Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to Trixie Belden or the Bob-Whties. The bracelet is taken from the book The Happy Valley Mystery.
A Time to Wait
Thirteen year old Trixie Belden lay across her twin bed staring dreamily at the bracelet on her wrist. Jim's special girl, she thought and even alone in her room she couldn't stop the blush from spreading across her freckled face. It couldn't have made her upcoming fourteenth birthday any more special. She was Jim Frayne's girl.
When she had come back from the Bob-White trip to Iowa her parents hadn't noticed the bracelet she wore on her wrist…until last night. Trixie had caught the look her parents had shared and felt uneasy. Trixie knew that after breakfast this Saturday morning she was going to have a very embarrassing talk with her mom.
It couldn't be more embarrassing than the way her older brothers, Brian and Mart, teased her about the "trinket," as they called it. Sighing, Trixie sat up in bed. Digging between the mattress and the box spring, she felt for the familiar book she had hidden there. Putting her worries down in her journal would hopefully calm her nerves and help her find a way to talk to her mom.
"What?" Trixie mumbled to herself. Shoving her arm deeper into the bedding she searched frantically for her journal which she stubbornly refused to call a diary. Jumping up from her bed, she lifted the mattress and gasped. Nothing. Red-faced, Trixie quickly put on her clothes and ran downstairs.
Which one of them did it? She wondered as she sat down at the breakfast table with her three brothers. Not Brian. He might read it but he wouldn't take it. Mart and Bobby would do both but she didn't know if Bobby would be able to read it. Maybe if she didn't say anything the culprit would put it back and feign innocence. Then she could find a new and better hiding place.
"Morning, squaw," Mart teased his sister. "So you finally decided to grace us with your presence."
Glaring at him, Trixie stabbed the platter of pancakes in front of her. "Unlike you, my Saturday's are filled with dusting and vacuuming and Bobby-sitting."
"Tsk, tsk, little sister," Brian said as he smiled at Trixie. "I think Dad has managed a few chores for us this fine day and I do believe Bobby is supposed to help us."
"Really!" Bobby cried out. It wasn't often he got to help his older brothers. He looked solemnly at Trixie. "Sorry, Trix, Brian and Mart need me."
Giggling, Trixie gave her brothers an amused glance. "Dusting never looked quite as good as it does now."
"Just don't think you get to run off to Honey and Jim when you're finished," Mart warned her but grinned as he emphasized Jim's name.
Blushing, Trixie was reminded of her previous dilemma. Oh, woe, she thought in panic. Of course, Bobby's going to be outside. Moms wants to talk with me this morning, alone.
Glancing around for her mother, Trixie turned to Brian. "Just where is Moms by the way?"
Brian's eye caught the bracelet on Trixie's arm. He suspected what Trixie was dreading but kept his thoughts to himself. "I think she's doing some ironing. She wanted to get an early start."
Great, thought Trixie, she likes to iron when she's worried about something.
Putting on a cheerful face, Trixie looked up from her pancakes. "That's good. Less for me to do."
Brian and Mart exchanged a look of brotherly concern. They really didn't mind that Jim had given Trixie the bracelet. In fact, Mart relished teasing her every chance he got. Neither brother, however, wanted Trixie to get hurt or be disappointed.
Rising from the table, Trixie's brother's rinsed off their plates and put them in the sink. Mart grinned as they went out the back door. "Squaw's work, Trix."
Trixie stuck out her tongue and frowned. This morning was starting out horribly. Her journal was missing and her mom was waiting to have one of those talks. With a vigor that she didn't feel, Trixie began washing the dishes in the sink.
Finding anything possible to do in the kitchen, Trixie hid there until finally Mrs. Belden came looking for her. Not knowing what to say, Trixie stood there with her left hand covering the bracelet on her right wrist.
Noticing her discomfort, Mrs. Belden gave her daughter a sympathetic smile. "Good morning, Trixie." She walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. "Let's sit down for a minute, shall we? I need a break from all that ironing."
Resigned with what was to come, Trixie nodded as she sat down across from her mother.
"Trixie," Mrs. Belden hesitated, "your father and I had a long discussion about that." Mrs. Belden reached out and touched Trixie's wrist. "But before I continue, perhaps you should tell me just what it means."
"Oh, Moms," Trixie's face flushed a flaming red. "It's from Jim. I'm not sure but Jim said I was his special girl." Feeling like an idiot she added, "I think he wants me to be his girl."
