The Brooch

Hickory's Candy Store

"You alright Mumma?"

"I'm alright." Grandma Hastings said quickly clearing her throat."

Taking a drink of her extra sweet strawberry tea, to wet her dry throat, Grandma Hastings continued on.

"See when yo daddy came to town, he was on a mission to sell his very first box. This box." She fondly smiled. "He was just on his way into Mr. Manchester's furniture shop, when he saw me. There I was just outside of Hickory's candy shop waiting for who else, other than Magnus. She always had a sweet tooth. She insisted I accompany her even though she knew I couldn't even afford a penny in candy. And I didn't feel like going in that day window shopping for whut I couldn't have. So I waited. And I'm glad I did." She grinned. "Cuz when I looked up from where I was impatiently sittin, I fell off the edge seat wall on the side of Hickory's, when I seen yo daddy walking towards me. And there was no doubt he was comin my way and he was comin for me. Nonetheless, after being all clumsy, I quickly jumped up and around like a cricket in the grass. I tried my best to compose myself before he could reach me and be as grown as possible." She laughed." I could see that smile on his face a mile away. At the same time, I could the feel butterflies in my wrecked belly fluttering like wild. And the fire in my cheeks rising up the closer he came. Boy he was somethin. And I thank he knew it. See He was twenty one and I had just turned seventeen. I was almost fresh out of school. But I had never seen the likes of him. No ma'am. Not till that day. And I was gone. Hmm." She nostalgically recalled. "In the mean time, while he was crossin my way, he had that box in his hand. And I could see him so tickled as I fell over, his cheeks became crimsoned at the sight. But that didn't phase me none. What phased me, was just before I could even get my bearings and he properly introduce himself, Magnus came out of the store. And before I knew it. She had intercepted, cuttin in talkin to yo daddy. Lickin on that nasty lollipop. I wanted yank it out of her mouth and pop her one. But, I didn't say a thang. Not one darn thang..."

"What happened next?"

"Magnus is whut happened next!" Grandma Hastings deeply sighed.

Magnus Says Hello

"After Your daddy being the gentleman he was, held in any further of his laughter for my sake, he set that box carefully down on the seat wall from where I had just fell... He started towards me...

"Are you alright Miss?" Yo, daddy asked me."

"Oh she's alright!" Magnus interjected. "She just clumsy is all." Magnus heavily chuckled. "And you are?"

"The name's Matthew, ma'am." He cordially nodded.  "Matthew Hase__"

"In that instant, He never said he was a Hastings. Honestly he never got the chance. And I can bet it that encounter probably would have been all over right then and there if so. But before he could even get a second wind, Magnus was already on a different subject talkin up a storm. What she didn't notice, is the hidden dance between yo daddy and my eyes..."

"You sure you alright Miss." He said again to me.

"I just said she was alright." Magnus coyly laughed.

"I'm fine." I said brushing myself off.

"See that... perfectly fine." Magnus grinned widely.

She stood between me and yo daddy. But yo daddy kept lookin my way. But Magnus was not about to go unnoticed.

"Here's yo candy!" Magnus suddenly said turning around to me, slappin that bag of candy in my hands.

"That ain't my candy, Magnus." I replied.

"Why yes it is, Olivia." She said playin with her chestnut hair and tryin to sneakily wink my way!"

I just scowled.

"Why don't you wait over yonder while I interact with this here gent." She said shoving me away.

"But umm__" Yo daddy tried to speak.

"Oh she'll be fine." Magnus said interrupting him. She grabbed him by the arm and they glided away.

Course by then I was pure plumb annoyed. Not only with Magnus, but now with yo daddy as he was now focused on her and not me. So I walked away... And while he and Magnus were conversatin, I decided not to wait for her to finish to wag my ear off about whateva. So I took my tail home. What they conversed about that day, I didn't know. But I be lyin if I said I didn't care. Cuz as annoyed as I was, I still knew I wanted that man. And it didn't settle with me well that he could possibly turn his sights now to Magnus. So I kept walking till I got home and I ate that candy that day too. I have to confess, he and Magnus didn't realize somethin or so I thought at the time was..." Grandma Hastings got silent.

"What didn't he realize Grandmama?"

"Well Maple, I didn't think I would ever see yo granddaddy again. Not without him having a purpose... So...."

"So whut?"

"I umm..." she giggled. "Well, I took that box, of yo granddaddy's with me."

"Mumma You stole it?"

"No I didn't steal it! I just borrowed it is all. Held it for safe keeping. Seein as Magnus had him all occupied. It was darlin thang and I didn't want anyone else to think it was just a box sittin free of charge. Sides, my thinkin at the time, I knew if he would be searchin for it. So why not let him find me in the process. I thought it would be a day or two. Seeing as I went back to that same corner. But he never showed. I didn't he him till weeks later from that. Without the box in my possession, I would have thought he was just a dream..."

"Ooo Mumma." Jeffy laughed.

"Oh hush. It made sense at the time. Sides, you see he got it back. Didn't he?"

"Did he though?" Jeffy teased.

"Yes." Grandma Hastings smirked.

"Did he continue to see Mrs. Crowder in the mean time?"

"Not voluntarily." Grandma Hastings laughed. "Cuz Magnus was on a mission to find yo daddy and be in his sights every turnaround the bend. So I couldn't just return it. Even if I knew where he wuz. I couldn't let her see that I had that box in my possession. Or even knew about it's whereabouts. So I always made an excuse that I had to be somewhere else. What I didn't know at the time is for a good minute he was searchin for me. He'd come by Hickory's candy shop. Just to see if I was sittin in that same spot. Truth is, he knew I took that box. And he was even happy about it. Said it gave him an opportunity to see me again."

"He know you had that box? The whole time? How'd he know?"

"He saw me take it." Grandma Hastings laughed. "And he knew I was waitin for him to come take it back. But every turn, Magnus would be somewhere to mess up our chance meeting. She was just like a fly in poop. Always buzzing around. If not me, then on with yo daddy. Em."