Grandma Jane

                                                            Grandma Jane

                                                        By Daryl Campbell



         Standing near a brick wall crowded with bronze plates, Kristofer closes his eyes and time washes over him.



                                                 * * * * * * * *



         “Grandma’s here!” Kristofer yells, birthday excitement overcome by grandma’s car in the drive way. “Grandma‘s here!” he yells again, brushing long, blond hair out of his blue eyes.

         He watches through the window as grandma gets out of her car, present in hand. When the knock sounds on the door, he turns the lock and pulls it open, smiling as any five year old does. Grabbing grandma around the legs and hugging tight, he causes  her to stumble. There's nothing better on a birthday than grandma. Well, nothing but the present grandma's carrying.

         “Kristofer opened the door!” Alexander, a boy with white-blond hair, tells on his little brother.

         “It was grandma,” Kristofer defends himself.

         “But you know you aren’t supposed to open the door,” A pretty woman with long, auburn hair and brown eyes, says as she enters the room. “You need to wait for me or your dad to open the door.”

         “Listen to your mom,” grandma says, handing the present, wrapped in blue and gold paper, to Kristofer's mom. “How's the birthday boy?”

         “Good.” He smiles when she bends and hugs him.

         She's an every day grandma and Kristofer's happy about it. Jane isn't a tall woman and streaks of gray line her brown hair. She wears big glasses and the skin on her jaw and neck jiggles a little when she moves. Kristofer’s only five and can’t imagine anyone being as old as grandma.

         “Grandma!” A little, blonde girl screams, running into the living room as fast as her three year old legs can carry her.

          The collision knocks grandma to the floor and the girl swings her arms around Grandma Jane’s neck and squeezes.

         “Careful, Nikol.” Mom moves to help grandma up. “You have to be careful with grandma.”

         “Sorry,” Nikol giggles, kissing grandma on the head.

         “It’s okay, she didn’t mean any harm, Lee.” Jane stands.

         “I know, Mom.” Lee hugs her mom and they take a seat on a blue couch.

         “Did you bring me anything.” Alexander asks.

         “It’s not your birthday. You’ll get something when yours comes around,” grandma answers.

         “That’s a long way off.” Alexander frowns.

         “We’ll have to wait then.” Mom stands, puts Kristofer’s present on the table, and heads to the kitchen.

         Grandma relaxes on the couch while Lee finishes getting the birthday ready. Nikol climbs into Jane’s lap, sitting like a queen would on any throne. Kristofer, wanting some of the attention his sister's taking, scoots up next to grandma and talks and talks and talks. Nikol and Alexander start talking too. Grandma Jane, tries to keep up with them, her head turning from this face, to this face, and then back to the first.

         Alexander tells her about his friends at school. Friends who are doing some of the craziest things he can come up with. She smiles, but knows, as any grandma does, there is more exaggeration than exact truth.

         Nikol grips grandma’s chin and makes her look directly at her as she tells her about the cats. It's always something about the cats. Nikol's a forceful girl and makes sure grandma hears every detail.

         Then there's Kristofer. It's not enough that today's his birthday, he needs the other two to know that grandma's here especially for him. He tells her about his cake, not out on the table yet, and how fast he's going to open his presents. He already knows what he’s getting, or thinks he does, and can hardly wait to see.

         Attention leaves grandma when the chocolate cake appears on the table, five candles sticking deep in the brown frosting. The flames draw the children to the table, each fighting for the best spot. Nikol doesn’t wait, blowing at the candles as soon as she's standing in a chair and leaning over the table. Three go out.

         “Mom!” Kristofer yells.

         “Nikol!” Mom grabs her from behind and sits her down.

         “She blew out my candles!” Kristofer stares at his sister.

         Giggling, Nikol puts her hand over her mouth.

         “I'll relight them.” Lee says.

         “But she…”

         “It’s okay, Kristofer. I'll take care of it.” Mom relights the candles.

         The birthday song starts and Kristofer blows all five candles out with one breath. Cake and ice cream are eaten quickly. Kristofer swallows mouthfuls of melting ice cream and chocolate cake then waits for everyone else to finish.

         “Kristofer, you can open your presents now.” Lee clears the plates.

         Paper's ripping before the dishes reach the counter. When Kristofer finishes, next hour's spent in battle with his brother and sister over the toys.

         The birthday's great and Grandma Jane being there's even better. Time comes for her to leave and, despite three children swarming her car to get overnight invites, she leaves with all the kisses, hugs, and I love yous she can carry. She can probably manage more, but it's getting late and grandma needs to get home.

         A few weeks later, dad answers the ringing phone. Nikol's brothers are at school and mom's at work. The discussion's quick, ending with dad hanging up the phone, making a quick call to mom at work, and dressing Nikol for a ride in the car. Picking the boys up from school early, they head to get Lee from work. Mom's sitting outside the glass doors as they pull into the parking lot where she works. She gets in the car slowly, she‘s been crying.

         The ride is a long one. Alexander, Kristofer, and Nikol don't know what's going on. Dad tells them grandma passed away, but doesn’t say anything more, and mom cries for most of the trip. The car pulls into the apartments and moves slowly around the buildings to where two police cars sit.

         “Grandma’s house!” Kristofer yells, snapping the silence. Lee turns to hug him, trying to explain. He doesn’t listen, he’s happy to come see Grandma Jane.

         Lee climbs out of the car, crying as she shuts the door. The car backs up and starts to leave.

         “I wanna see grandma. I wanna say hi.” Kristofer pleads with dad to stop.

         The words make his father’s heart to sink.



                                                 * * * * * * * *



         The memory fades when Kristofer opens his eyes. The sun is high in a bluish sky and he has to squint to see. Tears fill the edges of his eyes, slipping into the gentle creases of his teenage face before sliding down to his chin. The memory remains clear after so many years and he's always a little sad when he finds it. He lifts his arm and puts the single flower, a Butterfly Orchid, on the white wall that bears Grandma Jane's name plate. Standing there for another minute, he turns and walks across the grass lawn to the car. Alexander and Nikol wait for him there, already having paid their respects to their grandma. They're grown now, but still miss their grandma.

         “Tell me something I don’t remember.” Nikol says, climbing in the car.

         Alexander starts telling her a story and Grandma Jane is never forgotten.