By Jan Pruatt
CHAPTER ONE - THE LETTER
Tuesday evening
February 22
10:34 P.M.
Dear Diary,
This long day has me exhausted for some reason. I’m used to getting up at 5:30 A.M. to start my day with Sally, Jack and Beau, not to mention Mommy now that Daddy’s gone. Mommy is a basket case, cries at the drop of a hat and is constantly prodding me to do this, do that. At first, it was “That’s not right. Do it again.” Now she’s becoming despondent and she just lets me do whatever is needed. Dear God, what am I to do?
I should be doing my homework but Sally needs help with her third grade spelling, Jack has become nasty to me for trying to discipline his almost-six year old antics and baby Beau is being a typical nearly-three year old. The Dutchess County Child Services is scheduled to stop by this week and I’m scared to death what will happen to us. Sweet Jesus, give me a sign for how I’m to handle this. I don’t know how to cope -- should I try to make sure we all look well fed, happy and clean? Or do I let the chips fall where they may?
The Smith’s were so good to us two and a half years ago when they took us in. But then they both died within three months of each other. Daddy had a part-time job surveying property with that company but then he got depressed when first Mrs. Smith and then Mr. Smith died suddenly. I guess they weren’t as stable as we first thought. Daddy went to work one day and never came home. At least we have the house.
I can’t write another word. There’s so much to do now and with the case worker liable to show up tomorrow I need to plan my attack!
Until tomorrow
Jellybean (as Sally calls me)
Saturday
Feb. 26
5:30 A.M.
Whew! Miss Collins was really nice but I’m still scared. She said I was doing a great job but warned that Beau needs to be potty-trained by now, Jack’s lack of discipline is affecting Beau and Sally and Sally shouldn’t have to sleep on the couch. Mommy needs to see a doctor for her depression and I need to be at school and not truant anymore! It could have been worse. She said she’d have to split us up if things didn’t improve by the next time she came here. Wow! We have less than a month until then to make some progress. I thank you Lord for a reprieve. ~~ J
“Trixie!”
“Coming, Moms!”
“There’s a letter for you.”
Trixie wiped her hands on a paper towel and crammed it in the recycling basket under the kitchen sink. She licked a space on her wrist she’d missed and bumped the fridge door closed with a swing of her slim hip.
“I wonder who the letter’s from.” She bounced into the living room where her mother, Helen Belden sat at the tall mahogany desk where she was sorting the day’s mail. Handing the plain white envelope to her only daughter, Helen smiled and continued her chore.
“I paid the postman the balance of postage due.”
“Thanks, Moms.”
Trixie tapped the envelope on its end and ripped it from the other end. She pulled out a wad of brown tablet paper folded in thirds and collapsed onto the sofa to study the penciled writing. She twirled her yellow unruly curls with her left index finger, then bent forward and leafed through the script. The late afternoon winter sun filtered through the front room windows, spilling onto the letter. Trixie read the three pages a second time and studied the envelope looking for a postmark. The rubber stamped amount due indicated five cents. The postmark was blurry but she made out Poughkeepsie, New York, 10 March.
Fifteen year old Trixie folded the envelope and its contents and stuffed it in the back pocket of her jeans. “Going to Honey’s, Moms. Kitchen is clean; Bobby’s at the Lynches, Mart’s digging through something in the garage. If you need anything, just holler!” Grinning at her mother, Trixie’s mind was whirling with thoughts of another mystery looming in the background.
“See you for dinner, dear. Give my best to the Wheelers.”
“Later …”
Trixie shrugged into her warm parka, pulled on fleecy gray gloves with snowflakes on them and tucked her curls into the faux-fox trimmed hood. The late winter day was waning and the frosty air caused ice to form instantly on her eyelashes. The setting sun cast long shadows as she trekked up the hill to the Wheeler estate. In a few minutes she stood on the veranda of the huge manor house owned by Matthew and Madeleine Wheeler. Trixie reflected on all the fun times she had spent at her best friend’s home. Was it possible that less than three years ago the two had met and become instant friends?
Trixie and Honey had shared many adventures together and with their siblings had solved a number of mysteries. Now, both Trixie’s brother Brian, eighteen, and Honey’s adopted brother Jim Frayne, seventeen, attended college and would be home for spring break, a week that corresponded to the girls’ spring break. The girls had crushes on these college men. Trixie’s mind, in a constant state of imagining, finally realized she’d been standing on the porch without knocking. While she could have entered as though it were her own home, she stood on protocol and finally lifted the large, brass knocker and rapped it five times against the gold plate.
Almost at once Celia, the Wheeler’s petite maid opened the door. She held her stomach in the gentle embrace of a woman pregnant expecting to deliver soon.
“Hello, Trixie,” she greeted the girl, opening the door wider and gesturing for Trixie to enter.
Trixie wiped her boots over the bristly porcupine huddled next to the front door.
“Hi, Celia,” Trixie grinned back at the rounded belly. “How are you doing? How’s baby coming along?”
Celia grinned back. “The mama and baby-to-be are great! Thanks for asking. I’ll tell you though, Trixie, labor day can’t get here fast enough. I still spend half the morning in the bathroom. But Tom’s been such a dear about everything. He wants me to slow down but it’s the work that keeps me from thinking how sick I’d be otherwise.”
“Trixie!” A hazel-eyed, tall slim girl of half-past fifteen slid across the burnished hard wood floor and stopped within an inch of her best friend.
“Love your slipper socks, Honey!” The trio looked down at Honey’s feet, ensconced in a pair of penguins. “Mother and I went shopping last week and I couldn’t resist. They go with my polar fleece bathrobe -- the red one with the penguin at the North Pole. Come on in and tell me ‘sup.”
Looking at Celia, Honey said, “I’d like Trixie to stay for dinner. Could you please set a place for her? Thank you so much.”
Celia and the Wheelers frequently enjoyed the impromptu arrival of Trixie and her brothers for meals. “Will do, Honey. You’ll love Cook’s pot roast and dumplings, Trixie,” Celia Delanoy said, before Trixie could protest being asked to dinner.
“Sounds wonderful, as usual,” Trixie said. “My mouth is watering already.”
Honey’s honey-colored ponytail bounced as she led Trixie up the deep blue plush carpeted stairs to her bedroom. “I’ve got a secret!” she whispered.
To herself Trixie answered Honey’s comment, “
Me, too!” She kicked off her boots, and tossed the rest of her outer wear onto Honey’s double bed made up with a pink and yellow chiffon bedspread.
“Tell me!” Trixie said out loud instead. They flung themselves into a pair of wicker chairs with cushions that matched the bed covering.
CHAPTER TWO - SECRETS
“Remember Mr. Rainsford?”
Trixie nodded her short blonde curls, recollecting the first time she had met Mr. George Rainsford, the attorney representing Jim Frayne’s inheritance when his mean, step-father Jonesy had tried to … Her thoughts trailed off at the serious consequences that might have occurred that fateful summer night almost three years ago.
Their eyes locked as they shared a moment of remembering, knowing what the other must be thinking.
“He’s in town with his nephew who’s also a lawyer, fresh from law school, and he wants us all to meet Trevor. As you know Mother’s hosting a gathering tomorrow night to celebrate Jim and Brian’s homecoming and now Trevor will be here to meet us, too. I can’t wait. Can you imagine! We haven’t seen either of the guys since Christmas. I’m missing them awfully as I’m sure you are, too, Trixie, and I can‘t wait to meet Mr. Rainsford’s nephew!”
“Wow!” Trixie exclaimed. “So much is happening and, you’re right, I can’t wait to see Brian and Jim. I’ve heard Dad speaking of a young man that wanted to meet Brian and Jim but haven’t heard any details. It’s very mysterious indeed.”
Both boys were attending a university in the Washington, D. C. area that enjoyed a great reputation for both pre-med and business oriented students. Brian planned to declare his major in medicine and Jim, though undecided on a specific major, threw his energy into management. Both hoped to complement each other in a school for disadvantaged youth that Jim had wanted to start ever since he’d experienced an uncomfortable childhood with his step-father. Being in college together helped them encourage each other to jointly plan their careers. At Christmas they had shared with their families how beneficial it was to be able to bounce ideas off each other, knowing that through trial and error they would eventually come together in their common pursuits.
At dinner, the letter in Trixie’s back pocket rustled, reminding her that she hadn’t told Honey about its’ contents. Sharing it with Honey would have to wait as she helped herself to the wonderfully cooked pot roast smothered in onions and gravy. The dumplings melted in her mouth and she found herself soaking up the drippings with homemade buttermilk biscuits. For dessert, Cook served fresh hot apple pie ala mode. Trixie smiled her thanks, careful not to drool, at the plump woman whose cheeks matched the Delicious apples that nestled steaming in the pie.
All through dinner, discussion included plans for the party, what Trevor would be like and how much fun it would be for Jim and Brian to be home again.
Mrs. Wheeler was daintily dabbing her mouth with her napkin. She nodded her approval of the bounty set before them and glanced at her daughter, then at Trixie.
“Trixie, I can’t help but mention again as I have so many times before, what a godsend you’ve been to our daughter. She’s so robust and healthy. Matt and I are enormously pleased that she doesn’t have bad dreams, has put on weight and isn’t afraid to step out of her comfort zone. We owe it all to you.”
Trixie blushed as the wave of compliments washed over her. Honey’s cheeks crimsoned, too, she noticed and they both looked down at their laps. They tried to speak at the same time.
“Mrs. Wheeler …” Trixie began.
“Mother!” gasped Honey.
Then everyone laughed and they all looked at each other. Matt Wheeler spoke, changing the subject. “Trixie, Honey probably told you about Trevor Rainsford, George Rainsford’s nephew who will be here tomorrow. I’m sure you want to know more about him.”
The girls nodded and, together with Mrs. Wheeler, listened intently to his words. “He’s a young lawyer just getting started. He wants to start his business, specializing in corporate law, and helping the marginalized people of the area get started in their own business. Some are on parole for relatively minor offenses; some are youngsters who got a bad rap, others are just kids who’ve been shuttled from home to home or are homeless. Much of what he does and will do is pro bono. You’re probably wondering what that means and why anyone would not want to get paid for doing this kind of work.
“He’s been accepted into a law firm in upstate New York and wants to find a place to live, possibly a large, older home where some of his charges can have a home. His father has old money and is willing to help him out, though, like some other young folk I know,” he smiled at Honey and Trixie, “don’t want to accept help but are intent on making it on their own. In any event, it’s not entirely a coincidence that he’s chosen this next week to work on his venture, starting from Manor House and commuting.”
Trixie found she’d been holding her breath while Honey’s father spoke. She slowly let it out, breathing a reply, “What an opportunity for them. It’d be great to be the mouse in the corner as they do their thing.” Then she realized she may have spoken out of turn as she sometimes did. The guys didn’t need their kid sisters tagging along.
“Jim and Brian are in on Trevor’s plans,” he answered. “I’ll let them fill you in on details. But the boys are going with Trevor to check out some possible property opportunities. It may be boring for the two of you.”
Trixie and Honey exchanged glances. Trixie with a flight of butterflies in her stomach she commanded silently to fly in formation. “Wow!” she breathed to herself.
Saturday dawned bright and warmer than the previous day with a promise of spring in the air. Trixie sprawled briefly in bed anticipating the day, the evening, the week to come and the fact that she still hadn’t shared the letter with her best friend.
It’ll just have to keep a few hours longer, she told herself.
She vaulted out of bed, showered and scampered down the stairs, stuffing the sorry-looking envelope in her back pocket again. Bobby and Mart were seated at the breakfast nook table munching dry cereal and toast with jam and butter. She tossed two slices of bread into the toaster and flopped into a chair opposite her brothers. “’Sup?”
“Nada,” Mart, sixteen, mouthed, a smirk playing on his milky lips.
“’Sup with you, Trixie,” eight year old Bobby asked.
Trixie knew better than to reveal a possible trip in front of Bobby, knowing he’d want to go too and that he hardly ever went on trips with his older siblings. He was invited to the party that evening at the Wheelers so she said, “There’s going to be a special guest at the party tonight.”
“Yeah, I know.” He beamed, smushed banana appearing, disappearing as he chewed. “I can’t wait for Brian and Jim to get home.”
“Besides the guys,” Trixie began, “also a man named Trevor Rainsford.”
“That name sounds familiar,” Mart broke in. “From whence do I know that name?”
“Mr. Rainsford was the lawyer in charge of Jim’s inheritance and executor of old Mr. Frayne’s estate.”
“Ah,” Mart nodded his blond crew cut head. “Now I recollect the mysteries involving the inherent humble heir to the fortuitous Frayne fortune.”
“Yes! Trevor is Mr. Rainsford’s nephew and he’s in town to find a home near his new job site, except that his new job is somewhere upstate and not here in Sleepyside. Manor House will be his base of operations, and he’ll commute,” Trixie said.
“Sounds mystically mysterious to me,” Mart continued his alliterative dialogue. “What doth it mean, my mouth breathing maniacal miss?"
Trixie had gone to the refrigerator, taken out a hardboiled egg, peeled it and was shoving half of it in her mouth. She ignored him and continued feeding her face. Sometimes she wasn’t sure that what he said actually made sense but was in too good a humor to let his banter upset her day.
“You err when you ignore my old English etymologic endeavors not to mention my alliterative adjectives.”
“ Trixie,” Bobby complained, “translate!”
“Alliteration means words used together that have the same letter sound in them.
That,” Trixie emphasized, “I know.”
“And you, young man, have just demonstrated correct use of the term.” Mart praised Bobby, to which Bobby replied, “Huh?”
To Trixie, Mart said, “So they’re peddling to pursue some private property purchase?”
Hoping that Bobby wouldn’t catch on or might finish his breakfast and move on, Trixie nodded her blonde curls. “We may find out more details tonight.”
“What’s that about, Trix?” Bobby asked.
“Aren’t you and the Lynch twins doing something today?” Trixie countered.
“Terry and Larry and their whole family are leaving tomorrow on their vacation to Disney World! And I’m going, too!
“I didn’t even know you had a see-crud, Bobby!” Trixie exclaimed, using a word Bobby used when much younger but that the family continued to use in good humor. “Wow! What fun for you! So, Honey and I are hoping to go with Brian and Jim and Trevor Rainsford to check out some property Trevor might want to buy.”
“And I’ve got my own see-crud, too,” Mart said. “I want to check out possible colleges next week and revisit the State campus which is looking good for my agricultural interests. Of course, my job at Windle’s Car Dealership interferes with my travel plans. But we‘ll see.” Actually, every one of Mart’s family and friends knew of his farming abilities and aspirations of majoring in agriculture.
“Isn’t your State campus in the general direction that we’re heading? ‘Perhaps you’d like to come along’ said the hen,” Trixie quipped from the Little Red Hen nursery rhyme.
“The hen?” Mart and Bobby said in unison. “Where have you been, sis?” Mart asked. “Tell her, Bobby, from which nursery rhyme she’s trying to quote.”
“Bremen Town Musicians,” Bobby said, shaking his curly blond locks.
“You’ve got me there, dear brothers,” Trixie grinned like a Cheshire cat at them. “Well, I’m off after, of course, cleaning up my mess from breakfast.”
Everyone cleaned up their respective dishes after Saturday morning breakfast. With haste she scooped up her dishes, rinsed them and placed them in the empty dishwasher. “My thanks to whoever emptied this appliance.”
Trixie and Honey had agreed to meet at the clubhouse at nine o’clock that morning. At nearly the appointed hour Trixie met Honey on the path to their BWG clubhouse, formerly a gatehouse on the Wheeler property. BWG stood for Bob-Whites of the Glen. The purpose of the group centered on helping others and being there for each other as a family. Trixie and Honey belonged to this group, which was comprised of their older brothers, Diana Lynch and Dan Mangan. Di, the prettiest girl at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High, lived on an estate beyond the Wheeler Manor House. The family hadn’t always been rich, and Trixie remembered going to Di’s small apartment when the girls were in grade school together, before her two sets of younger twins had been born. Now Di and Mart had eyes only for each other.
Dan Mangan, their newest member, had been in a gang on the streets of New York. Dan’s uncle, Bill Regan, the Wheeler’s good-natured groom, had rescued him from his former life. Dan helped run the Wheeler’s game preserve under the direction of Mr. Maypenny. He went to school with the Bob-Whites and fit right in, helping solve the mysteries that Trixie and Honey kept getting them all involved in.
“I hope this won’t take long, Trixie,” Honey cautioned. “The weather is so great we really need to be exercising the horses. Regan rode Jupiter this morning and Mart rode Strawberry but Lady and Susie haven’t been ridden lately, not to mention Starlight.
“Gleeps!” Trixie exclaimed.
They unlocked the door to their “dream house” as the girls called it. One of their first mysteries involved the gatehouse where they found a diamond. The structure, in bad shape the summer the girls stumbled upon it, had since been repaired with funds they and the boys earned. Now the little house sported a new roof, curtains that Honey had put up, shelving and a paint job. Here, the Bob-Whites stored their sporting goods, held their meetings and generally had fun. A picnic table with benches doubled as a work space for special projects the group worked on. Now, they turned on the space heater and drew back the curtains, letting in the natural pre-spring daylight. They sat together on one side of the table while Trixie brought out the letter and read it out loud as Honey read silently along with her.
