The Brooch

I Tried To Tell You

As the day went on and Maple and Grandmama Hastings followed Mama Woods back into the house and into that cozy little kitchen. Knowing what she knew now, Maple's conscious began to eat at her...

By the time Fred arrived back from the office, the house lingered of hot buttermilk biscuits, fresh out of the oven. Now who could deny that savory scent of  homemade mashed potatoes and brown gravy? Along with the best of all, an enticing smell of brown sugar, sweet ham, just glazing ready to be devoured. Ain't no doubt none could say, it sure didn't water the lips of  any who passed by the Woods kitchen. Especially an always ravenous Fred and his companion Clarence. But with all of that, Maple's appetite seemed to be on the back burner!

While Fred and even Clarence were banned from the kitchen till all the supper, including dessert was finalized, Grandmama and Maple, continued to help Mama Woods prepare...

Doing double duty, Maple grabbed her grandmama aside from ears length of her Mama as she had began to lowly whisper...

"I can't do it..."

"Do whut honey?" Grandmama asked.

"Keep it from her! Knowin whut I now know. I just can't! You made a promise to her not to tell.. but I didn't. And if I don't try grandmama, at least once, I'll turn a pale shade of green and writhe over with guilt."

Grandmama consolingly looked and kissed Maple on the cheek. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time. But don't say I didn't warn ya, if her ears close.

Siting to the table creating a sugar confection of some sort to layer on the dessert her daughter was whipping up, Grandmama now sat in silence. She pretended to be busy, but all the while she was listening in...

Maple took a deep breath in as butterflies danced in her nervous belly. Finally she confronted her Mama...

"Mumma?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"Kin I ask you a question?"

"Mmm hmm..."

"Ummm whut if there wuz some em you knew bout somebody... a secret that could change their life... but they didn't know that you knew whut they didn't know you knew.. would you let them know, you knew that you know?"

Mama Woods shook her head in confusion.

"Maple, child what the jabborwocky are you talkin?"

"Umm well I wuz jest__"

"Wantin to confess bout that kiss?"

Maple gasped!

"The one between, yo grandmama there and Mr. Hoffman at the weddin last night?" Mama Woods said boldly staring at her Mama!

Grandmama Hastings stunned at what her daughter just revealed, turned her head so fast, you woulda thought it was gonna spin off and roll onto that floor! Maple's eyes nearly popped out of her socket at that sudden revelation! Grandmama just turned back and kept whipping ever faster!

"Whiplash Mumma?" Mama Woods smirked. "Didn't thank I knew bout that kiss didya Mumma?" Mama Woods teased! "Mmm hmm!" She said. "Heard it from none other than a flamin chapped hide of a woman, Miss Millie! Yes ma'am! Oh we gone talk later!" She snickered!

Grandmama in crimson blush just ignored her daughter and looked at Maple to carry on...

Mama Woods, amusingly winked and leaned in towards a still shocked Maple, and said... "I don't know if that kiss wuz cuz Mr. Hoffman got it bad for Mumma or for Miss Millie... I swear I just thank if you ask me, Mr. Hoffman, was just tryin ta make, a one Miss Millie Wexler jealous outta her mind. And mumma was in on it! Mmm hmm.." She laughed. "Or wuz she?" She said gawking at her mama.

"Oh Mumma, I wanna so desperately hear more... but rat now__"

"Or was it the kiss between you and Malcom Tatorson, you're really wantin to confess?"

"Mumma!" Maple gasped! "Why I__"

"Heard that one from yo daddy! Mmm hmm.." She said deeply staring into her flabbergasted daughter's eyes. "When yo daddy is upset he talks in his sleep. And he said it all..." Mama Woods said beating the batter of the cake. "Naw Maple, I don't have to tell you, I don't thank it's a good idea gettin wrapped up in that boy... that's trouble in the makin... but sugarplum you're of age now and I can't tell you who you can or cannot see. It's yo choice. But I will lock you up in that room, so fast, if you make the wrong choice. I'm just sayin...." She professed. "Naw" she said taking a breath in, "is that whut you wanted to tell me?"

Maple just stood there with her mouth ajar...

"Oh Sugarplum close it up... you catchin flies." Mama Woods said continuing her baking. "Sides ain't nuthin you can hold from me!"

"That ain't true!" Maple finally uttered. "And no. I wasn't talkin bout... Pifft! Pifft!" She hissed stompin red faced right out of that kitchen!

You woulda thunk Maple was sure right plumb embarrassed at what her Mama had just revealed.... But it was on the contrary.

Before they knew it, Maple tramped back into that kitchen...

"Back to confess?" Mama Woods replied.

"Dagburnit Mumma! No!" Maple huffed. "Naw Mumma, do me a favor!"

"Oh Maple__"

"Oh glory alive, Mumma, look!" Maple said taking the brooch from behind her back and shoving it in her face.

"Maple__"

"Just look Mumma!" Maple pleaded!

She had that brooch so close in her mama's face, Mama Woods was goin cross eyed!

"Whut do you see Mumma?" She said shoving the brooch even closer in face.

"I see you! And my hand on yo tush, if you don't get that brooch outta my face like that!" She fussed.

"Mumma.... the brooch__"

"Yes... the brooch... I see the brooch!" She said pushing it away from her face. "And it's shine, I could go blind!" She laughed. "Ain't no surprise you keep that brooch spit shined better than I ever could."

"That's it mumma?"

"Whut else is there to see?" Mama Woods smiled. "Naw hand me that brown sugar, suga." She said smiling and going about her business.

"That's it?"

"Well whut am I supposed to say, Maple? That Jeffy did a good job fixin it? Well he did a good job. Naw please... pass me the sugar.."

Maple handed her mama that sugar, as she gloomily sat by her grandmama...

A sympathetic Grandmama Hastings grabbed a disappointed Maple's hand as she whispered...

"Don't say I didn't try to tell ya..."

"I know Grandmama. I know."

There was no doubt, Maple was let down. Her Grandmama was right, Mama Woods remembered not one thing. But she had to see it for herself. A disappointed Maple, just watched her Mama merrily working away.

After that, Maple no longer mentioned her brooch to her mama. And as for that kiss topic? Well she avoided that as long as possible. She dare not even mention Tator in her family's presence. At least, not for a long, long, loooong time!