Sapphire
We were in the garden, strolling lazily and she hasn't said anything to me. Nothing had changed about the garden, still beautiful as always. Grandma Anastasia was silent, I wondered what was going through her mind.
We stopped in front of the blue wooden bench and I waited for her to settle down before joining her. I noticed she took longer time than usual, old age was gradually getting to her.
The garden was serene, giving out a calm a quiet and calm vibe. I wondered what Grandma Anastasia wanted to tell me, it had to be something serious for her to lure me here.
She finally broke the silence looking straight at nothing.
"Isn't the atmosphere in the garden refreshing?" She spoke taking a fresh breath of air.
"Yes, it's always refreshing."
"Do you remember the time that you started painting right here on this spot when you were younger?"
"Huh?" She chuckled. I wasn't expecting her to start with that, but I knew this wasn't what she wanted to talk about.
"You were like nine... ten?
"Nine, I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. I remembered that period of my life vividly well. I had anger issues when I was younger, triggered by the death of my elder sister and being taken away from my mom and brought to a new environment. And the mental training sessions I had with Grandma Anastasia and my trainers only intensified it.
So my therapist at that time recommended I choose a relaxing hobby that would help calm me down. So I chose painting and used the garden as my place of comfort and peace. It helped reduce the rage and the resentment I had for my late sister. My young mind had blamed her, thinking that if she hadn't made that stupid decision to go to the mall and get killed. Then Grandma Anastasia whole focus and attention wouldn't be on me.
"You were so relentless and stubborn then." I smiled a little at that.
"How time flies." I sighed at the memory.
"You know even though you don't have full siren abilities, I didn't doubt that you were my granddaughter. You had my streak for justice and violence." I snickered at that.
She faced me looking at me searching my eyes for what I don't know. Grandma was acting weird, if she said anything about me being cute when I was eight. That would be the telltale sign that she was going crazy.
"Are you okay Grandma?" I asked when she continued staring without saying a word.
"Yes, would you do me a favour?" I arched my brows at her. Grandma and favour does not belong in the same sentence.
"Favour? What kind of favour?" I frowned.
"You know I am getting older by the day, I won't leave forever.."
"Are you sick?" I asked in concern, even though we didn't have the typical grandma and granddaughter relationship, she was still my blood.
"Yes, I am an old woman for Christ sakes." She laughed without humour.
"What are you diagnosed with?" I shifted forward on the bench worried and praying that it's not cancer.
"Wipe that look on your face, it's just dementia." I gasped in shock.
Dementia was a disease characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions such as memory loss and judgement. It has social symptoms that interferes with daily functioning.
"It's not a specific disease." She dismissed my gasp with a wave of her frail hand.
"Not specific! Have you started treatments?"
"Yes I have. The doctor told me that I was lucky that it was found out on time." She crossed her legs resting her cane by the side of the bench.
"Does that mean you will be fine?" I asked hopefully.
"Not actually since there's no cure. I would still be forgetting things but the treatment will aid me and make life easier for me."
We kept quiet for some time, with me still processing the information Grandma Anastasia had just dropped on me.
"Does the family know about this?"
"No, I was planning to tell them during the family meeting very soon."
"This evening?"
"No." No? but why was I the first person to know about this.
So why did you tell me first?" I asked curious to know her answer.
"That's where you come in." Let me guess with the favour thing.
"Me?"
"Yes, I would be stepping down from the position of being the matriarch of the Stone Family and my position at the Council Of The Paranormal Community."
The Council Of The Paranormal Community was a group of powerful supernatural creatures from different species who made laws and restored order among the paranormal community. They were like the supernatural version of the game law system.
"What?" This was the second time she was shocking me this afternoon.
"Do you have a problem with it?" She arched her brows.
"I don't know, so what do I have to do with this?" I guessed that her health issues contributed to her stepping down.
"I want you to take over from me." I almost fell down from the bench in shock. This was too much for me to process, take over the mantle of ruling the family? I mean I was the black sheep of the family, I had kept intentionally myself from the family since I was always considered the odd one.
"I can't do it grandma, I'm sorry I just can't." I firmed my stance on the issue.
"Why? There's nothing there."
"Why ask me? Why not ask Delilah or Clinton?" Grandma scoffed in disgust.
"You recommend Clinton? That weak spineless fool?" She spat out and tapped her walking cane on the ground.
I knew that Grandma disapproved of Clinton lifestyle and almost cut him off from the family. But his mother Victoria interceded on his behalf.
"You know that can't be possible, even though it was I won't allow it."
"He would ruin this family's reputation, I am even ashamed to call him my grandson." She sniffed in annoyance.
I almost forgot that was true because only female sirens were allowed to take leadership rol in their family. It was only in rare situations that powerful male sirens was allowed to lead and Clinton was a dud, weak with no abilities.
"What about Delilah?" I asked frantic looking for any way to escape this fate. She clicked her tongue.
"Doesn't have natural leadership qualities, those bastards at the council would step all over her, chew and spit her out hard."
"And they will not step over me? I have a life grandma! I am a detective and also an agent of The Paranormal Bureau Investigation Of Supernatural Crimes."
"And so?" She said with an impassive expression on her face. The way she said it, it was like my life wasn't important. Like I should just drop down everything and take over from her. I didn't even want it at first.
"I can't give up my life for you or the family." I shook my head.
"I can't just stay idle and be a miserable socialite for the rest of my life. My jobs defines my personality, it's my main purpose in life and nothing more."
I was so pissed off, why will grandma ask me to leave everything I had worked hard for and be a part of the family again. I stood up ready to leave and not say anything rude to her.
"Sapphire, don't let your pride and stubbornness stand in your way of being part of the family again." She spoke to my back.
"At least think about what I told you." As soon as I left, I was going to forget that this conversation ever happened.
"I never once considered myself a part of this family before." I continued walking, I never should have followed Delilah home.