Chapter 1: Going Home

Mandie shook her best friend Celia awake.

"Come on Celia! Wake up! We're going home!" Mandie exclaimed, twirling around the room happily. "Ugh, Mandie! Go back to bed!" Celia groaned, pulling her blanket over her

head. "But the train leaves in three hours!" Mandie told her friend. "That's way more time than we need!"Celia sighed. "Alright, I'll just go home by myself," Mandie exclaimed

teasingly. Celia sat up quickly. "Okay, you win. Give me two minutes to wake up."

Mandie walked over to the closet and pulled out a purple linen dress that she had bought several days ago. Celia climbed out of bed. "That looks nice. I'm sure Joe would like it,"

she added slyly. "Celia! What makes you say that? Were you dreaming about a specific young man by the name of Robert Rogers all night?"Mandie teased. Celia blushed.

Approximately 4 hours later, the train stopped in Franklin, North Carolina. Celia shook her sleeping friend awake. "Who's the sleepyhead now?" she asked. "I was awake the

whole time!" Mandie responded, yawning. Both girls sprang out of the train and almost crashed into Uncle John and . "Woah girls, you must be in a hurry to get back!" Are you in

a hurry to see all your friends? Especially the one with dark brown hair, is very tall and is very eager to see you? Mr. Bond and Celia chucked. Mandie playfully swatted him and

blushed. When they arrived home, everyone was waiting for them in the sitting room. Mandie noticed Joe staring at her. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she turned and ran to her

mothers open arms. Carl and Carol tugged at Mandie's skirt and exclaimed " Manda!" " It's so nice to be home!" said Mandie smiling. " And it's nice to have you back." Elizabeth

replied beaming. "How would you like it if ya'll go to Uncle Ned's house tomorrow? I know you miss him a lot." Elizabeth said. "Oh that would be great!"Mandie exclaimed. She

pulled away and scanned the crowd. Jonathan and Mr. Guyer was speaking to Uncle John on a settee. Then she saw Joe walking towards her." Mandie, I'm so glad to see you."

he exclaimed, pulling her in for a hug. " I've missed you too, Joe. You must have grown another foot!" She laughed " It's been too long and–" " Mandie! Am I glad to see you!"

Jonathan broke in. Mandie turned to hug him. " Hi Jonathan! How are you and Joe doing in college?" " Oh, we're doing good. Joe's practicing law and you know why. I'm doing

some business classes and brushing up on my French." he said winking at Mandie. Suddenly, a white cat bounded into the room and leapt onto Mandie. "Snowball! I've missed

you so much! Have you been good these days?" Snowball purred in response. " Dinnuh be on de table!" Liza called. " 3 cheers for food!" Jonathan shouted rushing in the

dining room. " Missy Manda! When did you come in?" " Just now." replied Mandie " Dat Miss Pretty Sweet Thang be heah tomorrow." " I know Liza. I'm gonna try to befriend

her." " But Missy Manda she gonna try to steal doctuh son!" Liza protested. Mandie sighed " Yeah but I have a feeling she will change. " Lawsy Mercy! We better git you eating or

Aunt Lou will break my neck!" Liza said, scampering to the kitchen. Mandie hurried to the dining room and seated herself in the last chair which was in between Joe and

Jonathan. Celia, who was sitting across from them, folded her arms and said " These two were arguing over who was going to sit next to you. So I told them they both could.

Where have you been?" " Catching up with Liza." Mandie replied, glancing at the two boys. Both of them were already helping themselves. " Oh! Is there chocolate cake?"

" Yes there be." said a plump Negro woman, setting down the cake in the middle of the table.

"Aunt Lou!" Mandie joyously ran over to hug the the Negro woman.

"Hello my Chile! You be doing good in dat school?"

"I'm doing fine but I sure miss ya'll an awful lot", Mandie replied squeezing the fat woman's hands. "There's nothing like being home for the summer".

After they had finished dinner , Celia and Mandie went to their room and got ready for bed.

"Tomorrow we're all going to Deep Creek to see Sallie, Dimar, Uncle Ned and Morning Star," Mandie said.

"I can't wait". Celia murmured, snuggling under the covers.

The next morning, Mandie, Celia, Joe and Jonathan, started packing up for their trip to Deep Creek. Just as Mandie stepped out, she saw Polly Cornwallis skip out of her house

and right over to them. "Hi! Where are ya'll going?" she asked. "Oh we're going to Uncle Ned's house in Deep Creek", Mandie replied dryly. "You're visiting Indians? Oh right, I

forgot you were part Indian Mandie." Polly said. Mandie bristled. She had always tried to be nice to Polly but she was hard to be friends with. Just then, Aunt Lou walked out and

handed Mandie a huge basket.

"Hea, dis is fo ya'll to take. Don't wan't my chiles getting hungry".

"Thanks Aunt Lou, I'm sure we'll enjoy it", Mandie responded, taking the basket. She set the basket in Celia's lap and climbed into her seat next to Joe. Polly waved good-bye to

them and went back onside her own house. "Mandie did you have to bring the cat?" Joe asked. " Well of course! He goes wherever I go. Besides we might need his help

sometime". Mandie said winking at him.

No sooner than they had driven out of the driveway, Jonathan tried to peek into the basket.

"Jonathan Guyer!" Celia reprimanded.

"I just want to see what's inside", he said, shrugging. Opening it, he started listing everything inside. "Okay. So there's sausages, biscuits, a jar of tea and LEFT OVER

CHOCOLATE CAKE!" Jonathan exclaimed. Mandie rolled her eyes at him. "We just had breakfast", she pointed out. "But I'm hungry!" he protested. The girls gave up and let him

have it. "Just don't eat everything", Joe warned. "I'm kinda hungry too."