"That's what I thought," Mrs. Belden sighed. "Trixie, you know you're only thirteen."
"But I'm almost fourteen," Trixie reminded her in a pleading voice. "Please let me keep the bracelet."
"I don't have a problem with you keeping the bracelet," Mrs. Belden leaned toward Trixie. "It's your father. He's having quite a problem with this whole thing."
"You mean Dad said I couldn't keep it." Tears welled up in Trixie's eyes. If her father said that, there would be no way she would get to keep the bracelet.
Unaccustomed to Trixie's tears, Mrs. Belden patted her daughter's hand for a moment. "I got him to compromise, Trixie."
"Compromise?" Trixie asked curiously.
"On this point your father and I agree," Mrs. Belden began. "We both think you are much too young to have a boyfriend. And as nice as Jim is, we feel that it would be for the best if you both wait."
"So where's the compromise?" Trixie felt her previous hopefulness sliding away.
"You get to keep the bracelet," her mom offered the compromise to soften the blow. "It's just that you'll have to wait until you're sixteen before you can start dating Jim or anyone else."
"What if Jim meets someone else?" Trixie asked in a small, choked voice as she looked down at the bracelet.
"Sweetie, if Jim is going to meet someone else he'll do it whether you're wearing the bracelet or not. Besides, who's to say you won't meet someone else?"
"Not going to happen," Trixie denied emphatically.
"Well, either way, you have to wait until you're sixteen."
"Moms?" Trixie asked, alarmed. "Can I still hang out with Jim? Next to Honey, he's my best friend."
"Of course, you can." Mrs. Belden laughingly assured her and patted Trixie's hand once more. "We trust both you and Jim to keep things as friends for the time being."
"Does Jim know?" Trixie asked in almost a whisper. "I'd like to talk to him about everything if that's okay."
"Your dad and Mr. Wheeler had a discussion last night." Mrs. Belden looked pointedly at Trixie. "Mr. Wheeler is probably having this discussion with Jim right now, but I think it would be a good idea for Jim and you to have a talk as well."
Nodding, Trixie sighed inwardly. I guess that's all we'll be doing for the next two years.
"Come on, Trixie," Mrs. Belden pulled her daughter up from the table. "Let's finish with the chores and maybe you two will find time to talk later today."
Up at Manor House….
Jim Frayne was looking forward to the first weekend he would get to spend with Trixie as his girl. My girl, he thought giddily. He remembered grinning proudly when he saw that she wore the bracelet to school on Monday. The bracelet with his name on it. Now all those guys would stay away from his girl. Planning a trip to Crabapple Farm, Jim whistled happily as he went downstairs to breakfast.
"Jim, can you come in here for a minute," Mr. Wheeler called from the doorway of his study.
"Sure, Dad," Jim replied with a lift of his brow. His father had that we need to talk look.
"Sit down, son," Mr. Wheeler motioned to a chair as he shut the door behind him.
"Okay," Jim answered slowly. "What's up?"
"Jim," Mr. Wheeler hesitated and began again. "Jim, I guess we need to talk about Trixie."
"Trixie," Jim flushed and tried to stop the sinking feeling in his gut. "What about Trixie?"
"I talked to Peter last night," his father told him. "He told me you bought Trixie a gift while you were in Iowa."
"Yeah, a bracelet," Jim answered, figuring his father already knew all about it. Stubbornly, he added, "With my name on it."
Mr. Wheeler had to smother a grin as he noted Jim's show of defiance. Squelching young love wasn't what he had planned to do this Saturday. Jim is smitten with the girl. Mr. Wheeler cleared his throat. "So I was told."
"Something tells me Mr. Belden isn't happy about this," Jim frowned trying to swallow his disappointment.
"Son," his dad tried to explain, "Trixie's only thirteen. And, Jim, you're only fifteen."
"I know, Dad, but I really like Trixie," Jim pleaded his case.
"Well, it isn't really up to me anyway," Mr. Wheeler spoke firmly. "Mr. Belden said Trixie was too young for a boyfriend and she could not date until she was sixteen."
Jim sat silently and digested that information. Would he stop her from being in the club? Could they still hang out? Trixie was his best friend. He could talk to her about stuff even Brian didn't know.
Sighing as only a teenager can sigh when they felt the world had wronged them, Jim asked forlornly, "What does that mean, Dad? Can Trixie and I still be friends? Can I still talk to her?"
