101 comments

Drama

Monday

I knew something was strange when my grandfather looked at my mother one day and declared that he wanted to explore. My grandfather had always been content with living in his brick house on the outskirts of London. His sudden declaration had taken both me and my mother by surprise. Still, we were delighted at his interest. He hadn’t ventured outside of the house since his wife, Alice, died ten years ago. I knew my mother had been hoping for a change in him; his sudden curiosity was very welcome.

It was Monday, and raining, as it was wont to do in London. My grandfather had on his warmest cotton coat and black mittens that hid his arthritic fingers. I noted he wore a Trapper hat, covering his bald head and warming his ears. He was well-prepared for the stormy weather. He coughed as I looked at him, and I turned my face away, instead glancing at my mother, who was staring at a map.

“Alright, dad, this way,” she said, pulling my grandfather’s hand and leading him towards the South Bank. I followed, glancing at the Thames as I did so. The river was rocky and high, and the constant downpour made it taller. I pulled my raincoat tighter around my body.

We walked until we made it to the queue. There were many people. Middle-aged parents with children, tourists with cameras, couples in love. We made our way to the back and waited. My grandfather complained his hip was hurting, but when my mother asked him if he wanted to leave, he told her no.

My mother handed the attendee the tickets as we made our way to the entrance. They were expensive, but we’d saved money by buying online. My mother had done it to avoid my grandfather from saying something he shouldn’t about the price. We couldn’t let him know how much we’d spent when it was mostly his idea. We smiled at the attendee as he let us into our capsule.

As a long-life London dweller, I’d been on the London Eye before, but I’d never been with my grandfather. He complained the machine was too slow, and the rocking was making him queasy. As we reached the halfway point he became silent and stared outside. My mother held his hand as he looked at the view, pointing at all the iconic landmarks he’d missed hiding away in his home.

I hurried over and joined them, standing on my grandfather’s right-hand side. From the top of the London Eye, we could see as far as 40 kilometres. I spotted Westminster Abbey, Gothic and haunting; the Shard, tall and almost translucent. We spent a while gazing at the view, wondering at the simple beauty our city possessed. With my grandfather, I gained a new respect for the industrial buildings surrounding us. He was smiling, a smile I’d never seen before, and I realised that he was happy.

Tuesday

The next day my mother had suggested St Paul’s Cathedral. My grandfather had worked as a builder, and my mother knew he was a fan of architecture. I didn’t argue. It was perfect for my grandfather, and this week was about him. He was still acting a little shady for my liking. He kept telling my mother he loved her, hugging me close when I felt sad, and cooking our favourite meals as a thank you. I couldn’t quite understand what was going on in his head, but I liked it a lot. We’d never been the closest, but now I felt like we understood each other. There was no longer any confusion between us, just pure familial love.

St Paul’s Cathedral took my grandfather’s breath away when he laid eyes upon it. My mother welled up too, but I held firm. It was a building, after all. Still, I could appreciate the exterior. The dome grabbed my attention. It looked like a drum, with layers and windows offering a secretive glance at what lay inside. It was gigantic, and my grandfather was rubbing his hands and dancing a little as we stood there. My mother had to get him to calm down as we entered, told him to act more normal. I’d never seen him behave in such a way. He was like a child given free rein at a sweet shop, grabbing all the chocolates, liquorice, and mints he could find.

Inside, my grandfather became more enraptured by the structure. I could tell from his wide eyes that he wanted to touch the sturdy walls, but my mum kept holding him back. She was good at that, good at stopping people from doing things they shouldn’t. I wondered for a second if she knew why my grandfather was acting so odd, but she hadn’t let anything slip and so I dismissed the thought. My mother told me everything, had since my dad had left us when I was five, and I knew her better than anyone. She would tell me if it was something important.

Wednesday

My grandfather had woken me up that day by handing me three tickets and beaming. I clutched the tickets in my hand, eyes bleary, and tried to make out the writing. It was hard without my glasses. I had to rummage around for a good five minutes, but I found them and shoved them on my face. Once on, I glanced at the tickets. Macbeth, at the Globe.

