Mandie awoke to hear a piano playing the bridal march. She sat upright, puzzled. She then remembered that she was married to Joe, and that her husband was probably downstairs, playing the piano.
She blushed, but beamed with happiness.
Mandie got out of bed, and dressed in a dark blue gingham, with white trimmings. She combed her hair in a bun, and put on her shoes. She looked at herself critically in the mirror, and thought. She was now married to Joe.
'I am now! I wonder what I would have thought a couple years ago, if I had known I would become Mrs. Woodard?' Mandie thought. She thought of how much she had snubbed Joe, trying to convince herself she did not love him. She came down the stairs without a doubt in her mind that she loved him. She smelled the aroma of coffee.
Joe was still playing the bridal march.
Mandie went into the parlor, and found Joe there, playing the piano.
She sat on a settee in silence, and Joe did not see her.
Joe stopped, and sighed.
"If that didn't wake her up, nothing will!" He declared, standing, and then turning red to see Mandie sitting there, amused.
"Morning. I thought it might wake you up," Joe said, with a sheepish grin.
"Good morning. Yes, it did," Mandie replied, with an amused smile.
"I suppose it's time for breakfast," Joe said, sitting next to her and putting an arm around her.
Mandie chuckled.
"Is that why you woke me up? So I could cook breakfast?" She teased.
Joe blushed.
"Well I could make it, if you want," Joe said apologetically, resting his head on her shoulder.
Mandie blushed at his affectionate gesture.
"Oh yeh, crisp pancakes sound delightful for breakfast," Mandie said sarcastically, standing up.
The Woodard's cook had one day been sick, and Mrs. Woodard had told Joe to mind the pancakes, and they ended up being burned to a crisp.
Joe stood with her, and walked with her as she walked to the kitchen.
"Well, Mom didn't say when to take them off the pan!" Joe defended himself.
"I don't think your mother would like burnt pancakes," Mandie said, laughing.
Joe chuckled.
"Well, at least I won't cook, so there's no risk of burned pancakes, unless you burn them." He said, sitting down and drinking some coffee.
Mandie thought about the cooking lessons Aunt Lou had given her, and made some eggs, grits, and biscuits. Mandie set down Joe's plate and hers on the table.
"Mmm! It smells good!" Joe declared, as he sat down, confident in his wife's skill.
They sat down.
"Dear gracious heavenly Father, we thank you for the food you have provided, and ask for your grace and protection as we go about our day. In Jesus name, Amen." Joe prayed.
"Amen." Mandie echoed.
Joe took a first bite of egg. He made a wry face.
Mandie frowned, and also took a bite of egg. She also made a wry face.
"Salt. I forgot to add salt." Mandie grumbled, getting up and getting the salt.
The egg tasted fine now, and the rest of the food was good. They finished the food.
"Well, that was delicious, just a little incident with the egg. My compliments to the cook, who is also my wife, now I have to go feed the horses and cow." Joe said cheerfully, giving Mandie a peck on the cheek, putting on his hat, and then whistling cheerfully as went out to feed the animals.
Mandie blushed, washed the dishes, and wiped the table.
Joe then came in, and watched as Mandie hung the rag in its place.
Mandie nodded with satisfaction at having cooked her very first meal for herself and Joe.
"Mandie, I may have forgotten to mention it, but Mr. Jacob Smith is our neighbor," Joe said casually, smiling at her.
Mandie gasped.
"Y-you mean my father's house-it's right next to here?" She asked. Mandie had not thought about the fact that she was in Charley Gap, close to her Father's house. She had been in her own Dreamland, with only her and Joe.
Joe nodded, running his fingers through his hair, with a smile.
"Oh, Joe! Can we go see it? Please?" Mandie asked, clasping her hands with joy.
"I don't see why not," Joe said, grinning.
"Oh, I'll get my bonnet!" Mandie exclaimed, rushing up the stairs.
"And I'll hitch the team!" Joe called, walking out to the barn.
Mandie soon came back out, and they went in the wagon to her father's house.
In no longer than 3 minutes, they arrived at the place.
Joe jumped off, and helped Mandie down.
Mr. Jacob Smith appeared, coming out of the barn.
"Well, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Woodard!" Mr. Smith called, with a grin.
Mandie ran towards the man, and hugged him, and Joe shook his hand.
