Chapter Four: Making Progress
This story is rated blue star and suitable for all ages.
Trixie gently tugged on Susie’s reigns, and the little black mare obediently swung around to follow Lady down the narrow trail. “I can’t believe we got up at six-fifteen on a Saturday morning,” she said with a yawn.
“Well, we do have a lot to take care of,” Honey said over her shoulder. “It just made sense to ride early, and it sure impressed Regan.”
Trixie nodded, and the two girls giggled, recalling the surprised expression on the young groom’s face when he’d come down from his apartment, over the Wheelers’ garage, to find them saddling their two favourite horses.
“I think, that at least for today, we’re going to be far more popular than our usually lauded brothers,” Honey said.
“Our what?” Trixie demanded, pulling alongside her friend as the path widened.
“Approved of; worthy of praise,” Honey explained with a grin.
“If you’re going to start doing a Mart on me, tell me now, so that I can organize my last will and testament.” Trixie eyed her best friend balefully.
Honey laughed. “I guess I’ve just been reading a bit more lately and, anyway, I’ve decided to embrace the concept of self-actualisation.” She stumbled a little over the term, but her hazel eyes twinkled at the look on Trixie’s face. “Mart’s not the only Belden who knows lots of interesting words, even if he uses more than all of you put together,” she added.
Trixie gave her sandy head a shake. “I have got to put a stop to Brian tutoring you. I’m sure it’s corrupting you. Making you all sophisticated and spouting what I’m guessing is some kind of psychological mumbo jumbo. “
“Spouting? Now who sounds like Mart?” Honey asked, raising a well-shaped brow. “Besides, Maslow isn’t mumbo jumbo, and Brian says psychology could be really valuable to a detective.”
“Well, if Brian says…” Trixie wrinkled her nose, but her blue eyes showed she wasn’t really annoyed with her friend.
The early morning air was fresh, and both girls breathed it in appreciatively. The ascending sun gave the promise of a fine day and Trixie sighed contentedly.
“I could stay out here all day long,” she said.
“That would really help us get through that list you made last night,” Honey noted with a grin.
“It was your idea to make a list, or at least a list of other lists we might need,” Trixie returned. “All I did was follow orders.”
“Orders!” Honey chortled in disbelief.
Trixie wrinkled her nose. “Okay, maybe I give more orders than I take, but if you had to slave like I do—” she broke off, catching sight of Honey’s droll expression, and laughed. “Anyway, the list was a good idea, and when we get back home this is one thing we can cross off it.”
Honey nodded and looked at her watch, “And on that note, we’d better get moving, so that we can clean the tack and still be back at your place in time to help with breakfast.”
The two girls were delighted when Regan offered to take care of the horses for them. “I can’t exercise all of the horses,” he said with a grin, “but I guess if you two can ride and help save the world at the same time, I can lend a hand occasionally.”
Trixie and Honey hurried back down the path from the Manor House to Crabapple Farm and arrived in the kitchen, flushed and slightly out of breath. Mart was slicing tomatoes and placing them under the grill.
“Where have you two been?” he demanded. “I’m here like some sort of galley slave, while you both gallivant around the countryside.”
“We feel just awful about that, don’t we, Honey?” Trixie said, with a super sweet smile.
Honey nodded, stifling a giggle, “Absolutely terrible,” she said.
“You know if we’re short on acts, you girls would do a great Lucy and Ethel,” Mart snorted, blue eyes glinting.
“We’ll keep it in mind,” his sister replied, wondering how her brother ever found time for actual schoolwork when he spent so much time watching old television shows.
Helen Belden came into the kitchen, a warm smile lighting her pretty face. “Now, isn’t this nice. Are you all here to help with breakfast?”
Trixie and Honey nodded and Trixie added, “Mart’s already started, so I’ll put some bacon on to fry.”
“And I’ll set the table,” Honey said.
