Unsure but willing, she gingerly lifted the paint brush. And on cue, little Clara went up on her toes to offer Mrs Martini the palette of colours. Life is not always palatable, but that doesn't mean you don’t taste it twice, thought Mrs Martini, as she paused to pick out from a splattering of blue, green, red, orange, white, and yellow, all streaming into a puddle of hues.
The octogenarian had gathered with her 5 grandchildren -- Kevin,
Robbie, Stella, Stacy, and Clara – for an evening of musings and banter. The
kids had planned it all and granny's time was blocked days in advance. No other adult
was allowed in the room. There were only five tickets to 'Grannyverse'.
It was the Sunday before Christmas. No sooner the clock
struck 5, Stacy and Clara appeared to receive granny in her room. 'Granny,
drop whatever it is you are doing," Stacy affectionately ordered, turning Mrs Martini
towards her. Clara held out a satin sash
with glittering gold borders. 'You Are Our Grannyverse', read the words in
cursive. Mrs Martini bent forward and Clara draped it for her, albeit with some
effort. The sisters together led Mrs Martini to the room where the others had
already gathered.
Kevin, Robbie and Stella had meticulously worked out the
details of their date night with granny. A petal shower, followed by a round of storytelling
-- ‘oral memories drawn from the lofts of time’ as granny would put it – a cake
and cookie binge, and finally a dabble with colours, each one in the room leaving
an imprint on the ‘Canvas of Memories’ placed on an easel.
And now it was Mrs Martini’s turn. What could she draw? “Come on, granny. You have got to do this. We aren't saying goodnight otherwise,” said Robbie with a toothy grin. Stella put an arm around Mrs Martini’s bony shoulders and whispered in her ear: “We love you, granny and how much!” Planting a peck on Stella's cheek and ruffling Kevin's hair, Mrs Martini smeared the brush with red, a small amount of orange, and a hint of white and lifted her hand to draw a wobbly heart. "My fading but throbbing heart," thought Mrs Martini as she completed the strokes and slowly put down the brush.
Turning to her grandkids, she drew them all into a giant hug, little Clara squashed in the great huddle. “You, my dears, have a home each in my heart. And thank you, honeybuns! My heart will pulsate with memories of this evening fondly and forever,” said Mrs Martini, her eyes glazing with tears.
(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge)