From the Author: Sorry I haven't updated very much on my stories... I've been busy with other things guys. Sorry again!

Chapter 1

Mandie lay her blonde head by Jim's arm. She wished she wasn't faced with this. Why would God do this to her? Why would he take her father away? She didn't know, and was about to cry out when a strange man walked into the room. Mandie looked up. She had never seen him before in her life. He sure did look an awful lot like her father though. Except he had long brown hair, while her father's was red and curly. "Jim?" he asked, his voice soft. Mandie didn't know why, but she immediately fell in love with his voice. It was soothing, yet firm. She didn't know how to describe it. As soon as the stranger approached the bed, he stopped, and saw Mandie. The two stared into each other's eyes for a minute, before Jim opened his eyes and also saw the other man. "John?" he managed. Breaking his searching gaze, he looked up. "Brother, oh my dear brother." John said, placing a hand over the ill man's. "Mandie, this man," Jim began as his daughter turned to him. "Is your Uncle John." John looked at her again and forced a smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to meet her, it was the bittersweet moment; his brother was dying and here he was, having to be strong for his kinfolk. Mandie also forced a smile. If anything, she kind of disliked meeting new people. Her shyness always got in the way. Right now she really hated it. Her father was dying and she had to meet this man? So many questions ran through her mind. Questions like: Why had she never heard of him? Why did he just now show up? A cough brought the two back to the present back. They both focused on Jim. "Mandie, can you step out for a bit? I need to-" He broke off with a cough. After composing himself, he continued, "I need to talk to your Uncle John for a bit." Mandie looked at her father for a while. "Will you be okay?" she asked him, glancing at John. He didn't know why, but John immediately felt that his niece didn't trust him. Jim smiled weakly and said, "I will, Mandie, I will."

Mandie was outside with Snowball, her white cat. She was growing more and more curious to know what was going on. At long last, John came out of the house, shoulders drooped, hat in hands. He was evidently lost in his thoughts because he didn't regard Amanda as he walked on by. Mandie quickly stood and ran to her father's room. He was still awake. He was. Mandie proceeded to take her place again by his bed side. Jim put a hand on Mandie's blonde hair and closed his eyes to take a nap. Mandie glanced at her locket, not noticing her uncle was slightly hidden behind the doorway, watching the scene as a tear rolled down his sad countenance.