The Brooch

Mrs. Lexington's Warning

There was only one downside of it all...

"I can't see a downside of mumma gettin her voice back grandmama. I mean she could tell you all naw whut she was thankin the whole time in her silence right? And bout the takin of the brooch?"

"Maple, I later took yo Mumma aside, and I questioned her about that brooch. She had no earthly idea to whut I was referrin. For a moment I thought she was fibbin, tryin to save face. But when I looked in her eyes, there was no way she lyin. Not by far. In fact, not only did she not recall that brooch, she had no recollection of weeks, even months before that. All the way up to the birth of her brother. That fall had takin her memories. And a big part of my child and her childhood.

As hard as it was to know her memories were gone, a part of us still believed they would someday return. Till then, we rejoiced that we still had our beautiful child."

"Grandmama, if Mumma didn't remember the brooch__"

"I neva brought it up." Grandmama Hastings interjected. "I couldn't. I felt if she didn't rememba, maybe it was a blessin in disguise. So I kept it locked away. I never told Matthew or Scarlet of whut really happened or that the brooch wuz closer than they could have ever imagined. Perhaps it was even a good thang at the time. It stayed in that keepsake for nearly two years time.

By that time, life was surly back in order. Scarlet wuz talkin more and more each day. She wuz even gettin out and about and showin little sparks of who she used to be. I could see the joy in her eyes, returnin more each waking day. And Jeffrey, my little bundle of joy, was growin like a weed and just talkin and causin more mischief. And gettin more into yo Mumma's hair. Matthew was back workin in a jewelry store. Just like his daddy used to. Bless the Lawd almighty, our family had finally started to heal."

"So then whut about Mrs. Crowder?" Maple pouted.

"That woman had no idea where that brooch wuz. As far as she knew that brooch was lost on family's premises..."

"Did she try to come after Mumma then?"

"Are you kiddin? Not onlay would she to had to deal with me, if she even tried, but her mother kept her word that she would take care of Magnus. She warned her if she went anywhere near Scarlet to harm her in any way or form, she would dearly pay the price."

"Whut did she threaten her with?"

"Well sadly, the truth didn't seem to bother Magnus of yo Mumma's fallin. I will say guilt got to her on that onlay a little bit, but it was instead moreover, the knowledge of knowin if she ever spake one word of that brooch to Scarlet in her presence or mine, especially Matthew's, then Mrs. Lexington promised, daughter or not... she and Rusty would be immediately cut off with not one red cent! She also promised she would tell all of the account of that day and stain the perfect reputation of Rusty and his future endeavors just by mere association. On top of that, when she passed if ever, the Lexington estate and remainin fortune, would neva go to her. So for the time bein of course, for the envy of greed, Magnus kept her silence. Sides she was newlywed and Rusty, I can assure you, kept her quite occupied. In more ways than one."

"If she steered clear, how did she find out Mumma had the brooch?"

"By yo granddaddy, I'm afraid."

"Whut?"  Maple uttered astonished.

"It was an unfortunate incident that yo granddaddy brought her to the house in Everly."

"Why would he do such a thang?" Maple fussed.

"Maple, honey, I told you I had not told yo granddaddy of whut happened to his daughter. Or whut I knew. Furthermore that the brooch was in even in my keepin. Sometimes I regret that I do. The part I told you, that he and Rusty were still well acquainted, well I had no idea that day when he said he was goin fishin with a friend, that his friend was Rusty!"