The week leading up to the ball flew by for Mandie. It was filled with shopping, planning and trying on dresses. On Friday, Mandie and her family traveled to Mrs. Taft's house but most of the guests didn't arrive until the day of the ball. Mandie anxiously kept an eye out for Uncle Ned and Sallie, She knew they would have an update on Joe, She and Celia sat on the enormous front porch waiting for them. Finally, Mandie saw Uncle Ned's old wagon coming up the circular drive. "Sallie!" She called as she ran toward them.

Mandie didn't even wait for the wagon to stop. "Uncle Ned, How is Joe?"

The old Indian smiled. "Doctor Son better but still need rest."

Mandie frowned. "Is he still in bed? Is his chest healing?"

Sallie smiled at her reassuringly. "Mandie, do not worry. Joe is improving everyday."

As the evening approached the girls went to Mandie's room to start preparing for the ball. Sallie and Celia gasped as Mandie slipped on her beautiful, blue gown.

"Oh Mandie!" Celia squealed. "The young men will be lining up to dance with you!"

"Celia!" Mandie reprimanded.

But Sallie agreed. "You look stunning."

"Thank you," Mandie smiled. "You both look beautiful too. Dimar and Robert will not be able to keep their eyes off you."

There was a soft knock on the door and Elizabeth's voice called. "Amanda, girls, are you ready? It's time to come downstairs."

"Yes, Mother, we are ready right now." Mandie responded as she opened the door.

Uncle John escorted Elizabeth to the ballroom and the girls followed behind. Mandie gasped as she walked through the double doors. Everything was beautiful. The room was filled with many faces, mostly familiar to Mandie but many unfamiliar.

Mrs. Taft greeted Mandie and her friends at the door. "Amanda, why don't you mingle and dance for a little while, I will introduce you to a few people in a little while."

Mandie nodded. she suddenly felt a light hand on her shoulder and a voice ask "May I have this dance?"

Mandie recognized the voice before she turned around. "Joe!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck.

Joe grunted a little and Mandie realized she was hurting him. "Oh I'm sorry Joe!" She quickly let go of him took a small step back.

Joe shook and his head and smiled down at her. "It's okay. Well worth it."

Tears of joy and relief streamed down her cheeks. "I was so worried! I thought your father said weren't well enough to travel!"

"He didn't want me to come yet but I wasn't about to miss your birthday." He took her hand. "May I have this dance or not?"

Mandie couldn't help but smile. "Of course." She said. "But are you sure you should be dancing in your condition?"

"Come on." he urged as he gently pulled her toward him.

Mandie was surprised how easily he fell into step with the music. "Joe Woodard, I didn't know you could dance at all, let alone well."

Joe grinned mischievously. "That's because you've never had the opportunity to dance with me before."

Mandie was flabbergasted. "Who taught you to dance? You never went to a finishing school."

Joe smiled down at her. "You see, I found out you were learning to dance at your fancy girls' school so I figured I'd better learn how. What kind of man would I be if I couldn't dance with my own wife?"

Mandie blushed furiously.

Joe took pleasure in making her blush he bent down to whisper in her ear, "You look more beautiful tonight than I have ever seen you."

"You don't look so bad yourself in a suit and tie." She replied coyly.

As the music stopped all of Mandie's friends gathered round to welcome Joe. Mandie stood back and smiled as she watched him joke with Jonathan and Dimar.

"Celia," Mandie said to her friend. "Right now I feel completely and utterly happy."

"Good," Celia whispered,"Try to remember that when your grandmother comes over here."

Mandie glanced over to see Mrs Taft socializing with some fancy and snooty looking people. She heard the end of Grandmother's sentence. "Come, let me introduce you to Amanda, One day she will be taking on the family business."

Mandie cringed inside but greeted the people with the class and social graces she had worked hard to learn. They came easily to her now, something that she was both proud of and made her feel uneasy.

