Instead of following Kimberly’s wish and returning back to her grandmother, a swooping sensation passed through her from head to toe and she found herself spinning until her feet touched solid ground.
She was back in the mirror room, facing the framed picture of Maeve and Peter on their wedding day.
Kimberly longed to reach out and touch the picture again, hoping it would transport her back to her grandparents. As painful as it had been to see her grandmother through her times of suffering, it was also intriguing to witness what she had been like as a young woman, just starting off in her journey through life. And to actually see her grandfather Peter as well! She only saw him for a few moments, but her heart was deeply touched by his tenderness toward Maeve and his incredible wisdom at such a young age. She felt more connected to both of them than she ever had in her life.
“You cannot go back,” a voice said from behind her. Siobhan, of course. Kimberly had almost forgotten about her, she was so wrapped up in what she had just witnessed over the last hour. “The memories that have presented themselves to you were not chosen by chance. They came from within you yourself. But they are as fleeting and fragile as firefly wings. You can never witness the same memory twice.”
Kimberly turned to face the girl. “But can’t you change the rules? Don’t you have some sort of power yourself?”
Siobhan smiled wrily, and in that moment Kimberly could see a depth in her eyes which she had not noticed before. It spoke of a level of experience and knowledge that she could not even fathom. Just how old was this girl?
Feeling sullen, Kimberly turned back to the picture. “I don’t care if I can’t see the same memories. I would be happy to see anything. I just want more…”
She felt a light hand on her shoulder.
“Come, it is time to look into another memory,” Siobhan said and pointed toward another picture hanging on the wall.
It was a picture of a young girl, about six years of age, with a smiling older woman pressing her wrinkling cheek next to the child’s. It was Kimberly and Maeve, sitting on a porch swing together, the crisp autumn breeze sending tendrils of the girl’s hair flying around her face.
Kimberly remembered the day that her mother had taken the photograph. She had just returned home from the first day of school and her grandmother had been eagerly awaiting news of how her day had gone. She remembered sitting on the swing next to her grandmother, telling her about the children she had met that day and showing her the book she had checked out of the school library. It was far too difficult for her to read herself, since she was only just learning to read, but she couldn’t wait to hear her grandmother’s rendition of the story, for she knew it would be even more exciting than what was written on the pages.
Kimberly swallowed hard, trying to choke down the lump in her throat. She missed her grandmother Maeve so much.
“Ready?” Siobhan asked.
Without hesitation, Kimberly reached toward the picture on the wall at the same time as Siobhan, sending her spinning into space once again.
She was back in the mirror room, facing the framed picture of Maeve and Peter on their wedding day.
Kimberly longed to reach out and touch the picture again, hoping it would transport her back to her grandparents. As painful as it had been to see her grandmother through her times of suffering, it was also intriguing to witness what she had been like as a young woman, just starting off in her journey through life. And to actually see her grandfather Peter as well! She only saw him for a few moments, but her heart was deeply touched by his tenderness toward Maeve and his incredible wisdom at such a young age. She felt more connected to both of them than she ever had in her life.
“You cannot go back,” a voice said from behind her. Siobhan, of course. Kimberly had almost forgotten about her, she was so wrapped up in what she had just witnessed over the last hour. “The memories that have presented themselves to you were not chosen by chance. They came from within you yourself. But they are as fleeting and fragile as firefly wings. You can never witness the same memory twice.”
Kimberly turned to face the girl. “But can’t you change the rules? Don’t you have some sort of power yourself?”
Siobhan smiled wrily, and in that moment Kimberly could see a depth in her eyes which she had not noticed before. It spoke of a level of experience and knowledge that she could not even fathom. Just how old was this girl?
Feeling sullen, Kimberly turned back to the picture. “I don’t care if I can’t see the same memories. I would be happy to see anything. I just want more…”
She felt a light hand on her shoulder.
“Come, it is time to look into another memory,” Siobhan said and pointed toward another picture hanging on the wall.
It was a picture of a young girl, about six years of age, with a smiling older woman pressing her wrinkling cheek next to the child’s. It was Kimberly and Maeve, sitting on a porch swing together, the crisp autumn breeze sending tendrils of the girl’s hair flying around her face.
Kimberly remembered the day that her mother had taken the photograph. She had just returned home from the first day of school and her grandmother had been eagerly awaiting news of how her day had gone. She remembered sitting on the swing next to her grandmother, telling her about the children she had met that day and showing her the book she had checked out of the school library. It was far too difficult for her to read herself, since she was only just learning to read, but she couldn’t wait to hear her grandmother’s rendition of the story, for she knew it would be even more exciting than what was written on the pages.
Kimberly swallowed hard, trying to choke down the lump in her throat. She missed her grandmother Maeve so much.
“Ready?” Siobhan asked.
Without hesitation, Kimberly reached toward the picture on the wall at the same time as Siobhan, sending her spinning into space once again.
Where will Kimberly end up next on her dream journey? Come back tomorrow to find out!