CHAPTER THREE - TRIXIE’S MISGIVING
March 10
Dear Trixie and Honey and Jim,
I think you must remember me and my family from almost three years ago when my family stole your friend’s red trailer and how awful it was and how wonderful it was when we all went to live with the darling Smith family. You girls were so good to us and you too Jim especially with me. It’s been the pits though lately now that the Smiths and Daddy are gone. And Mommy is a basket case and the younger children are precious but can be just pills at times. The State Welfare office wants to split the family up and have Sally, Jack and Beau go to foster homes. I feel so bad about not being able to care for them the way they need. The good Lord tells me I should seek help and you are the only ones I know of to ask.
We don’t have a phone but you can contact us at the return address on the envelope. Or maybe you remember how to get here by car. Maybe the lady you were with could drive you. I know you’re a bit older than me but I don’t know if you drive yet. I’m thirteen now. Sally just turned 8 last week, Jack is almost six and baby Beau is almost 3. I’m trusting that you'll get a hold of me one way or the other. If not, God must have another plan for our lives.
Sincerely,
Joeanne Darnell
“Oh, Trixie!” Honey huge hazel eyes welled with tears and splashed down onto the lined tablet paper. “We must do something for that family. But what?”
Trixie put her arm around Honey’s shoulder and gave it a sisterly squeeze. “I’ve thought the very same thing.”
“Maybe when the boys get home later today we could run this by them and see what they have to say,” Honey said, drying her eyes. “Did you say anything to Mart yet?”
“No,” Trixie said. “I wanted to share it with you first. And last night didn’t feel right what with all the excitement about the party tonight for the guys and the anticipation of meeting Trevor Rainsford. Well, you know ….” her voice trailed off.
“You’re right, Trixie. How do we deal with both the boys and Trevor and with Joeanne’s plight?”
They remained silent a moment, each caught in their own thoughts.
“Would you remember how to get to the Smith’s farm, Trix? I wish Miss Trask were here. But you know she’s spending some time with her sister in the city. We can’t have Tom do this with Celia so great with child.”
Trixie began to speak, hesitated, and then said, “Let’s refresh our brains with a ride on Lady and Susie. Maybe it’ll help.”
A few minutes later, they locked up the cottage and made their way to the stables.
Trixie crooned to Susie, a little black mare, as she saddled and bridled her. Feeding her a slice of apple, she hugged the mare’s neck. The horse blew softly in Trixie’s ear.
“Why it’s the mutual admiration society!” A familiar, friendly voice called from the doorway.
“Hey, Regan!” Trixie flashed a smile at the red-haired groom and turned to address the man who had taught her how to ride the first day she and Honey had met. “Good to see you.”
“Likewise.” Regan carefully placed an armful of curry brushes, saddle soap and other small supplies into a wooden box on the floor of the tack room. “Thanks, ladies, for riding the horses. I’ve got Dan coming over soon to ride Starlight, Brian’s regular mount. Dan’s been my man since Jim and Brian have been off to college. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
“How great of Mr. Maypenny to loan him out,” Honey said. “I hope Dad is paying him extra. I know he’s saving for the trade school he wants to attend this summer.”
Soon Trixie and Honey mounted. They found themselves riding by the old Frayne mansion that had burnt to the ground nearly three summers ago. Jim had hidden out from his step-father, Jonesy. After Jim’s mother had died, Jonesy had tried to take control of the Frayne fortune but the half million dollar inheritance had since been put in trust for Jim. His dream was to open a school for orphans and give them opportunities for success. When he’d shared his dream with the Bob-Whites, Brian said he’d love to participate as the school’s doctor and satisfy his plans of becoming a medical doctor. Mart was into farming and wanted to play a part as teacher in his field of expertise. Trixie and Honey intended to become private investigators and solve mysteries. While this wasn’t part of the curriculum the schoolgirl shamuses were sure plenty of opportunities would abound at the school.
“Look at how much vegetation has come up in the past three years, Honey,” Trixie said. “The plants are beaten down now from the winter storms but will surely rise again when spring comes.”
“Yes,” agree Honey. “We’ve certainly seen our share of trouble and hardship, haven’t we, in the mysteries we’ve worked on? I must say, though, that all of the fun and good times have equaled out the hills and valleys. One day, I’m praying that Jim’s dream of building a place on this site will happen and that we’ll continue to all be one big happy family.”
They swung by the old summerhouse where Jim had sought refuge while the house was burning that late July evening.
“Jim was so lucky not to have been hurt in the flames,” Trixie shivered at the thought as they passed the small dilapidated structure.
“What’s equally amazing, is that Jim slept on that old mattress that he saved from the fire …” Honey began.
“Which is where the fortune was that we’d been searching for!” Trixie finished.
They then headed for a trail that led to the game preserve. The clear winter sky promised more good weather for the greater Westchester County area and the town of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson where they lived. A myriad of trails encompassed many acres of woodlands. Mr. Maypenny lived near the center of the preserve and he and Dan Mangan patrolled it regularly feeding the game birds, cleaning up any dead animals and cutting away fallen branches and trees from its many paths.
“I’m always astonished that we don’t get lost in the woods more often when we go riding,” Trixie commented.
“Me, too,” cried Honey. “Let’s head towards Glen Road, just in case. Of course, since it’s still technically winter the foliage is down and it’s easier to see over the tops of much of the brush.”
“I’d feel better, too, if we rode down Glen Road and came out closer to Crabapple Farm,” Trixie agreed. “Then it’ll be time for lunch and a nap before getting ready for the party tonight. This ride reminds me of the time Norma Nelson fed the game birds, remember, closer to Glen Road? It was during the time we were involved with the pet show.” Before Honey could answer, Trixie blurted out, “Has Jim ever said anything to you about not getting involved in any more mysteries?”
“Whatever are you talking about, Trixie?” Honey reined in Lady and turned to look at her friend.
“I must confess, Honey that I’ve had some misgivings about the time we were tracking down a suspect relative to the pet show.” Trixie pulled up Susie next to Lady.
“Go on,” Honey urged.
“Well,” Trixie stammered. “You and I were trying to keep some information from Jim and since then I feel our relationship has cooled. It was the way he looked at me. It’s almost like he’s been written out of my life and I’ve been written out of his.”
“Trixie,” Honey began. “Jim lo…”
Her words were cut off, though. “Hello!” A tall, dark figure strove into their clearing.
“Hey, Dan!” Trixie called back.
“Hey, yourselves!” He greeted them. “I’m on my way to get a horse. If you wait up I’ll ride with you.”
“Don’t be long, stranger.” Trixie gave him a warm smile and brought Susie around to face Honey, giving her friend her full attention. “You were saying?”
CHAPTER FOUR - HOMECOMING
Later that evening the Wheelers hosted their party. Mrs. Wheeler, as usual, tastefully decorated the ground floor rooms. She clustered yellow, black and light blue balloons, Brian and Jim’s school colors, in threes around the entry hall, living room, dining room and sun room. Soft salon music welcomed the guests into the subdued grandeur. As each visitor entered, Honey’s mother and father graciously met them at the door.
“Come in, come in!” Matthew Wheeler opened his arms to the Beldens, the first to arrive.
While staff usually performed the door opening, and coat-taking functions, Matt, the consummate host, hugged Helen and Peter Belden, put his arms around Brian, Mart, and Bobby and winked at Trixie before giving her a fatherly peck on the cheek.
“Good work, Brian!” He congratulated the young pre-med student.
Jim and Honey arrived together from upstairs. Honey wore a black sweater set over a black skirt pleated just above her knees that showed off her slim yet blossoming figure. Trixie, dressed in a pale blue knit form fitting dress with matching low heels, beamed at Honey’s seventeen year old brother and her own eighteen year old brother. They both looked so handsome, Jim in a white turtleneck with blue blazer and grey slacks and Brian in a grey cashmere and cotton sweater with black slacks.
Jim gave her a bear hug, and then held her at arm’s length.
“Wow whee! Where did that scrawny little girl that I used to know go to?”
Trixie felt herself about to swoon at his touch, the smell of his aftershave and just his general nearness. She held his arm as she steadied herself, thinking, “
Is this real? Had she imagined her previous feelings about him and him about her? Had the hard look he’d given her over the pet show incident really happened?”
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” she finally said to Jim. “Where’s our guest of honor?” Trixie asked casually to Honey as they milled around in the entryway.
“He should be here any minute. I love your outfit. You look so nice, Trix.”
“Thanks. You do, too. Brian can’t take his eyes off you,” Trixie whispered to her.
Matt encouraged everyone to move into the living room where refreshments beckoned. With the others, Trixie strolled into the oak-paneled room with tastefully appointed leather furniture. On the couch the elder Mr. Rainsford and a young man of about twenty-five years old sat, relaxing.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Matt said, shepherding the Beldens towards the two men. “You remember George Rainsford. And this is his nephew, Trevor Rainsford. Trevor, I’d like to introduce you to Peter Belden, his wife Helen, sons Brian, Mart and Bobby, and daughter Trixie. They live next door at Crabapple Farm.”
As Mr. Rainsford and Trevor shook hands all round, Trixie’s gaze met the younger man’s and she noticed a cleft chin on a dark, swarthy face, grey dancing eyes and short, dark brown freshly coiffed hair. Standing next to Jim, Trevor was the taller of the two though not as supple as Jim.
“Please, everyone, have a seat.“ Maddie Wheeler graciously extended her hand to the group.
Peter, Helen, Brian and Jim sat on one of two couches facing each other while Matt, Maddie, Mr. Rainsford and Trevor sat on the other couch. Honey and Trixie shared an oversized stuffed wing-back chair and Mart sat on its footstool. Bobby sat on the floor at Mart’s feet.
“We’re so glad to meet you, Trevor. We’ve heard a bit about you and look forward to getting to know you,” Peter Belden said.
“And I you,” Trevor said.
“Brian, my eldest son, attends Johns Hopkins and is a pre-med student in his sophomore year. I understand Jim here along with you two will be associated with each other soon and I offer the best of luck to all of you.”
“Why, thank you, sir,” Trevor said. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet more of the players in this venture of mine. I sincerely hope it plays out to everyone’s advantage. And we’ll see as we travel upstate tomorrow to scope things out. Matt and Maddie have been so kind as to allow me their beautiful home as a base of operation. Jim, Brian and I will no doubt work out the kinks over this next week and then we’ll see what the future holds in store for us. We’ll be sure to keep you apprised of our progress.”
Trixie sat mystified by what Trevor was offering and what he, Jim and Brian would be doing as business partners. She glanced around at the faces of her friends and family wondering if they had similar qualms.
As though reading her thoughts George Rainsford spoke.
“You know”, he said to both sets of parents, “you each have sons with much ambition and talent to make a go of a facility to house homeless and wayward youth and I’d like to see them get a good start. Jim, Brian and Trevor will, with the help of Trevor’s law firm that he’s recently joined, make things happen. I know that firm personally and highly endorse their reputation and feel secure that Trevor will do well, both for them and Brian and Jim, too.”
“No pressure!” Trevor joked.
Trixie, realizing she’d been holding her breath, finally breathed and smiled as everyone laughed.
“And you’re very kind, Mr. Rainsford, to have such confidence in our up and coming generation,” Maddie Wheeler said.
“We think so, too,” Peter Belden said, pressing his wife’s hand.
“Sounds like we’re pretty much in agreement then?” Matt Wheeler said.
“We’re looking forward to our foray tomorrow,” Jim said.
“I have a list of questions a mile long for Trevor,” Brian added.
“I’ll be heading back to the City tonight,” George Rainsford said. “Thank you all for having me this evening. I’m available next week should there be any questions I might answer.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jim rose to shake his hand, followed by Brian and the rest of the group.
“Won’t you stay for refreshments?” Maddie asked him. “Cook has made some delightful hors d’oeuvres that are to-die-for.”
Trixie looked admiringly at the willowy lady and couldn’t imagine she’d tasted many yummy snacks.
“You’re a hard woman to resist,” Mr. Rainsford chuckled and took her arm. “Lead the way.”
“That went well,” Mart said as he followed Trixie and Honey into the dining room where appetizers adorned the festive table. “Cook’s hors d’oeuvres are outstanding. I can attest to that.” He then proceeded around the table and piled a plateful of the tasty treats onto his plate.
“When are you going to show Jim the letter,” Honey whispered in Trixie’s ear as she followed her best friend around the table.
“It’s gotta be very soon,” Trixie said. “Can we find a quiet corner?”
“Sure, follow me.”
They completed their trip around the table. The centerpiece of black-eyed Susans and blue iris complemented the college’s colors.
“I love what you mother has done with the decorations,” Trixie complimented.
“She simply adores putting themes together and coordinating designs and décor. She’d make a great interior designer, don’t you think?” Honey said.
The honey-color haired girl led them to a cozy corner of the library doing a cha-cha step past Jim, and cocked her head towards the door to the library. Jim’s brows rose at Trixie as he followed his sister into the other room.
“To what do I owe this audience with my two lovelies?” Jim set his plate and glass down on the coffee table in front of the overstuffed couch before a blazing fire.
Trixie and Honey sat on either end of the couch leaving room for Jim in the middle. Trixie removed the letter from its envelope, opened it up and set it on his lap.
“From an old friend of ours,” she said.
Jim sipped his punch, set it down and smoothed the pages of the letter.
A couple minutes later found him looking at the envelope Trixie handed him and studying the return address and postmark, much the way she and Honey had, upon reading the news.
Trixie and Honey kept silent, awaiting his reply. Finally he said, “Do not pass go! Do not collect two hundred dollars. Let’s go directly to Joeanne Darnell’s tomorrow.”
“What about your project with your new business partner tomorrow?” Honey asked. Trixie nodded agreement.
“You know, it’s only about 40 miles from here to Poughkeepsie.” Jim batted the letter with a snap of his hand. “Why don’t you two come along and we’ll see what this is all about.”
“It’s as easy as that?” Trixie asked, blinking.
“How convenient is that for you guys?” Honey wondered out loud.
“Well, my dear,” Jim began, “Poughkeepsie is where we’re headed anyway! Let’s run it by Brian and Trevor and get their take on it.”
“I’ll get them!” Trixie was on her feet and practically out the door before Jim had finished his sentence.
A few minutes later, Trixie had Brian and Trevor in hand, followed by Mart bringing up the rear. The trio also set their refreshments down on the coffee table and sat on cushions in front of the fire that had died down a bit. Once they each had read the letter, Trixie, Jim and Honey filled Trevor in on the happenings of nearly three years ago. Trevor nodded knowingly, as though he’d heard it before.
“There seems to be a bunch of unanswered questions here,” Brian said, “like what happened to the Smiths and Mr. Darnell.”
“And what’s to become of the Darnell family?” Mart added at a loss of his usual supply of large words.
“Surely, the children mustn’t be split up,” Honey said.
“And what’s to become of the farm?” Trixie said.
“Have you made a list of all these questions, Trixie?” Trevor asked her. “If we’re going to ferret this out, we’ll need to keep track of everything to ascertain the next steps.”
“Mart’s the secretary of this outfit,” Jim winked at her. “Where’s your notebook?”
“I’m the secretary of the Bob-Whites but this technically isn’t a Bob-White meeting,” Mart said.
“Never mind, Mart, I’ll do it,” Honey offered. She arose and rummaged through the huge oak desk, and brought over a secretary’s pad and sharp pencil. She began jotting down the questions.
“What’s wrong with this picture?” Trixie asked, frowning as Honey scribbled away. “We never did this before when we were sleuthing. Why start now?”
“Sleuthing?” Jim quipped, “Sleuthing? Who said anything about sleuthing? Sounds like an assignment to me. Imagine the schoolgirl shamuses sleuthing on their spring break.”
“Imagine us doing an assignment on our spring break,” Trixie tossed back at him.
“Okay, you two,” Brian gently reprimanded. “Do I have to play referee?”
“Do I detect some sibling rivalry?” Trevor observed. “I thought you were all one big happy family.”
“We are!” Honey assured him. “I don’t mind taking notes.”
“Ah,” Mart said. “Now I know why Trixie does so poorly in class. She doesn’t take notes.”
“Alright, Mr. Smartypants! I’ll get you for that!” Trixie lunged for him over the top of the coffee table and nearly upset the liquid refreshments in the process.
Brian put his arm up to stop Trixie from connecting with Mart and managed to spill his punch on Trevor’s wool slacks. His face flushed as he tried to mop up with his napkin.
“Oh, Trevor,” Trixie wailed. “I am so sorry. Let me get some seltzer from Cook.”
“I’ll do it,” Honey offered, standing up.
“No, please, Honey, it’s nothing. Please come and sit back down.” He sat across from her and stretched out his hand to guide her back down.
“Well, its official,” Jim told Trevor, good-naturedly. “You’ve officially been baptized into the Bob-Whites of the Glen and this dysfunctional family!”
“Not sure about Bob-Whites, nor dysfunctional, but I do like the sounds of family. Please. No harm done. I feel right at home, really. And I do apologize for throwing a monkey wrench into the mix. Guess it’s just my organized nature to know where I am at any given time.” He smiled at the group.
“You’re too gracious, kind sir,” Trixie said. “Sometimes we tend to get carried away.”
“Some of us are approaching adulthood faster than others.” Mart said, and he and Trixie glared at each other.
“Let’s not start again,” Brian warned his almost twin siblings. Mart was only eleven months older than Trixie, who was almost sixteen.
“And I’m really sorry to be horning in on your work for tomorrow and the coming week,” Trixie apologized.
“You let us worry about that,” Trevor countered. “We’ll make it work. So please put your mind at ease.”
