The Brooch

I Needed To Hear It

Maple Joelle, sat up in that bed in her mama's arms and wept like a baby...

Course, that just broke Mama Woods heart...

"Speak to me, baby." Mama Woods said cradling her broken-hearted daughter. "Please talk to me."

"I told you, mumma."

"But you didn't tell me nuthin hun-nay." Mama Woods said straightening Maple up and wiping her tears with the breakfast napkin.

"Whut is there to tell you that you don't already know?"

"The real reason why yo heart is so hurtin." Mama Woods said tenderly holding Maple's crimsoned cheeks. "I know you said it ain't about the brooch. But is it?"

"Not all the way." Maple tearfully admitted.

"If it ain't... is it Josephine and Andrew? Cuz I know Jojo was the last one you were with and I can't get a hold of her. I tried several times in the past few days. And you ain't talkin."

"Oh Mumma!" Maple cried. "Why do I have ta ruin everythang?!?"

"Baby..."

"Josephine, may neva speak to me again! But it doesn't ache in comparison to whut is truly ailing me."

"Maple, hun-nay, you are speakin in riddles, that yo mumma can't figure out."

"You jest wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Mama Woods said staring deep into Maple's bloodshot eyes. "Cuz if this is bout Josephine, it doesn't matter the discrepancy, time, or the distance that you two are apart. You always find yo way back to each other."

"Maybe not this time." Maple sniveled.

"Oh don't give me that!" Mama Woods said with a stern tone. "You two are like sisters and have been friends since birth! Why when we get done with our conversation, I expect you to get on that phone and talk to yo best friend. No matter whut it is, or may or may not be, or how dyer you thank it is, I know you two will work it out. And I'm sho, Andrew will be understanding as well."

"Oh mumma!" Maple cried.

"Hun-nay child, I know there is some em more! Much more. Is it Andrew? Cause when I said his name just now... yo face... Is he the reason you and Jo are in the outs? Whut did he do? He hurt Jo? Surely not you? Cuz I swear__"

"I told you not to ask me, mumma."

"Fine." Mama Woods frowned. "It matters. I can't lie and say it doesn't. Cause some em, I jest said, I have a feelin I'm right. And I am as curious as they come. Now more than ever. Moreover, I don't like seein my precious babies hurtin in any way! Or by anyone for that matter. Not one darn bit!"

"Ma__"

"But for now, I will do my best and respect yo boundaries. But I will say this." Mama Woods candidly expressed. "No matter whut he may have done, I can't help but say, there's a part that I know in Andrew, that still has a great love for you. More than he should perhaps. I ain't blind and I know that to be true. And it's not worth denyin. Nonetheless, he is married! Moreover, to your best friend in the whole entire world... To whom you both affectionately love. It is not a perfect love, mind you. I thank we kin all see that. It is unlike the love I felt that he may have had for you. By any means. But it is a love that I could see slowly but surely, growin between the two of them. Perhaps, their relationships will never be like yo daddy and mine. That is a hard quest for anyone. But it is whut it is." Mama Woods said trying to read her daughter's thoughts. "But I have a strange feelin that is not really what is ailin you to the bone. Is it?"

Maple sniffed and did her best to dry up her tears...

"No mumma it is not." Maple said wiping her tears with her house dress.