by BobA. Troutt
*****
Giggle Book Three
Broken Hearts
In the quiet little southern town of Valleybrook there lived two charming southern ladies named McClure and Savannah. Although they were not twins, they were so much alike it was unbelievable. They were close and spent the majority of their time together. McClure, with her sharp face and skinny body, had long blonde hair with a little touch of white that appeared to glitter and glisten as fine polished gold. Savannah, with her round eyes and a bit on the hefty side had a long red-haired coat with a slight touch of white that appeared elegant for any ballroom. When they wrote the song She’s a Lady, they had to have these two southern gals in mind. It didn’t matter who you were or where you were from, they accepted you as their friends. There was one thing about them; they never forgot where they came from. From the barn to the big house on Riviera Drive, their lives were a true Cinderella story.
“Why, hush your mouth, girl!” said Savannah as she raised her cup of catnip tea and took a sip.
“What are you talking about?” replied McClure as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. “That young tomcat doctor on the soaps is out of this world,” said McClure.
“You know it, McClure! That young tomcat doctor is something else. I just love Nine Lives to Live,” said Savannah.
As the two talked on about their favorite soap, McClure suddenly looked up with steam engulfing her nostrils and whiskers.
“Savannah,” she said, “isn’t this the best catnip tea you have ever sipped?”
“It sure is,” replied Savannah. “Miss Kitty told me it came from a small tea house in Charleston.”
“Oh, come on, girl,” whispered McClure, “for real.”
“That’s right,” replied Savannah.
“Here, have some more tea. Not too much,” hastened McClure. “You know, Savannah, I just love that comb you have in your hair,” said McClure.
“Thank you, sister,” replied Savannah.
“I saw one in a store window in Richmond once,” she said. “It was like that one but it was trimmed in gold and had diamond chips. I told myself that day how nice it would be to have one like that someday,” stated McClure as she pulled out her brush and ran it through her hair.
“Miss McClure, why are you even admiring my comb?” replied Savannah. “That brush is so beautiful.”
“I have had this old thing for years,” replied McClure.
McClure’s saw the sparkle in Savannah’s eyes as she admired the brush.
“I’d like to have a brush like that someday,” said Savannah. “That ivory handle accented in gold and diamond studs would really look good on my dresser.”
Then they both started giggling as they sipped some more on their tea.
“Savannah, Savannah, Savannah,” giggled McClure. “What an amazing girl you are.”
Time passed as they continued with their tea party and little get together. They laughed, talked and had so much fun together. McClure’s comb accentuated her feline way and Savannah’s brush her bubbling personality.
One day as the two elegant ladies lounged under a big willow, dangling with Spanish moss, McClure got an idea. She thought to herself, Valentine’s Day is coming soon. I wish I could get Savannah something nice, something that she would love and cherish forever. She is the best friend and sister that a girl could have. Unaware, at the same time, Savannah was thinking the same thing. However, neither of them had any idea what the perfect gift would be.
“Hey, prissy, let me try your brush in my hair,” said Savannah.
“Sure,” replied McClure, “if you let me see how your comb looks in mine.”
“Here you go, sister, let me place it in your hair for you,” insisted Savannah.
Carefully, Savannah placed her comb in McClure’s hair.
“How’s that, sis?” asked Savannah.
“Savannah, it is darling,” McClure said as she looked in the mirror. “It suits me to a tee. Try the brush, sis,” she encouraged.
Slowly, Savannah moved the brush down through her hair.
“Smooth as silk,” she stated. “It feels so good,” said McClure. “Hey, I have an idea.”
“What’s that?” questioned Savannah.
“Let’s wear them all day,” answered McClure.
“That’s a great idea,” said Savannah. “By the way, that comb looks beautiful in your hair.”
“Why, thank you,” replied McClure. “And your hair looks so shiny and silky from my brush.”
Days later when the two were taking a stroll in Windsor Park laughing and talking as usual, it dawned on them what to get each other for Valentine’s Day.
“It is such a lovely day,” said Savannah as the wind danced about the trees and gently blew through the Spanish moss.
“It is a wonderful day,” shouted McClure.
Suddenly, McClure stopped. It’s almost Valentine’s Day, she thought to herself. I must take care of Savannah’s gift.
“Oh, Savannah,” she said. “I must leave; I have to run an errand. Would you please be a sweetie and excuse me from our walk in the park?”
“Why, sister,” replied Savannah, “is there something wrong?”
“Oh, no,” she replied. “I just have some last minute things to take care of.”
Quickly, McClure took off and left Savannah with a puzzled look on her face. She was disappointed at first but then she remembered Valentine’s Day was coming soon and it would be the perfect time for her to get McClure’s gift. I have something to do myself, she thought as she took off.
The two girls were right; Valentine’s Day was just around the corner. The two southern ladies were especially excited about giving their gifts of love and friendship to each other.
Valentine’s Day finally arrived. The two refined ladies of elegance decked the courtyard with their presence. They sat elegantly around the marble card table playing gin and drinking ice-cold lemonade. Each of them sat distinguishably and quietly played gin. They were each waiting for the other to mention that it was Valentine’s Day. But neither purred nor spoke a word; they didn’t want to spoil their surprises. The silence was finally broken when McClure cleared her throat.
“Just look at that, Savannah, gin,” she said. “You’re awfully quiet today,” McClure said as she looked at Savannah’s cards. “You are usually talking my head off. Has a cat got your tongue?”
“Well, I could say the same about you, McClure,” replied Savannah. “You haven’t had much to say either. You know, today is Valentine’s Day,” she stated as she handed McClure her gift.
“Yes, indeed it is,” McClure responded as she held out Savannah’s gift.
Carefully, the young ladies unwrapped their gifts. Suddenly, their big green eyes opened wide with amazement.
“Savannah, you shouldn’t have,” cried McClure.
“Oh, McClure, it’s darling,” replied Savannah.
McClure had bought Savannah a necklace. It was half of an ivory heart with Savannah’s name on the front and Sister’s Forever was engraved on the back. The heart was made out of ivory; it was polished like glass, trimmed in gold and the engraving was gold. The elaborate gold chain of the necklace was studded with diamond chips. At the very top of the heart, mounted to the chain, there was a 24-karat birthstone in the shape of a heart. By coincidence, Savannah had bought McClure the very same necklace. Except, she had bought her the other half of the heart with McClure’s name on the front with Sisters Forever engraved on the back.
“But how?” asked Savannah.
“You remember the other day in the park,” said McClure.
“Yes, I do,” said Savannah. “Well I went to sell my comb so I could buy you the heart.”
Savannah sort of grinned, looked at her and said, “I sold my brush to buy you the other half of the heart.”
As tears filled their eyes, they hugged each other.
McClure looked at Savannah and sai
d, “I love you, Savannah. You’re the best sister in the world, happy Valentine’s Day.”
“I love you too, McClure. You’re the best friend and sister I could ever have, happy Valentine’s Day to you, too.”
The ladies put on their necklaces and continued playing cards and drinking lemonade.
“It’s such a beautiful day,” said McClure.