Chapter Two: Reunion

 

    The two girls found themselves jostled by fellow travelers as they reached for their jackets and purses. The other passengers were as eager to leave as they. Finally, they stepped off the bus, moving aside to allow people to pass them. They were scanning the crowd when a familiar voice hailed them.
    “Trix, Honey!” They turned to see redheaded Jim Frayne moving quickly toward them, a smile of welcome lighting his freckled face. He hugged each girl in turn. “You two look even better than I remember.”
    “Hey, Trix, Honey, I need your baggage claims.” Brian Belden, tall and darkly handsome, hurried over, hand outstretched. Honey immediately passed her stub to him while Trixie dug frantically through her purse.
    “It’s here somewhere,” she mumbled.
    Brian sighed. “Nothing’s changed, I see,” he remarked dryly, bending down to brush Honey’s cheek with a light kiss. A faint blush rose in her cheeks.    
    Trixie kept her own head down so they couldn’t see the smile that was playing on her lips. Brian was pretty fond of Honey, and Honey thought that         Brian Belden could do no wrong. “Brian’s the eldest Bob White,” she was often heard to say.
    Trixie never could quite see what that had to do with anything, but Honey was her very best friend, and Brian a wonderful brother. She raised her head to find both best friend and wonderful brother regarding her with patient, if somewhat pained, expressions.
    “Tada!” she announced, waving the stub under Brian’s nose. “I knew it was here.”
    “Hmph, my sister, the detective.” He took the ticket from her and he and Honey moved toward the rear of the bus where the luggage was being unloaded.
    Jim tapped Trixie lightly on the head. “It would appear that your esteemed siblings pronouncement is not in error,” he remarked.
     Trixie stared at him, blue eyes round. “Gleeps, you sound just like Mart.”
     Jim laughed. “Well, I miss all the Bob-Whites, Trix, even Mart, but especially a certain sandy haired, would-be sleuth.
     Trixie was glad there was no one nearby to see her own tell tale blush. Although she didn’t really talk about it, Trixie had to admit she thought Jim Frayne was pretty special, and everyone knew that, one way or the other, Trixie was Jim’s girl.