“Wonderful.” Mrs. Belden opened the refrigerator as she spoke. “I’ll scramble the eggs and then when Honey’s finished the table perhaps she’ll give me a hand with the toast and coffee?”
“Of course, Mrs. Belden.” Honey was already pulling the silverware and napkins from the dresser.
“And where might the prodigal son be while all this work is going on?” Mart wanted to know.
“Brian’s washing my car,” his mother replied. “I told him it could wait, but he didn’t want to leave it.”
“I had to ask,” Mart said in a resigned tone of voice. “You’d think by now that I’d know better.”
“Yes, you would,” Trixie said tartly. “But you must be a very slow learner.”
Helen Belden shook her blonde head. “Anyone would think to hear my children that they were still in grade school. What do you suppose I should do with them, Honey?”
Honey giggled. “I’m the wrong person to ask, Mrs. Belden, I like them all just the way they are.”
“You like some of us more than others,” Mart observed as he checked the tomatoes.
“That’s because she’s got good sense.” Trixie said, dropping the bacon rashers into the frying pan. She and her brother exchanged good-natured grins, and Honey hurried into the dining room.
For all his joking around, Mart had apparently been busy. As they were enjoying their breakfast, he handed Trixie a manila folder. “I did a rough draft of sign-in sheets and ticket registers last night,” he said.
Trixie took a quick look. “Gee, Mart these are great,” she said.
“I’ve started work on a spreadsheet that will help us coordinate props and running order, stuff like that, but it needs some more work before I show it to you.” Mart reached for another slice of toast as he spoke.
Honey promptly slid another rasher of bacon onto his plate, and Trixie offered him the scrambled eggs.
Mart grinned. “This might be fun after all.”
“So, I believe our son is returning to the world of magic and sleight of hand?” Peter Belden took another slice of toast from the heaped plate as he spoke.
“The rumours are true and I intend to do my humble best,” Mart admitted. “After all,” he added, “the Belden name is at stake.”
“We could always get you another name for the show,” Brian offered with a grin. “I could think of a few.”
“At least I know what I’m doing, “Mart retorted. “Picked a little ditty yet?” He looked from his brother to Honey.
The latter shuddered. “I feel sick just thinking about it. What about ‘Happy Birthday’, that’s short and sweet.”
“But not exactly appropriate.” Brian smiled.
“Why not a classic? Something that might resonate with a broad audience?” Helen Belden suggested.
“Of course,” Mart agreed. “Perhaps something with a touch of romance, ‘I Honestly Love You’ or ‘I’ve Got a Crush on You?’”
Honey flushed and Brian gave his brother a warning look.
“Better still,” Mart continued, undaunted, ‘I Will Always Love You’, now that would be—”
“We could do a tribute to you,” Brian interrupted, “‘Send in the Clowns’ or ‘Fools Rush In’, or—”
“Why not something that suits the event?” Mrs. Belden offered helpfully, thinking that in spite of his claims to the contrary, her usually calm and even-tempered eldest son might be feeling the pressure of the culmination of his high school years.
“I never should have let you watch The History of Popular Music with me,” Mart said, with a dark look at Brian.
“That’s a great idea, Moms,” Trixie said, while she contemplated new and improved ways of torturing her middle brother.
“Well, then it should be about helping people,” Honey said. “Or being there when people need you, or everyone working together—” she broke off. “Am I rambling again?”
“No way,” Trixie said swiftly. “As usual, you’re making perfectly perfect sense.”
“I agree with my daughter,” Mr. Belden said, reaching over to pat Trixie’s hand, “and I have just the thing; our songsters already know it, too, including Dan.”
All eyes turned to him and he smiled, enjoying the looks on their expectant and puzzled faces. “‘You’ve Got a Friend’,” he said with a smile, as one by one the waiting group nodded their approval.
“Dad, that’s fantastic!” Trixie said, hugging her father.
“I agree,” Mrs. Belden said with a nod.
