Chapter 9

Mart looked at Brian in confusion. Their parents never argued. Realizing that the best thing for him would be to just head up to his room, he headed for the stairs. Brian followed closely behind. As they passed Trixie’s room, they could hear her talking to herself.

“For once, I didn’t do anything wrong except missing curfew. By ten minutes! Just once! It was completely innocent and Jim and I have never done anything that would be remotely inappropriate.” Trixie could be heard saying as it sounded like she paced.

Mart stopped next to her door and looked questioningly at Brian. Brian couldn’t seem to meet Mart’s eyes and continued to their bedroom. Channeling Trixie, Mart tapped lightly on her door.

“Trixie, is something wrong?” Mart asked.

He could hear shuffling and Trixie opened the door. He was shocked to see that Trixie had been crying.

Not wanting to let on that he’d overheard her, Mart asked, “What’s wrong, Trix? Did you and Jim have a fight?”

Mart was shocked when she threw herself into his arms. “Oh, Mart, he was just awful. He wouldn’t listen or anything.”

Mart extracted himself from Trixie and then led them over to her bed and sat down next to her. “Who was awful?” he asked. “Jim?”

Trixie burst into tears again. “I can’t believe what he said. He accused us of such things. Everything was on the up and up.”

Mart was still confused. “Start at the beginning and tell me all about it.”

Trixie took a deep breath and tried to coherently tell him what happened. When she finished, she tried to keep her tears at bay and said, “Dad’s always believed me. Why would he not now? We really did just fall asleep.”

Mart looked at Trixie again. Her shirt was still miss-buttoned and he could see part of her red bra. “Trixie, take a look in the mirror,” he said gently.

Slowly, Trixie walked to her dresser and peered in the mirror. She gasped. She really did look like she had just had a romp in the hay. All she needed would be a few pieces of hay in her hair and clothes and one would easily assume that she had been spending time in one of the horse stalls and it wasn’t mucking them out.

“Oh my goodness,” she said. “Not wonder, Dad was so upset tonight. That doesn’t explain it all though. Dad’s been acting strange all week. Last Sunday he even lowered my curfew and it wasn’t even a school night.”

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Mart said. “He did make a comment tonight before we went out that I should be careful and not take any chances. It was just weird.”

The two sat in silence pondering what had happened.

“Maybe Dad’s going through a mid-life crisis or something,” Trixie suggested. “Whatever it is I’m not looking forward to tomorrow morning.”

“Why’s that?” Mart asked.

“Dad was so angry at Jim and me that he sent me up to bed and said he’d give me my punishment in the morning. If I had done something wrong, I’d accept it but we didn’t do anything but fall asleep, with our clothes on.” Trixie started to cry again.

“Do you want me to try to talk to him?” he volunteered placing an arm around her shoulder in comfort.

“Thanks, but I think that would only get you into trouble. It’s the last week of high school for you. I don’t want to end it on a sour note for you.”

“I can handle it. I won’t say anything, but if you change your mind, let me know.”

Mart stood up and headed for the door. “Try to get some sleep,” he said. “Things will look differently in the morning.”

Trixie smiled. “It’s sleep that got me in trouble in the first place.”

When Mart knocked on Trixie’s door, Brian made a beeline for his bedroom. He suspected what was happening with his dad and Trixie. His dad had assumed that just because he and Honey had taken their relationship to the next level that Jim and Trixie had as well. Brian didn’t want or need to know the details of his sister and his best friend’s relationship, but he did know that they were taking things slowly and working on some issues in a mature way. Part of him wished he had done the same thing. Then he thought about how wonderful Honey had felt in his arms and he was glad he’d taken the chance.

That didn’t help Trixie any though. It was unfair that she was bearing the brunt of their dad’s ire even though she was innocent. He would have loved to explain to Trixie what was going on. However, if he did that he would have to explain what had happened. He couldn’t break that confidence with Honey.

Sure, he’d told Jim what had happened but he had needed someone to talk to. Honey would understand about that, but she would be mortified if everyone knew what had happened. He’d have to think of something. He could ask Honey if he could share it with Trixie, but he knew that would only make matters worse in the long run. Somehow he’d have to work things out without letting the cat further out of the bag. Maybe he could try to talk to his dad and make him realize what he was doing. Dad would probably tell him to mind his own business but he’d have to try.

The least he could do was to call Jim and offer him some moral support. Brian chuckled at that thought. Maybe if he had had stronger morals he wouldn’t be in this predicament. He wouldn’t have had such a good time either. He was a little shocked when he realized that while he was sorry he had gotten caught, he wasn’t sorry at all about what he had done.

Saturday, May 30, 1987

Trixie hadn’t slept well the night before. She hated when she didn’t get along with her parents. It was even more difficult when she wasn’t sure what she had done to earn her father’s wrath. At six o’clock she decided if she couldn’t sleep, she might as well be productive. She spent an hour going over her math and chemistry notes. She had decided that she would spend time every day reviewing her notes instead of pushing hard the day before the test.

At seven she heard Moms moving around in the kitchen. She pulled on a pair of old denim shorts and a t-shirt and reluctantly headed down stairs. She hoped to avoid the confrontation with her dad for as long as she could.

She didn’t say anything as she strode through the kitchen, grabbing the egg basket and heading outside. She kept her eyes straight ahead. If asked she wouldn’t have been able to tell if her father had been in the kitchen or not.

