The Brooch

A Tired Worn Down Bat

When Rusty passed, Magnus went through many stages of grief.

You know those endless tears? Those tears that rush like a river flowin over... Sadly there are many more stages no doubt. And Magnus seemed to experience them all, from closin out the world and all around her. Even her own children. All except, her grandson Tator... she kept him and some of his siblings around off and on. Tator reminded, Magnus of Hal. Oddly enough, even her father.

But the days he wasn't around, seemed the days she was at the worst... the worst of all stages... downright anger! Guess, I sympathized with her in a way seein as much, much later, I lost Matthew. But I never went down that bitter road...

And by that time, why yo Mumma, had moved back to Ponchas. She was a married woman and expectin Annelle. But Magnus seein her back in Ponchas, livin, young, happy and married... most of all free.. And never discussin the accident, well that just chapped her hide! Some em fierce.

Nuthin was as bad as her no longer havin Rusty to occupy her time... to keep her focus on the good in life. He was the second man, that she ever truly loved that she had lost in her lifetime. Mrs. Crowder, just became bitter, rotten apple...

And it was evident She needed somethin to lash out at... Until then, the only way she felt she could erase her sorrows, even the sight of yo Mumma runnin free with that brooch somewhere near... was by sippin sherry wine! Guzzling more like it.

Next thang you know, she would find herself all dizzy and in a fight downright intoxicated state... well she just let it out ! Burstin like diarrhea of the mouth, she did! That woman, would tell any and all that were around in her presence, Scarlet Woods was a dang thief!

"Anybody listen?"

"To a bitter ole grouchy woman drownin her sorrows? Not one word. Even Scarlet. Yo mumma has a heart of gold and when she heard the widow Mrs. Crowder ramblin and all them unfounded accusations, I hate to say it but she thought...

MAMA WOODS: "She just a tired, old, worn down bat with no place to strike. Seems she's just needin some em to hit. Guess I'm just the ball she's swingin for."

"Why yo Mumma would just let her carry on. Never knowin, the whole time, there was some truth in it all..."

"Why didn't you say anythang?" Maple fussed.

"Ponchas gossip doesn't reach Everly. It's another world away. And I had no idea she was ragin on like that. Scarlet neva said a word. Not even Fred, or Jeffrey. Breaks my heart just thankin about it... but I thank at the time, they were tryin to protect me from all that drama and supposed gossip of my child. And by the time, Scarlet let me know, why I was goin after Magnus.. But Scarlet stopped me and made me promise to let her handle it."

"Why didn't you tell her then?

"I tried! Many times I did. But yo Mumma can be just as downright stubborn as you! And when I said I would handle Magnus. Yo mumma refused! She made me promise not to interfere! No matter how many times, i so desperately wanted to. It was a promise I tried to break. But yo mumma wouldn't back down. By that time, Miss Lydia came callin. Well she said..."

MRS. LEXINGTON: "I know exactly whut my child is sayin.... And what she is doin. She's hurt and angry. I'm just givin her some time. As should you. I made promise to you, to protect your child... and I'm keepin that promise."

For a while, I let that comfort me. But soon it began to haunt my dreams. Seems even more lately."

"Oh grandmama! You gotta tell Mumma! Tell it all!"

"I can't." Grandmama Hastings replied. "You don't thank I want to? I wanna tell her everyday. But__"

"But whut?

"Whut do you thank happens the moment I do? When your Mumma officially discovers the truth?"

"Oh nuthin." Maple deeply sighed. "Except her losin her mind... Course ragin at you... and my nightmare that my Mumma be jailed! Oh this is terrible!" Maple cried! "Downright terrible Grandmama! My beautiful precious brooch that I thought was a blessin this whole time is nuthin but a curse!"

"I thought that once." Grandmama Hastings replied. "I really did."

"Why not now?"

"You..." She bluntly replied. "And yo Mumma."

"I don't understand."

"Baby that brooch did have a lot of bad tidings to it. But you have to see, all wonderful ones it does as well..."

"I'm startin not know." Maple moped.

"When I look at you Maple, I see that same joy that yo Mumma first had when she first heard of the story of the brooch, before the incident. And even after when she discovered it a second time. That same joy, I saw in my Matthew, when he realized that brooch was back with me. Even more with Scarlet. The joy that I'm sure, your great granddaddy Julius, had in makin it. Maybe there is a lot of heartache with that brooch, but not as much as there is love..."

Grandmama caressed Maple's soft face and replied...

"Honey, Miss Lydia was right when she said that brooch is right where it belongs. I didn't want to hear it back then. But I know it now. And you do too. You always have. And ain't nobody gonna take that joy away from you. Not even Mrs. whatchu call her? Oh yes... crabby ole Crowder..."

"You thank Mumma gonna ever remember?" Maple said with tears in her eyes."

"Well, we'll just haveta take that road on long drive when it comes. And prayerfully by then.. She won't wanna drive us off a cliff."

"Whatchu two talkin about?"

Without warning Mama Hastings came out of nowhere on that porch! Why you would of thought she was coming with a butcher knife the way Maple and even Grandmama Hastings let out that scream louder than hells fire! They even made poor Mama Woods holler with them!

Once again, them poor cats in Mrs. Mavis yard hissed and meowed up a storm! Up that pear tree they went!

"Oooo! What's wrong witchu hollerin on like that?" Mama Woods startlingly fussed grabbing at her heart! "Whut are you two up to?"

Maple and Grandmama, looked at Mama Hastings and both replied in unison.... "Nooooothin..."

With a raised brow of curiosity, Mama Woods dubiously gawked at her mama and daughter, as they coyly stared back at her. Skeptical of their actions, she murmured as she thought...

"Uh huh.. nuthin my fannie hide! y'all up to some em."

Wary of Maple andGrandmama Hastings, Mama Woods just turned around and walked back into that house. But not before giving  one more look serious suspicion!