CHAPTER FIVE - POUGHKEEPSIE BOUND
As they walked home from the Wheelers Trixie and Mart apologized to each other, she for starting the argument about taking notes and he for his remarks about her study habits. Their parents had instilled in them the importance of never going to bed angry with each other and they religiously respected this aspect of their lives. Since they didn’t have to be anywhere at a particular time in Poughkeepsie, known as the Queen City of the Hudson River, on Sunday they planned to leave around ten. Trixie and Brian finished their breakfast by eight and Trixie spent some time helping Moms tidy up by cleaning the kitchen. Mart worked at a car dealership in Sleepyside and wouldn’t be going with them although he’d seemed genuinely interested in the Darnell situation.
Trevor picked them up at the appointed time in their driveway. Trixie and Brian, dressed in jeans, joined Honey who was sitting in the middle of the back seat before they got in.
“So what’s first on the agenda?” Trixie asked fastening her seat belt where she sat to Honey’s left behind Trevor.
Jim began, “I’m gathering information on a children’s home in the City so I need to stop by there and pick up some information and maybe make an appointment for a later time in the week. Just doing a cursory look at the place to get an idea of what it looks like, how I might get started on my own place, stuff like that that will be helpful to us when we begin to build on the old Ten Acres site.
“Afterwards, we could drive over to the Smith place and see what’s up with Joeanne and her family.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Trixie said. “Do you remember how to get to their place?”
“It seems ages since we’ve been there,” Honey said.
“Sure doesn’t seem like three years, does it?” Jim said. “There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then.”
“No kidding!” Honey said.
Trevor had programmed the address of the children’s home into the GPS and headed up the Albany Post Road, a scenic route.
“Tell me more about Ten Acres, Jim,” Trevor said. “You showed me the site early this morning but didn’t mention much history.”
“Not much to tell,” Jim said, “just that it had evidently been in the family for a couple generations. My great-uncle James Winthrop Frayne and his wife, Nell, whom he absolutely adored, I understand, didn’t have any children. She was a beautiful woman whom everyone loved. She died from a snake bite, copperhead wasn’t it Trixie? He tried to get her to the hospital but took a deserted road where the car broke down. By the time someone came along, it was too late.”
“How did she encounter a copperhead?” Trevor asked.
“They were sitting in the summerhouse and she must have accidentally kicked it while it was coiled under her chair.” Jim continued. “He never recovered from her death, left the car there and never allowed another car on the place.”
“How tragic, Jim. My condolences,” Trevor said.
“That together with losing my mother when I was thirteen and my dad three years before, really left me stranded. My step-father was really a Simon Legree, mean and nasty-tempered. I believe he’s also dead now. We lived in the Albany area and I hitch-hiked to Sleepyside. I found the mansion, and met Honey and Trixie, who fed me, helped me look for the fortune and stay hidden. Jonesy caught up to me and one night the mansion caught fire, probably from a cigarette butt he threw away. We’re sure he thought I was dead after the place burned down while I was hiding in the old summerhouse.
“I left that next morning and Honey and Trixie tracked me down, in the Poughkeepsie area. A series of events led me to the Smith farm where I met the Smith family and they wanted to take me in. I thought there would be a knock down drag out fight amongst Honey, Trixie and the Smith’s over who was going to have me.” Jim grinned back at the two girls in the backseat.
“Fortunately,” Honey quipped, “no one got hurt and we settled out of court.”
“And,” Trixie said, “we all won – Jim found a wonderful home, the Beldens have a great friend and Jim …”
“Is the luckiest guy in the world,” Jim finished her sentence.
“Sounds like you all did great work in finding Jim. Very cool, girls.” Trevor said. “We’re making good time and should be there in about twenty minutes. Can you tell me more about the Darnell and Smith families?”
“It’s been such a long time, I’d have to think,” Trixie said. “Maybe amongst the three of us we’ll remember some stuff.” She looked at Honey and Jim. “What jumps out at you guys?”
“I remember Mrs. Smith’s locket she wore around her neck. She said she was going to put Jim’s picture in it,” Honey recalled. “She was so in love with you, Jim.” She patted his shoulder.
“Right,” Jim said. “They had, what was it seven sons and eleven teen grandchildren?”
Everyone chuckled.
“You’d think with a family that big someone would be coming forth to demand justice.” Brian had been deep in thought and now spoke out.
“Maybe, Joeanne knows more than she could put in her letter,” Trixie said. “Let’s ask her.
Honey pulled out her notebook from her purse and flipped to her pages from the night before. Trixie smiled at her friend.
“It’s awfully mysterious that three people are dead in so short a time,” Brian, the pre-med student offered. “Was it a disease or accident or what?”
“She didn’t say,” Trixie said. She pulled out the letter again and handed it to Brian. “I’ve already memorized it and know what it says.”
“I hear you,” Brian said, reading the penciled letter again anyway. “She just says ‘they’re gone’”.
“That could mean a whole slew of things,” Jim said. “They’ve run away from home, died from some dread disease, been shot, stabbed, tarred and feathered.”
“None of them are pleasant thoughts.” Honey said, staring out the window.
“What I said wasn’t appropriate,” Jim apologized. “I was just thinking out loud.”
“Brainstorming is always a good way to think,” Trevor said, looking at his new friend.
“Sometimes Moms says she’s going to run away from home,” Trixie said, “especially when it becomes a zoo at our place with everyone running in all directions.”
“Your mother is so well organized,” Honey said, “I can’t imagine her actually doing that.”
“Dad takes her away every once in a while,” Brian said. “It does them both a world of good having a vacation from us.”
“This week would be good for them,” Trixie said, “with Bobby gone to Disney World with the Lynches. But they haven’t said a word to me.”
“Nor I,” Brian said.
“Does everyone have each other’s cell numbers plugged in?” Trevor asked, “We’re almost there.”
He gave them his number and they turned off the Albany Post Road also known locally as US-9 North, taking the Main Street exit. With a left and two rights they were in downtown Poughkeepsie.
“Anyone want to take a pit stop and get refreshments?”
“Anywhere around here is fine,” Brian said. “I checked out Vassar when I was looking for colleges a couple years ago. So I know absolutely nothing about this town.” He chuckled. “Nice school though but I don’t get up this way much.”
"I think the facility I’m looking for is a bit east of the downtown area,” Jim said. “I’ll plug the address into your GPS, if you’d like, Trevor.”
“Go for it,” Trevor parked the car on the street and they all got out.
They found a McDonald’s, ordered and squeezed into a booth.
“So,” Trevor said, “how about we first go with Jim to his destination, then find a place for lunch, visit the Darnell’s this afternoon and be back in Sleepyside by dark?”
“It’s a plan,” Honey said, opening her notebook.
CHAPTER SIX - THE CHILDRENS HOME
Trixie wished silently that her friend would put the notebook away. For some reason it bugged her yet she resisted causing a scene again. Maybe Mart was right. She’d rather listen than take notes. When it came time for a test she then regretted her lack of note-taking. She was her own worst enemy.
Jim brought along his laptop and placed it at the end of the table next to the wall. The Wi-Fi system kicked in and he was able to show the group the children’s home website.
“Take a look. I’m so excited about this site because it’s got a list of all the programs that the home runs, from foster care to transitional living in the community. It even has a program for young mothers. The kids can also live on-site or in their own homes with outside supervision.”
“Seems to cover a lot of ground,” Brian said. “Have your ideas changed any from what you originally planned to do?”
“I’m not sure, yet.” He scrolled around the site with his finger on the finger pad. ”Look. There’s even a program for kids to get farming experience. Mart will be interested in that, given his area of expertise.”
With Jim anxious to get going, the quintet of friends finished their drinks, stretched their legs and resumed their drive. The global positioning system led them directly and quickly to the children’s home facility. Soon doors slammed and the vehicle chirped as Trevor locked it in the guest parking lot next to the main entrance.
“We can wait here, Jim, maybe stroll around the grounds while you do your thing,” Trixie offered on behalf of herself and Honey.
“We won’t be long, I’m sure. The administrative staff may not work on Sundays.” Jim carried his briefcase with him anyway.
When the trio of guys had trooped inside, Trixie and Honey wandered around the campus. The warm day harbored a promise of spring. Young dandelions sprouted from the lush green lawn. The distant purr of an electric lawnmower filled the air. The girls breathed in the fresh late morning air and surveyed their surroundings.
“Beautiful place,” Honey said.
They kept to the sidewalks that meandered from one building to the next. The main office building occupied nearly a square block of the campus. Cottages dotted the acreage surrounding the main building. A group of boys played flag football outside one of the cottages. Another group chased a soccer ball over the field that sprawled across an area next to a grandstand with covered seating. A few pre-teenage girls sat and cheered the boys on. Five girls about thirteen batted a volley ball across a net, complaining there weren’t enough of them to make up a game, two on one side, and three on the other.
Trixie and Honey approached the group.
“Wanna play you two against us?” A black girl called. Before they could answer, she and her companion moved to the other side of the net.
“You’re on,” Trixie called back as she and Honey joined them. While the two older girls were taller, the younger girls, though less experienced, moved purposefully and accurately in their assigned spots. The tall girl served the ball and Trixie set it up as it flew over the net. Honey jumped to spike it but hit the ball on its side, sending it bouncing into the net on her side of the court.
“One,” called Honey’s opponent. “Come on, Germaine!” she called to the server. “We can beat these old ladies.”
“I hear you, Renee. Get ready.”
Germaine served again and sent the ball just over the net in Honey’s area. Honey, though not a setter, chose to set it up for Trixie and forced it into the net, again.
“Grrr!” She growled.
“Two.” Renee, a shorter black girl, taunted Honey.
“Come on, Honey!” Trixie coaxed her friend, rolling the ball to their opponent’s side of the court.
Germaine batted the white and black ball higher; giving Trixie time to kneel under it but it hit her wrists and flew straight up. “Honey” she gasped, as Honey connected and sent it into their opponent’s mid-court.
“Maryon,” one of the girls yelled, and an Asian girl set it and Renee spiked it back to the duo.
The volley lasted longer this time with Honey and Trixie finding their bearings and finally scoring two points.
“Two all,” Renee called.
Germaine’s fifth serve hit the net before bouncing over and Trixie now served. She hadn’t played this season at High and while she loved the game she still hadn’t warmed up enough to really clobber the ball. It hit the net and she tried again. She finally found her stride and pitched it perfectly to Maryon for a set-up which Renee spiked, Honey recovered and Trixie sent it back. By the end of the game, Trixie felt sweaty in her light sweater and jeans while the other side wore shorts and t-shirts. The quintet won 21 to 10 and yelled and screamed their victory song.
Trixie and Honey trotted over to the winners, congratulating the girls on their game.
“Who are you, anyways?” Renee asked bluntly, juggling the ball and batting it to Germaine.
“My name is Trixie and this is my friend, Honey. We’re up from Sleepyside to visit some friends who live close by.” Trixie bumped Renee’s clenched fist between ball flips.
“I’m Renee. This here’s Germaine, Maryon, Twila and Brenda.”
“Do you all live here?” Honey asked, knocking fists with each girl as she was introduced.
“Yeah,” said Twila, one of the two white girls. “What of it?”
“I just wondered,” Honey replied, nonplussed by the aggressive nature of the girl. “My brother is here with friends to check the place out. It’s absolutely gorgeous here. Do you like it?”
“What’s not to like?” Germaine spoke rhetorically.
Trixie wanted to reply “You tell us” but refrained.
“Is this your bro now?” Germaine nodded and Trixie and Honey turned to see Jim, Brian and Trevor heading towards the group.
“Hello!” Jim called out. “Who won?”
“We seemed to have played against the pros that beat us mightily,” Trixie quipped, smiling at the younger athletes.
“Oh, but it was really unfair of us to play five against two,” Brenda said, shyly. “You did really well, considering …” She trailed off.
After Honey introduced everyone, Jim asked, “Where’s a good place to have lunch?”
“Our cafeteria has great pizza,” Germaine offered. “Wanna try it?”
She led the way down the path to the building nestled behind the main office and surrounded by four of the many cottages.
“I’m starving,” Trixie said. “You girls really gave us a fun, fast-paced workout.”
The teasing aroma of hot food wafted across them as they stepped through the double doors to the school’s cafeteria.
“This is heavenly,” Honey said.
“It is what it is,” Renee said to no one in particular.
“I’m enjoying it and I haven’t tasted a thing yet,” Brian replied.
Renee, Germaine and the girls found a picnic bench style table big enough for the ten of them. The young volleyball players sat on one side and the elder group on the other. They ate off their trays and cleaned the table when they were through.
“Delicious!” Trixie said, after biting into the pizza Germaine had recommended.
They ate with gusto, chatting and laughing with each other as though they’d been friends forever. Conversation became even easier and Germaine, Renee, Maryon, Twila and Brenda shared what they liked best about their living environment.
“My roomie,” Brenda ventured shyly. “She makes me laugh all the time. There’s never a dull moment.”
“I really do like the chow,” Renee admitted. “There really ain’t anything I don’t like. In the cafeteria, that is.”
“So, it’s a good thing you play volleyball,” Germaine teased. “In fact, Renee eats, sleeps and pees volleyball.”
“Jeez, Germaine. Thanks a lot,” Renee wiggled in her seat next to her friend and purposely, but gently bumped her rump.
“I like Miz Bircher, my science teacher,” Maryon volunteered. “She doesn’t work here. She’s so cool. I go to Oak Plains Junior High. It’s out of district.”
“What about you, Twila?” Jim asked the girl across from him.
“Um.” Twila, a bit on the chunky side, swallowed the last of her hamburger. “I haven’t been here that long. Only about a week now and I’m just now starting to get the hang of things. Ask me again next Saturday.”
“Fair enough,” Jim replied. “It’s great to hear from you girls, your likes and dislikes. You know, I’m thinking of starting up a place not unlike what you’ve got here, just on a smaller scale, and I want to do it right. So that’s why I’m here today -- getting information from the staff, admin people, kids, you name it. Thanks so much for sharing.”
The girls welcomed Jim’s remarks tacitly with their smiles and nods.
“We’ve got to be shoving off now,” Jim said, gathering his tray and garbage. “But we may be back again soon. Thanks again, for everything.”
The others followed suit, saying their good-byes.
“Later.”
“Nice meeting everyone.”
“Enjoy your day.”
“See you.”
“Back atcha.”
“Next time.”
CHAPTER SEVEN - SMITH FARM REVISITED
Once back in the car, Trixie sat up front and programmed the address of their next destination into the GPS at Trevor’s request.
“Wow! What a great place, Jim.” Trixie turned around and smiled. “Hope it went as well for you in the main building as it did for us outside.”
“We did meet a couple of the weekend staff, Fred White and Louise Stevenson. He’s the assistant to the director of the place and she’s a part-time nurse. They were helpful in answering some questions and I have another appointment for Tuesday morning. Praise the Lord!”
“Cool!” Honey cooed, now sandwiched between Brian and Jim in the backseat.
“Joeanne, here we come,” Trixie said with a bit of anxiety in her voice. “GPS says the address is northeast of here but before you get to highway 199.”
“Seems we didn’t travel very far from the highway as we traveled north nearly three summers ago, based upon what my fuzzy brain remembers from back then.” Honey puzzled.
“I think you’re right Honey,” Trixie agreed. “What about you Jim? Your sense of direction is better than mine.”
“I was on foot and bicycle. I can’t imagine it’s very far to the northeast. Let’s just follow the GPS based upon the address Joeanne gave us.”
Within twenty minutes they were driving down a long potholed, dusty driveway. A sign with “Smiths” swung from an old wood stanchion that had seen better days and tipped precariously, nearly touching the ground.
“Listen,” Trixie said.
“What?” Brian finally asked, after what seemed an interminable silence.
“The quiet,” Trixie said, softly. She rolled down her window. “It’s so peaceful and quiet out here. I can’t hear a thing.”
“What would you be hearing? Cows mooing, sheep bleating, dogs barking?” Trevor ventured.
“Or farm equipment in use,” Brian said.
“Yes,” said Trixie. “Doesn’t that seem strange?”
Trevor pulled up in front of the dilapidated, old farmhouse and let out a low whistle.
“How sad it looks.” Honey’s words echoed Trevor’s intonation.
“Are you ready, Honey?” Trixie turned to look at Honey, trepidation in her voice.
“Ready as I’m ever going to be,” Honey replied. “Hold my hand, Jim.”
This time Trevor and Brian stayed behind as the trio got out of the vehicle, gently closing the doors.
Trixie found herself walking gingerly up the stairs and wondering why she was so scared about the visit with the Darnells. She remembered the long conversation she and Honey had had that day when they’d actually found the red trailer where the Darnells had parked it and were living. Sarah Darnell cried to think that her husband had stolen the trailer. She and Honey had helped put the woman’s mind at ease, explaining that the trailer had only been borrowed and that Mr. Lynch, the trailer’s owner, would understand. Mrs. Darnell revealed that it was her husband who had called the police and put them on the trail of the real trailer thieves working in the area. A state trooper had overheard the conversation and he, too, had been kind to her, promising her the reward money.
Jim knocked on the door. Soon, a young girl opened the door, letting it swing wide. Trixie recognized Sally. The girl, now eight years old, frowned at the trio. “Who are you?” A black cocker spaniel, its stubby tail wagging, bounced out and down the stairs and back up again.
“Bud!” Honey cried, bending to pet the dog that bounded outside her reach.
Another child, about three, also appeared in the doorway, looking at them with huge blue eyes fringed with the longest lashes Trixie had ever seen. This must be Beau, thought Trixie. A third child, who she guessed must be Jack, came to stand in front of his brother and sister. “Who are you and what do you want?” he demanded, puffing out his chest and standing taller than he really was.
“Are your big sister and mother at home?” Trixie asked, tentatively. “I’m Trixie and this is my friend, Honey, and her brother, Jim.”
