The Brooch

A Storm Rages

Now they say when a storm comes rushing in like that and the sky roars enough to shake the ground beneath you... and the lightening flash dances in the same minute, like that clamor Maple and Uncle Jeffy just heard that Friday afternoon... well they say, God must be up to some em. Maybe even bowling. And Maple felt like she was a pin in His lane ready to be smashed in the game called life!

Dark skies surrounded them and the rain incessantly poured down. The grass was soaked, becoming more saturated by the minute. The wind howled, nearly knocking over a now drenched to the core, poor Miss Millie Wexler off that wooden fence. And the smell of vexation filled the air.

Maple sat there underneath that umbrella table with her mind spinning round and and round as Uncle Jeffy became the barer of bad news. To his dismay, he had to regretfully inform Maple of his last unfortunate encounter with Tator Tot to the very last detail.

To her misfortune, she too now was just as rattled as her Uncle Jeffy, like a honey bee in a jar with no air....

"Say some em Maple..." A remorseful Jeffy uttered.

"Ain't nuthin to say Uncle Jeffy." Maple lowly replied.

"After whut I just told you? I know that mind of yours is spinnin somethin fierce. I know you thinkin some em right about now..."

"You mean like how to ring Tator Tot's neck like a chicken and pluck him alive?" Maple fussed. "Oh Uncle Jeffy! Whut am I gone do?" Maple said grabbing at her throbbing head. "I already got too much on my mind as it is dealing with Beth Anne and Annelle! They bout to be married Sunday morn. Naw you gone tell me, Tator is on the loose? This puts a different complexion on thangs. And my mind is blown."

"I'm sorry, Maple." Jeffy replied. "And I can't make up your mind for you. But you don't gotta do anythang you don't wanna do." He said gently grabbing Maple's hand. "I stand by your decision no matter whut."

"You mean like risk losin my precious brooch? And makin Mumma an outlaw?"

"Well let's not go to that extreme, Maple. It's not like he's asking you to destroy the world and all."

"No. Just my world." Maple groaned. "And naw that of Mumma's."

"Well, soon as this storm lets up. Let's go find and talk to her too."

"No Uncle Jeffy!" Maple scowled! "Swear on all that is holy and my great Uncle Cleaver's bald head, that you won't say a word to Mumma! She done been through enough! And I can't bare to bring her back in this wild hoopla again. So swear it!" She fussed.

Jeffy could see the serious expression of mental anguish on his niece's face.

"Uncle Jeffy__"

"I swear it." Jeffy reluctantly replied. "But I don't want to, because it involves her too, Maple."

"You don't think I know that Uncle Jeffy?"

"Whatchu do to that boy anyways?"

"I ain't done nuthin to him!" Maple hollered. "Shoo, I don't even know why he wants to even be in presence in the first place! I told him I didn't want nuthin to do with him. And I meant it."

"Well he done got that wax drippin over in his knuckle headed ears. Cuz apparently, he ain't heard not a dang thang you done said."

"Hmm." Maple  expressed.

"So whuttya gone do?" Jeffy asked.

"Well whatchu thank I'm gone do Uncle J?Seems I ain't got no choice, but one... I'll talk to him, and I'll set him straight." Maple annoyingly replied. "Naw if you done mind Uncle Jeffy, I gotta go see if  Miss Mille got fried by lightening. I ain't seen her come up from that fence since. Cuz I swear, God done struck her down for being downright nosy."