She was fussing with the vase on the coffee table, nerves buzzing. Grandma Nellie’s flat smelled of fresh scones and a faint whiff of lavender that always lingered in the air. At seventyfive, Nellie still carried a certain crisp elegance, putting the final touches on the house before her guest arrived.
Gran, please dont interrogate him, Ivy begged, halflaughing. Davids a shy one, and youll see right through him with that stare of yours.
Nellie gave a sly smile, adjusting the lace shawl draped over her shoulders.
If Davids worth you, my looks wont scare him off. And if he isnt even better. Relax, love. Ive lived long enough to stop worrying about young men.
The doorbell rang. Ivy rushed to answer it. Standing on the doorstep was David, holding a handsome bouquet and an apologetic grin. He was athletic, eyes open, manners easy.
Come in, meet my Gran, Nellie, Ivy whispered, trying not to gasp.
David stepped into the lounge, handed over the flowers, and tipped his head politely.
Delighted to meet you, Mrs. Nellie. Ivy has spoken of you endlessly.
Grandma Nellie, standing in the centre of the room, seemed to freeze. She didnt answer the greeting. Her usual sharp, assessing glance softened, turning distant as if she were looking past David into some faraway memory. A faint smile lingered on her lips, then shifted into genuine amazement.
Gran? Ivy called, a note of worry in her voice.
Nellie shivered, then, as if in a dream, reached for the bouquet.
Sorry, dear youve taken me by surprise. Thank you for the flowers. Very kind.
David felt a little awkward and exchanged a glance with Ivy, who just shrugged. The evening had started oddly. Grandma was uncharacteristically quiet over her tea, not firing off her usual probing questions but watching David intently: how he held his cup, the way he laughed, the way he brushed a stray hair from his forehead. Ivys mind started to racewhat if he didnt impress Gran?
But David kept his composure. He talked about his job, cracked a joke about how he and Ivy had met at a dog show, and slowly the atmosphere eased.
So, Gran, back in your day did suitors still walk here on foot? he teased, picking up a biscuit.
Nellies eyes brightened.
Of course they did. In fact, once she trailed off, looking again at David with that penetrating stare. Excuse my forwardness, David, but did any pilots run in your family? From the flying school up north?
David raised an eyebrow.
No, nothing like that. My familys all engineers or doctors. Why do you ask?
Nellie lowered her gaze, a hidden smile playing on her lips.
It just seemed odd. You have such a striking looklike a young man I once knew. His name was Alex. He was a cadet when I was studying nursing. Same build, same eyes and that little dimple on his cheek when he smiled.
Ivy stared between Gran and David, amazed. Shed always thought David was photogenic, but now she was seeing a ghostly resemblance.
What happened to Alex? David asked gently.
Life tore us apart, Nellie sighed. He was posted to the Far East, and I stayed here. We wrote at first, then the letters stopped. First loves rarely last long, but they stick with you forever.
She rose, fetched a small, yellowed photograph from a drawer, and placed it on the table. The picture showed a slender young woman in a lovely dress and a young man in a pilots uniform, arms around each other, both laughing carefree.
Ivy and David leaned in.
Gran, he really does look like David! Ivy exclaimed. Spot on!
David examined the photo, a respectful look crossing his face.
Its a striking similarity, he said. Im honoured to be compared to such a fine man.
Nellies eyes softened, no longer filled with surprise but with a warm, almost motherly tenderness.
You know what, love? I like your David very much. Hes got honest eyes, just like Alexs.
The night stretched past midnight. Gran stopped grilling David like an examiner and started chatting like an old friend, sharing stories of her youth. When they finally left, she hugged David and whispered in his ear,
Take good care of her, and be happy together.
Out on the street, Ivy clung to Davids arm.
Gee, I was a wreck. She practically took you for a longlost relative.
David smiled thoughtfully.
It feels a bit of a responsibility, doesnt it? I want to live up to the trust not just yours, but the one that photos guy placed in me. Its a strange feeling.
I love it, Ivy said. Now weve got our own family legend how your Grans first love came back to us, in the shape of you.
They walked handinhand through the quiet night, the silhouette of an elderly woman still visible from the fifthfloor window, waving them on with a soft smile, sending a shadow of her distant past into their future.
