The Brooch

Wedding Bell Blues Pt2

Cornelia paced up and down that room with a case of jitters...

"Oh slap me side ways and turn me blue! I ain't neva been married before." Cornelia panicked.

"Well we should say not." Mama Woods chuckled.

"Whut if I ain't any good at it Scarlet?"  Cornelia cried. "I mean, glory alive, I convinced Jeffery I was worthy of marrying him. And he took the bait!"

"Oh nonsense... my brotha could had any of you woman pinin over him all these years. But he chose you."

"I don know why? I mean who am I? I'm just another fish in the pool. Lawd knows he coulda chose Dorothy Burl, Wendy Oz or Tess Snyder and more. Especially the one before me. We all know, His eye was keen to Georgia..."

"Who are you kiddin! Why Georgia Pine, doesn't hold a candle to you!" Maple interjected. "My Uncle, as stubborn and mischievous as he can be, made the right choice."

"Maple's right... I may call him a heathen every now and then... but he ain't no fool. He chose right. None of them, eva had his heart like you." Mama Woods said wiping the tears up from Cornelia's rosy cheeks. "Naw dry them eyes I didn't plan this wedding for the past two years for you to be sour and all red eyed."

"And don'tchu worry bout what my sisters said or didn't say... you jest enjoy naw." Maple said kissing Cornelia on the cheek. "Sides I have some em for ya."

Maple went to her satchel and took out a gift for Cornelia.

"I wanted to let you borrow my brooch on this day." Maple said holding back tears as a lump formed in her throat. "But..."

"It's alright." Cornelia said grabbing Maple's hand.

"Jest as well." Maple replied squeezing Cornelia's clammy hand. "So I have this..."

Maple smiled fighting back tears as she gently placed a brand new cameo brooch in Cornelia's hand.

"Oh Maple..."

"It's not mine mind ya. That, from the makin of our kin. But I wuz thankin you and Unc could start a new tradition foe you and yours down the line. I'm sho someday this will be of some treasured value."

Cornelia kissed Maple and embraced her tightly.

"It's beautiful! And I'll neva let it go." She smiled.

"My turn!" Mama Woods giddily replied. "I don't know whut yo mumma has foe ya. I don't wan step over my bounds. But these are my blue earrings, I wore the day I said I do to Fred. So I guess that takes care of some em old, borrowed and blue." She boasted.

Cornelia's heart was full. She dried her tears as she beamed with love that day due to her future sister in law and her future niece.

"Well enough of that." Mama Woods said kissing Cornelia. "It's high time, I go check on Annelle. Sides there's still time. Thank I better run Annelle ova to Miss Millie's place. She is after all the closest house to the church. I'm sure she may have some em close in her size. Bad enough we are too far away from home to return now. Lawd knows whut Beth Anne is tryin to dress her in naw from the church chest. Prolly have her lookin like a jester in the kings court." She laughed... "Maple__"

"I'll tend to Cornelia, Mumma. Don'tchu worry none." Maple replied as she walked her mama out. "Sides you have moe problems on yo hands." She giggled.

"Lawd knows I do." Mama Woods sighed as she left Cornelia and Maple alone for the time being.

As the day went on and Cornelia started to feel a tad more at ease, she and Maple dressed for big day...

"Cornelia?"

"Mmm-hmm?"

"I meant whut I said earlier bout Uncle Jeffy."

"And whut was that?"

"That he made the right choice. I can't see him with anyone, but you." Maple smiled as she slipped into her soft peach dress.

"Maybe you right." Cornelia grinned. "I know if it weren't foe you, I wouldn't be the one in this here dress." She pulling it up. "He could be sayin his I do's to Georgia Pine."

"Heck! That would have neva happened!" Maple giggled as she helped button up the back of Cornelia's wedding dress.

"Well I dunno. He seemed smitten with her once upon a time."

"Hate to admit, my uncle is a man." Maple mumbled.

Cornelia giggled. "Whut in tarnations does that mean?"

"It means, Georgia, is nothin but sheer, elegant beauty in the outside box. Sure she has the perfect hair. Perfect skin. Heck even the perfect teeth. But foe someone to be so beautiful, she ain't nuthin but downright ugly!"

Cornelia laughed.

"I mean it." Maple fussed. "Why she ain't nothin but a pill! Any wise cat could see right through her."

"Well, strange as it may seem, we were friends once."

"Befoe or after my uncle caught yo eye?" Maple questioned. "Ain't no matter none anymore I guess. Anyone who isn't blind, could see she jest wanted my uncle for his money. Not to mention her taste in food is a dead give away." Maple smirked.

"Haha! Yes!" Cornelia tittered. "Why I do believe there are still some fellas till this day, shootin toots to the wind!"

"Well I'm sho Memphis Shane is the next target on her list. Shoo, far as I'm concerned, He better prepare to stay away from open flames in the near future and possibly the rest of his life!"

The girls laughed...

"Still..." Maple said turning a giggling Cornelia around, "don'tchu worry none bout my uncle. If he ain't the perfect gent to ya in any way, I'm sure mumma will dash ova to the house with her broom after him."

"The broom? Whut for?"

"Why to shove it where the sun don't shine." She replied with a look of earnest. "And I'll be rat behind her with my own."

The expression on Cornelia's face was priceless...

"I'm just joshin with ya." Maple grinned.

"Oh." Cornelia tittered with a sigh of relief.

"Sides, there won't be nuthin to shove when grandmama is through with him. If she gets there first that is."

Maple grinned as she over walked to the vanity and left Cornelia flabbergasted at the thought...

"Yep. Georgia ain't got nuthin on you." Maple smiled. "Jest wait till he sees ya." She proudly said trying to pin the new cameo brooch to Cornelia.

"Maple?"

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Maple?" Cornelia said again.

Cornelia gently pulled Maple's hands done.

"Cornelia?" She replied squeezing Cornelia's hands.

"There's some em I know..."

"And whut might that be?"

"I know yo heart is achin rat now."

"Oh pifft!" Maple deeply exhaled. "Cornelia Pumpkin, today, is not about me and my brooch. Give me a little credit. I will survive ya know? Contrary to whut all might thank, my beloved brooch will not be the end of me." She slightly grinned...

"No... But maybe his love will..."