Charlie Evans looked trough the window of her apartment to see if the shuttle that led to the airport arrived, only to notice it wasn't there yet, but she kept looking outside anyway and smiled, drowned in her thoughts.
Everything was going according to plans. She had just finished her last semester of her master degree and she was about to hop on a plane, destination London, for an indefinite period of time. She felt that, after living this great adventure, she would finally be ready to start her adult life. But for now, she really needed that one last time to think only about herself. She needed to be selfish : no work, no school, no obligations. Pure freedom.
Still lost in her thought, she planned that only after that, she could think of finding a job, maybe look for a home, find a suitable mate, maybe make a little family...
A van of an electric blue color stopped in front of her building making her come out of her reverie. It was time to leave. She glanced once last time at the window, feeling she wouldn't see that city for a long time.
"Goodbye, New York." she blew a kiss.
–
Walking through the passerelle at the London airport, clutching her backpack with one hand, holding her luggage with the other, Charlie looked around her searching for a familiar face. Soon enough, she found a old cheerful lady, with short salt and pepper curly hair, dressed in a very british attire, waving a cardboard with "Welcome home" written on it.
"Grandmother!" Charlie shouted with joy.
She rushed into her grandmother arms.
"Oh my! You look wonderful, my dear! Look at you, such a grown woman!" her grandmother complimented.
Charlie said nothing to protest. First, because you never refuse a compliment and second because it's a grandmother thing to put their grandchildren on a pedestal.
She knew that she would have a great time, here in this awesome city along with her grandmother. Last time she had this chance, was for her sweet sixteen, and it seemed to her like an eternity had passed.
'Whoa. Time do go fast. 11 years have passed already? Gee', I'm getting old.'
–
On the way home, her grandmother took some news about her, although they kept in touch at least once a month.
"So, how was your last semester, my dear?" asked her grandmother, as she drived, looking straight ahead.
"Actually, it went very well! I'm pretty sure I'll have good grades! I guess an average of B plus or A minus? I did work really hard though. This pause if more than welcome!" she laughed.
"That's great, sweetie! I'm very proud of you."
They stayed silent for a few minutes.
"Some news of Kevin?" Her grandmother added.
"No... Not in a while. Although, did you know he now have a little family?" Charlie answered.
"No, no I didn't! So I guess there's no chance this dear boy will return in our family, now." she teased.
"Indeed... But I'm happy for him. I really am." She said frankly.
Kevin was a childhood friend of Charlie, which became a boyfriend when they were teenagers. They actually stayed a couple quite a while, but distance grew them apart, as Charlie when to college in New York and Kevin stayed to study in Alberta. She never fell in love after that. She was too absorbed by her studies anyway.
"...So, have you thought a little about your future? Now that your studies are over." Her grandmother asked.
"Actually, yes. But I don't know really what to do. All my life was work, study, work, study. Now that I have plenty of time for me, I just don't know what to do about it. I don't feel like an adult yet, although I am. I don't feel like taking responsibilities, although I should. That's why I wanted to spent some time here with you, to loop the loop. Be like a child for the last time. You know?"
"It's okay my dear, you'll find soon enough all the answers you seek. You've got your whole life in front of you to sort things out." she removed one hand of the wheel to pat her granddaughter's. "Comparatively to me, that is, that have more behind than ahead."
"Oh don't say that memaw. You'll live forever!" she said with a naïve voice, knowing that it's actually impossible, but even has an adult it's was kind of reassuring to think that way.
Her grandmother laughed wholeheartedly. "Well, if only we could be elves, our lifespan would be longer!"
"Indeed! But I consider myself more like an Hobbit, for now. You know : no responsibilities."
–
Charlie and her grandmother were standing in the hallway.
"Hummm. It smell so good. You've made boiled beef, did you?"
"How could I not! I know how much you love that." She laughed.
Charlie smiled and clapped her hands. 'Well that's a good way to start feeling like a child again.'
"Now, why won't you get rid of your bags. I'll serve the supper while you get ready."
"Okay memaw!" she rushed upstairs to what she knew was her room.
She opened the wardrobe, drop her bags and was about to return to the dining room, but something was wrong. When her backpack touched the floor, it sounded... hollow. Immediately, curiosity took over her. She crouched, put her backpack on her knees, and knocked on the floor.
It was definitely empty under that!
"It's ready, my dear!" shouted her grandmother from the ground floor.
"Coming!" she said to gain some time.
She tried pulling one of the wood strips and, as anticipated, succeeded in moving one of them. She felt like an archeologist that solved a huge mystery or a pirate that found a hidden treasure. She finished removing it quickly, only to find... a book?
It was The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
'Just that? I know grandmother is really fond of that book, but still...' she frowned perplexed.
She opened it and noticed a handwritten note on the first page.
From Christopher Tolkien,
Because you rule my heart.
'Oooh a love story. Now that's interesting! Well I guess that makes sense now. She didn't want grandfather knowing she was in love with another man before him.'
In the first page, there was also a bookmark with a ring attached to it. 'Aww, how cute, is that supposed to represent the ring to rule his heart?'
She placed the book aside. Took the bookmark, determined to ask the story behind this ring.
She slided the ring in her finger...
–
"What is taking her so long?" a worried Mrs Evans asked herself.
She climbed the stairs to the room of her granddaughter, only to find it empty.
Her luggage was placed in the wardrobe, one of the wood strip was removed and a book was lying on the floor.
"Oh dear god, no."
–
Author's note : I'm French and have not many opportunities to speak English (sorry in advance for the mistakes).