Okay guys! I saw my last chapter was ruined somehow, with a bunch of stuff the computer must have added in. I don't know why, nor how, but I'm hoping that if I re-do it, it will fix itself. here goes!
~EQUESTRIANINTROVERT
Chapter 7
Joe and Mandie both stared at the fire, sipping coffee. Mandie slowly untensed as the coffee made her warm, and she felt a little drowsy with no sound except the fire crackling.
"Mandie?" asked Joe softly.
"Mmm?" Mandie replied.
"Do you still remember our favorite verse?" asked Joe.
Mandie blinked questioningly. Mandie never knew that it was Joe's favorite too.
"What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee, Psalms… fifty-something…" Mandie trailed off.
"Psalms fifty-six, verse three," finished Joe.
"Yes, that," agreed Mandie.
"You've forgotten it?" asked Joe, a tone of worry in his voice.
"No! No, I just… haven't said it in a long time…" faltered Mandie.
Joe leaned over to whisper in Mandie's ear, although no one was there.
"You taught me to say that verse when I was scared, Mandie, and when I was in college, it helped me a lot," said Joe, with a smile, grasping her hand.
Mandie blushed, as Joe didn't let go of her hand.
'Oh, shucks, no one is here to see anyway,' Mandie told herself, and then decided the best way to escape was by teasing.
"I thought you never got scared," Mandie teased.
"Everyone gets scared, Mandie, even I do," replied Joe seriously.
"That's true," Mandie replied, growing solemn.
"Although your letters kept me going for quite a while," said Joe, teasingly.
"Oh, Joe," laughed Mandie.
The tension was broken, but they soon fell silent again, staring into the fire, Joe still holding Mandie's hand.
"So! What are you two doing up so early?" asked a familiar voice.
"Uncle John!" exclaimed Mandie, jumping up, dropping Joe's hand, and turning around to see her uncle pulling a chair close to the fire, hiding a smile.
"Was I interrupting? Shall I leave?" inquired John hugging his niece and then waiting for an answer.
"Nothing except the silence, Mr. Shaw, come join us," invited Joe, moving his chair aside to make room for John.
"Thank you, Joe, I believe that your father and Uncle Ned are soon to join us, so I'll make room for them too," said John, moving his chair.
Mandie also moved her chair, silently hoping Sallie, Celia, or any female would come down soon. Mandie didn't want to be the only girl there.
Dr. Woodard and Uncle Ned entered the room.
"Good morning, Dr. Woodard, Uncle Ned," said Mandie, rushing to hug Uncle Ned.
"Why papoose up so early?" inquired Uncle Ned, returning the hug.
Mandie hesitated.
"I just was awake," said Mandie truthfully.
"Mandie," warned Joe, giving her a knowing smile.
"Well I was!" Mandie said.
"What papoose do?" insisted Uncle Ned, his eyes twinkling.
Mandie sighed.
"I wanted to be the first one awake, at least awake before Joe," Mandie confessed, giving Joe a teasing frown.
Uncle Ned nodded, and sat down.
"Looks like it stopped snowing, finally," remarked Dr. Woodard.
"It's a fine day for you youngsters to play in the snow," said Uncle John, sipping his coffee.
"What about you, Uncle John? I'm sure you can play in the snow as well as we do," said Mandie, grinning at John.
"My dear niece, as much as you believe that your uncle can do anything, he is growing old, and is not as young as he used to be," said John teasingly.
"Good morning," called Sallie, entering the room with Dimar.
"Good morning, Sallie, Dimar," said Mandie, pulling a chair for Sallie next to her.
Soon enough everyone was in the parlor, talking and laughing merrily. Then, a door opened, and slammed shut, and a familiar voice called.
"Hello? Liza, where is Mandie?" asked the voice, known as Polly's.
"Quick, run!" whispered Joe to Mandie teasingly.
Polly came into the parlor, wearing a lavender dress with white trimmings, and a fashionable fur coat. Her hair was loose, tied back with a lavender ribbon.
"Good Morning!" trilled Polly, rushing to give Mandie a bear-hug.
Mandie returned the hug, surprised.
Polly continued to hug Celia and Sallie, and greet everyone.
Mandie wondered why Polly hadn't attempted to flirt yet, and then remembered that Polly was engaged.
"Why Johnathan, who is this you haven't introduced me to?" asked Polly motioning to Janice.
