The Grandma Diary

Sunny weather greeted a red sedan as it pulled into the driveway of a small wooden house. Its wall consisted of several logs stacked on top of each other, interlocked with notches at their ends. The red paint of the front door showed some luster but the window on the other end of the front wall was very clean and well-kept, as one could see the bedroom quite clearly on the other side. An old woman could be seen peering through the window, expecting the arrival of the car. A middle-aged woman ran sprinting out the front door to greet the two car passengers.

“Mrs. Tanner, how are you?” She said as she helped the driver opened the front left door. A woman stepped out the vehicle, her friendly smile disguising her tiredness after a long drive.

“Hello, Nelly!” Sarah Tanner gave the stout housekeeper a hearty hug. Her blue blouse and black trousers were a sharp contrast from the house's rural surroundings. “How's my mother?”

“She's been better. Dr. Gladstone will come tomorrow to check on her.” Nelly looked inside the car as if she was looking for someone. “Where's Miss Kara? Isn't she coming?”

“Kara, come out of the car.” Sarah shouted to the other person in the car. A youthful girl stepped out of the car's right hand side but her complexion was the exact opposite from that of the two older women. Instead of a broad, friendly smile, her lips formed an arching frown. There was no spark coming out from her eyes, only a sharp stare fitting for a demon.

“Hello Nelly,” said Kara Tanner unenthusiastically.

“Miss Kara, it's been awhile!” Nelly maintained her friendly tone despite the teenager's attitude. “You didn't come last year. Your grandmother missed you.”

“I almost didn't come this year.” Kara said as she lazily walked towards the house.

“Kara, bring your bag!” Her mother unsuccessfully tried to give her an order.

“It's okay, Mrs. Tanner. I'll bring Miss Kara's bag.” Nelly opened the trunk of the car and the two women grabbed the two luggages that had been sleeping tightly inside the compartments. “Miss Kara doesn't seem so happy.” Nelly expressed her concern to her mistress' daughter as they dragged the bags into the house.

“She's had other plans for the summer,” Sarah said. “But she didn't come last year so I insisted that she come this year.” She sighed. “Teenagers can be a handful.”

“Sometimes I feel lucky I never got married.” Nelly laughed as they entered the house.

The log house was rather old but very welcoming with its wooden architecture giving a countryside aura, perfect for anyone who wanted to escape the busy cities. The main door lead directly to the living room, where a television stood proudly like a king surrounded by its furniture subjects, which included three sofas and a coffee table. The kitchen retreated to the back, with a dining table separating it from the living room. On the right side of the room were two doors guarding the entrance to the bedrooms, one smaller than the other. As they entered, the door to the larger bedroom gave way to a wheelchair with the mistress of the house on it.

“Hi Sarah! Why are you wearing work clothes?” said the elderly woman, noticing her daughter's out of place outfit.

“Hi mom! I had a meeting with our supplier and it was on the way here so,” explained Sarah. “Anyway, how are you, mom? What did the doctor say?”

“Oh, don't you worry about what the doctor said.” She turned her head and saw her only granddaughter sitting motionlessly in one of the sofa. “Hey Kara! You come this year! Wow, you've changed a lot in the pass two years.”

The teenager walked over and gave her grandmother a brief hug. “Hi grandma.”

“Oh, dear. You sound tired. Long drive?” her grandmother inquired, noticing the weak tone coming from Kara. “Oh, I just know the thing that will energize you dear! Nelly, bring the cupcakes!”

“Cupcakes?” Kara managed to pull out her first smile of the day.

“I know you love them. I made some for you last year but you didn't come. Your mother ended up eating your portion.”

Sarah laughed listening to her mother's story as Nelly walked out of the kitchen with a tray of cupcakes. “I didn't eat them all. I gave some to our neighbor.”

“The Ferringtons? I made cupcakes for them every week. Come on girls, have some.”

Kara needed no invitation as she grabbed one before her grandmother finished her sentence. The sweet taste of the pastry seemed to brighten her spirit as it made its way down her throat, if only temporarily. “Where do I sleep mom?” She asked her mother, hoping to catch some nap before dinner.

“Do you want to sleep with me in the guest room or do you want the attic?”

Kara weighed up her options and decided that she needed the privacy. “I'll sleep in the attic.” she said as she grabbed her bag while finishing her cupcakes. “I'll be napping till dinner.” She went up the stairs located next to the kitchen and disappeared from sight.

“I'm sorry. She's still very upset that I forced her to spend part of her summer here.” Sarah apologized for her daughter's behavior.

“It's okay if she doesn't come.” Her mother assured her. “We see each other in Thanksgiving. Besides, she's a teenager. I'm sure she has other plans.”

