The Brooch

To Stay or Leave

When yo daddy seen Magnus come rushing down those stairs and them crocodile tears full in her eyes, he thought for sure her daddy Lexington had told her of our love. Before she could even reach the last step he tried to apologize and explain to her all. She never heard a word. Heck, she never let him get a word in edgewise...

"Where were you when granddaddy came by?"

"I was in the kitchen brewin some tea for Magnus and an inconsolable Mrs. Lexington. When Magnus called on me to bring her and her guest the tea in the parlor. I had no idea it was him till I heard heard yo daddy's voice. I found myself nearly tippin over with the tea and all to see him sittin next to Magnus. He was sittin there all awkward with some flowers and that package still in his hands. Magnus never gave him a word in edgewise as she leaned on his shoulder and just welled away. Part of me wanted to laugh, the other cry. I didn't know which was worse. Seeing Magnus in Matthew's arms or seeing the flowers and the package he brought with him. Course she finally noticed. After she made me pour the tea. She made me take those flowers and put them in water."

"What about the package? Was it the brooch!"

"The one and only?"

"So he did give it to her?"

"As far a I knew... In fact when Magnus finally realized that he came bearin gifts, she was so overjoyed in her mourning, that she kissed him in front of me. I felt sick to my stomach. She slapped them flowers in my hand and excused me from the room to go see about her Mumma. She held tight onto that package. Like her life depended on it. She wasn't about to let it go for nuthin. Until the butler came and she had him take it away for the time being."

"I don't understand Grandmama. He gave her the brooch."

"So Mumma it did belong to her."

"No... it didn't. See I said he had the flowers and a package. I didn't say who it was for."

"They were for you?"

"The flowers were not. He actually brought them for Magnus as a peace offering. Yes the package was for me. But neither Magnus nor I knew that at the time."

"Well why didn't daddy stop her from keeping the package."

"He did. The moment he was able to get out Magnus grasp, and sights he found the butler. And told him to give the package to me."

"But you said you never got it."

"That's true. At the time I didn't. But I almost did. However, before the butler could even find me. He was just he was outside of the door to where I was giving the tea to Mrs. Lexington. He was seconds from knocking on the door. Magnus stopped him in his tracks. In fact I could hear clear as the day ranting at the butler demanding him to take her package up to her quarters. He grudgingly obeyed. But as far as yo daddy knew, the package was with me and not Magnus."

"How did he find out you never received it?"

"It was that same night. See after he paid his respects, and escaped Magnus sights, and she thought he was headed back home to Ponchas, he managed to sneak back into her estate. To his fortune, the house wasn't stirring. He found where I was and snuck in my room and in my bed."

"Mumma!"

"He didn't do anythang! Yet that is." Grandma Hastings smirked. "He just covered my mouth is all to heed me from screamin. Not before I got a little kick in to, well it doesn't matter where."

"Where was Grandma Hubbard? Didn't y'all share a room?"

"That night, to yo daddy's fortune, she stayed with Mrs. Lexington to give her comfort. And Magnus didn't want to see anybody. So she kept me at arms bay. Which was quite shocking. She was so worn and reasonably so, that she fell out cold on the couch down stairs. After yo daddy recovered from the kick, and tried to calm me down, he asked me for my hand. At first I refused. I told him it was worst time to up and leave the Lexingtons in their time of grief. And I wasn't about to leave my mother. Especially before my father's return. That's when Mama walked in the door. She saw yo daddy in that room, I thought she was gonna cut his head off and all. But she didn't say a word. She just walked over to the closest, and began to take out my clothes. Yo daddy and I stood there as my nerves were shot to bits. Yo daddy was ready to fight for me. And I was ready to let him go, if it meant losing my mother. She didn't speak. She didn't even look up. She just packed a bag. My bag. She even found my hiding spot of the box and delicately placed it in with my clothes. When she was through, she handed him the bag. She made him promise to take care of me. And made me promise to write. She kissed me. She said nothing further. She just walked out of that room. She never turned back. I couldn't believe my eyes. At the same time, my heart ached. I knew life would never be the same for me and mother again. But she let me go. And I was ready."

"Where did she go?"

"Back to care for Mrs. Lexington."

"But I thought sure, she forbade you seein daddy."

"She did. But I told you, she had a talk with Mr. Lexington before he passed. And whatever he said to her, cleared the way for yo daddy and I to be one. But we still had to get past Magnus."

"If you two were leavin, how did you get the brooch?"

"I didn't. Not that night. When yo daddy asked me, if I got the package, and I informed him otherwise, he was a wreck! He refused to leave without it being in my possession. He even snuck into Magnus's room to get it. But only the wrapping was there. The brooch was nowhere in sight. By the time we made it down stairs to get out and leave, we saw Magnus there on that couch. And she was wearin that brooch. Yo daddy tried his darnedest, to get that brooch... but it was to no avail. Magnus near woke up. I pleaded with him to leave and promised him, I would get that brooch back... One way or the other..."