The one got away.
Dina sits in her rocking chair, watching as her grandchildren paint rainbows on big sheets of paper. Her husband asleep on the chair beside her. Her white hair pulled into a bun on the too of her head.
Dina had two children a boy, now a man JJ. Who would be celebrating his 40th birthday soon. And a girl Ellie, Ellie is about to turn 28.
Ellie was yet to have any of her own children. JJ is married and has two. one girl and two boys. Sophia is 16, Robyn is 5 and James is 8. Dina loved having the children over. Like any good grandma she spoiled them rotten.
"Grandma" Sophia sits down beside Dina. "Tell me about Ellie" Sophia loved to hear about her grandma's life before she met her papa. She would listen to Dina talk for hours about Ellie. Although Sophia never got to meet Ellie, she's sure that their will never be two people more in love than her grandma and Ellie.
Dina smiles, she puts her hand on Sophia's cheek and gently squeezes it. "Come with me" Dina leads her granddaughter into her bedroom. Sophia sits on the bed whilst Dina pulls a box from her wardrobe. She sits beside Sophia and smiles.
**
"We were seventeen when we had our first kiss..."
"What are you doing" Dina laughs.
"Shh" Ellie giggles placing a finger to Dina's lips. "You'll wake him" Ellie smiles, she grabs the bottle of whisky from the cupboard. The two of them decided it would be a good idea to steal Joel's liquor and sneak out.
They walked to the beach where they sat on the sand passing the whisky bottle back and forth. They laughed at Ellie's stupid jokes as they watched the waves crash on the shore. With a mixture of the irresistible sparkle of Ellie's eyes and courage from the liquor, Dina slowly leans in to Ellie.
Ellie bites her bottom lip before moving forward closing the gap between them. Their lips met, slotting together perfectly. Almost like they were made to do that. Butterflies errupt within them both, they pull apart and smile at eachother. Ellie gently takes Dina's hand in her own.
Dina picks up a small shell from the sand, wanting something to remember today forever.
**
Dina carefully opens the box, she pulls out a tiny shell. She lets out a shaky breath as she holds it in the palm of her hand.
Sophia smiles at her grandma. "You kept it"
"Of course I did" Dina holds the shell close to her heart. the image of Ellie sat on the beach that day fills her mind.
"On Ellie's eighteenth birthday, we got matching tattoos"
**
"Baby this is stupid" Ellie laughs.
"You don't have to get one, but I am" Dina smiles pulling Ellie into the tattoo shop.
Dina feels arms wrap around her waist from behind and a chin rest on her shoulder. "Hey baby" she smiles relaxing in her arms. "I'm thinking this one" Dina points to a simple heart in the book of tattoos. "Right here" Dina points to her side between her boob and back.
"Let's get matching" Ellie smiles spinning Dina around in her arms.
"Really?" Dina grins. She places a kiss on Ellie's lips.
"Yes!"
The girls get their tattoos before heading back to Ellie's place.
**
Dina gently lifts her shirt to show Sophia the now faded tattoo.
"Wow" Sophia smiles. "Whenever you talk about her, your face lights up"
"I love your papa, but I've never loved anyone the way I love her" Dina pulls a note out the box.
**
"Baby" Dina yawns. "El?" She sits up confused. She had stayed at Ellie's last night but woke up alone. "Ellie?" Dina calls out as she walks down the stairs of her girlfriends house.
When Dina made it to the kitchen she finds a note along with a huge bouquet of roses.
Good morning sleeping beauty,
I'm sorry your waking up alone. I promised Joel I'd help him fix up the barn. You looked way too cute to wake up. I cant wait to get back to you for round two ;) see you later angel Ellie ❤️
**
Sophia giggles reading the letter. "She sounds like she loved you as much as you love her"
Dina nods. She carefully folds the letter back the way it was before. "She played so beautifully" Dina says pulling out Ellie's guitar pick.
**
"What's that?" Dina asks, walking in on Ellie playing a song she hasn't heard before.
"Nothing" Ellie shrugs.
"Well nothin sure sounds nice" Dina pecks Ellie lips.
"Remember that night by the bonfire?" Ellie asks.
"Yeah"
Ellie starts strumming the guitar. "Talking away, I don't know what I'm to say. I'll say it anyway, today's another day to find you..."
Dina sat on the ground completely mesmerised by hear girlfriend. Not once did she dear pull her eyes away.
"You should have kissed me then" Dina says.
"I wanted too" Ellie says resting her chin on the top of her guitar.
"Me too"
**
"She played guitar for you, aww" Sophia coos.
"She did" Dina grins. "Anyway enough of that for now" Dina places all of the things back in the box.
"I hope I find my Ellie one day" Sophia smiles.
"You will" Dina pulls her granddaughter into a hug. "Can you tell papa, I've gone to the store?"
"Sure"
Dina kisses her granddaughters head before leaving.
"Hello beautiful" Dina sits down on the grave. Her fingers gently tracing over Ellie's name on the polished rock. "I'm sorry I've not been here for a while. JJ's doing well. I've actually been talking to Sophia about you today" Dina smiles. And Ellie well she's Ellie, she reminds me of you. Reckless" Dina laughs thinking about her daughter who was named after the woman in the grave below her. "I kiss you El" Dina wipes a tear away that had fallen down her cheek. It had been 38 years since ellie had passed. It still hurt just as much now as it did back then. You never get over it you just learn to deal. "I'll be back soon okay" Dina blows a kiss to the headstone before reluctantly leaving.