~Chapter 10~
Come In
(originally posted June 29, 2007)

The old Mazda inched its way south along I-87, the windows down and the fans running full blast.

“I knew this was a mistake,” grumbled Jim Frayne.

“It’s the only way to get to Sleepyside, Jim,” replied Mart Belden.

“I meant coming at all.  I should have stayed at the school.  And now there’s an accident or something up there.  You have no air conditioning and it’s roasting in this car.  I should have taken mine.  Then at least I could leave early tomorrow.  The whole day is shot.”

Mart glanced over at his friend.  He sure was being pessimistic about a weekend that had barely begun.  “Jim, it’ll be fine.”

It was Saturday, May 1st, Trixie Belden’s 21st birthday.  All the Bob-Whites of the Glen were gathering in Sleepyside to celebrate, including Jim, Trixie’s former boyfriend, and Dan Mangan, her current boyfriend.  This was the first time Jim would be facing them since...

“Gleeps!” Mart exclaimed, craning his neck out the window to see if he could see anything ahead.  “This is really bad.  I don’t think we’ve moved a mile in the last fifteen minutes.  You don’t think we’ll miss lunch, do you?”

“Mart, do you ever think about anything except your stomach?”

”Sure I do,” Mart answered dreamily.  He thought about her long wavy blond hair and her eyes so dark blue they were almost black.  He thought about her smile that lit up any room she entered and the way she beat him mercilessly when they played Scrabble, despite his extensive vocabulary.

Jim looked over at his starry-eyed friend.  “You know, you could have brought Sally, Mart.  I would have been fine with that.”

“I told you, her niece's baptism was this weekend.  Besides,” he ribbed gently, “I didn’t want you to be the only one without a date tonight.”

Jim rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, me and Bobby,” he mumbled.  Bobby was the youngest of the Belden siblings.  He had just turned fourteen in February.

“Uh...I hate to tell you this, Jim, but Bobby’s got a girlfriend.”

“What?  Little Bobby Belden has a girlfriend?”

Mart laughed, “Yeah, and he’s not so little either.  I swear he’s shot up a foot since Christmas.  He’s almost as tall as Brian now.”

Jim shook his head.  “Bobby’s not old enough to have a girlfriend.”

“Well, he’s not much younger than you were when you and – “ Mart stopped and cleared his throat.

“Yeah, and you remember how we were at that age?” Jim reproved, trying to make him nervous.

“Yeah, but Moms has been through it before.  She’ll survive.  Speaking of younger siblings, maybe you should be worrying more about your little sister than my little brother.”

“Honey is a married woman,” Jim reminded Mart.  Jim’s adopted sister Honey was married to Mart’s older brother Brian.  They had been married just a few months before in a surprise New Year’s Eve ceremony that Brian had secretly arranged for his beautiful fiancée.

“And from what I hear, quite...voracious,” Mart leered.

Jim glared at Mart.  “Brian discusses that with you?”  He couldn’t imagine serious Brian Belden, the doctor-to-be, conversing casually about his sex life, even with his brother.

“No, but I hear the way he’s huffing and panting every time I call.”

“Why are you calling them in the middle of the night?”

Mart laughed at Jim’s stodginess.  “Who said anything about the middle of the night, my friend?  I’m talking all hours of the day and night.”

Jim put his hands over his ears, “I don’t need to hear this about my baby sister.”

Mart grinned.  At least he wasn’t thinking about Trixie now.  And this could be fun.  “Brian keeps some ghastly hours with med school and interning.  They gotta take it whenever they can get it.  And apparently, they ‘get it’ quite frequently.”

“Mart!”  Jim put his hands over his face and groaned.  It was going to be a long trip.

****************************************** 

Diana Lynch buzzed again.  When there was no answer, she walked towards the car idling near the curb and shrugged.  “We’re not early, are we Tad?” she asked the driver.

“No.  In fact, your flight got in a little late.  I’m surprised they weren’t down here waiting in the lobby for us when we pulled up.”