He glared at them, folding his arms in front of his chest. “Get out! We don’t need anything!” He herded the kids inside and began to shut the door.
“You must be Jack, the Giant Stalker,” Jim said, holding out his hand to shake the youngster’s hand.
“I already told you mister, we don’t want nothing. Go away!”
“What is it?” called a voice from within the darkened interior. “I’m coming! Who is it, Jack?”
A girl of thirteen with long, black braids, faded jeans and the same defiant look on her face appeared in the doorway. She was carrying a laundry basket full of clothes. When she saw her friends, she carefully set down the basket out of the way and said, matter-of-factly, “You’ve come! Thank God you’re here. Please come in! Everything is okay kids. Get inside now.”
When Trixie tried to put her arms out to hug the girl, Joeanne either didn’t notice or chose not to be embraced. Honey tousled the youngest child’s golden locks and he grabbed her around her jean-clad leg and wouldn’t let go. “You’re Beau, aren’t you?’ Honey said, picking up the forty pounds of boy and stepped through the doorway.
“How do you know their names? Bet you don’t know mine,” the smaller girl said.
“You’re Sally. I’m Honey. Remember me?” Honey put Beau down who immediately attacked her again. Sally solemnly shook her head.
Trixie surveyed the living room. The same early Victorian, huge mahogany furniture she remembered from her earlier visit occupied the clean, yet messy room. A few out-dated toys scattered here and there presented faded colors and had been well played with. Honey enticed the boys to sit down on the thread-bare carpeted floor and began building with tinker-toys, a product Trixie realized that her parents might have played with in their youth. Sally sat on a rocking chair almost too small for her and crooned to a baby doll swathed in a ragged, patterned flannel nearly white from frequent washings. Joeanne motioned Trixie and Jim into the kitchen.
“Where’s your mother, Joeanne?” Trixie whispered.
“She’s sleeping,” Joeanne said in a monotone. “She sleeps a lot.”
The three sat at the huge kitchen table. A flood of memories invaded Trixie’s mind as she was transported back nearly three summers ago to this very table where she, Honey, Jim, Joeanne and Mrs. Smith had sat, in the heat of a late July morning.
As though reading her thoughts, Joeanne said, “It seems only yesterday, Trixie that you and Honey were celebrating your finding Jim. Mr. Smith had just found my daddy and the Smiths had invited us to live with them. Daddy was going to be working for them and we were going to have a home again. Now all that’s gone!”
Trixie thought Joeanne might cry at the loss of the dream of living in a home, snug, safe and well-fed with her family.
“Can you tell us what happened to the Smiths and your dad?” Jim asked.
“You remember how heavy-set Grand Mary was? She said to call her that. Well, one day she went to the doctor with chest pains and had a heart attack and died in the doctor’s office. They said there was nothing they could do! That was about this time last year.” Joeanne paused, “Actually it was earlier because there was lots of snow on the ground. It was awful. Grand Nat cried and cried. I think he died of a broken heart. I really do. They’d been married more than thirty years. It couldn’t have been more than a month later that he died.”
“Wasn’t there another hired man?” Jim asked.
“You mean the guy who fell out of the tree and broke his leg?” Joeanne wiggled her nose from side to side, considering the man’s misfortune. “He never came back.”
“The Smiths have a large family. Did any of them come around when their parents passed away?” Jim asked.
“Oh, yes. There were tons of people here, both times. I’m not sure who they all are. I remember the oldest. He was really nice. I think his name was Junior. His wife didn’t come the first time. I think they have a lot of kids and she was having another one. And another son who did bring his family and then a bunch of other relatives that I just couldn’t keep track of.” Joanne shook her head. “I’m sorry Jim, I just don’t know.”
“That’s alright, Joe.” Jim called her this name from the time when she’d been mistaken for a boy and a younger brother of his.
“You’re doing great,” Trixie said with encouragement. “We’re going to help you through this rough time. What happened to your dad?”
At this Joeanne burst into tears and buried her face in the crook of her arm on the flower printed table covering. Trixie put her arm around her shoulders. Jim looked on in empathy. “You know, Joeanne, I know someone who’s lost his dad and mother when he was your age. And he’s sitting right here.”
Joeanne looked tearfully at Jim. “You have? What did you do, Jim? I don’t know what to do. Mommy is no help. I’m afraid she’ll die, too, like Grand Nat did after Grand Mary died.” Trixie handed her a Kleenex package from her purse.
Joeanne looked from one to the other, sniffing and blowing her nose until it turned red. “None of the Smith’s family has come back. Nobody seems to care.”
“I know you’re awfully upset about this, what with having to keep house, take care of your brothers and sister and your mom. Like Trixie said, we’re going to walk with you through this hard time. Can you believe that, Joe?”
Joeanne nodded, the tears beginning again. “I do,” she whispered.
“One thing I miss about Grand Mary, she led me to Jesus and I know that He sent you to me now. I write in my diary every chance I get and say what’s going on. It sort of helps but having you guys here is even better.” Again, the tears flowed. “I try not to cry but sometimes I can’t help it.”
At this, Trixie put both arms around her, pulled the girl to her breast and held her, rocking back and forth. “I’m so sorry, Joeanne. I trust that God, too, will see you through this.”
When Trixie looked up over Joeanne’s shoulder she saw Honey standing in the doorway to the kitchen, with her right thumb in the air and a reassuring smile on her lips.
Trixie wanted to step out on a limb that minute and tell Joeanne about the children’s home they had visited that day. Her mind was racing, and crowded with more thoughts than she could hustle together in formation, like butterflies, she later realized. Her eyes locked on Jim’s and found the strength she needed, Joeanne needed and all the orphaned children of the world needed. Everything would be alright, with God’s help. She said a silent prayer and released Joeanne back into the brightly lit comfort of the Smith kitchen.
“Would you like something to drink? I meant to ask you earlier,” Joeanne offered.
“Let me get it,” Honey offered, opening the refrigerator, noticing its barrenness.
“I can make some Kool-Aid.” Joeanne arose and began mixing a pitcher of pink lemonade. “What are the kids doing?”
“They are taking naps upstairs.” Honey beamed.
“Wow!” Joeanne breathed. “Sally hates it up there. She’s scared of monsters under the bed.”
“I know.” Honey sat down at the table. “She told me. I pulled a mattress off the bed and put it on the floor in the same room with Jack and Beau. In fact, they’re all on mattresses on the floor and pretending they’re camping out. They are such cute kids, Joeanne. I just love all of you!” Then Honey jumped up and threw her arms around Joeanne.
“I wish you all could live here with us.” Joeanne poured the drink into four glasses and passed them around. “But I know that’s not possible.”
“Things ARE going to be better. You just wait and see, Joeanne Darnell,” Trixie promised in her heart.
“What’s most on your heart now, Joeanne?” Jim asked, finishing his Kool-Aid.
“Mommy,” Joeanne replied without a thought. “I’m so worried about her. I’m afraid she’ll go to sleep and never wake up.” She looked as though she would start weeping again.
“Joeanne,” Jim began. “Trixie’s brother, Brian, is out in the car with another friend of ours. Brian is studying to be a doctor. May I have him come in and look at your mom?”
“I guess.”
“Will you show me where your mother is?” Jim asked, getting up.
“Actually, she’s just down the hall in the den. She hates going upstairs, too.”
Trixie and Jim followed the girl to the den while Honey went to get Brian. The door stood ajar and the blinds kept out the daylight. A form covered with an ancient quilt lay on a daybed in a corner on the outside wall. “She’s asleep,” whispered Joeanne.
“How long has she been asleep?” Jim asked.
“Couple hours, maybe longer,” she replied.
“Can you wake her up?”
“Mommy, mommy” called Joeanne. “Please wake up. Trixie and Jim are here and want to see you.”
CHAPTER EIGHT - TREVOR’S OFFER
Sarah Darnell didn’t stir. Joeanne approached her, gently shaking her mother’s shoulder. “Mommy, wake up!” she called louder.
“Does she take longer and longer to wake up?” Jim followed Joeanne to the sleeping figure.
“Sometimes,” Joeanne’s voice trembled. “Mother, wake up!” She yelled. “Wake up!”
“Let’s let Brian see her, he’s here now,” Trixie motioned Brian with Honey at his side into the room.
“She’s not waking up.”
“Call 9-1-1,” Brian quietly ordered. He strode across the room, felt for a pulse on her neck and gently lowered her to the floor and began resuscitation.
“Our phone doesn’t work,” Joeanne cried.
Trixie popped her cell phone open and punched the numbers, spoke with the operator and soon they heard the wailing of the siren.
Brian bent over Joeanne’s mother and began compressions on her chest.
“What do you think happened?” Trixie asked Jim. He shrugged.
Led by Honey, three paramedics crisply marched into the room with their equipment. The lead medic addressed the group.
“I’m Dan Taylor. We had a call from a cell phone located at this address. Who’s the person in question?”
“It’s Mrs. Darnell,” Trixie answered pointing to the floor. “And this is my pre-med brother, Brian who’s performing CPR.”
“We’ll take over doctor,” Dan squatted next to Brian, checking her pulse and placing a mask around her mouth and nose. “Good work, Brian.”
Dan’s co-workers placed their patient on a gurney and before Trixie knew it, the medics pushed Sarah Darnell through the house, out the front door and into the ambulance.
“It only makes sense that I should go,” Brian said, climbing into the passenger side beside the driver. “Someone needs to stay with the kids. I’ll call you.”
Trixie, with her arm around Joeanne’s thin shoulders, stood dumbfounded and only nodded to him. Bud, who had been left outside when they first arrived, now whined at Joeanne’s heels. Joeanne bent and picked up the dog and buried her face in his soft fur.
“She’ll be okay, Joeanne,” Trixie found her voice and hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt.
“I should go, too,” Joeanne protested. Her voice muffled in Bud’s neck.
“She’s in good hands, Joe,” Jim said, guiding the girls inside and softly shutting the front door.
Honey and Trevor stood in the middle of the front room.
“Look what Trevor brought,” Honey said. “Come see,” and led them to the kitchen where grocery bags stuffed with food hid the huge kitchen table.
“We’d like you to meet our friend, Trevor Rainsford. Trevor, please meet Joeanne Darnell, our young friend we met a couple years ago.”
“I’m so glad to meet you, Joeanne.” Trevor held out his fist that Joeanne tentatively tapped with her fist.
“Glad to meet you, too,” she replied. “Thank you for the groceries. Now we can have dinner, I guess.”
“And you, young lady, are going to sit still while we fix it,” Jim said gently but firmly. He and Trevor began unloading groceries while Honey and Trixie surveyed the contents and began sorting and putting things away. Joeanne looked on and pointed to the appropriate shelves where the staples belonged.
“I need to check on the kids,” said Joeanne as she arose.
“I’ll go with,” Honey offered and together they left the room.
When they had left the kitchen, Trixie found an apron and began making hamburger patties. “Honey is so good with the kids, isn’t she?”
“She is,” Jim agreed. “Thank the Lord for her at a time like this. And you, too, Trixie and Trevor.” He began setting the table for eight. “I don’t know when Brian will call but these kids must be starving. And we need to decide what to do with them in their mother’s absence.”
“I’d like to offer to stay here while we’re needed. You know, play it by ear until the mom is out of the woods. Joeanne probably wouldn‘t mind,” Trevor said.
The sun set and the clock read five by the time Trixie had made hamburgers with sliced tomatoes, bread and butter pickles, mayonnaise and ketchup. A bag of potato chips filled a large salad bowl and large glasses of milk sat at each place. Honey and Joeanne ushered Sally, Jack and Beau, freshly scrubbed and dressed, into the cheery kitchen where Trixie, Jim and Trevor bantered and cajoled each other in easy, yet measured abandon.
The younger set met Trevor, sized him up and quietly sat down at the table, with Beau on a large outdated New York City yellow pages phone book. Trixie sat beside the youngster and cut his sandwich in two and then took the meat patty out and cut it again. “I have a younger brother that I did this for when he was your age,” Trixie said.
Everyone ate every speck in front of them. No one said a word about Sarah Darnell and after dinner Honey and Trixie cleaned up while Joeanne showed Jim and Trevor where the board games were kept. They chose Candyland so that Beau could play, too, with help from Sally. By seven-thirty Brian still had not called and Beau, Jack and Sally, despite their long nap, yawned and squirmed in their seats.
“Bedtime, guys,” Joeanne announced. “First one in jammies gets the first treat.”
“What’s the treat?” Jack wanted to know.
“Not telling,” Joeanne countered.
“Not fair,” her brother returned, and sulked out of the room.
“Not playing,” Sally said.
“Please help Beau, then,” Joeanne asked, patiently.
“Oh, Jellybean,” whined Sally, picking up Bud the cocker spaniel who promptly licked her face. He squirmed and she let him go. “You big baby,” she crooned to him.
“Don’t need help!” Beau said, folding his arms over his chest. “Where’s Mommy? I want Mommy.”
Joeanne picked him up the held him on her lap. “Mommy had to go to the hospital. She isn’t feeling well and the doctor has to make her better. Maybe we can see her tomorrow. Come on now, let’s get our jammies on. It’s been a long day.”
“If you’d like we could spend the night, you know, have a sleep over and pretend we’re camping out,” Trixie offered.
“Cool,” Jack said. “Can they, Jellybean? Oh, say yes!”
Joeanne appeared to cave in. “Sure,” she said brightly. “It’s a great idea. Thanks Trixie.”
“Actually, it was Trevor who offered to do this,” Trixie said, “although, we’d all love to stay.”
“Goody!” Sally cried. “Honey and Trixie can sleep with us, can’t they?”
Taking Beau by the hand he let his older sister lead him out of the kitchen. “Come on Sal,” Joeanne said.
Sally picked up Bud again and lugged him through the room and down the hall and up the stairs.
Trixie watched them go and began picking up the game. “Can you imagine what they’re going through,” Trixie said, almost in tears.
“They’re all troopers alright,” Jim agreed.
“I wish Brian would call,” Honey said. “I’m dying to know what’s going on. And we should let our folks know that we’re spending the night.”
“I’ll call Moms and have her let your folks know, Honey,” Trixie offered. The moment she picked up her cell it rang.
“Brian!” She practically yelled into her handset. “Yes. Ok. Here he is.” She handed the phone to Trevor.
“Hi, Brian. Let me write that down,” Trevor looked around and Honey shoved her notebook and pen at him. “I’ve got it. Thanks. Yeah. I’ll program it in. See you in a few.”
“You want me to go with?” Jim offered.
“Thanks just the same. We won’t be long. The hospital is in downtown Poughkeepsie so I’ll find him. Keep the home fires burning and call your mom, Trix. And pray.”
Trixie nodded and punched in her home phone number. While on the phone with Moms, she, Honey and Jim followed Trevor to the front door and turned on the outside light. Jim went out to the car to get his laptop before they watched Trevor turn the car around and drive away.
“Moms is so understanding,” Trixie said, after hanging up. “Told us to take care and not open the door to strangers.” She smiled. “I’m going upstairs.” She felt like collapsing onto the couch but wanted to check on Joeanne.
“I’m just going to fold these clothes,” Honey said, picking up the laundry basket Joeanne had dropped earlier when they first arrived.
“I’ll be on the ‘puter,” Jim said, strolling back to the kitchen table.
Upstairs, Joeanne sat on one end of the mattresses Honey had pulled together into one room for naptime, earlier in the day. She read from a much loved story book to the trio. “And they lived happily ever after.”
“Read another one, Jellybean!” Sally pleaded.
“Read the Harry Potter book we got for Christmas,” Jack demanded.
“It’s too long. And we have company to put to bed, too.”
“That’s okay, Joe,” Honey and I can help you with beds later.” Trixie said from the doorway.
Joeanne smiled her thanks and picked up the book from the near-by shelf.
“Good night, guys.” Trixie blew a kiss and turned to go and almost ran into Honey with an arm full of folded clothes in the laundry basket. She set it down inside the door to the bedroom.
“Would you like me to read to you?” Honey offered. “That’s one of my favorite books.”
“That’d be great,” Joeanne said, picking up the laundry basket. “It’ll give me and Trixie a chance to see where we’ll all gonna sleep. This is such a large house that it shouldn’t be hard at all.” She laughed.
“Oh, Joeanne, please don’t go to any trouble for us, we’ll just be downstairs,” Trixie began in protest.
Joeanne led her to a room next door. “It’s pretty simple,” Joeanne assured her. As though reading her thoughts, Joeanne told Trixie there were six bedrooms. She and Sally slept in the room where the kids were now. She sorted the clothes Honey had neatly folded and put the boy clothes in the drawers and set the basket down.
“The boys sleep in here. But it’ll be better for the three to be together tonight. I’m so glad Honey did what she did with those two mattresses. I’d never thought to put Sally’s mattress on the floor for her. She’s just been so scared to sleep up here since …” She paused, grasping for words, “since all the upset with Grand Mary and Grandpa Nat and Daddy.”
“Honey’s been bothered with …” Trixie, too, felt uncomfortable telling about Honey’s fears. Instead, she said, “She’s such a compassionate friend and I just love her.”
“I do, too,” Joeanne admitted. “I’ll sleep here in the boys’ room. “ She stepped outside the room. “Next door is the bathroom. Across the hall are three more rooms.” She showed Trixie each bedroom. Each one had two single beds. “And here’s the linen closet. There’re probably enough sheets and blankets to go around.”
Trixie could have slapped herself for invading this family home. Then she realized that the Darnell children really needed their help. She just wanted to scoop them all up and take them home to Moms. She set her teeth to keep from crying.
