Wait to Open

Lazily I was staring out my front window, it was too hot outside to do chores and too cold from the blasting air in the house. I put down my book several times in between reading chapters, and I didn’t want to move.

My dogs Midas and Toby were cuddled under the couch. I thought about going out for a swim, and maybe taking them too.

It wasn’t after too long when Midas jumped up from his spot on the floor and bolted upstairs. I was the only person in the house. My fiancé was at work, and despite the long list of chores I’ve made myself; it had been a rather unproductive day.

I didn’t pay attention to Midas or why he had taken an interest in bolting up stairs, nor did I follow him. I continued to lay in my comfortable chair, with my legs bent over the arm of the chair, and my book plopped over the back of the chair. I made a promise not to loose my spot in my book, so I dog eared the last page I read.

Toby huffed at me when I attempted to push him away from my tea which I had lazily sat on the floor.

“Shoo dog! That’s mine.” I scooped up my tea and sat it on the end table. It was in that moment that I heard a loud crash. I assumed it to be Midas and I have expected that darn mutt to run back down the stairs. When he didn’t I made the decision to get up and finally inspect it.

The floor creaked, yet so did the stairs, which I had covered with an old oriental red brocade runner. The hard wood under the runner sounded especially eerie.

I made my way up to the top of the stairs and started my search for Midas. My fiancé had designated specific rooms for storage, and we shared an office space. Our bedroom was on the third floor, our house wasn’t considered to be big, but it had a decent attic that turned into our little loft. The second floor had 4 bedrooms including the master bedroom, which we never went into. This wasn’t always our house. It belonged to my grandmother. We had inherited it from her shortly after her passing.

Though my family was attached to it, they were confident that we would be a perfect fit, and my parents have hopes that we will bless it with children.

I searched our office, and Midas wasn’t there, our office was the first room at the top of the steps. The walls were blue, and the carpet was gray. Matt’s desk sat along the window, and my desk was backed closer to the closet. I had posters and photos in the room all over the walls, though I tried to keep my decorating simple; I’d fallen in love with chalkboard paint. I painted one wall in black chalkboard paint which came in handy when I taught from home during the quarantine.

I kept going about my search for Midas. I tore through each room, searched in closets and I overlooked the door that was cracked open, to my grandmothers room.

Though no one could predict their own death, she was highly prepared. Things were in boxes even before we started moving into her house. So her room though empty was also full of many, many memories. I found Midas. He was covered in dust, and rolling around the floor, and in front of him sat a box.

The box was taped shut, and on the outside it was addressed to me, but never sent. She had to have sealed it before she got sick, and also on the side of the box it read “Don’t open until you’re ready.”

But, really……. What could it be? Til I’m ready? Ready for what?

“Oh what the hell?” I whispered under my breath, as I tried to kick the box out of the way. I couldn’t help but notice the importance of the writing, wait to open.

Why should I wait? What is it? How important is it to wait, and what the hell am I waiting for?

I let my curiosity get the best of me, I picked the box up and carried it down stairs. It wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t light either. I plopped it on the couch and went to the kitchen to get a pair of scissors.

Upon returning to the box I wanted to be careful, it was taped shut with box tape, and duck taped. I carefully started to peel back layers and layers of tape until it was all rolled into a ball at my feet.

I felt nervous opening the box, I almost hesitated. What I found inside was shocking.

I reached in and pulled out a bundled up dress bag. It was opaque and I couldn’t see through to peek. I unzipped the zipper and inside was my grandmothers wedding dress. I only knew what it was from photos hanging in her house, and from peeking in her scrapbook ever so often. It was made of ivory chiffon, and has a layer of lace on the bodice, under the skirt was layers and layers of tool.

There was a note inside, I picked it up and read it aloud. “Dear Char, for you on your special day. I hope that this will do. Love you very much, Grandma.”

I sat there with the wedding dress in mg lap, crying. This was the best find ever.