“I withdraw all my former suggestions.” Mart gave a bow. “It would seem that our family patriarch is not merely a financial wizard and exemplary provider, but also—”
“Oh, go swallow a thesaurus,” Trixie said, cutting him off. “What do you two think?” She looked at Brian and grabbed Honey’s arm.
Brian nodded. “I think you’re right. You remember, Honey, a few weeks ago, when the power went out, we had a sing along and that was one of the songs we did.”
“I do remember,” Honey said, mentally running the words through her head “It is just right and I think I can sing it, or we can sing it.”
“Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner,” Brian said with a smile.
“Now, I know you have a lot of things to organise,” Helen Belden said, changing the subject, “but I hope you boys are still planning on cleaning out the garage. We have a pick up this week and there are some things that I’m sure we can afford to get rid of.”
“Don’t worry, Moms, Mart and I really need to ride Strawberry and Starlight this morning or else we’ll be banned from the Wheeler stables, but after lunch we’re all yours, right, Mart?”
Mart nodded. “So long as I have time to make myself presentable before this evening’s festivities; the Lynches are bringing the younger kids so they want to go for an early dinner. They’re picking us up around five-thirty.”
“Does that mean you’ll need the station wagon?” Brian asked, frowning.
Mart shook his head. “No, Mr. Lynch said they’d bring both of their cars so we should be fine.”
“The garage isn’t that bad,” Mrs. Belden said, as she began to clear the table. “It shouldn’t take you all that long.”
“We’ll do the breakfast dishes,” Trixie offered, pushing her chair back.
“And then what?” Mart asked. “I’m guessing your assistance cleaning out the garage is out of the question.”
“Honey and I thought we might go through our list we made last night and then make a list of all the things we need to check up on for the show. Like a sound system, lights, dressing rooms, things we can ask Mr. Saunders about when we see him.” Including that robbery, she thought, but did not say.
“Plus, we’ll need volunteers to usher, help out backstage, maybe sell refreshments,” Honey added.
“Sounds like those lists are well on the way,” Mr. Belden said.
“And we really do have a couple of things to do for school as well,” Honey looked at Trixie, who shrugged and nodded.
“I haven’t forgotten. I wish I had, but you’re right, we should get our homework out of the way, so that when Dad sets up the meeting we’re free to go.”
The two girls made their way into the kitchen, while Brian and Mart headed up the hill to the Wheeler stables.
For some time Trixie and Honey, locked in Trixie’s bedroom, concentrated on matters other than the benefit show and diligently applied their skills to schoolwork.
“I don’t know why,” Trixie said, as she finally put down her pen, “but I always find it easier to work on things that don’t have anything to do with academics.”
Honey shrugged her slim shoulders and smiled. She quite liked most schoolwork and she knew Trixie didn’t hate it as much as she claimed to. “Our extra math work starts Monday, and once Miss Trask is back, you and I will be getting extra, extra coaching from her as well.” She laughed. “I think she thought her days of tutoring me were well and truly over.”
Trixie nodded. “We’re just lucky that this kind of math is her thing. Though I guess Brian or Jim could have helped us out.”
“They’re too busy,” Honey insisted. “Anyway, we’d better get used to doing it on our own. Miss Trask is pretty busy, too, and we won’t have either Brian or Jim to help us for much longer.”
“Thanks for reminding me.” Trixie looked glum. “I struggle even with their help, and Dan’s so busy I’d have to go to Mart and frankly…”
The two girls exchanged looks and giggled helplessly. Trixie flung herself down onto her bed.
“Do you think I need to go to college to be a detective?”
Honey, with somewhat more grace than her friend, sank down on to the twin bed the Beldens affectionately referred to as hers, and pretended to consider this.
“Technically, no, but I don’t want to be in the room when you explain your new plans for the future to your folks.”
Trixie laughed. “I don’t think I want to be there either. I guess I’ll just have to ‘apply myself’ as Miss Craven keeps telling me.”