“Thanksgiving is just one dinner per year. I want her to spend more time with her grandmother.” Sarah said. “Besides, if what the doctor said is true...”

*

Kara entered the attic bedroom and dropped her bag next to the single bed in the middle of the room. Other than the bed, a small dresser and two nightstands made up the furnishing. Despite being the darkest area of the house, the lighting was very good as the ceiling lamp was complimented with a light stand. From the window, one can see the Ferrington farm, one of the neighbors in the small countryside town. Kara lied down on the bed while her fingers were busy punching several buttons on her cellphone. After a few seconds, her call was answered.

…
“Hi Elaine! Are you guys in L.A.?”
…
“Oh, how lucky you are.”
…
“I know, I wish I'm there too but my mom forced me to spend two weeks in this place.”
…
“Yes, it sucks but what can I do? She's my mom.”
…
“I don't know what I'm going to do for two weeks. There's barely anything in this town.”
…
“Yeah, okay. Have fun guys!”
…

“ Why am I stuck here while my friends are having fun?” she thought. She picked up her bag and put it on top of the wooden dresser. Her hands rummaged through her clothes but did not find the item she was looking for. “Oh, damn”. She sighed. “I forgot to bring a book.” Closing her bag, she lied down again with her hands on her face. “What am I going to do now?”. Her eyes circled the room and were drawn towards the nightstand to the left of the bed. Its single drawer was slightly open, inviting her to look inside. She reached for the open drawer and found a single item: a book. It was slightly covered with dust. She picked it up and blew away the dust, revealing that it was a diary. Though it was in a good condition, the discoloration of its pages betrayed its age. “This must have been here for a long time.” Kara thought. She turned the cover and the only sentence on the first page revealed the book's owner.

“This diary belongs to: Julia Rollins.”

“Who's Julia Rollins?” Kara tried to remember if there was anyone in her family named Julia Rollins but she was certain there was none. On the bottom of the page, a date was written: January 13, 1965. “1965! This book had been here for 45 years!” Surprised, she started to flip the pages of the book and got to the last few pages. She did not know why the diary suddenly interested her as she read one of the entries:

June 10.
Dear Diary,

I am so happy today. We finally arrived at grandma's lodge. It was a long trip, three hours from Summertown. Grandma looks older and thinner, but she's very cheerful as usual. Jason and I competed to see who can ate the most cupcakes. Grandma makes very delicious cupcakes. My brother beat me 5 cupcakes to 4. She promised to make more tomorrow! Oh, I can't wait to have more. Afterwards, the three of us took a walk to the lake. I love that lake! Mom and Dad didn't want to come. They said they had to discuss something with Dr. Kendricks. We played at the lake until 6, then we went back for dinner. I can't wait for tomorrow!

“I wonder who she is.” she thought as she let out a yawn. She put the diary back into the drawer and closed her eyes. “I have plenty of time to read it. It's time for a nap.” It was the last thought that entered her mind before she drifted off to sleep.

*

Whole roast chicken, potato salad and onion soup had been prepared by the expert hands of Nelly when Kara made her way to the dinner table. She took her seat on one end of the rectangular table as the housekeeper set the table for a four-person dinner. Glancing through the window, she could see that her mom and grandmother were chatting on the front porch.

“Want me to call them, Miss Kara?” Nelly asked.

“No. Let's wait for them. I'm not that hungry.” As they waited, the diary she found in the bedroom suddenly aroused her curiosity. “Nelly, do you know who Julia Rollins is? I found her diary in the attic.”

“Of course, I do.” Nelly answered. “I used to play with the Rollins' kids. They used to live here before your grandparents bought it forty five years ago right after they got married.”

“She wrote that her grandmother made very nice cupcakes.

“Her cupcakes were just as good as your grandmother's.” Nelly looked at her mistress' granddaughter intently and asked “Miss Kara, you don't seem happy seeing your grandmother. May I ask why?”

“I'm supposed to go to Los Angeles with a bunch of friends, Nelly.” Kara explained. “This is our summer together. Next year everyone will be off to college.”

“Last summer with your friends?” Nelly paused to think about something. “Miss Kara, maybe you should know...”

The front door suddenly opened and the two women who were conversing on the porch entered.

“Looks like dinner's ready!” Sarah exclaimed.

“Nelly makes the best onion soup.” said her mother. “Isn't that right, Nelly?”

“You're just flattering me ma'am.” The housekeeper blushed. “If you or Kara want me to make a specific meal, please let me know.” She said to Sarah.

“It's okay Nelly. Kara and I will cook tomorrow. Won't we, Kara?” Sarah winked at her daughter, only to be responded with a frown. “Okay, I'm starving. Let's eat.”

*

Sarah Tanner laughed out loud as she finished her last piece of the potato salad. “That is so funny! I never got bored of the story.”

