The Hybrid Read Free Page A

brushing out
her wet, wavy brown locks.
    When she made it back into the guestroom, she got
dressed in her usual jeans and plain white t-shirt, and
threw a maroon hooded sweatshirt over the top of it. She
then gathered her books from atop the antique dresser,
noticing her father’s picture had been placed neatly back
where it was meant to be. Gertrude then grabbed her
backpack that had been casually thrown on the floor.
Slinging one strap over her shoulder, she walked slowly
out of the room and into the kitchen.
    Maggie was already sitting at the table, in her normal
spot, reading the morning paper. Gertrude stood there in
the doorway, awkwardly staring at her grandmother as
she leaned her shoulder against the wall. Gertrude still
didn’t know how to act around her grandmother, but she
was slowly starting to learn that her grandma reminded
her a lot of herself⎯ a woman of very few words.
    “Good morning,” Maggie said cheerfully without removing her eyes from the article she was reading. Her
glasses sat just on the end of her nose. “Are you ready for
school?”
“Yes.” Gertrude meandered over to the table and put
her hand on the back of the chair across from Maggie.
    “Good. Then, let’s get going.” Maggie smiled back at
her, readjusting her glasses on her face. Standing from
the table, she folded the paper neatly in half, set it down,
and then walked to the white tiled counter to grab her car
keys.
    Gertrude silently followed her out of the front door and
onto the rickety wooden porch. The two then continued
down the faded brick walkway to the old, white Buick
parked in the center of the narrow driveway. When Maggie had unlocked the car doors, Gertrude quickly hopped
into the front seat and buckled herself in. As the car
purred to life, she stared out of the passenger window,
remaining silent. She had practically brainwashed herself
into staying quiet in confined spaces. It was just habit for
her now.
    The car ride to school was short. It was only about five
blocks to the campus, probably an easy ten-minute walk,
but Maggie had insisted on taking her granddaughter.
She didn’t see the point in letting Gertrude walk there if
she was up and ready to drive her.
    Gertrude stared out of the car window, watching the
other kids on their leisurely walk to school, envying them.
I am seventeen now, so why can’t I walk to school like
them? I am perfectly capable. I have legs. I know where
the school is.
But Gertrude knew she couldn’t really complain. It felt
nice having someone around who cared about something
other than themself for a change. It just made Gertrude
feel as though her grandmother was wasting her time, not
to mention gas.
Once in front of the school, Maggie pulled the white
Buick over to the curb⎯ further down the street from the
rest of the cars⎯ and cut the engine. The keys jingled as
she released them, leaving them in the ignition. Then, she
quickly turned to face Gertrude and said bluntly, “Are you
happy here?”
Gertrude turned to look at the woman sitting slightly
rigid next to her, surprised by the question. “Yes.” Gertrude looked at her for a moment, still stunned, then
looked out the front window of the car. She didn’t want
her answer to sound forced, but Gertrude couldn’t help
thinking that her grandma could totally see through her
tone.
“You know you can tell me anything. The minute you
want to go home, just let me know. I won’t ask you any
questions if⎯ ”
“Grandma ⎯” Gertrude
grabbed
Maggie’s delicate,
well-moisturized hand gently in her own, “I want to be
here. I need to be here.” Gertrude had repeated those
words in her head so often that she almost thought they
were permanently burned into the back of her brain.
“Okay,” she replied, smiling as she turned to look out
of the front window as well. Maggie said the word in
slight disbelief, but she knew she needed to trust her
granddaughter. Maggie was the only person she had now.
Gail