Dan arrived just after lunch to help clean out the Belden garage and was greeted warmly by Mart and Brian. The three young men worked solidly for around three hours until Mrs. Belden declared that they had done enough.
Trixie carried a tray of lemonade and Honey a plate of brownies and they took them down to their hungry and slightly dirty friends.
Mart took an appreciative bite and eyed his sister warily. “What have you been doing since lunch?”
Trixie grinned, easily reading his mind, “Don’t worry, Honey made the brownies; I just followed the directions for the lemonade mix.”
Mart breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, winked at his sister, and continued eating, while both Dan and Brian smiled.
“It’s your will not your skill that’s the problem in the kitchen,” Honey noted, and giggled along with the others when she realised she’d rhymed her sentence. “I know I haven’t forgotten that delicious beef stroganoff you made in New York.”
Trixie wrinkled her nose, “Everyone’s entitled to an off day,” she said before turning to Dan. “Oh, did Brian tell you they’ve chosen a song?”
Dan raised his dark brows and shook his head.
Honey clapped her hand over her mouth. “How awful we are!” she exclaimed in dismay. “We should ask you, not tell you! Sorry, Dan.”
Dan grinned. “Why not tell me, then if I fall down in a dead faint, you’ll know I’m not too keen on your choice.”
“‘You’ve Got a Friend’,” Trixie said before either Honey or Brian could speak. “You know it’s an old—” she frowned.
“Carole King,” Brian supplied.
“Carole King song,” Trixie finished.
Dan thought for a moment. “Sure, Mr. Maypenny has that album, that’s how I knew it when we played it at your house a few weeks ago.” He nodded, a smile crossing his lean face. “I think it’s terrific.”
“That’s what we thought, well the song part anyway,” Honey said. “The singing part is still a little scary.”
Brian opened his mouth to reassure her while Trixie helped herself to a brownie. “Oh!” she cried cutting him off. “What an absolutely perfect way to close the show!”
word count 2614
BSM:MAIN NEXT
As always thanks go to the wonderful Dana for her technical brilliance and her ability to improve my story. Hugs. Trixie Belden et al belong to Random House and not to me. No profit is being made from these scribblings.
“Well, we do have a lot to take care of,” Honey said over her shoulder. “It just made sense to ride early, and it sure impressed Regan.”
Trixie nodded, and the two girls giggled, recalling the surprised expression on the young groom’s face when he’d come down from his apartment, over the Wheelers’ garage, to find them saddling their two favourite horses.
“I think, that at least for today, we’re going to be far more popular than our usually lauded brothers,” Honey said.
“Our what?” Trixie demanded, pulling alongside her friend as the path widened.
“Approved of; worthy of praise,” Honey explained with a grin.
“If you’re going to start doing a Mart on me, tell me now, so that I can organize my last will and testament.” Trixie eyed her best friend balefully.
Honey laughed. “I guess I’ve just been reading a bit more lately and, anyway, I’ve decided to embrace the concept of self-actualisation.” She stumbled a little over the term, but her hazel eyes twinkled at the look on Trixie’s face. “Mart’s not the only Belden who knows lots of interesting words, even if he uses more than all of you put together,” she added.
Trixie gave her sandy head a shake. “I have got to put a stop to Brian tutoring you. I’m sure it’s corrupting you. Making you all sophisticated and spouting what I’m guessing is some kind of psychological mumbo jumbo. “
“Spouting? Now who sounds like Mart?” Honey asked, raising a well-shaped brow. “Besides, Maslow isn’t mumbo jumbo, and Brian says psychology could be really valuable to a detective.”
“Well, if Brian says…” Trixie wrinkled her nose, but her blue eyes showed she wasn’t really annoyed with her friend.
The early morning air was fresh, and both girls breathed it in appreciatively. The ascending sun gave the promise of a fine day and Trixie sighed contentedly.
“I could stay out here all day long,” she said.
“That would really help us get through that list you made last night,” Honey noted with a grin.
