The Brooch

Conflicting Souls

Welp folks, I wish I could tell you, that Maple somehow managed to find her way past Andrew and back up to that cozy little chapel room with that trailing veil in tow, and where Cornelia patiently waited. But you know that isn't so...

What I can tell you is, Maple was caught between a rock and a hard place?

To every twist, turn, hop, shake or shimmy, Maple maneuvered, there was just no getting past a very determined Andrew Wellington...

"Glory alive!" Maple snapped feeling foiled!

Her voice echoed like a yodeler on a high mountain in that lengthy corridor. So loud, you could have sworn it shook them stained glass windows, like they were made of jelly. Nonetheless, not a soul was around on that side of the building. And definitely not in that extended corridor. Well except Andrew of course... And with his expression, he wasn't phased in the slightest! But a crimson faced Maple, surely was...

"Don't that beat all!" Maple exasperated! "I swear on my great uncle Cleaver's bald head, you and Tator are cut from the same cloth!"

"And whuts that supposed ta mean?" Andrew said cornering her.

"I rest my case..." She said groaned feeling like a bird trapped in a cage...

And there was no doubt, that Andrew was the salivating cat, just waiting to ruffle her feathers. Maple could feel his ample hands pressing into her tanned flesh. She could feel every single finger sinking in like putty. Undeniably he had a strong grip. So strong, there was no way Maple could shimmy away this time...

"I... am nuthin like Tator!" Andrew fumed.

"Oh you are jest like him!" Maple huffed in a hissy!

"The onlay way I am like him in any, would be my inexplicable affections towards you!"

"Ha!" Maple muttered. "Affections? Yo grip, suh, would suggest otherwise!"

Andrew could see the scowl that rested upon Maple's furrowed brow. It was the last thing he wanted to see. For he didn't want to upset, moreover, hurt her in any way. He felt he had already done that. More than his share.

With a heavy sigh, Andrew ceased his angled stance. He slowly removed his bronzed and brawny tense grip, from her constricted arms, where he had her effortlessly constrained against the stone walls... Standing erect, and with a declaration of contrition forming in his sullen gray eyes, he backed away from an evidently distressed Maple...

"I'm sorry..." He said feeling feeling thwarted. "My intentions were neva to make you feel ire in any way, but..."

Andrew raised his arms of in defeat. Just like that he ceased himself from speaking and just started to back away...

"See! Jest like him!" Maple hissed.

"No...Maple..." Andrew shook his head in discontent. "If Tator were anythang like me, he would be here... right naw... and wonton you back. More than the air he breathes! But, he ain't Maple! I am!"

"Newsflash, Mr. Wellington. I wuz doin jest fine without either of you here in my life. I maybe difficult uh times, but I wasn't the one who walked away..."

"Maple, you walked away the day you gave yo heart to Tator!"

"Whut you fail to understand, I could care less if I eva lay eyes on him eva again."

"Lies..." Andrew hissed!

"Contrary to whut you might thank Misss-tuh Wellington, whut ever I ever felt for Malcom Tatorsen, faded a long time ago."

"Liar!" Andrew bellowed.

"I ain't in love with him!" Maple growled!

"Lie to me, Maple....but don't like to yoself!" Andrew boldly stated. "Even as we speak, those words you jest said, crumbled in yo mouth, like an unsweetened cookie! I ain't uh fool. And I know the truth."

Maple stood voiceless. Was there some truth in Andrew's accusations that she had denied even to herself all this time? Or was it all just an outlandish lie? To her dismay, there were no words Maple could say in the moment, that would suggest the latter wasn't in some way true, as the sky is in someway blue... But that didn't refrain Andrew from expressing his unquestionable and evident feelings in that moment...

"Deny it all you like. Part of you knows, whut I said is true. But I also know deep down, there's a part of you that still loves me too. You jest proved that today. I kin see it in yo eyes. Don't try deny it either."

Once again, like a cat on hot bricks, Maple became a ball of nerves, as her body shivered. But not from the cold. In fact that day was warm with a gentle breeze. Nonetheless, clearing the frog that suddenly invaded her dry feeling throat, Maple uttered...

"The onlay thang I am denyin, is Cornelia of her time." She deeply gulped. "Naw, I have indulged you long enough." Maple said draping the veil on her arm. "Moreover, I have no doubt they are waitin on me. And__"

"Let them wait!" Andrew interrupted. "Sides they have been waitin this long, whut harm is it in them waitin a little longer? You yoself said the guests aren't here yet so..."

"Andrew__"

"Don't make me beg Maple...Please..."

Maple refused...

"Doggonit Maple!" Andrew bellyached! "Whut moe do I gotta do to let ya see me as you once did?

Maple said not a word and that just irked Andrew something fierce....

"Tator is uh coward for not showin his face around here!" Andrew outburst! "You and I both know how he professed his love to you. But if he loved you so much Maple, where is he? Where has he been all these years? I'm fact from whut I know, He left after the trial without so much as a word. But I stayed. I stayed!"

"You..left!" Maple hissed. "Jest like him."

"I know whut I did." Andrew replied. "But I didn't leave like him. Not right away and you know it. You rejected my advances at every turn! Dagburnit whut was I supposed ta do? You knew I had ta return."

Maple glared toward Andrew with a look of contempt.

"You scorn me in silence with yo eyes, but he's the real fool!" Andrew scowled. "He could have had you! I know! I saw it that day on that hill! Befoe I even made it halfway up there, I watched you two together. Heck I even saw it after we fought! I saw whut was in yo eyes. Even after whut his family did to yours, he still could of had you! But like the fool he is, he let you go! You slipped right through his fingers!"

Just then, Andrew refused to stay his distance any longer. Daring to take a step forward, he gently caressed her blushing cheeks in such tenderness, Maple's legs begun to quiver like jello to his alluring touch. And just like that, from that one caress, all the anger that bubbled inside of Maple began to fizzle...

Nonetheless, refusing to stare him in the eyes, Maple meekly removed Andrew's hand from her face...

"Gotdog Maple!" Andrew groaned. "Even with him gone and me standin befoe you, here in the flesh, barin my heart... do you still deny me?"

Maple did her best to tame her racing heart. Andrew pressed on...

"He's not here, Maple. Maybe he won't ever return. And unlike him, I am willin ta fight!"

"Andrew... Let me go."

"I did that once and I couldn't erase you from my heart..."

"Don't do this..."

"You have conflicted my soul in this endless tug of war. And I know standin rat here and now, yours is startin to, too..."

"Andrew__"

"I love you, Maple..."

"Don't..."

"Too late..." He chuckled. "So help me, like a fish ta water, I am in ova my head. And I am head over heels!"