    Brian and Honey returned, two small suitcases in tow. Jim reached for the one his sister was carrying. “Right, gang!”
    “Right,” Brian echoed, reaching out his free hand to ruffle his sister’s curls. “Let’s get you two settled.”
    “Then can we eat?” begged Trixie.
    Honey nodded solemnly. “That was a long bus ride, and we were too excited to eat much before we left.”
    “Well, as I said, nothing ever changes.” Brian shook his head and the four young people made their way to Brian’s outdated but much loved jalopy.
    “I sure have missed the Queen,” Honey sighed, leaning over to give the car an affectionate pat.
    “I’m surprised it made it here. All the way from Sleepyside,” Trixie quipped more to see how Brian would react than anything else.
    “Hey, she may not look too fancy, but she’s still got it where it counts,” Brian began hotly then caught sight of the expressions on his friends’ faces. Trixie and Jim were both grinning broadly and Honey shook her head at them reproachfully.
     “Don’t tease him, you two.”
    For all that he was the most even-tempered and sensible of the Belden children, Brian had a soft spot for his beloved jalopy and was easily roused by criticism of it. He grinned back.
    “Maybe you two comics would like to walk?” he enquired, hooking a dark brow in their direction. Jim chuckled and scrambled into the backseat, holding out his hand to pull Trixie in beside him. Brian passed the suitcases over to Jim and held the door open for Honey to slide into the car.
    “I’ve missed this too,” she said plaintively.
    “Yeah. We’re lucky if Mart actually stops the car to let us in,” Trixie snorted.
    Jim laughed and Brian smiled. “In defense of my sibling in absentia I believe the lady doth exaggerate.” He pulled carefully away from the curb.
    “Your what?” Trixie demanded.
    “I think he means you’re being a little tough on your brother who is not here,” Jim offered, green eyes twinkling.
     Trixie growled in frustration. “What gives with you two? I thought I’d at least get a holiday from Mr. Dictionary. What did he do? Send you little speeches you could use to drive me crazy?”
    Honey giggled and the two boys exchanged knowing looks. “Okay,” Brian said patiently. “So, you’re not exaggerating about Mart’s driving?”
    “Only slightly,” Trixie’s tone was grudging. There was always competition between the two Beldens who were closest in age. Mart couldn’t help the one-up-manship he practiced with his sister, and the absence of the two eldest Bob Whites only served to increase this tendency. “Mart hardly ever even takes us anywhere,” Trixie continued undaunted. “Mainly because there’s barely room in the BWG station wagon for anyone other than Mart and his big fat head.”
    “Now, Trixie, you know that’s not quite true,” Honey interposed, eyes dancing. “He always manages to find room for Di.” The group laughed openly at Honey’s referral to Mart Belden’s decided preference for the company of pretty Diana Lynch.
    “I can’t believe,” Jim interjected, “that Dan just sits back and lets Mart rule the roost or the station wagon for that matter.”
     “When he’s around,” Honey agreed promptly. “But between his job with Mr. Maypenny, his classes at school, helping with the youth program and giving Regan a hand with the horses, he really doesn’t have much time.”    
    “I suppose we’ll never hear the end of it when we do go home for a vacation.” Brian sounded resigned.
    “Right,” Jim conceded. “It’ll be: ‘there’s so much to do without you two around’, ‘horses to be ridden and groomed’…”
    “And ‘lawns to be mown’, ‘eggs to be gathered’,” Brian added
    “Plus, ‘sisters to be controlled and chauffeured’ all over the place,” Jim returned.
    “Oh, enough already.” Trixie gave him a playful jab in the ribs. “It’s bad enough listening to Mart moan about all those things without you two bringing them up.”
    “Sisters to be controlled?” Honey inquired sweetly. “We’re not household pests, you know.”
    Brian grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t mind being infested if you were.” Honey turned bright red, and Trixie poked her brother sharply in the back.
    “Hey, no attacking the driver,” Brian protested.
    “Unless you get us some food pronto, I’ll do more than just poke,” Trixie threatened.
    “I guess we don’t want them fainting away on us, do we?” Jim said.
    “We certainly don’t want to get stuck carrying their recumbent forms up the stairs to the apartment,” Brian observed wryly. A moment later, he eased the jalopy into a drive-thru.
    “Just passing, thought you’d drop in?” Trixie inquired sarcastically.
    Brian grinned. “Burgers, fries and shakes all round?” There was a murmur of agreement and within the space of a minute their order had arrived and Brian eased the car back into the traffic with his customary care.
    “Can you wait until we get home, Trix?” he teased.
    Trixie wrinkled her nose at him. “I resent that slur on my character. I too am capable of great restraint.” Her dignified response was somewhat marred by the effect that riding in the open car had had upon her hair.
    “It’s even harder to be restrained when you’re nursing the food.” Honey’s expression was mournful.
    “Bear up, Sis,” Jim reached over to pat his sister on the shoulder. “We’re nearly there.”

