A Candle With Memories

When Alana’s grandma passed, she knew the task of separating her things was going to be a long process, but not quite this long. Her grandma lived in a 2-story Victorian-style home, stacked high with everything she had ever acquired. It was tidy but cluttered. After seven long months, she was finally on to the last room. The attic was full of stuff. She sighed as she started shuffling boxes around. Her brother, who had helped her move and sell most of the things, yelled from downstairs.

“Please tell me there's not tons of useless stuff up there.” Alana peered down.

“It’s even worse, cause now it's dusty.” Aaron shook his head, letting out an exhausted chuckle. As he continued carrying boxes down the steps. Alana shuffled boxes around, checking for anything she wanted to keep. After hours of moving boxes, she sat and ate a sandwich Aaron had brought her. I can’t wait for this to be done, she thought. As she ate, her eyes wandered over the boxes, but something caught her eye. A hastily written note alongside a candle in a tote. She scarfed down the rest of her sandwich and dug through the tote until she got the candle. The note said This candle shows the shadows of the past while it burns. I hope you will share it with my dear beloved, Alana. ~ Love Grandma. She stared at the note, bewildered. It looked old and worn. What is that supposed to even mean? She set the candle by the stuff she wanted to take home and continued working.

After about 10 hours of just looking and moving boxes, only getting about halfway done, Alana finally drove home and plopped on her loveseat. She ate spaghetti and watched some Netflix. After a relaxing couple of hours, she decided to get the stuff she brought home. Hoping the candle smelled good so she could enjoy a nice, long bath. She figured it probably looked like the shadows were dancing. When she grabbed it out of the box, she realized just how ornate it was. It was a long white cylinder engraved with beautiful floral patterns. She could tell by the blackened wick and dip in the candle that it had only been burnt a few times. She started the water, adding bubble bath. She grabbed her lighter, flipped the light off, and lit the candle. The bathroom erupted with noise and dancing shadow. Alana jumped, grasping her necklace, as she started looking for the culprit of this sick joke. The shadows showed tables in a hall and silhouettes dancing. Chatter filled the room as a faint symphony filled the small bathroom. Alana switched the light back on, and the shadows didn't dim; they grew clearer and colored. Faces of forgotten souls drifted along the walls performing a waltz. Alana was stunned as she looked on. She snapped back to reality, blowing out the candle, plunging the room into silence.

“What just happened!” She exclaimed, glancing from wall to wall. She grabbed her phone and dialed the only person she knew might have answers, her very old grandfather, who had been in the nursing home for almost a decade. The receptionist answered in a hushed tone.

“A New Life Home, how can I help you?”

“Hi, this is Alana Revenson calling to speak with Richard Revenson. It's urgent.” A long, exaggerated sigh filled the brief silence.

“I'm sorry, Miss Revenson, he just went to sleep, and I can not risk waking him up, you know, he hasn't slept well since Eleanor’s passing.” Alana ran a palm down her face.

“When will I be able to talk to him?” She said, getting straight to business.

“We wake our residents at 7 am. So, anytime after that, I encourage you just to come visit him as he is very lonely.” Alana thought for a minute and decided she could just bring the candle and get some real answers.

“You know what I think, I'll just stop through. Will you please let him know to expect me?”

“I can do that, ma'am. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No, thank you, goodnight.”

“Night.” She put her phone on the counter, contemplating lighting the candle again. No, I'll wait until I have answers. She took an uneventful bath. Then crawled into her bed for the night.

The next morning, she awoke, made breakfast, grabbed the candle, and raced to see her grandpa. A receptionist greeted her and led her to a small table where a frail, bald man, in a wheelchair, stared out the window.

“Alana, so good to see you!” His booming voice filled the room. She sat and chatted for a while before pulling the candle out of her bag and handing it over. He took it from her hands and smiled as he palmed it over.

“Ah, you finally made it to the attic.”

“Yes, I have, I found this with a note attached. I lit it last night and was greeted by quite a sight.” He chuckled.

“ This candle is very special. It stores all of the most precious memories of your grandmothers and I’s life. She bought a plain white candle at Walmart, then had it engraved, and then took it to a shop in New Orleans. The lady promised we could view every memory we wanted as long as we knew the date. My dear Eleanor thought it would be perfect for when one of us passed.” Confusion stirred in Alana's mind.

“ Why did she not bring it to you before?”

“ She wanted to give you and Aaron a chance to see everything special that happened to us, with me.” The thought of experiencing everything made Alana tear up. Grandpa suggested calling Aaron and inviting him to join them. He declined as he was busy being the best dad he could be. They decided to burn the candle anyway. They got comfy in his small room and lit the candle. The room erupted into the same scene as in the bathroom, but Alana now noticed the couple who glided by were her grandparents in their twenties. Eleanor is in a beautiful white gown, and Richard in a fancy suit. After watching the whole dance, the candle flickered out.

“ That was at our first dance together. She loved this memory; it must have been the last one she watched.” He said with a sorrowful tone.

“ Please light it again, but whisper October 5, 1971, to it.” Alana lit it again, and the room went into a tense silence with a young Eleanor clutching what looked to be a pregnancy test.

“Richard! Richard! Come quick!” The voice makes Alana start to tear up. Richard enters the scene as Eleanor shows him the test; they embrace, and the flame flickers out.

“ That was when your Grandmother found out she was pregnant with your mom.”

“This is so cool.” They watched memory after memory of the best and worst days of their lives.

“ Alana, I’m going to pass away soon, and I want you to keep all the memories you can. Take this list of all of our important dates and add your own.”

“ I will, don’t worry.” Alana left the Care Facility. Richard passed away in just a week. Alana went to write the date in the small journal, but when she opened it, there were dates in there from the 1700s. Her grandpa hadn’t told her the whole truth.

“I guess I’ll have to watch these dates, but that will have to wait until after I am done moving into my grandparents' old house.”