“Hello?”  The intercom squawked.

Diana ran back to the building.  “It’s us.  Are you ready to go?”

“Um...yeah.  We’ll be right down.”

“Do you need help with your luggage?”

”No, I don’t think so.”

“Yes!  Yes!”  Diana heard in the background.

“So you do need help?” Diana queried, slightly confused.

“No.  I mean, yes.  Sure.  Just a sec, I’ll buzz you in.”  The security buzzer sounded momentarily and the front door unlocked.  Diana pulled it open and turned back to the car with another shrug. 

Tad Webster grinned impishly and raised his eyebrows, nodding his head up in the general direction of Brian and Honey Belden’s apartment with a lascivious look that said he had figured out what the delay was.  Diana blushed as she got his meaning and took her time on the way up the stairs to give the newlyweds a few minutes to compose themselves.

When she got to their third floor walk-up she hesitated, leaning towards the door to see if she could hear anything from inside.  It seemed to be quiet, so she knocked. 

“Come in!”

Diana came through the door.  Brian was leaning against the back of the couch, facing her.  But his polo shirt, normally neatly pressed, was wrinkled and one edge of the collar was sticking up.  He smiled casually at her as he tucked the loose ends of his shirt into his jeans.  Honey came out of the bedroom, smoothing her hair.  She smiled at Diana and ran to give her a hug.  “It’s so good to see you, Di!  I’m so glad you were able to make it for Trixie’s birthday!”

“So, are you two ready to go?” Diana asked.

“Absolutely!” said Brian, picking up the suitcase that sat by the door and heading out to the hallway.

“Are you sure?” Diana asked again, looking down pointedly as Honey picked up her make-up case.

Honey looked down, blushed furiously, and zipped up her slacks.  “Yes, we are ready.”  And she hurried after her husband before Diana could make any comments.

Tad popped the trunk when he saw the trio coming through the front door.  Brian and Honey went around to load their bags.  Diana started to get into the front seat then thought better of it.  The idea of Brian and Honey necking in the backseat all the way to Sleepyside was too much.  “How about girls in the back?  We can gab all the way to Sleepyside,” she called out.

Honey and Brian, hidden from view by the raised lid of the trunk, were sharing a last kiss before the trip.  Tad could see Honey’s hands firmly on Brian’s buttocks from his sideview mirror.  He honked his horn impatiently.  They broke apart with red faces and quickly hopped into the car. 

Diana leaned forward to kiss Tad on the cheek.  They hadn’t seen each other since Easter and Tad was clearly envious of Brian and Honey’s intimacy.  “Soon enough, darling, soon enough,” she whispered in his ear.

********************************************

Tad honked the horn as he pulled into the driveway at Crabapple Farm.  The Beldens’ old Irish Setter Reddy raised his head from his post on the porch, gave a mild warning bark, then went back to sleep.

The four young people went into the homey kitchen, where Mrs. Belden was busy cooking, as usual.  She turned to give Diana and Tad a hug and a smile.  “Diana, how nice to see you again.  Are you here for the summer?  Tad, your new car is very nice.  Peter will want to hear all about it when he gets home.”

She hugged her eldest son warmly.  “You and Honey are going to be in the downstairs guest room,” she said and Brian picked up their bags to get them out of the way.  Mrs. Belden turned to Honey.  “My favorite daughter-in-law,” she smiled as she took her into her arms. 

“I’m your only daughter-in-law, Moms!” Honey giggled.  “And as usual, it smells divine in this kitchen.  What are you cooking?” 

“Fried chicken and an apple pie.  I thought you all would like to have a picnic by the lake for lunch, just like old times,” she smiled.  “It got warm so quickly this spring, I feel like it’s practically summer already.”

There was a sound like stampeding cattle from the family room and Bobby Belden and a bouncy red-headed teenage girl came into the kitchen.  “Hi, Honey!” Bobby shouted, giving his sister-in-law a quick hug.  “Hi, Di!  Hi, Tad!  Moms, can Ashley and I go down to the lake now?” 

