Ashley found me in the kitchen afterward.
I was washing the pie plates. She came in and stood next to the sink. For a long time, she didn’t say anything.
“Evelyn,” she finally said. “I threw it in the garbage.”
“I know, dear.”
“I threw your grandmother’s skillet in the garbage. The skillet that fed my grandpa’s family.”
“You didn’t know.”
“That’s not an excuse.” She shook her head. “I called it disgusting. In front of you. I’ve made fun of that pan for fifteen years. I told my sister you carried it around like a purse.”
She put her hand over her mouth.
“And it’s the reason my grandpa’s alive.”
I turned off the water. I dried my hands on the towel.
“Ashley,” I said. “Can I tell you something?”
She nodded.
“I wasn’t angry that you didn’t know the story. Most people don’t know anybody’s story. I was hurt because you never asked.”
She looked at the floor.
“You decided what that pan was worth just by looking at it,” I said. “Black and crusty and old. Same as some people look at old women.”
Her eyes filled up.
“I’m so sorry, Evelyn.”
“I know you are, honey.”
She was quiet for a long time.
“Would you teach me?” she said. “The biscuits? The way you taught Owen?”
I looked at her.
“In that pan?”
“In that pan,” Ashley said. “If you’ll bring it.”
I folded the dish towel over the edge of the sink.
“I’ll bring it at Christmas,” I said.
Sophia Rivers is an experienced News Content Editor with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for delivering accurate and engaging news stories. At TheArchivists, she specializes in curating, editing, and presenting news content that informs and resonates with a global audience.
Sophia holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Toronto, where she developed her skills in news reporting, media ethics, and digital journalism. Her expertise lies in identifying key stories, crafting compelling narratives, and ensuring journalistic integrity in every piece she edits.
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