"Jim," Mr. Wheeler grinned at his son's woebegotten state. "Let me put it this way. Trixie gets to keep the bracelet and you can hang out like before. Then in two years, if you both feel the same way, I'll stand up for you with Peter."
"I can handle two years," Jim said with acceptance, "but if Trixie meets someone else while I'm at college…"
"She could meet someone else while she's in college," his father gently reminded him of the hard truth. "For that matter, so could you."
"There's no one like Trixie," Jim smiled to himself. Looking at his father, he added, "Not going to happen. You know how I am when I make up my mind."
"Sounds like a plan, son," Mr. Wheeler stood up and patted his son on the back. "Now let's get some breakfast. I heard that Cook was making Belgian waffles."
Back at Crabapple Farm…
Mrs. Belden looked up from the lunch she was preparing to watch Trixie sigh for what seemed to be the one hundredth time. "Trixie, why don't you call your brothers in? Lunch is almost ready and your father will be home from work soon."
"Okay, Moms," Trixie sighed again at the thought of facing her father. I hope this was only a mother-daughter talk.
Sensing her daughter's mood, Mrs. Belden added, "You don't have to worry, Trixie. I suggested to your father that I could handle this and he was very happy to agree." She softened her tone and continued, "He's really quite worried that you will never forgive him."
"It's alright, Moms," Trixie shrugged her shoulders although a little forlornly. "It's just something that I'd rather not discuss with him, okay?"
"Believe me, Trixie, we both understand. Now get your brothers, won't you?"
Trixie quietly shut the kitchen door behind her as she went in search of her brothers. Her mood didn't call for her usual scurrying about that always ended with the slamming of the screen door.
"Male Beldens," she called. "Time for lunch. Moms said to wash up."
"Not so fast, squaw," Mart stopped her from returning to the house. "Bobby was just telling us about his new skill."
"Oh?" Trixie inquired curiously.
"I can read writing," Bobby explained proudly. "The real kind, like you write."
"Tell her what you read, Bobby," Mart urged with a gleam in his eyes.
"I lub Jim," Bobby told Trixie. "That's good, Trixie. I lub Jim, too."
"Bobby Belden, where is it?" Trixie stomped menacingly toward her six year old brother.
"What?" Bobby ran to Brian and hid behind his legs.
"You know what." Trixie glared angrily at her little brother. "Now give it over."
"Brian," Bobby looked up at his brother with confused innocence and then back at Trixie with terror. "Don't you lub Jim, too?"
"Yeah, Brian, don't you lub Jim, too?" Mart gleefully chortled with laughter.
Trying to hide the twinkle in his eyes from his sister, Brian stooped down to Bobby's eye level. "I don't think you're supposed to take Trixie's things, Bobby. And we all lub Jim." At that point the honorable brother in him failed as Brian shook with laughter. By now, Mart was almost rolling on the ground and crying tears of mirth.
"We'll see." Trixie glared at all three of her brothers. "Bobby, I want that book back now before I have to tell Moms." Trixie hoped this threat would work because she didn't really want to tell her mom about the journal.
"Okay, Trixie," Bobby tearfully agreed, "be right back."
Trixie watched as he dove into Reddy's doghouse and retrieved the journal. Snatching it from her little brother's hands, she marched toward the house. Mart's uncontrollable laughter rang out as she went.
At Manor House…
Jim swung lazily in the porch swing at the back of Manor House. Although the warm spring sun was shining, the frown on his face was evidence that something was wrong. Looking up, he saw his sister, Honey, staring thoughtfully at him.
"Problem?" she asked simply.
"Yeah," was his unenthusiastic reply.
"What is it, big brother?" Honey sat down on the swing beside Jim. "I'm a good listener."
"I guess I am moping just a bit."
"Just a bit," Honey agreed with an impish grin.
Jim gave a half-hearted smile back at Honey. He wasn't sure what to say first and he wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything at all.
"Trixie?" Honey offered a guess. "She's the only one that could have you this upset."
"Oh, no," Jim shook his head. "It's nothing Trixie has done. She's marvelous."
"Okay, Trixie can do no wrong," Honey puzzled over his statement. "But is it about Trixie?"
"Kind of," Jim admitted.
"Well, what about Trixie?" Honey pried. She had been around Trixie long enough to learn a little about when to be nosy.
Sensing the Trixie effect, Jim couldn't help but grin at his once quiet, shy, tactful sister. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"Nope," Honey stated firmly. "What kind of sister would I be if I did that?"
"The respectful of my privacy kind?" Jim suggested hopefully.
