Tessa and Francis had just bought their first house together. Their wedding was a month away, and they were slowly moving their items from their own apartments and parents’ homes into the place where they were going to start their life together.
Tessa was going to her parents’ house to pick up the last load of boxes that she had stored there. At 30-years-old, she didn’t have too much left there, just some childhood memories.
One of the boxes that Tessa was picking up was her keepsake tote. It was a large plastic tote that had her baby photos and report cards in. She was digging through the box finding things she had long forgotten about: her first teddy bear, the Easter dress her mom had knitted for her first Easter, her baby booties. And then on the very bottom, Tessa found a package that brought tears to her eyes, a clear plastic bag with a zipper closing to off from the outside environment. Inside, a pale pink quilt.
Tessa slowly unzipped the bag and pulled the quilt out, running it through her fingers with fond memories.
Her grandmother had made her that quilt before she had died. It was the last thing her grandmother had ever made her. And as a young girl, Tessa took it everywhere. She slept with it on her bed, she took it to sleep overs and summer camps. She even remembered that one time she had strep throat and had to go to the doctors with her mom. She was buckled loosely in the backseat of their mini van so that she could lay across the bench seat, the blanket wrapped tightly around her.
Tessa hugged her blanket tightly, thankful for taking the time to go through the boxes her mom had set out for her. She folded the pink fabric back into a square, and zipped up the plastic packaging once more. She took the tote out to her car, driving away thinking about passing this quilt onto her own daughter one day.
For those of you just stopping by, this post is being written in participation of the A to Z challenge. No Love For Fatties will resume regular posts as of May 1st. Until then, enjoy a new short story every day of the month! If you are stopping by from A to Z, let me know by leaving a comment in the section below!
That’s the thing about keepsakes. They can open a floodgate of memories. I loved this story!
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Yes exactly! Thank you so much!
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I’ve considered making a quilt for the kids out of old T-shirts and baseball jerseys but never got around to it. Now I gave all my sewing stuff away. Lovely story!
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Aww! I’m sure they would love it though!! This one is based on real life, my grandma made me a quilt and I just hope it’s in the box in my room back at my parents lol
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I have got to get back to the quilt I am making for my grand daughter. As soon as A to z is over.
Finding Eliza
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Yes! You must! She will cherrish it forever!
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There are so many things that may be usual to others but it holds so much meaning to the person. It’s not just a trophy. It’s not just a cd. It’s not just a quilt.. 🙂
Q is for Quince
https://thedreamgirlwrites.wordpress.com/2020/04/20/quince/
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Aw yes, so very true!
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I had a pink teddy that I took everywhere with me. I kept it until it eventually disintegrated (it was very flat having been squished against me so much and most of the fur had worn off for the same reason). He even sat on my bed in my dorm at uni!
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Oh I have my teddy from when I was a baby!! He’s in the Tupperware bin with the quilt! Haha
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Memories and meaning. This was beautifully written. You captured those feelings of finding something meaningful so well. ❤
(I forgot to schedule my P post, it went up immediately… I am not the best in these challenges, lol)
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Aww thank you so much!! And that’s ok ☺️ don’t stress over it. It happens all the time! I used to do that too and then I’d have to delete the post and go back and schedule it again 😂
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