New chapter is here! Sorry it took so long. It's longer than my other chapters. I hope you enjoy! Please review!

Chapter 13: The Ball

The next day was Mandie's 18th birthday. Waking up, Mandie found that everyone was already up and decorating the ballroom. sat on a chair, ordering people around. "Higher.

No a little lower. Now move it to the left". Liza moved the garland of flowers around until was satisfied.

"Oh Amanda there you are. Go over to the kitchen and eat breakfast. Then Aunt Lou needs you to sample the food."

Joe walked over to her. "I'll help you with that. Happy Birthday Mandie", he grinned. Mandie smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. Jonathan and Celia came over too.

"We need a break from decorating. Food sounds great right now", Jonathan said.

Mandie quickly wolfed down the grits that Aunt Lou had made. Then, she, Joe, Celia and Jonathan sampled all the food Aunt Lou was preparing for the party.

"Everything tastes great, Aunt Lou!" Mandie exclaimed.

"Yeah. I can't wait to see the chocolate cake", Joe said.

Jonathan nodded in agreement.

Aunt Lou smiled and put an arm around Mandie. "I want my chiles birthday fud to be perfect".

As they left the kitchen, Mandie saw Uncle Ned and Uncle John heaving the chest of treasure down the stairs. They set it down at the bottom to take a break.

"Uncle Ned! Uncle John! Where are you moving this to?" Mandie asked.

"We're loading this onto the wagon to get examined. Make sure it's all real. I'm also going to copy the journal, like you asked." Uncle John told her. "We'll be back soon".

"Great!" Mandie replied. "Can we help?"

Uncle John hesitated. "Well go easy on that leg of yours. Some of the stuff we left upstairs to get later. Y'all can get that."

"Okay!"

Mandie, Joe, Celia and Jonathan retrieved the rest of the stuff and brought it back downstairs. Mandie took the family tree poster and studied it.

"There's Talitha's name. Then there's a bunch of blank spaces for future generations". She took out a pencil and gently wrote down Jim Shaw, John Shaw and Ruby Shaw under

her Cherokee grandmother's name. Next, she wrote Elizabeth Taft between her father and uncle's names. Then she wrote her own name under Jim Shaw and Carol and Carl's

name under John Shaw.

"There!" Now it's complete!"

"Not for long. Someone else might make it onto that list soon", Jonathan teased, eyeing Joe.

Mandie didn't seem to hear him as Joe turned pink.

"Well, let's get this stuff to the wagon so Uncle John and Uncle Ned can take it over for examination", she said.

Everyone helped load the treasure on and waved goodbye to Uncle Ned and Uncle John as they left.

"Now what do we do?" Jonathan asked.

"I suppose we should get back to grandmother and help with the decorations", Mandie said.

"Yes. We've still got a lot to do", Celia agreed.

Mandie and her friends returned to the ballroom and began decorating.

As Mandie stuck another garland of flowers over the door, her grandmother walked up to her. "Amanda, I know you are going with Joe Woodard but wouldn't it be impolite if you

didn't dance with Henry? He's our guest. I know you aren't in the best condition to dance but at least try to".

Mrs. Taft tapped her feet impatiently as she waited for Mandie's answer.

Mandie sighed. "Alright. I'll do a couple dances with him". beamed. "Great. Now go help your mother. She's a bit busy with the twins".

The twins! Mandie hadn't been able to say a proper hello to them ever since she came home. There was just too much to do.

"Where are they?" Mandie asked.

"Probably in their room or something", her grandmother replied.

Mandie hurried off to find them. She opened the door to the nursery and saw the twins playing on the carpet. Elizabeth was sitting on a rocking chair looking exhausted. The

twins looked up to see their sister walk in. "

"Manda! Manda!"

"Hi Carol! Hi Carl!" Mandie greeted them and scooped them into a hug.

Elizabeth looked up. "Oh hello Amanda. Do you mind watching these two? I have so much to do today!"

"Sure mother. I haven't had time to play with them all week!"

Mandie spent most of the afternoon in the nursery while her mother went out to run errands and take a break. Just as she finished putting them into bed, Celia opened the door.

Mandie tip-toed over to her.

"There you are Mandie! I thought I'd never find you! We're supposed to get ready for the ball. Your mother invited Polly Cornwallis over to get ready with us", Celia told her in a low voice".

Mandie hadn't realized how quickly time passed by. "Thanks Celia".

The two girls crept out of the room, careful not to wake the sleeping twins and headed to Mandie's room. Sallie was already there. Polly came in a few minutes later.

"Hi Mandie! Hi Celia! Hi Sallie!" Polly chirped happily. "Isn't this exciting?"

Mandie smiled at her enthusiasm and pulled out the gown she brought the day before.

"Nice dress Mandie. Do you want to see mine?" Polly said and took hers out. It was a pink dress with puffed sleeves adorned with embroidered roses.

