The Brooch

How Could You? Pt 1

Seeing Andrew, enter and standing right there and in that lowly lit lounge room with the wet bar, Maple thought surly she was seeing things.

But ain't no doubt, it was him all right. And in the flesh...

That bottomless malaise feeling, came surging right back to Maple in the pit of her stomach! And with a vengeance!

A frazzled Maple murmured to herself...

MAPLE: "Did he just say, he... took the brooch?"

A remorseful looking Andrew traipsed up to Maple..

"I will make known, Mrs. Crowder is not an innocent, in all of this. That, we all can agree. But I acknowledge, it ain't all her fault." A solemn Andrew confessed.

"Andrew?"

"I gave her the brooch, Maple." He admitted defending Mrs. Crowder and temporarily taking her out of the hot seat.

But to his misfortune, he entered the frying pan. Sizzling and all...

"I don't believe you."

"It's the truth." A repentant Andrew replied.

"Why? Why are you doin this?" Maple uttered confused! "How did you get here? Whut are you even doin here?" A confused Maple inquired.

"I asked him to come." Mrs. Crowder spoke up. "I knew you wouldn't believe me no matter whut I professed! I knew the onlay you would, was if he came and you saw with yo very own eye. So.. I told him, I was gone tell ya. With or without him."

"Is whut she sayin... even true?"

Andrew was hushed..

"Answer me..."

"Yes..." He revealed. "But befoe you despise me for the rest of my life, You have ta know, I never meant for it to be like this."

"Like whut?" Maple said beyond bewildered.

"Maple..."

"No...So all of that commotion and madness when I was walking home tonight Andrew, you knew? You knew I was coming here?"

"I wonted ta tell ya first Maple! I tried to tell ya first. But you wouldn't get in the dang car! And then Cleaver."

"Mr. Jones? Did he know?"

"No..." Mrs. Crowder said defending Cleaver. "He had no idea! He still doesn't!"

"Landsakes! This is all too much!" Maple said writhing as she held her pounding head. "So I was uh tug of war of who was gonna get me first? Ha! That's funnay!" A bemused Maple uttered. "Whut? Whut is this?"

Andrew tried to touch Maple...

"Don't! Don't touch me!" She said pulling away. "I'm having a hard time believin what I'm hearin right now! You? Of all people... You took the brooch?"

"It's not whut you thank Maple?"

"Whut do I thank Andrew? Explain it to me? Better yet, tell me how long have had that brooch? How long have you known about it?"

"If you would just__"

"How... long Andrew?" Maple snarled!

"Since the beginning." He confessed.

Maple could not believe what she was hearing.

"Oh my Lawd in heaven!" She said shaking her head in denial. "No! No! You didn't take the brooch! Mrs. Crowder did! Because why... why would you do that to me? Why would you... why?"