Grannie Pegasus and her grandchildren...

You are 95 and you tell your great grand-children about your life

I was sitting on the sofa, enjoying the last sunbeams 

of the day and reading a good book as I was petting 

Dinah, my old cat. 

I could see my children and their children having tea 

in the garden.

They had all decided to spend one week with me for 

my birthday, what a nice attention. 

I turned ninety-five last Tuesday, on September 21th. 

I had just started to read another chapter when I felt a tiny hand on my arm.

“Great Grandma? Please, could you tell us about your life”  asked Alice.

Alice is one of my grand-children, she is ten. 

I looked around and saw Lorina, her elder sister, thirteen years old, and Edith, the younger one, eight years old.

“But I already told you about my life a hundred times! Are you sure you still want to hear it?” I said, surprised.

Their eyes where shining while they were sitting on the carpet, in front of me.

“Please, you know it's our favorite story and…” they began to say in unison.

“It's OK, you know I can't resist those eyes. Well… 

Where should I start today?”

“Could you tell us about your childhood and how you found love?” Edith murmured.

Edith is a discreet child but she is fascinated by love stories. I took time to gather all my memories, put my book on the sofa and I started:

“A long time ago -and yet perhaps it wasn't such a very long time ago – in 1999, I was born. 

I had a calm and nice childhood, my parents and family were extremely caring, I had some awesome friends. 

I used to go to school, just like you now, even if it looks like you are more used to use modern technologies than me. 

There were a whole bunch of new inventions between your childhood and mine!

Then, as you already know, I moved to Toulouse to study literature and arts. 

It really was my passion and it still is. 

When I was there I visited the city every time I could, it is an awesome city and the Capitole is particularly impressive, you have to see it at least once in your life, I'll tell your parents about it!

Well, and that's where I found love...”

I looked at Edith, she was smiling, I winked at her.

“So, I met your other great grand-parent in Toulouse, at a New Year's Eve party. 

There were many people but we both wanted to meet someone new, and that's how we decided to talk. 

It was in 2021 if I remember rightly. 

We started to date a few months after and we finally decided to move in the same flat in 2024. 

We kept on studying together, and then we found a job, so it was easier for us to pay our bills. 

Then, we decided to adopt a child, we thought a lot about it before and the way to proceed was difficult but we succeeded, and that's how your grand mother came into our family in 2026. 

She was two years old and I will always remember her blue eyes, her smile and her tiny hand touching mine the first time I hold her in my arms. 

Her name was Ophelia and she was the light of our days.”

I heard Edith sigh with contentment, it was surely her favorite part of my life. 

It surely is mine too, I had no problems and everything was perfect. 

It couldn't have been any better and if I could do it again I wouldn't change anything.

“And then?” asked Alice, pulling the bottom of my skirt to catch my attention.

“And then, darling, Ophelia grown up fast, and one day, when she was twenty-three, she came home with a man and she introduced him. 

As you can guess, it was William, your grandfather.

 He was nice, intelligent and was two years younger than her. 

Seeing our daughter happy with this man made us the happiest parents in the world and we immediately accepted him. 

Two years later, William married Ophelia, the ceremony was beautiful, we cried all day long. 

We were beside ourselves with joy. 

In 1955, in the beginning of the year, Ophelia and William told us that they were going to have a baby and we couldn't wait to meet this new member of our family. 

But our joy was short-lived.” I said, as I suddenly became gloomy.

“That's when the love of your life felt ill?” questioned Lorina.

“Exactly dear. Few months later we learned it, but it was already too late. 

Lung Cancer. 

In five months it was all over. 

Only fifty-six years old, we were going to be grandparents, it wasn't right, it wasn't fair.  

The funeral took place on December, I can remember that it was snowing that day. 

Snow always have been our favorite weather, it was a nice day for good byes. 

It was heart wrenching, I cried during several days, then months and finally years. 

Pain goes away with time but I can't forget my loved one, still today.”

Alice caught my hand, and held it with all her strength.

“I'm sorry Great Grandma, we don't want you to be sad...” she whispered.

“And what about the baby then? Was it mum?” Lorina asked.

“Yes, it was. She was born two weeks after the funerals. 

Fortunately she was there. 

William and Ophelia called her Juliet, she was beautiful, she had her mother's eyes. 

Together we loved her and took care of her, thanks to her I could forget, at least a little, the loss of my love one.  

Then, our baby Juliet grew up and she was even more looking like her mother. 

Everything was right for her, she was calm, independent, good at school and very outgoing. She went to London to study architecture and there she met...

”

“Laurence,

 our father!” they shouted in unison.

“Well, I can notice that you really know this story by heart” I laughed. 

“So, it was Laurence, your father. He was one year older than your mother and he was studying religions at school. 

We took time to know each other and it was really pleasant to talk with him, he knew many things about art and we talked during hours about Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, Gerda Wegener and other painters that we liked. 

When Juliette was twenty-six she told us that she was pregnant. 

The first baby was born in December 2081, it was you, Lorina. 

Three years later, in August 2084, Alice was born. 

Finally, two years later, in 2086, Edith followed. 

Only girls, and you were looking the same, it was impressive! We were so happy, I was already great grandparent, and not only once, but three times! And here you are.”

I smiled and looked at my three great grand-children. They were smiling too. I was lucky to have them indeed!

“And now what about joining everyone outside?” I asked, showing the table and all our family gathered around, in the garden.

They approved and we slowly went outside, followed by Dinah, under the last sunbeams of this day.