The Brooch

A Late Night Rendezvous...

You would have thought the upcoming wedding for Maple and Tator, was a new holiday bash celebration in the town of Ponchas!

There was no doubt, it was the main event in Ponchas, on that little street of Appleton road. In view of the fact of the same evening, that Maple visited Mrs. Crowder and Tator, Andrew, three days before the nuptials, the families had a rehearsal dinner barbecue, that was more like a block party that filled that entire neighborhood. As all were invited for the pre celebrations! All except anyone who wanted to cause trouble. And you know to whom, I speak of...
Even the cats in Mrs. Mavis pear tree had a little bit of excitement themselves... For the good that is.

Nonetheless, in the late hours, as the party dwindled, Tator was told to kiss Maple goodnight. Because, it was the last he would see of her for a while...

I wonder, what Tator would have done or would he have even left so easily, if he knew Andrew was nearby lurking in the shadows... Not only with his eye on his wife... but without a doubt, Maple. As a cat watches a fish in the water...

Time was quickly slipping away. Before all knew it, the clock rolled upon hours from the wedding...

In the meantime, Uncle Jeffy and Daddy Woods had graciously took it upon themselves to camp out at Tator's home in those lost two days. Just to make sure things were still in order of course and going accordingly. And that Tator maintained his distance for the time being from his future bride, till the time was right, that is...

Even Tator's father, the Count Marquis, and Tator's two younger brother's Fredrick and Les, came for a visit. Course it wouldn't be right if Clarence didn't tag along. For all the fried fish you could eat!  No less... Lastly, Fred's two other son in laws, Mr. Blake Jordan, Annelle's husband and Sampson Juniper, Beth Anne's husband, instead of staying at the town hotel. Or Buffalo Lake for that matter, Fred brought them alongside him.

I can tell you right now that was not an easy task for Uncle Jeffy, Daddy Woods, and especially Tator. Because all he wanted to do, was to see Maple, one more time before she became officially his... But eyes were around every corner. Keenly watching his every move...

As for Maple? She, you could say, was in the same boat. In fact, Mama Woods kidnapped Maple, sort of speak, and made her move right back into the house. It was either that.. or all cram into that small, cozy little cabin out back. And for Maple, that was not an option...

Sides, Mama Woods made the most of it. She made it into a slumber party for Maple, as her sisters, Beth Anne and Annelle, Grandma Hastings, Leslie Anne, Cornelia, Cornelia's closest friends, Dorothy Burl, Audrey Melrose and of course Josephine, all stayed in the Woods cabin house on Appleton road. Even Fern Fishburn, Annelle's so called nemesis stayed over. Now you know there was some fire in that kitchen that night! And not from the oven! If you know what I mean...

The countess Anastasia, and her daughter's Roslyn and Pearlina, came for a visit to the Woods humble abode. However, they did not stay the night. Not because they didn't desire too or weren't invited. But because they had a slumber party of their own in Orange Haven, with none other than Mrs. Lexington herself.... I think they even tried to steal Mrs. Crowder for that matter... But who knows?

As for the kids? Why they all stayed with Miss Millie Wexler and her doting husband Mr. Hoffman and their five adopted children's grand estate. Now that, was a major slumber party!

You would think Miss Millie and Mr. Hoffman would go crazy with over twenty kids under the age of twelve, in their estate for over two days and three nights. But it was quite the opposite. The kids and the Hoffman's found themselves having a ball. It was always a dream for Miss Millie to have a full house. And to say it was, was definitely an understatement. Not to mention, their estate was more than sizable, to entertain and keep them all. As a matter of fact, some would say it was probably the happiest Miss Millie had ever been! She was happy with her five. But to say she wanted more? There was no doubt if she could fill each room of her estate and the ranch, she'd be in her own little nirvana!