Honey met them in the hall. “They went out like a light. I hardly got through chapter one. They remind me of Bobby and the Lynch kids, they’re so sweet.”
“They make me miss Bobby,” Trixie interjected.
Joeanne gave Honey a startled look. “The Lynch kids, how many are there?”
They started down the thread-bare carpeted stairs.
“Two sets of twins. One set of boys and one of girls,” Honey told her. “Their older sister Diana loves taking care of them.”
“She’s the one whose family owned the red trailer, huh?” Joeanne said, stiffly.
“Yes,” Honey replied. “The Lynch family.”
CHAPTER NINE - REMINISCING
As the girls descended the stairs they heard two car doors slam. At the same time, Bud bounded down the steps, too, almost upsetting them.
“It’s Trevor and Brian,” Honey said, “with news of your mother, Joeanne. I’m sure.”
“I hope so,” the girl replied, grasping the railing for support from Bud’s antics. “I’m worried sick she won’t make it.”
Brian and Trevor stepped over the threshold into the entryway. “Brr, it’s starting to get cold out there.” Brian rubbed his hands together and bent to pet Bud’s silky ears.
“We can have some hot cocoa,” Joeanne offered, leading the way to the kitchen.
Jim’s laptop occupied a corner of the kitchen table where he studied, Trixie noticed as she walked behind him, what looked like the children’s home site. While Joeanne heated water and brought out colorful mugs of every size and hue, Brian, Trevor, Honey and Trixie gathered around the table once more in anticipation of Brian’s report on Sarah Darnell.
“It’s like this,” Brian began. “Joeanne, your mother is in a coma from an overdose of barbiturates. The doctor on call is monitoring her progress. He said it was too late to pump her stomach but she has an IV going to get some liquid into her system. It’ll be touch and go. Dr. Krebbs gives her a fifty-fifty chance. All we can do is hope and pray.”
Joeanne hung on his every word. “Can we pray now?”
She sat down between Trevor and Trixie and held their hands. The rest of the group also clasped their neighbor’s hand and Joeanne began to pray, “Please God. Be at Mommy’s side and bring her through this horrible thing that’s happening to her. I trust your son Jesus Christ to stay right by her until she wakes up. Thank you.”
Trevor added, “I echo Joeanne’s words Lord, and ask you to surround this family with your presence and give them hope and courage regardless of what happens. You are the cure-giver and we lay all of our burdens down at Your feet and ask that You take them up and care for them as only You can do. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
“Thank you Trevor,” Joanne said, “and all of you for being here with us. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t been here.” She looked at each of them around the table, “You, Trixie and Honey, too, have been so good to me and the kids. They really like you all. And please forgive us when we say things that are mean and hurtful. We don’t mean to.” Her voice faltered. “Sometimes the words just spill out.”
She then arose and stirred the chocolate mixture and turned down the heat.
“You are one amazing young lady,” Jim said.
“You’ve been very brave throughout this ordeal.” Trixie said as her mouth went dry. She touched the girl’s arm. “Very, very brave, Joeanne.”
Honey finished preparing the mugs of cocoa and brought them to the table on a tray.
“That reminds me, Trixie,” Honey began, “of the time Bobby got bitten by the copperhead and what you said to him, after you saved his life. You told him how brave he was.”
“You did that, Trixie?” Joeanne asked, incredulous. “Wow! I never could have done that.”
“It’s amazing what you can do when you have to,” Trixie said, “and that’s just what you’ve been doing. You’ve been a mother to your siblings when your mother hasn’t been able to. There aren’t many thirteen year olds who could do that.”
“It’s worked both ways,” Joeanne said after a moment’s thought. “Sally and the boys have also been brave through all of this, too. I guess I’ve been hard on them but I don’t want them to suffer, I want them to be strong.”
“We could tell from your letter that it’s been pretty rough what with you losing the Smiths. And what about your dad, Joe, where do you think your dad is?” Brian changed the subject. His large hands wrapped around the huge mug of warm liquid.
“I don’t know,” Joeanne shook her head. “He must be dead, too. I haven’t heard from him in over a week.”
“I’m trying to think of all the things that got said during our time here three years ago. There’s something at the back of my mind that I want to remember,” Trixie said, looking hard at Honey and Jim.
“If you tell us the things that were going on,” Trevor encouraged, sipping his drink, “it may trigger what that thing is you want to remember. I haven’t heard the whole story, just bits and pieces. What was it like, Honey, when you and Trixie were looking for Jim?”
“Well.” Honey, too, sipped the hot cocoa, smiled at the group and gazed past them, out the darkened window and into the summer of three years ago.
“While it was an anxious time of wondering where Jim was, it also brought Trixie and me closer together because, for one thing, we had a common goal in finding Jim, but also because we got to ride horses, swim and be in the fresh air. We rode to the different places we thought where Jim might find work. One of the places was Wilson Ranch. That’s where you,” she looked at Trixie, “met my hare-brained cousin Ben Riker. And that’s where the owner said Jim had been looking for a job.” She now shifted her gaze to Jim, and then to Joeanne. “It was where your dad had been looking for you.”
“Really,” Joeanne exclaimed.
“I remember that day,” Jim said. “That’s the day I found you, Joeanne, stuck in a bramble bush. Remember, your pigtail was caught and I had to cut you out?”
“Yes, of course. How could I forget that day?”
“Go back to Wilson Ranch,” Trixie demanded, thoughtfully. “What I remember about Wilson Ranch is that someone said your dad, Joe, was once owner or something like that of the ranch. He may not have known at the time that it was Wilson Ranch but now he knows and that’s where he went to find work again.”
“Why would he go without telling us?” Joeanne frowned. “Mommy never said anything to us if he told her.”
“Maybe he left a note, and no one has found it yet.” Trixie said. “We could look.”
“I don’t know, Trixie,” Joeanne said.
“You need to know, Joe,” Brian told her, “that my sister jumps to conclusions about stuff like this when she’s trying to make sense out of the mysteries of life. So, don’t get your hopes up, kiddo.”
“Well, thanks a lot, doctor know-it-all,” Trixie rebuffed him. But to Jim and Honey, she said, “Don’t you remember that Mr. Darnell was affiliated with Wilson Ranch in some way?”
“Now that you mention it,” Honey agreed. “That does sound familiar. I’d have to think about it some more.”
“What was the name of the man we talked to when we were there, Honey?”
“I could call Ben. He’d know,” her friend answered, fishing in her purse for her cell.
“Or you could ask me,” Jim offered. “I’d remember the name of the man who might have given me a job. Ditmar was his name.”
“Then we could call Wilson Ranch and ask them whether the name Darnell sounds familiar.” Trixie insisted.
“Trixie,” Joeanne began. “Daddy grew up in these parts and maybe Mommy told you that his family owned Wilson Ranch at one time. Maybe that’s where he is now, looking for a job.”
“Well, let’s call Wilson Ranch and find out,” Honey said.
“Let’s consider this a bit more,” Jim said. “We don’t want to scare the man off, if he’s in the process of working and trying to find a place for his family to stay.”
“What did the social worker ask about your daddy?” Trevor wanted to know.
“They just wanted to know if I knew where he was,” Joeanne answered. “I said I didn’t know, because I don’t.”
“The police could put out an APB on him,” Trevor told her. “I bet he’d be back here in a minute if he knew your mommy was in the hospital. You know, Joe, you kids will be taken away from here if you don’t have a stable family environment in which to live. Do you understand?”
“I know.” Joeanne seemed reluctant to agree. “It’s just that what about the bean crop? That’s what we do here. It helps support us. Shouldn’t we be getting ready for preparing the ground? It’s spring.” She looked at the calendar on the wall. “Not officially but it is warm enough outside to plant.”
“Do you still harvest the same kind of beans?” Jim asked, “If so, they’ll reseed themselves if you didn’t pick them all last season.”
“Yes but the ground needs hoeing at least,” Joeanne.
“If we all spent a day hoeing, would that take care of it,” Trixie asked.
“Maybe so,” Joeanne looked around the group. “But you guys have other things to do besides hoe beans, don’t you?”
“Our first priority is you and your brothers and sister,” Honey said. “I can help watch the little ones.”
“If we’re all in agreement,” Brian said, “tomorrow we hoe. I don’t mean to put a damper on your spirits, Joe, but another thing I’d like to know is why any of the Smith’s family isn’t here doing that or wanting to take over the property. This farm must belong to the family.”
“Like I said,” Joeanne reiterated, “after Grand Mary and Grand Nat died, the family who came to the house didn’t seem interested. They all seemed caught up in their own lives.”
“I suggest now,” Trevor said, glancing at his watch, “that we all get some sleep. It’s been a long day and we’re all exhausted.”
“Thanks for letting us spend the night,” Jim said, closing his computer down. “Not sure why I brought this in. There’s no Wi-Fi around here.”
“I’m sorry,” Joeanne apologized. “We can’t afford a computer.”
“Please don’t apologize,” Jim put his arm around Joe’s shoulders. “I was able to access my hard drive and look at things I’d saved.”
They all trooped upstairs and Joeanne showed the guys their rooms.
“See you in the morning,” Joeanne said as she went into her brothers’ old room and let Bud slip in before closing the door.
Trixie and Honey bade their brothers and Trevor good night and closed the door to their room, too. Trixie sat on the single bed in the farthest corner of the room and looked around it. Old posters of rock bands from the last century decorated the walls. The carpet, like the rest of the house, wore signs of much use. Trixie turned back the chenille bedspread that covered a grey, woolen army blanket and one thin pillow.
“I’m exhausted,” she said, kicking off her cross-trainers and slipping out of her jeans. “Don’t know if I’ll sleep, though.” She left her other clothes on and slipped between worn and frayed red, white and blue flannel sheets.
Honey followed suit in the bed separated from Trixie’s by an antique nightstand with a lamp that had no shade. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep, either.
“Oh, Trixie, I feel so guilty about my comment to Joeanne about how much her siblings reminded me of the Lynch kids. Joeanne didn’t say much, but I think she equates them with being rich and realizes how poor they are. I’m so glad I didn’t say they’d gone to Disney World. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if some day the Darnells could go out and have some fun?”
Trixie was lying on her side looking at Honey. “Yes! Maybe when this is all over with we could do something nice for them.” She yawned. “And I feel guilty too about taking up bed space and making the sheets dirty so they need to be washed. Guess we could have slept on top of the covers.”
“I couldn’t get out now to get on top I’m so tired.” Honey giggled. “My head is spinning.”
“I know,” Trixie said, yawning again. “We covered a lot of territory today.”
“What do you think of Trevor?” Honey rolled onto her side so she was looking at Trixie. “I think he’s dreamy with that cleft chin of his. Just like a movie star.”
“Don’t let Brian hear you say that,” Trixie scolded, half laughing. “We don’t want them to duel it out over you.”
“That’s unlikely to happen,” Honey yawned. “So, what do you think?”
“I think he’s pretty cute, too, but don’t tell Jim that.” Trixie closed her eyes.
“We’ll be dreaming of duels,” Honey giggled again, turning off the bedside light. “Seriously, though. I’m praying that Mr. Darnell shows up. And that Mrs. Darnell gets better and that the kids don’t have to be separated from their parents.”
“Me, too,” Trixie sleepily replied, as she fell into the blackness that engulfed the room.
In the next room, Joeanne pulled out her journal and began writing.
Sunday, March 14
What a day! But thank you God for answering my prayer about sending me friends like Trixie, Honey and Jim and Trixie’s brother Brian and their friend, Trevor. They are certainly a godsend to me with the way they want to help out and what they’ve done for us. The groceries were a huge gift and to have Honey and Trixie play with the kids and do some chores around the house. And Mommy! Dear Jesus please let Mommy live, and bring Daddy back. We all need to be together but help Mommy not be so sad and make Daddy stay home. I know he wants the best for us but he relies on me so much to be there for when he’s away. I wish we could be rich like the Lynches and have beautiful things and go to fun places. I want to live on a ranch and have horses and toys for Sally and the boys. I trust you Lord Jesus to answer my prayers. Next to Honey and Trixie and Jim you are my best friend.
Love,
Jellybean
CHAPTER TEN - TO HOE OR NOT TO HOE
The next morning dawned grey and overcast with a promise of clearing and sun in the afternoon; so said the radio broadcast that Trixie heard on the small set between the twin beds when she awoke at six thirty.
I hope we get through with the hoeing before it gets too hot. It’ll be just like home for me, working in Moms’ garden. I miss home.
Trixie looked first at Honey, on her stomach, sawing logs, and then tiptoed into the hall. All was quiet. No sound emanated from behind Joeanne’s door but the kids’ bedroom door stood ajar. The three youngsters slept in peace. Trixie quietly turned and crept as soundlessly as she could down the long hallway and the stairs to the ground floor towards male voices coming from the kitchen.
Brian, wearing a huge kitchen apron, flipped pancakes while Jim set the table and Trevor made coffee.
“Will wonders never cease?” Trixie quipped, as she strolled through the morning aromas.
“You and Honey did dinner last night. We men folk can muster breakfast for the house,” Brian turned towards his sister and smiled.
Trixie looked at each of them and again a little more closely.
“You know guys, I slept in my clothes last night, didn’t shower or brush my teeth, but you three look a little less run over.” Trixie scratched her head and then exclaimed, “You’ve shaved! How did this happen? You brought overnight kits when Honey and I did not.”
“Want to borrow a razor? Is that what you’re implying?” Jim placed paper napkins all around, with a grin on his freckled face as he rubbed his right index finger along her cheek.
“Just wanted to know where you’d get a razor,” she grabbed at his hand, missed and sat down in her seat from the previous evening.
“You can’t believe that seven, no eight, men living in this house wouldn’t have left a razor behind?” Brian answered, piling more pancakes onto a platter warming in the oven.
“Ah,” Trixie breathed. “Good point, big brother. Good work, you guys.”
Trevor delivered a cup of coffee to her, asking, “Cream, sugar, a little of both?” He wore a huge grin on his face.
“And what do we owe the cat-who-ate-the canary look to?” Trixie melted at a dimple in his cheek she hadn’t noticed before.
“To be announced.” Trevor set a creamer and sugar bowl on the table, and then winked at her.
“Ah,” Trixie repeated. “Don’t wanna wait, wanna know now.” She felt like her little brother Bobby on Christmas morning wanting to open all the presents at once.
Simultaneously, Trixie heard a cell phone ring and a scream as though from a child falling down the stairs. She bolted from her chair and raced to the staircase where she found Beau in a crumple at the foot of the stairs. She bent down and scooped the child up, carefully so not to impair his breathing. Sitting on the bottom step, she inspected him for blood, scrapes and bruises.
“What happened, Beau?” She crooned.
“I felled down,” he whimpered and cried even louder. “I want my mommy!”
“Let’s look at you.” She stood him up. “Where do you hurt, Sweetie?”
“My elbows and here,” he pointed at his crotch. “I slided down the banster.”
Brian appeared, having put Trevor in charge of the pancakes. “Let’s see, little man,” Brian said and inspected the little boy’s arms for broken bones. “I think you’re going to be alright. In fact, I have just the medicine for such an accident. How about chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup and butter?” He lifted the boy up gently and carried him to his chair in the kitchen. “Here you go.”
By then Honey, Joeanne, Sally and Jack also scampered downstairs to see what the commotion was all about.
“Your baby brother “hurted” himself,” Trixie told them, grinning. “But he’s okay now that Dr. Brian is giving him his medicine.”
They all sat down and began putting butter and syrup on their pancakes. Joeanne asked Sally to say the blessing.
“Come Lord Jesus be our guest and let this food to us be blessed. And make Mommy well and bring Daddy home very soon, amen.”
“Very nice, Sally,” Trevor commented. “I liked your prayer very much.”
“Thank you,” Sally managed through a bite of pancake.
“The sun is up, the hoeing shouldn’t take long and I’m going to call the hospital to see how your mommy is doing, kids. I forecast a great day!” Brian said cheerfully, wiping his chin of maple syrup.
“Didn’t I hear a cell ringing a few minutes ago?” Trixie asked no one in particular.
“I talked to Mart,” Jim said, “and asked him to bring us some clothes in case we stay longer. It’s his day off and he said he’d do it but he’s been delayed in traffic.”
“Thanks Jim,” Honey said, dabbing her mouth. “I slept amazingly well last night. It must be this wonderful country air.”
“Me, too,” Trixie said, shoving back her plate. “And I’m stuffed, too, with Brian’s delicious chocolate chip pancakes. Thanks big brother! I’ll even do dishes.”
“Thanks Trixie,” Joeanne said. “I’m going outside for awhile.
Before she left, Brian’s cell phone rang. “Yes, this is Brian Belden,” he answered. “It’s Dr. Krebbs” he said to the group in the kitchen. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you very much for calling.”
They all crowded around him.
“Your mom is going to make it. She took an overdose of Phenobarbital. Some of the symptoms that she experienced like sleeping so deeply and her shallow breathing are typical of acute barbiturate intoxication. She’s on oxygen so the doctors need to continue monitoring her breathing. She’ll be in the hospital another day or so.”
“Thank you, God!” Sally rejoiced.
“Yay!” Jack began dancing around the kitchen.
“Praise the Lord!” Joeanne cried, hugging Brian and everyone else in the room.
“Mommy’s coming home!” Beau laughed and joined Jack in his dance.
Jack and Sally followed their sister outside before she told them to go back inside and get their jackets. Bud pushed the screen door open with his nose and ran after Joeanne, followed by the older boys.
“Wanna go, too!” Beau bellowed.
“Let’s go wash your face, first.” Honey held out her hand to him and they went up stairs.
