Mandie awoke with a start. She heard wolves howling. She sat up in bed, and saw Joe snapping his suspenders in place, and getting his boots.
"Joe? Are those wolves?" Mandie asked, getting up and putting on her robe.
"Yep. After the livestock, I believe. Stay here." Joe said, sounding grim.
"I'm going with you," Mandie said, pulling on her shoes.
Joe was already halfway down the stairs.
Mandie hurried after Joe.
Joe frowned disapprovingly as he buttoned his coat.
"Stay here, Mandie, there could be a whole pack." Joe tried once again.
"All the more reason for me to go with you. You can't fight them off all by yourself." Mandie insisted, putting on her own coat.
Joe sighed.
"Oh, all right. We'll sneak to the barn, and I'll get you a pitchfork." Joe said, opening the door.
It was a cold night, and snow lay on the ground, glittering in the moonlight. The wolves howling made a forlorn sound in the silent night, making Mandie shiver.
Joe looked around, took Mandie's hand, and then plodded quietly through the snow, and to the barn.
Mandie followed closely on his heels. They reached the barn, and then went into it. Joe got down a pitchfork, and gave it to Mandie.
Mandie grabbed it firmly, and they exited the barn.
They heard the shuffling of feet, and then they saw four shadows creeping towards them.
Joe raised his rifle and aimed carefully, and then a gunshot pierced the air, as well as a howl of pain.
Mandie flinched.
The other wolves sprang towards them. One daring wolf leaped towards Mandie.
Mandie gasped and used the pitch fork to push away the wolf, and pinned it to the ground.
Joe shot at the other wolf, and the last wolf ran away.
"What do we do with this one?" Mandie asked, motioning to the squirming and growling wolf underneath the pitch fork.
"The only thing to be done. The wolves have been terrorizing the farms nearby, and everyone's been out to get them. Now back away from the wolf slowly." Joe said, aiming at the wolf.
Mandie backed away, and closed her eyes, preferring not to look.
Another gunshot was heard, and the wolf was no more.
Mandie went into the barn and put back the pitchfork, while Joe put the dead wolves somewhere.
Joe came back from around the corner of the barn, and they walked quietly back to the house.
"Will the lone wolf still go to the other barns?" Mandie asked, once inside.
"No, I don't think so, and if it does, it will be easier to get, since it's alone. I reckon tomorrow I'll see if could use some wolf furs." Joe said, taking off his coat.
Mandie suddenly felt dizzy, and a strange, sinking feeling in her stomach. It made Mandie breathe faster.
Joe noticed.
"Mandie? Are you alright?" Joe asked, watching her with worry.
Mandie shook her head feebly, and then dashed to the sink, and vomited. Mandie felt dizzy, and managed to rinse off the sink and her mouth before Joe came in.
"Mandie, I'm going to get my dad. Let me get you in bed." Joe said, taking Mandie's arm.
Mandie let him lead her up the stairs, and guide her to the bed. Mandie lay down slowly, propping herself up on some pillows.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." Joe said, planting a quick kiss on her head, and then dashing down the stairs.
Mandie waited to hear the sound of hoofbeats die away before she got up and walked to the bathroom. She washed her face, to get rid of the vomiting feeling, and combed her hair. She couldn't let her in-laws see her in this state.
Mandie lay back down, and in a couple minutes she heard voices and steps coming up the stairs.
Dr. Woodard, , and Joe appeared.
"Joe, you come back down with me. It's not good to get a lady excited when she doesn't feel well." Mrs. Woodard said softly, giving Mandie a worried glance, and then going back down the stairs.
"Well, Amanda, is this happening often?" Dr. Woodard asked, digging in his doctor's bag.
"We-el, yes, I did vomit twice last week, but Joe didn't know," Mandie confessed.
"Joe told me y'all just fought off some wolves, do you think maybe the bloodshed could have made you sick?" Dr. Woodard asked.
"I don't think so. I didn't see much, it was too dark." Mandie said.
"Any other strange things?" Dr. Woodard asked.
Mandie frowned.
"It may sound silly, but at night I really want to eat chocolate cake and strawberries, with lemonade." Mandie said.
Dr. Woodard restrained a laugh.
"Anything else?" Dr. Woodard persisted.
"No, I don't think so," Mandie replied.
Dr. Woodard frowned, but a sly smile crept onto his face. He had a certain hunch. They came into the parlor a few minutes later, and Dr. Woodard and Mrs. Woodard left.
"What did my father say?" Joe asked, as he and Mandie walked up the stairs.
Mandie frowned.