    A few minutes later, Brian turned the car into a wide concrete driveway and pulled into a marked parking space. The two girls looked around eagerly, wanting to take in as much as possible about Jim and Brian’s new home and its surroundings.
    Large trees provided shade for the two- story building, which was shaped like an E minus the middle strut. Both stories had narrow yet attractive balconies running along their entire length. “That’s ours,” Jim indicated a second-story apartment located in one of the short ends. Trixie grabbed Honey’s arm
    “Come on,” she urged and the two followed Brian across the courtyard, Honey still clutching their take out. Jim took up the rear, suitcases in hand.
    “I love it!” Honey exclaimed. She was standing in the middle of the living room, having just completed a tour of the small apartment. Trixie smiled. Honey had lived in luxury all her life, in spacious apartments, expensive boarding schools and the opulent Manor House; however, there was no mistaking the genuine pleasure she took in the boys’ unassuming home.
    “Let’s eat. Then you can enthuse some more,” Trixie’s affectionate smile took any sting out of her words.
    They were soon seated around a small wooden table in the kitchen.
    “Mm,” Trixie made appreciative noises after she had consumed the last of her tasty burger.
    Honey nodded in agreement. “There’s nothing quite like a hamburger and fries, is there?” she sighed, taking another sip of her chocolate shake.
    “Absolutely,” Trixie agreed enthusiastically.
    “Now, who sounds like Mart?” Jim kidded.
    Trixie laughed. “That’s one thing Mart and I agree on completely.”
    “This is a gorgeous room isn’t it, Trix?” Honey turned around as she spoke to examine the compact kitchen/dining room with its glass and wood-grain cupboards and its pale yellow counter tops.
    Trixie looked dubious. “Uhh, it’s kind of nice I guess,” she responded weakly.
    “You have to remember the kitchen has never been one of Trixie’s favorite rooms,” Brian reminded Honey with a grin.
    “That’s because I’ve spent way too much of my short life slaving in one,” Trixie returned with a sniff.
The two boys hooted.
    “Well, I think the whole place is just perfectly perfect.” Honey’s enthusiasm made her friends smile.

    The apartment was of a fairly standard design. The front door opened directly onto the living room, which was bright and spacious. Double doors led through to the kitchen/dining room. These were usually kept open and this added to the light, airy feeling. Two single doors revealed a compact bathroom and a large, bright bedroom.  Mrs. Wheeler had overridden the usual Bob-White protests and had insisted on furnishing the rooms as a graduation present to the pair. Sensitive to their desire for independence and self- sufficiency, she had chosen solid but simple lines concentrating on comfort instead of style.
    The bedroom featured matching pine beds and night tables with a bookcase and desk along one wall. For the light-filled living room, Mrs. Wheeler had wisely chosen a big overstuffed sofa and a pair of matching chairs in a heavy neutral fabric. Another bookcase and desk had been placed in this room to allow both boys the chance to study in peace. All in all, the effect was casual and welcoming.
     “We’ve made some space in the closet, and the top drawer of each of the night tables is empty,” Jim advised.
    “But we can sleep out here,” Honey began and broke off as Brian shook his head and wagged a finger at her.
     “Absolutely not, Miss Wheeler. You are our guests, and you are going to stay in style.”
    Jim nodded vigorously. “We can doss down in here,” he indicated the sofa. “One of the guys lent us a camp bed too, so we’ll be fine.”
    “Well, if you’re sure?” Honey looked from one to the other.
     Jim put his arm around his sister. “Very sure,” he insisted. “As my learned friend here said, we wouldn’t want our sisters to have anything but the best.”   
    “Besides,” Brian added, “this way we still have access to the kitchen.”
    “Ha, now we get to the truth.” Trixie snorted inelegantly, and they all laughed.
    “Go and unpack your stuff,” Jim suggested. “We figured you might both be a little tired tonight so we thought we’d just take it easy. Stay in, maybe play a game or some cards.”
    “We bought some microwave popcorn,” Brian added. “It won’t be as good as Mom’s popped over the fire but still…”
    “It sounds wonderful,” Honey interjected. “Doesn’t it, Trix?”
    “Terrific,” Trixie agreed, thinking that any plan that didn’t require her presence in the kitchen was a good one.
    “Right now I could really use a nice hot shower,” Honey said.
    “You will find fresh towels on the end of your newly assigned bed, Miss Wheeler.” Jim made his pronouncement with a mock bow.
    “Why thank you, James,” Honey responded with equal formality. “I believe I shall avail myself of the use of your facilities.”
