beautiful boy

August 2025 - Elizabeth and John Lowell are 55, Anne Smith is 25, George Smith is 15 months.

Elizabeth isn't sure that she's ready to be a grandmother. Sure, she's excited and happy about it, but it doesn't seem like it was that long ago that she gave birth to her children. But Anne is 25 years old, married, a mother, and a professor at Lowell College. Sometimes Elizabeth can hardly believe it. What happened to her little girl?

Cabot would be 32 this year. But Cabot will always be 17.

Anne comes by with the baby one Sunday afternoon.

"James had to go to work," Anne explains, "and I thought this was a good chance for you and Dad to see George."

"We always love seeing our grandson. Your father went into the office to do some paperwork, but he should be home soon."

She's still getting used to seeing her daughter with her baby in her arms. Anne isn't a little girl anymore, she's a grown woman, a mother.

"He's beautiful," Elizabeth sighs.

"I know, he's perfect."

"So when can we expect another one?"

Anne laughs. "Not for a while, but there will definitely be more babies. James wants like nine more."

Even though Anne lives and works so close to her parents' house, she hardly ever gets a chance to visit anymore. Their dog Revere is so happy to see her, although he's not sure what to make of the baby.

"Well this is a nice surprise!" John exclaims when he gets home. "Hello, little George, it's Grandpa John."

Anne laughs. "He doesn't understand English yet, Dad."

"You never know, Anne. He looks like a very smart boy."

George starts getting cranky, so he and Anne leave right after John gets home. The house is so quiet again. It's a house meant for a big family, for children, but now it's just the two of them. It isn't easy getting old: watching your children grow up, getting used to the quiet. She goes out onto the porch with the telescope that night. She used to stargaze with Cabot and Anne. For a long time now, it's only been her. But maybe in a few years she'll be showing the stars to her grandchildren.





*****

I don't think I've mentioned Cabot Lowell before. He died in February 2012 in a car accident when he was 17. Anne was just 11 years old at the time. He was a piano prodigy, and he was also interested in science. He was friends with Orlando Centowski and Ricky Cormier, both of whom I sent to college because of their friendship with Cabot.