The Brooch

The Tempation

You could see the crowd on edge and only hear the sound of the air with Mama Woods voice sailing all the way through, as Mrs. Crowder's eyes steamed as if a storm was brewing.

But Mama Woods kept on...

"Scarlet, do you mean to tell me, that the brooch in question, is in fact not the property of Mrs. Magnus Crowder."

"That's whut I'm sayin..."

"Objection!"

"Overruled! I wan hear moe."

Mama Woods continued on...

While I stood in that elaborate room that smelled of expensive parfume lingering in the air and ice cycles forming on the windows on that winter day, I noticed suddenly, I wasn't alone in the room as someone startled me...

MRS. LEXINGTON: "Oh I'm sorry dear." She said coming from out of the shadows...

She was so beautiful. Like one of those women in a fancy magazine. Don't get me wrong.. my mumma was a catch. Still is. But when Mrs. Lexington came glidin towards me, she was so elegant and refined and graceful like Greta Garbo. And breathtakingly gorgeous Like Lauren Bacall. Befoe Lauren Bacall, wuz Lauren Bacall. Straight outta the pictures. And I swear she smelled of heaven... I onlay say that. Cuz it's the same parfume my daddy once bought my mumma. And why she too was jest a dream. And when she looked at me with those eyes...

YOUNG SCARLET: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude...

MRS. LEXINGTON: "No intrusion, young dear." She said to me. "I see you were only tryin to tidy up yo brother." She said looking down at Jeffy as she picked him up. "Oh he's precious!" She said playfully bouncing him up and down. "Oh and those dark blues! I've neva seen a baby with such deep beautiful blue eyes! He's a heartbreaker foe sho."

"While Mrs. Lexington was playing with Jeffy, I thought for sho I was done for. But she was absolutely taken with Jeffy. As almost every woman,
I know who's ever come encounter with him." Mama Woods jokingly uttered.

MRS LEXINGTON: "Sit." She said gazing at me still playing with Jeffy. "I know exactly whut you need." She said carrying Jeffy and walking over to the vanity table. "There.." she said smiling sweetly at me. "Why it fits perfectly." She said trying to hand Jeffy back to me.

But I was flabbergasted at whut she unmistakably jest did...

YOUNG SCARLET: "Ma'am..."

MRS. LEXINGTON: "It's Mrs. Lexington or you kin call jest me, Miss Lydia."

YOUNG SCARLET: "I'm__"

MRS. LEXINGTON: "I know who you are." She mumbled to me as she leaned over and snuggled Jeffy's face so close to hers.

YOUNG SCARLET: "How do you know who I am?"

MRS. LEXINGTON: Why you are the spittin image of yo mumma. Jest a shade or two lighter." She smiled. "I know them eyes anywhere. And this young tike, well ain't no doubt, he is jest as handsome as yo daddy, on a month of Sundays!" She said tickling Jeffy as he boyishly giggled.

I remember staring at her with my mouth ajar... I remember cuz she said something I like to always say when I see someone dumbfounded...

MRS. LEXINGTON: "You better close yo mouth dear, cuz you're catchin flies." She said as she pinched my nose. "You wan know whut else I know?"

I had no clue what she was about to say..

MRS. LEXINGTON: "I know foe a fact this here brooch." She said messing with it on Jeffy's diaper doesn't belong to my daughter. But to that of yo daddy's, daddy."