“How on earth did you get up so high to slide down the banister, Beau?” Trixie heard Honey ask. “Jack boosted me,” Beau boasted. “He teached me how to do it!”
Trixie shook her blonde curls, smiling to herself and reflecting on how many times she and her brothers had slid down their banister, and how hard they’d all fallen a few times. Her thoughts turned to her task at hand. A farm without a dishwasher, she thought, was like a farm without an irrigation system.
Under Trixie’s capable hands the kitchen soon shone. She shrugged into her sweater and went in search of the group. She jumped down the two short steps of the small back porch. The Smith farm, with more rows of beans than Trixie could count, stretched to the north from the back of the house. To the west was an apple orchard, that Trixie remembered Mrs. Smith had told her three years ago hadn’t produced an apple in six years. The garage and some out buildings stood tucked a few yards to the right just northeast of the house. The driveway from the garage followed the house across the back and around to the west side out to the road.
Everyone including Honey and Beau now stood around the back porch looking at the dormant bean fields.
“I know how you’d love to continue farming beans,” Jim said to Joeanne.
Before he could continue, Joeanne nodded her head, saying, “I know. It’s impractical. There’s no money to run the farm, there aren’t any farm hands and no one in the Smith family is evidently even interested in living here. It’s a lost cause and I’m becoming resigned to the idea.
“And this place is not a good place for Mommy to come back to. So, it’s okay, Jim.” She looked at the group. “I appreciate your concern and all everyone here has done so far for us. Maybe the case worker will come today and take us away.”
“Well said, Joe,” Jim said, having listened to what she had said. “You are one level-headed young lady and you’ve accurately assessed the situation, but we are not yet through trying to get to the bottom of some of these issues. Trevor here also wants to say something on your behalf.” Jim looked at Trevor. “Counselor, you’re up? “
“I echo what Jim said about your appraisal of what’s going on here, and later on today I’m going into my office in Poughkeepsie and look into finding the Smith’s relatives. With a family the size of theirs, there’s got to be a will, and I’d like to pursue this avenue and see where their interests lie.”
Joeanne shrugged her shoulders. “Okay by me. While I love this place and hate to think of moving, I know it’s impossible for Mommy and me and the kids to run it. Things are starting to break down, and we only get welfare and food assistance which doesn’t go far.”
“Good girl,” Jim said. “And as soon as Mart gets here we’re going to all go for a ride.”
“Where are we going?” Joeanne asked, again looking around at the faces of her friends.
“We want to show you something.”
“Go visit Mommy,” Sally piped up.
“We’ll see,” Jim said. “Maybe we’ll go tomorrow. For right now, Mart isn’t just bringing us overnight bags; he’s also bringing car seats for Jack and Beau so we can caravan to the place we’re going to show you.”
“Bud, too?” Jack asked. He had been throwing sticks for the spaniel that obediently brought them back each time.
“Bud, too.” Jim echoed. “Mart can take the boys, Trixie and Honey. And Joeanne and Sally can come with Brian, Trevor and me.”
“Cool!” Jack said, rolling now with Bud through the grass at their feet.
The crunch of wheels on the driveway caused them to turn to see Mart in a late model, yet strangely retrofitted van.
“Wow! Looks big enough for all of us,” Trixie said, pretending that Mart had just run over her by throwing up her arms in front of her face.
Mart pulled on the emergency brake and stepped out of the vehicle. Trixie introduced him to Joeanne and her siblings.
“Glad to meet all of you. As soon as I have a pit stop, we’ll be on our way.”
Honey led him indoors. “Shall we take our bags out of the car?”
“Let’s leave them,” Jim said. “You never know if we’ll need them before we get back here.”
“Sounds mysterious to me,” Trixie said with suspicion in her voice.
“Yes,” Honey agreed, “these guys have been cooking up something and it’s not just breakfast.”
“Load up!” Mart called, skipping down the back stairs. “We’ll follow Trevor and company. He’s the one with the GPS.”
Honey picked up Beau and Mart escorted Jack to the back seat. “I’m not sure how this works,” Honey said, settling the three year old into the seat.
“I got a crash course one day from Di on how to buckle kids in,” Mart said. “She’s an expert with the twinnies, as she calls them.”
Soon both Jack and Beau were settled, each occupying the two seats behind the driver and passenger. Honey sat between the boys and Trixie occupied the passenger seat next to Mart. In Trevor’s car, Jim sat next to Trevor and Brian sat between Joeanne and Sally in the back seat. Within twenty minutes they left the Smith Farm and traveled a few miles southeast through the countryside.
“Can you guess where you’re going, Joeanne?” Trevor asked.
“Of course, this is all familiar territory to me,” Joeanne answered. “It’s my home.”
“And you said your Dad grew up around here, too?” Jim said.
“Yes. What are you saying, Jim?” Joeanne leaned forward in her seat behind Jim’s.
CHAPTER ELEVEN - DARNEY
They were now pulling into a long driveway edged with poplar trees that wound downhill nearly a mile towards what looked like a camp.
“It looks like Wilson Ranch,” Joeanne said, looking intently at the buildings, grounds and some people milling about. “It is Wilson Ranch. Why are we here?”
“Because there’s someone here we’d like you to see.” Jim looked back at her over his shoulder.
“Daddy?” Joeanne asked.
“Daddy?” Sally echoed.
“Yes!” Jim answered.
They pulled up and parked in the parking lot within a few yards of the main entrance to a large wooden house made of white clapboard with a huge sign over the front door that read Camp Wilson. A ramp led up one side to the covered porch that surrounded the building. Stairs led up to the front door where a familiar figure stood waving at them.
“Daddy!” The girls screamed in unison, vaulting out of the vehicle and into their father’s waiting arms. He grabbed them up, one in each arm, and swung them around. He said something to them and they pointed at Mart’s van where Trixie and Honey unfastened the boys’ car seats and they, too, hurled themselves towards Mr. Darnell, yelling “Daddy” and squeezing themselves between their sisters and their father. Even Bud nosed his way into the fray and had everyone laughing at his antics.
Trixie stood beside Honey, the two beaming as they watched the family reunion, reminiscent of the time that Joeanne and her father were reunited three years ago. Jim and Brian stood beside their girlfriends, with Mart and Trevor flanking Jim and Brian.
“Good work, guys!” Trixie squeezed Jim’s hand and reached around Honey to rub Brian’s shoulder. Mart grabbed her hand and instantly they were all hugging each other and congratulating the guys on the happy reunion occurring before them. The Darnells joined them and the chorus began again as they all hugged each other.
“I wish Mommy was here.” Sally burst into tears. Her father picked her up and said, “We’ll see Mommy as soon as the doctor says that it’s okay.” To everyone he invited them inside the camp office. “I’m working here helping the management get ready for their summer camp. Please come in. Mr. Ditmar said we could use this conference room. I want to tell everyone what’s been going on. And this is the best way to do it.”
Except for Trevor, who left to go to work, they followed Mr. Darnell around the front desk and down a pine paneled hallway to a large room with a conference table taking up most of the space. After everyone sat comfortably down on the padded folded chairs, Mr. Darnell spoke again, his hands folded as though in prayer.
“First of all, I’d like to thank Jim for calling Camp Wilson and running me to ground.” He rubbed his thumbs over the top of his head. His thick black hair, now grey-streaked and ponytailed, he re-secured with a rubber band.
“Jim filled me in on everything that’s been happening since I left. And I’m so sorry kids, that I abandoned you but I just had to find work and the people here remembered me from years ago when I was younger. One of my cousins, Frank, owned the ranch back then when it was known as Wilson Ranch. Now it’s been renamed Camp Wilson and is a day camp. Frank’s brother, Marv, and I used to fool around with plants and pruning and the like. When I arrived looking for work their HR person showed me the list of openings and I applied. I am in charge of planting the vegetable garden, tending the sheep and goats and showing the kids how to do these things.
“The Smith farm was not doing too good. I could see that. Why, nowadays big machinery is the way to go to get the beans harvested. No way was I gonna be able to buy one of them things. So I thought to myself, Darney, you best get some work that’ll feed your kids and keep us out of the poorhouse. And with my wife, so sick… I couldn’t get medical coverage. Well, yeah, through the State. But sometimes I’d get work that paid better than at other times. Well, you get the picture.
“But now here at Wilson’s I can be a handyman during the off-season and teach husbandry to the kids during the summer months. It’s a sweet deal. And there’s a cabin for us to live in and a school close by that you kids can go to.” He paused, giving his family an endearing smile, moving his hands over his hair again.
“That sounds great, Daddy,” Joeanne said. “Now if we can just get Mommy well. I think she’d really like it here.”
“We love it already,” Sally piped up. “Don’t we Jack and Beau? And Bud does, too.” She pulled the pup onto her lap and scratched him behind the ears.
The boys nodded, smiles brightening their faces.
“We want to ride horses,” Jack said, pretending to ride in his chair. “Giddy up horsey.”
“And play with the animals,” Beau added. “Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?”
“I was wondering, Mr. Darnell,” Jim began.
“Just call me Darney,” Darney said. “I feel like you’re talking to my father, bless his soul.”
“Darney, then,” Jim went on, “we talked earlier on the phone about getting the kids situated in a place where they will have stability. And it looks like you’re well on the way to achieving that for them. We do need to also assure that your wife, Sarah, is able to live comfortably here. May we see your cottage?”
“Sure. I’ll show you.” Darney got up, placed Beau on his shoulders and headed outside. “It’s a little ways out back, here.”
They exited through a back door onto an enclosed screened porch, and down four stairs to a patio with three picnic tables and benches scattered around. A gravel path led to the cabins where the resident staff lived. Ten cabins faced opposite each other across a cement area between the two rows. Darney ushered them into the second cottage on the left.
“Cool,” Joeanne breathed as she entered her new home. “I love it.”
Trixie hung back and peeked through the living room window. The room, though small, housed a couch, two comfortable looking chairs, and a fireplace on the end to the left of the front door. The front room ran half the length of the house. The great room opened up into the dining area on the fireside wall with the kitchen to the right.
Jim took her hand and guided her inside. “There’s room for all,” he said.
They followed the group down a hall to the right of the living room. The bathroom and master bedroom occupied the back side of the house, next to the kitchen and two other rooms took up the front side.
“Joeanne and Sally can have a room and Jack and Beau can have the other room,” their father told them.
Bunk beds occupied each of the two small rooms and wore simple, yet colorful bedspreads. Jack immediately climbed the ladder to the bed with the cowboy spread and declared it his. Sally ran to the room next door and followed suit with the butterfly motif bed covering.
“I’d say everyone is as happy as a clam,” Jim declared.
Trixie, curious to see the master bedroom, slipped across the hall, and peeked in.
“It’s ok, Trixie,” Darney said. “Inspect away!”
Trixie smiled her thanks and with Honey at her heels stepped inside. The room had a double bed, also simply adorned that basked in shades of violet and lavender. A sliding door led to a patio with a hanging basket overflowing with primroses in yellow, red and purple.
“How sweet,” Honey breathed. “I wouldn’t mind having this room, myself.”
“Sarah will love it!” Trixie whirled around, thinking to herself, “
She has just got to get well.”
The Darnell kids crowded in next and Jack threw himself on the bed. “Mommy’s bed,” he cried.
“Where’s Mommy?” Beau wept. “I want my Mommy.”
Joeanne bent down and wrapped her arms around the little boy. “Soon, Beau,” she sang. “Mommy will be home soon.”
“Now that we know how to get in touch with you, Darney,” Brian said, “I’ll let Dr. Krebbs know and you’ll hear from him soon regarding your wife.”
“Thank you, Brian. Just have them call the camp office.” Darney shook his hands, his ponytail bobbing up and down. “My family and I appreciate all that you’ve done for us. I want to see my wife and take the kids but I don’t have a car. You see I hitchhiked to the camp here.”
“We can sure give you a ride,” Mart offered. “In fact, once you get a car, the child seats are yours. They were donated.”
“I’m so indebted to you folks I don’t know what else to say,” Darney ran his hands over his head again.
“Why don’t we take Joeanne back to the house and she can gather some personal things up that you’ll need here.”
“If it’s helpful,” Honey offered, “I can stay here with Sally and the boys while you do that.”
“It’s a deal,” Darney said. “I need to get back to work.”
Darney gave each of the kids a hug and kiss and waved as he set off on a path to the gardens.
Honey and the kids accompanied Joeanne, Trixie, Jim and Mart back to the van. On the way, they ran into Mr. Ditmar, coming down the back steps of the main office. He invited them all to have lunch in the camp dining room.
“We’d love to have you stay for lunch,” he offered. “We’re so used to having lots of people it’d be fun to serve a smaller bunch today. I must say though, that I have ulterior motives. Mrs. Ditmar is trying out some new menu items for the kids this summer and what better way to know if they’re any good than by serving you.”
“How fun,” Trixie declared. The group agreed and they followed him to the large dining hall off to the left and behind the office.
Upon entering the huge space, the aroma of home-cooking filled the air. Twenty long cafeteria style collapsible tables with benches arranged in five rows of four each occupied the room.
“I‘ll see if I can fit you in,” Mr. Ditmar chuckled as he opened his arms to the empty room. “Actually, you can sit anywhere.”
They all politely laughed and chose a table next to the window that looked out into a grove of maple and other deciduous trees.
“What a setting,” Brian said, hoisting Beau up beside him at the table.
“When we were here before,” Trixie said, sitting between Honey and Joeanne, “we ate at the ranch house. This looks like a new structure.”
“And we swam in a quarry pool,” Honey added.
“How fun to live at a summer camp,” Joeanne said. “I wouldn’t even mind working if I knew I could learn to swim and ride a horse now and then.”
“Me, too,” Sally nodded her yellow curls.
Mrs. Ditmar began putting out the food into the huge serving containers with the help of a couple of teenage boys. She walked over with a slight limp, grinning from ear to ear. “I remember some of you kids. Mr. Ditmar was just telling me you were in town and wanted to try out my new dishes.”
“Hello, Mrs. Ditmar,” Trixie said, “remember us?”
“That I do.” The still-plump, motherly woman looked Honey and Trixie over. “You two were a head shorter and had appetites like linebackers. Now look at you, you’re all grown up. Hope you’re still interested in eating. I’ve got to get this menu settled for the new season that starts in June. The new specialty today is tilapia tacos.”
“Their appetites precede them,” Mart told Mrs. Ditmar. “I’m Mart, the blonde’s brother.”
Everyone introduced themselves to Mrs. Ditmar who took them all in intently as though etching their faces on her heart and memory.
“And you little ones look like you’ll enjoy today’s lunch. Chow’s waiting. Go for it,” she, too, waved her arm toward the steaming, aromatic victuals.
As they got in line, camp workers began arriving, too. They commented on the group and spoke cordially, asking questions and bantering with them. Darney showed up towards the end of the line and came to sit with his family.
“So glad you’re still here,” he said, sitting between Jack and Beau. “Long time, no see.”
Jack grinned. “Lookee Daddy.” He wiggled a middle tooth with a finger. “I’m gonna loose this tooth soon, ain’t I?”
“Aren’t I,” Joeanne corrected.
“You, too, sis?” Jack answered. “Ah -- you’re too old to lose teeth!”
“Yes, son,” his father said. “Soon your tooth will be gone and you’ll be suffering from gapposous.”
“What’s gasposous?” Beau wanted to know.
“It’s a condition of growing older,” Mart said, savoring the tang of Mrs. Ditmar’s taco.
“Uh?” Beau said.
“Sounds just like home,” Trixie giggled, “when Bobby and Mart go at it. Don’t pay any attention to Mart, Beau. He’s just trying to get your goat.”
“Goat? Goat? Where’s the goat?” Mart craned his neck all around the room, looking for the proverbial goat.
“We do have goats here,” Darney told him. “Maybe when you come back you can meet the goats. We have three billy goats and two nannies. The one nanny will have her kid in a week or so.”
“Wanna see the goats, Daddy,” Sally said, licking her fingers.
“We will, princess. Finish your lunch now.” Her father arose, stuffing the last bite in his mouth. “I gotta get back to work. See you later.”
“Bye, Daddy,” the Darnell children waved to their father.
CHAPTER TWELVE - THE HAND OF GOD
With lunch over, the group found Mrs. Ditmar in the kitchen and thanked her for the yummy fish tacos. “They were delicious, Mrs. D,” Mart told her. “Scrumptious,” Trixie said. “Finger licking good,” Joeanne said, ruffling Sally’s curls. “It’s a sure thing for your new menu,” Jim offered.
Honey, Sally, Jack and Beau waved good-bye to the van as Mart, Trixie, Honey, Jim and Joeanne drove away.
The day grew cooler and the wind came up. By the time they had arrived at the Smith house, large drops of rain pattered against the windshield, causing Mart to turn the windshield swipers on high. After Mart pulled up close to the back door, they dashed towards the farmhouse. When Trixie flung open the door, it was torn out of her hand and smashed against the back of the house.
“Yikes!” she cried. “What a storm!”
“It came up so fast,” Joeanne moaned. “I hope it doesn’t stay long.”
“Let me help you,” Trixie offered and mounted the stairs two at a time behind Joeanne.
Mart and Brian unloaded the cupboards of some of the staples while Jim cleaned out the refrigerator of perishables and packed them in an old ice chest he found. They traipsed back and forth between the van and the kitchen. Meanwhile, Trixie and Joeanne stuffed clothing for the family into duffle bags and sent them sliding down the staircase, where the guys lugged them to the van as well. Before long all of the personal belongings and food Joeanne determined they would need occupied all available space in the van.
