Soon after dinner, Mandie and her friends went to the parlor to talk with Johnathan and Janice in the parlor. Jonathan and his wife sat on a settee that they had pushed to the middle of the room, and everyone else gathered around them, on chairs or settees.
"Johnathan, tell us how you two met, and don't spare the details!" demanded Mandie, still indignant over not being invited to the wedding.
The other girls muttered their agreement.
Jonathan cleared his throat, and sat down, with Janice by his side.
Everyone grew quiet.
"Well, I was visiting Italy, I think it was Rome, and my father said we were going to a ball, with a lot of people. I don't rightly remember who was there, except my beautiful wife," began Johnathan, pausing to cast a loving glance towards Janice.
Janice smiled warmly.
"Then when the dances began, I thought I would just sit it out, and eat the snacks, but lo, I saw an angel!" said Johnathan dramatically.
Mandie and the other girls giggled.
Janice poked him in the ribs, giggling.
"You only saw me, a miserable wallflower, silly," Janice giggled.
Jonathan threw his arm over her shoulders, saying gallantly, "Leave the talking to me, my dear,"
"Anyway, I corked down the cheesecake, and I decided to ask her to dance, and she said yes, so we danced. I only knew her name, Janice Franceso. Then I found out, miracle of miracles, that she lived in New York as well. After the ball, I practically went mad! I could not let the lady get away with my heart! I located her, and I pursued her for months, before finally asking her to marry me, and fortunately, she said yes. That's all there is to it. Joe, Robert, Dimar, watch and learn." finished Johnathan.
"I already am an engaged man, Jonathan," put in Robert, smiling as he held Celia's hand.
"Good for you, my man! The married life is wonderful, when you have the right wife," said Johnathan, standing up to give him a hearty handshake and a clap on the back.
"I'm pretty sure I have the right one," said Robert, smiling at Celia.
Celia grinned back at him.
They stayed silent, not satisfied.
"Now, Jonathan only told you half the story, and he exaggerated greatly. I will tell you the proper story." said Janice, breaking the silence.
" So, first things first, I was born in France, around Paris. When I was a little girl my parents, my two brothers, and I moved to New York. We have a lot of family in both France and Italy, so we frequently visited both France and Italy at least once every year. I happened to be in Rome for the ball, and my family was invited. I was at the ball, sitting in a chair, when I saw this Americano, coming towards me. I used to think that Americanos were no good, but this Americano, he look Italian, with his black hair," said Janice, and then jokingly messed with Johnathan's hair.
"He asks me to dance, and I say yes, this Americano is interesting, and he is handsome," Janice continued, with a laugh.
"We danced and talked, and when the ball was over, all I thought of was him, and when I went to New York, I wanted to find him, but it is not ladylike to do that. I tried, as lady likely as I could, but then Johnathan found me. We courted for a while, and I was wondering when he would finally get around to marrying me, but Johnathan was a bit frightened, even though I would not bite," said Janice with a laugh, and then continued.
"So, one night, I gathered my courage, and I said to him, I love you. I think you love me, but when will you ask me to marry you, or will I have to ask you?" Janice paused.
All the young men roared, except Johnathan, who pretended to fiddle with his tie.
Mandie and her girlfriends also laughed, Celia and Sallie laughing harder, until tears wet their eyes.
Still laughing, Celia begged her to continue.
Janice chuckled a little.
"Johnathan, mon cheri, don't feel bad, if I hadn't asked you, we might not have been married at all," said Jancie, taking hold of her husband's hand and squeezing it warmly.
The young people laughed even more, although they tried to restrain it for the sake of Jonathan's dignity.
"Once I asked him that, he got on his knee, like the Americanos do, and asked me, although we both laughed a bit.
When it was our wedding day, at the altar, I do not know why, but suddenly I got fits of laughter, and I just could not stop giggling, Sacre bleu, I could not stop laughing!" said Janice, laughing at the memory.
Here Johnathan perked up, and interrupted.
"And then I started to laugh, and I had to say the vows between laughs. I think it meant we would have a laughter-filled marriage!" joked Johnathan, laughing with his wife.
"Sometimes I feel like we weren't rightly married at all!" exclaimed Janice.
Then both Johnathan and Janice broke out in merry laughter, while the other young people tittered nervously.
They gasped for breath, while Mandie and her friends watched them awkwardly.
"Well, you would have to be there to understand, but then we were married, and we went to Paris, and enjoyed about a week there, before returning to our home in New York." finished Janice.
