The Brooch

The Invitation...

September glow, on an exquisite Monday morn, Maple stood at the Crowder estate.

It had been nearly over a half a year, since she last visited that property. And she had no intentions of going back anytime soon. Nevertheless, she was days from being Tator's bride. Furthermore, she was to be, to her displeasure, family with Mrs. Crowder. And things had definitely not been settled since the last time she was face to face with her.

In order to marry, Tator without a hitch, there was something she knew she needed to do...

"Whut do you wont?" Mrs. Crowder said peeking through her door. "And how did you get on my property?"

"Mrs. Crowder, you outta know by naw, everybody kin get on yo property. But I didn't come here to fight."

"Oh yeah? Whutchu come here foe? You bring the sheriff? Come to twist the knife in my heart and send me to the slamma?"

"If I wonted ta do that Mrs. Crowder, trust me, I would have done that months ago. And buried the key! Like I said... I didn't come here ta fight! Naw are ya gonna let me in the cotton pickin doe? Or aren'tcha?" Maple fussed standing on the veranda of Mrs. Crowder's residence in the early morning hours.

"Cleava ain't here!"

"Whuts Mr. Jones got to do with it?"

"He a witness?"

"Foe whut?"

"If my body goes missin!"

"Open this doe, old woman!" Maple rolled her eyes. "If I wonted ta hide the body, Ida jest come through your open winda up yonder and taken you in the night!"

"Who!" Mrs. Crowder jumped spooked from Maple's peculiar cavalier stance.

"I don't have all day, Mrs. Crowder. And I promise not ta chase ya! Smack ya! Or send ya to the Lawd above. At least not today!"

"Yo fingers crossed?"

"Seriously?" Maple exasperatedly sighed!

Maple lifted her hands in the air...

"Satisfied?" She said rolling her eyes.

"Well okay." Mrs. Crowder responded hesitantly letting Maple in her front door. "But onlay for a while."

As the door slammed shut and Mrs. Crowder looked out into her empty estate premises, Maple said...

"You shoulda asked if my toes were crossed too!"

Mrs. Crowder jumped like a leap frog on the edge of her door!

"I'm kiddin Mrs. Crowder!" Maple slightly giggled at Mrs. Crowder on edge stance. "Or am I?" She slightly smirked...

Mrs. Crowder quaked in her morning slippers as she stood on guard pressed against the door.

"Cmon Mrs. Crowder." Maple said walking in her mod lemon, and lime mini dress to the living room.

An apprehensive and very uncertain Mrs. Crowder, nervously walked into her living room, where Maple was already making herself comfortable.

"Whutchu wont with me?" Mrs. Crowder gripped sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Peace." Maple point blankly replied.

"You come ta settle thangs bout the brooch?" She nervously asked.

"In sorts." Maple openly replied.

A perplexed and still very nervous Mrs. Crowder slowly slid more onto her easy chair as she carefully watched Maple's every move. She was more than ready to run out those doors and holler for help if Maple made any sudden and suspicious moves. But Maple sat very calmly. Why that just put Mrs. Crowder even more on edge...