“I guess I can’t take everything,” Joeanne said, tearfully. “Good-bye old house. I love you!”
The ride back proved eventful. The van swayed so much in the wind that Mart had trouble keeping the vehicle on the two lane road. Thunder cracked and lightning flashed.
“You’d think that with all the weight in the vehicle, it would be more stable,” Mart complained. Jim sat beside him in the passenger seat while Brian occupied the seat between the two car seats stuffed with odds and ends. Trixie and Joeanne sat in jump seats behind Brian.
“This is one weird vehicle, Mart,” Trixie said. “I’ve never seen seats like this in a van before.”
“I hope you’re all buckled up,” Mart cautioned. “This is one wild ride.”
The rain fell so hard and fast the swipers couldn’t keep up.
“I can hardly see,” Mart said, putting the headlights on. “You’d think it was night, it’s so dark out.”
“Maybe you should pull over,” Jim said, also trying to see out the passenger window.
“There’s hardly any shoulder along here,” Mart commented, slowing down. “And I sure as heck don’t want to stop in the middle of the road.”
Trixie gripped the sides of her seat to keep from swaying. She looked behind her at the back and side windows yet she could see nothing but a forest of trees on the right side of the road, beyond what looked like a huge drainage ditch. A second clap of thunder sounded, followed closely by another flash of lightning.
“I’ve never seen it rain so hard before in my life,” she said, almost to herself.
“What, Trixie?” Mart called to her. “Oh, my God,” were his next words as a huge fir tree began its fall towards the road and the travelers. He floored the gas pedal.
“
I said,” Trixie began, and as she tried to finish her sentence, she felt a fresh gust of wind and the van sliding to the right and tilting wildly. Her fingers grew icy. The flip feeling in her stomach matched that of the van as it hit the side of the ditch, missed the falling tree and landed nearly upside down in the ditch. “Ahhwk,” escaped her mouth and she gritted her teeth, wondering where she would land when the vehicle finally stopped.
When the vehicle managed to stop, Trixie felt like she was nearly upside down. Her head hung in the space that seemed inches from the roof. She wanted to release the seat belt but felt unsafe doing this. Then she realized that all her weight pressing on the belt would not allow her to release the restraint anyway.
No one spoke. She looked around. She couldn’t figure out what she saw. She tried to reach out and touch it, but it wasn’t anything solid. Trixie felt strange hanging crookedly in her seat, the blood rushing to her head with an aura surrounding her. From somewhere she heard a low voice speaking words she didn’t understand. Who was talking, Joeanne? The sound, more feminine than masculine, was saying what? She shook her head to clear it, wondering if she were hallucinating. The sound stopped and her head cleared.
“Is everyone alright?” Brian’s voice filtered through Trixie’s fogginess as she became conscious of her surroundings.
Jim and Mart groaned their response. Joeanne gurgled something unintelligible.
“I’m okay,” Trixie responded, breathlessly “but I’m weirdly upside down. What happened? I can’t see you Brian. Where are you? Are you okay?”
“We landed in the ditch. I’m right here putting my feet on the ceiling and releasing the seat belt. I think I’m fine.” The van shifted under the movement of his weight.
Then Trixie saw her older brother looking at her, assessing the situation. “I need to get Joeanne free first. Can you all hang on? She’s almost on the window with broken glass all around and I don’t want you to fall on her when you get free.”
Rain continued to pour and she saw lightning in the distance.
“We’re good,” Mart spoke for himself and Jim from the front seat. A clap of thunder roared just overhead.
“Joeanne, are you okay? “ Brian pulled off his jacket and slid it over the broken glass between her and the side of the van that rested on the grassy slope of the unpaved shoulder of the road.
“I think so, but how’re you going to get me out? I feel stuck.”
“I’m going to pull you up and you’re going to push the release button.” He gently tugged on her thin frame.
“I’m trying” she said, calmly. The belt popped free and Brian let her weight down onto his jacket. “That’s better. Thanks Brian.”
“Watch out now while I free my sister. I’m going to unfasten your seat belt, Trixie, so just give me a minute. Put your hands on the ceiling which is really the floor now and when you’re free try to put your feet there, too.”
Trixie did what Brian directed her to do and found herself sitting on the ice chest which had become wedged not a foot from where Joeanne was laying. “Whew! Thanks.”
Mart and Jim extricated themselves from their seats by leveraging their long limbs against the sides of the vehicle which shifted a bit more until it settled further into what now felt like a ravine.
“Good gravy!” Mart exclaimed looking back at the chaos spread throughout their upside down state. All the boxes and duffle bags they had packed now rested haphazardly across the van’s ceiling and right side.
“Is anyone hurt?” Brian asked. “Any cuts, broken bones, bleeding?”
Joeanne gingerly sat up next to Trixie. “I’m okay, I think, but I don’t know about the state of your jacket, Brian.”
Brian looked at her face and found a small tickle of blood on the right side near her temple. He smiled and said, “It’s just superficial.” He felt her limbs. “Does anything else hurt?”
“It’s just my right side where the seatbelt held me in.” She managed a grin. “Oh, and my pride.”
“How about you Trixie?” He checked her out, too.
“Yeah, my side, too. Thanks doctor.” Trixie glanced around, wondering how the contents had managed to stay where they did and not get more strewn around.
Brian next looked Jim and Mart over. Neither of them was hurt. The airbags deployed, saving them from injury.
The thunder, lightning and rain lessened and within minutes stopped all together. The sun peeked through the brightening clouds.
“Now we just need to figure out how to get out of here.” Jim said, appraising the situation. The window behind Mart on the driver’s side was not designed to be opened. “I wonder if we could get out your window, Mart.
“Nope! I already tried. An ambulance should be along shortly, wouldn’t you think?” Mart tried the door again, putting his weight into it since it faced towards the outside.
“It must be far enough into the ditch.” Trixie said. “Look. None of the windows are broken except for the one next to Joeanne.”
“Maybe we could break a window to get out,” suggested Joeanne.
“I was hoping to salvage the wreck,” Mart said, squatting sideways against the console.
“By the way, Mart,” Trixie asked, “where did you get this heap, anyway?”
“Well, it’s like this,” Mart began. “I was saving my hard-earned pennies for State, and then I realized I’d like to have a vehicle. The Windle Dealership that I work for had this used item on the lot and I thought ‘why not?, Martin Belden, you deserve some wheels’ so here I am and here we are and why haven’t one of you used your cell to get us the heck out of here!”
“There is no service,” Jim piped up. “I tried.”
Brian looked at his cell, too. “You’re right, no bars.”
“Where are we anyway?” Trixie asked. She had been looking for her purse to find her cell phone but couldn’t find it in the debris surrounding her. Now she craned her neck to see where they were. “No GPS, Mart?”
“Nah,” her brother replied. “We’re deep in the middle of Dutchess County, is all I know.”
“We shouldn’t be far from Camp Wilson,” Joeanne told them. “It can’t be more than three miles between the Smith’s and there.”
“This is crazy,” Trixie said. “About as crazy as the dream I had when we ran into the ditch.”
She told them about the aura she’d experienced and the voice. “I don’t know how to describe what I heard but all I can think of is that it was speaking in tongues and I don’t even know what that sounds like.”
“I heard it, too,” Jim said. “It sounded like a woman’s voice but it was so low I’m not sure exactly what I heard.”
“I thought I was hallucinating,” Mart commented.
“So did I,” Brian answered.
“Joe?” Jim asked.
“I might have lost consciousness when we hit,” Joeanne said, feeling the side of her face. “I don’t know.”
“I can’t explain it,” Trixie said. “But I wonder if it has anything to do with us not being injured. I mean, look at us. Look at where we are, the stuff in here just kind of shifted to the side. No one got conked on the head with so much as a paper cup. Why hasn’t anyone come along to rescue us?”
She cautiously left the ice chest and crawled over the boxes of food and duffel bags to look out the back window. She gingerly rubbed her arm over the steamy glass.
“I think I see a tree down back behind us, guys.”
“That’s the hummer I was trying to avoid when Chevy here slid into the Grand Canyon,” Mart replied.
“Let me see,” Joeanne carefully joined Trixie. “Wow. Good work, Mart. You saved our lives. Thank you God!”
“I never saw it coming,” Trixie admitted.
“What about the other direction?” Brian shifted cramped his position to look out the front window for possible rescuers.
“I see nothing,” Mart, who’d been facing the back, turned to look.
“Nor I,” Jim confirmed.
“If this weren’t such a predicament,” Trixie chuckled, “it would be almost funny.”
“Where is God in all of this?” Joeanne offered. “That’s what Grand Mary would say when something bad happened.”
“I’d say His hand was on us the whole time.” Trixie began moving stuff away from the back door. “Look! There’s a handle back here. If I could open it we’d have a way out.”
“Good work, Trix!” Mart said. “I didn’t realize that you could open this heap from the inside. It’s such a new old vehicle to me I never thought about it.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - RETURN TO CAMP WILSON
“Let’s pray the door isn’t jammed,” Trixie said, saying a silent prayer. She gently pushed while Joeanne continued to clear a path for her to stand. The latch originally on the bottom was overhead now and moved slowly under her weight.
“Careful, Trixie,” Jim called. “It could drop suddenly.”
“It’s a hydraulic door,” Mart said. “Technically, that shouldn’t happen.”
“She’s done it,” Joeanne yelled.” Trixie! You did it! Way to go!”
“Yippy!” Mart whooped. “It’s Trixie to the rescue.”
“Now, let’s be careful getting out,” Brian cautioned. “We don’t want to upset the applecart again.”
As the back hatch slowly met the ground, it not only formed a bridge to stand on but it lodged on either side of the ditch requiring the group to step higher than either Trixie or Joeanne could comfortably accomplish. They waited while Brian, the tallest of the boys, took a bit of a run from the farthest side of the hatch and gained the road in one leap. Next Jim crawled out and lifted Joeanne up by her waist to Brian, then Trixie. The vehicle held its ground while Mart crept rearward. He held his arm up for Brian who pulled while Mart dug his shoes into the grassy sides of the ditch. Jim stood on the hatch looking up at the quartet.
“Nice,” he complimented them and paused. He held his arms skyward and shouted, “Praise the Lord!” Even the huge evergreen did not interfere with the rescue, its trunk having landed well behind them and now lay across the road.
Traffic began backing up going in the direction the group had come from. The vehicles stopped due to the fallen tree. Many of the drivers asked if they were alright or could do anything for them. The Bob-Whites plus Joeanne assured everyone they were okay
A police cruiser arrived, passing the traffic on wrong side of the road, and stopped at Mart’s upside down van. The officers helped them secure the vehicle and offered to drive a couple of them to Camp Wilson. They politely refused and opted to walk the less-than-one-mile distance to camp. Mart asked and received from them the phone number of a tow company specializing in overturned vehicles. Joeanne received a band aid for her wound. Jim had tossed up their duffel bags and Trixie’s purse. They each picked up one or two bags and began their trek back.
As the sun set they arrived at Camp Wilson to find Honey and the kids sitting on the front porch of the camp office playing jacks. As though in honor of their return, Bud woofed them, then became a wiggle-worm as Jack called him. Everyone petted him and asked the Bob-Whites and Joeanne what had taken them so long. Soon, word spread throughout the camp of their accident. The Ditmars insisted they stay for dinner to try another new concoction Mrs. D. had prepared.
“How could we refuse,” Trixie giggled. “We couldn’t leave if we wanted to.”
Soon they all resumed their seats from lunchtime and feasted on sausage and vegetable stew with freshly made jalapeno-spiced dinner rolls. For dessert they dined on vanilla flavored ice cream topped with maple syrup and peanut butter cookies.
“Just roll me into a corner,” Mart chortled. “And wake me when spring arrives.”
They laughed. They yawned. They filled everyone in on details of the disaster. Mr. Darnell joined them, glad to see Joeanne none the worse from the ordeal. He shared that Mrs. Darnell had awakened, talked to him briefly and said she felt better. She looked forward to being with the family and getting her strength back.
After dinner Darney showed them the recreation hall in the adjacent building, which housed a big screen television, a pool table, separate tables for games and a closet full of board and video games, books, CDs and DVDs. Comfortable chairs gave way to conversation among the BWGs and their friends. Darney and Mart spent the evening in conversation about husbandry and the best way to stake tomato plants. Joeanne joined them, which gave her time to catch up with her father. Sally, Jack and Beau romped with Bud until exhausted. Honey and Trixie put them to bed and then sat in the Darnell’s cozy living room.
“It seems an age since we just sat together and chatted,” Trixie said, kicking off her shoes and gathering her feet under her in a comfy corner of the couch. Honey did the same at the other end. Bud jumped up between them and settled with chin on black paws.
“What a day!” Honey laughed. “But it was so much fun playing with Sally and the boys. They are so darn cute and smart to boot.”
Trixie shared about the aura and weird words she’d heard that day. “I think it was Joeanne speaking. She must be gifted with the Holy Spirit. Isn’t that what happens when you speak in tongues?”
“I’m not sure, Trixie. But you know who seems to be more in tune with his spiritual life is Trevor. In addition to being so handsome, don’t you love his dimples and that cleft chin? I wonder if he has a girlfriend.” Honey wistfully stared into the fire they’d built.
“He probably has a bevy of them who aren’t bob-whites,” Trixie chuckled. “But seriously, he was so open about praying out loud with us and seemed so at ease. I’d never be able to do that -- pray out loud. In fact,” she confessed, “I hardly ever pray in silence, only when I’m in dire need of some help.”
“I know what you mean,” Honey agreed. “My grandmother gave me a Bible when I was about ten. And I went to Sunday school when I was about that age for awhile. Now I can’t even remember why I stopped going.
“I think God has sure been orchestrating these last couple days. What with finding Darney, getting Mrs. Darnell to the hospital in time, and even finding the farm. Not to mention your accident and that no one was hurt. Wow! Have I got a lot to be thankful for.”
Trixie nodded, thoughtfully. “I love that quality in Trevor, strong in character, gentle in nature and so spiritual. What do you think, Honey?”
“Sounds like you’ve just described Jim or Brian. That trio of guys should complement each other well,” Honey answered.
Trixie nodded, again. “Not to totally change the subject, but wasn’t Trevor looking for some property? I thought that was part of this trip for him. I’ve never heard him say boo about it, have you?”
“No, but he’s probably talked to Jim and Brian. I sure hope he comes back here soon. I feel helpless without wheels,” Honey stretched and yawned. “Where are we sleeping tonight, anyway? It seems strange to be out and about like this and not knowing from one day to the next where I’ll lay my head.”
“You’ve got that right,” Trixie agreed. “And I’d love to shower, change my clothes, etc.”
They continued sitting, gazing into the fire when the door opened and Joeanne and her father strolled in, laughing.
“Thank you girls for sitting with the kids,” Darney said, closing the front door behind them.
“They are delightful,” Honey told him. “They said their prayers and we read them a story. I even think Sally is no longer afraid of monsters under the bed now that she gets to sleep in the top bunk.”
“Yes,” Joeanne chimed in, giggling. “She’s got me under her now.”
“We’ll be on our way,” Trixie said, getting up. “Are the guys still at the rec hall? “
“Yes, they’re playing a hot game of pool,” Joeanne smiled at her friends.
“See you tomorrow.” Trixie and Honey left the warmth of the Darnell’s new home and headed towards the recreation building.
“It’s so good to see Joe smiling and enjoying more now that her dad is with the family,” Trixie said.
“And the little ones, too, are having fun. I think they’re all getting over their problems,” Honey said. “And that’ll be good for their mom when she gets here.”
The lights of the hall welcomed them in and they strolled over to the pool table where Jim and Mart were putting the cues back in their racks.
“Who won?” Trixie wanted to know.
“He did!” Jim, Mart and Brian all pointed at each other and laughed. “We’re all evenly matched,” Mart said. “And none of us are very good. Wanna play?”
“Not really,” Trixie said. “I’m tired and I wanna go to sleep. But I don’t know where that is.”
“We have a cabin not unlike the Darnell’s. There’s a room with bunk beds for girls, and another with bunk beds for boys. You get the picture.” Brian said. “May we escort you there?” He bowed to Honey and she gave him her arm.
Jim followed suit and he and Trixie moved towards the door.
“Mr. Ditmar said ‘just turn off the light as we exit‘.” Mart brought up the rear and performed the manager’s request. “Guess they come around later and lock up.”
“What’s the latest on your vehicle, Mart?” Trixie asked him as he caught up with them.
“All I know right now is that the insurance will pay the amount beyond the deductible. But it’s still upside down in the ditch. It needs to be towed to a repair shop so I can get an estimate. I need to call tomorrow and get more information,” Mart recited. “Oh, and I called Moms and told her we’re here tonight. Needless to say she and Dad are not happy campers about the van but are thankful none of us was hurt.”
“We continue to sit in the palm of God’s hand,” Jim said. “I’m a believer, especially after what happened today with the van.”
“What about Trevor?” Honey asked Brian. “Did he find out anything today about the Smith will? Is he looking to buy a place of his own?”
“He said he’d come tomorrow morning and fill us in on some details,” Brian said.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - THE MORNING AFTER
They arrived at the dorm-style cabin and went inside. Though larger, the living room, dining area and kitchen looked much like the Darnell’s cabin. Two large sleeping areas took up the same amount of space as the three bedrooms. A second bathroom allowed each sex their privacy.
“Very cozy,” Trixie said, as Jim pulled her onto one of two loveseats facing the unlit fireplace.
“Would you like a fire?” He asked, huskily.
