The next day was bright and sunny. There was a light covering of snow on the ground and everyone was getting ready for the Christmas Eve Ball. There was food to be prepared, tables to be set, and most important of all guests would be arriving soon. Mandie was wondering about some things her mother had said. She had said that a special guest would be coming, one that she hadn't seen in a while. She was waiting impatiently the whole day for the 'special' guest, to come. But soon her waiting time was over when there was a knock on the door.
Mandie was sitting in the parlor when she heard a knock and the door, and heard her Uncle John saying, "Hello Mr. Guyer, it's nice to see you again." Mandie leaped up out of her seat and ran out to see if it really was him. "Jonathan!" Mandie exclaimed when she saw his unmistakable black curls.
"Mandie! Oh I am so glad to be here!" he said. Mandie ran and gave him a hug. "I'm glad you're here too." Mandie looked over his shoulder to see a beautiful girl with curly red-blond hair. "Who's that?" Mandie asked. Jonathan looked over.
"Oh her? She is Cynthia, she's my fiance," he said smiling. Mandie gasped.
"Your fiance? But she doesn't look older than eighteen!" Mandie exclaimed.
"So? Lots of people get married when they're eighteen, and besides, you only think it's weird because you are nineteen, and you're not married yet. In fact you shoud be married to Joe already. Everyone expects it," Jonathan said.
"Oh so I've heard," Mandie thought.
"Alright now, would you like to go meat her? Jonathan asked. Mandie smiled.
"Of course I would!" Mandie said smiling. She walked over with Jonathan to meat Cynthia.
"Hello Jonathan. Who is this?" the girl asked sweetly. Jonathan stepped up.
"Cynthia, I would like you to meat Mandie, she's an old friend of mine. Cynthia, Mandie, Mandie, Cynthia," Jonathan said. Cynthia laughed. "It's nice to meat you Mandie. I didn't know Jonathan had so many friends." Mandie smiled and laughed.
"It's nice to meat you to Cynthia. Jonathan told me that you are his fiance," Mandie said.
"That's right. It would be nice if we could hang out today Mandie. It would be good for us to get better acquainted," she said. Mandie nodded. "You're right, but I would also like you to meat some of my friends. They're over there," Mandie said. Cynthia nodded in response.
"Alright, well I can't wait to meat them," Cynthia said. Just after a short time the two became fast friends. Soon the noon meal was ready and everyone sat down at the table. Mandie saw the Joe already din't look, happy. "He's over possessive," Mandie thought. But all was set to rights when Jonathan went over and whispered to Joe, "Don't worry Joe, I'm not here to steal Mandie, I've already got someone else." Mandie was really surprised because soon after the two became best friends.
After dinner they were about to go to the parlor, when they heard a knock on the door. Mandie stopped walking. "Wait for me guys. I'll be back in a minute," Mandie said. The others nodded and she went to the door. When she opened it she gasped in surprise. George Stuart was standing at the door. "What's he doing here? He wasn't supposed to come! Why didn't he at least tell me?" Mandie thought. She hid her surprise as best as she could and tried t act mature. "Hello George. When did you get here?" she asked.
"I just got here. I told you before you left that I was coming to your house for Christmas Eve and Christmas," George said. Mandie tried her best to smile.
"Well come in, the ball isn't till tonight, I guess you could hang out with us until tonight," Mandie said. George nodded.
"Thank you Mandie. I can't wait to meat your friends. Where are they?" he asked. Mandie pointed to the parlor. She did know how this was going to turn out. "They're in the parlor. Come on, I'll show you to them." Mandie walked into the parlor while George followed her behind. Mandie stood in front of the door.
"Hey guys. I have someone from college that would like to meat you," Mandie said. They nodded.
"Okay, bring them in," Jonathan said. Mandie leaned out of of the door and whispered something. Suddenly the person came in and stood next to Mandie. "Everyone, this is George Stuart. He's a friend of mine from college." Celia's eyes widened.
"George! When did you get here?" she asked standing. Joe was looking at him jealously. The others stood up.
"It's nice to meat you George," Sallie said standing. "I'm Sallie Sweetwater."
"It's a pleasure to meat you Sallie," George said. Sallie nodded. The others introduced themselves to George and son they were in a conversation about where he lived, what his family was like and stuff like that. Mandie wasn't really paying attention. George was kind of annoying. He seemed to think that Mandie liked him. He was only a friend nothing personal.
The day went by and soon it was time to get completely ready for the ball. Mandie and Celia ran up to there room to get their dresses on. Mandie pulled off her dress and put on her white ball gown. She stepped in front of the mirror and examined herself. She gasped at her sight. She looked so mature in that dress. It made her look like a woman. Then she remembered her present for Joe and she hid it in her sash. "There! Perfect!" she grabbed a brush and started to brush out her hair. She pulled some back and left the rest down. Her curly hair went down to her middle back in flowing waves. Celia walked over.
"Oh Mandie you look absolutely amazing in that dress! You look so much older! And I thought that I looked good in this dress," Celia said. Mandie smiled.
"Thank you Celia. You look gorgeous in that dress! That color green really suits you. It brings out the color of your eyes and the color hair," Mandie complimented.
"Well thank you Mandie. We should be heading down now, I'm sure the ball will start soon," she said walked to the door. Mandie nodded and followed her.
They went down stairs and went their ways. When Mandie had come down she saw Carl and Carol standing there waiting for her. When they saw her they turned and yelled excitedly, "Manda!"
"Hello you two! Come here!" she said kneeling on the ground so they could come to her. They flung themselves onto Mandie so hard that she almost fell over. "Carl! Carol, you're not a hurricane!" she said laughing. "I'm glad to see you too." Mandie gave them both a big squeeze. "Well I have to go, the ball starts soon." The twins looked at her with puzzled expressions.