"He says he might know what it is, but it will take some time. He said he'd stop by in a week or two to see if his suspicions are correct." Mandie said.
Joe frowned. His father usually would say what he suspected.
"Do you feel alright?" Joe asked softly.
"I feel fine, Joe. Just a little hungry." Mandie said.
Joe stopped.
"What do you want me to get you? Asked Joe.
"Oh, I can last until breakfast. It's not that bad." Mandie replied.
"Are you sure?" Joe insisted.
"Quite sure, Joe," Mandie laughed.
"Alright then," Joe relented, walking up the rest of the stairs.
They finally were in bed, and Mandie was thinking.
"For breakfast, I'd like a nice, big slice of chocolate cake, big juicy strawberries, and lemonade." Mandie thought out loud.
Joe groaned, got out of bed, and hurried downstairs.
"Joe?" Mandie called, wondering what Joe was doing.
Joe came back up with a small slice of chocolate cake with a large strawberry, and a glass of lemonade.
"If I give it to you now, will you promise me you'll go to sleep?" Joe teased, handing her the cake and lemonade.
"Oh, Joe, thank you. You're too kind, sir." Mandie said jokingly, sitting up and receiving the odd snack.
"It was a pleasure, my lady." Joe joked back, giving Mandie a kiss on the cheek, before returning to his side of the bed and laying down with a sigh.
Mandie ate and drank happily, put the empty plate and cup on the nightstand, and then slept happily.
Mandie awoke with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She groaned and slowly sat up.
She heard the bridal march play on the piano in the parlor.
Mandie laughed softly.
"Joe does not give up!" She said to herself, as she stood up cautiously, and went to the restroom.
Ever since they had gotten married, Joe always played the piano to wake Mandie up.
Over the last six months, nothing much had happened except moving in. They now attended the church where Preacher Dehartt still preached faithfully, except he was older now. Jonathan and Janice's baby, Janice jr., was one year old now, and was an adorable baby, with lucious dark curls. Celia was due any day now, and Sallie and Dimar had recently announced that they were expecting a child. Mandie and Joe had gotten more used to living with each other, but Mandie still had a light blush that could hardly be seen whenever Joe talked with her, and she still blushed whenever Joe kissed her, but she had gotten used to it. Other couples that visited them were puzzled as to why Mandie still blushed with Joe. But one woman reckoned that 'Amanda's still young, so I suppose while you're young you've got a natural rosy color.' Mandie and Joe had shared an amused glance over this, as no one ever really knew why.
~~~~~~~~~~A couple weeks later~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Woodard and Mrs. Woodard came to the house one day, so Dr. Woodard could check up on Mandie.
Joe and Mrs. Woodard waited in the parlor again as Dr. Woodard checked Mandie.
A few minutes later Dr. Woodard and Mandie came down the stairs.
They both did not look directly at Joe or Mrs. Woodard, and Dr. Woodard pretended to be busy organizing his doctor's bag.
Mandie went and sat by Joe and was silent.
Joe put an arm around Mandie.
"Is everything okay?" He asked softly, his brown eyes full of worry.
Mandie almost felt sorry for teasing him.
"You are a father." Mandie said solemnly, without smiling.
Joe's eyes widened.
"What?" He asked, a deep joy bursting inside him, rapidly filling him from his head to his toes.
Dr. Woodard now sat by Mrs. Woodard, and they both smiled.
Mandie broke into a wide grin, and laughed hysterically into his shoulder.
"We're going to have a baby! We're parents!" Mandie said between laughs.
"Oh, Mandie!" Joe cried, jumping up with Mandie, and spinning around with her.
Dr. Woodard and Mrs. Woodard laughed as they watched the joyous couple.
"Hey, you're not the only ones who are happy, we're going to be grandparents!" Mrs. Woodard interrupted, laughing.
Joe released Mandie, as they both laughed.
"Come on then, Grandmother, we have some delicious pot roast that Mandie made." Joe said jokingly.
They laughed and ate merrily.
After a while the elder Woodard's left.
"I completely understand why Johnathan acts the way he does over his baby, Janey." Joe said seriously.
Mandie burst out laughing.
"How so?" Mandie asked, giggling.
"Why, it's your very own baby, with the woman you love, and it's your dream coming true! Especially if you had to wait ten or more years, like I did." Joe protested.
"Oh, great, you're going to rub that in, are you?" Mandie retorted teasingly.
"Mandie, I'm not. I'm just very happy. Now if it pleases you, I'll go and tend to the livestock." Joe said, kissing Mandie's lips, and then going to put on his coat.
Mandie smiled. But one thought troubled her. What would they name the baby?
