The Brooch

What Just Happened?

MAPLE: Oh Maple... whut you gonna do now? He done said it!" She thought to herself as she gulped louder than a rooster's crow on an early morning rise!

Dumbfounded, and finding herself at a loss for words, you would have thought those brown eyes were gazing upon Elvis Presley, himself in the flesh, as Andrew began to declare his love...

"So help me, Maple, I wont you." Andrew boldly professed. "Naw I know I ain't Tator. But I'm here. And I know you are tryin not to admit it, but there is a part of you, that still loves me. I'll take it. If you will have me.."

The whole time Andrew was speaking, Maple's mind was going a thousand miles per second...

MAPLE: "Have him? Dear Lawd in heaven! Whut is happenin?" Maple thought to herself... "Don't faint... don't faint! Don't you dare do uh spread eagle on this here floor with yo legs spread wide as the Red Sea! Don'tchu dare in yo new apricot dress! And in front of this man!" She screamed in her mind as her thoughts wildly raced. "Breathe Maple Joelle!" She told herself as she desperately tried to tame her breathing as he, without so much as a breath, kept on.

"Look at me." Andrew said gently lifting her face up by her chin. " I know I jest sprung this on ya. And I know I fibbed up a storm when I said I wuz here jest foe the weddin. I confess it wasn't all true. It wuz my way of seein ya. You gotta know.. I wuz gonna confess later at the reception, but here we are naw." He affectionately smiled.

Maple found herself as if she were under a spell gazing deep into his magnetic gray eyes...

"I'm not askin you to deny yo feelins foe Tator. You and I both know that ain't gonna happen. But if you let me back in yo life as you once did befoe, I know that part of you, that still pines for him, can and will dwindle in time. And the part that I still have of you will grow..."

Maple trembled like a leaf at Andrew's love declaration...

"Andrew__"

"Can't ya see? I'm fightin foe ya Maple!" He proclaimed.

Once again Maple began to pull away from Andrew. But this time Andrew wasn't letting her go so easily. His stable hands grabbed her...

"Feel that?" He said, placing her hand to his heart. "Feel how it beats for you? Can't you see? I still want and desperately need you in my life?"

"Andrew__"

"And as my wife..."

"Please..."  Maple uttered as her lips began to quiver.

Refusing to let her go and try to escape his presence, Andrew still kept a strong grip on with his one hand pressing hers against his heart. The other hand he slipped down and reached into blue blazer pocket... The intense look in his eyes, made Maple weak in the knees.

Taking her hand from his heart, he took the other hand that was in his pocket, and placed a ring that he had hidden in his hand upon Maple's finger...

"It fits." He deeply sighed in elation.

Maple could not believe her eyes...

"It was my great grandmother's." Andrew said with a nervous chuckle. "I wonted to give it to ya years ago, when I first asked you foe yo hand. But we know whut happened there right?"

"And__"

"It's a tradition in our family for the male to pass it on to his bride. And I want you, Maple... As the sky craves the sun and all its glory!"

Clenching his chin with the most serious stare that Maple had ever seen upon his face, as the butterflies danced in his stomach, Andrew leaned his head against hers...

"Marry me, Maple..." Andrew whispered in fond affection. "Marry... me..."

Flabbergasted as to what was happening, Maple couldn't take her eyes off the ring. It was a large, antique sapphire ring, that was no doubt priceless and indeed beautiful. Maple couldn't believe her eyes. Her heart dropped to her stomach like a plane in turbulence... Still with no words to dance across her silenced lips, she shook her head no...

"No." She said trying to remove the ring.

But before she could, Andrew grabbed her in a sudden embrace and kissed her as passionately as he could. Astounded in her confusion as to what was happening, Maple abruptly pulled away. But before she could fully pull away all the way, Andrew managed to pull her back into his inviting arms...

"I know this seems sudden, but it's not." Andrew declared. "You have ta know I came back for you."

Maple's mind was spinning out of control...But just as she tried to speak once again, Andrew pressed his lips against hers silencing the words she wanted to express...

Andrew clasped her with an impassioned kiss, so much so Maple could taste the passion on his firm lips as the brush of his tongue gently caressed hers...

Maple found herself being momentarily weakened by that embrace as she could feel his heart pressing against hers.

Just as Maple gave into to his lips, Andrew, suddenly let go. Nonetheless, their breath still wad entwined, Andrew softly began to speak...

"I know this is sudden. And you weren't expectin this. Because of that, I'll give you time." He softly whispered. "I won't go back to Everly. I don't want to. Not without you. Marry me, Maple."

Andrew's strong body pressed into hers... He stared deep into Maple's captivated eyes... He kissed her one more time in that empty corridor between the church and the chapel. An enticed Maple, almost as if she were suddenly sedated, closed her eyes, as she could still feel his warm breath dancing upon hers.

And just like that, he was gone...

Maple's world was spinning out of control... She could no longer resist it. She felt more faint than ever...

But before she could kiss the pavement as that saying goes, A yapping and fussing Beth Anne came hollering like a mad woman on fire down that hall!

"Landsakes Maple Joelle! Where the blazes have you been? Why just the whole entire world is waitin on you and that darn veil!"

Maple was mum...

"Whuts wrong withchu?" Beth Anne fussed! "Standin there like a tin can of milk!"

But Maple couldn't form the words...

"You alive in there? Starin at me with yo face all flushed! Come on here! We ain't got time foe yo lollygaggin!" Beth Anne annoyingly ranted.

Beth Anne, frustratedly yanked the veil from Maple's loose grip. Fussing all the way back to the chapel, she dragged a very flustered and lightheaded Maple back with her in tow where her Mama, Cornelia and a cleaned up Annelle were still awaiting...

The whole time all Maple could think was...

"What just happened?"