Before I start, I just want to say: thank you THE OFFICIAL COYOTE for my first review! I really appreciate the feed-back, and I'm glad you noticed my "Mandie & Uncle John" moments. I also love their relationship, more so than Mandie and her mother. It's a bit more… I don't know… real and laidback. Her mother is too protective and wishy-washy. Anyway, thanks again for the review!

All constructive criticism is welcome, and if there's something you want to see more of, or you think I should take out, tell me, and I'll see what I can do! Just please, no criticism like: "girl this rly sucks lol." If it's bad, tell me what makes it bad, and I'll fix it; don't just tell me it's bad!

"We're back!" Mandie called breathlessly, bursting through the door into the parlor. It was full of her friends and family members, who obviously had not heard the rig pull up, judging by the startled looks on their faces. Her mother and grandmother and Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Hamilton were clutching their cups, and her grandmother had a placed her hand over her heart. Sallie and Jonathan, who were standing nearest to the door, jumped at least a foot backwards into Joe, whose eyes had been fixed on Mandie the moment the door opened. Only Uncle Ned remained composed, smiling at Mandie and Celia.

"Papoose," he said, walking over to her. Mandie stifled her laughter and gave him a hug.

"Hello, Uncle Ned, I'm so glad you're here!" she turned to everyone else. "Sorry we scared ya'll, we didn't mean to."

"Welcome back, dearest," said her mother, pulling herself together as Mandie rushed over to give her a hug.

"You certainly startled us," Grandmother Taft added, receiving Mandie's embrace. "We weren't expecting ya'll for at least another hour."

"They were all ready to go the moment I arrived," Uncle John explained, entering the parlor behind them. "I hardly had time to catch my breath before they had dragged me onto the train!"

Everyone laughed and Mandie and Celia hurried over to their friends.

"Sallie!" Mandie said warmly, hugging her. Sallie smiled and greeted her and Celia.

"You two sure look out of breath," teased Jonathan, greeting them in turn.

"Yeah, what did you do?" added Joe. "Run all the way from the station?"

Mandie looked at them sternly. "Well, you should have seen ya'lls faces when we came into the parlor!"

Celia giggled. "I don't think I've ever seen anybody jump so far!"

Jonathan raised his eyebrows. "Who can blame us, the way you two came charging in? I'm surprised you didn't break the door off its hinges!"

He and Joe laughed while Mandie and Celia both blushed.

"Mandie, dear," Elizabeth called from the other side of the room. "You and Celia should go upstairs and freshen up."

"Yes, Mother," Mandie called back. She started out into the hallway, followed by her friends.

"I'll go with you and help," Sallie offered the two of them.

"Thank you," Mandie said gratefully. She turned to the boys. "See you in a bit."

The three girls hurried up the steps into Mandie's room. All of their things, including Sallie's, had already been brought up.

"Oh, good, we're all in the same room," Mandie said happily. She hastily shed her dusty coat.

"Welcome back, Missy Manda," Liza's cheerful voice came from behind her. Mandie turned to see the maid dancing into the room.

"Liza!" she said, embracing her. "How are you?"

"I'se fine, Missy, but look at ya'll! We'se gotta git you cleaned up, all nice and purty, for dat dere doctuh's son," Liza said slyly. "I seen him all day, and he been lookin mighty happy, waitin' for ya'lls to git back."

"Oh, Liza, really!" said Mandie in embarrassment, feeling herself blush. Sallie and Celia giggled behind her.

"You two aren't helping," Mandie retorted. They exchanged knowing grins and didn't reply.

"Where's Snowball, Liza?" Mandie asked.

"He be in duh kitchen," Liza answered. "Aunt Lou brought him in to feed him."

"Good," said Mandie. "After we're finished I want to go see him."

She washed her face and picked out a suitable dress, while Celia did the same. Liza finished hanging up their clothes before dancing back out of the room, promising to see them all later.

"Sorry, Mandie, but Liza's right," Celia said. "Didn't you see his face when we burst into the room?"

"No," said Mandie, grinning. "I was too busy trying not to laugh at the look on everyone else's face! Did you see Grandmother clutching her heart?"

Celia laughed. "I can't get over Sallie and Jonathan bumping into poor Joe."

Mandie and Sallie giggled, picturing the scene.

"I've never seen Jonathan startled like that before," Mandie said. "His mouth was wide open!"

"I can't blame him," Sallie answered. "I thought I almost had a heart-attack! What were we supposed to do, with you barging into the room, hair flying wildly behind you?"

"Goodness, is that really what it looked like?" Celia asked.

Sallie nodded. "I'm surprised my Grandfather wasn't startled."

"Oh, you know Uncle Ned," said Mandie, braiding her hair. "Nothing can scare him." She tied a ribbon around her braid and smoothed her clothes down. "There," she said. "Are you done, Celia?"

"Yes," Celia answered, turning away from the mirror.

"Let's go find Joe and Jonathan, then," Mandie said, opening the door. "And I want to go to the kitchen and see Snowball."