“Bobby, your sister will be here any minute.  Why don’t you wait for her to get here?”

“Aw, Moms!  I’ll see her all weekend.  Ashley and I want to catch some rays!”

“The sun will be here all summer, Bobby.  You can wait a few minutes.”

Bobby pouted momentarily, then had an idea.  “All right, Moms,” he said in resignation.  “We’ll just go up to my room and play video games until they get here.”  He took Ashley’s hand and they started towards the stairs.

“Bobby!”

Bobby looked back innocently, his blue eyes wide.

Mrs. Belden sighed.  “Why don’t you two head on down to the lake?”

“Thanks Mrs. Belden!  We’ll take extra towels with us.  Then the rest of you can bring the food.  Don’t forget to bring drinks.  It’ll be really hot out there today.  And some bottled water too, please.  I don’t drink soda.  It’s way too fattening.  Even if you get diet, it’s still a lot of empty calories.  And besides, water is better for you on a hot day anyway.  It was nice to meet you all.  See you again in couple of minutes!  Bye!”  Ashley was still chattering away as Bobby dragged her out the back door.

Tad’s mouth dropped open.  Honey and Di giggled.  Mrs. Belden shook her head with a smile on her face.  “One teenage girl is bad enough, but Ashley has enough energy for three teenage girls.”

“I’d better help Brian,” Honey said as she moved towards the guest room.

“You two aren’t staying at the Manor House?” Diana asked.

“No, Mother and Daddy just left for Europe for the summer.  The house is pretty much closed up.  Regan is there, of course, and he said we could all go riding tomorrow if we wanted.  Miss Trask is in the city with her sister.  Maybe we can all go visit her when you guys take us back to the city Monday.”  Honey’s voice trailed behind her as she hurried to join her husband.

Diana and Mrs. Belden looked at each and just laughed.  The whole house was going to be energetic this weekend.

Diana and Tad helped Mrs. Belden pack the two picnic baskets with enough food for an army.  “Or at least I hope there will be enough for you after Mart gets at it,” Mrs. Belden joked.  She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall several times as they worked and once she glanced back towards the guest room.

Noticing her gaze, Diana suddenly said, “I forgot to ask Honey what she got Trixie for her birthday.  I’m going to go check.”

She went down the hallway and knocked on the door.  In a moment, she heard Honey say in a muffled voice, “Come in!”

Diana opened the door and struggled to hold back a giggle.  Brian was in almost exactly the same position as he had been when Diana had entered their apartment earlier that morning.  This time he was leaning on the dresser.  His shirt was untucked again and even more wrinkled than before.  His hair was disheveled this time as well.  He smiled casually at her.  Honey came out of the little adjoining bathroom, smoothing her hair.  She had on a black one-piece swimsuit with green trim and an emerald green cover-up, which was slightly askew.

As Diana gave Brian a knowing smile, he cleared his throat.  “I’m going to go see if Moms needs any help,” he mumbled.  As he headed out, Diana grabbed his arm.  Without a word, she merely tapped her cheek.  Brian rubbed the lipstick off his own cheek and hurried out.

Diana laughed and turned to her friend with feigned shock.  “Madeleine Grace Wheeler Belden, really!  In the middle of the afternoon?  In your in-laws’ house?”

Honey turned pink, muttered something unintelligible and ran after her husband, leaving Diana giggling in the doorway.

Trixie and Dan arrived shortly after that.  Everybody hugged and shook hands and wished Trixie Happy Birthday.  Mrs. Belden told them they should go on ahead to the lake.  Mart had called; he and Jim had been caught in traffic and were running a little late.  Mr. Belden had had a morning meeting at the bank with an out-of-town client, but he and his wife would join them at the lake later.  Trixie and Di went upstairs to change into their swimsuits, while the men changed in the downstairs guest room.  Then Brian and Tad each took an overstuffed picnic basket, Dan took a cooler loaded with drinks, and they headed down to the lake.  Trixie, Di, and Honey walked in front of them, arm in arm, chatting amiably as they caught each other up with all their news.