"Janice, meet Polly Cornwallis, Polly, meet Janice Guyer," said Johnathan, grinning broadly.
Polly squealed.
"Oh! You got married! How wonderful!" Polly exclaimed, hugging the surprised Janice. Once Polly had greeted everyone, she sank onto a chair.
"Oh! You couldn't guess what happened to me!" squealed Polly.
"No, I suppose I couldn't," replied Joe, winking at Mandie.
Polly cast Joe a skeptical look, and then continued.
"I'm engaged! To the most wonderful man in the world!" squealed Polly.
Everyone except Mandie and Joe gave surprised exclamations.
"Who's the man?" asked Mandie eagerly.
Polly looked surprised.
"He hasn't told you? I'm engaged to none other than Thomas Patton! And he is supposed to arrive today!" Polly said, and gave another squeal.
Everyone gave exclamations of surprise, and congrats, and then Johnathan and Janice talked rapidly with her about married life.
Mandie grinned at Joe, who winked at her.
Polly soon drifted towards Mandie, and again gave her a bear hug.
"Oh, Mandie! I'm so grateful for you! I would never have met Tommy if it hadn't been for you! Oh, thank you, ever so much!" said Polly.
Mandie returned the hug, and felt a genuine liking for this changed Polly. She was no longer the flirty, uppity girl she once was. Tommy had cured her of that.
"Ahem, Dimar and I also have something to announce," said Sallie.
Mandie gasped.
Dimar stood up.
"Sallie and I are engaged, and you all are invited to our wedding, on January the 15th," announced Dimar, and then sat down.
Everyone exclaimed once more, and rushed to congratulate the couple.
Then, the bell rang. They heard Liza's quick steps, the door open, and footsteps march to the parlor.
"Is Polly here?" asked a young man, also known as Tommy, who was wearing a black coat, scarf, and a hat, and the latest style for men. He glanced at everyone, searching for Polly.
"Tommy!" shrieked Polly, as she practically flew into him, almost knocking him over.
"Polly!" exclaimed Tommy, embracing Polly. Tommy glanced up at everyone.
"Hello," he said, with a smile.
Polly finally let go of Tommy, and stayed by his side like a faithful dog, although Tommy did the same.
They all talked with Tommy, until Liza came in to say:
"Time fo' eatin'!"
So they went to the dining room, and ate until they were full.
"So, Mandie, what are we doing today?" asked Joe, with a smile.
Mandie pursed her lips and thought for a second.
"Well, Uncle John said we 'youngsters' ought to go play in the snow," suggested Mandie.
"It sounds like fun," agreed Sallie, and Dimar nodded.
"I will go if Robert will defend me in the snowball fights," said Celia, with a whimsical smile.
"It will be my pleasure," said Robert, smiling at Celia.
"If Tommy goes, I will go," said Polly, leaning her head on Tommy's shoulder.
"We ought to team up, in that case, Robert with Celia, Tommy with Polly, Sallie with Dimar," suggested Joe.
The couples agreed.
"And leave me to fight alone?" pouted Mandie.
Joe grinned.
"Not if you team up with me," Joe said.
Mandie hesitated.
"Alright then, it's on," Mandie finally agreed.
'Joe has really been with me a lot,' Mandie thought.
"What are we waiting for? Let us girls tie up our hair and put on scarves and coats, then we will be ready!" said Celia standing up.
"Oh, I have to go back to my house to get my coat and such," said Polly, with a frown.
"I'll escort you there," offered Tommy.
Polly brightened, and nodded.
They all stood up, and started to walk to their rooms, except Polly and Tommy, who headed for the door.
"Where are y'all going?" inquired John, when he saw them leaving.
"We're going to play in the snow, like you said, Mr. Shaw," answered Joe.
"And Polly has to go to her house to get her coat and such," added Mandie.
John nodded.
"Polly, tell your mother to come over!" called Elizabeth, as they left the room.
"I will, Mrs. Shaw!" called back Polly.
Mandie and the rest of her friends went up the stairs, and into their rooms.
"Mandie, no grudges whether we win or lose, right?" asked Celia, as she pinned her hair into a bun.
Mandie smiled.
"Of course not, Celia. We'll always be friends," said Mandie, who was also pinning her hair up.
Sallie came over to hug them.
"The best of friends," said Sallie happily.
Mandie nodded.
"The best," she echoed.
