The Brooch

The Trespassing Soul

It was the day of the trial, and you can believe there was not a empty seat in that court room. Why all came to see Scarlet Woods sitting in that room and facing what could be a lifetime in prison. Okay well maybe not a lifetime. But if Mrs. Crowder had her way well...

Just hours before court was to be in session, Maple made a stop in early hours of the day and before the crack of dawn.

Do you remember that opening, she and her Mama snuck into to get on Mrs. Crowder's property? Well there was Maple again. Only this time she was alone. And this time, she wasn't gonna hold back.

Mrs. Crowder, just singing away in her shower, oblivious to her surroundings, suddenly heard footsteps into her own home...

With soap in her eyes, she gasped and called out...

"Tator? Is that you?" She said trying to wipe the soap from her eyes.

"No." The voice whispered turning off the water.

"Oooo! Who's that?" She squealed!

Mrs. Crowder desperately tried to peep to see who was in front of her foggy shower curtain. With the soap in her eyes, she couldn't see a thing. But she heard the footsteps getting closer.

"Who! Stay back!" She shrieked holding out her back brush! "I... I have a weapon!" She cried!

"Maaaaaaaaagnus...." The voice hollowly whispered again.

Mrs. Crowder nearly fell out that shower trying to see who invaded her home...

"Lawd! Who it is?!? Who is on my property! I'll call the sheriff!" She hollered. She desperately tried to see. But the more she tried to open her eyes, the more the soap burned!

"Whuuuuut haaaaaave yooooou done Magnus?" The voice called out again. This time, she could hear the sounds of bells all around her.

Mrs. Crowder started to scream bloody murder!

"Rrrrrrusty? Mamama Matthew?"

"Nooooo." The voice spoke again... this time with a loud high pitched cry! "Maaaaaaagnus!"

"Who!" Mrs. Crowder trembled in the corner of her shower bare bum and all... "Duh duh duh daddy?" Mrs. Crowder stopped... the voice was silent.... Oh... she deeply gulped.... "Mother..."

The voice bellowed shaking her to her core.

"Why Magnus?!? Why????"

Mrs. Crowder took out that bathroom racing for cover... Just then her doorbell rang....

With her bare butt in the air, Mrs. Crowder slid down those stairs like she was a roller derby queen! She slid all the way till she reached that door! She didn't care who was there. She just wanted to bolt for freedom!

Why she opened that door only wearing a shower cap!

Nonetheless, when she saw Maple on the other side of that door... for a second she was actually felt relieved!

Before Maple could even get a word in edgewise on why she was trespassing, Mrs. Crowder yanked Maple right into her house. A stunned Maple was flabbergasted to find Mrs. Crowder in her birthday suit. Mrs. Crowder shut that door as she peeped upstairs with her now bloodshot and still stinging eyes...

"Mrs. Crowder." Maple mumbled aloud. "Ummm Yo dimples are showin! And I don't mean the ones on yo face!"

"Whuu? Oh!" She said as she realized she was now standing before Maple with no clothes on.

With one eye open, she pridefully walked over to her couch and pulled off the throw to cover herself. After she caught her breath and wiping her eyes. She stared down Maple...

"You are trespassin." She grumbled. "I should have you arrested and sittin next to yo Mumma." She said still spookily peeping upstairs.

"You ain't gone find not one soul to say I am." Maple hissed. "Sides they all sittin to see my innocent mumma in the place you put her."

"Well I didn't put her there. She didn't to herself." Mrs. Crowder uttered with a cocky tone.

"This is bull doodoo! I shouldn't have come here!" Maple ranted.

Maple started to leave...

"No!" Mrs. Crowder shouted. "I mean whuts yo hurry?" She peculiarly smiled.

Maple gawked at Mrs. Crowder like she had seen a ghost.

Maybe she did...

"Whuts wrong witchu woman?" Maple fussed.

"Ain't nuthin wrong with me!" Mrs. Crowder nervously fidgeted.

"Uh huh." Maple uttered.

"Naw you jest come up stairs with me while I get dressed and __"

"Nope!" Maple refused. "Do I look crazy to you woman?!  Strike that! I am crazy for not onlay comin here, but comin here alone. And the way actin rat naw... No.. hmm emm!" Maple hissed. "I'm gone stay here right by these doors!" She said opening them wide open.

"Naw Maple..."

"No Mrs. Crowder! I forgot who I was talkin to! And you tryin ta get me to go to a point of no return? Pifft!" Maple fussed! "Look, I onlay came here to tell you...  I refuse!"

"Come again?"

"You heard me...." Maple boldly voiced. "I refuse Mrs. Crowder."

"Don'tchu you say anythang you'll regret little girl." Mrs. Crowder uttered.

"The onlay thang I regret is lettin you get in my head. And I will say for the last time. Naw you may thank you have one on me. You may even thank you have my Mumma where you want her. But I forgot somethin Mrs. Crowder. We are fighters. We are Hastings. We don't give up. And we sure as heck don't give in! Not to the likes of you!"

"Careful..."

"Oh I'm very careful. And don't you threaten me, you naked, dimple, bubble butt miser!" Maple growled. "For a moment you got to me and I was even willin to let you win. But I was a fool! And it took my mumma to brang me to my senses! I stared at her sittin in that cell. And there I was jest cryin my heart out and she was there... doin as she always, bein my anchor in my time of sorrow. Well I had to get the cork out of my butt that you tried screw in and come to the realization, that if she can stand strong and fight where she is despite her circumstances, and she is mumma... then I can as heck can too! It took her sittin in that cell, consoling me, in my own pity party, to come back my senses!"

"So whutchu tryin ta say..."

"I am tellin you, Mrs. Crowder... we ain't goin down without a fight! You may have gotten the first swing in, but you are about to be knocked down a peg. And knock the freak out!" Maple replied standing toe to toe with Mrs. Crowder. "Seems someone already tried." She gazing at Mrs. Crowder's chipped tooth. "Perhaps I should finish whut they started. Come at me again... and I sure as heck gladly will."

Mrs. Crowder deeply gulped. Maple stepped in even closer as she leaned over..

"Mrs. Crowder, I'm gone tell you one thang, brooch belongs to our family whether you like it or not! And I have faith, thangs will workout! I don't know how. But I ain't gone never stop fightin!" She proudly said stepping outside. "And one more thang Mrs. Crowder... seems I have had a change of heart. There is no marriage for me in the future. At least not right now. But if I wanna marry Andrew, well then, I'm sure you'll jest drop a turd and be happy. But don't get yo hopes up so fast. Cuz there is always another in the future." She boldly said walking away...