His Perception

"Darling be nice to Grandpa" my mother said as she kissed me goodbye. "Goodbye Dad, enjoy the summer" she said as she entered the porch of the lovely farmhouse I was staying in for the summer.

I walked and stood by grandpa as I played with my lose strands. He smiled at me and tiny wrinkles formed around his eyes and cheeks which made him look adorable. "It will be a wonderful summer with my company Anne, I promise you" he said as he placed his hands tenderly on my shoulders. I grinned back and held his arm to help him walk back to his rocking chair.

I sat on the stool beside him after offering him the lemonade I prepared for both of us. We both clanked our glasses together and I giggled as he joyfully said "Cheers". We took our first sip together not daring to lose eye contact.

As Grandpa placed his glass on his lap he said "Do you believe in magic Anne?"

I abruptly stopped playing with my lose strands and my eyebrows shot up, "What do you mean Grandpa?" I said, confused.

"It's a simple question Anne, do you believe in Magic?" he asked again

I smiled and thought about it and he waited patiently. "You mean like a magic trick?" I asked in confusion and Grandpa laughed

"Dear, dear it's not a trick or illusion" He said and shook his head. "Like a Disney fairy and guardian angel or pixies?" I said unsure about my answer. His features softened as he said "Remember seeing 'Magic' in everything, it was not pixies or fairy or a Disney kind of magic" he said.

"I don't understand" I said smiling as I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. He stood up from his chair and I stood up to help him balance "It's true, as people grow they lose their ability to believe in certain things - or remember" he said and started walking towards the small study table where his walking stick stood. "Come on Anne, I want to show you something" he said gulping down the last portion of his drink.

He was acting mysterious today. I had never seen him so secretive around me ever. "So are you showing me...magic?" I asked raising an eyebrow and he smiled at me and gestured me to follow. I locked the front door while he hummed a familiar tune. I smiled remembering the days he sang 'toy soldier' to me. I softly held his hand and we walked down the path towards the open field by the lake behind the farmhouse.

The wind blew and Grandpa's hat almost flew, I held it for him and smiled as he closed his eyes feeling the breeze. "Felt that?" he asked and I nodded as soon as he glanced in my direction. "The whisper" he said and I frowned.

He did not clear the confusion surrounding me instead we continued walking. "Wait here" he said and turned around, he gestured me to turn around and I did as I was asked. There in front of me I saw a beautiful site. The colour of the sky had turned into a mixture of orange, red, pink and purple and a little tinge of yellow right at the tip of horizon could be seen. I involuntarily smiled as I watched fireflies fly out and dance around, the flock of birds danced in the sky in sync with the fireflies. Wind blew mildly and I heard leaves rustle and I enjoyed every bit of watching the sun set along with this beautiful scenario.

"This is beautiful" I said as I glanced back at Grandpa after the last bit of yellow tinge disappeared. The sky turned into a darker shade making the tiny dot of stars twinkle in the clear sky. Grandpa smiled and we walked and stood right in front of the lake. Grandpa dipped his fingers inside the water and asked me to do the same. I excitedly dipped my finger inside the now lukewarm water and formed ripples in it as fireflies danced around the water. We pulled our finger out simultaneously and I watched as little blue dot glowed inside the water and my eyes widened.

"Feel the breeze, watch around you, Listen Carefully Anne..." Grandpa said "...the whisper of the breeze that is appreciating the beauty of nature, the glow fish and the fireflies... the stars and the changing colour of the sky. The twinkling stars decorating the sky. My voice lingering in the air, our breath that we breathe... the tiny ripples that we see in the lake water, it's all so..."

"Magical" I finished the statement as I stood there awestruck.

"Life is magical" he said as he draped his arm around my shoulder and I agreed.