The lake looked deserted when they arrived.  “I thought Bobby and his little friend were down here?” Trixie questioned.

Brian looked livid as he put down his picnic basket on one of the tables and stalked over to the boathouse.  He knocked on the door and immediately opened it, even as Bobby was yelling, “Come in!”

He and Ashley were inside, standing and fully clothed at least, Brian noticed.  Bobby’s face was red, “We were just getting the...inner tubes,” he said sheepishly.  He grabbed a snorkel and mask off one of the shelves.

“That’s not an inner tube, Bobby,” Brian pointed out.

“Oh, yeah.  I meant snorkel.”  And he grabbed Ashley’s hand and dashed out, grabbing an inner tube near the door on his way out.

Brian tried not to laugh, but it really was pretty funny.  Out of curiosity, he checked the lock on the door to see if it still worked.

“Hi!  You must be Trixie.  I knew you were because you look just like Bobby.  And besides I already met Honey and Di.  Well, kind of.  I mean Bobby didn’t really introduce me, but I knew who you were when he talked to you.  I guess that was kind of rude of him not to introduce me.  I already met, well kind of met, Tad too.  Is that your boyfriend, Trixie?  His name is Dan, right?  He’s a hunk!  Well, Tad is pretty hot too, Di, don’t get me wrong.  Actually, so is Brian, but he’s married, so I guess he’s off the table.  Actually, I guess I shouldn’t be saying that around Bobby.  I don’t want to make him jealous.  Well, I guess we’ll get into the water now!”  And Ashley skipped off to the dock, where Bobby was waiting with the inner tubes.

“She’s...bubbly,” Honey said tactfully.

“Yeah,” Trixie replied in a dazed voice.

“How does poor Bobby ever get a word in edgewise?” Diana wondered.

They all took turns in the lake, which was still somewhat chilly despite the heat of the spring day.  After they sat on the dock awhile, conversing and enjoying the sun, Dan said, “I vote we don’t wait for Mart and Jim any more.  Let’s eat!”  There were general “ayes” of agreement and the girls helped to unpack the picnic baskets for lunch.  In addition to the fried chicken and apple pie, there was macaroni salad, potato chips, raw veggies and dip, baked beans, and fresh baked rolls.

No sooner had the delicious spread been laid out then Mart and Jim came walking down from the direction of the farmhouse.  “Perfect timing, as usual, Mart!” Dan yelled to him.

Mart took a melodramatic bow, then rushed over to the table and sat down.  “Hope nobody minds if I eat before I say hi.  I’m famished!”  And he grabbed a plate and immediately started filling it up.

Jim shook his head with a smile.  He looked over at Dan, then at Trixie, wondering who he should talk to first and what he should say and how they would react.  He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“Hi!  You must be Honey’s brother, Jim!  I’ve already met Mart.  He was here a week ago, or was it two weeks ago?  Bobby, do you remember?  Anyway, Bobby told me you were Mart’s boss up at that school for boys.  I’d like to visit a boys’ school myself.  Sounds like a lot of fun for a girl, if you catch my meaning.  You have red hair just like mine!  You don’t look anything like your sister, but I guess you wouldn’t, seeing as how you’re adopted.  I think that’s awesome.  Hey!  I wonder if maybe you and I are related.  Not that a lot of people don’t have red hair, but I was just wondering.  So, do you want some chicken?”

Jim looked so shell-shocked that everybody else promptly burst out into laughter.  Dan went over and shook his hand.  His jaw was slightly clenched and his smile was tight-lipped, but he slapped Jim on the back heartily and offered him a seat next to him.  “I’m working on it, Jim,” he said in a low voice.  Jim nodded in appreciation and smiled weakly at Trixie, who was seated across from him.  She gave him a small smile back.  Dan gently put his foot on hers underneath the table.  She beamed up at him as he mouthed a kiss in her direction.

