Monday
Picture 2
Jessypt's Choice: Picture 1
Title:
I stared, open-mouthed, at the enormity of everything in front of me. All my life I’d dreamed of coming here, and finally after a lifetime of obligation and little money I was.
A little hand squeezed mine, and I looked down to see my granddaughter staring up me, her eyes equally wide with wonder.
“Think we can do all this?” I asked, raising our joined hands and nodding toward the brightly lit rides.
She looked away, her brow furrowed in thought, and then back at me with determination. “Yes.”
And so for two days, she and I walked, ate, stood in lines, and rode, rode, rode every ride we could. Some she was too small for, but I didn’t mind skipping those. They were usually too jerky for my taste anyway.
My daughter and her husband were always nearby, but they knew this was my dream. And Libby’s. My granddaughter and I had talked about this for a long time. At six, she was full of energy, something I had but in short supply, and her laughter was infectious and invigorating.
After three long days, we sat underneath the stars, the night sky twinkling above us. The lights throughout the park had been dimmed save for a few of the rides as we waited for the fireworks to begin.
“It’s almost time, Papa,” Libby said, a tired smile on her face.
She’d been a trooper, pushing her little body all day and late into the evening, refusing to miss a thing. I pulled her onto my lap and smiled down at her. “It is.”
As if on command, the night sky opened up in a brilliant shower of color and trailing lights. I held my granddaughter, my arms tightly wrapped around her, as we watched in awe, the magic of the kingdom on full display. I looked down at her upturned face and a wave of contentment washed over me, so rich and full it almost took my breath away.
This - spending time with the people most important to me - was the stuff dreams were made of... and mine had finally come true.
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