The young people applauded, before soon falling to their own conversations.
Soon, the clock struck ten.
Janice yawned.
"Johnathan, we should go to sleep now, no?" asked Janice, sleepily tapping Johnathan's shoulder.
"You are tired, Mrs. Guyer, which means Mr. Guyer is too," said Johnathan, and then took her arm, leading her out of the room, both of them calling, 'Good night!'
Mandie giggled.
"Johnathan's sure acting like a married man," said Robert, grinning.
"I approve. They look so well together." said Mandie, smiling.
The others murmured their agreement.
Soon enough, Sallie, Dimar, Robert, and Celia were caught up in conversation. Joe sat there too, but mostly listened.
Mandie wandered around the room, pausing at the bookcase which was a ways off, and fingered the books, reading their titles. She recognized the books, and took one down and flipped through it.
She found a picture of a Victorian style ballroom, with couples waltzing in the middle. Mandie gave a little sigh, thinking of the big ball they were having. Mandie hoped she wouldn't have to talk with her Grandmother's rich, uppity friends the whole time.
"Good book?" asked a voice behind her, making Mandie jump.
"Joe! Why do you keep sneaking up on me?" asked Mandie, shutting the book abruptly, and putting it back.
"I don't try to sneak up on you," Joe said, wondering at Mandie's jumpiness.
Mandie sighed, and sank down on a settee nearby. Mandie rubbed her face with one hand.
"Mandie, I know you're probably tired and all, but have you thought about what I asked you yesterday?" asked Joe, also sitting down next to her.
Mandie bit her lip. Of course she had thought about it.
"Y-yes," Mandie said, cautiously.
"Have you got an answer?" continued Joe.
Mandie hesitated. On one hand, her Grandmother would probably have something to say about that. Rumors might spread. On the other hand, her Grandmother might make her dance with some rich, uppity young man. Then Mandie remembered the way her Grandmother had said that Joe and Mandie would be partners. Almost with scorn. Mrs. Taft had a way of making people do the opposite of what she thought best. If her Grandmother had said that Mandie couldn't possibly be partners with Joe, Mandie would have proudly accepted Joe, even if it meant asking him herself.
"I-i accept," said Mandie, in a voice barely above a whisper. After all, it was just a ball. It wasn't a marriage proposal.
Joe squeezed her hand.
"I suppose Polly and Tommy will be the only one without a partner," remarked Joe, taking a sip of his coffee.
Mandie perked up.
"Say, where has Polly been? She's usually the first one over to see me," said Mandie frowning.
"Liza said that their cook told our cook that she's engaged to some man in Charleston, and that she's only been in her room writing letters to him, or gaping over his pictures," Joe said.
Mandie gave a gasp.
"Joe," said Mandie excitedly, tugging at his sleeve even though his attention was fully on her.
"Do you think Polly is engaged to Tommy?" asked Mandie, giving a funny little shriek.
Joe grinned.
"Not a bad idea," Joe said.
Mandie giggled and clapped her hands.
"They really would get along. I don't know why I never thought of it before!" said Mandie.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up, if I were you, even if it is a pretty good match." warned Joe.
"What other man in Charleston is there that Polly would know?" asked Mandie, exasperated.
"There are other men in Charleston you know," Joe said.
"I know, but still! What other man would Polly know?" repeated Mandie.
"I don't know, Mandie, but I think it's no use arguing, and we won't know until we see Tommy, will we?" asked Joe.
Mandie gave a sigh.
"I suppose you're right," said Mandie.
A burst of laughter from Robert and Celia floated to them.
Joe yawned.
"Sleepy head," teased Mandie.
"What? Guess who wakes up before dawn? I do. Just like all country people do. Of course I'd be sleepy by this time." Joe said, sipping his rapidly cooling coffee.
"You just wait, I bet I'll be up before you are, drinking coffee here in the parlor," said Mandie.
"You've got a bet! But I've got to get to sleep if I want to be able to wake up," said Joe, getting up and stretching.
Mandie again noticed the lump in Joe's pocket, and eyed it curiously. It looked like a thick square shape.
Joe caught Mandie's eye. Although Mandie quickly turned back to the book, he knew she had seen the box he had in his pocket.
Joe stopped stretching.
"Well, good night, Mandie," said Joe, with a weak smile.
"Good night, Joe," said Mandie, giving him a quick smile.
Joe rushed out of the room.
"Good night, everyone!" called Joe.
"Good night, Joe!" they choursed.
