Over on my Instagram page, I dedicated a post to my maternal grandmother. I did the same on my personal account as well:
In 2017, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting my maternal grandmother when visiting Guyana for the first time.
Though nervous to meet her, once I did, I felt like I’d known her all my life. She was the most gangster person I’ve ever met, and despite being half my size I was convinced she could probably take on anyone.
That trip was the first and only time I’d ever get to be with her, but it meant everything to me.
Thanks to technology, we were able to communicate multiple times a week since then.
Despite being in a whole other continent, she was there. Never missing birthdays, anniversaries or just saying “good morning” or “good night”. She took care to ask about me and Steven, and when Theo was born, she asked about all three of us.
For many she was someone of the past, but for me she was the present. And I am regretful that I will no longer have someone to share silly gifs with.
Thank you for being part of my life and I wish you peace in your next journey.
In the only way I know how, I wrote a short story placing my grandma into the world of Vartugaul. I hope you can enjoy it here:
Sulwyn walked quietly through the sleeping forest. Pushing past branches and leaves as silently as she could. With the moon’s light, she stepped slowly over brambles and roots, her breath catching anytime a twig snapped.
The forest here was hot and humid, more so from the rain the misted over her.
Animals were already asleep, burrowed in their holes or high atop trees. But she knew there were a few predators around.
As she walked, the trickle of water reached her ears and she slowly moved to that direction. Soon, a tiny house made of metal slabs and wood seemingly popped out of no where, the river trailing behind it.
She wasn’t sure if this was where she needed to go, but with no other signs, she took careful steps towards a short set of rickety wooden stairs. Just before she reached the top, a door flew open and multiple tiny eyes illuminated by her feet.
A chorus of “meows” greeted her as skinny little cats in browns, whites and blacks gathered by her boots. With one creaky step, Sulwyn looked up to see a rather tiny woman, suited to her rather tiny house.
Shrunk with age, she barely reached Sulwyn’s shoulder, her skin wrinkled and her short hair grey. But a wide smile graced her features. The lady peered down at Sulwyn through her rectangular glasses watching her as Sulwyn took the last step up.
From what Sulwyn could see inside the house, there was only a small, one pot stove, a little square sink, and the rest of the space was taken up by a bed with hundreds of trinkets lining the wall.
“You look too fine, gurl.” Said the woman, her voice croaky but stronger than she expected.
“Fine?” asked Sulwyn looking down again at the cats by her feet. There was one cat on the bed that could not be bothered.
“Yuh eat anything? I don’t have anythin’ to give yuh now. Make sure to get somethin’ when yuh go home. Okay?”
“Aren’t you wondering who I am or what I’m doing here?”
The lady peered up at her, a smirk dancing on her lips, “Are yuh lost? Or maybe yuh found. Okay.”
Confused Sulwyn took a moment to take in what she saw and felt around her. This elderly lady, living in the middle of the hot forest, surrounded by cats…
Sulwyn was currently on her own mission, separated from Raghnall for a while as they both tried to track a group of people that had been going around terrorizing the small towns in the area. One of the leads carried her straight into the forest, but this woman…
“Why yuh galivanting through deh trees at night, eh? Yuh never heard of jumbee?”
“What?”
“Jumbee! Dem spirits! Dey gon stick onto yuh sa late at night!”
Whatever her accent was, it intensified now as she raised her voice just a little. But she didn’t seem mad. Only concerned and clearly superstitious. Sulwyn smiled. Somehow, deep in her soul, she knew this woman had nothing to do with what she was looking for, but also knew she was meant to meet her.
Not having any family of her own, Sulwyn wondered if this was what a grandmother could be like.
“What’s yuh name?”
“Sulwyn…”
“Good, strong name. Yuh stay safe baby, okay? Now go on, and make sure to walk backwards before yuh go home, okay? And eat some food. Yuh too fine. Yuh look like Fineting back there.” She gestured to the cat that refused to leave the bed.
Without any thought, Sulwyn reached forward to hug the woman. At first, she stiffened, but soon she returned the embrace with strong arms.
“Yuh take care, baby, yuh hear?”
“Of course…” Sulwyn’s eyes watered. She didn’t like leaving her alone in this house. It was so small and old. Yet somehow she looked so content. “What’s your name?”
The old woman smiled, shooing her cats back inside with her, “yuh can call me Grandma Lee.”