Aahana Swrup
In ‘Every Year After,’ Chantal finds herself agreeing to an unexpected trip to Barry’s Bay, a small lake town in Canada. She’s tagging along as moral support for her best friend, Percy, who hasn’t been to the town in almost a decade. The latter grew up spending her summers in Barry’s Bay, where she befriended Sam Floreck, who went on to become the great love of her life. However, one brutal breakup in the summer of 2016 severed her ties to the area forever. Additionally, the same breakup looms like a dark cloud over Percy’s love life as an adult. Therefore, when Sue Floreck’s funeral compels the young writer to revisit the place, Chantal becomes her inevitable plus one. Unexpectedly enough, the town, and specifically one charming motel owner, Jordie, ends up having an unforeseen effect on the workaholic’s plans. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Barry’s Bay Compels Chantal to Second-Guess Her Engagement With Drew
At the beginning of the story, Chantal is happily engaged to her partner, Drew. At first glance, the duo’s relationship seems idyllic and without any major issues that need to be worked through. However, over time, certain discrepancies begin to be revealed. As it turns out, Drew has a tendency to rely on his partner for even the most menial of tasks. Chantal is used to ordering food for him even when they’re in two different countries. This is only one instance in a consistent pattern of expecting his fiancée to take care of him. This problem becomes especially evident when Drew decides to surprise Chantal by visiting Barry’s Bay. Although his intentions are good, the fact that he decides to go through with the trip despite falling sick early in the day remains problematic.
Drew knows that Chantal is under a lot of pressure as she continues to work remotely while simultaneously balancing Percy’s emotionally-charged Barry’s Bay quest. Therefore, his decision to willfully make his fiancée deal with his sickness while she’s already juggling other responsibilities reads as insensitive. However, it isn’t as if Drew is entirely unwilling to put in the same effort into the relationship. When Chantal complains about his lack of self-reliance, he insists that he’d be happy to take care of her in turn. That is, as long as she can tell him exactly how to do so. Ultimately, this isn’t something the other wants out of her relationship, and especially not a marriage.
In truth, Chantal has been doubtful about marrying Drew from the very start. Yet, in her head, she has a very strict timeline and “life plan” that she believes has to be followed. Succeed in her career, her love life, make partner at her firm, and settle down with a husband and the future promise of kids. However, Barry’s Bay challenges this notion and compels her to dig deeper into exactly what she wants out of life. The small town, with its big eccentricity and tight-knit community, makes her realize that she doesn’t need to follow a script and instead can treat life like a freefall. As such, in the end, Chantal ends up breaking up with Drew and calling off their engagement for good.
Chantal and Jordie Seamlessly Fit Together
Although the end of Chantal and Drew’s relationship was an inevitability, a third party does influence the succession of events that trigger their breakup. Jordie is the owner of the motel where Percy and her best friend make berth upon their arrival at Barry’s Bay. He also happens to be Sam Floreck’s best friend. As a result, it’s no surprise that it ends up in Chantal’s orbit more often than not. From motel-related complaints, such as the Wi-Fi issue, to the general dramatic shenanigans involving Percy and Sam’s will-they-won’t-they reunion, the pair of diametrically opposed best friends easily end up in each other’s orbit. Eventually, one particular insurance involving an almost-kiss compels Chantal to consider the possibility that she might be attracted to Jordie.
Around the time of Drew’s visit, Jordie’s better qualities get the chance to shine in particular. Chantal realizes that while her fiancé is incapable of taking care of her without instructions, the motel owner has an eerie way of knowing what she needs and delivering it to her without any prior prompting. Furthermore, he’s willing to accept her for exactly who she is, workaholic tendencies and all. In fact, he’s understanding and supportive of the same. Consequently, shortly after her break-up with Drew, Chantal ends up striking a friends-with-benefits dynamic with Jordie. By the end, when Percy settles down in Barry’s Bay and opens up The Tavern as her own business, the duo’s pseudo-relationship is going strong. Therefore, upon Jordie’s prompting, they decide to go all in and give their romance a real chance by committing to each other.
Read More: Every Year After Ending Explained: Does Charlie Die?
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