'Why is Joe acting so weird? Is he hiding something? Could it be related to my Father's picture?' Mandie wondered. Joe was hiding something.
Joe rushed up the stairs, and went into the room the boys were sharing. He sat down on the bed, and took the velvet box out of his pocket and opened it.
There, in the velvety softness, lay a silver ring, with tiny little sparkling rubies surrounding a glittering diamond.
Joe took it out and examined it.
"Hopefully she likes it," he said to himself, with a short laugh.
He put the ring back, and buried it under his clothes in the drawer.
Voices came up the stairway.
Joe quickly went into the bathroom, and brushed his teeth.
Soon enough, Robert and Dimar came in. They all got ready for bed, and then got into the three beds that the Shaws had managed to fit in the room, with one larger than the other, which two of the boys would share when Tommy arrived.
"How did the powwow go, Joe?" asked Dimar once they were all in the same room.
"It went well, I have permission," said Joe with a weak smile.
"Good for you, Joe!" said Robert, clapping him on the back.
Dimar smiled with satisfaction.
"It's not all over now, Mandie might not say yes," warned Joe, with worry in his voice.
"Are you kidding? I don't even know Mandie that well, but from what I see, she trusts you, and I think she loves you." said Robert, trying to comfort Joe.
Joe let out a sigh, pulled the covers over himself, and muttered 'G'night,'
"Good night, Joe," replied Dimar and Robert.
They were soon sound asleep, and snoring. Joe took a while to get to sleep. He kept thinking, 'What if she said no?'
(~~~~)
Mandie opened her eyes, and blinked.
The sun was barely coming up. The sky was mostly dark, and bleak. It was 5:40 AM.
"I'd better get up, before Joe does," muttered Mandie.
Mandie quietly snuck out of bed, put on a dark blue dress with light blue trimmings, and combed her hair, and put in a braid, tying it with a light blue ribbon. Mandie put on a shawl, because it was cold in the house. Mandie snuck into the kitchen, and smelled coffee.
Aunt Lou and Liza were sitting down at the kitchen table, and eating breakfast.
"What are you doin' up so early, my chile?" demanded Aunt Lou, getting up and wiping her mouth on a napkin.
"I was just- awake, Aunt Lou," replied Mandie.
"What you goin' to want fo' breakfust?" asked Aunt Lou.
"Oh, I'm not that hungry yet, Aunt Lou. I'll just take some coffee and biscuits into the parlor," Mandie said, grasping the coffee container.
"Now you jus' get yo' hands off my kitchen, I'm gonna make you some coffee," scolded Aunt Lou, taking the container from her.
Mandie sighed, and sat down next to Liza at the table.
"Liza, where has Polly been these days? She would usually be the first one over here," Mandie asked.
Liza swallowed her food, and grinned.
"Dat miss sweet thang, she be engaged to some man from up in Charleston. You won't have to worry 'bout huh taking yo mistuh' doctuh's son, no mo'," said Liza, grinning.
Mandie blushed.
"That's all? Wouldn't she come over to tell us?" asked Mandie.
Liza shook her head.
"All she do is write to 'im, look at huh ring, and send dem fancy tel'grams, and look at his pictures all day. Huh cook tol' me dat huh man is comin' today," replied Liza.
Mandie gasped.
"Tommy is coming today! I was right! Tommy is engaged to Polly!" Said Mandie, clapping her hands together, and dancing around.
"Now, my chile, don't get yo' hopes up, she might be engaged to some other man from charley-ton," warned Aunt Lou.
Mandie made a face.
"You sound just like Joe. Is the coffee ready?" Mandie asked.
"Sho' is," said Aunt Lou.
"I'll take it, I want it in the parlor," said Mandie.
Aunt Lou handed it to her and Mandie walked out, with the coffee, into the parlor.
There in the parlor, sat Joe, reading a book and drinking coffee, by the crackling fire!
Mandie stomped her foot.
"Joe Woodard! I think you got up earlier on purpose! Why didn't Aunt Lou tell me?" sputtered Mandie, setting down the coffee and pulling a chair towards the fire.
Joe grinned.
"I asked her not to tell you," Joe said.
Mandie huffed, poured herself some coffee, and sat.
"I'll get you someday," muttered Mandie.
Joe grasped her hand.
"Maybe someday, but I'd rather get used to waking up earlier than my future wife," Joe said, with a smile.
Mandie blushed deeply, and couldn't help smiling back. It was nice to know that Joe wanted to keep his word, but the same fear haunted Mandie; 'What if I don't actually love him in that way?'