"Sorry, there's no privacy when it comes to little sisters. Haven't you learned anything by now?" Honey joked with her brother as she elbowed him in the side.
"Thanks, Honey," Jim told her sincerely. "It does feel good to have a little sister that cares."
"I do, Jim," she promised. "So tell me, what's going on? Is it about the bracelet?"
"I wish I had waited to give her that bracelet," Jim sighed a little. "I just wanted Trixie to know how much I liked her and now, well, I don't want her to be as disappointed as I am."
"Really?" Honey questioned with a smile.
"Okay, so maybe I hope she is as disappointed as I am," Jim conceded ruefully. "I just wish she didn't have to be disappointed."
"Just why will she be disappointed?" Honey looked with confusion at her brother.
"Because Mr. Belden said she couldn't have a boyfriend until she's sixteen," Jim explained grimly. At Honey's opened-mouth look of astonishment he added, "Don't worry about Trixie. I think the same rule applies to you, too."
"Oh." It was Honey's turn to be silent. Worriedly, she asked, "What does that mean for the Bob-Whites?"
"That's what I asked, too," Jim admitted his own worries about the group. "But Dad assured me that nothing has to change. We can still do stuff as a group... movies, dances, horseback riding. It's just the dating part that's been put a stop to."
"I'm glad," Honey sighed with relief. "And it is only two years."
"I can wait two years to date Trixie," Jim said with confidence. "I just hope she'll wait for me."
"Jim, Trixie's been over the moon for you since she dubbed you 'the most wonderful boy' in the world." Honey laughed at Jim's red face. "I don't think waiting for you will be the problem. It will be waiting period."
"She's not the most patient person, is she?" Jim's eyes softened as he thought of his blond-haired friend.
They both smiled as they thought about their impatient friend with her take charge attitude.
"Jim," Honey interrupted their musings. "It might be a good idea to talk to Trixie. You know how she is about jumping to conclusions. She might think that, well, you weren't disappointed if you don't say something."
"Dad was okay with that," Jim told her, "and mother. Mother even said that Trixie would be okay with things if we talked it over."
"Let's go to Trixie's after lunch then," Honey suggested. "I'll help you find a way to talk to her alone."
At Crabapple Farm…
Mrs. Belden looked up from the chicken salad she was preparing for lunch. Trixie, her usually cheerful daughter, was moping. She had been moping all morning. Mrs. Belden sighed. Now Trixie has me doing it. She sincerely hoped Trixie was not going to become a moody teenage girl.
Lunch turned out to be an unusual one for the Belden household. Trixie would hardly look at her father and she kept shooting angry looks at her three brothers. Even Bobby kept his eye averted from Trixie's lethal stares. After lunch, it seemed everyone was glad to make an escape.
Glad for a moment of peace, Mrs. Belden didn't mind that the entire cleanup was left for her. Within a few minutes that peace was shattered by the sound of Trixie's angry voice.
"Bobby Belden!" Trixie's shout rang out. "I told you. Stay out of my room. Stay out of my stuff. And stay out of my life!"
"Trixie!" Mrs. Belden ran into the living room. "I think I've had enough for one day."
"He read my journal, Moms," Trixie explained. "And then he told Mart and Brian what he read."
Mrs. Belden surveyed the scene. Trixie and Bobby were both in tears. Bobby protested his innocence at Trixie's accusations.
"Trixie, go for a walk," Mrs. Belden suggested. "You're not helping matters and I"ll deal with you, Robert Belden." Mrs. Belden looked pointedly at her youngest son.
Relieved to escape the chaotic atmosphere at Crabapple Farm, Trixie fled out the back door without a glance.
Mrs. Belden watched her leave and then turned her attention to Bobby. "Okay, young man, do you have an explanation?"
"Explation?" Bobby asked her.
After mentally counting to ten, Mrs. Belden tried again. "Why were you reading Trixie's journal? And don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about."
"Okay, Moms," Bobby said as he stuck out his bottom lip in what he hoped was a cute pout. "I didn't mean to make her mad. I just wanted to show everyone I could read writing, real writing and it was just I lub Jim."
Getting to the heart of the story, Mrs. Belden shook her head. "Bobby, I think you need to go outside and sit on the front steps. Practice what you're going to say to Trixie when she comes back. An apology."
Sulking, Bobby obeyed his mother and went out to sit on the top step.
Seeing that the coast was clear, Brian and Mart darted down the steps heading out the front door.
"Wait right there," Mrs. Belden stopped them.