I ran downstairs and showed them to my mother, who looked as confused as I did, but happy. My mother and I had never been to a performance at the Globe and it felt like a fresh day for all of us, not just my grandfather. I could hardly wait.

My grandfather had gotten us the cheapest tickets he could find, and I was a little concerned at first. I asked him if he knew they were standing tickets. He said he didn’t care, that he was just happy to see a production in his lifetime. I’d agreed. My family rarely went to the theatre, and it felt like a proper treat. I watched, enraptured, as the actors monologued. As the witches cackled, Banquo’s ghost appeared, and Macduff beheaded Macbeth.

My grandfather watched it all in silence, letting out a cry here and then. He’d never been one for classics, but I could feel him enjoying it the longer the play went on. I could tell from the way his hands tightened around his coat and his little shivers as Lady Macbeth spoke. I knew, from the slight trembles in his body, that he was enjoying the production as much as my mother and I were.

After the show, I’d initiated a hug with him for the first time. My grandfather seemed taken aback, shocked, and then pulled me into a firm embrace. My mother smiled and joined in. It was a comfortable hug, a hug that seemed full of promise, full of affection between all three of us. I’d never felt so loved.

Thursday

I’d suggested the Natural History Museum for our next trip. My mother and my grandfather had paused in their conversation for a second, looked at me, and then agreed. My mother told my grandfather it was an amazing museum, full of history as museums often are, and my grandfather had laughed. It was a bright laugh, young and sweet and full of life. I’d never heard him make a sound like that before, but now I wanted to hear it from him all the time. I told him as much, and he patted me on the shoulder, told me I was a good grandson, and put his shoes on.

I had always loved the Natural History Museum. When I was younger, museums had been my way of escaping when the arguments in our house got too much. My babysitter had often taken me, while my mum was busy earning us money to keep afloat. My dad had been who knows where. I loved the different exhibitions, but my favourite was the ‘Human Evolution’ section. I loved history and science and learning about our species was one of my favourite pastimes. My mother didn’t get my fascination, but she supported it.

As we entered, I dragged them to my favourite section. I was babbling away, and probably annoying them, but they didn’t interrupt me, so I thought it best to keep rambling. I knew where I wanted to go. My grandfather and my mother followed as I led them to one of the fossils.

I told them that the fossil I was showing them was a 3.5-million-year-old Laetoli canine. My grandfather looked confused while my mother sighed, annoyed but fond. I’d shown her the fossil before and she clearly wanted to go to the ‘Dinosaur’ exhibition, but I was still on cloud nine. I waved her away, and she left to look around the rest of the collection. My grandfather stood by me, hand on his hip, and listened to me talk. I told him it was the oldest hominin fossil that the museum had, and that it was similar to how chimpanzees looked. My grandfather listened, nodding his head at the appropriate moments. He’d never paid me this much attention before. It was the best day of my life.

I’d taken him further around the exhibit. I needed to show him everything. First, it was the Neanderthal skull, then the Clacton spear and the Cheddar Man skeleton. I spoke to him for what felt like hours, letting all my knowledge flow until even I was breathless from it. Throughout it all, he never spoke, and just listened to me. His silence never deterred me. I instead took his wide grins as permission to keep talking about my interests. My grandfather and I shared that same trait; when we loved something, we wouldn’t stop talking about it.

Friday

We had plans to go visit Kew Gardens today. It was my mother’s turn to pick, and she loved flowers, so it felt right for her to choose such a pleasant location. I hadn’t been before, but I’d heard all about it from my mother. She rambled about the glasshouses, the entire rooms full of cacti, to the 320 metres of rainbow flowers. The more she spoke about them, the more I wanted to visit.

We’d gone to wake my grandfather up from his room. It was past nine o’clock, and usually he was ready to go by eight. It felt unusual for him not to be up early. I reasoned the long walks at the Natural History Museum yesterday had made him more tired. My mother knocked on his door, but there was no answer.

