Grandma's Surprise

I always loved visiting my grandmother’s house. It was a farmhouse, nestled in the Virginia countryside. It had a large wrap-around porch, and on this visit as it came into view, I remembered many a summer evening spent sitting there with her. She always told such grand stories.

Grandma would not be there today, I knew. I parked the car in the gravel driveway and sat there for a moment, taking in the view. Lavender still grew along the front of the porch, and the white paint with green shutters were as I remembered them. A gentle breeze stirred the rose bushes that flanked the steps that led up to the porch. I smiled at them and got out of the car.

It was hard to believe that Grandma was gone. She had willed the house to me. I guess that is because she knew how much I loved visiting her. Grandpa passed away three years ago, and she had missed him greatly. They had been married almost 65 years.

As I walked towards the stairs, I inhaled deeply, enjoying the lavender and rose scents. This was the first time that I had visited the property after Grandma died. I looked at the glider and rocking chair on the porch and could picture us sitting there. In a moment, I went up the stairs and put the key into the lock, letting myself into the house.

I walked through the living room, dining room and kitchen. Everything looked the same, and I could feel a peaceful presence. I almost expected to hear Grandma’s voice calling my name. “Sophia! What you up to, child? Come on in here and give your Grammy a kiss!”

I climbed the stairs that led to the four bedrooms upstairs. I walked in and out of the three bedrooms, saving Grandma’s bedroom for last. Her bedroom was special, not only because she was, but because that was always her special place. Children were not allowed to enter that room unless they had special permission. Today, I approached the room reverently. The door was locked, just like it always had been. I withdrew the key from my jacket and opened the door.

The room smelled of her favorite perfume, but not overly so. I smiled when, as a teenager, I remembered her telling me, “Sophia, a lady always uses perfume sparingly. Just enough to keep the gentleman interested. No need to drown yourself in it.”

I looked at her dressing table. There were various perfume bottles on it, and her makeup and a hand mirror were there as well. Opening a side drawer, I saw a jewelry box. I took the box out and opened it. She had some costume jewelry, and a couple of nice fresh-water peal necklaces. As I moved the pieces about, I noticed there was a small tab at the back of the box. Hmmm, I thought. What could this be?

Setting the box down on the table, I lifted the tab, and found a hidden compartment which contained a small black book! I opened the book and began to read the lines written there. I recognized my Grandma’s writing.

“Dear Sophia,

“If you are reading this, then it means that I have gone on to my reward. Don’t worry about me! I’ll be with your Grandpa. We will finally be together again.”

“I know how you love a good mystery, and as my final gift to you, I’m leaving you a puzzle to solve. If you solve the mystery, you’ll be rewarded with $20,000. I know you’re smart, so I know you’ll figure it out. Here is the mystery: I will give you three clues.

“Clue 1: I can show you which way the wind blows.”

“Clue 2: Folks say I can keep the lightning at bay.”

“Clue 3: The treasure lies directly beneath me.”

“When you solve the mystery, you’ll find directions to the $20,000. Follow them, and receive the prize. I love you, Sophia. I wish I were there to see your face when you find the treasure. In some ways, I will be (smile).”

“Love you always,

“Grammy”

Tears flowed down my face, and I sat down on the bed, holding the small black book close to my heart. “I love you, Grandma!” I said aloud as I sobbed. After a few minutes, I grabbed some tissues off of the nightstand, blew my nose and dried my tears. Rising from the bed, I threw away the tissues in the wastebasket. “Time to find the treasure!” I said with a sad smile, taking the black book with me.

Walking down the hallway, I found the recessed stairs that led to the attic. I pulled the cord, and the stairs came down, along with a small cloud of dust. I coughed a little, waving the dust out of my face. I carefully climbed the stairs, turning on the light switch when I reached the top.

There were various boxes scattered about the attic. I heard the creak of the weather vane as it spun in the wind. “That’s the first and second clues: I can tell you where the wind blows, and folks say I keep lightning at bay.” I listened again for the creak of the weather vane. I got closer and closer to the sound, and noticed that there was an old trunk sitting directly below it.

Opening the trunk, I saw Grandma’s wedding dress. The lace had faded, but it still retained some of its former glory. The dress had been hand-stitched and had faux pearls along the front and sides. “It must have taken a long time to make this dress!”, I thought. I gently moved the dress aside. Beneath the dress was a white envelope with the inscription: “To my dear Sophie”.

I opened the envelope. Inside was another note from Grandma: “Congratulations, my dear! You have found this note. Now, here is what you must do: Go to the address that is at the bottom of this letter. It has the name of the bank where I have left specific instructions that they are to give you the money. Just show them this letter and your identification and the money will be yours. I hope you have enjoyed your present!

“Love you much, Grammy”

I held the note close to my heart for a moment, and then slipped it inside the black book. “Thank you, Grandma. I’ll cherish this always,” I said aloud. Just at that moment, from the rose bush I heard a bluebird start to sing.