They pinned up their hair, and put on gloves, scarves, and their sturdy shoes.
They went down stairs, to find the boys standing by the doorway, with their coats, scarves, and gloves on.
"Ready?" asked Robert, as he stood by Celia's side.
"Ready," replied Celia, smiling.
Joe opened the door.
"Ladies first!" invited Joe, opening the door wide.
The girls went out, followed by the boys. The air was crisp and cold, and the snow piled high.
They walked nimbly along the icy walkway, and then climbed onto the fluffy snow, sinking a little with each step.
"Woah!" exclaimed Robert, as his foot sank down a few inches.
"It snowed a lot!" Dimar remarked, as he helped Sallie.
"Alright, everyone has their teammate, right?" asked Joe.
They nodded in agreement.
"Now we just have to wait for Tom and Poll," said Joe, glancing at the Cornwallis house, some distance away.
Mandie also glanced towards the Cornwallis house, and then saw three figures tramping through the snow towards them.
They soon arrived, leaving Mrs. Cornwallis to enter the house.
"It's sure cold!" said Tommy, once he and Polly were with the group.
"Sure it is, it's got to be cold to snow!" said Robert grinning.
"Alright, now that everyone's present, let's not start throwing snow around just yet, if we're going to have teams, we ought to have some sort of division, or base, agreed?" asked Joe.
"Agreed," replied Mandie, for all of them.
"Then we'll all choose a spot to stick to, and y'all can make a trench of some sort if you want," said Joe.
"Last one to build is a rotten egg!" shouted Robert, as he pulled a laughing Celia towards a tree, and started to scoop snow with his gloved hands.
"You heard him! Let's go!" shouted Mandie, with youthful glee.
Mandie marched towards another tree, and started to scoop snow rapidly.
All the couples selected their spots, some by a tree, and some in the open.
Joe ran over towards Mandie and scooped snow with his gloved hands also.
In no more than five minutes, all the couples had a wall around them, and were starting to form snowballs.
"Everybody ready?!" shouted Joe.
"Ready!" one or the other of the teams shouted.
"Let the snowball fight begin!" shouted Mandie, as she flung a snowball towards Tommy and Polly.
They all started to shout and laugh, as snowballs flew to and fro.
"We'll beat 'em, Mandie! These city slickers don't know how country people fight!" laughed Joe, over the commotion.
"Who are you calling a city slicker? City slickers can fight pretty well too!" shouted Johnathan from his fort, and threw a snowball that hit Joe's shoulder.
"City slickers!" yelled Joe, throwing a snowball that hit Johnathan's shoulder, and slipped down his neck.
"Country boys!" yelled Johnathan, returning the shot.
"City slicker yourselves!" shouted Robert throwing a snowball at Johnathan, while Celia threw one at Joe.
"Hey!" shouted both Johnathan and Joe at the same time.
"I am shocked at your behavior, Mrs. Rogers!" Shouted Joe, sounding mortified, while throwing a light and small snowball at her shoulder.
Celia grinned and blushed, but continued to throw snowballs all around.
Mandie began laughing heartily, and stopped throwing snowballs.
Jonathan mischievously aimed a snowball at her, and was throwing it when Joe caught his glance.
"Mandie, It isn't fair for me to do all the work!" said Joe, laughing, as the snowball hit her arm.
Mandie's laughter dwindled down to giggles, and she started to scoop up the snow, and throw snowballs.
The adults watched the young people from the parlor window, and laughed as they watched the snow fly and heard the hilarious things being said.
"I wouldn't mind going out there myself," announced John, standing up and getting his coat, scarf, and gloves.
"Neither would I," said Dr. Woodard, who followed suit.
"Elizabeth, how about showing those youngsters how to properly do a snowball fight?" asked Mrs. Woodard.
"I think I will!" agreed Elizabeth laughingly.
The elderly people stayed inside.
"Watch out, kids! We're experienced!" shouted Dr. Woodard, picking up some snow, and throwing a straight shot that hit Joe.
"Dad!" shouted Joe, throwing another shot towards him.
Mrs. Woodard appeared, and the snow hit her skirt instead. She whirled around to see Joe's guilty face, Mandie's laughing one, and the other young people looking amused.
"Joseph Woodard! If you weren't so tall, I'd bend you over my knee right now!" scolded Mrs. Woodard, brushing off her skirt, and then flinging a snowball back to him.
