"Oh that!" Under Peter's steady gaze, Trixie had no excuse. She looked at the floor. "Honey and I visited him the day Bobby got bit and I said he could call me if…"
"But why, Trixie? There's no good feelings between us, at least on his part. Why would you tell him that?"
"I can't tell you! Not now, I can't. It's not my secret," Trixie blurted, blinking tears back.
Peter look grave. "Trixie, you know what you have to do when someone says you can't tell."
"Yeah, you have to tell. I know that. But this isn't about me. I was just doing a favor, and I promised I wouldn't tell so somebody wouldn't get hurt. I just can't!" She drew a couple of deep quick breaths.
"Is this where you tell me I can't tell you what to do because I'm not really your father?"
Trixie couldn't stand the sadness in his eyes. "No! I wouldn't tell Mama or anybody. After my birthday, when I was thirteen, Brian and Mart told me they promised each other that they weren't going to be the kind of teenagers that caused trouble, and they hoped I'd promise too, because we want you to stay and be our father forever. And I did! I do! I'm getting mixed up, but I can't break my promise."
Peter looked shocked. "Trixie! Are you and brothers expecting me to leave? When I promised to love your mother forever, even if she brought us all to Louisiana and bought goats to jump on my car? When I adopted you, I made the same promise, to love you and care for you no matter what."
Trixie traced the tile pattern on the floor with one foot. "Sometimes dads leave. Sometimes stepfathers don't like their stepchildren."
Peter put his arms around her. "Trixie, you're my daughter, and Brian and Mart are my sons. Forever. I hope you won't be the kind of teenagers that cause trouble, because I'd rather your lives have as little pain as possible, but I'll love you no matter what you do."
Trixie felt her lips trembling. Tears finally leaked out as she hugged him back. "I don't want to make you mad, but I can't tell you tonight why Mr. Frayne called, not until I tell someone else that I have to tell you."
"An adult, Trixie?"
"No, a kid like me, but I have to warn—"
"Are you in danger, Trixie? Are you seeing this kid by yourself?"
"No, not me. I'm not in danger. Neither is Honey. But this kid could get hurt, even if people didn't mean to. And I promise I'll tell you tomorrow, even if he gets so mad he won't be my friend any more, but I just can't tell you tonight."
"He?" Peter looked at her in leaden silence until Trixie wanted to scream. After what felt like a few years, he said, "Trixie, if you promise me that you're not involved in drugs, sex, or any other crimes or sins—"
"I'm not! None of us are!"
"—then I will trust you to tell me tomorrow. I might even be able to help your friend. I would certainly try to avoid making his situation worse."
He turned to go to the kitchen. He was walking like Granny, stiff and slow, and Trixie panicked. She didn't want age to snatch him away too. She told herself he was only a few years older than Mama, who was really young, for a mom. Fresh tears ran down her cheeks, and she wiped them away.
Peter called in a trying-to-be-normal voice, "I brought home some food from Miss Betsy, if you're hungry. It's on the kitchen table."
"Yum! I do want some, but Honey asked me to go to Sleepyside with her and her aunt for dinner. Is that okay?" It was all true, Trixie told herself. She was just leaving out Jim and the bus station.
"Certainly, Trixie. I'm glad you have a friend next door."
"Me too!" Trixie waited a minute before running upstairs to the teenager's phone.
Honey answered right away, her voice full of anxiety. "Oh, Trixie, Sunny's not back yet and Jim's pacing the floor like a tiger. A fluffy tiger, maybe like a tiger with a lion's mane. There's no furniture in that guest room, but still. He wants to leave so bad, even if he has to sit in the bus station for hours."
As soon as she could, Trixie broke in, whispering, "That's not all. My dad came home early because the hospital called him and said Mr. Frayne wanted to see me. He's awake! We have to get Jim to see him, even if Jim still wants to leave afterwards."
"Goodness, yes! Can you come over right away? You can help me explain to Sunny when she gets home. I always get all mixed up when I have to explain things."
"Sure! I have to get Jim's clothes out of the dryer before Dad sees them."
Fortunately she didn't run into him. She took Mr. Frayne's sheets to Granny's house and picked up the Cosmo McNaught book Jim was reading. It belonged to Mart. Instead she wrapped one of her Lucy books in Jim's T-shirts. She felt a flicker of happiness that he would have something of hers to take. She stuck her head back in the new house and called out that she was leaving before tearing across the farm like she was in a track meet or being chased by a goat.
She arrived at the Manor House just as Sunny was entering the front door and Miss Luann was driving away. Honey met them, and she and Trixie talked over each other, trying to tell Sunny the story.
Finally Sunny held up both hands and said, "Just tell me please what you want me to do."
"Take us—and our friend Jim—to the hospital and then Sleepyside bus station," said Trixie. "But eat dinner before the bus station if we have time before the last bus to Jackson."
"And we should buy him a phone with minutes on it," said Honey.
