Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

I awoke with a start. Panting heavily, heart pounding in agitation, I looked around the room through bleary eyes. Lying on my back, I could see the beginning streaks of morning light filtering through my grandmother’s worn-out yellow curtains. It was only a dream. A bad dream, which unfortunately contained too many elements of truth. Sighing in resignation, I closed my eyes and rolled onto my belly, punching my relatively flat pillow for good measure. All at once, my frame went rigid as a board. My fingers gripped the edges of my pillow like a drowning man who has just been thrown a lifeline. The events of the last seven months played like scenes from the worst movie I had ever seen. Not wanting to trigger a stress induced asthma attack, I ruthlessly slammed that door into my mind. Yea, I envisioned a real door. It was painted a deep blood red. The black doorknob resembled a clawed talon-like hand extended in welcome, just waiting to snatch me into the abyss of depression beyond. Jerking upright I began my deep breathing techniques. Suddenly my nose became alert to the tantalizing smell of homemade biscuits. Smiling to myself, I felt the last tendrils of tension melt away. My grandmother always knew just what I needed. To some of the locals, she was a healer. Many others called her a witch. To me, she was just Gran. The elderly woman who took one look at the sad-eyed mute little girl and raised her as her own. Kicking my legs free of the clingy sheets, I made my way to the kitchen. My tiny grandmother moved adeptly around the room like someone half her age.

“Gran, are you sick? I have been here for weeks and you keep avoiding the subject!” I demanded. Whirling around with a twinkle in her eye, the pint-sized version of myself came bustling towards me with a fully loaded plate of all my favorites.

“Gran, you can't butter me up with breakfast food!”

Then my stomach growled loudly in direct contradiction to my words. Smirking to herself, the lively old woman gently placed the plate on the kitchen island and sauntered away. Sitting quickly, I decided, there was no sense in letting good food go to waste.

Picking up her coffee, Gran eased around the counter and settled herself comfortably into a seat saying, “Hope, eat child!”

I chuckled to myself. Mid 30’s was hardly considered childhood.

“Do you have somewhere to be?” asked Gran.

Gripping the fork tightly within my fingers, I froze. The silence of the house surrounded us like a blanket. Why would grandmother ask a question she already knew the answer to? Well, two could play the game of evasion.

Relaxing, I went back to eating my food. Feigning nonchalance, I asked, “You going to finally introduce me to your handy-man? It’s been about 3 years since you told me about him and for some strange reason, whenever I come to visit you, he can never be found!”

Expecting to be dismissed like every other time, I almost toppled out of my chair in surprise when my grandmother announced, “Yes! Good things always come to those who wait child! You and Shavez are both ready!”

“Wait! What?” I asked in astonishment.

Mr. Manners chose that moment to leave the table because my mouth hung open wide enough to drive a truck through. It’s a miracle the eggs didn’t fall out. In any case, my grandmother, looking like the cat that ate the canary, gently pushed my mouth closed, and stood to leave the kitchen. With reflexes quick as lightning, I snagged my grandmother’s hand.

Before I could utter a word, Gran gently smiled and said, “I will meet you in my bedroom as soon as you finish eating!” With that cryptic statement she disappeared.

I sat in a stupefied daze. My brain cells would not work. Finishing every morsel on my plate, I quickly rinsed it in the sink and hurried to my grandmother’s bedroom. Pausing in the doorframe I stopped and stared. Gran looked so peaceful. She sat in her wooden rocking chair dutifully circling in her crossword puzzle book as quickly as her sharp mind located a word. The huge bay window next to her sat open and the blue curtains waved in and out with the gentle breeze. I felt such peace encompass my heart. Good things will happen to me, I vowed. Not bothering to look up from her work Gran said, “Come child!”

Feeling like a small girl again, I quickly approached and settled comfortably at Gran's feet. Her first question threw me off kilter again! You would think I had learned my lesson by now.

“How old do you think I am?”

Narrowing my eyes in scrutiny, I studied her face. Yep, she is serious.

“Gran you have always refused to tell me your age. Remember? You said, a lady never tells!”

Eyes, stretching in fake surprise she winked at me! Winked! Oh, this is going to be good!

Gazing at me sternly she declared, “I am going to talk! You will listen. He will come, but then I must go! Agreed?”

She had me so turned around at this point I probably would have agreed to give away my first-born child if only to get to the bottom of this mystery. As if hearing my thoughts, a small smile peeked through which she quickly replaced with a stern expression.

“Be serious Hope!” she demanded.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

Dismissing my apology, she continued.

