The River and Me

Things in the Past

The next morning, Evette wakes up earlier than usual. She finds Dad in the kitchen getting ready to leave. He’s dropping his truck off at Stan’s Garage before school. He offers to give Evette a ride to school, and they can get some muffins from the bakery on their way.

After they pick out their morning muffins, Dad casually mentions overhearing Evette and Mom talking the night before about Evette’s grandmothers. He advises leaving the situation alone, since they both love her and that’s what matters.

Evette presses him about the “things in the past” Mom mentioned, but Dad insists some things are better left alone. No family is perfect. Dad and Mom tried to mend the rift, but they couldn’t. Sometimes it’s best to let bygones be bygones. Evette stares at the muffin bag in her lap. So there was a rift between Gran E and Grandma Peeters.

They pull into a small parking lot in front of Stan’s Garage. Dad introduces Evette to Stan, who promises the new tires will be on by that afternoon. Stan says he appreciates the business, since the pandemic hit him hard. Evette asks why, and Dad explains that fewer drivers meant fewer repairs. Plenty of small businesses like his closed for good, too. Dad says he’s relieved Stan managed to hang on, since he’s such a good mechanic.

That day at school, and the next, Evette avoids Ashlyn. It’s easy to do since they don’t have any classes together. Once, they pass each other in the hall, and Evette looks away. But she can’t help wondering if this is how rifts get started. Was this how it happened between her grandmothers?

And most importantly, can rifts between people be repaired?