We’d called his name a few times and then pushed the door open. My grandfather was there, lying on the middle of the bed. He looked as if he was sleeping. I wondered if we needed to call an ambulance, before my mother headed over and felt his pulse. I watched, detached, as she met my worried gaze.

No pulse, she told me. My grandfather had no pulse. I felt cold, but not as cold as my mother did, and held her tight as she sobbed. It made sense now, why he’d wanted to explore London, why he’d wanted to spend time with us, why he’d made us all those fantastic meals. He knew that he was dying, and he hadn’t told either of us.

It was his way of saying goodbye.

August 15, 2020 16:12

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101 comments

Ola Hotchpotch
18:20 Aug 21, 2020

Lovely story. Looking forward to reading more of them.

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Rambling Beth
19:00 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you!

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Naomie K
11:19 Aug 21, 2020

Vivid characters and story. I love the details and the nice ending too. Kept me engrossed till the end. Good job! Looking forward to reading more of your stories

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Rambling Beth
11:37 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you very much!

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Yolanda Wu
10:25 Aug 21, 2020

I loved the breaking up of the story into days, and the interactions between the narrator and the main character. You captured London so well, and I was so immersed. I thoroughly enjoyed this, Beth. Amazing work!

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Rambling Beth
10:42 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you!

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Saron Mengistu
08:25 Aug 21, 2020

This story was wonderfully written. Consistent plot, with just enough narration to keep the reader engaged. I loved the emotions who conveyed through the grandfather's actions. The themes of love, family, and adventure were amazingly delivered. My favorite part was actually when you said that his dad left him and his mom. That helps appreciate the grandfather as his main father figure, which I thought was very profound. Something rather annoying about the short stories here is the word count. Sometimes 1k-3k words just isn't enough to s...

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Rambling Beth
08:26 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you! That's really helpful advice. I do tend to add things that aren't relevant sometimes so I'll definitely bear it in mind in the future. Glad you liked it! :)

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Saron Mengistu
09:31 Aug 21, 2020

Your very welcome:))

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D. Jaymz
05:30 Aug 21, 2020

A real tear-jerker 😢, but a fantastic story. Well done 👏 Your descriptive details made the story 'robust'. The characters were believable and 'round'. Very well-written. You brought in the prompt subtly 😊 A great job.

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Rambling Beth
08:13 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you so much, this is such a lovely comment to wake up too. I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

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Wow, this was truly a masterpiece. My emotions are up right now. This is a perfect example of why you should cherish each moment with the people you love because one day they won't be there. You certainly have an excellent way of words. This was so fascinating to read. I'm really at a loss for words. This was amazing.

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Rambling Beth
08:12 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you, lovely! I'm glad you liked it. :)

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Jan H
00:05 Aug 21, 2020

You have a gift. This is such a beautiful story. I've never been to London, but you made it feel so vivid. I enjoyed this very much.

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Rambling Beth
08:11 Aug 21, 2020

Thank you for such a lovely comment! London can be quite beautiful sometimes, I'm glad I managed to portray that for you. :)

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22:16 Aug 20, 2020

You should really change your name to concise Beth, because this story hit the bullseye, went through that target and then split the apple balancing precariously on the head of true talent. Truly, everything about this story was great. The small details, added so smoothly and effortlessly, gave the reader so much dimension in which to visualize and the characters felt like family. Perfect sentence structure! A very rare thing these days. Professional work through and through.

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Rambling Beth
22:21 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you! This is honestly one of the best comments I've ever received and it's really made my day. I'll have to think about the change in my name now, haha! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

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Jessie Nice
22:00 Aug 20, 2020

Wow - I am glad I have visited your page, you have my like and follow! I love the narrating of events throughout the story and you really dived deep into the relationship of the protagonist and their grandfather and how their relationship seemed to grow closer and closer as the piece went on. The ending was perfect, and as it approached I felt that sense of unease that I knew what was inevitably coming. Well done on such an emotional piece. :)

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Rambling Beth
22:16 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you for such a lovely comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

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Maurice Mullen
21:31 Aug 20, 2020

Great story. Love the new connection that grows between grandfather and grandchild to give a positive memory at the end of his life when the relationship had been distant up to that point.

