When you need it.

My grandmother was an eccentric woman. She had a small quirky shop full of dream catchers and other crystal magic and spellbook memorabilia. She often shared stories of supernatural encounters which were entertaining but very clearly exaggerated. I loved my Grandmother very much and spent most of my time in her small shop, listening to her stories and observing the interesting people coming and going.

She passed away in her small home, peacefully. It almost didn’t seem real. I cried for a long time after I heard what happened. She was one of my closest relatives and a dear friend. I didn’t want her to go. The will reading was a quiet affair, she left her home to my parents, and most of her earnings went to charity. As for me, she left me the shop and a small black notebook. The notebook was bound by brown leather, tied in an intricate knot in the center. When I asked what the book was for, the will reader handed me a small note. The Note was from my grandmother.

Dearest Amy,

I am sorry to have left you at such a young age. I had hoped to see you grow into the beautiful woman that I know you will become. When you finished school, I wanted to take you under my wing and teach you all of my skills. Alas, that will not happen now. I leave to you my shop as I know you will care for it and the regular customers already love you. Also, I give to you my special book, it has served me well in my years. Look after it and it will look after you. BUT, Do not open it unless you desperately need it. That is my only rule.

The note made almost as much sense as one of her stories did, but I was just happy to have something that my grandmother cherished. After I finished high school, I began working full-time in my grandmother’s old shop. I could never really call it mine, not truly. I started to read all her old books and learned how to help the customers find what they needed. It wasn’t as convoluted as I thought, people need something to believe in and Grandmother’s shop gave them hope and forces greater than themselves to believe in. I loved being able to pass that one to others.

Unfortunately, even though I did as Grandmother said, I didn’t open the little black notebook and I kept it safe. It did not do the same for me. I began to fall into ill health and could no longer look after the shop as much as I could. I started to lose customers and money, bills were becoming increasingly difficult to manage. I considered opening the notebook, but my situation didn’t really feel desperate enough.

One day a friend of mine came to help with the shop as I was becoming too weak to do much and she questioned me about the book. I told her my Grandmother’s story and how I believed it was just a symbolic thing for me to hold on to of hers. My friend thought that we should open it. I disagreed because I didn’t want to go against my Grandmother’s note. She ignored me and undid the knot. It took a long time for her to work out where the threads were coming from but eventually she got it.

By now you are probably wondering what was inside? A bunch of spells or potion recipes that could heal my sickness or was it my Grandmother’s old diary. None of those options. The little black notebook that I was looking after thinking it was sentimentally going to take care of me … Had a $20,000 check tucked into the pages. I thought I was an absolute moron. I was sitting on $20,000 for 10 years, I could have done so much with my life and so much with Grandmother’s shop if I had known. Her damned note was just to make sure I accessed the money at the right time. I didn’t even think it would have anything useful in it.

So I cashed that check and used part of the money to get medical treatment. Now I am doing much better. I put money into the shop, redecorated, and had a grand reopening, which brought in a lot of new customers. The rest I invested into a bank account to let it accumulate, just like my Grandmother did.

It has been many years since then and now I am old and a Grandmother myself. I have still kept my Grandmother’s little black notebook. Using it to write down the stories that she told me so many times. The book which once held a monetary method of keeping me safe. Now holds a sentimental value of keeping me safe.

And now I place my own $20,000 check into the pages of this little black notebook. I write a note to be given to my only Granddaughter when she receives the book from me. Along with this story to hopefully explain and show her how a gift from a loved one can have both sentimental and monetary value and both can keep you safe.

Sincerely,

Amy Stclair.