A final gift

During the journey, silence reigned supreme in a city where anything could be seen. Why would a woman in a robe getting into a taxi stand out? I only turned once to observe a column of black smoke rising to the sky, carrying the man I love among its ashes, before fixing my gaze on the window. Soon, the landscape dominated by concrete faded into an amalgam of green, brown, and yellow tones. The countryside welcomed me with open arms after years of avoiding it. I painfully averted my gaze when I recognized the road where my parents’ car had overturned. As I got out of the car on the way to the cabin, I breathed in the scent of moist earth in the air and knew that soon the rain would bathe my body.

I walked slowly, giving myself the necessary time to process everything that had happened. I arrived before I was even able to shape what I would say once she received me. I knocked on the old wooden door, and soon the sounds of muffled footsteps reached me. I couldn’t help but let the tears fall along with the first drops of rain.

“Hello, Grandma,” I whispered as soon as she opened the door.

“My dear, what happened to you?” she asked, quickly embracing me.

“I lost him, grandma. I lost the love of my life,” I could only say, crying on her shoulder. It was the only thing that hurt.

Not even losing my home, possessions, or perfumes hurt as much as that.

She stepped back a little, examining my face and lowering her gaze to my belly. She placed her hand on it and looked at me in disbelief.

“Sweetheart, you didn’t come alone,” she said, readjusting her hand.

Automatically, I did the same as her, and I felt flashes of love lighting up the depths of my soul.

“But... it’s impossible,” I whispered, refusing to believe that this was happening.

She stepped aside, allowing me to enter. As soon as I did, she gave one last look outside and locked the door.

“I think it’s time to talk... about everything,” she said, looking at me seriously.