'Peter,' Helen found her husband sitting at the table in their cosy kitchen.

This particularly unusual Saturday morning found the three eldest Belden children exercising the Horses. They'd all be staying the night at Manor House, coming home before lunch tomorrow. Bobby slept at the Lynches the evening before to get an early start. Michael and Sarah planned to take the boys to New York, retuning Sunday afternoon. For the last two hours, Mr and Mrs Belden had the rare pleasure of the house to themselves.

'Yes,' Peter didn't look up from his newspaper. He enjoyed the uncommon event, well aware his wife fretted.

'I found this on the stairwell a few minutes ago,' handing her husband the paper, Helen suggested, 'I think you'd better read it.'

'What is it?' Peter asked with a sigh of a man interrupted from his favourite pastime, in silence for once.

About to place it to one side for his attention later, Helen stated, 'it's entitled "Dating". I can only assume it's a piece of school work for personal development class.'

'You've read it?' Astounded, Peter found the neatly typed script which didn't give him any idea of the author. 'Which one of our children wrote this?'

'Read it,' she almost demanded. The astounded expression, accompanied by the heavy drop into the seat beside him, made Peter take a second look.

Dating

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed. It's just a saying, I know but in this case it's true. I'm sixteen years of age and never been on a date much less kissed.

Looking up at Helen, Peter gave his wife a gleeful grin. At least his little girl remained innocent in this fast passed world. Frowning in response, she pointed to the paper. 'Read on,' she suggested. Slightly miffed, he continued.

It's not that I haven't thought about dating and everything it entails. It's the twenty first century after all. The media, books, television and the movies are saturated with the ideas modern of romance. I'd have to live under a rock to be completely unaware of the current moral atmosphere. At school there are very few students in my class who haven't dated. Most have kissed and a few, well more than a few have slept with at least one person.

Horrified, Peter looked into his wife's blue eyes. 'But…but, we're talking about sixteen year olds.'

'Interesting, isn't it, what our kids are capable of getting up too,' Helen managed an ironic half smile. Agitated, the woman stood and walked to the sink. The dishes done, she stared out the window. 'I suggest you continue reading.'

Swallowing hard, Peter wiped his eyes before returning to the paper.

I'm not interested in playing follow the leader or keeping up with the person living next door. I have more self-respect than that. It's never bothered me and truthfully it still doesn't. I've always danced to my own tune. I don't intend to ever let society tell me how to live my life.

What has this got to do with dating? Everything. Even now I've turned sixteen I begin to understand why I'd never been interested. Until now nothing and no one attracted my complete and undivided attention. I watched from the sidelines as my friends and classmates giggled, blushed, joked or bragged about their dates. I shook my head as that first flush of romance turned to disappointment and then sometimes tragedy. All in the name of finding love. It never moved me enough to tempt me into dating anyone.

'This can't be Trixie,' Peter looked as confused as he sounded. 'The words are too big for a start. It's so well written I suspect either Mart or Brian might be the author.'

'Really,' Helen turned to glare at the man.

'It's not gender specific,' Peter theorised, glancing at his wife for her reaction.

'Read on, Peter,' Helen encouraged in a flat tone.

Shuddering with trepidation, he did.

I find it strange. You can be friends with a number of people but there is always a few who are special to you. Then one day you stare into your friend's eyes and see something more. That's when you know, you don't need to date, at least not more than that one person standing before you. Then you begin to think it's always been this way. You've always felt this special connection. Then you re-examine every aspect of your past. You've just been waiting for the right moment.

'Helen,' pale and sweating slightly, Peter simply pointed to the lines of text.

'Love, Peter,' Helen sighed. 'I hate to say it, but the young person who wrote this not only understands the concept but is old beyond their years.'

'It's frightening,' he agreed, finally able to locate his voice, 'to think a sixteen year old could be in love.'

'Why don't you finish it,' the woman started the coffee machine.

Now I realise there has only ever been one person I wanted to date. I realised why no one else held any interest for me. It's the reason I've stood on the sidelines, smirking to myself as I watched everyone else date and eventually fail. It happened suddenly, an epiphany or maybe a moment of pure clarity. I looked into a set of eyes and they showed me the most beautiful individual I'd ever met. Those eyes became a window to the depths of their soul. Somehow I'd always know deep in my own soul and hoped my eyes would communicate my emotions. It wasn't earth shattering, the universe didn't suddenly reveal itself and the ground didn't move. For one brief second in time I felt complete, content and euphoric. Then, in another instant it had all gone, leaving me bereft and questioning if it happened at all. I didn't know if the person behind that window to such a synergistic soul felt the same way. I waited, only to discover it happened time and again. I'd never understood before but that level of communication had always been there, lurking in the background, waiting to be recognised.

Shaking his head, Peter looked up into his wife's eyes. He understood the prose. Peter Belden felt that way the first time he'd seen Helen. A slight smile quirked the corners of her mouth as she read his mind.

'I guess you're nearly at the end,' she offered in a soft tone. 'Finish it Peter.'

Now, every time I see those eyes, I watch. It will only take a flicker, an instantaneous response and I know our first date will follow. Looking back over the years of our association, I've seen intrigue and interest but we've never been ready. I am now. I've waited this long to realise I'm ready to date. All I have to do is have the patients to find agreement in those amazing eyes.

Some might say dating at sixteen is too young. I believe if it's the right person and the right time, its fate. What comes next, that's up to individual moral standards. I've never been one to follow the pack or fashionable trends. I'll kiss when I see agreement in those incredible eyes. More than that will have to wait.

'Well,' Peter placed the sheet on the table before him. Taking up his cup, the man became lost in his own thoughts. 'I can't decide. Helen,' turning to his wife, he watched the subtle response on her face, 'I can see you have an idea who wrote this. Which one of our children do you think it was?'

'Why do you think it's one of our children?' she questioned.

'Who else could it be?' he asked in return. Taking the paper back into his hand, Peter skimmed the article once again. Critically appraising it, he finally saw the clues. 'Oh, boy,' he shook his head, 'I think we're in trouble.'

'You can say that again,' Helen stated. 'I found it on the stairs, which means one of our children "accidently" dropped it this morning.'

'I'm guessing,' Peter finally understood the implications, 'those amazing eyes finally responded.'

Helen didn't need to respond in words. Her expression said enough.

Riding though the preserve, the trail forced the group of Bob Whites to ride single file. When they exited the bridal path and the track widened, Jim slowed Jupiter. Waiting for Trix to catch, he pulled the big black gelding close to its stable mate. Legs brushing, he turned his head to grin. Sparking blue eyes answered his unasked question.

'Want to catch a movie with me tonight, Trix,' Jim asked, trademark grin fixed firmly on his face.

'Depends,' she smirked back cheekily. For an instant their eyes met. In that moment everything disappeared and two souls spoke on a level no one would ever understand. 'Are you asking me out on a date?'

'Depends,' he returned, amusement sparkling in his emerald orbs. 'Did you read my statement of intention?'

'I didn't just read it,' she managed a full throated laugh. 'I left it for Moms and Dad to find. I figured they'd need more time to get use to me dating the most wonderful man in the world. I've kind of been waiting for him to ask me out since he gave me this.'

Sliver bracelet sparkling in the sunshine, Jim returned her enjoyment. 'I've always said you're my girl, Trixie Belden.' Reaching across between them, Jim laced their fingers together. 'Now I want everyone to know.'