit. Her voice suggested annoyance but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Act your age child. You're three days past your majority now."
"I'll act my age if you tell me one last time about your best autumn holiday ever!" The girl, who just turned 18, could hardly hide her excitement. Hands resting firmly on her knees as she sat on the edge of the over stuffed sofa.
"Very well.. where to begin?" The grandmother started rocking slowly. The wooden chair squeaking out its age as it slowly moved back and forth. "I have always loved the fall. With its crisp air, the falling leaves, and the trees painted with hues of orange, brown, beige, yellow, and red. The lingering smells that hung aloft, as if to seduce a person to sneak into the kitchen and steal a taste. And the kitchen was always full of breads, pies, and muffins."
The old woman sat back slowly in her chair. Letting the wooden rocker cry out one last moan as it finally come to rest. The old woman ignoring the sounds of the wooden rocker. "I was sixteen. That fall I had fallen ill and had been running a fever. So to my room I was bound. No walks to see the changing trees or sneaks down to the kitchen for a peak. No, I had my window for a limited view outside with chicken broth and crackers by my bed. Hardly a fitting substitution for the season. But that's when I saw him!"
"Who? Grampa? Who was him?" The girl interrupted impatiently. Her heels clacked against the floor as she tried to control her excitement. "Was it your dad, the police? WHO?" Her brown eyes locked on the older woman as she listened on.
The woman sighed as she turned her eyes to the living room window. The maple trees outside had already turned for the season. "I didn't know who he was. I had yet to meet your grandfather." Wishful longing clung to her words as desperately as the girl did. "He was the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. Just don't tell your grandfather I said that."
The girl let out a squeal of delight. "My lips are sealed. Now please go on! What did you do?" Behind the old woman a crowd started to gather in the doorway. Listening to the story being told.
A thin smile formed on the woman's lips as she was urged to speak on. "I put on my robe and slipped out with no one seeing me. He was under the largest of our maples singing to the birds and leaves. As soon as his emerald eyes fell on me he stopped. Standing ramrod stiff." Her eyes closed as the story took life in her mind.
"I'm sorry if I was bothering you Madame. Just stopped to rest my weary legs. Please, I beg your pardon." Soot black hairs danced in the breeze and enhanced the color of those deep set eyes. Dressed in a fine suit with a fleece coat. "Besides, you shouldn't be out here. You will catch a death of a cold."
"The more I looked at him, the harder it was to breathe. It was like some long forgotten memory had held me fast. A part of me knew him but I didn't know how or why." Grandma said softly. No longer talking to anyone in the room. She was talking to herself as she relived that day over again. "Why are you here? There are no houses for miles." The younger version of herself snapped. "I want your name."
The man chuckled. "My apologies your majesty. I didn't know I was standing before royalty." He bowed sharply at the waist. Showing off a lean physique. He was clearly toned under those layers of clothes. "But I'm not at liberty to answer all those questions. Like I said, I'm just passing by and stopped to rest."
"The sound if his laughter and voice warmed me to my soul." Her already rose cheeks darkened even more. A foot dawned with only house shoes stomped against the fallen leaves on the dried grass. "That's not funny." She huffed. "I really want to kno…" Her words cut off as a round of coughing set in. Weak from the fever and now chilled, she started to swoon. Almost collapsing to the ground.
The old woman rose up from her rocker as she walked over to the window. Placing her hands against the cold panes. Her dull eyes fixed on some invisible entity no one else could see. She paused as if trying to remember or to maybe catch her breath. "I never hit the ground. He caught me in his arms."
No one in the house spoke a word as they listened. For some this was the first time hearing the story. To others it was a grand fairytale and nothing more. But to the crone who was well past her prime, it seemed to be real and that's all that mattered. No one dared to say otherwise.
"My dear girl, are you alright? You're chilled to the bone." He pulled the young girl to him, wrapping his coat around her to lend some of his heat. "You have a fever! You should be inside." But he didn't try to move a step. Only holding the girl close. "Now I feel even worse for bothering you." Picking her up into his arms, he drew her closer. "I'm taking you to bed."
"Please don't." Her voice trembling as she spoke. "Can I just stay here with you a little bit longer?" She shivered as the fever spiked. Sweat beading across her brow. Still her questions hadn't been answered and she wanted to know who he was. Why he seemed so familiar some how.
He brought his lips to the girl's ear and whispered ever so softly. "I just wanted to see you once. This was my deepest wish. But I didn't know you had been ill or I would have never come." Once more he started to sing his haunting lullaby. With each step the world around her seemed to fade away.
The old woman paused as if struggling with the next set of details. "Before I knew what was happening we were in the air, at my window. Then everything went dark." The grandmother said ever so softly. "I don't even remember him tucking me into bed. Or the red ribbons he placed into my hair as an autumn gift. However I do remember my mother's look when I came too."
Ever so slowly she started for her chair once more. Her legs wobbling as she went. A few of the men came forward to help the crone into her seat. "You see, my father died shortly after I was born. I had been singing his lullaby in my sleep. The same song the man sang." A wrinkled hand patted one of the red ribbons in her silver hair. "Mom said he would tie red ribbons around my crib. Just like the ones found in my hair."
Her smile was gone as she placed a hand over her heart. "I fell in love with the stranger at first sight. Seemed I've loved him all my life." Her eyes closed as the rocking chair creaked out with the shifting of weight. "See, it had also been my autumn wish to just once know what my father was like. To hear his voice."
Looking around, everyone could be seen hanging on every word. Her withered spouse, the kids and grandkids. Everyone amazed by the old woman's tale. "We didn't have any pictures of my father, and my mother never sang his song. It was the following year I met my husband and a few years later that we married and started a family."
Ever so slowly she started rocking once more. "If you don't believe me then that's ok. It was just outside this window that he came to me. And every autumn holiday, when the sky is clear and the air is crisp, you can still hear him humming under the large maple tree." The old woman let out a low sigh. "Then again, I had been very sick and it could have been hallucinations from the fever."
As the gathering thinned to eat, mingle, or play. The young girl who begged for the story grabbed the throw from the back of the couch and put it over her grandmother. "I believe you grandma. Love is magic this time of year and stranger things have happened." She kissed the old woman before joining the rest of the younger crowd.
The warmth of love radiated throughout the home. Sounds of laughter and cheer clung to the air. Smells of cinnamon and spices fragrantly hung aloft, enticing anyone to gorge themselves on the tantalizing sweets.
Outside, in the shadows stood the tall man with short soot hair and emerald eyes. Standing next to a petite woman with ginger curls and a slender frame. "You did a good job raising her." The man said, lacing his hand in hers. "She has your heart and your gift for storytelling if you don't mind me saying."
"I would've never had the chance to if you hadn't save our daughter all those years ago." Raising up on her tiptoes, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "Come on, our time here has long ended. We will see her again. No worries. For now let us go and let them enjoy the autumn holidays." With that the two ghosts of memories past faded into the chilly night. Only a faint humm of a distant lullaby could be heard outside. While the sounds of love and happiness filled the grandmother's home.
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