“It was your idea to make a list, or at least a list of other lists we might need,” Trixie returned. “All I did was follow orders.”
“Orders!” Honey chortled in disbelief.
Trixie wrinkled her nose. “Okay, maybe I give more orders than I take, but if you had to slave like I do—” she broke off, catching sight of Honey’s droll expression, and laughed. “Anyway, the list was a good idea, and when we get back home this is one thing we can cross off it.”
Honey nodded and looked at her watch, “And on that note, we’d better get moving, so that we can clean the tack and still be back at your place in time to help with breakfast.”
The two girls were delighted when Regan offered to take care of the horses for them. “I can’t exercise all of the horses,” he said with a grin, “but I guess if you two can ride and help save the world at the same time, I can lend a hand occasionally.”
Trixie and Honey hurried back down the path from the Manor House to Crabapple Farm and arrived in the kitchen, flushed and slightly out of breath. Mart was slicing tomatoes and placing them under the grill.
“Where have you two been?” he demanded. “I’m here like some sort of galley slave, while you both gallivant around the countryside.”
“We feel just awful about that, don’t we, Honey?” Trixie said, with a super sweet smile.
Honey nodded, stifling a giggle, “Absolutely terrible,” she said.
“You know if we’re short on acts, you girls would do a great Lucy and Ethel,” Mart snorted, blue eyes glinting.
“We’ll keep it in mind,” his sister replied, wondering how her brother ever found time for actual schoolwork when he spent so much time watching old television shows.
Helen Belden came into the kitchen, a warm smile lighting her pretty face. “Now, isn’t this nice. Are you all here to help with breakfast?”
Trixie and Honey nodded and Trixie added, “Mart’s already started, so I’ll put some bacon on to fry.”
“And I’ll set the table,” Honey said.
“Wonderful.” Mrs. Belden opened the refrigerator as she spoke. “I’ll scramble the eggs and then when Honey’s finished the table perhaps she’ll give me a hand with the toast and coffee?”
“Of course, Mrs. Belden.” Honey was already pulling the silverware and napkins from the dresser.
“And where might the prodigal son be while all this work is going on?” Mart wanted to know.
“Brian’s washing my car,” his mother replied. “I told him it could wait, but he didn’t want to leave it.”
“I had to ask,” Mart said in a resigned tone of voice. “You’d think by now that I’d know better.”
“Yes, you would,” Trixie said tartly. “But you must be a very slow learner.”
Helen Belden shook her blonde head. “Anyone would think to hear my children that they were still in grade school. What do you suppose I should do with them, Honey?”
Honey giggled. “I’m the wrong person to ask, Mrs. Belden, I like them all just the way they are.”
“You like some of us more than others,” Mart observed as he checked the tomatoes.
“That’s because she’s got good sense.” Trixie said, dropping the bacon rashers into the frying pan. She and her brother exchanged good-natured grins, and Honey hurried into the dining room.
For all his joking around, Mart had apparently been busy. As they were enjoying their breakfast, he handed Trixie a manila folder. “I did a rough draft of sign-in sheets and ticket registers last night,” he said.
Trixie took a quick look. “Gee, Mart these are great,” she said.
“I’ve started work on a spreadsheet that will help us coordinate props and running order, stuff like that, but it needs some more work before I show it to you.” Mart reached for another slice of toast as he spoke.
Honey promptly slid another rasher of bacon onto his plate, and Trixie offered him the scrambled eggs.
Mart grinned. “This might be fun after all.”
“So, I believe our son is returning to the world of magic and sleight of hand?” Peter Belden took another slice of toast from the heaped plate as he spoke.
“The rumours are true and I intend to do my humble best,” Mart admitted. “After all,” he added, “the Belden name is at stake.”
“We could always get you another name for the show,” Brian offered with a grin. “I could think of a few.”
“At least I know what I’m doing, “Mart retorted. “Picked a little ditty yet?” He looked from his brother to Honey.