Trixie and Dan left soon after lunch, heading up to the stables to visit Bill Regan, Dan’s uncle and the Wheelers’ stable foreman.  They said they would make arrangements for them all to go riding the next afternoon.  Diana and Tad excused themselves also.  They wanted to go see their families before the party that evening.  Mart offered to take Ashley home, and Bobby went with them.  A little while later, Jim decided he was going to walk up to see the old B.W.G. clubhouse.

Brian and Honey remained on the dock for some time, basking in the sun.  When everybody was gone, Brian rolled over and whispered something suggestive in his wife’s ear.  She giggled and raised herself up on her elbows to survey the area.  “Are you sure everybody’s gone?”

“Do you see anybody?  Besides, the lock on the boathouse works.  I checked it earlier.”

“I love how you’re always thinking ahead, sweetie.”

Brian stood and pulled Honey to her feet, kissing her passionately before they sauntered over to the boathouse and disappeared inside.

******************************************* 

“I’m sorry my meeting took so long, dear,” Peter Belden said.  “I hated going in on a Saturday, but he’s an important client at the bank.”

“I understand, darling.”  Helen Belden was dressed simply in a light sundress and sandals.  Peter thought she looked ravishing.  They had been married for almost a quarter of a century and she looked as beautiful as she had the day he first met her.  Impulsively, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.  “What was that all about, Peter?”

“You’re beautiful.”

Helen smiled.  He still made her heart pitter-pat.  “Mart claims there is still some food left down at the lake.  He and Bobby took Ashley back home.”

“I’ll go change and we can get right out there,” Peter replied, giving his wife another quick kiss before he ran upstairs.

He returned a few minutes later in khaki shorts and a golf shirt.  He slipped on a pair of well-worn sandals sitting by the back door.  He put his arm around his wife’s waist and they headed down to the lake.

The place was deserted when they got down there, but the food was still set up on the picnic table.  “I can’t believe those kids were so careless and rude,” Peter griped, “Look at this mess.”

“Oh, they’ll clean it up,” Helen assured him.  “Mart said he and Bobby would be right back.  Mart probably wants seconds.”

Peter laughed, “Or thirds.”

“Or fourths!” they chimed in unison, laughing.

They fixed themselves some lunch and sat down next to each other.  Peter slid his hand down along his wife’s leg and squeezed her knee.  “Helen, my dear, I believe you’re blushing,” he teased.

“Probably just sunburn,” she replied, “Which reminds me, I forgot to put sunscreen on.”

“There’s probably some in the boathouse.  I’ll get it for you.”  Peter stood and walked to the door, but found it was locked.  “That’s strange.  One of the kids must have accidentally locked it before they left.”  He jiggled the handle again.  Suddenly, he heard a crash inside.  There was some scuffling and a moment later, the door opened and Brian Belden, the spitting image of his father, appeared, looking very embarrassed.

He cleared his throat, “Hi, Dad.”

Peter Belden raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.  His daughter-in-law peeked over Brian’s shoulder.  Her hair was mussed and she was frantically pulling up the strap on her swimsuit.  “Hi, Mr. Belden...Dad...sir.”

Brian coughed.  “We were just...um...looking for...”

“Never mind, son.  I was young and in love too once.”  He rolled his eyes and laughed under his breath as Brian hastily grabbed Honey’s hand and the newlyweds ran back up the hill to the farmhouse.

Helen came up behind him and put an arm around his waist.  “Once?” she questioned in a sultry voice, leaning her head on his arm.

Peter looked at her in surprise.  She tilted her head towards the boathouse with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“Well...we know the lock works,” he grinned.  He moved towards the door, then extended his hand to his wife.  “Come in,” he called softly.  And the not-so-newlyweds disappeared, giggling, into the boathouse.

