Unforeseen Events: Day 8

Word Count: 48,013

Summary of Events:

Sheldon was helping Emil with the car again and ended up hitting the concrete floor hard when the stubborn piece he was trying to loosen finally gave. At the hospital doctors determined that he'd dislocated his shoulder as well as getting a hairline fracture in his collarbone, but surprisingly no concussion. Emil finished dismantling the engine and ordered the parts that needed to be replaced before showing Sheldon the albums of family photos . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"He stopped at a photo that showed the groom and bride, as well as three groomsmen and three bridesmaids — whose dresses actually looked quite similar to his grandmother's — as well as a little ring bearer and a flower girl.

"Roseanne had her sister Lucy, her cousin Evelyn, and her best friend Josephine stand up with her," his grandfather said. "I had Edgar Graham and Stanley Turnboll, two of my best friends ever, stand up with me, and my brother Charlie."

Sheldon looked at his grandfather. His voice had gotten quiet and almost sort of choked-up sounding when he'd said Charlie.

"His kids, Elizabeth and Timothy, were the flower girl and ring bearer," his grandfather said, still quiet. . . .

 . . . On the back of the page that had been flipped was more casual photos, including one of a little baby Sheldon knew without being told was his mother. It was weird, actually, to see her so tiny and helpless, almost as weird as it was to see baby pictures of himself.

Across, on the other page, were pictures of a funeral with a Canadian flag-draped casket. Sheldon glanced up at his grandfather's face and saw tears silently making their way down his cheeks.

All kinds of soldiers were in the pictures, and Sheldon had a chilling feeling he knew exactly who had died: his grandfather's brother Charlie.

It made sense, considering his youngest uncle was named the same name. It would make sense for him to be named in honour of someone who'd died.

Without a word his grandfather flipped the page, and continued flipping at the leisurely pace he'd been flipping at before until he reached more baby photos.

His grandfather didn't need to tell him these were baby Charlie either, considering all the pictures he'd seen of his mother's growth, he could tell there had been one boy and four girls.

After the pause at the page with Charlie's newborn pictures on it his grandfather continued flipping to the end of the book.

Sheldon felt like he should say something, or do something. He felt bad, like it was his fault his grandfather was so sad about that. How could he have known? He knew nothing of his grandfather's family.

"I'm sorry Sheldon," his grandfather whispered. "It's still hard."

His grandfather got to his feet and put the album back.

"I'll be outside looking at getting the transmission out if you need anything," his grandfather said, heading to the dining room, where he fetched the wagon and towed it toward the door.

Sheldon sat silently on the couch. Why had his grandfather apologised to him? It wasn't like it was really his grandfather's fault that he was sad.

Slowly Sheldon got to his feet and headed for the door. Part of him was burning to know more about this, but part of him didn't dare broach the topic, lest his grandfather get upset at him for probing into it."