“I am 173 in human years. I am called a Guardianeez and so was your grandfather! Guardianeez are beings with special powers. We are charged with maintaining the balance between good and evil in the land. Guardianeez families are always hand-picked based upon the unique strengths of the family. Your grandfather bravely gave his life in the fight! He did it to protect the people of this region. Evil was vanquished for a time and Good triumphed. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the retaliation.”

At this point in her narrative, she paused. Barely holding herself together, she fiercely clenched the arms of her rocker. Silent tears left glistening trails down her wizened cheeks. Right before my eyes she appeared to age into someone I had never seen before. The youthful vitality in her face was replaced by sagging skin and hollow eyes. So much raw grief twisted her features I was momentarily stunned. Is this the strong woman who raised me? I shook my head to clear it. No, Gran has just gone senile. As the thoughts in my mind rode the roller coaster of her words, a movement to my right alerted me to a presence in the window. The most beautiful owl I had ever seen peered at me through a gap between the fluttering wave of the curtains. His milky face was a perfectly shaped heart with a sharp beak protruding downward. A frosty white chest seemed to puff out in pride the longer I studied him. Do not ask me how I knew it was a HE. I just did. Angling his head to the side, his vibrant mocha eyes captured mine and I could not look away. In a sudden move depicting regal bearing he slowly tilted his head forward as if giving me a bow. Springing from the floor as if my pants were on fire I headed to the door. That’s it! I have officially entered the twilight zone, or I am having a weird dream. Again! Gran's next words stopped me cold!

“We lost your father, mother, and two brothers all at once, Hope! The explosion was deliberate. I would have lost you too had you not snuck away to play with a friend. Your parents should have taken over as Guardianeez over 80 years ago.”

I swung around in disbelief and began advancing forward slowly. Tears ran unchecked down my face and my voice quivered with suppressed pain.

“How did you know I ran away to be with my friend that day? I told no one. When I returned home it was completely engulfed in flames. The police found me in the front yard, sitting watching it burn. I kept waiting for them to walk out the front door. Just waiting! I didn’t speak to anyone for two years after that. I thought it was all my fault! If I had only went home right after school maybe I could have saved them. My reflexes and senses have always been good, even my brothers thought so. Somehow, I should have known about the danger!”

I dropped to my knees in front of my grandmother and buried my face in her lap. Great, gut wrenching sobs shook my body as I grieved for all we had lost. All the while the barn owl calmly watched from his window perch, seemingly unfazed by my emotional release. He alternated between a soft screech and a hiss as if trying to offer comfort the best way he could. When my tears had subsided, the glorious peace I felt earlier returned with a vengeance. Looking up at my grandmother’s beautiful face, I smiled. She returned my smile and once again transformed into the beautiful woman I recognized.

“How did you know?” I asked.

Rolling her eyes, she said, “I always know! Haven’t you figured that out by now? The Tornado that took your home was the work of the evil one too. You were never at fault child!”

I sat up in alarm, “Say what? What about my education department closing and everyone losing their jobs?”

Again, she nodded. By this time, my eyebrows had risen almost to my hairline.

Slumping in defeat I mumbled, “My name is Hope but I sure don’t feel very hopeful!”

Gripping my shoulders with a strength that belied her age my grandmother gently shook me.

“Look at me child! It is your time! I love you so much! All the turmoil has led you to this moment. Do you trust me?”

Considering her carefully, I gave a brief yet sincere nod. Her eyes began to glow with a fierce light.

“I must depart now but you will never be alone. My time here is up, but your protector has come. He will love you and teach you all that you need to know to fulfill your destiny. You will make a great Guardianeez child!”

Extending her arm towards the window she said, “Come Shavez!” My brain felt like it was boarding the roller coaster again. Isn’t the handy man named Shavez? The graceful bird gently landed on the arm of the rocker, studying me intently the entire time.

“Hope you must trust me one more time. Give the owl a kiss on his beak.”

Yep, Mr. Sanity has now left the building too. Just when I thought things were getting better. Looking up to deny her request I was again arrested by the glow in her eyes which had increased in brightness and the same intensive glow was now present in the barn owl’s eyes. Oh well, what do I have to lose? Quickly leaning forward, I softly kissed the owl on his hard cold beak. The room was immediately saturated with a gold so brilliantly white I had to cover my eyes. Warmth flooded my entire being and I felt as if I had just received the best hug ever. After a few moments, the warmth subsided, and I cautiously blinked my eyes open. The first thing I noticed was that the rocking chair was empty and the most stunning bronze man I had ever seen knelt beside me. I scrambled back in alarm. As he lifted his head, I was pierced by his glowing brown eyes! It was the barn owl! Suddenly his deep voice resonated in the quiet of the room and his lips lifted in a smile.

“Hello Hope! Good things come to those who wait!”