Heyyooo!!! I've got some exciting news for all you Mandie lovers out there! I'm finally starting my own Mandie fanfic! I want to say a big "Thank You" to all you Mandie Fanfic Writers (y'all know who you are) for giving me the inspiration and motivation to write one of my own.

I'll try my very, very best to update as regularly as I can. Hopefully I'll be able to overcome any writer's block asap haha! For now, I'm aiming once a week.

I'd love to hear your reviews, good or bad. But please give me proof if you want to criticize my writing. I accept constructive criticism as it is a way of improvent.

So a little background of the story... I wanted to write a fanfic that wasn't your typical Shaw Household, Charley Gap, or Deep Creek setting. I wanted to set the story in New Orleans. Although the beginning chapters will take place at the Shaw's mansion, the majority of the story will take place in New Orleans, particularly Joe's college. Also, Lois never really talked about Joe's college life and graduation, so I wanted to expand on that idea and give y'all a spin on the days leading up to his graduation.

And finally, I hope y'all enjoy my very first Mandie fanfic. God Bless!

Chapter 1 (Summer at last!)

"Summer holidays, the best time of the year!" seventeen year old Mandie sang as she twirled around her dorm room, halfway packing her clothes.

It was summer of 1905 and Mandie and Celia were packing their valises and getting ready for a whole month of holiday, away from Charleston Ladies' College.

"Why is summer the best time of the year? You still get to see Joe during the winter, spring and autumn break," Celia teasingly asked her best friend, "Or are you saying those times when you get to see him were not pleasant?"

Mandie tried to hide her blushing face. "N..no..Celia, don't be ridiculous!" She chided her friend in the sternest tone she could muster. Suddenly she broke out in fists of laughter, "I can't imagine a day or weeks with Joe to be miserable. I can't picture it. It's…it's just impossible!" The girl wiped tears of laughter from her face.

"You really do like him, don't you?" Celia stated all too knowingly. But then again, wasn't it obvious?

"Well…I...umm...I…I ...think so?" Mandie nervously answered. Avoiding Celia's hard stare, she quickly resumed folding more dresses.

Soon, both girls were done with their packing. They proceeded to the school's main entrance and towards the direction of the depot. Of course they bade their friends goodbye and wished them a happy holiday before going off.

The train whistled. "All aboard for Franklin, North Carolina" The conductor called out, "All aboard! All aboard for Franklin, North Carolina."

That's our cue," Mandie said, taking Celia's hand and practically dragging her towards the train, where passengers were boarding and alighting.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, as a man wearing a trench coat with a handkerchief tied around his neck deliberately bumped into her, making her almost lose her footing.

The man ignored Mandie's protest and suddenly hopped on the train and ran all the way to one end. Casting a quick glance behind, he saw that Mandie and Celia were lost among the overflowing crowd of passengers.

"They will never know who I am..hahahaha." Said the stranger, with an evil laughter.

"Well..that was plain rude. He didn't even apologize." Mandie's eyes narrowed towards the direction where the man had fled. "Somethings off about him."

"Yea…erh..hh" Celia shuddered, glancing nervously around the depot, "I just hope we'll never bump into him again."

Little did they know, it was only wishful thinking, it was all up to the stranger.

Mandie and Celia had finally managed to secure two seats near the front of the train.

"Good thing we found seats near the front and not the back, where the creepy guy is located." Mandie breathed a sigh of relief.

Although she had been in a few escapades like getting kidnapped constantly, even a girl like her, impulsive and thirsty for adventure, needed a break once in a while. Today, she just wanted to get home safely and into the company of her dear family and friends.

One hour passed, and before they both knew it, the train had skidded to a stop in the depot at Franklin, North Carolina. Mandie and Celia grabbed their valises and alighted as soon as the train doors had opened.

"Oh, hurry up Uncle John!" Mandie glanced impatiently around the depot, trying to look for any sign of her uncle.

"Look, Mandie," Celia pointed as she grasped her friend's arm. "There's your Uncle John."

Sure enough, Uncle John came walking towards the girls.

"Uncle John!" Mandie exclaimed, giving her uncle a big hug, "Oh, I've missed you so much. I can't wait to get home."

"And how are you, my little blue eyes?" Uncle John asked, hands wrapped around his beloved niece.

"Excited to see all my friends once again," Mandie replied, then quickly added, "And mother, and grandmother, and Aunt Lou and…oh there's just so many people I'm dying to see."

"I'm sure there's a particular 'someone' you are dying to see?" Uncle John teased Mandie.

"And who might that be?" Mandie innocently inquired, crossing her arms calmly.

"Oh, you don't know who?" Celia asked in shocked disbelief, "Why, he's going to be so disappointed if you don't even know him."

"Oh! Snowball…ahh Snowball, how could I ever forget him?" Mandie smiled at Celia and Uncle John.

She was not going to reveal the real 'someone' she was dying to meet. Although, anyone who has known Mandie for even a while, would know who she was referring to as the 'someone'

"Thanks for the reminder, Celia"

Celia and Uncle John looked at each other and shook their heads. Did Mandie really not know who? Or was she just pretending? Hopefully it was the latter.

"Ummm, no Mandie, of course you're excited to see Snowball, but I wasn't referring to that dear cat of yours," Celia told her friend, "here, I'll give you a clue, he's a person and he's known you way longer than I have."

"Oh, that person," Mandie replied, smiling calmly, "Well, I'm just as excited to see him as everyone else."

"Sure, you are," Uncle John muttered as the threesome headed for the buggy that was waiting conviniently, outside the depot.

"What was that you said, Uncle John? Mandie asked, with pretending sweetness.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Uncle John quickly replied, "let's quicken up the pace, shall we?"

Soon the three of them approached the buggy, and with Abraham, a servant of the Shaw's as their driver, they headed to the direction of the Shaw's mansion.

"Who has arrived already?" Mandie asked as she wrapped her scarf tighter.

"Hmm…that's for me to know and for you to find out." Uncle John said with a mysterious grin, then he whispered in Mandie's ear, "I can tell you one thing though, your friend, whom you are 'dy..y.ing to meet has yet to arrive."

Mandie nudged her uncle, irritatingly, "oh, Uncle John, seriously? How many more times do I have to tell you, he's just an old friend and I am excited to see him as much as everyone else.

"You better not tell him that, he regards you as his best friend. And don't forget, he intends to marry you in the near future." Celia added, giving Mandie a friendly warning.

"Celia Hamilton! Just so you know, just because Joe is so serious about marrying me, it doesn't mean I want to marry him, much less in the near future." Mandie crossed her arm and looked at the view, hiding her blushing cheeks.

Although Mandie never said a straight 'no,' did she really want to spend the rest of her life with Joe? Was the thought of forever with Joe too much for her to comprehend? On the other hand, could she really bear to reject him? Certainly not after he had been there for her countless times, going through the many escapades with her. But what will her final answer be, yes or no? This was all too confusing for Mandie.

"Oh well, I'll have to decide for myself eventually," Mandie thought to herself, "I just hope I don't regret my decision."