Someone To Remember

Chapter 2. Time Flies By

As I went downstairs and into the kitchen I saw Lily preparing for the wedding anniversary gathering, putting up decorations, cooking the meals, she was doing everything.

"I feel guilty that you're doing everything Lily is there anyway I can help with," I asked.

"Oh no mother this is yours and father's special day, just relax I have everything covered," she answered.

Typical Lily, she's always been this way, always wanting to take charge, always wanting to be the leader so everything can be perfect. She just one of those high maintenance perfectionist, it's because of that trait she became the president of the McNamara's foreign trade corporation. Her older brother Rookie is just the opposite, he's more of a follower. An observer he watches something than he instantly understands. When he was younger his grandfather would try and shove sports down his throat, but myself and Eric soon realized he was a man of the arts and not of the sports, as a composer his love for music continues to blossom.

My family is everything to me, they're what keep me moving on, my children, my grandchildren, even my other family who I haven't seen in years I love them all. Oh and of course my dear husband Eric who has been with me through thick and thin. I wish I can see them more often nowadays then usual, but I have been travelling. It has always been one of my dreams to travel ever since I was a little girl, my mother use to tell me all kinds of stories about the world when I was no older than six years old. When I was married to Eric I forgot about that dream of travelling, because I had so many people in my life to worry about I just couldn't leave them behind. Until one woman told me to not be afraid to take chances, we only have one life and one world we must seize the moment. It made me realize that was the only thing I was lacking. I realized this was an opportunity I had to take despite my old age. So I travelled all around and I have yet to see more.

The house was completely taken over by Lily, the whole house was covered with white and cream balloons and ribbons. Above the dining room door there was a big white banner saying happy 40th wedding anniversary. She also made all the meals and dessert like steak and lobster with spicy roasted garlic chimichuuri butter and Swedish meatball pasta. The desserts were even more over the top, she made tiramisu, banana foster and lemon tart. I sat there in the living room watching Lily move all over the place organising the dining room table, the living room and cleaning up the kitchen, I asked numerous of times if I could help she gave me the same answer each time. I wonder how her husband puts up with her.

The house was final set for the gathering, I went upstairs to get dressed until I heard the doorbell ring. Once I heard the excitement, the passionate greetings and the children yelling where's grandma, I knew they were here. I quickly fixed my hair and rushed downstairs to see the rest of my beloved family, "GRANDMA!," the children yelled with excitement as they ran up to me and gave me a big hug. Rookie, his wife and Lily's husband greeted me with hugs and kisses.

We walked into the dining room everyone was surprised at the setting, "Lily you are too much," said Rookie as he place his hand on his face. Everyone laughed, Lily smacked Rookie at the back of his head, making them both glare at one another. It's nice seeing them like this, as weird as it sounds, it just brings me back when they were little kids always fighting about the most minor things.

We sat at the dining table, gawking at the mouth watering meals that were in front of us, I have to admit the food might be a little too luxurious for this type of gathering but it looks amazing. Before we ate we held hands and said a prayer, once the prayer was over we dug right in. The food was absolutely wonderful, she did a magnificent job. During our dinner we spoke, laughed and even shared stories. I told a funny story to the children about their parents.

I told them that every time they would come home from school they would always leave their shoes all over the place, it was either laying around in the living room, in the kitchen or in the hallways it was never in their own room. It was beginning to annoy myself and Eric, we told them countlessly to leave their shoes in their rooms but they continued to do the opposite, then a brilliant idea came to me. One day when they were at school I went to Rookie's room and took all of his shoes a put it in Lily's room under her bed, then I took Lily's shoes and put it in Rookie's room under his bed, and waited until they came home. When they came home I was making supper, until I heard Lily scream, "AAAAA WHERE'S ALL MY SHOES?," there I was in the kitchen trying not to laugh. Lily ran downstairs towards me asking where her shoes were, I said I didn't know, she ran back upstairs and barged into Rookie's room.

"WHERE'S MY SHOES?."

"HEY GET OUT OF MY ROOM."

"WHERE'S MY SHOES?."

"I DON'T HAVE YOUR STUPID SHOES NOW GET OUT OF MY ROOM."

"OH YEAH THEN WHAT'S THAT?."

Suddenly the yelling stopped and I could hear stomping coming from upstairs I guest Lily found her shoes in Rookie's room, and knowing Rookie he followed Lily to her room to scold her for coming in his room. I heard loud muttering coming from Lily's room, Lily's door opened.

"I'm telling mother you stole my shoes," said Rookie.

"I didn't steal your shoes you idiot!," Lily raised her voice.

"Oh so it just magically appeared in your room," Rookie replied.

"I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT THERE I SHOULD BE THE ONE TELLING MOTHER THAT YOU STOLE MY SHOES!," Lily yelled.

And the yelling started again, I was downstairs in the kitchen laughing so hard tears came out of my eyes. In the end my plan worked like a charm, they never left their shoes lying around the house carelessly again in fear that the other might steal them.

Everyone laughed at the story including Lily and Rookie, it was one of my favourite moments I had with my children. The evening was marvellous, we ate all the meals and cleaned out all the desserts. we went to the living room and played musical chairs, it was a very competitive game especially when Rookie and Lily are in it, I only won one game while Rookie and Lily won the most, after Rookie played a bit of the piano he played Chopin Ballade in G minor, he played it so beautifully. You know when they say time flies by when your having fun, that's exactly what happened, it was nearly mid night way past the children's bed time. Luckily my anniversary present was for the children to spend a few days  in my house, so we put them all to bed.

I said my goodbyes to my children and my in-laws, I thanked Lily for everything. They all went home, as I finished waving goodbye to them, I turned around and saw my eldest granddaughter Olivia on the stairs.

"What's wrong Olivia," I asked.

"Oh nothing I was just curious," she answered.

"About what?," I asked.

"At dinner, why didn't you tell any stories about you and Grandpa," she said.

"I don't know why, I guest I didn't want to go to bed crying," I replied.

"Oh," she whispered.

"Why, do you want to hear some stories about me and your grandfather, it's only fair since you never knew him," I said.

"I would love to," she smiled.

We went to the kitchen and I made us some hot coco, we sat in the kitchen.

"What stories do you want to hear," I asked.

"I want to hear everything from start to finish," she answered.

My eyes widened as I stared at her for a moment the spark in her eyes, she really wanted to hear this.

"Okay but I got to tell you it's a very long story and there's parts that are a little graphic," I said.

"Grandma I'm sixteen not six and besides we've got all night," she replied.

"Okay then it all started in 1954......."