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Rambling Beth
21:35 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you!

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Dunya Zatde
20:40 Aug 20, 2020

Wow. I love this? The story, the lines, the slow pace. It’s so well written.

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Rambling Beth
20:42 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you, lovely! Glad you enjoyed. :)

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Rose CG
20:24 Aug 20, 2020

This is a very heartwarming story. I like the loving relationship between family members. Nice job, Stay safe and keep writing!~Rose Also, thank you for following me.

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Rambling Beth
20:28 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you! Stay safe too.

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Miles Gatling
18:09 Aug 20, 2020

Loved the story. Very detailed, good work

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Rambling Beth
18:11 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you very much!

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✰ Jessica ✰
17:50 Aug 20, 2020

I thought this was a touching emotional story! So sweet, yet sad. You did a great job. Only a couple small errors I noticed... 1. In the sentence, 'He was smiling, a smile I’d never seen before, and I realised that he was happy.' Realized should have been spelt with a 'z'. 2. I was a bit confused by this sentence: 'It was Monday, and raining, as it was wont to do in London.' Otherwise I liked this story! Fantastic job. Keep writing.

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Rambling Beth
18:01 Aug 20, 2020

I'm from the UK so I use British spelling (not as many z's), but that is a fair point! The second part is also quite a British expression, which I was actually unsure about adding, so I'm glad you pointed it out! It basically means that it rains often. Thank you for the feedback, though. It was very helpful. :)

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✰ Jessica ✰
18:25 Aug 20, 2020

That is so interesting! Now that I realize what both of those were, I really do appreciate you putting those in! Thank you for teaching me about your country and language. :) Great job with that story.

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Rambling Beth
18:39 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you! I like learning about other countries and cultures too. :)

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Gracie Jean
16:20 Aug 20, 2020

This was heartbreaking! But I still enjoyed reading it. It reminded me of my grandpa, who is currently suffering with demencia. Great job handling a topic that most people are afraid of!

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Rambling Beth
16:26 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you very much! I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa, I hope you and your family are coping well.

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Megan Sutherland
15:21 Aug 20, 2020

This was such a bittersweet story! It was so sad because I was just waiting for him to die and the other characters had no idea. This overall was a great story, and I loved it!

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Rambling Beth
18:13 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you!

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Charles Stucker
14:59 Aug 20, 2020

It is hard to write a tale in first person where the readers are aware of something which the characters are not. The narrator must know what they're narrating and in first person... You did a good job of capturing the element of last days saying goodbye- I recognized when the second day started that this was the last hurrah of grandfather. Which is exactly what the prompt wanted. Every scene conveyed the essentials without dragging and they flowed smoothly together while still forming a whole. Everything is very professional here. Howev...

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Rambling Beth
18:15 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you for this feedback, it's very welcome. I think for this story I just wanted to try and answer the prompt without thinking about where it could be published. I will consider that in the future though, so thank you! :)

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Jeni Conrad
13:54 Aug 20, 2020

This was a sweet story. The adventure was so detailed, I felt like I've just gone on a tour throughout London! I also like seeing the evolution of their relationships as they got closer and spent more time together. Good job :)

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Rambling Beth
13:56 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you very much! I think I just miss being able to explore new places, and this was an excuse to try and recreate that feeling. Thank you so much for your comment. :)

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Bookmark Here
12:25 Aug 20, 2020

Some of the best stories are the ones that make you cry. Love the flow of your writing style. Great job!

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Rambling Beth
12:27 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you! This is a really sweet comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

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PAMELA ABWAO
12:07 Aug 20, 2020

Enjoyed reading

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Rambling Beth
12:16 Aug 20, 2020

Thank you! :)

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