Chapter 1: The Crash
"Oh I can't wait to be home!" Amanda Shaw said to her friend Celia Hamilton, who giggled at her as they stepped out of the train station. Mandie smoothed down her blue traveling dress.
"I know, it's all you've been talking about."
"Well yes- Uncle John!" Mandie said loudly and started waving at her uncle who was also her stepfather. Her father had died when she was almost twelve and her mother, Elizabeth, married her Uncle John sometime later.
"Hello, Amanda and Celia." John Shaw said coming up to them and taking their bags.
"Hi Mr. Shaw." Celia said.
"There is a surprise waiting for you in the buggy, Amanda." He said smiling at her.
"There is? What is it?" Mandie said, confused.
"You'll have to wait and see. Now come on," John led them away from the train station. They walked to the buggy and Mandie saw someone standing next to the horse.
"Joe!" Mandie squealed and ran to the car to see her lifelong friend, Joe Woodard. What a wonderful surprise! Mandie thought as she hugged him.
"Hello, Mandie." Joe said when she pulled away from the hug.
"I didn't know that you'd be coming for Christmas!" Mandie said, and Joe laughed.
"Well of course. I wouldn't miss Christmas at your Uncle John's house. I begged for an hour to let me come with him." Joe teased.
"Sure you did!" Mandie laughed, "Let's get home now!" Mandie said getting into the back of the cart with Celia.
"You mean go home." Joe teased as he sat down on the seat next to Mandie.
"Oh shush, Joe, you know what I mean."
"Everyone is waiting for you and Celia at the house." John said putting the girls bags in the back of the buggy before sitting down in the front seat and got the horse going.
"Everyone?" Mandie questioned.
"Yes. Your mother, your grandmother, Jonathan, Mr. Guyer, Tommy, Robert, Sallie, Uncle Ned, Morning Star, Dimar, Tsa'ni, and Uncle Wirt."
"Oh my, that is everyone! What a full house there is this Christmas!" Mandie exclaimed.
"Oh and Polly." John added. Great, Polly's gonna be there. Mandie silently thought. "And someone named April Snow, stopped by the house yesterday." Mandie and Celia gasped.
"April Snow?!"
"Yes, isn't that what I just said?" John laughed.
"Uncle John…" Mandie said hesitantly, "Did you let her stay?"
"Why yes, she and Polly are sharing a room right next to your room." No, not next to me! Maybe I could convince Uncle John to move them down the hall… Mandie thought.
"Uncle John?"
"Yes?"
"Could you move Polly and April to a different room, please?"
"Well I suppose, but the only other room is the room that Joe and Jonathan are staying in."
"Oh well-"
"Me and Jonathan can move into Polly and April's old room and they move to ours, Mr. Shaw." Joe spoke up, looking at Mandie with a smile.
"That is very kind of you Joe, but you need to check with your roommate first."
"Yes, Mr. Shaw."
"Thanks, Joe." Mandie whispered.
"Of course, I know how much you dislike Polly and April." Joe replied and squeezed Mandie's hand. Celia sat quietly looking at the exchange of feelings passed between her friends, and she smiled.
"What are you smiling at, Celia?" Mandie asked, curiously.
"Oh just wondering what mystery we'll be getting ourselves into this time." Celia said, still smiling.
"Oh hush! I'm sure there won't be any mystery this time." Mandie replied.
"Knowing you, Mandie, if there's not a mystery, you'll find one or make one." Joe said, laughing.
"Joe Woodard! I don't go around looking for mysteries, they find me!" Mandie glared at Joe.
Celia seeing the sudden tension between her friends spoke up, "Mandie, don't forget that we'll need to go Christmas shopping!"
Mandie understood that her friend was trying to ease the tension between her and Joe. "Oh yes! I will talk to my mother and see if she can take you, me, and Sallie shopping tomorrow."
"Hey, what about me?" Joe teased.
"Well, Uncle John could take you, Jonathan, Tommy, and Robert shopping too. Could you Uncle John?" Mandie asked, looking at her Uncle.
"Well I suppose so, just we'll need to leave at dawn." John said.
"Why is that?" Mandie frowned.
"Well I have to take Tommy and Robert home tomorrow at noon."
"What? Why?"
"They wanted to say hello to you ladies but they also want to be home for Christmas."
"Oh," Mandie said and looked outside. "How is Snowball?" Mandie asked.
"He is fine, well he came and messed up mine and Jonathan's beds this morning." Joe grumbled.
"I'm sure he didn't know any better!" Mandie said back angrily.
"I know I'm sorry Mandie." Joe said looking at her.
Mandie took a deep breath, "It's fine."
All of the sudden there was a loud bang as another buggy hit theirs Mandie screamed as their buggy tipped over.