She Says

Barber placed his hand in his grandmother’s cold, clammy, hand. His grandma was sleeping in her bed, at the group home, just as she had for the past ten years. His stomach filled with butterflies not knowing where to begin. Her subtle breathing and closed eyes revealed she was in another world. Barber pretended she was awake and listening as he leaned closer to her.

“Hi grandma, how are you doing today?”

There was no answer; her condition hadn’t changed for the past four months and the phone call from the nursing home urged him to see her today. Barber looked outside to see the snow blowing in the wind. It was cold outside, more than any other day but it was the intuition that grandma was leaving that he dreaded most. He rested his head on her warm chest and could hear her heartbeat. Then slowly, he lifted his head as he wiped his eyes and looked at her.

“I’m so happy to see you today,” he said as the tears rose from his eyes.
“There is so much I want to say to you and I don’t know where to begin,” he choked in a laugh and wiped his eyes again.
“My mom, dad and sister got to visit Paris with my sister as a field trip the school set up. She’s having the time of her life, but she’s thinking of you. Caroline finished her floral design and has a certificate. May is almost finished with ninth grade and will be a sophomore,” he said as he took a minute. He thought about when he was young and was at the house watching tv with her.
“You’re special to me grandma and I want you to know that. You were always there for us,” his voice trembled as he revealed a smile on his face to re-live the memories in his life.

One of the memories gave him pleasure to re-live and made him laugh. It filled his soul like a picture of water pouring into a flower bed filled with roses. It was this memory that unfolded in such flashbacks.

“Grandma can we play checkers?” asked Barber as he lifted the checkerboard for her to see. Beneath the thick glasses his grandma grinned at the young eight year old.
“Set it up!” she smiled.
Barber placed the pieces on the board until she was finished cooking the soup on the stove. He was black, she was red and when it was all set up he made the first move.
“Hey Grandma, what is that big wooden thing on the book shelf?”
“It’s a nut,” she answered and carefully moved her round checker.
“The stuff in the dark wooden dresser down stairs, who’s is it?” he asked as he moved his checker piece.
“That belonged to your grandpa; someday when you’re older you can have it,” she answered before moving her red checker piece.
Barber quickly double jumped two checker pieces. His grandma hesitated for a minute realizing what had happened.
“I think you’re cheating,” she chuckled.

To be continued. . . . 

"She Says" 

Red and Blue Dragon Fantasy LLC. 

Ryan Keith Johnson 

Copy Right 2012 

All Rights Reserved. 

Available on Kindle , Blue Dragon Fantasy; Faded Memories and Short Stories and "The Legacy Anthology"