Heyyy! I hope you all are enjoying Autumn and it's hot chocolate, cozy blankets, good books, yummy smelling candles, and coloured leaves. I think I have this story pretty much finished there should be another five chapters I think. Knowing me I'm going to totally change the ending but whatever! I hope you enjoy chapter 10:)

Review responses:

CantDecideOnUsername: Thank you so much! That's honestly the nicest compliments I've gotten on this story. I'm so happy that you're writing Mandie stories! P.s. Liza is one of my favourite characters too, I love her so much!

Erin-Elizabeth: Yes I finally updated:P I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Booklover: I'm going to continue to write for sure. I'm also considering writing a second story, but I think I need to finish this one first.

Shopping wasn't going so well for Mandie. Everyone but Mandie, Alice, and Mary Lou had found a dress. They walked through the store, they were talking about all the engagements.

"I wonder who will be engaged next?" Mary Lou said.

"Maybe Polly and Joe?" Suggested Alice. Mandie's heart skipped a beat.

"What makes you say that?" Mandie asked surprised.

"They just seem to be… meant for eachother." Alice said shrugging.

"Ooooh. I think I found a dress." Mary Lou said spotting a yellow coloured dress. Mandie's heart felt cold from the words Alice had just said.

"I think I'll get this one." Mary Lou told them.

"Could I get the same dress in purple, do you mind?" Alice asked Mary Lou. The two girls went to pay for their findings. As soon as they left Mandie frowned. She wouldn't let thoughts of Joe and how he had changed ruin her Christmas. Mandie looked around with a heavy heart. Suddenly her heart soared she saw the most beautiful blue and gold dress she'd ever seen. Mandie went to try it on, it fit perfectly. Excitedly Mandie went to pay for the dress and left the store with high spirits.

Mary Lou and Alice were waiting outside the store for Mandie.

"The other girls went across the street to that little restaurant." Mary Lou said pointing across the street. The girls walked over. Mandie saw someone that looked like Joe going into a jewelry store. "Why would Joe be going into a store like that?" Mandie thought to herself. She was going to shout to him but he had disappeared. Mandie didn't think anymore about it as they ate lunch.

Later back at home Mandie and Celia were in there room trying on their dresses, Sallie had gone for a walk.

"Celia, you are absolutely stunning." Mandie said trying to imitate Robert's voice. Celia giggled.

"You look stunning yourself." Celia said trying and not succeeding to imitate Joe's voice. Mandie sighed, it had been a long day and they were expected in the sitting room at any moment to decorate for the ball tomorrow.

"Care to dance?" Celia asked Mandie holding out her hand and thinking it would boost her friends spirits. Celia giggled as they clumsily waltzed around the room. Mandie smiled.

"We had better get downstairs, Polly and her mother must be over by now."

"That's right we've got to keep Polly away from 'the doctuhs son.'" Celia said smirking.

"I've decided to give up on Joe, he's changed so much. He's not the same person he was before." Mandie was thinking about Joe. "Oh Celia, I found this earlier in the bureau. What is it all about?" Mandie said showing Celia the note she'd found earlier. Celia's eyes got wide and she snatched the note from Mandie's grasp.

"Oh that's just for a brooch I asked Joe to help me find." Celia said avoiding eye contact with Mandie.

"What does the size 6 mean?"

"Oh that's nothing. Let's go help decorate in the sitting room." Celia said going to change out of her dress. Mandie was completely bewildered and more confused than ever with the way Celia was acting but she went on and changed her dress anyways and the girls went to help decorate the sitting room. Mandie was completely confused and a little upset. Joe was sending notes to Celia and sending love notes to Polly. She tried to act normal as she went to the sitting room but couldn't help frown when she saw Polly.

"Why hello Mandie we've been waiting for you to come down to help decorate for the ball." Polly said when she made her way to Mandie.

"Hello Polly, but y'all could've started decorating without me."