Sheepishly, they turned and looked at their mother.
"I do not," she told them firmly, "I repeat, I do not want to hear either of you tease Trixie about Jim, her journal, or anything else related to this matter. Understand?"
"Yes, Moms," both boys said in unison.
Bobby Belden was sitting pitifully on the front steps of Crabapple Farm when Honey and Jim arrived. Looking up at them, Bobby gave them a tearful smile.
Tenderhearted as always, Honey sat beside him and gave him a hug. "What's the matter, Bobby? Why are you here all alone?"
"Cause Moms and Trixie are mad at me," he replied tearfully. "And now I got to 'pologize to Trixie."
Exchanging a smile with Jim, Honey patted his arm. "Trixie won't stay mad forever."
"She's never been this mad," Bobby said and looked up at Jim. "But she lubs you, Jim. I read it in her book."
"Her book?" Jim couldn't help but ask even as his cheeks flushed a bright red.
"Yeah," answered Bobby. "She had hearts on it. With your name and hers all over it. I can read writing, you know."
"Oh, okay, Bobby." Jim thought it best to stop Bobby at that point. He didn't want anyone else to hear what the little imp had to say.
Giggling, Honey gave her big brother a teasing grin. "Just where is Trixie at now?"
"Moms made her go for a walk. She was being mean to me," Bobby growled.
"I'll go find her," Jim told him as he gave Honey a pleading look. "Maybe you can keep Bobby company. Help him practice his apology."
"Sure thing, big brother," Honey called out to him as he walked away, her laughter following him.
Trixie sat on the dock hugging her knees to her chest. She gazed out at the spring flowers that were starting to bloom along the Wheeler's lake. Resting her chin on her knees, she let the tears that she had tried so valiantly to contain fall down her cheeks. She didn't notice Jim coming to sit quietly beside her.
"Trix," he said softly and put his arm around her. "Please don't cry. It's not that bad."
Trixie swiped the back of her hand across her face to remove the tears that stubbornly would not quit falling. "Did you talk to your dad?"
"This morning," Jim nodded. "Hey, it's only two years."
"It's not that, Jim," Trixie said shyly. "I can wait if I know you can."
"And I can wait if I know you can," Jim said quietly, his voice growing husky. "If it's not the two years, then what is it?"
"I don't know," Trixie mumbled, not meeting Jim's eyes. "I guess I'm worried about lots of things."
"Like what, Trix?" Jim's green eyes narrowed with concern.
"You, us,…me," Trixie stumbled over the words. "You might find someone you like better. Someone older who can date."
"And you might not want to date me in two years," Jim voiced his fear. "I'll be gone to college part of that time. You might forget me."
"That's not possible," Trixie smiled at Jim. "But what if you forget how I feel about you? And you know me, I tend to jump to conclusions."
"Trix," Jim held his breath for a moment, then continued, "I know about Bobby. Did you really mean what you wrote?"
Her cheeks flaming with embarrassment, Trixie threw her arms across her knees and buried her face. "Jim, I'm so sorry," came her muffled reply. "He told everyone."
"I'm not upset, shamus." Jim's hand lifted her face toward him and he stared intently into her eyes. "Only if you didn't mean it would I be upset."
"I meant it," Trixie whispered.
"I'm glad to know you feel the same way I do," Jim smiled softly at her, his eyes filled with tenderness. He knew when he said the words "I love you" out loud he wanted to follow it up with a kiss and now was not the time.
Her heart overfilled with happiness, Trixie gave Jim a smile that lit up her whole face. "I think we need a signal. Just in case one of us starts to feel, I don't know, insecure?"
Jim grinned back at Trixie with relief. Wrapping a finger around one of her curls, he gave it a tug. "How about this? And every time I give you a fond glance and a wink it means you're still my special girl."
"And how about every time I blush or bite my lower lip you'll know I still feel the same." Trixie bit her lip and grinned as Jim winked back at her.
"Come on, shamus," Jim stood and offered his hand. "It's a good thing handholding between friends is acceptable behavior."
Trixie grabbed his hand and held it as they walked toward Crabapple Farm. When she felt Jim squeeze her hand tightly, she squeezed back. "Can hand squeezing be a signal, too?"
"Absolutely," Jim said as he brought her hand to his chest. "When you squeeze my hand like that, I feel like you're holding on to my heart."
"Me, too, Jim," Trixie sighed happily.
And holding hands, squeezed tight, the young couple headed down the path thinking of what would happen in two years.