*******************************************

Trixie left Dan with his uncle, still talking excitedly about the police academy.  She made her way down the hill towards Crabapple Farm, veering off the path to go see the Clubhouse.  It hadn’t been used in several years now, though Bobby was making hints about starting his own club, including Diana’s younger twin brothers and sisters, and of course, Ashley Connor.  As she remembered Bobby and Ashley getting caught in the boathouse, she wondered humorously what kind of club that might be.

The Bob-White clubhouse, which had originally been the gatehouse at the Wheeler estate, long before the Wheelers moved there, was hidden in a little grove of trees near the Manor House drive, not far off of Glen Road.  Trixie and Honey had discovered it that first summer they were friends, and when the B.W.G.’s were formed they had lovingly restored the building to use as their clubhouse.  It was now locked to protect it from vagabonds and vandals.  Regan had one key, which Trixie had borrowed, and the other key was kept at the Belden home.  So Trixie was surprised to see the door slightly ajar as she approached the clubhouse.  “Hello?” she called hesitantly.

She heard a familiar voice from within. “Come in,” it beckoned.

Taking a deep breath, she went inside.  “Hello, Jim.  How did you get in here?”

“I saw the key hanging by the kitchen door when Mart and I headed down to the lake, so I snitched it.  I just thought I’d come and make sure everything was okay down here.”

“Me too,” she smiled, holding up Regan’s key.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them as they both pretended to inspect the windows, the roof, the furniture, and the shelves.  Finally, Jim spoke.  “I don’t know what to say, Trixie.  I mean...” he paused for a long moment.  “I don’t know how to say I’m sorry enough.”

“It’s all right, Jim,” Trixie whispered. 

Jim sat down at the table in the center of the room.  “But it’s not all right.  I almost caused you and Dan to break up.  I almost caused an immense amount of pain to two of my best friends.”

“Well, it’s not like I didn’t have some fault in this myself.  I was confused too, Jim.”  She sat down across from him and hesitantly, reached out and took his hand.  “You were my first love.  You’re still one of my best friends.  You’re a wonderful man and I just...I was just scared I was making a mistake by letting you go.”

Jim chuckled under his breath, “I thought I was the one who let you go.”

“Well, you broke up with me, but I let you go.  Don't you know if it was meant for us to be together that I would have fought tooth and nail for you?”

“Yes, the Trixie Belden I know would have,” he smiled.

“I love Dan.  I know that now.  I love him more with every breath that I take.”  She thought about the last three years.  “Until that night up at Indian Lake, I never once thought that I was in a relationship with the wrong man.”

Jim shook his head.  “I’m sorry I put those doubts in your mind, Trix.”

“I’m not.  All that time, when I thought I was so happy with Dan, it still felt like...today.”

Jim looked at her in puzzlement.

“What I mean is, everything was just in the here and now.  I never looked ahead.  I couldn’t see anything ahead of me.  But when I realized just how much I loved Dan, how important he was in my life, that’s when I started seeing the future.  Now, all of a sudden, I can picture my future with Dan.”

Trixie sighed and continued, “I hate what happened between us, Jim.  I hate that it caused so much pain to you, and to Dan and me.  But if that’s what it took to make me understand, then I can’t be totally sorry that it happened.”

Jim looked up at her.  “My gosh, Trixie.  I just can’t believe how much you’ve grown up.”

She grinned at him, “Just in the nick of time, huh?  I think you were all getting tired of pulling me out of predicaments.”

Jim squeezed her hand.  “Never.  If you ever need someone to get you out of a jam, you just call me.”

She smiled gratefully.

“And if you ever need someone to help you solve a mystery...call Honey or the FBI or something, but leave me out of it.”  He tried to look stern, but his green eyes sparkled and he broke out into laughter.

Trixie joined him.  A great burden was lifted off of her heart at that moment.  She had her friend back.  She was in love with a wonderful man.  Everything was right in her life.  It was time, at long last, for happiness to come in.