Chapter 28: A Brief Summary
Join me under the cut for a look back at one of the most moving chapters in the saga of Things Fall Apart™
The chapter began in the chaotic halls of Willow Creek Memorial Hospital. Jerri and Gabby's brand new baby boy, Jeremiah, had just been born, adding a little brother to the family for Jerriah - something she'd always wanted. Yet in the midst of the joy, tragedy was looming. Complications consumed Gabby and just outside of the hospital's back entrance, an ambulance had arrived without lights or sirens. The 28th chapter of Things Fall Apart begins here; with birth and death.
The roller coaster of emotions seemed neverending. As Gabby recovered a funeral was being planned for one of the most iconic characters in the saga. We'd later welcome two more family members and celebrate the wedding of our beloved Darren II and his high school sweetheart, Amaya.
As was the case in the beginning of this chapter, looming dread seemed to seep into every crevice of this chapter. A son with a deeply held grudge wasn't satisfied with how his father completed a long-held rivalry with an old foe. Rather, this son, Carlos Rivera, wanted justice for his late father. Panic spread through the eyes of every Drake family member as the realization that losing the patriarch could be a reality. On the heels of his father's funeral, Carlos was faced with a decision; he could avenge his father and take out the man who killed his uncle or he could make peace with fate and accept its finality.
The latter, however, was the hardest choice.
Time passed, milestones were met, love grew stronger but the past has a sneaky way of reminding us where we've been. For Hope, it was seeing her children have birthdays and becoming bright little kids full of joy and brilliance. This new life stage brought to Hope sweeping memories of her childhood best friend who died by his own hand. For Indya and subsequently Darren, it was learning that Carlos had not accepted the finality of fate. For Amaya, it was reliving the darkest moments of her life as a blonde-haired reminder of those moments appeared as a witness in what should have been a simple divorce case. For Indira, it was a photoshoot that would include a tech billionaire who also happened to be a close high school friend that took a turn for the worse at her expense.
Does the past ever really go away? Can we ever simply bury the experiences that have shaped us when the memories become too heavy? Does the past break up happy homes? Does it simmer? Does it seep?
How these characters handle the past - a character in its own right - will be something to watch as we begin yet another chapter of Things Fall Apart.
Stay tuned.