The latter shuddered. “I feel sick just thinking about it. What about ‘Happy Birthday’, that’s short and sweet.”
“But not exactly appropriate.” Brian smiled.
“Why not a classic? Something that might resonate with a broad audience?” Helen Belden suggested.
“Of course,” Mart agreed. “Perhaps something with a touch of romance, ‘I Honestly Love You’ or ‘I’ve Got a Crush on You?’”
Honey flushed and Brian gave his brother a warning look.
“Better still,” Mart continued, undaunted, ‘I Will Always Love You’, now that would be—”
“We could do a tribute to you,” Brian interrupted, “‘Send in the Clowns’ or ‘Fools Rush In’, or—”
“Why not something that suits the event?” Mrs. Belden offered helpfully, thinking that in spite of his claims to the contrary, her usually calm and even-tempered eldest son might be feeling the pressure of the culmination of his high school years.
“I never should have let you watch The History of Popular Music with me,” Mart said, with a dark look at Brian.
“That’s a great idea, Moms,” Trixie said, while she contemplated new and improved ways of torturing her middle brother.
“Well, then it should be about helping people,” Honey said. “Or being there when people need you, or everyone working together—” she broke off. “Am I rambling again?”
“No way,” Trixie said swiftly. “As usual, you’re making perfectly perfect sense.”
“I agree with my daughter,” Mr. Belden said, reaching over to pat Trixie’s hand, “and I have just the thing; our songsters already know it, too, including Dan.”
All eyes turned to him and he smiled, enjoying the looks on their expectant and puzzled faces. “‘You’ve Got a Friend’,” he said with a smile, as one by one the waiting group nodded their approval.
“Dad, that’s fantastic!” Trixie said, hugging her father.
“I agree,” Mrs. Belden said with a nod.
“I withdraw all my former suggestions.” Mart gave a bow. “It would seem that our family patriarch is not merely a financial wizard and exemplary provider, but also—”
“Oh, go swallow a thesaurus,” Trixie said, cutting him off. “What do you two think?” She looked at Brian and grabbed Honey’s arm.
Brian nodded. “I think you’re right. You remember, Honey, a few weeks ago, when the power went out, we had a sing along and that was one of the songs we did.”
“I do remember,” Honey said, mentally running the words through her head “It is just right and I think I can sing it, or we can sing it.”
“Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner,” Brian said with a smile.
“Now, I know you have a lot of things to organise,” Helen Belden said, changing the subject, “but I hope you boys are still planning on cleaning out the garage. We have a pick up this week and there are some things that I’m sure we can afford to get rid of.”
“Don’t worry, Moms, Mart and I really need to ride Strawberry and Starlight this morning or else we’ll be banned from the Wheeler stables, but after lunch we’re all yours, right, Mart?”
Mart nodded. “So long as I have time to make myself presentable before this evening’s festivities; the Lynches are bringing the younger kids so they want to go for an early dinner. They’re picking us up around five-thirty.”
“Does that mean you’ll need the station wagon?” Brian asked, frowning.
Mart shook his head. “No, Mr. Lynch said they’d bring both of their cars so we should be fine.”
“The garage isn’t that bad,” Mrs. Belden said, as she began to clear the table. “It shouldn’t take you all that long.”
“We’ll do the breakfast dishes,” Trixie offered, pushing her chair back.
“And then what?” Mart asked. “I’m guessing your assistance cleaning out the garage is out of the question.”
“Honey and I thought we might go through our list we made last night and then make a list of all the things we need to check up on for the show. Like a sound system, lights, dressing rooms, things we can ask Mr. Saunders about when we see him.” Including that robbery, she thought, but did not say.
“Plus, we’ll need volunteers to usher, help out backstage, maybe sell refreshments,” Honey added.
“Sounds like those lists are well on the way,” Mr. Belden said.
“And we really do have a couple of things to do for school as well,” Honey looked at Trixie, who shrugged and nodded.
