The Brooch

Say The Word

Relieved from Andrew's resolutions and tamed actions of letting Maple go, Tator and Maple... Heck the entire congregation, especially Mama Woods and Grandma Hastings, now focused and gawked with such flaring intensity on none other than Mrs. Crowder. And boy did they gawk!

Why Grandma Hastings had that jar of hot peppers in her hand, just waiting for any excuse of a ruckus from her long time nemesis, slash ex friend. Oh was she waiting on the edge of her seat, just to spin that jar open so fast, it'd make one's head spin faster than a child to a chocolate bar! She even had pictured pinning her down and shoving those spicy to the touch peppers, one by one upside her bubble butt backside.

GRANDMA HASTINGS: "Just say the word." She thought. "I'm ready!"

But to everyone's surprise, when they turned and anxiously awaited Mrs. Crowder's unforeseeable reaction to the nuptials of Maple Joelle and her still stonewalling grandson, Tator, why to their stupor she was doing nothing the whole time, but blubbering! I said blubbering! Just blubbering away, like a whale in a sea of endless tears! Why she had Brantley Wesington Pine, beat by a long mile!

On that note did y'all hear the trumpet? I'm only saying as all that witnessed that were flabbergasted out of their everlasting minds to see Mrs. Crowder a little too tranquil and just crying. I don't think anyone has every seen her shed a tear. Not even her mama on the day she was born! What in the tarnation just happened?

"Whatchall starin at?" She sniveled. "Act like ya ain't eva seen someone shed tears before." She said blowing her nose in a hanky. "Sides, did I say anythang? No I didn't!" She griped! "Not one darn fart of a word!"

But all still stared stunned out of their minds...

"Keep gawkin, and I swear I will get up from this here chair and gone to the reception while y'all busy gawkin and eat the entire cake myself! " she grumbled. "Then I'll really give y'all some em gawk at! I swear I will!" She said tooting both horns.

But they couldn't help it! It was like the gates of heaven opened up and Gabriel himself shot a dose of extra feeling lovey dovies right in that ole crabby heart of hers. It was complete unbelief and utter amazement on display of unfathomable emotions! They couldn't believe their ears, let alone their eyes, as all sat in an inquisitive silence, befuddled by her coy behavior.

Surely it wasn't that easy? Was it? I mean after all them years of her hoot hollering and despising the Hastings slash Woods family, especially Maple...and swearing to never reconcile. Worse calling them the black plague of Ponchas Avenue Row? And now just to sit there blubbering and not throwing a chair upside someones head in retaliation of the union? Many couldn't believe what they were actually witnessing as all stared in anticipation, just waiting to see what actual stunt she was about to pull out of her rear to delay, worse... destroy the blessed nuptials.

Truth is, Mrs. Crowder balled the moment, Maple handed Tator that brooch. For she knew that wasn't easy for Maple to do. Because it was like she freely and selflessly, gave it back to her. Something Maple vowed to never do and to loathe her till her dying day. But when Maple placed the brooch on Tator, Mrs. Crowder, finally saw forgiveness in Maple's eyes. Even after all those years she held that brooch hostage from her. She now shared it with her groom. Especially when she didn't have too. Moreover it meant, their love was the full genuine article. Mostly, it meant it was returned in a blessed way back to her family. Perhaps not to her hands per say, as she once dreamed. But in her eyes, Maple sharing it with Tator, and giving legitimate rights to the Lexington bloodline, was the next best thing to sliced bread. Upon seeing that, it was all over...

"Gone naw! I said finish!" She sniffed as she suddenly gazed earnestly deep into Tator's and Maple's eyes. "Gone Reverend." She audibly voiced shooing him to continue. But before they could, she blew her horn of a red nose one last time. With a side eye she grumbled... "Olivia... I see them peppers..."