Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 68
Issue 68 of the award-winning Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine.
Issue 68 of the award-winning Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine.
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short story<br />
Anne looked at the girl <strong>and</strong> smiled.<br />
"He's such a character," she said to<br />
the girl. "They both are!"<br />
"Nan!" called Barney again.<br />
"I'm coming now," reassured Anne.<br />
Barney stood there for a few<br />
moments, looking back at his<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>mother. He finally gave<br />
up, shrugged his shoulders to<br />
Violet, turned, <strong>and</strong> continued his<br />
exploration on the forest floor.<br />
Anne <strong>and</strong> the girl set off again<br />
behind the children.<br />
"Do you remember that time when<br />
we saw fairies here?" asked the girl.<br />
"Oh yes!" said Anne. "How could I<br />
forget that? They weren't far from<br />
here, were they?"<br />
The girl pointed to a dense<br />
gathering of trees far into the forest.<br />
"Yes. I think they were over there<br />
somewhere. Do you still believe in<br />
them?"<br />
"Of course!" beamed Anne. "Just<br />
because I'm older, doesn't mean<br />
that I don't believe."<br />
"Would you still like to be my age?"<br />
asked the girl.<br />
"I'm not sure. In many ways, it was<br />
easier at your age. But I've met a lot<br />
of incredible people, done some<br />
amazing things, <strong>and</strong> made lots of<br />
wonderful memories along the way.<br />
You've got a lot to look forward to."<br />
"That's lovely," said the girl.<br />
"Do you know what the strange<br />
thing is?" continued Anne. "A<br />
different version of you exists in the<br />
minds of everyone you'll ever meet<br />
or interact with. Unfortunately, that<br />
version is sometimes not the best<br />
version. Sometimes, that's just the<br />
legacy we leave. And sometimes,<br />
we need to accept that <strong>and</strong> do<br />
better. We could disappear in an<br />
instant <strong>and</strong> that version of yourself<br />
is the one that people will be left<br />
with. Do your best every day <strong>and</strong><br />
don't waste time beating yourself<br />
up about your mistakes. We all<br />
make them. We learn nothing from<br />
success - just the failures."<br />
The girl smiled. "Thank you." The<br />
pair walked on in silence for a<br />
while before the girl posed another<br />
question for Anne.<br />
"Do you have any regrets?"<br />
"Only that I avoided being my<br />
authentic self for so long," replied<br />
Anne. "I did what everyone<br />
expected of me. I always remember<br />
Aunty Joan persistently asking<br />
whether I had a boyfriend or<br />
whether I was getting married. She<br />
kept asking me but do you know<br />
what? It was none of her bloody<br />
business what I was doing with my<br />
life!<br />
"You can't change the people<br />
around you but you can change<br />
the people around you," Anne<br />
concluded. The girl pondered<br />
over that for a moment before its<br />
meaning dawned on her.<br />
"Yes. I like that. I'll try <strong>and</strong><br />
remember that."<br />
Evening was falling <strong>and</strong> the colder<br />
air seeped through to Anne's skin.<br />
She zipped her big coat up to her<br />
chin.<br />
"I'd better go," said Anne. "The kids<br />
have raced ahead. I'll lose them at<br />
this rate <strong>and</strong> it’ll be dark soon. I've<br />
got a nice beef joint cooking in the<br />
oven for when we get home. The<br />
kids love that."<br />
"That's OK. It's been nice catching<br />
up with you," replied the girl. "I'll<br />
head back this way," she said, <strong>and</strong><br />
began walking back down the path<br />
where they had come from. "Maybe<br />
we'll catch up again at some point<br />
soon?" said the girl, stopping to say<br />
goodbye.<br />
"That'd be nice. I enjoy our little<br />
chats. Before you go," said Anne, "I<br />
want you to know that you'll be OK.<br />
There will be tough times, of course.<br />
Life isn't meant to be easy. But you'll<br />
do just fine. When life does get<br />
tough, just remember that every<br />
storm passes. There will be those<br />
who just want to take from you. Free<br />
yourself from those people. You'll<br />
find yourself a wonderful husb<strong>and</strong>,<br />
you'll have some amazing children<br />
- <strong>and</strong> then, one day, you'll end up<br />
with these." Anne pointed to Barney<br />
<strong>and</strong> Violet, far off in the distance.<br />
Up ahead on the forest track, a<br />
large twig in his h<strong>and</strong>, Barney had<br />
stopped <strong>and</strong> was looking back at<br />
his gr<strong>and</strong>mother. She was st<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
entirely alone, looking way down<br />
the darkening forest path behind<br />
her.<br />
"Come on Nan. Who are you<br />
talking to? There's no one even<br />
there!" he called, his words<br />
bouncing off the trees <strong>and</strong><br />
evaporating into the cool evening<br />
air.<br />
Anne cast one last lingering look<br />
at the girl. It was like looking at a<br />
younger version of herself. In many<br />
ways, it was.<br />
"I kept telling you everything would<br />
be OK in the end, didn't I?" called<br />
the girl as she walked off.<br />
Anne smiled, <strong>and</strong> then nodded.<br />
"Yes. You did. I should have<br />
listened to you."<br />
Anne turned back to her<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>children to answer Barney's<br />
question. She smiled.<br />
"Just talking to myself," she mused.<br />
By Patric Morgan<br />
41