The Brooch

Mama Hastings

In the late, late afternoon, just minutes near sunset on that Monday.... Jeffy, Maple and Mama Woods, were now sitting in a suburban neighborhood in the quaint ole town of Everly. It was just a few hours away from their endearing home of Ponchas Row Avenue. And it was where their mama, Grandma Hastings, had now resided.

Jeffy and Mama Woods didn't stir an inch in that truck when they seen their precious mama scampering forth, as she delightfully scurried to where they were. Mama Woods seemed paralyzed as she held that peculiar letter in her hands. And Jeffy seemed just as numb. But not Maple. She was elated as she gasped in joy at the sight!

Although they were in awe of what they had just heard, Maple urged her mama to open the door and let her out. Mama Woods obliged. While Jeffy and Mama Woods stayed nearby the truck, Maple ran up the drive as fast as she could with joy in her eyes...

"Grandmama!" She squealed.

Now Grandma Hastings, was a beautiful, cinnamon, toned woman, with silky silver hair that flowed down past her shoulders. It was flawlessly braided to the side in sheer perfection. She had deep dark eyes and a gentle smile. And although she may have been an elderly woman, she was quite strong for her age, as she nearly picked Maple up in such a tight embrace, her feet nearly left the ground.

Maple took in her Grandma's embrace as she inhaled her sweet inviting aroma. She could never get enough. Because to Maple, it never failed that her Grandma always lingered of butterscotch and sweet sugar cookies on a warm summer's day.

"Why I thought my eyes were playin tricks on me again! Whut y'all doin here?" Grandma Hastings said smothering Maple in wet kisses. "I thought y'all weren't comin till next week!" She said overjoyed to see her children.

But Jeffy and Mama Woods looked anything but overjoyed. Grandma Hastings eagerly waved them up to hurry up and come to her. Her unenthusiastic children obeyed her wishes.

"Scarlet?" Grandma Hastings said grabbing and embracing her daughter in kisses the same way she greeted Maple. "You alright?" She said holding Mama Woods face in her hands.

"I'm alright Mumma."

"You sure? You look like you just seen a ghost!" She laughed at her daughter's pale expression. "Jeffy whut about you? Come give yo Mama a kiss!"

"Hi Mumma." Jeffy lowly spoke kissing his Mumma on the cheek.

"Well, to what do I owe this honor of be being blessed to see all my precious babies? You here for yo very own babies, Scarlet?"

"No Mumma. Not yet!"

"Good! Cuz I wasn't about ta let them go!" Grandma Hastings laughed.

"Grandmama? Where is Annelle and Beth Anne?"

"Oh... seems them two managed to get themselves some dates." She giggled. "But don't you worry Scarlet, love. They are respectable boys. Sides, I warned them, I would rip them a new backside myself if they were anything less than perfect gents to my baby's, babies.

Grandma Hastings stared at her son and daughter as they stood motionless on her drive in odd silence.

"Well cmon inside. I'm sure you're just famished from that drive! Scarlett, where's Fred? He on his way? I bet he wanted to show off and drive his new caddy on his lonesome didn't he? Grandma Hastings said smiling bright as the sun.

"No Mumma. He's not comin. Not today."

"Oh well that's alright." She said curiously looking at her family. "Did you at least fix him suppa? You know that man's appetite.."