Inola

My Nanna Part 42

I read a few chapters of "Granny's Diary" and it strikes me that I don't know much about my grandmother or Nanna as I love to call her.  I decided that I should find out more about her and a plan started to form in my head.  

That evening after dinner, while I was busy massaging her feet I asked her how she met my grandpa.

"Oh, it was kind of weird, we were at a church picnic and I was throwing a ball at my friend.  He came running past us and the ball hit him full in the face."

"Wow! That wasn't a very friendly meeting, was it.  What did he do?"

"I don't know, I just ran to my parents and pretended to be thirsty, I just stood there savoring the water as if it was the most precious drink." 

"And then, what happened?"

"The next Sunday he sat down next to me in Sunday School.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  He asked me my name and introduced himself as Charlie.  Before I knew what was happening we became best friends.  He always joked about the girl who has thrown him with a ball."

"And when did best friends became lovers?"  I smiled at her.

"I guess it was when he had to go to the army and was sent to Tempi for his training, both of us poured our feelings out in our letters.  We became closer and when he finished his duties and asked me to marry him, there was no way I could refuse."

"What did he do for a living?"

"His dad was farming near our town and we went to live with them, his dad wasn't young anymore and needed Grandpa to help him on the farm."

"When did they leave the farm?"

"They left when your mom was about seven, she cried a lot because she missed them so much, but poor Granny couldn't walk properly, and Grandpa showed signs of Parkinson's disease.  They both died within the next year."

"That is so sad, can you give me their names?"

"Yes, they were Hendrik and Martie Brown and they were kind and religious people, I loved them so much." I noticed the tears forming in her eyes and squeezed her hand.

"And you and Grandpa stayed on the farm until you decided to come to New Zealand, what made you decide to move here?

"It was a nice sunny afternoon, a normal day, I have made some stew and baked a few fresh loaves of bread.  We would have a slice or two of the bread with a helping of the stew for lunch when Grandpa returns with the kids from school," she said staring in front of her.

"What happened Grandma?"

"I was busy taking the bread from the oven when I heard a crash and broken glass falling on the floor.  I was too shocked to move.  In the corner of my eye, I could see somebody moving into the kitchen, then another one followed with a heavy weapon in his arms,"  she sighs.

"No! What did they do?  Did they harm you?"

"I pretended that I was deaf and sliced the bread and put it on two plates, two slices each, and loaded it with stew."