The Brooch

The Awakening

Finally awaking from what seemed like a long winters nap, Maple snuck into the shower and cleaned herself up, before her mama came up stairs. And she knew that could be at any moment...

Running her fingers through her dark, curly hair, and brushing her teeth, Maple put on a house dress and tried to lay back down.

"Oh no you don't, Maple Joelle!" Mama Woods exclaimed coming bursting into that room! "Don'tchu dare close yo eyes! Not again!"

"I'm not mumma." Maple said sitting up in her bed.

"Naw you promised me uh con-va-say-shun! But now I thank you owe me a few!" Mama Woods said with her hands on her hips.

"Sit down Mumma." Maple obliged.

"Not till you eat some em." Mama Woods demanded.

Mama Woods brought in a big helping of breakfast enough for a king and queen.

"I heard you in the shower. And I wuz just on my way up here." She said placing the tray on Maple's bed. "Naw eat up."

Mama Woods dared not leave Maple's side in fear, she would once again close her eyes. In fact she sat there patiently waiting till Maple cleared her plate. She brought her fresh out of the oven crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, golden buttered toast and pancakes on the side. And a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, a health glass of chilled milk and a tall glass of ice cold water.

Maple was not allowed to leave not one crumb on that plate. Mama Woods felt that was not even enough for all the time Maple was in that slumber.

"I can't eat another bite Mumma." Maple said pushing her tray away. "I ate. Are ya satisfied?"

"No I ain't satisfied!" Mama Woods fussed! "You better be glad yo daddy hogged the sausage and biscuits! Cuz I'd make you eat those too! Not to mention the fruit salad."

"Don't take the food from poor daddy, mumma. I hope you been feedin him at least, while I been restin." Maple jested.

"Don't even joke bout that!" Mama Woods reprimanded. "While I have been dousin alka seltzer like ice cold root beer on a hot summer's day, yo poor daddy... why he ain't even had an appetite since you been up here comatose-en !"

"Not daddy?" Maple replied shocked.

"Yes daddy!" Mama Woods hissed. "Why we ain't been nuthin but worried sick."

"I'm sure it was more you, than him." Maple said taking s sip from her milk.

"No ma'am! Why he was so worried, he was bout ready to come pick you up and carry you down the stairs! And straight to the doctors!"

"Oh naw mumma, you know daddy with his back woulda nev-uh made it to the doctor." Maple snickered. "We both woulda been rollin down the stairs like Jack and Jill."

"I'm serious Maple Joelle!"

"Oh I'm sure you are, mumma." Maple smirked. "Very. But I assure you, I'm fine." Maple replied trying to persuade her upset mama.

"Well I, honey lamb am not!" Mama Woods ranted! "For three, nearly four days, you have been here in this here bed, doin nuthin but sleepin! And I have been like a chicken with its head cut off runnin round tryin to remain calm!" She hissed. "I was so upset, I called the Doc Barrymore. He told me just to let you rest for a little while longer."

"Im sho you didn't like that answer." Maple sniggered.

"No I did not!" Mama Woods said sipping on Maple's juice.

"So I guess you called grandmama next."

"You darn right, I called yo grandmama!"

"Hmm. And whut she say?"