Joe turned red, and then started to make more snowballs.
"Amanda! Hold your fire! Your poor mother has to make it down the steps!" called Elizabeth, stepping cautiously.
Mandie stood up, laughing, and tried to step up the steep wall, but missed, and fell backwards, on the fluffy snow.
Elizabeth laughed heartily, her laughter ringing like bells. Elizabeth was not heard laughing heartily very often, and it tickled Mandie, as she laughed even harder.
Joe laughed also, and tried to pick up Mandie.
Mandie, who was practically paralyzed by laughter, could not get up, even with Joe pulling her hands. So, Mandie lay there awhile, until her laughter subsided.
The other teams slyly began to throw snowballs at each other once more, avoiding Mandie and Joe.
"Ready to get up yet?" asked Joe laughingly.
Mandie nodded, still laughing, and took Joe's hand.
Joe pulled her up, and Mandie brushed herself off.
By this time, the adults, who were sneakily building a fort, had finished.
"Alright kids, give it all you got!" shouted John, throwing a snowball.
They settled back into their places, and continued their snowball fight. Soon enough, Tommy and Polly dropped out, leaving their fort empty, and then Robert and Celia. They went inside, saying it was cold when you sat doing nothing.
Mandie, tired of hunching down in one place, sneakily climbed out, and hid behind a tree, throwing snowballs.
Joe saw her, and joined her.
"I know why you came here! You can see and throw better here than inside our fort!" said Joe, dodging a snowball.
"Yep!" replied Mandie, throwing a sly ball at her mother.
"Amanda!" exclaimed Elizabeth, and then threw a snowball that hit Mandie.
Mandie laughed.
"I never knew you could harm your own child, Mother!" laughed Mandie.
"I never knew you would harm your own Mother, Amanda!" called back Elizabeth, laughing.
Mandie laughed, and stooped to make a snowball, when Joe saw a snowball, coming fast and hard towards Mandie's face. That would hurt. Joe almost instinctively grabbed Mandie in a hug, and pulled her behind the tree, so the snowball wouldn't hit her.
Mandie, confused, looked up into Joe's face, and then realized what happened. Mandie blushed deeply, and backed away.
"What was that about?" she asked.
Joe also blushed at his rash action.
"The snowball was going to hit you in the face," he explained, almost apologetically.
"Then you should have let it hit me, to teach me not to stand out in the open!" teased Mandie, and picked up the snowball that had landed.
Jonathan grinned knowingly.
Mandie saw him, and knew he had seen the whole thing. Mandie threw the snowball at him, making him yelp.
Soon enough the adults dropped out, and the battle grew fierce between Johnathan and Janice, and Joe and Mandie. They both
"Joe, Mandie, how about we make a deal, if the two of us get hit once more, we lose, but if we get both of you, you lose!" panted Johnathan, obviously tired.
"Deal!" panted Mandie, also tired.
Joe nodded in agreement.
Jonathan and Janice took shelter behind a tree, and threw snowballs from behind the tree.
Mandie ducked behind a tree and thought for a moment. This needed to end already. Then, Mandie came up with a plan. She crept to the tree where Joe was hiding, and explained to him her plan in low tones.
Joe grinned, and nodded.
They both dodged between the ruins of the forts, taking care that Johnathan and Janice did not see them. Then, they were behind them, and Johnathan and Janice did not see them.
"They disappeared!" exclaimed Janice in surprise.
Joe and Mandie carefully aimed, and were able to hit both Johnathan and Janice from behind.
"Oh!" exclaimed both Johnathan and Janice, turning in surprise.
Mandie laughed at their surprised faces, and Joe grinned.
Jonathan brushed off himself, and then his wife. He extended his hand towards Joe with a friendly grin.
"Good game, country boy," said Johnathan.
"Good game, city slicker," Joe replied, returning the smile.
Janice watched him, and followed suit.
"I declare, you country people certainly know how to snowball fight!" laughed Janice, shaking Mandie's hand.
Mandie laughed too.
"Let's go inside, and have a nice hot cup of hot cocoa," said Mandie, walking towards the door.
"I agree!" Joe said, catching up to Mandie.
They went inside and entered the parlor, where everyone was having hot cocoa.
"Hooray for the winners!" cheered Celia.
"Hooray!" they choursed.
They all sat down to have hot cocoa, and spent the day inside.
The days passed by until the ball.