Granny

"I wish your grandmother could remember your name," the nurse said.

I snorted.  Of course I knew my own granddaughter's name.  The dratted man never got it right.  I just couldn't open my mouth fast enough to say anything before he spoke for me.

He wrapped a blanket around my shoulders.  "But Granny's raised four fine children and enjoyed seven grandchildren, including you, and now it's time she was involved in her own mind and not everyone else's."

"I know," Lucinda said.  "I just wanted her to meet Matthew before we married.  Granny's always sent me love notes, and I wanted to say I love her back before life gets crazy for the two of us."

I sniffled.  "I love you, too, dearest child," I almost said, but obnoxious-nurse interrupted.  "Let's wheel her into lunch and you three can talk."

As though I watched a motion picture, Lucinda and her fiance dissolved, and my dragon touched his great, warm snout to my forehead.

"George," I exclaimed, delighted.  "I haven't seen you since last fall.  Is it really almost summer again?  How were the hot springs?"

"It's Matthew, not George, ma'am," he answered, and I waved his answer away.  "You always did have a sense of humor, George.  I'd know you anywhere."

I scratched the beast under his chin, where the scales were the most sensitive.  He closed his saucer eyes, and smoke curled from his nostrils in pleasure.  "There, you see," I said.  "I bet that's all you were missing.  You needed me to come scrub your back, didn't you?"

"You guessed it on the button," George chuckled, and as I read the deeper tones in his voice, I sat up in my chair.

"You mean that," I smiled widely.

After all these years of him leaving me... I had to wait for him to come back, every time.  Time all blurred together, now.  Light, dark, a muddy ice.

"I do mean it," he said.  "How would you like to fly with me?  I have this itch I haven't been able to reach since 1965."

1965.  I wrinkled my brow.  Wasn't there something else that had happened in 1965?

"It's when you were married, Granny," a girl's voice broke into our conversation and I squinted, confused at how George disappeared again.  Every time he left, coldness enter my bones.  "You went to the hot springs for your honeymoon."

"My honeymoon," I whispered, trying to remember.  All I could think was that the darn chill was spreading through my body.

"We're going there for our honeymoon, too."  The girl gazed into the eyes of the strange man sitting beside her.  Her... her fiance, wasn't it?  George.  No, George was bigger, much bigger.  "Matthew," I forced out.  Finally.

Lucinda leaned forward over the... what were those, peas?  I couldn't stand peas.  Excitement filled her eyes.  "That's right, Granny," she said.  "This is Matthew."

"You're going to the hot springs," I murmured.  I nodded, as well as I could manage through my shivering.  "George..." I began.

And George materialized in front of me again.

"Yes, Marinda," he rumbled.  "Is that a yes?  You'll come with me to the hot springs?"

I rubbed my palms over my arms, unable to stop the shaking.  "I think... I think you'd better fly me there quick," I said.  My body couldn't seem to stop shuddering, even with the blanket.

George's enormous snout opened wide and he guffawed.  A wave of sulfury breath engulfed me with a promise of warmth.  He always did make me feel warm.  "Who said anything about me flying?" he said.  "You're going to fly on your own wings."

I stared at him, a strange feeling expanding my chest.  My deepest dream, taunting me with filaments of hope.  "You mean that?" I said.  "You really mean that?"

He nodded.  "It's time your scales shined, Marinda.  Let's get on our way, shall we?  When we get there, I'll scrub your back."

The shudders overtook me.

"Granny," I heard panic, and I found enough control to grin up at my granddaughter.  "Lucinda," I said.  "I'll meet you at the hot springs."

I cried out, and that dratted nurse said, "She's been waiting for George for a long time."

Well, for once he'd gotten it right.  I let go, and thrust out my wings.

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Happy National Backwards Day!  I'm going on a backward run and wearing my clothes inside out to celebrate :).  What are you doing to be backwards?

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