"I need volunteers to decorate outside the house, in the sitting room, and I need volunteers to find a Christmas tree." Uncle John raised his voice so everyone could hear.

"I'll stay inside." Polly volunteered.

"I'll decorate outside if Celia would like to." Robert said.

"I'd like to help decorate outside too." Alice said holding Jonathan's arm.

"I suppose I'll decorate outside with Alice then." Jonathan said.

"I feel like staying indoors." Tommy told them all.

"We'll stay inside to decorate." George said with Mary Lou at his elbow.

"Uncle John, I'd love to go find a Christmas tree!" Mandie said excitedly. Finding a tree was one of the best parts of Christmas.

"I'll go with Mandie." Sallie volunteered.

"We might as well go with these two to keep them out of trouble." Joe said rolling his eyes at Dimar. Mandie stiffened and avoided Joe's gaze.

"I go with papooses to find tree." Uncle Ned said from the corner.

"That's settled then. When everyone has finished their jobs we'll have supper." Uncle John said.

"I'm going to take Snowball!" Mandie said excitedly as they went to put on their coats.

"Mandie don't take that cat with you, he always gets into trouble." Joe said exasperated.

"Joe Woodard, if you don't want me to take Snowball with me then I won't but remember he saved your life by finding you when the Catawba man kidnapped you? And you can't boss me around like that." Mandie said stomping her foot. Sallie, Dimar, and Uncle Ned looked surprised as they witnessed Mandie's outburst. When Mandie realised she'd burst out she said.

"I'm sorry Joe, y'all can go on without me." Mandie said walking outside by herself and going to sit by the shed began to cry from shame. Why couldn't she have smiled and walked away and done as Uncle Ned always told her 'think before act'. Mandie saw Uncle Ned come out the door. He walked over and sat beside Mandie.

"What troubles papoose?" Uncle Ned asked.

"Oh Uncle Ned, I don't think Joe loves me anymore. He's changed and I was in the secret tunnel when I found a love note to Polly and I think it's from Joe." Mandie said she felt like she was going to cry, it felt so good to get that out and tell someone,

"Papoose love Joe?"

"No, Maybe, Yes?" Mandie said feeling embarrassed.

"Papoose love Joe!" Mandie blushed. "Why no tell Joe?"

"I didn't realize I loved him until now… And I was scared." Mandie said hesitantly.

"Papoose must tell Joe love." Uncle Ned said.

"Can we say my verse Uncle Ned?" Uncle Ned nodded and they joined hands.

"What times I'm afraid I put my trust in thee." they said together.

"I'll tell Joe I love him, I will whether he loves me or not I just need to find the right moment. But why does Joe seem changed? He always told me he would never change."

"Joe no change, papoose not seen Joe for long time." then realization hit Mandie.

"Oh Uncle Ned it wasn't Joe who changed it was me!" Uncle Ned smiled sadly and nodded.

"Papoose no change. Papoose not see Joe much."

"You're right Uncle Ned, neither of us changed we just haven't seen eachother in ages. Oh, I should've gone down to visit him at his university."

Uncle Ned nodded and smiled at Mandie's realization. "Joe confused like papoose, not sure papoose love him."

"Oh Uncle Ned what shall I do?"

"Papoose be self and tell Joe love." Uncle Ned told her.

"I can't though."

"If papoose love Joe then papoose must tell

"I'm scared Uncle Ned, but I'll try."

Let me know what you think about this chapter, your reviews usually remind me to update sooner. Here's a question, who's your favourite Mandie character other than Joe or Mandie? I really love Liza and Jonathan. I love that Liza is always reminding Mandie about the competition between her and Polly for Joe. I also really love the relationship between Mandie and Liza because Liza is a servant and Mandie is Uncle John's niece but they treat eachother equally. And really who doesn't love Jonathan? I absolutely love the humour he adds to the books and the rivalry between him and Joe is fun to read about. Anyways I'll hopefully add another chapter soon!

~MandieFan