"Stop by the grocery for food to take with him?" asked Trixie.
Sunny pulled her hair. "What grot! Oh, I shouldn't say that, right? Tell me where I go first."
"Hospital," said Honey.
Trixie agreed. "Definitely hospital."
"I will tell my mother only that we are going out. I don't want to make a dog's breakfast of everything."
Trixie looked at Honey, who admitted, "Sometimes I don't tell her."
Sunny opened a door at the end of the hall, and the girls heard two streams of Korean pouring out until Sunny shut the door.
As she and Honey climbed the stairs to get Jim, Trixie asked, "How can you talk to your grandmother? Do you speak Korean too?"
"A little bit. I was studying it, and then one day I heard my grandmother say that if my father had to marry some half-Vietnamese who couldn't manage more than one child, at least she could have had a boy. She didn't know I could understand." Honey tossed her head back. Her black hair swung straight out. "I told my father that I knew enough Korean, that I should study start studying Chinese. He said that was a smart business decision."
"You didn't tell him what your grandmother said? Because that's really awful," Trixie said, her face hot with anger.
"How could I? It was his mother. And of course I wouldn't tell my, my mother." Honey stammered in her agitation.
"I see why you don't want to talk to your grandmother. But maybe she was just having a bad day?"
"She says it all the time. I try not to be around her. My Korean's gotten better, because I talk with Sunny. She speaks English really well, but you can tell she's translating in her mind, and she'd rather speak Korean about important things. But I don't let Grandmother know." Honey looked straight ahead, her cheeks dark with embarrassment.
Trixie sympathized, "That's awful. I thought Aunt Alicia was bad, but at least I don't have to live with her. She just wants me to be someone I'm not, someone…like you, really. She buys me dresses like yours to wear to church. She tries to teach me how to sew and do girly crafts."
"I love sewing!"
"There you go. You can have my Aunt Alicia. Sorry, but I don't want your grandmother."
"Shh. Sunny might hear. Grandmother is her mother, you know."
In a few minutes, they were on their way to the hospital, Jim now with his bag full. He found the book when he was cramming in his T-shirts. When he thanked her, Trixie couldn't think of anything to say. She wasn't used to feeling shy.
Sunny drove them to the Emergency Room parking lot because she was familiar with it. As soon as the car stopped, Jim and Trixie jumped out and ran for the door. Honey was slower, but Trixie didn't wait. She knew Honey could find them
"Follow me! I know where his room is," said Trixie said to Jim.
As she waited for the ER door to open, she looked back and saw another car, shiny and expensive, parked behind Sunny. Honey stopped in the parking lot, halfway to the door, and stared at it. Mr. Weon jumped out and starting scolding immediately. "So this is how you repay my trust, little sister? Helping my daughter sneak around with boys? I am surprised and grieved at you, and even more disappointed in my daughter. I did not expect this of you, Honey."
Honey shouted, "How would you know what to expect of me?" She made a shocked, squeaking noise and covered her mouth with both hands.
Trixie tugged Jim's hand, but he freed himself and said, "We have to go back and help her."
"Sunny's there. She'll help her. Come on," urged Trixie.
Sunny got out of her car and put her hands on her hips. "You must decide if I am an adult or a child. If I am an adult, I am a fit guardian for your daughter. If I am a child, why did you leave her in my care? You are such a hypocritopotamus."
"See? They'll be fine," said Trixie.
For an answer, Jim turned and marched back to the car. Tilting his head back to stare straight into Mr. Weon's eyes, he said, "Your family drove me to see my sick grandfather. They haven't done anything wrong."
Trixie caught up to him. While the two glared at each other, she said, "Jim came to visit his grandfather, but he was unconscious and Jim called the ambulance, and Mr. Frayne has been in a coma or something ever since, but today he woke up, and Sunny drove us here to visit him. This is Jim Winthrop. Mr. Frayne's grandson. Only grandson." She had to pause for breath.
After a long pause, Mr. Weon looked at Honey. "You have never done anything like this before."
"I never did anything before," said Honey, scared and defiant at the same time. "I never had any friends. Aren't friends supposed to help each other?"
Her father didn't have an answer for that either. "Let us take Jim to his grandfather." When they reached ICU, he said, "You girls can stay in the waiting room. They have rules about how many people can be in the room at once."
"I have to go because Mr. Frayne asked for me. When I visited him, I left my name and phone number. So he's expecting to see me." Trixie wasn't sure that Mr. Weon was paying any attention to her. He didn't act like he was used to listening to kids.
But he gave her a long look before going to the nurse's desk to explain. Sure enough, only two people could be in the room. Mr. Weon waited outside Mr. Frayne's door while Jim and Trixie went in.
She thought Mr. Frayne looked much better than he had the last time she saw him, but she could tell Jim was shocked. She said, "Mr. Frayne, I'm Trixie Belden. My dad said you wanted to see me. I brought your grandson Jim." She gestured to him.