Nellie lingered by the window until their figures faded into the dark of the square. Inside, only the steady ticking of an old mantel clock broke the silence. She returned to the table, took the photograph in her hands, and ran a finger over it.
Alex what a meeting, even if its just a glint from the past, she murmured.
She settled into her armchair, and memories of longgone summers flooded her mind: apple trees blooming at the training college, his bright eyes as he handed her a modest bouquet of lilies of the valley, their farewell at the station, his firm embrace, the scent of his uniform, promises to write every day. The letters began thick and neat, then grew sparse, and finally stopped. She waited a year, then married someone else, had a daughter, lived a long, fairly happy life. Yet that firstlove scar never fully healed.
Now, after all these years his smile, his build, that dimple its like a ghost checking in on me, she thought, smiling sadly.
She wasnt a sentimental old lady; life had taught her pragmatism. Still, this encounter stirred something deep, not selfpity but a marvel at fates quirks.
The next morning Ivys mother, Laura, called.
So, howd it go yesterday? Did Gran give your David a grilling? she teased.
You wont believe it! She practically blessed him at the door. Turns out David is the spitting image of her first love, a pilot named Alex. She even showed us the photo. He looks identical!
There was a pause on the line.
Alex? A pilot? Lauras voice tightened. The one in the old leatherbound album?
Do you know him?
A little, Laura said flatly. Alright, Im happy for you both. Say hi to David for me.
Ivy hung up, a bit bewildered by her mothers restrained tone.
Meanwhile, Nellie, spurred by a sudden impulse, opened a farreached drawer in the old chest. Inside lay not only the leather album but also a small bundle of letters tied with a blue ribbon. She hadnt read them in years, but now her hand reached for them automatically.
She untied the ribbon, pulled out the most recent lettera note dated after shed marriedwritten by Alexs friend, another pilot. She remembered its words by heart: Alex had been killed during a test flight. The letter arrived too late; her life had already moved on. The pain, the guilt, the lingering sense of unfinished businessall of it shed buried long ago.
She traced the yellowed paper with her fingertips. So we finally meet, Al, your smile and laugh now sit beside my granddaughter, she thought. Maybe this is your continuation, after all these years.
A knock sounded. Nellie startled, slipped the letters and album back into the drawer, and went to answer. On the landing stood her daughter, Laura, looking a bit uneasy.
Mom, Im here about Ivy just called, told me everything.
Come in, love, Nellie said, letting her in. What did she say? About David?
Yes, Laura said, sitting at the kitchen table. I get it, its touching, your memories. But dont you think youre idealising a bit? You always said Alex left you, stopped writing.
Nellie met her daughters gaze. Shed always sensed Lauras quiet jealousy of that first, unfulfilled love. Laura was a marriage of conveniencesteady, reliable, but lacking drama.
He didnt leave, Laura, Nellie replied softly but firmly. Alex died. I got his friends letter after Id already married your father.
Lauras eyes widened.
Died? Why never tell me?
Why? So youd grow up thinking your mother could have had a different life? That your father was a second choice? No. I lived the life I lived, and I have no regrets. The truth stayed with me because it mattered to no one until yesterday.
Laura sat, absorbing the revelation. Her resentment melted into a strange mix of pity and respect.
Sorry, Mum, I didnt know
Its alright, dear. Listen, David is a good lad. I can see straight through people, and he reminds me of the brightest man I ever loved. I want you, Ivy, to have something better than what I had. Understand?
Laura nodded, and for the first time in ages, hugged her mother tightly, genuinely.
That evening Ivy and David returned to the flat. Nellie watched them bustling in the kitchen, laughing, whispering, preparing dinner. She caught Davids dimple again and smiled quietly.
Look, Alex, she thought, our lives are still tangled, winding down strange roads. And it feels right.
Ivy slipped her arm around Nellies shoulders.
What are you thinking about, Gran?
Happiness, Nellie answered, eyes still on David. It often arrives from places you never expect. Cherish it, she nodded toward him. Treasure every moment.
Ivy pressed her cheek to Nellies silver hair.
Will do, Gran. Promise.
David, pulling a fresh cake from the oven, wore a grin that mirrored the one in that faded photograph, lighting the kitchen with the same warm glow.
