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Well, we always knew one day this would happen. I want you to know that I had a beautiful, happy life. And I loved raising you after your parents died. It was the bright spot of my life in the horrifying aftermath of their death.
I won’t say that there aren’t things that I regret. There are. And this letter regards one of those.
When I was a young woman, I made a brief trip to New Orleans. Just a vacation of sorts. Nothing that exciting really. Just a few days. But those were the happiest days of my life and I want to let you know why.
I met the love of my life there. He was a cop in New Orleans. A beautiful man. Sweet and gentle and kind. He made it a point when we met to take me around and show me the magic of that wondrous city. But we both knew that I couldn’t stay. I had a job waiting for me. A man who my parents were making arrangements for me to marry. Not that we were in love. This was just a business arrangement really. But in those days you did not say no to your parents.
So I knew that I would do their bidding and marry that man. He was your grandfather.
But he wasn’t your blood relative. Because I came home from New Orleans pregnant. I didn’t know it at the time but that one special night with the boy I loved led to David’s birth. I do not regret it a bit. I loved my son. And when he met your mother I was so happy that they found what I couldn’t forget.
The only man I ever loved…I left him behind to enter a loveless marriage that my parents arranged. It was the biggest mistake of my life. Not that I didn’t grow to love your grandfather in a way.
But he wasn’t my first true love. He wasn’t the man that I dreamed of at night. The man that I missed every single day for the rest of my life.
And to my shame, I never told him about your father. I know, I know. David is dead. It doesn’t matter. So am I. But I just feel like this is unfinished business and he deserves to know that he had a son and he’s got a beautiful, special granddaughter.
I want you to find him and get to know him. To understand the man that I couldn’t forget even when I couldn’t stay.
David McDermott is his name. And when I left…he gave me this necklace. I don’t really know what it means but it was beautiful and I couldn’t bear to give it up even when your grandfather became very suspicious and asked me to. David called it The Dragon’s Eye. I hid it from your grandfather.
I just couldn’t give it up. After David passed. You and that necklace were the only things that I had to remember them by.
I hope that you go ahead and try to find him. I hope that you learn why I loved him and that he is the perfect person to protect you once I leave this earth.
And one other thing, my darling granddaughter. If you are lucky enough to find real, true, lasting love. Don’t push it away. Hold it tight to you, nurture it and protect it.
Because out of all the things that make us better people…love is the true measure of why humanity moves on and survives.
It’s coded into our dna to love. It’s what makes us stronger than animals.
And I hope that you find yours, Artemis. And you don’t throw it all away to make other people happy instead of finding the love of your life and holding on tight.
We all deserve and need love. I gave you all the love I had to give. I hope it was enough.
Love you, my angel.
Grandma
Sighing, I set the letter aside and roll over to face the window. The sounds of the night drift through the wall. Music and joy reign outside these walls.
But inside them? I don’t feel joy. I feel so much sadness and overwhelming loss that I can’t bear to even think of it.
The letter brings back the memories of the loss of my parents. They passed away when I was barely six years old. A car accident with a drunken driver in the middle of the day crossing the center line and hitting their car head on.
Luckily, I was in school at the time. Unluckily, this meant that I was notified by my grandmother with a police officer present while she delivered the life-changing, awful news.
With just a few sentences my whole world changed. But I had my grandmother to take care of me and raise me right. To take care of myself. Work hard and use my better judgement to make sure that I didn’t make bad choices.
My eyes close, tears leaking out slowly to wet the pillow under my head.
“You mustn’t cry like this. It will all be alright.” My inner voice is really giving her a run for her money.
But when I sigh and cuddle down further, practically burrowed into the musty fabric, I can’t stay awake and slip under, content to drift in barely-controlled dreams.
“Mate,” he growls into my ear and I squawk, my head turning to find him standing alongside a grave site. Dark hair ruffled by the breeze on the hill, Icy blue eyes that blaze with fire. A slight smile curling his harsh mouth. “I have finally found you. Centuries have passed alone waiting for you.” His eyes crawl down my body and I can practically feel his touch everywhere his eyes land. “You are even more beautiful than I could have hoped. You must come to me. I need you, my love. I need you forever and more.”
His words echo into the dark, cold room as I jerk up, my breath panting out of me in strained puffs. Heart hammering against my ribs, I raise my hand to push my sweat-soaked hair out of my eyes.