“I would, but if you do that I’ll just fall asleep right here on the couch. She looked dreamily at him as he arose and began to arrange the wood. She noticed, and then ignored, Honey and Brian as they snuggled under a huge afghan on the other sofa. Mart had quietly disappeared, dimming the overhead light as he left the room.
The fire quickly lit and blazed and Jim added a large log. Trixie opened up the brightly knit afghan and nestled close to Jim when he joined her again on the couch. “Come here,” he cooed, searching for her lips. “It’s been far too long since I’ve tasted you.” She surrendered to the warmth of his lips, the crackling fire and the exhaustion of the day. She wanted him to consume her but she hadn’t given herself to the most wonderful boy in the world yet. And she wasn’t ready to be any more intimate now. She hoped Jim would be just as satisfied to kiss and nuzzle until another day.
“I know you’re not ready, Trixie,” he whispered as though reading her thoughts. “Just let me …”
But she had fallen asleep in the crook of his arm and he held her until his arm went to sleep and he had to pee.
Trixie awoke with a start; she didn’t know how much later. She felt the afghan around her but not Jim. She imagined that she stunk, not having had a bath since Sunday morning. She forced herself off the couch and into the girls’ bath, where she showered and then realized she’d left her duffel bag in the other room. She wrapped the towel around her, found the bag in the dimly lit front room and took it to the bedroom. Fortunately, Mart had packed a pair of pjs for her but no slippers. She refused to examine all the contents of her bag at that moment and, instead put on the fresh pajamas and fell into bed.
Trixie awoke the next morning as sunlight filtered through the corners of the shaded window. She rolled over to see Honey sitting up on her bunk across from Trixie’s bed.
“Seems longer than a day ago we were getting up,” Honey greeted her.
“No kidding,” Trixie stretched and rolled over. “What time is it?”
“It’s seven-thirty,” Honey said in the middle of her yawn, then giggled.
“Are we eating breakfast here or at the dining hall?” Trixie asked, pawing through her duffel. She found fresh underwear and, though not the outfit she would have chosen, at least a clean pair of jeans and shirt of Mart’s choosing.
“Whoever’s ready first can find out,” Honey smiled, put on her robe and slippers and slipped out the door.
When Trixie floated into the kitchen on her cloud, Trevor sat sipping a cup of coffee at the table.
“Good morning Sunshine,” he greeted her.
“Hi Trevor,” she returned, helping herself to the black brew that she doctored with cream and sugar. “Glad you’re back. We’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too. Sorry to hear of your mishap yesterday. Freak storm the paper said. Glad you’re okay.” His piercing grey eyes met Trixie’s blue eyes and held her gaze.
Bedroom eyes, Trixie thought.
Should she share with him about the aura and voice they heard? She turned from him and looked into the refrigerator and spoke to the appliance. “Are we eating here or at the dining hall, do you know?”
“I opt for the dining hall. Mrs. D’s dishes are to die for. But we could stay here and be more intimate, if you want.” He took another sip.
Trixie thought she would swoon over his comment if she didn’t sit down. She forced herself into a chair across from the cleft in his chin to the dimple in his right cheek to the piercing grey bedroom eyes. She took too large a swallow of hot coffee and nearly choked as it scalded her throat. She tried to smile and found the creamy liquid all over her face. Grabbing at the napkin holder, she upset the coffee mug. In her haste to avoid the spill, she backed her chair too quickly and found herself sprawled unladylike on her back when it tipped over.
Trevor hastily came to her rescue, helping her to her feet.
“I didn’t know I had such an effect on young ladies so early in the morning,” he grinned, handing her a kitchen towel in the process.
Trixie blushed from her neck to her ears. As she burst from the kitchen she nearly ran over Mart. They danced the side step with each other as she tried to get past him.
“Did she just wet her pants?” Trixie heard Mart chortle as she fled to the bedroom.
Honey neatly dressed in green jean over-alls and a complementary shirt sat on the bed putting her shoes on. “Trixie, what happened?”
Trixie told Honey through gritted teeth what occurred between her and Trevor. “If the floor had opened up and swallowed me, I would have gone straight to you-know-where and not complained,” she said in one breath and in the next, “Did you ever notice he has bedroom eyes?”
Honey just looked at her with an amused smile on the face. At this, Trixie started to laugh, trying to be quiet. She stuffed her pillow in her face to stifle herself. Honey continued her smile which turned to a grin which turned into a laugh.
“I’m trying not to laugh out loud,” Trixie choked on her words, and then finally took a deep breath. “I didn’t want him to hear me. Will you wait while I change my top?”
“Of course, take your time, Trixie,” Honey said, quietly.
“I want to walk back in there with at least a shred of dignity. Now I know what a slice of humble pie tastes like,” Trixie said, meekly. “Please give me a swift kick if I don’t behave myself today, will you?”
“You’re doing great,” Honey reassured her friend.
Trixie followed Honey back to the kitchen where Brian and Jim had joined Trevor and Mart around the table. Someone had cleaned up the spilled coffee so it looked like nothing had happened.
“Sit down ladies.” Brian pulled out a chair for Honey. “Let’s go over today’s agenda.”
Trixie caught a look at Trevor’s face and felt confident that what had passed between them was safe.
“We’re one vehicle short, as you know,” Jim began, filling and refilling everyone’s coffee cup. “We understand there is a bus to town periodically throughout the day so some of us may need to rely on it. Trevor has offered to take Mart to get the car seats out of the van and they’ll do that right after breakfast.
“We want to take the Darnells to visit Mrs. Darnell and see if the doctor will release her. She may need to ease back into a routine, but we don’t want Joeanne to have to unduly bear that burden. She, Sally and Jack need to go to school.
“Trevor has an update on the Smith will and property issue he wants to share with you.
“I have an appointment this morning with the children’s home people. In the meantime, we’ll have to limit who goes where when we start dealing with these items. I suggest we take it one item, one hour at a time and not try to do too much. Right now, Trevor wants to talk with us about what’s on his mind. Counselor, you have the floor.”
“Thank you, Jim for your summary of where we are on a number of issues,” Trevor said, spreading his large hands on the table. “I appreciate all the great things you Bob-Whites have done in helping out the Darnells.
“I determined that the oldest son, Nat, Jr. inherited the homestead. So now I’m in the process of contacting him to find out what he intends to do with it. We know that the Darnells are no longer interested in living there due to their financial constraints and their inability to get any of the family to help out. This is common today considering the economy so I can’t find fault on either side. If Nat Junior will sell to me I’d be glad to have it for my business purposes.
“That’s it for the time being. Are there any questions or comments or crotchets?” Trevor paused from his speech. No one answered. He continued, “Hearing none, I suggest we adjourn to the dining hall and have a proper breakfast.”
“I second the motion,” Mart said, bounding to his feet.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - REUNION
On the way to the dining hall, Darney waved and stopped Trevor. They went off together and the Bob-Whites saw no more of Trevor until they had nearly finished breakfast. They feasted once again on Mrs. D’s breakfast fare.
“We’ve got to stop imposing on the Ditmars’ hospitality,” Trixie said, stopping at one helping of scrambled eggs. “They have been so gracious to us I feel guilty at eating their fare, even if Mrs. D does use us as guinea pigs.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Honey agreed. “This requires more than just a nice thank you note.”
When Trevor came back, he wolfed down a ham and egg sandwich.
“Ready, Mart?” Trevor stifled a belch and proceeded outside.
As Trevor and Mart left, Joeanne arrived with Sally, Jack and Beau in tow. They joined the group and sat down on the porch steps of the dining hall.
“We had breakfast at our house this morning,” Joeanne said. “It was fun, wasn’t it guys?”
“We had cherry oats,” Beau said, importantly. “I poured my milk all by myself and didn’t spill a drop, didn’t I Jellybean?”
“You were great,” Joeanne patted his blond mop.
“And I helped clean up the kitchen,” Sally proudly announced.
“And I never sassed once.” Jack folded his arms defiantly across his chest, reminiscent of his first encounter with Trixie, Honey and Jim.
“Sounds like you are all perfectly perfect!” Honey exclaimed. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Good going!” Jim said.
“Keep up the good work,” Brian added.
“I’m so excited to see Mommy,” Sally said. “I wish Bud could go, too, but the nice lady in charge of the pets said she’d take good care of him today.”
Beau’s lower lip quivered and he began to cry.
“What’s the matter, Sweet Pea?” Trixie asked, sitting down next to him on the step.
“I wanna see mommy and I hafta stay home,” the little boy blubbered. “They told Jack and me we couldn’t go ‘cause there ain’t enough room in the car.”
Trixie pulled out a clean wad of tissue from her jeans and wiped his tears. “You know what?”
“What?” A bubble arose from his mouth from his crying and burst, spraying Trixie on the chin.
Trixie ignored the shower and said, “Just wait and see and I promise that you can go, too.”
“Really?” Beau’s long face turned sunny. “Jack, too?”
“Yes, Jack, too.”
“Yippy!” Jack cried.
“Yippy!” Beau exclaimed, too. The boys danced around the yard, did somersaults and generally entertained the rest of them as they looked on.
Before long Trevor and Mart returned. They had stuffed the two car seats into Trevor’s vehicle and now unloaded them and set them in the front yard of the dining hall.
“I’ll take the car seats over to the Darnell place,” Mart stated, a bleak look on his face as he hoisted one in his arms.
“Who’s going with me to the hospital?” Trevor asked the group. “I have room for four passengers, three in the back and one upfront. The rest of you will have to take public transportation, I’m afraid.”
A chorus of “I am” greeted him. Mr. Darnell arrived a bit breathless.
“Come on, Darney, sit upfront with me. Brian and Jim, will you and Joeanne get into the back seat? May we meet the rest of you at the hospital?” Trevor glanced at Trixie, Honey and the boys.
“Guess we’re the ones taking the bus,” Trixie said, as Mart came back to get the other car seat. “You going with, Mart?”
Mart shook his head, “I’m going to be busy today.” He hefted the other car seat and strode off again towards the Darnell cottage.
“We‘re going on an adventure!” Trixie said as she grabbed Jack’s hand while Honey took Beau’s. Sally followed them out to the road that ran past Camp Wilson. They walked towards town until they came to a bus stop. Shortly, a local bus came along and they boarded. Trixie asked the bus driver about the bus they needed. The bus driver, a perky young woman, told Trixie they would need to transfer when they got to Poughkeepsie. Trixie picked up a bus schedule since they would need to take the bus back to Camp Wilson. Within thirty minutes they arrived in the Queen City of the Hudson and got off. They walked to the next bus stop.
Before the bus came, Beau had to go to the bathroom, so they found a fast food restaurant. While everyone used the facilities, Trixie bought a snack for the kids to share with the last of her bus money. Back at the bus stop they waited another twenty minutes. Trixie picked up another bus schedule for this route. As they sat looking out the window on the right side, they passed the children’s home they had visited on Sunday. Trixie pointed it out just before it passed from sight. In another minute, Honey signaled for the bus driver to stop. They had arrived at the hospital.
After they stepped down from the bus, Honey exclaimed, “The hospital must be within walking distance of the children’s place.”
“That’s good to know,” Trixie commented.
The small band of travelers found themselves across the street from a large, brightly inviting medical center. It seemed to beckon them to enter the sliding glass doors of the main entrance. At the front desk, Honey asked for the room number of Sarah Darnell. The volunteer receptionist directed them to the elevator which took them to the floor they wanted.
“Have to go pee-pee again,” Beau grabbed himself. Jack took his hand and they disappeared into the nearest men’s room.
“He’s getting better, isn’t he?” Sally looked at the older girls.
Trixie smiled and nodded. Soon the boys came out.
“There’s a quiet room nearby. Let’s go in for a moment before seeing your mommy,“ Trixie said. She and Honey guided the youngsters into a nearby room furnished with blue upholstered chairs and an inviting play area.
“What a cheerful room,” Trixie said, taking Jack by the hand and motioning the others to join her. Honey and the trio sat on the smooth seats and looked to Trixie.
“I just wanted to say,” she said as she met and held each pair of eyes, “how proud Honey and I am of each of you today. You have been such good kids. And know that no matter what happens today when you see your mommy that she loves you, we love you and Jesus loves you.”
The trio nodded solemnly. “And we love you, too,” Sally said on behalf of herself and siblings.
“Now smile,” Honey encouraged, giving them a big grin. “Your mommy is going to love your bright, shining faces.”
“Ready?” Trixie drew in a deep breath and smiled at the group.
Together they walked towards Sarah Darnell’s room. They heard quiet talking between the kids’ mommy and daddy as they poked their heads in. Trixie and Honey stepped back and gently pushed their charges through the door. Darney sat at his wife’s bedside with his back to them. Across the bed sat Joeanne, holding her mother’s right hand. She grinned at them as the threesome entered tentatively and gave them a thumbs-up sign. Sally, Jack and Beau approached the bed where their mother was sitting up and talking animatedly with their father.
Then she caught sight of them, her face brightened and she exclaimed, “My babies!”
Darney turned and scooped them up to his knees and then onto their mother’s bed.
Trixie and Honey backed out the door and stood in the hallway, beaming at each other, with tears streaming down their cheeks.
Joeanne came out and told them that Jim, Brian and Troy were at the children’s home.
“Daddy will see we get home on the bus,” Joeanne told. “Mommy’s going to another place to recuperate some more. But I think we can handle it from here. Thanks, you guys, for everything. Love you.”
They hugged each other warmly and Trixie slipped the bus schedules into her hand.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - SUCCESS!
Trixie and Honey walked out of the hospital into a sunny pre-spring day. They easily found their way to the children’s home office. While walking up the sidewalk to the entrance of the administrative building, Trixie’s cell jingled a popular tune.
“Hi Jim! Yes, we’re just outside now. Sure, we can do that. See you in a few.”
To Honey she said, “Jim says he and Brian want us to come in and meet someone.”
Inside and two doors down the hall on the right was a sign that read Director of Development and Public Relations. Brian met and ushered Trixie and Honey in to meet one of the staff whom Jim said had been so helpful in gathering information about the facility.
“Terri Kitchner, I’d like you to meet Brian’s sister and my girlfriend, Trixie and my sister and Brian‘s girlfriend, Honey.”
“Glad to meet you, Terri,” Trixie offered her hand to the tall, willowy young woman, tastefully yet casually dressed. “Thank you so much for helping Jim with his project.”
Honey shook hands, too, and Terri motioned for them to sit down.
“Your brothers are enterprising young men,” Terri said, smiled invitingly. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know them a bit and hope they do well with their plans for their own special facility for wayward youngsters.”
“In fact,” Jim said, “I understand there’s a good chance Terri’s people will be able to provide the necessary coordination between Mrs. Darnell’s case worker and the Darnell kids’ case worker who has already filed her report here. The Darnell kids’ case worker had planned to bring them here to the children’s home yesterday. But we had already left the Smiths. But now that the kids are with their father at Camp Wilson, the two case workers can work together to assure that both mom and kids are getting the supervision they need. Thank you Terri, for that assurance.”
“You are so welcome,” Terri said. “We’d love to continue working with you and Brian, as you develop your business plan and answer any questions that might come up along the way. And about that van of your brother’s, Brian, we sometimes need vehicles to transport the youngsters to school and the like. Our volunteer drivers give rides to those who live outside our school district. If your brother would like to get in touch with us, we might be able to work something out with him, provided he’d like to turn his vehicle right side up! One of the drivers also has a gift of working with teens interested in auto repair and detailing.”
“Wow!” Trixie exclaimed.
“We’ll be sure to let him know,” Brian said. “I’ll give him your card. Thank you so much for the information.”
“We’ve taken enough of your time, Terri,” Jim arose and shook hands with the Director. “We will probably contact you again when we get closer to putting together the business plan. You don’t know how valuable your advice has been. If we can do anything for your agency please let me know.”
“You’d be surprised at what we find useful. It seems there’s always something that needs special attention. Thank you for your offer.” Terri shook hands with the Bob-Whites and walked with them to the front door.
Good Friday
April 22nd
Camp Wilson
Dear Bob-Whites and Trevor,
Things are looking up. Mommy came home early last week from the rehab place and saw our cottage for the first time. She absolutely adores it just as I knew she would. She gets stronger everyday and is able to cope with her work-out plan that Miss Debbie, her case worker, and her worked out.
Our case worker, Mr. Brett, also came to see us yesterday and told us kids we had come a long way and had a ways to go but he seemed happy with our progress.
Daddy is doing good managing the farm here. He really likes what he’s doing with the plants and animals. We might even get a kitten from a litter that the mama cat had last night. Daddy found her hiding place in a dark closet and promised us kids that we could watch if we were really quiet. Sally thought it was gross. Jack loved it and Beau tried to help the mama just before Daddy closed the door so she could have some privacy. I think I’d like to be a vet doctor some day.
Anyway, I just wanted you all to know how we’re doing. Sally and I go to a near-by elementary and middle school, Jack is at the kindergarten and Beau and Bud stay at home with Mommy. This summer Daddy says we can all go the beach for a few days. Can’t wait!
Every one sends their love, including Jesus!
Joeanne (aka Jellybean, Joe)
28,219 words
Disclaimer: Characters from the Trixie Belden series are the property of Random House. They are used without permission, although with a great deal of affection and respect.
Author’s note: I’d like to thank Laura (Motowngirl) for editing this work, Vivian for posting the story to her Bevy Tales site and to my Jixie friends for encouraging me to participate in JixeWriMo 2011 in honor of Jixaversary 11.
Special Thanks: I'm so thankful for input from Theresa D. Kerin, Director of Development and Public Relations, The Children's Home of Poughkeepsie, NY