Mandie was reeled into a tour around the ballroom to meet and greet the people of high society that she was expected to fit in with one day. She looked despairingly back at her friends.

A little while later Joe came over to her and whispered quickly. "I want to talk to you."

"What is it? Mandie asked as her Grandmother led her to another couple to meet.

"Not, here," Joe whispered. "I'll be waiting for you on the veranda."

Mandie nodded and then turned to greet the guests.

"Amanda, this is Mr. and Mrs Abernathy, they own quite a bit of stock in our shipping company. "

Mandie smiled and curtsied. "It is a pleasure to meet you! Thank you for coming."

Thankfully Mrs. Taft controlled much of the conversation. "Amanda is going to college to get her business degree. I am sure you will enjoy many more years of partnership once she takes over the business."

Every time she was introduced as "the one who would take over the business" Mandie's heart sank.

Finally, Mandie had greeted everyone there and she was free to go. She quickly made her way to veranda to find Joe. She hoped he hadn't given up waiting for her. She was relieved to see him standing at the railing overlooking the gardens.

"Joe, I am sorry, that took so long." Mandie frowned. She stood beside him. He turned toward her and saw that she looked overwhelmed.

"I would have waited all night, you know that." Joe said softly as he ran his fingers up her arm. When the worry lines didn't leave her face, he took her hands in his "What's the matter Mandie?"

She sighed in disgust. "I don't know Joe, I guess its just," she stammered to find the right words, "It just... this!" She waved her hand flippantly toward where the party was going on inside. "And this." she said gesturing to her gown. "This isn't me Joe. This isn't who I want to become."

Joe took her hand and they started to walk down to the gardens. "And who do you want to become?" he asked.

"I want to be me, Mandie. I want to have a normal house, my fathers house. I don't want to live in some mansion with servants doing everything for me! I don't want to attend stuffy balls and put on airs with high society."

Joe smiled at her, "Well that's a relief, you were looking pretty comfortable in there."

"Good, then all my time at Miss Heathwoods' school for Girls wasn't a waste of time. Mandie retorted.

They kept walking for a little while. Then Mandie remembered that Joe was the one who wanted to talk to her. "You said you wanted to talk?" She asked.

Joe stopped in front of her and looked lat her in the moonlight.

"Mandie, you know this already but I feel like I need to tell you," he ran his fingers through his unruly brown hair like he always did when he was nervous.

"I love you. I love you more than I could ever tell you." He took her hands in his and squeezed them gently causing Mandie's stomach to flutter. "I know you keep saying that things may change but it's been 6 years since I first asked you to marry me and my feelings haven't changed. I can't imagine my life without you by my side. You are 18 and I'll be 20 in the fall. I want you to know that the moment I graduate, I'm planning on asking you to marry me again."

Mandie looked at him seriously. "And you know I will be waiting for that day." She leaned closer to him and he put his arms around her. She let her head rest against his chest. "I was so scared when you almost died Joe. I've never felt so alone."

Joe put his hand on her cheek and gazed into her blue eyes. He was intoxicated by her. "As long as I'm alive you'll never be alone." he said softly.

Mandie's eyes met his and she was overtaken. She couldn't help herself, she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.

Joe drew her closer to himself and slowly, passionately kissed her again causing her breathing to hitch momentarily.

Joe ran his hands slowly up and down her arms then kissed her again as he wrapped her with his strong arms and she returned the embrace. He began kissing her lightly down the side of her neck. Suddenly they both knew that if they didn't stop now they wouldn't be able to. Joe reluctantly released her and cleared his throat. "We'd better get back." he said softly. Mandie nodded silently. Joe put his arm around her as they walked back to the house.

"I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to get you a birthday gift." Joe said as they walked.

"You being here is the only gift I could ever want." Mandie replied.

She knew what her answer would be when Joe finally proposed, and for her, his graduation couldn't come soon enough.

End of story.

Thanks for reading everyone. I'm sorry for the long delay in getting this final chapter written. I hope you all enjoyed it.