“It's not funny. It's embarrassing.” Kara expressed her differing opinion. “I don't want you to tell it again.”

“Okay, dear. I promise. But it was a long time ago. You should be able to laugh at it now.” Her grandmother laughed. “I should retire now to my bedroom now. You're welcome there anytime dear. I want to listen to your stories.” The elderly woman wheeled her chair into the bedroom.

Sarah picked up her dishes and brought them to the kitchen, followed by her daughter. As she looked around the kitchen, an idea suddenly entered her head. “Nelly, what time does my mom usually wake up?”

“She usually wakes up at 6, ma'am.” answered Nelly while washing the dishes.

“Let me help you with that.” Sarah grabbed a dirty plate and started to pour warm water on it. “I think we should surprise grandma by preparing breakfast tomorrow. What do you think, Kara? Can you wake up at 5 and help me make breakfast?”

Kara thought for several seconds but answered negatively. “Not tomorrow, mom. I don't feel like it.”

“You don't seem well. Are you okay?” Sarah asked her daughter.

“I'm fine. If you don't need me here, I want to get back to my room.” With those words, she left the kitchen and headed to the attic.

Kara had barely reached her bed when the bedroom door suddenly opened. Her mother had followed her into the room with a noticeable change of mood.

“What is the matter with you, Kara!” Sarah said with a scolding tone. “I took you here so you can spend some time with your grandmother!”

“I had made other plans, mom!” answered Kara with an equally high tone. “Next summer we'll be off to college. This is the last time I can spend summer together with my friends.”

“If you really don't want to be here, you can take the bus tomorrow morning and go home!” The usually composed mother stormed off the room, leaving Kara alone and unhappy.

“Whatever,” she thought. “No book, no DVDs, no entertainment. Maybe I should go home tomorrow.” She closed her eyes trying to fall asleep but her earlier nap had made her eyes unwilling to comply to her intention. After thirty minutes, she gave up and picked up her cellphone. 1 new message. “It must've been sent while we were eating.” She quickly opened her inbox to retrieve the message.

“Hey Kara! We're in Disneyland! Do you want anything? We're going to shop now. Text us back!”

Disgruntled, she threw her cellphone into her bag. “All I want is to be there with you guys.” She looked around the room looking for something to do. Seeing no other choice, she picked up the diary and continued reading.

June 12.
Dear Diary,

I'm sorry I didn't write yesterday. Grandma suddenly got ill and we had to take her to the hospital. She looked very pale and weak. We didn't do much but sat by her side. Dr. Kendricks said we have to prepare for the worst. We're all praying and hoping for her recovery. Today was more or less the same. She's not getting better. I'm so afraid. I don't want to lose her. I will miss her cupcakes. I will miss her cheerfulness. I will miss spending my summer with her. Pray with me diary. Please.....

“Doctor?” Suddenly the story in the diary felt closer to home. “Didn't mom say something about a doctor treating grandma? Could it be?” Suddenly something new filled her very soul. Concern had replaced resentment. “What if grandma is ill like her grandmother?”

June 13.
Dear Diary,

It's the saddest day of my life. Grandma passed away this morning. My brother and I couldn't stop crying. My mother said we shouldn't be sad for too long. Instead, we should remember the memories. The happy memories of spending time together every summer at the lodge. Remember her advice, her food, her laugh. Harder said than done. But I know we have to try. This is what grandma would've wanted us to do.

Julia's words struck her heart as if they were talking straight to her. The feeling of anger at being forced to change her summer plans had completely gone, replace by guilt. Memories of her own grandmother started to fill her head. “She sounded very sad when her grandmother died. I still had mine. Why am I so selfish? I should cherish every moment while she's still alive.” She immediately got up and headed straight down. She had an apology to make.

*

The clock showed 6 o'clock when the smell of maple syrup and corned beef hash filled the log house. As Nelly pushed her mistress' wheelchair to the dining room, Sarah and her daughter had been busy preparing the table.

“Did you make breakfast already, Nelly?” asked the old woman.

“No, ma'am.” she answered. “Our guests made the breakfast.”

“Oh, you two shouldn't have bothered. We have Nelly.”

“We wanted to do something nice. Besides, we woke up really early and couldn't get back to sleep so, we decided to make breakfast.” Sarah said.

“Look, grandma! I can make pancakes now.” Kara said excitedly. “Just like you taught me.”

“That's wonderful, dear. I'm glad you feel happier today.”

“I'm sorry for yesterday, grandma. I would love to spend this summer with you. Why don't we go to that lake this afternoon.” Kara suddenly remembered the lake that Julia wrote in the diary. “I heard it's very beautiful.”

“That's a wonderful idea, dear.” Her grandmother said as the whole family prepared to spend the first day of summer together.