Fiction Book Prt. 9

At this point in the story, Mattie finds out from a family friend that her family is gravely ill. She rushes home from her job at the Glenmore hotel to discover her house a complete disaster, the barn a total mess with the animals everywhere, and her sisters lying on the floor with no strength at all. She helps her sisters get to their beds and discovers her father in bed shivering. She tries everything she can to help her family members feel better like bathing them in cold water to bring down their fevers. With the help of some family friends, she cures her family with medications and saves the barn by taking care of all of the animals. She then realizes how her family got the mysterious illness. It was because her father helped a sick woman home one day and caught the virus then. Lather on, Royal, who is Mattie's fiance, finally gets enough money to give her an engagement ring. Even though it's just a gold band she loves it as much as she loves him. Royal goes onto tell Mattie that he finally has enough money to start a life with her and that with the help of her savings, they'll be able to find a home for themselves. Even though Mattie is so excited to finally have the ring, I can't help but wondering if this marriage to Royal is going to cause Mattie to not follow her dream of going to college and becoming a writer. I hope somehow she'll still get to go to New York and full fill this dream with or without a husband.