The old man's voice creaked, like it was worn out, way past its warranty. "Trixie Belden. Did you really hold a dance party in my room?"
Trixie felt her face turn hot with embarrassment. "Just a little one. So you could hear the whole time? The nurse said music would help you."
He closed his eyes, like they were too heavy to keep open. "I heard many things. But when I heard your music, I thought the Christian view of the afterlife must be true and I'd gone to the bad place. So this is Jim?"
Jim swallowed hard. "James William Winthrop."
"My father's name was Wilhelm."
"Yes, sir. And my grandfather was William Winthrop. So it's for both of them."
Trixie grew impatient with the silence. As she sidled past Jim, out into the hallway, she said, "I bet you have a lot of things to talk about."
Trixie whispered to Mr. Weon, "Come over here, away from the room. I need to tell you about Jim."
Mr. Weon glanced at Jim and his grandfather but followed Trixie a few doors away. Still in an undervoice, she told him the story of the last few days, since she and Honey found Jim.
Mr. Weon frowned, but Trixie couldn't tell if he was mad. He said, "Did it not occur to any of you to ask an adult to help?"
"Yes, sir, both Honey and I wanted to tell our parents, but Jim said he'd run away, that his rabbi tried to help him and his stepfather just beat him worse. I wanted him to stay until his grandfather woke up, and now he has, but also Jim's stepfather is here. We have to keep him safe!" She could hear her sentences tangling themselves. How could she make him understand? He was so remote. Trixie bit her lip.
"We will do so. For now, you sit with Honey and my sister."
He all but said, "Go away, little girl," thought Trixie in disgust. She wanted to stay, but she'd run out of excuses. When she found the waiting room, she was glad she'd come because Honey and Sunny looked so miserable. She told them about Jim's meeting his grandfather, but the two hadn't said much to each other, really. The waiting room had a TV, but the sound wasn't on, and the show's drama couldn't compare with what was happening in the gleaming white room down the hall.
"Maybe play your music?" she said to Honey. "There's nobody else in here. She played 'Bubble Pop' last time," Trixie told Sunny.
"There's better stuff than that!" Sunny tapped her own wrist tablet and brought up another Kpop video.
It was different, but it was still catchy, and Trixie bobbed her head along with the music. "I see what you mean about a signature dance move," she said, imitating the angular arm movement. "It looks kind of like a cheer squad."
"You do it like this," said Sunny, jumping to her feet and waving her arms like the girls in the video.
"Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up," Honey and Trixie sang along with the tablet and followed Sunny's movements.
Mr. Weon and Jim walked in the room. Trixie, Honey, and Sunny dropped back into their chairs, with Sunny tapping furiously to kill the sound. Honey hunched her shoulders high, looking like a turtle trying to hide.
Jim gave them a crazy smile, like he'd received a wonderful present when he was at the end of his rope. He did look exhausted and wrung out.
Mr. Weon said, "The nurses wouldn't let Jim stay any longer. Let us all go home and come back in the morning. I hope you will stay with us, Jim."
Jim said in a ragged voice, "Thank you, sir. I want to stay here."
Honey raised her head. "We'll hide you, Jim, just like Trixie and I planned. She can stay with us too, and if anyone comes looking for you, she'll pretend to be sick and cough and throw up on them, just like in World War II!"
Mr. Weon looked alarmed at what he was discovering about his daughter. "I hope that won't be necessary, Honey. But Trixie is welcome to stay also, and we will keep Jim safe."
Jim struggled. "That's great—thanks—but that's not—I want to stay with Grandfather. When my mother was sick, I went home to finish writing my d'var Torah for my bar mitzvah. I was going to read it to her the next day and recite everything. But she died and I never got to." He drew a deep, ragged breath. "I just can't leave."
Mr. Weon regarded Jim in that silent way he had. "Wait here." He returned to the nurse's station.
"We'll stay with you, Jim," said Trixie.
Honey nodded her head in agreement.
Her father returned and addressed his sister. "Sunny, will you please take the girls home? The hospital will let Jim visit ten minutes every hour, if his grandfather is awake. I will stay with him."
"We're staying too." Trixie set her jaw.
"I don't need anybody to stay with me," said Jim, just as stubborn.
"They will not allow you to stay without an adult. I must stay so that you can. And they do not want so many people here all night, if you are not relatives. You may come back in the morning."
Honey sighed in resignation, and Trixie knew they'd have to leave. Mr. Weon was quieter, but just as forceful as Aunt Alicia or Mama.
"And Sunny." Her brother stared first at his shoes and then over Sunny's head at the TV. "I believe our mother did not describe the situation to me correctly."
"Well duh. When has she ever?" asked Sunny with an eye roll worthy of any teenager.
"I apologize to you and Honey." He sounded like his mouth was full of needles.
Sunny and Honey looked at each other, their astonishment obvious.
"What do we say?" whispered Sunny.
"Um, thank you?" Honey suggested. "I'm not sure."