“I haven’t forgotten. I wish I had, but you’re right, we should get our homework out of the way, so that when Dad sets up the meeting we’re free to go.”
The two girls made their way into the kitchen, while Brian and Mart headed up the hill to the Wheeler stables.
For some time Trixie and Honey, locked in Trixie’s bedroom, concentrated on matters other than the benefit show and diligently applied their skills to schoolwork.
“I don’t know why,” Trixie said, as she finally put down her pen, “but I always find it easier to work on things that don’t have anything to do with academics.”
Honey shrugged her slim shoulders and smiled. She quite liked most schoolwork and she knew Trixie didn’t hate it as much as she claimed to. “Our extra math work starts Monday, and once Miss Trask is back, you and I will be getting extra, extra coaching from her as well.” She laughed. “I think she thought her days of tutoring me were well and truly over.”
Trixie nodded. “We’re just lucky that this kind of math is her thing. Though I guess Brian or Jim could have helped us out.”
“They’re too busy,” Honey insisted. “Anyway, we’d better get used to doing it on our own. Miss Trask is pretty busy, too, and we won’t have either Brian or Jim to help us for much longer.”
“Thanks for reminding me.” Trixie looked glum. “I struggle even with their help, and Dan’s so busy I’d have to go to Mart and frankly…”
The two girls exchanged looks and giggled helplessly. Trixie flung herself down onto her bed.
“Do you think I need to go to college to be a detective?”
Honey, with somewhat more grace than her friend, sank down on to the twin bed the Beldens affectionately referred to as hers, and pretended to consider this.
“Technically, no, but I don’t want to be in the room when you explain your new plans for the future to your folks.”
Trixie laughed. “I don’t think I want to be there either. I guess I’ll just have to ‘apply myself’ as Miss Craven keeps telling me.”
Dan arrived just after lunch to help clean out the Belden garage and was greeted warmly by Mart and Brian. The three young men worked solidly for around three hours until Mrs. Belden declared that they had done enough.
Trixie carried a tray of lemonade and Honey a plate of brownies and they took them down to their hungry and slightly dirty friends.
Mart took an appreciative bite and eyed his sister warily. “What have you been doing since lunch?”
Trixie grinned, easily reading his mind, “Don’t worry, Honey made the brownies; I just followed the directions for the lemonade mix.”
Mart breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, winked at his sister, and continued eating, while both Dan and Brian smiled.
“It’s your will not your skill that’s the problem in the kitchen,” Honey noted, and giggled along with the others when she realised she’d rhymed her sentence. “I know I haven’t forgotten that delicious beef stroganoff you made in New York.”
Trixie wrinkled her nose, “Everyone’s entitled to an off day,” she said before turning to Dan. “Oh, did Brian tell you they’ve chosen a song?”
Dan raised his dark brows and shook his head.
Honey clapped her hand over her mouth. “How awful we are!” she exclaimed in dismay. “We should ask you, not tell you! Sorry, Dan.”
Dan grinned. “Why not tell me, then if I fall down in a dead faint, you’ll know I’m not too keen on your choice.”
“‘You’ve Got a Friend’,” Trixie said before either Honey or Brian could speak. “You know it’s an old—” she frowned.
“Carole King,” Brian supplied.
“Carole King song,” Trixie finished.
Dan thought for a moment. “Sure, Mr. Maypenny has that album, that’s how I knew it when we played it at your house a few weeks ago.” He nodded, a smile crossing his lean face. “I think it’s terrific.”
“That’s what we thought, well the song part anyway,” Honey said. “The singing part is still a little scary.”
Brian opened his mouth to reassure her while Trixie helped herself to a brownie. “Oh!” she cried cutting him off. “What an absolutely perfect way to close the show!”
word count 2614
BSM:MAIN NEXT
As always thanks go to the wonderful Dana for her technical brilliance and her ability to improve my story. Hugs. Trixie Belden et al belong to Random House and not to me. No profit is being made from these scribblings.
