Hello everyone! Shoutout to MandieMystereiesAreTheBest, Mandie Shaw, Sportsgal1999, and Lucy Anna Grace, for your kind reviews! ( Lucy Anna Grace, Sorry, I don't do PMs! You can message me through the reviews though, and I will answer through the intro!) I will try as much as I can to post chapters often! QUESTION OF THE CHAPPIE: What would be a good song for Joe right now? (Choose a song from the 80's!)
I would say 'Please forgive me.'
I am writing this right after my riding lessons, and shoutout to Sage, the lil' pony who was an *awesome* lil' pony for me as I groomed her. (I didn't ride because it had rained recently and the corral was swampy) ='(
Anyway, Now I'm rambling about the ponies.
(Also, I apologize for any grammatical errors!)
Without further ado, I present the chapter.
-EquestrianIntrovert
Chapter 2
'Meow!'
Mandie awoke with a start. Snowball was standing on her pillow, and had meowed in her ear. Mandie stretched in bed, and slipped out of bed.
Celia sat up in bed, and rubbed her eyes.
"Good morning, Mandie," said Celia, as she slipped on her robe.
"Good morning, Celia," said Mandie.
"I suppose I'll wear my hair in a braid today," remarked Mandie, as she combed her hair.
"And I'll wear mine in a bun, since your Mother doesn't seem to like young ladies wearing their hair loose," said Celia, as she slipped into a green dress with orange trimmings.
"Oh, Celia! Mother won't mind, I think it's just something she would force me to do if we went somewhere, or if we had fancy, stuck-up company," said Mandie, tying a blue ribbon on her braid.
"Oh, alright," said Celia, as she reluctantly left her hair loose with a green ribbon.
Mandie quickly dressed in a rosy red dress with blue trimmings.
"Ready?" asked Mandie, as Celia and she added finishing touches.
"Ready," said Celia, as she smiled at herself in the mirror.
They went downstairs, and finding no one, went into the kitchen.
"Aunt Lou, where is everybody?" asked Mandie.
"Everybody 'cept mistuh Shaw, da doctuh, and the doctuh's son be sleepin'," said Aunt Lou, as she stirred the pot of grits she was cooking.
"Thanks, Aunt Lou," replied Mandie, as she and Celia went out of the kitchen, to avoid a scolding.
"Well, they're not here, let's check the parlor," said Mandie, as she looked at the empty dining room.
They walked to the parlor, and looked inside the doorway.
Sitting there, grinning at them, were John, , Joe, Dimar, and Uncle Ned!
"Uncle Ned!" cried Mandie, as she ran to hug him.
"Papoose!" said Uncle Ned, as he patted her blonde head.
Mandie kissed his leathery cheek.
"Papoose number two," said Uncle Ned, smiling at Celia.
"Hello, Uncle Ned," said Celia, side-hugging him.
"When did y'all arrive?" asked Mandie, casting questioning gazes on Uncle Ned and Dimar.
"They arrived about twenty minutes ago," said John, looking at the clock.
"Where is Morning Star? And Sallie?" asked Mandie.
"They go to room, wash faces," said Uncle Ned.
"I suppose you're used to waking up late, like a city girl now," teased Joe, with a grin.
"Oh, Joe! I did not wake up late!" said Mandie, blushing at being called a city girl.
"According to a farmer, you have, I've been up since 5:00," said Joe grinning.
"Oh, Joe, leave Mandie alone, she had a long journey," said , patting Joe's hand.
Joe flushed slightly.
"Uncle John, when will Grandmother be here?" asked Mandie, to change the subject.
" will be coming on the 12:00 train," replied John, looking at his watch.
Just then Morning Star, Sallie, Elizabeth, and came in.
"Hello, Morning Star, and Sallie!" said Mandie, as she hugged her friends.
"Love," said Morning Star, smiling at Mandie.
"I love you too, Morning Star," smiled Mandie.
"Hello, Mandie!" said Sallie, as she hugged Mandie and sat down.
Everyone greeted each other, and they talked for a while.
"Breakfus' be ready!" announced Liza, as she danced into the room, and back out.
They followed Liza into the dining room, and sat down.
Celia and Sallie sat next to Mandie, and Joe and Dimar sat in front of them.
They hungrily ate eggs, bacon, grits, country potatoes, and biscuits 'n gravy.
"Joe, you are tan, like a farmer. I thought you were going to be a lawyer," said Dimar, grinning at Joe.
Joe blushed.
"I am, but I was helping Smith with his field, and repaint his barn. Just because I'm going to be a lawyer doesn't mean I'm a city man, I'm still a country man." explained Joe, glancing at Mandie through the corner of his eyes.
Mandie wondered why he glanced at her. She wouldn't admit, but she knew why. And she felt that it was okay.
Joe had said they would marry once they finished school. It was nice to know that he intended on keeping his word. But would she want to? Did she actually love him?
Mandie pushed these questions aside, and continued eating.
They listened to the adults talk, and once they finished, John said he, , and Uncle Ned were going to town, on errands, and pick up .
The women decided to go into the parlor and work on some quilting.
The young adults decided to go into the other parlor.
"Y'all can play checkers or chess," suggested Mandie, as they didn't know what to do.
"Well, which one of you would like to play chess with me?" asked Dimar.
"I will!" Said Celia.
Mandie looked surprised.
Celia noticed that she looked surprised.
"You didn't know that I play chess, Mandie?" asked Celia.
"N-no," said Mandie, still surprised at her eagerness to play chess.
"I love to play chess! I thought I had told you before," said Celia, surprised.
"I guess I never asked," said Mandie jokingly.
Sallie eagerly sat down to watch the game.
"I wonder who will win, since I know Dimar also plays chess, and he plays very well, although I have never seen Celia play." said Sallie.
Joe tugged at Mandie's hand.
Mandie turned around.
"Want to take a quick walk outside?" whispered Joe.
"With Sallie?" whispered Mandie.
"Just us," whispered Joe.
Mandie nodded.
They walked outside.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about, Joe?" asked Mandie, puzzled.
"Well," said Joe, running his fingers through his unruly hair, an action familiar to Mandie.
Joe sighed and frowned as he looked into the distance.
"I'm listening," said Mandie, touching his arm.
"I-i just wanted to say that I missed you something awful, and I'm awfully glad you're home." said Joe quickly, blushing.
Mandie blushed as well.
"I've missed you too, Joe." said Mandie softly, refusing to look into his face.
"I still want to marry you," whispered Joe, who also refused to look into her face.
Mandie flushed even more.
"O-oh, Joe," stuttered Mandie, who didn't know what else to say.
Joe now looked in her face, his eyes full of fear and suspicion.
"Is it another boy?" asked Joe fearfully.
"No! I-i just-don't know what to say, I guess," stammered Mandie.
Joe quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"I guess we should go back to the house, and see how the chess game is going," said Mandie, still blushing.
Joe saw her blushing, and squeezed her hand, making her redden even more.
Joe hoped it meant something. He knew it was wrong to get his hopes up, but he couldn't help it. A little smile played on his lips, as they went back in the house, still holding hands.