Julianne opened the heavy oak door that had remained shut for a number of years. She reached into the dark and turned on the light, revealing a pleasant, if dusty, nursery. It still felt warm and inviting after all these years, yet Julianne felt a twinge of sadness.
She put her hand on the edge of the crib and lost herself in thought. She was a woman of around fifty, and though the age showed on her face, she wore it well. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and though streaked with gray, it was still luminous and full.
She had always wanted to be a mother. Now at her age, it was time to move forward. The beautiful crib, in which she was placed when she was a baby, was not of any use to her now. It was time to pass it on to someone who could use it.
Her mother bought the crib when things were still made with skill and care. Each of the four children slept in it. Julianne was the oldest, and so found herself often in charge of caring for her siblings. She loved it and never saw it as a chore.
When she was a woman, she fell in love. She discovered the sweet tenderness of romance with a man named Allan, whom she met in college. She spent her early twenties pursuing excitement and adventure with this man, and at twenty-four, they married in a country church. The first born and the first to marry, Julianne's mother gave her the crib as a wedding gift, along with words of love and encouragement.
Julianne was determined not to let the crib stay empty, but after months of trying for a baby, they started to worry. After two years, she went to see a doctor. After an hour that passed like a decade, the doctor said that she couldn't conceive.
As Julianne stood over the crib, a single tear ran to her chin. A knock at the door drew her from her wistful memories. She descended the stairs and opened the door to welcome a handsome young couple into her home. The young woman's face was cheerful and bright. She had a healthy glow about her.
Julianne's miracle baby was all grown up, and would soon be a mother herself. More tears of joy fell from her eyes as she watched her husband and son-in-law loading the crib into a pickup truck. As the parents-to-be drove off, Allen reached for Julianne's hand and they shared a tender, sweet kiss.
YOU ARE READING
Tales from the Antique Store.
HumorA collection of stories I was commissioned to write but were never published. They are each based on one of five antique objects: A Crib A Baby Carriage A Pocket Watch A Sculpture Pottery I was never given any images of the items, and I had to write...
