The Brooch

Court Is Now In Session

Voices on high and the gossip on the rise, surrounded that courtroom that fateful day. Not one seat was empty! This was a day none would dare miss. Maple and Jeffy along with Daddy Woods were able to sit behind an incredibly nervous, but hopeful looking Mama Woods...

Would all rise?" The bailiff Sandford spoke as the judge entered the room.

The room was now silent. All stood. And Mama Woods stood strong and sturdy as the jury entered the room. She slightly gulped as each one stared her way. There was no mistaken, all eyes were on her. Her lawyer, and childhood chum, Mr. Darren Smarten, gently held her hand to give some come comfort.

"You may naw be seated." The bailiff spoke once again.

Just as he did and all were seated in curiosity, and silence, a one Mrs. Crowder came barging into that courtroom slamming them doors open wide! There was she was just skidding away in on her squeaky, loud flat shoes!

She was late! Really late! All had already been settled down, but there she was still standing there with half her makeup on, her powder undone. Her hat just hanging on her crooked wig and her wrinkled moth ball smelling attire burning the nose of all she passed by.

The judge already annoyed with her tardiness, gawked at the awkwardly dressed Mrs. Crowder...

"I'm so sorry yo honor she said scurrying to the plaintiffs chair by her embarrassed lawyer Mr. Kransten. Mrs. Crowder went to sit down and nearly tipped over in her chair.

"Mrs. Crowder?" the annoyed judge uttered. "You wan explain why you lookin like why you lookin? Whut on earth are you wearin woman? You look like someone done stuck you in the rinse cycle and left you on loop! And yo overprocesed perfume or whut eva, is that stench to my nose? Shew wee! I kin smell yo layers from here!" He said putting his handkerchief to his burning nostrils. "Lawd! Yo aroma is that of some poe soul that drenched you in a sack of potent extra funkdafied mothballs to boot! Em!" He said shaking his head. "Furthermore, aside from all that, you wan explain why you come bargin in my courtroom like Billy the kid, high on some sarsaparilla?"

"I'm sorry yo honor." She shrilled.

Not letting on that just hours before she was not only visited by an irate and beyond vexed Maple... but whatever that was in her bathroom that day....

"See, yo honor." She said suddenly glaring towards Maple's way. "I am normally precisely on time for everythang..."

"Are ya naw? Lookin like that?"

"No sir, I can explain. See I was jest..."

"I don't want to hear it. Jest sit yo butt down properly. Where you are actually are in yo chair. And let's get this over with." He moaned. "And would somebody give that woman some spray. Sandford, open that window!" He ordered his bailiff. "Smellin like the death." He grumbled sitting down and adjusting his seat. "Naw... he said. "Naw that we are all here. We are all here? Aren't we?" He said gawkin around the courtroom.

"Yes yo honor..." One uttered.

"Good! Naw let's get this over with." He nodded to his bailiff.

"Court is naw in session." Bailiff Sandford uttered to let the judging begin.

The defense lawyer, Mr. Smarten walked up to the center of the court...

"Lady's and Gentlemen of the jury, we are hear to prove the innocence of Mrs. Scarlet Woods. Naw she has been accused of a ridiculous crime. A crime she could not have done. And in the end, like me, I feel you will find, she has not onlay been wrongfully accused, but is innocent on all accounts ..."

Mr. Smarten continued on. And when he was finished, the plaintiff lawyer, Mr. Kransten, stood and began to speak.

"Naw I know y'all heard whut Mr. Smarten just attempted to relay... why he tried to make Mrs. Scarlet Woods look like the innocent little bumble bee she is not! In fact, I am here to tell you, she has a stinger! And that stinger stuck this poe woman here, Mrs. Magnus Crowder, rat in the heart! She stung her so good she took a hunker chunker piece with her. Why... from whut I have learned, you will all be jest astonished to learn Mrs. Scarlet Woods is a cat burglar and guilty as heck." He said pointing to her, like she was already sentenced to death row. "I agree with Mrs. Crowder, that when hear whut I have to relay, like me, you gone wan to throw the book at her! But I leave y'all to be the judge of that." He said taking his seat.

The intensified trial continued on for days. Each side presented their case. And each made a good case of good versus evil...

And Mrs. Crowder played her roll well. She played the innocent looking, and ole so fragile soul that was stomped on and betrayed by her childhood friend Olivia Hasting's only daughter and entire family. Why she smeared and attacked Mama Woods reputation as best she could. And there were some that actually believed every word she spewed. But then fortunate her, there were just as many who could not fathom or agree with how the plaintiff described Mrs. Scarlet as a thieven harlot!

Poor Maple, Jeffy, and Daddy Woods had to sit by in silence as that hoopla was happening. And across from them the whole time was a heartbroken Tator, just staring down Maple in love. But she gave him no eyes to return. But worst of all, his heart ached at the woman, he once knew and loved as his Nana, sadly to him, she was now portraying herself a villain in his eyes. The one that Maple always warned him of. He couldn't believe his eyes watching her in action. But still part of him desperately hoped his sweet Nana would return and display not only affection, but compassion for the Woods.

Now what would you do? How would you react if your reputation and life were on the line? Is this something the Woods could truly handle? Or would it do as Mrs. Crowder desire? To destroy them all?