"It looks great!" Celia commented. The girls quickly put on the gowns and moved on to hair. Celia began pulling her hair up then decided against it. "I'm just going to leave it

down. It looks better that way and so much easier".

"I'm putting my hair up. Mother says it's more proper and besides, it's fashionable", Polly said. Sallie plaited her hair and pinned it up. Mandie left her hair down.

"Polly you never told us who your partner was", Celia said.

Polly blushed. "It's Tommy. He asked me this afternoon".

After a few more finishing touches, the girls started downstairs.

"Jonathan, would you just hurry up and be done?" Joe exclaimed impatiently. "I bet the girls are already done".

Dimar, who had come a few hours ago, waited at the door.

"Hold on. I need to look perfect." Jonathan fussed. He stood in front of the mirror combing his hair and twisting his tie.

"For who?" Joe teased. "Chocolate cake?"

Jonathan turned pink. "No. Actually I asked a real person".

Joe stopped tapping his foot. "Who? You never told us".

Jonathan looked down at his feet and mumbled, "Hannah Campbell".

Dimar and Joe exchanged surprised looks but didn't say anything.

"Alright, I'm ready", Jonathan sighed, putting his brush down.

"Great", Joe exclaimed.

The group of slightly nervous boys headed down the stairs to meet the girls.

"You look beautiful", Joe told Mandie, as he reached her.

Mandie smiled and he squeezed her hand.

There were several more compliments and greetings and then Mandie began explaining what was going to happen.

"We have dinner and then everyone goes to the ballroom. Grandmother has a whole seating chart that we have to follow."

"Sounds good!" Joe said, giving her a thumbs up. Jonathan nodded and looked around for Hannah.

"Is it just me or does Jonathan seem not himself?" Mandie whispered to Joe.

"He's looking for Hannah Campbell. Apparently he asked her to be his partner."

"How did I not know that!" Mandie exclaimed softly. "She and Henry should be down soon".

Celia and Robert led the way to the dining room with Sallie and Dimar close behind. Joe and Mandie followed. Peeking behind her, Mandie saw that Hannah had come down and

was chatting happily with Jonathan. She smiled to herself.

The couples approached the dining table where Liza greeted them and showed them where to sit, according to 's seating chart. Mandie ended up in between Joe and Henry with

Adrian across from her. Dinner was awkward since most of the guests were just 's friends. Mandie and her friends ate in silence as chatted with the guests. Liza and Aunt Lou

buzzed around cleaning and refilling plates. Soon it was time to dance.

Mandie and Joe sat on a settee and watched the couples move gracefully around the dance floor. She and Joe had decided that Mandie would have a hard time trying to dance

with crutches. The dance floor was crowded with people. Mandie scanned the crowd until she spotted Jonathan and Hannah. The two of them were laughing and having a good

time.

Soon the music stopped and another piece began. Mandie sighed. "I don't want to sit here all night but I don't really want to dance either."

"Maybe we can just walk around", Joe suggested.

"Good idea. I'd like to try some of the snacks on that table over there", Mandie said.

Mandie grabbed her crutches and stood up. She and Joe went over to the table and grabbed some of Aunt Lou's pastries. Just as Mandie was about to bite into it, Adrian

approached her.

"Miss Amanda, I hope you aren't too busy. Would you like to dance?"

Mandie sighed in frustration. This birthday ball wasn't turning out so well.

"Adrian, as you might be able to see, I can't dance. I twisted my ankle.", Mandie told him, pointing to her crutches.

"Yes. And she was trying to eat", Joe said frowning.

"We don't have to dance. We could just walk around and talk with each other", Adrian pressed.

"Um. I think I'll finish my pastry first, Adrian", Mandie said in exasperation.

Adrian nodded and scowled at Joe in disgust. Then he turned and walked away with his nose in the air.

Mandie watched him leave as she picked up her pastry and finished it. All of a sudden, appeared with Henry.

"Amanda, remember what we talked about. You don't need to dance but just keep Henry company. Get to know each other." With that, she walked away leaving Henry with

Mandie and Joe. There was awkward silence as Joe eyed Henry suspiciously.

Mandie tried to break the silence. "So Henry, how long do you plan to stay in Franklin?"

"Actually I'll be heading back tomorrow. We just came to attend your birthday ball. Happy Birthday, by the way".

"Thanks!"

Soon the three of them, including Joe, were carrying on a rapid conversation with Adrian looking on jealously. Henry's mother called him over to meet a rich couple so he left the

little group. Mandie took a glance at the busy room and saw Adrian coming towards her from across the room. She nudged Joe.

"Do you want to go outside with me? I could use some fresh air."

"Sure, Mandie", Joe said, reaching into his pocket to check if his package was still there.

The two of them snuck into the hallway as quietly as they could without attracting any attention. Mandie glanced behind her to check that Adrian wasn't following them. The

coast was clear.