The Brooch

You Took The Brooch Pt 1

Maple held that brooch in her hand. She couldn't believe what had just happened. With her eyes intently still focused on the brooch, Maple thought it was a cruel joke.

MAPLE: "It can't be real." She thought to herself.

A trembling Maple turned the brooch over...

"It's real." Mrs. Crowder said knowing Maple was examining it closely, as if it were her lost and found child. "I promise to God, it's real."

Sure enough it was. When Maple turned that brooch over, there was Uncle Jeffy's insignia. And there was no mistaking it. Maple deeply exhaled in astonishment and utter relief. Why she smiled like a kid in a candy store on Christmas Day!

After five long years, of searching and hoping to one day just happen to walk up in them outback woods, several miles from her home on Appleton road, to find that brooch, just waiting for her like a treasure on Treasure Island... Maple couldn't believe the search was over. It was finally over! The brooch was restored! And it was restored to back to her.

In that instant, Maple felt alleviated. That heavy burden that she had carried for so long, the weight was finally was lifted. And she could finally breathe. She couldn't believe just like that, her family heirloom was now back in her hands. And it didn't have not one scratch or jewel missing or out of place. It looked unscathed. And it was beautiful. Just as the first day she ever laid her eyes upon it. A euphoric feeling Maple smiled, as tears of a crocodile, welled up in her eyes.

"I can't believe it's real!" She smiled overjoyed. "I been lookin and lookin. Every chance I got!" She sniffed. "I never gave up! I refused too! And it's here! And it's real!" Maple beamed!

"Oh it's very real!" Mrs. Crowder snickered.

"Wait till I tell mumma!" She exclaimed in joy speaking as the tears began to escape her eyes.

"I'm glad you came." Mrs. Crowder replied.

"So you keep sayin." Maple giggled. "You know I__"

Then Maple suddenly thought...

"Where... where did you get this?"  Maple mumbled still gazing at the brooch.

"I... well...it, it wuz given to me." Mrs. Crowder replied suddenly stammering over words.

"Given to you?"

"Yes."

"You mean... you stole it!" Maple replied.

And just as soon as the joy of the brooch returned, the anger in Maple arose just as quickly. If not faster...

"You took the brooch..."

"I didn't take the brooch!" Mrs. Crowder said suddenly defending herself!

"You took it!" Maple exclaimed! "You knew I was searchin for this brooch! Oh I bet you were jest havin a hay day! And at my expense! Oh Mrs. Crowder, I knew you could be vile and nasty! But this.. is even beneath you! You just couldn't let me... my family, have whut rightfully belonged to us! Could ya?" Maple growled! "You are so vicious! I can't believe, I never... I should have never put it past you! But the whole time, I was so foolish! I kept thankin, she don't know. She has no clue that brooch was even missin! I told no one. But my family, and my best friends. But you knew! Oh you knew!" Maple snarled in tears of anger.

Maple looked up at Mrs. Crowder with grimace and flames of red!

"I admit, I had the brooch Maple. I had it. Ain't no lyin bout that." Mrs. Crowder sullenly confessed! "I had it foe a long time. And it ain't caused me nothin, but misery!" Mrs. Crowder cried. "I thought, it wuz was everythang I wonted. Heck I even did a jig when I got it!" She laughed!

"A jig? Hmm... You're crazy!" Maple gritted through her teeth!"

"I ain't crazy! But the voices in my head say otherwise." She jested.

"Oh... that, Mrs. Crowder, is freakin hilarious! Absolutely funnay! Ha! But You wan know whut else is funnay?"

"I don't thank I wan know." Mrs. Crowder gulped.

"Well I'm gonna tell ya!" Maple cackled! "You been wonton somebody to go to jail this whole time! And foe this here brooch. Well hun-nay... looks like it's gonna be you!"

"No Maple!" Mrs. Crowder pleaded shaking her head in horror!

"Oh yes! The same crime you tried to put my on mumma with yo false accusations all them years back... Well it's comin full circle! And it's comin for ya with a hells fire vengeance! Naw ain't that some em... it's come back ta bite you right in yo bubble butt ah__"

"I didn't take the brooch Maple!"

"Liar!" Maple bellowed! "It's right here Mrs. Crowder!"

"But I'm tryin ta tell ya, it ain't whut it looks like!" A beyond nervous Mrs. Crowder exclaimed! "Naw if you would jest calm down and let me explain__"

"Calm down? Explain?" Maple laughed. "Oh... Mrs. Crowder, hmm... you need to thank the Lawd almighty, you ain't my age rat naw! Cuz I swear, I swear__ Oh the heck with it!" Maple roared!

Right then and there, Maple Joelle Woods looked like a wild woman on fire! Why she looked pure plumb out of her mind! And the look she gave Mrs. Crowder in that very instant? Well Mrs. Crowder was about to feel her flames of fury. Maple lost it! But before Maple could even get to Mrs. Crowder, a freaked out of of her mind, Mrs. Crowder took off running behind her bar! And I can tell you... with a chase round and round, like that one day, Uncle Jeffy chased Tator round that tree. Well as that saying goes, an apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Because an enraged Maple was coming after her! And Lord help Mrs. Crowder, if Maple got her hands on her...

Naw Mrs. Crowder may have been slightly shorter than Maple. She may have even had wide, chunky, feet that were currently swollen to the core. As well as many years on Maple. And she may have had a bubble butt! But folks in that moment, I do believe she prayed and had the legs of Elijah! You know, the one in the Bible, who out ran the horse drawn chariot? Because right then and there, like she did all them years ago, when Maple was like a flaming bat out of hell, fifteen year old riled up angry teen, that she was all them tears back, she had momentum! Much more motive, to move like a bouncing gnat flying in your face. Because just like a blast from the past, a scared out of her mind, Mrs. Crowder, gave Maple a run for her money! But this time, Mrs. Crowder wasn't gonna let Maple catch her. Or so she desperately prayed.

"Stand still Mrs. Crowder!" Maple growled!

"Who you kiddin?!? Mrs. Crowder squealed!

"Hmph! Guess sheriff Rosenbaum is gone have to come here after all!" She hissed! "I'll make sho they'll find the body Mrs. Crowder! And I'm sho I'll get off foe pure insanity!!!!" She roared shaking the chandelier in the next room!

Maple chased Mrs. Crowder up and down that room like a cat chasing a dogs tail! And Maple was far from tired! And maybe the alcohol in Mrs. Crowder's system gave her fuel. Because there was no way she was stopping! Not if her life depended on it.

"You said a long time ago, you wanted to be with your husband?" Maple growled! "Well get ready Mrs. Crowder! I thank you done just earned yourself a one way ticket! And hun-nay, it's comin sooner than later! Naw stand still and let me get my hands on ya!"

Mrs. Crowder screamed in terror! And where was Cleaver the whole time, Maple chased Mrs. Crowder like a chicken with her head cut off? Why he was in the kitchen. Music blasting and dancing to the latest hits while frying him some chicken. Guess he didn't know Maple was doing some frying of her own!