The Little Black Book In Grandma's Closet

It is a sad day for me. Today my Grandma died. She was 94, so it shouldn't come as a huge shock to me. She lived a long and happy life.

But it still doesn't make it any easier on me.

Grandma Jo was a one of a kind. She was a little wild and just crazy enough to make every day spent with her an adventure. She always told me she would live until she was 116 years old.

Yep, 116 that was her number she always said. Well, I can only imagine that she is pissed off because she didn't quite make it there. Today I have been sent over to Granma Jo's house to pick up the clothes that my mom picked out for Grandma's burial/

Grandma and I were extremely close. We had a relationship that is beyond description. We always had so much fun together. As I enter her house today I am flooded with years of memories.

I can't stop the tears from flowing. I don't want to do this, she can't be gone. There seems like there was still so much for us to share. Grandma always joked that when her time came (at the age of 116) we could all bet if there was a way to come back and mess with us, she would.

She was such a character. Now, as I step into her empty dark bedroom, it hits me hard. My Grandma is gone, really gone. I walk over to the closet door and hesitate to open it.

The last outfit my Grandma would ever wear was hanging on the other side of this door. Slowly I open the closet door. I reach to turn on the light. As my eyes adjust to the new brightness of the closet, I begin looking around.

I spot a shoebox sitting on the top shelf. The box has a piece of masking tape across the side with my name on it. I stretch to reach the box wondering, what could be inside.

I take the box down and gently run my hands over it before lifting the lid. Inside I see a letter addressed to me that reads.

"Well, shit Sweet Pea. I guess if you are reading this then my time has come, and that sucks. But, we both knew the day would eventually come around. I just wanted to leave this leave a few words to let you know just how special the time we had together was to me.

It was a privilege watching you grow and having you in my life. It meant more to me than any words can ever describe. You were my heart and soul. At the bottom of this box you will find a little black book.

Follow all of the instructions to the letter and you will find that I have left you some special gifts. This black book is for your eyes only. Look at it as a way we can have one last special day together."

I will always love you, Grandma Jo.

I picked up the little black book and smiled. This was so like Grandma to make a game out of her passing. I opened the book to the first page of instructions.

"Sweet Pea, go to the garage and look behind every paint can until you find a key. When you find the key read on." Out to the garage I went. She must of had 15 cans of paint in different colors.

As I looked over the paint cans I remembered that we had gone to the paint store and picked out each and every color to paint the wooden swing set that she had in her back yard. I smiled as I remember painting my name on the set in the brightest purple we could find.

I picked up the can of purple paint and there underneath it I found the key that Grandma was talking about in the little black book. Page two of the instructions stated that the key would fit one of the doors in her house. When I found the locked door I was to go inside and read the third instruction.

It took me about six different doors before I found that the key unlocked the attic door. I slowly climbed the steps to the attic and sat down on an old chest by the window to continue reading.

Page four, reads "I know you are sitting on the chest in the attic now. (She knew me so well) stand up and open the chest and search through it until you find a locket.

I began digging through the chest that was filled with my old baby clothes, Halloween costumes that Grandma had handmade me over the years, and a small box that contained the locket.

I opened the locket and found it held a picture of me and Grandma. It had always been her favorite picture of the two of us. Page five of the little black book stated, to look for a clue in the picture as to where I was to go next.

Tears began to stream down my face as I stared at the photo. It was taken in the garden. I ran down the stairs and through the house and out the kitchen door that led into the backyard garden.

I stooped down to smell the flowers that Grandma and I had just planted earlier that spring. They were her favorite tulips. I looked down and where the stake in the garden separated the flowers I saw a cylinder planted beside it.

When did she add this I thought. I looked inside and found another rolled up note. "Read the last page of the little black book closely and do just as it says."

The final page of instructions in Grandma's special little black book read, Go back inside the house. Enter the den and inside the big oak desk, you will find another lockbox. The key to this box is behind the clock on the fireplace.

I located the key and opened the lockbox. Inside the lockbox was several DVDs of all the home movies she made of us together. Also inside was a copy of Grandma's will, her jewelry a bank book with my name on it, and the deed to her house which had been transferred into my name.

I can't believe it Grandma Jo had left all of this to me! My heart just melted. There was one last note from Grandma inside the lockbox.

"Dear Sweet Pea,

I hope you have completed the game. I have left everything to you because I could think of no one else who would appreciate the memories that everything holds. I want you to be happy and treasure these things as I have. One day raise your children here and make as many happy and magical memories with your children and grandchildren as I have made with you.

Know that I have always loved you with all of my heart. Please don't be sad that I am gone, but smile when you remember all of our times together.

Love, Grandma Jo.

At the bottom, there was a PS. "Don't be frightened if you hear any strange goings-on in the house. It will just be me trying to find that way back to check in on you, just as I always said I would."

The day made me smile, and it helped ease the pain of losing Grandma, which is what I believe she intended to do all along. She was always doing things like that, she never could stand to see me sad. I only hope one day, with her guidance I can be half a wonderful of a Grandma as she was.