The Story

Grandma Teddy held out her old, wrinkling, fragile hand and said to me "Ya ready?" I grabbed her hand in confusion and replied "Hell yes." She sat me down and began to tell the tale. She used to always tell me the story of the fairy and the human, that fell in love in the forest of Harlin.

"Once not too long ago, lived a young beautiful girl in Spain. She loved Spain, she loved everything about her hone. She love how the art filled her brown golden eyes with color, how the music gave her ears a rhythm to dance too. Once she turned 14 her mother, Esmeralda, sent her to Greece. There in Greece, the child was still so happy, now her small, light body could feel the wonderful water, a cool breeze hit her black wavy hair. Everyday the sun shined in her golden eyes and pale skin. She never fell in love til she moved to the Americas. Mija, it was there she was forced to marry the rich man, Samuel. He never did wrong to her. He was handsome, kind, thoughtful, and considerate. He had blonde hair that shined in light like her eyes, brown like chocolates his eyes were, his skin looked like a that milky chocolate you drink on a cold winter night. But the girl had no sexual attraction to this handsome man..." I interrupted her in surprise, "Grandma Teddy, this is the story of you and....Grandpa, right? I don't remember the last part. I sat I front of her in confusion and saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Oh mi ángel, this is the real story." With a blank expression and sat where grandma put me. "Listen Penelope. Listen to the tale. The young girl saw the man's attractive features but wasn't drawn to them like the letters her mother told her they were. Eventually they both married, in peace, they were great....friends. One night, Samuel told the girl 'Look I like you a lot. I want to have children with you.' The girl told him she wasn't interested in sex. So he forced her into his bed, their friendship was ruined the moment...he said children." Grandma Teddy paused and looked into the sun. I could see from her eyes, tears were going to break through like a cloudy storm. But she took a deep breath and said," The next year was the greatest year of that girl's life. She met them, she met Sun. Sun was the gentlest person she had ever met, they opened so much more to life. They'd go on adventures, play like children, dance around and round, sing like old borrachos. One day the girl took Sun out to a lake in Harlin forest and told Sun,' I don't like sex, I don't want to have it, and I love you very much but I don't feel an urge or desire to do... that. I'm broken or as Samuel says ill.' Sun looked her right in the eyes and said 'That is the dumbest shit I've ever heard. This is time to stupid to understand you. They are broken you, my dear, are not. You are my love and just like I'm not a man nor woman, doesn't make me broken. You not wanting sex doesn't make you broken.' The girl cried a river and Sun just hugged her. Then Sun told her that they had a secret to share. Sun had ran into the shallow of the lake and looked down, They grew wings and pointy ears, they grew a light and impeccable beauty! They took her hand and flew into the air. Later the next year, the girl had birthed a third child and Samuel continued to force himself upon the girl. He found out that Sun and the girl had a romantic relation. One night when Sun and the girl were in Harlin forest, Sun gave the girl a teddy bear. Sun always loved teddy bears... Then, Samuel.... he killed....Sun. He followed her that night. The girl saw her only joy die and she couldn't do anything. Sun's body disappeared, the girl attempted to take her life but Samuel wouldn't allow that. The girl eventually grew old and unhappy until her daughter birthed a baby girl named, Penelope."

I never knew this. Grandma Teddy always ended the story after the girl met Sun and they ran away flying into the moon. She never told me that she was asexual, and that she didn't always hate grandpa. What the hell?! How could grandpa ever do this to her!? Why? I didn't the tears falling down my face. Grandma Teddy hugged me, I could smell her pine perfume. She told me " Well, mi amor, I'm going to die soon. I'm an old lady and you needed to know the truth that sometimes we need the bad. But thankfully at the end the girl gets to have a memory of Teddy through Penelope." I hugged her, I could feel the cold tears run down back. I giggled and said "Grandma, thanks for coming out, I'm so happy you trust enough to tell me now." She laughed.

We both just talked about Sun, Samuel, her, and Mikey. I told her how my brother is a coward. "Ya see! This is why I only talk to ya! My kids and your siblings are bitches and assholes." "Grandma Teddy!" We ended the day in giggles, relief and peace. When I got to my room, I thought to myself that grandma Teddy is a real trooper. To go through so much, she's real strong, how did I come out such a wimp?

Grandma Teddy has never really established big rules on sneaking out and shit like that. So, I went Harlin forest and it was beautiful. The moon shines otherworldly like here. It was like a bright white crystal in a deep black sky. The stars shined but nothing like the moon, it feels like it's luring you. I went deeper into the forest until I reached the lake. I could almost imagine Sun dying, Samuel, and Grandma Teddy. I laid down on the ground next to lake, the trees didn't scare me because they looked somewhat....friendly? I looked at the sky, I thought about what grandma Teddy said about fairies. I think after some trauma she just... dreamed of a fairy. Its all pure fiction, perhaps Sun was just a figment of her imagination. Then, my thoughts were interrupted by a sound from deeper into woods, from the darker side.