The Brooch

On The Other Side

Mama Woods once again found herself awakened in an unknown surroundings. The room was a blur and her mind, foggy as she tried to focus on the image before her.

Her scratchy throat, felt raw with every swallow she took. Her eyes felt heavy and her body felt incredibly weak. She desperately tried to sit up, but felt weighted down and too exhausted to move...

"Thirsty." Mama Woods finally uttered. Her eyes were still not clearly in focus.

Nonetheless, there was some comfort to alieve her current distress. She felt soft hands gently lifting her head and placing a cool glass of water to her chapped lips. Gazing up, she stared into those eyes...

"Am I alive?" Mama Woods said laying in a bed of white.

"And breathing!" It was Maple who replied.

Mama Woods eyes came into focus as she stared into her daughter's deep browns.

"Maple." Mama Woods softly whispered.

"Bout time Mumma." Maple said giving her Mama a thousand kisses. "You scared the life out of me! And poor daddy and Uncle Jeffy! Why daddy has jest been beside himself. Not to mention Grandmama..."

"Where am I?" A weak Mama Woods said trying to sit up.

"Mrs. Groves shelter." Maple replied.

"How did I get here?"

"You were rushed here."

"By who?"

"The sheriff."

"Oh." Mama Woods mumbled signaling for another drink.

"Daddy and nearly the entire sheriff's department found you as plum naked as Eve, in the garden of Eden, clear conked out and driftin into space in the jail's shower. Apparently you slipped on a bar of soap and were dancin with butterflies in the nonexistent." Maple expressed. "You wouldn't awake for nuthin. But yo eyes were! Scared daddy senseless. Especially when you mumbled "daddy." Why daddy thought for a second you were being kinda kinky with him. But I ain't goin there." Maple cringed at the thought. "That is, till he came to his senses, and realized you were talkin bout granddaddy. I say that in full relief. Nonetheless, your body was here, but your mind was not. Seemed you hit your head pretty hard. Sheriff Rosenbaum, thought it was best to bring you to his sister's downstairs fallout shelter. Seeing as the hospital would have surely been surrounded with reporters tryin to get in and see you and all. Pretty smart thanking on his behalf, I might say."

"Yeah." Mama Woods said while trying to take another sip of water.

"Mrs. Crowder, on the other hand. Mumma, I swear that woman!"

"Lemme guess." Mama Woods said doing her best to sit up. "She have a parade of my passin?"

"Heck nah! Sorry Mumma. Why she was jest too fit to be tied! Had herself a nice fit when she heard you had fallen ill. She demanded to know where you were! Thought you were a fugitive on the run!" She said rollin her eyes. "Till the sheriff and even judge Bloomfurd convinced her otherwise and that you were still in the sheriff's custody. Why she thought you were playin the perfect role of Ophelia from Hamlet, she did!"

"Whut?"

"Nuthin. She jest got it in that hair brained mind of hers, that she thought you were in playin hooky of some sort Mumma. Like you were tryin to buy time and on her dime."

"Pifft." Mama Woods vocalized.

"But don't worry, Mumma... I took care of her." Maple coyly mumbled.

"Whut? Lawd child! Whut did you do?" Mama Woods said rubbernecking and gazing at her mischievous looking daughter.