"Manda, what's a ball?" they asked. Mandie put them down.
"A ball is when people get together, and boys and girls dance with each other, and wear fancy cloths. This is my ball dress," Mandie told them.
"Dats pwetty Manda. Are we gonna go to- ball?" Carol asked. Mandie smiled and shook her head. "No, you're not, well actually I don't know. You might. Now go find Mother, I have to go." Mandie stood up and went into the ball room.
She went over to where everyone was to be called out. The boys had chosen their partners secretly, so Mandie didn't know who her partner was. Mandie gasped in surprise when she saw Mary Lou there. She waved at her and silently said hi. Mary Lou waved back and smiled. Suddenly she remembered the present she had hid in her sash. She pulled it out and moved closer to Joe.
"Um, Joe, I have something for you," she said nervously. He looked at her and smiled.
"Thank you Mandie. How did you know I wanted this?" he asked. Mandie shrugged.
"I just did," Mandie said. Suddenly Jason Bond stood there and began to call out the first people. Soft music began to play as he called the first people.
"Elizabeth Shaw escorted by John Shaw..." Mandie smiled as her mother stepped out with her Uncle. "Mrs. Taft escorted by Mr. Guyer, Morningstar Sweetwater escorted by Ned Sweetwater, Sallie Sweetwater escorted by Dimer Walkingstick, Celia Hamilton escorted by Robert Rogers." Mandie smiled at her friend and whispered, "Good luck!" Celia nodded and smiled back. "Polly Cornwallis escorted by Tommy Patton, Mary Lou escorted by George Stuart, Mandie Shaw escorted by Joe Woodard..." Mandie breathed in deeply. Joe turned to her and smiled. He took her hand and brought her out into the room. It was a little bit harder to dance because she had a broken arm, but she eventually found a way to do it without hurting herself.
After a while of dancing Mandie left the room to get some fresh air. She went a grabbed her shawl and went outside. Joe went with her.
"Isn't it beautiful tonight? It was beginning to get stuffy in that ballroom," she asked. Joe nodded. "Yes it is a beautiful night. The sky is so clear. You can see all of the stars perfectly," Joe answered looking up at the sky.
"Look at the moon shining on the snow! I don't think I've ever seen anything this beautiful!" Mandie exclaimed, looking down the long stretch of pure white snow.
"I think I have," Joe said looking strait at her. Mandie blushed. Hopefully Joe couldn't see it in the dark. "What?" she asked quietly. Joe cleared his throat. "Well, it's thin, slightly short, at the top is golden, and the top of it also has two sparkling blue sapphires..."
"Joe Woodard! Come on stop it! I'm not really that pretty," Mandie said. Joe smiled. "But you are that pretty." Mandie fiddled with her dress.
"Well I think I'd better head inside..." Mandie paused as she started to get up. Joe grabbed her hand. "Wait! I haven't given you your gift!" he said reaching into his pocket. Mandie stopped and looked at him. He slowly pulled out a beautifully designed box.
"Oh Joe! This is the most beautiful thing that anyone has ever given me!" Mandie said. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you."
"I'm glad that you like it. It's for your locket. The one your father got for you. I thought you could use it to keep it safe," Joe said. Mandie smiled.
"Oh I will! I will! Whenever I use it I'll think of Father, and you," Mandie said. "Did you like what I got you? I know it doesn't really compare to anything the other girls got..."
"No Mandie I do like it, I really do. It doesn't really matter what you got me, as long as it's from you," he answered.
"Well why don't we go inside now? It's getting cold anyway," she said rubbing her hands together. Joe nodded in agreement and they headed inside. When they got there Jonathan ran to meat them.
"Where have you guys been? I've been looking all over for you! Celia told me that you had found a mystery. She said that you would be the best one to tell it," Jonathan said. Mandie mentally face palmed herself.
"Sorry Jonathan. I meant to tell you and Cynthia, it just got so busy and." Jonathan stopped her. "It's okay Mandie, we understand. Now what is the mystery?" Mandie began to tell the tale of the new mystery that they had found from the beginning to the most recent events.
"And that," Mandie ended with. "is why I have a cast on."
"Wow! That's really, amazing! How are you going to solve it?" Cynthia asked. Mandie rested her hand on her chin.
"Well,I have solved how many mysteries?" She started counting in her head. "About 41 mysteries in all, and if I solve this one it will be 42."
"Yes, and I've helped with some of them," Jonathan said proudly.
"My first mystery I got when I was twelve," she said.
"Wow! And you still get mysteries?" Cynthia asked. Mandie nodded. "Apparently. I can't believe we've solved every one of them! I hope that we solve this one," Mandie said thoughtfully.
"Well I'm going back in there. They're serving chocolate cake!" he said slyly. Mandie and Joe looked at each other. "Chocolate cake!" they said at the same time. They ran back into the ball room, which I might add is not a very mature thing to do. After they had gotten their cake Mandie was admiring the musical jewelry box that Joe had given her when suddenly she thought of something.
"Joe, I can put this jewelry box to use right now. I have my locket on." She reached to the locket on her neck and pulled it off and put it into the box. When she opened it beautiful music started to play.
"I'm glad that you can. I just hope I don't kneed to use this knife anytime soon for anything too serious," Joe said. She smiled.
"Don't worry Joe. I don't think you'll have to use it to save your life," she said laughing, not realizing that she was foreshadowing what would happen later on.
Sorry that I kept you all waiting! And also sorry that this was a cliff hanger. But sometimes cliff hangers are fun right? Please review.