    Trixie gaped at her friend. “Oh no, Honey, not you too.”
    Honey looked embarrassed. “I guess maybe I have been paying too much attention to Mart. But I was tired of always having to get translations, so I decided to listen instead.”
    “Go and carry out your ablutions, Ms. Wheeler. I will endeavor to keep the remnants of your partners sanity intact.” Jim dropped a freckled hand on Trixie’s shoulder.
    “And I,” Brian offered, “will walk down to the local equivalent of Lytell’s store and procure some milk so that we can have hot chocolate with that popcorn.”
    “Yummy yum!” Honey exclaimed as if she had not just recently downed a large hamburger and a quantity of French fries. She went through to collect the necessary things for her shower.
Brian grabbed his jacket. “Won’t be long,” he called.
    Jim and Trixie cleared away the remains of their meal and sat down together.
    “I’m really glad you’re here, Trix. It hasn’t been the same without you.”
    “We’d figured you’d be so busy with classes with new friends that you’d barely have time to miss dull old Sleepyside… or us.”
    Jim shook his head. “I don’t believe you really thought that.”
    “Well, not really,” Trixie admitted. “Though Honey did worry that we might be a nuisance or cramp your style.”
    Jim chortled. “We don’t have a style, Trix. At least not one that you and Honey won’t always be a special part of. Believe me, if that were ever to change, you’d be the first to know.”
     Trixie returned his smile, reassured by his words.
    Later that evening, Honey fixed the promised hot chocolate while Brian buttered the popcorn fresh from the microwave.
    “Hurry up, you two. We’re starving,” Trixie ordered, pacing restlessly back and forth by the wide lounge room window. Night had fallen, and the apartment was cozily lit by several lamps, each casting a soft pool of light. Although dark outside, the courtyard and building were well lit and Trixie pulled back the curtain for a better look. “I don’t believe it,” she gasped suddenly. Jim rushed across to her and Honey and Brian came hurrying into the living room. Trixie’s face wore an expression they were all too familiar with.
     “What?” Honey asked, hazel eyes wide.
    “That man from the bus. I’m sure I just saw him.”
    Honey regarded her friend doubtfully. “Are you positive?”
    “What man from the bus?” Brian inquired sternly. Trixie and Honey exchanged glances, and Honey shrugged her shoulders.
    “It was kind of a joke really,” she offered. “Trixie noticed this man on the bus, and we thought he was kind of mysterious.” She hesitated as she said this last word and Brian glared at his sister.
    “A mysterious man on the bus?”
    Jim eased Trixie away from the window. “Okay, let’s not get all worked up. After all we’ve had good reason to trust Trix’s instincts in the past. Though,” he added, aware of Trixie’s grateful expression, “I think I’d need more evidence to believe that a) this man is really mysterious and, b) that it was definitely the same man you two saw on the bus who was just in our courtyard. In the meantime, I suggest we sit down and enjoy our snack.”
     Honey clapped her hand over her mouth. “Speaking of our snack, I’d better warm up the chocolate or it certainly won’t be hot.” She slipped back into the kitchen.
    “And I’ll just grab that popcorn.” Brian followed her.

    An hour later, the boys had easily won the two games played. As they started the third, Honey struggled to concentrate, and when Trixie missed her turn altogether, Brian and Jim exchanged knowing looks.
    “I think I’ve had enough games for one evening,” Brian said.
    Honey immediately started to pack up the game they had been playing when Jim tapped her hand lightly. “To bed, little sister.”
    “But it’s only just gone nine,” Trixie complained, the yawn she stifled belying her words.  Although their bus had not left until two, the two girls had got up extra early that morning.
    “You too, Trix,” Brian added firmly.
    Trixie rolled her eyes at her friend. “It’s no use,” she moaned. “They’re going to play big brother whether we like it or not. We might as well just give in.”
    Honey smiled.  “I’ll go willingly. Sometimes it’s nice to be ordered about.”
     Trixie didn’t say anything but when she and Honey were tucked in their cozy beds, she smiled into the darkness.  As long as they don’t get too carried away, she said to herself. I guess they can give an order or two.

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More thanks to Dana for her incredible editing skills. She doesn't just fix she explains the how's and the whys—big hugs. Thanks also to Julie(jstar8) and Jo (Daisyxduck) without their encouragement and hints I would not have got this story up and running.
Trixie Belden et al belong to Random House and not to me. No profit is being made from these scribblings.