Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

Last time, at Sam and Jenny Colbert’s wedding reception, the DeLorcas were surprised to see a woman named Evelyn Pipkin. The DeLorcas had known Evelyn when they lived in Londonderry. Seeing Mrs. Pipkin made them feel quite anxious. They recalled how unpleasant the woman had been. Eben and Mrs. DeLorca suggested that perhaps Evelyn had changed, just as their friend Mia Duomo had changed. However, Mr. DeLorca was not as certain. Mrs. Conn suggested that the DeLorcas go over to talk with Evelyn. What did they do? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 2: Crasher Smasher
by Joseph Crisalli

“There’s only one way to find out why she’s here,” Mrs. Conn said. “Someone will have to ask her.”

“Never,” Mr. DeLorca shook his head. “That woman was just horrible to me. Worse still, she was rude to my pelican. Poor Shakuntala cried for weeks. Have you ever seen a pelican cry? It’s not pretty.”

“Well one of us should talk with her,” Eben sighed.

“Really?” Mrs. DeLorca asked. “Should we?”

“It does make sense,” Eben smiled. “Instead of sitting here and wondering about her, we would feel better if we just spoke with her.”

“Speak for yourself, dear boy.” Mr. DeLorca shuddered. He paused as a waiter walked by with a tray of delicious-looking desserts. “Oooh! Pudding! I say.” With that, Mr. DeLorca eagerly reached for a tall glass filled with luscious pudding and whipped cream. He grabbed a spoon and immediately began eating.

“Pace yourself, dear.” Mrs. DeLorca smiled.

“Of course. But, we wouldn’t want it to get warm.” Mr. DeLorca said between mouthfuls. Within seconds, he had reached the bottom of the glass. Looking sadly at the empty container and sighed. “I say, but it’s moments like this that I wish I had a tongue like a dog.”

Eben and Mrs. DeLorca looked at one another and shrugged.

“I’ll ask.” Mrs. DeLorca said. “And, just why would you wish that?”

“Dogs have long tongues.” Mr. DeLorca answered, seeming to be confused as to why anyone would not understand that statement. “Were I a dog, I would be able to reach that last little bit at the bottom of the glass and such.”

“If you were a dog, you wouldn’t be allowed to have pudding.” Eben laughed.

“I didn’t say I wished to be a dog, dear boy.” Mr. DeLorca narrowed his eyes. “I just…oh, never mind. It’s complicated, really, and so on.”

“Yes, it is.” Mrs. DeLorca agreed. “Now, about Evelyn Pipkin.”

“Yes, about that.” Eben nodded. “I think we should all talk with her.”

“Do you?” Mr. DeLorca sighed. “I say, very well. Still, I will have to be rewarded afterwards. With food, of course.”

“You’ve already had four desserts.” Mrs. DeLorca chuckled. “What more could you want?”

“I wish to start from scratch. Indeed, yes. I’ll wish to begin with another breakfast. Poached eggs, I think. And, pancakes of course.” Mr. DeLorca said.

“You may have all of that.” Mrs. DeLorca agreed.

“Jolly good.” Mr. DeLorca beamed.

“Tomorrow, for breakfast.” Mrs. DeLorca said, holding up her hand to indicate that there’d be no further discussion of the matter. “Now, we’re going to talk to Evelyn.”

Mr. DeLorca grunted. “It’s a jolly trick, I say. But, very well.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Mrs. Conn said as the DeLorcas got up from the table. “Fill me in later, okay?”

“Yes.” Mrs. DeLorca said.

The three DeLorcas made their way through the crowd to the spot where Evelyn stood. She saw them coming though she was pretending not to be watching them. She quickly turned her back, looking rather foolish as she faced the wall.

Mr. and Mrs. DeLorca looked at one another and sighed.

“Excuse me,” Mrs. DeLorca said. “Aren’t you Evelyn Pipkin?”

The woman turned around. “Yes.”

“We’re the DeLorcas—Joan, Joel and Eben.” Mrs. DeLorca continued. “We’re also from Londonderry.”

“How could I forget? You DeLorcas were celebrities there.” Evelyn Pipkin muttered.

“How kind.” Mrs. DeLorca answered.

“It’s so nice to see someone from home,” Eben added. “There are so few of us from Londonderry who actually make it away.”

“It’s all the water.” Mr. DeLorca said. “That, of course, and most of the boats in Londonderry are made out of bagels, and, therefore, don’t travel very far.”

“You should know. You had them built.” Evelyn smirked.

“Oh, yes, yes. I did. Didn’t I? Well, I suppose that would go in the less-than-satisfactory stack of my list of inventions.” Mr. DeLorca nodded. “Still, you managed to find a boat that wasn’t made out of bread. I say that since you made it to the mainland—obviously.”

“I flew.” Evelyn grumbled.

“On a giant pelican?” Mr. DeLorca asked.

“No, you…no. In an airplane.” Evelyn answered, beginning to become bothered.

“What brings you to Vista Falls?” Eben asked quickly.

“Business.” Evelyn waved her hand.

“I see.” Mrs. DeLorca said. “How do you know Sam and Jenny?”

“I don’t.” Evelyn responded.

“You were invited to the wedding. So, you must know them somehow.” Eben said.

“No.” Evelyn shrugged.

“Oh.” Eben answered, unsure of what else to say.

“You mean you weren’t invited?” Mrs. DeLorca asked.

“Not exactly.” Evelyn grinned. “Listen, I know you DeLorcas are a big deal back in Londonderry. But, I didn’t want to talk with you there, and I don’t want to talk with you here. Just leave me alone.”

“Mrs. Pipkin.” Mr. DeLorca said firmly. “All I can say is that I’m very glad that my pelican isn’t here right now. She would be in tears. And, I, frankly, would send the dry-cleaning bill to you. Good evening.” With that, Mr. DeLorca walked away.

“Good evening, Mrs. Pipkin.” Mrs. DeLorca said as she and Eben followed Mr. DeLorca.

“That was awkward.” Eben shook his head.

“How did it go?” Mrs. Conn asked, catching up with her friends.

“Badly.” Mrs. DeLorca sighed. “She was a little rude. In fact, she basically told us that she wasn’t even invited to the wedding. She’s just…here.”

“Shouldn’t we tell Sam and Jenny that someone has come to their wedding reception without being invited?” Mrs. Conn asked.

Mr. DeLorca glanced across the room at the bride and groom. “I say, but they look so happy and are having such a good time, it would be a shame to spoil it.”

“But,” Eben began, “they’d want to know.”

“Rather a bad idea to crash the wedding of two police officers.” Mrs. DeLorca laughed to herself. “Perhaps we should tell them.”

What should they do?

Tell the bride and groom about Evelyn?
Just keep an eye on Evelyn?
Go back and politely ask Evelyn if she’ll leave?

Email your thoughts.

Go to next chapter!