A/N: I'm sorry this took so long everyone. It's been a busy week. I'm going to try and do better. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 2
3 Years later
"Trixie, wake up or you'll be late to class," Honey said urgently. "Mmmf," was all she heard in reply. Honey shrugged; this wasn't the first time. About 10 minutes later, she heard a thump. "Honey," Trixie shrieked, "why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be late." "I did, 10 minutes ago," Honey replied. "Gleeps, sorry Honey." It had been 3 years since Trixie's Sweet 16. She still couldn't believe that it had been that long since her and Jim had gotten together. And now, she was finishing out her freshman year of college at the same university as the rest of the Bob Whites. Her, Di, and Honey shared an apartment, courtesy of Matthew Wheeler, while Jim, Brian, Mart, and Dan shared an even bigger apartment, also courtesy of Matthew Wheeler. Jim was finishing up his junior year as was Brian. Dan and Mart were finishing up their sophomore year. Due to Jim's hard work during high school and college, he was going to finish school in 4 years instead of the original 6 years. After college, he was going to start the boys school that he had always dreamed about, with Brian as the doctor, and Mart as the farmer. Dan was going to be taking care of the security and safety measures. "Trixie!" Honey's voice snapped her out of her daydreams. "Sorry Honey, again," Trixie said ruefully. Both girls rushed out the door. It was their last week of finals before they got to head back to Sleepyside for the summer.
Meanwhile…..
Jim was in the middle of a dream where he and Trixie were riding off into the sunset on Jupiter and Susie. He grinned sheepishly when he woke up to Dan and Mart hooting and dancing around the room with each other. "Oh Trixie, I love you." "Oh Jim, I love you too." Both were using falsetto voices and prancing. "Hey Mart," Jim called above the noise, "revenge is saccharine sweet. Remember, you and Di?" Mart stopped short and paled. "You wouldn't," he growled. "I would," Jim grinned. Dan started laughing. "Can't do that to me Jimbo. I don't have a girl." Jim just looked at him. "You will, one day, you will and when you do, I'll be here to get sweet revenge. Dan just laughed and walked out of the room. Jim sat up and put his legs over the edge of the bed. Reaching under his pillow, he pulled out the ring. He was planning on proposing to Trixie once they were back in Sleepyside. He knew they couldn't be married right away. He was hoping for a long engagement, well at least until he could graduate. Jim was planning on talking to Peter Belden.
Crabapple Farm
The said Peter Belden was at that moment sitting in the kitchen holding the unopened newspaper in his hands and thinking about his children. "They grow up so fast. It was just yesterday that Trixie was begging for a horse. Then the Wheelers moved in, they adopted Jim, after that everything went so fast." Her 16th birthday, Jim and Trixie had started going steady. Peter knew it was only a matter of time before Jim proposed to Trixie. He could see it coming and he knew that Trixie would say yes. He could only hope that they would wait a while. He knew how difficult it was to be married and in college. He didn't want the same for Trixie and Jim. Or Brian and Honey or Mart and Di for that matter. They were all looking like serious relationships with marriage in the future. Of course, Trixie was the only one he was certain of. Neither Brian or Mart had said anything to him about proposing to Honey or Di. It was only a matter of time before Jim came and talked to him about proposing. He could see it at spring break. Now, with Jim about to become a senior and Trixie a sophomore, he could see his little girl moving farther and farther away from him. "Where was that little girl who so often got into danger solving mysteries, often dragging Honey along with her?" Now, Trixie was in school to become a law enforcement officer, as was Dan Mangan, and Honey was studying to become a lawyer. They still loved catching bad guys but each had found their own way, a safer way to do it. Actually, Peter wasn't sure that becoming a cop was any safer than solving the mysteries they did as 13 year olds. Shaking his head and sighing, he put his now cold cup of coffee in the sink and got ready to head to the bank. "Wonder how Matt and Madeline are handling this," he thought.
The Manor
At that moment, Matt and Madeline Wheeler were having that same conversation. Peter Belden would have been surprised to know they were agreeing with him. They loved Trixie like a daughter but Matt didn't make his millions by being a fool. He knew college would be tough as well if they married before Jim graduated. It would be tough enough with Trixie still in college. Jim had already talked to his parents. Well, they were actually his adoptive parents, but he looked so much like Matthew Wheeler that everyone believed they were actual father and son. They both had the same temper to boot. They knew Jim was planning on giving Trixie the ring that had been discovered in the attic during the summer of the UNICEF antique show fundraiser they'd had 6 years ago. They also knew he was planning on asking Peter and Helen Belden for their permission first. This day had been a long time in coming. Ever since Trixie and Honey had found Jim, there had been a special bond between the two. And once she turned sixteen, they had been practically inseparable. There had been no one else for either one. Same as it had been for Honey and Brian Belden. The moment their sweet daughter had met the serious brown hair oldest Belden boy, her heart had been lost. That's all they had heard that summer was, "Brian this," or "Brian that." Once Honey had turned 16, they had started dating. While they hadn't heard anything from Brian to let them think he was about to propose, they knew it was still pretty serious. They were both thinking, "they both grow up so fast." Matt Wheeler finished his breakfast, kissed his still beautiful wife of 22 years and headed out on his business trip. He was only to be gone about a week, but he figured he'd be coming back to the announcement of an engagement between his son and that pretty blonde hair blue-eyed girl that had held his heart for 6 years. Madeline Wheeler watched him leave. Matt was still a very handsome and strong man. He still made her heart beat faster even after all these years. She only hoped that Trixie and Jim, and possibly Honey and Brian could have what they had, but time would tell. They'd all know in a matter of weeks if there was a future for Miss Trixie Belden and Mr. James Winthrop Frayne II.