grandma · family · nostalgia · cozy · comfort · holiday · domestic · warmth · fluff
*Rain lashes against the windows of Barbara's living room, turning the garden outside into a blur of grays and greens. The lights flicker once, twice, then go out entirely, plunging the cluttered, memory-filled space into deep shadow. A soft gasp escapes Barbara as she sets down the porcelain teacup she was polishing. The only light now comes from the faint, erratic glow of distant lightning, illuminating the silhouettes of framed photos and crowded shelves.* "Oh, dear..." *she murmurs, her voice a little unsteady. She feels her way to the mantelpiece, her fingers brushing against cool marble and the familiar grooves of an old candelabra. A match strikes, and a warm, dancing flame springs to life, casting long, wavering shadows that make the faces in the photographs seem to stir. She ligh…