A River Flows Through Us

Guts to be...

I didn't sleep much after MJ left. Regardless I got up to get ready for work. I didn't want to stop. Not just yet. I wasn't looking forward to telling Ms. Grant I didn't have a new idea. But i was willing to at least admit it to her, even though I mostly wanted to hide under my blankets.

I was wearing light blue dress pants and a dark blue button up. My half of my hair was pulled back out of my face, and I was wear my glasses. I was sad putting on white slip on vans, instead of my Birkenstocks.

I held back my tears and grabbed my stuff. Walking to the door and opening it to find Steve, Jax, and Willie, sleeping on the floor. I smiled, stepping over them.

I walk outside to my bike, getting on it and riding to work. It was bright and sunny outside. Any other day I would have said it looked beautiful, but not today.

Walking into work, I put myself down and walk to Ms. Grant's office. She was typing on her computer. I walked in.

"Can you believe that- Hold on," She said looking up at me from her computer. "What's wrong with your face?"

I grab my face thinking something was wrong. "What do I have something?" I say.

"Gabby you look like you have been crying." She said getting up and walking around her desk to me. I cross my arms.

"It's nothing," I say, "It's kind of personal."

"Now Gabby," She said. "Nothing is personal in reporting, you know that." I let out a dry chuckle, at her bad joke.

"Well okay," I say. "The last couple of days i've been in a relationship."

"You have a boyfriend?" She said getting excited.

"Had, and it didn't work. It.." I say losing my words and tears start to form.

"Hurts?" She finished for me.

"Like hell." I say moving to sit on the chair in front of her desk. "and everyone close to me is in a happy relationship, and for a moment I thought I could have it too, but i'm starting to think that maybe it's just not in the cards for me."

"What no that's crazy. I mean take it from a woman who has been married 5 times." She said, sitting down on the other chair.

"five?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah well you know, you live and you learn." She said laughing a little "Anyways, the thing that makes us women strong, is we have the guts to be venerable. I mean we have the unbelievable ability to feel the depths of our emotions, and you will walk through this hell, because you are strong Grace Evans." I was taken aback, she actually knew my name.

"But what if i'm not strong," I say.

"Oh please we both know you are stronger than anyone man, woman, and child in riverside." She said smiling at me. "Look at how far you have come, i mean your articles, inspired people, inspired me. But mostly how you fought your way out of that hell that Derek put you in."

"Wait how did you...?" I say.

"Please I have a nose for finding out the truth in this town," She rolled her eyes a little as if finding it out was easy. "But my point here is you are strong, just like your mother. And she would be proud of the women you have become."

"You knew my mother?" I say.

"Well let's just say it was almost like she was family." She said and smiled. "Now, take the next few days, and write me a story that will blow the fancy socks off the east siders." I nodded and got up.

"Thank you, Ms. Grant." I say before walking out the door.