The Brooch

Wedding Bell Blues Pt 3

"Is the world against me?" Maple suddenly muttered as she walked away from Cornelia.

"Maple we need to talk." Cornelia said following behind.

"No whut we need ta do is brush yo teeth!" Maple said trying to change the subject. "We can't have Uncle Jeffy, slappin uh wet one on ya and all he taste is well whut ever you ate!"

"Naw Maple..."

"Here!" Maple interrupted. "Open yo mouth!" She said trying to shush Cornelia from saying another word.

For the moment being... Cornelia obliged Maple and said not a word. She did after all agree with Maple. At least in that minute.

"Naw make sho you get yo tongue too!" Maple said as she put the cap back on the toothpaste.

She felt at ease as Cornelia couldn't speak. But she did try with a mouth full of toothpaste...

"May__"

"Here!" Maple said stuffing a second coat in her mouth! "Ya know it's a good thang that the Reverend is married to the town dentist.

Cornelia quickly rinsed her mouth and tried again...

"May__"

"Oh no.. you ain't done!" Maple said taking and almost shoving a cup of mouthwash to Cornelia's pasty lips.

A side eyed Cornelia began gargling... She spit out that wash so fast.. but before she could even lift her head from the sink, Maple had yet another cup to her lips.

"No enough!" Cornelia hissed rejecting the second glass. "Naw did you hear whut I said earlier?"

"Oh I heard ya." Maple said walking away. "I jest care not to reply."

"But we need ta have it out..."

" Oh glory alive, Cornelia for the love of rice crispies ... not you too?" Maple complained as if she felt betrayed.

"Maple, I'm sorry. But I kin see it in yo eyes."

"You see cole in my eyes." Maple sighed.

"Fess up!"

"Cornelia there ain't nothin to fess!" Maple griped. "I mean you ain't even put the rang on and you already soundin like family."

"Cuz I am."

"Still..."

"Still nothin, Maple... I may be a quiet soul at times, but I see all."

"Oh ya? And whut pray tell do you see?"

"Whut I said! That yo heart is achin..."

"Oh Core__"

"And his love has exceeded the brooch!"

"Pifft!" Maple expressed.

"Don'tchu roll yo eyes at me."

"So I see you are practicin being auntie already."

"Don't try and change the subject either! Maple, I'm serious!"

"I am too!" Maple scowled! " I mean have you and Unc been gossipin bout me again behind closed doors?"

"No." Cornelia hissed. "That's one subject yo Uncle and I don't dare discuss."

"Oh? Oh... well good." Maple seemed shocked.

"Em. If you say so." Cornelia frowned.

"I do say so!" Maple scowled.

"Sides yo belove-Ed uncle has otha ideas and expectations foe you. Some em we both care not to discuss. If you must know."

"Well Cornelia, I don't care to know."

"Well I'm gone tell ya anyways!" She hissed! "It's caused a hitch in our stitch. Nonetheless, I jest can't set idly by and watch yo heart break. And on my day of days!"

"Then don't watch." Maple fussed. "You jest said it right there. It's yo day. Not mine."

"But Maple..."

"Don't you dare let me be the blip on the wall that causes cracks in yo perfectly upcomin union."

"You gone tell me, after all this time there's nothin there?"

"I'm gone tell you like I told Mumma and grandmama before her... I don't care to discuss this! And that's that!" Maple scolded.

"I kin see some em that runs in yo family."

"Hmm... dare I ask?"

"Hmph! No." Cornelia frustratedly growled.

"Well fine..." Maple hissed.

"Oh the heck with it! You are jest as stubborn as he is!"

"You jest couldn't keep that in, coulda ya?" Maple laughed amused. "Like bees stuck in a jar with no air, you jest had to get it out."

"Yup!" Cornelia simpered.

"Hmm.." Maple muttered.

"Hmm.." Cornelia mimicked.

In that instant most would have thought Maple and Cornelia were in a stand off as they both stood sulking. Neither one really wanted to argue. But both were too stubborn to back down. Unfortunately, for them, time was of the essence. And one of them had to break. But who would be first?

"Dagburnit all!" Maple said as she finally broke the ice. Feeling extremely flustered she decided to temporarily concede! "Truce?"

"Guess I can't get married with a frown." Cornelia agreed.

"Can't say you can." Maple teased by making a goofy face.

That expression broke Cornelia's pout as she began to giggle at Maple's silly expressions...

"Truce..." Cornelia said extending her arms to Maple.

"Naw you done it!" Maple mockingly frowned.

"Whut naw?" Cornelia replied confused.

"You done set it in stone. Now I know there ain't eva gonna be one moe perfect than you foe my uncle jeffy!" She widely smiled.

"I guess you are right about that!" Cornelia proudly grinned.

But when I say it was a temporary truce... it was temporary. Right then and there, Maple could see the wheels turning in Cornelia's mind to speak once again on what Maple did not care to debate. But before Maple could let her get another word out edgewise on the unwanted topic...

"Yo veil!" Maple suddenly blurted!

"Maple sweetie..."

"I left it in the back of the church."

"It kin wait..."

"No. No it can't!" Maple fussed.

"But Maple__"

"I'm sure Mama and the girls are moments away. And if they see you are not fully dressed... I'll neva hear the end of of it."

"We're not done!"

"I know!" Maple interjected. "Because the veil!"

"No Maple! I mean__"

"I'll be right back!" Maple said rushing out of the room before Cornelia could finish her sentence.

For a moment Maple felt relieved as she felt she had escaped yet another unwanted confrontation of what was and wasn't. So in a dash before Cornelia could even think of following, she raced and made her way down the long and vacant hallway to the back of the empty church to find Cornelia's veil. It was on the pew where she left it. In haste she grabbed it to head back before her family returned and the guests arrived...

MAPLE: "Lawd help me. I need air." She mumbled to herself as she stopped midway. She tried to gather her thoughts and take a deep breath in.

But that breath was quickly taken away...

"You look beautiful..." A voice is heard behind her.

Maple's heart dropped....

Standing there in a blazer of blue, Andrew Wellington had returned...