"Now, the wedding was right pretty, I tell ya, and Joe sure thrashed that Adrian fellow good! You've got a good'un, Amanda, or should I say, Mrs. Woodard. Now why don't y'all stay for tea? I don't normally have regular tea-times, but for special guests I do." Mr. Smith said, grinning at the memory, and motioning to the house.
Mandie blushed, and Joe gave a small grin.
They stayed and had tea with Mr. Smith for awhile, and then when it was feeding time for the animals, they left.
"Mandie, would you like to go to your father's grave?" Joe asked quietly.
Mandie nodded silently. She had been thinking about it.
They drove to the graveyard, and Mandie jumped off and ran to her father's grave, Joe at her heels.
She fell to her knees once she reached her father's grave. Tears spilled out on her cheeks.
"I miss you, daddy," she whispered, touching the fresh flowers on Jim's grave.
Joe knelt down besides Mandie and embraced her.
Mandie turned and buried her face on his shoulder, putting her arms around his neck.
"He's in heaven. He can't hear you. We'll be able to see him again, when God calls us home." Joe said gently.
"I know! I know! I just wish he could see me now," she said, sobbing gently.
"Shh. He'd be real proud of you, just like your mother." Said Joe.
Mandie leaned back.
Joe took out his kerchief and carefully wiped Mandie's tears.
"I guess we should put some fresh flowers," said Mandie, picking a stray flower.
Joe stood, and held out his hand.
Mandie took it, and got up.
They both silently picked the wildflowers, and making an especially big bouquet, put it in the clay vase that was on Jim's head stone.
Joe put an arm around Mandie.
"I guess we should go now," Joe said.
Mandie nodded, and they went back to the wagon, and drove home.
When they got home, they spent the rest of the day putting things in order. It was evening when they were finally done, and they sat out on the porch, enjoying the warm July eve, and watching the sunset, and the horses and cow graze lazily in the field.
"Mandie, I've heard of Zach and Etta. They were caught on a train heading west, and they were arrested." Joe said slowly, breaking the silence.
Mandie gasped. Again, she had forgotten. She really had been in her own dream world since they got engaged.
Feelings of anger and pity mixed inside of her.
Joe took her hand and held it as he looked seriously into her eyes.
"We're going to have to go to court." Joe said gravely.
Mandie stared at him blankly.
"But-why? Wasn't kidnapping me enough?" Mandie questioned, frowning.
Joe shook his head.
"They vandalized Burnses cabin, and also they did other things, such as petty theft. They have to find out if Jake and Ludie will press charges, and then they have to evaluate how harsh they were with you, and what they're intent was." Joe explained.
"Oh," Mandie said, frowning.
"You'll have to get a lawyer," Joe hinted, winking at her.
"I only know one lawyer, so I suppose I'll have to get him," Mandie said, giggling.
Joe grinned.
"I envy that lawyer!" Joe said, laughing.
Mandie laughed.
"You can't envy someone when that someone is you!" Mandie said.
"Well that settles it then, you've hired me. Of course, it'll be free, being that I'm your husband and all," Joe said, half jokingly, half seriously.
"You couldn't very well pay yourself," Mandie chuckled.
It was getting darker by the moment.
Joe sighed.
"I guess we should hit the hay now, if we want to go to town tomorrow morning," He suggested.
Mandie nodded, and went inside, and got ready for bed. The process was quicker this time, nonetheless as awkward, but faster. Soon, the lamp was out, and Mandie lay awake, feeling the cool night breeze through the open window, and hearing crickets chirping, owls hooting, and Joe's breathing.
"Joe?" Mandie asked, turning onto her back.
"Mmm?" Joe replied sleepily.
"When will the trial be?" Mandie inquired.
Joe turned over.
"I suppose sometime next week. The Burnses are arriving on Sunday, next week, so I suppose perhaps Wednesday." Joe said.
"Now don't worry your pretty head about it. We still have a few days until I have to go back to work, and I wouldn't like an anxious wife. Good-night." Said Joe, leaning over and pecking her cheek, before turning back to his side and settling down in the sheets.
"Good-night," Mandie replied, blushing, and turning back to her side.
They both soon fell asleep and were away in Dreamland, confident that through the trials, God would do what was best, and they would face it together.