The Brooch

An Unexpected Reunion

There it was... out in the open. And it was enchanting. Sure enough it was as Uncle Jeffy had always dreamed. Sitting just a few feet away from the lake, was the two story cabin house...

It was luxurious! It was made with the finest and sturdiest pine wood. And the chimney was made from cobblestone. As the house was surrounded by trees and a long wooden deck.

Hesitant to go up the steps, Maple looked around desperately in search of her, out of sight, Uncle. But to her dismay, not a soul was around.

"Oooh Uncle Jeffy? Where are you?"

Suddenly she heard a peculiar rustling noise in trees behind her.

"Nope..." She said skittishly on the tips of her toes while looking back.

Maple saw nothing in sight. But then she heard it again...

"No suh!" She uttered! "My mumma didn't make no fool!"

In a mad dash, Maple scurried up to the wooden deck on the lake house. On the tips of her toes as her heart raced like a wild fire, Maple as quietly and quickly as possible, inspected her surroundings while hanging onto the redwood deck railing that surrounded the house.

"Dear Lawd, you might as well know naw... Not that you can't read my thoughts even before I speak em... but I'm confessin naw, that I am gonna choke my uncle when I find him and get my hands on him! Ain't no doubt about it!" She ranted nervously looking around. "I hope you are okay! So I kin choke the living daylights outta ya! You hear that uncle Jeffy?" She fussed.

Suddenly she heard the rustling noise getting louder and closer again.

"Oh sweet Jesus!" She cried! "Mumma is right, my uncle is a heathen!" She growled lowly under her breath. "Brought me out in the middle of nowhere... to see a turd, who probably wonts nuthin ta do with me. And my own flesh and blood is hidin like a scoundrel!" She hissed! "Lawd knows whuts hidin out there lurkin! A bear? A wolf? Worse....big friggin big foot! Comin ta mark his territory! Oh dear Lawd! Heck no! I'm done!" She shrilled! "Lawd! Lawd! Jest get me and my Unc, home safely... so I kin skin my uncle alive!"

A fidgety Maple, cautiously edged her way around the deck, till she found her way to the front of the house. Taking a few steps up, she found her way to the front porch entrance. And to her wild discovery, it appeared the front wooden door was slightly cracked open.

Reluctant to go to the door, she racked her mind, with wonder as the thought of running into Tator, with her uncle as if she were invading. Maple contemplated her next move. She struggled with her inner thoughts. Go, knock on the door? Or do what she knew she could do best in that moment... Run runaway? But even if she did run, she didn't know her way back. Or if she would get back for that matter! Worse... what the mysterious rustling was in the first place! Biting her nails on edge, Maple backed away and leaned against the side of the house. The part away from eye view of the cracked door...

MAPLE: "Oh dear Lawd! Whut do I do?" She mumbled aloud.

Maple began to picture in her head different scenarios of each turn out. Either way, it had her encountering something she wasn't ready for. But sure enough, she finally came to a conclusion. Her safest bet, was to turn back and run and face the rustling. Because she'd rather take her chances on the nothingness. Versus seeing Tator, face to face with sheer uncertainty. That outcome, for her, was probably the scariest thing for her to come in contact with. By far.

Just as she was about to prepare to make a dash and not turn back... She heard a noise in the house.

Could it be Uncle Jeffy? Perhaps he was on the inside waiting with Tator. Maybe... they were waiting for her? Shaking in her boots sort of speak, Maple took a deep breath in. She held her breath! She took a chance...