Once she got outside, she slowed her pace as she crossed to the chicken coop. She refilled the waterers and the feeders, and then picked the eggs. She came out of the coop and ran straight into a muscular chest, almost breaking the eggs.

She looked up into emerald green eyes. “Jim,” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to see you,” he said. “I didn’t like the way things were left last night, but I knew if I protested, it would only make matters worse.”

Trixie placed the basket on the ground safe from being stepped on and stepped into Jim’s welcoming arms. She placed a kiss on his lips and took comfort in his embrace.

“Thanks,” she said. “I think I can face my dad now. I just don’t get it. He’s never been so unreasonable.”

They talked for a few more minutes when Trixie said, “I’ve got to go. Moms is waiting for the eggs. I’m sure Dad is up by now, so I’d better go take my punishment.”

Jim walked Trixie to the kitchen door and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “Don’t lose your cool, Trix and no matter what remain respectful. I know you’re frustrated, but you don’t want to make matters worse.”

“I know you’re right,” Trixie replied. “I’ll call you later, unless I’m grounded from the phone. Somehow I’ll let you know what’s happening.”

Jim turned and headed back to the Manor House. Trixie watched him until he was out of sight. Then she turned and entered the house. She took a deep breath and entered the kitchen.

“I hope you have some eggs in the fridge, Moms,” she said with fake cheerfulness. “I only got six eggs.”

Despite preparing herself, Trixie still stopped short when she walked in and saw her father sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper. She set the basket down and went about washing the eggs before putting them in the refrigerator.

Stiff backed, she turned and started to head into the living room to begin her Saturday morning cleaning chores. Mart and Brian were nowhere to be seen.

“Trixie,” her father said. Trixie stopped and slowly turned around. “Could I talk with you?” he said quietly.

Trixie didn’t move, not sure what to do.

“Please, honey,” he pleaded.

Slowly, Trixie walked back into the kitchen and stood in front of her father waiting for her punishment. She didn’t say anything.

“Trixie,” he said again. “I owe you an apology. I was wrong to get upset with you. You’ve never lied to me before so why should I think you’d lie to me now?”

Trixie was too stunned to say anything. She was prepared to be grounded for half the summer including phone privileges. She wasn’t quite sure what to say. The hurt part of her heart wanted to say something sarcastic, but then she remembered what Jim had just said to her about taking the high road.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said. “I’m really sorry I was late getting in. It wasn’t very responsible for me.”

“Well, I was wrong not to listen to what you and Jim were saying. I hope you can forgive me.”

Trixie bent down placed a kiss on her dad’s cheek and hugged him. “I do. I can’t stand being mad at you for long.”

Brian and Mart cautiously came down the stairs. Trixie straightened up and winked at Mart. He winked back at her. Brian looked like he had swallowed tainted milk and it was ready to make its reappearance.

The two brothers helped set the table while Trixie helped her mom put the food on it. Bobby had spent the night at the Lynches so there was one less place to set.

After a rough start, the talk flowed around the breakfast table. Mart and Trixie were giving each other a hard time about the studying they had to do. Moms and Dad talked about what chores needed to be done first. Brian remained conspicuously silent, and volunteered to do the dishes while Moms put away the food. Their dad was going to mow the lawn and do some preliminary preparations for the joint graduation party that would be held for Dan and Mart the next weekend.

Trixie headed to the living room to start the dusting.

Her mom called to her, “I’m going to need some help in a few minutes. I want to air out the guest room and change the sheets. Aunt Alicia won’t be here until Thursday but I want to get it done before things get too crazy.”

Mart and Brian worked outside with their dad trimming around the trees, spraying down the lawn chairs and tables and picking up around the farm.

Graduation was Friday evening. The party would be on Saturday afternoon. Knut and Cap would be arriving with Hallie on Thursday. The Wheelers had offered their home to them for the weekend. Uncle Andrew would be coming in from Iowa, as well. He would stay at the Glen Road Inn.

Knut and Cap would be returning to Idaho on Monday where they had summer jobs lined up. Their parents were going back to South America for several months so Hallie would be spending that time in Sleepyside. There was at least one Bob-White who was pleased with that arrangement.

Moms and Dad wanted to get as much work done this weekend as possible. With the high school students busy with finals and Brian starting his summer job there would be little help until the day of the party.

By noon, most of the needed work was done. Trixie hadn’t had time to think, much less let Jim know what had happened. She was just getting ready to head up to the stables and try to find him when the phone rang.

“Hello, Belden residence,” she said into the receiver.

“Hi, Trixie, it’s Honey. Is Brian handy?”

Trixie looked out of the kitchen window to see Brian heading into the house. “He’ll be right here in a second.”

The two made small talk for a few minutes. Then Trixie asked, “Is Jim around?”

“I think I heard him head upstairs to his room. He’s been in a bad mood all morning.”

Brian walked into the kitchen and Trixie held up her hand mouthing the words, “It’s Honey” before she continued the phone conversation.

“Brian’s here now, but could you tell Jim I’m heading to the stables if he’d like to join me.”

The two friends said their good-byes and Trixie handed the phone to Brian. As she headed out the door she heard Brian tell Honey, “I’m in trouble and don’t know what to do.”

Trixie resisted the urge to eavesdrop on the conversation and try to find out why Brian had been acting just plain weird the past week. She passed her dad on the way out and let him know she was going up to see Jim, but would be home well before it was time to help get supper ready.

She was out of breath by the time she made it to the stables. She gave a quick look into Regan’s office to see if he was around and then remembered that he had mentioned going upstate later this weekend to check out a few horses that were coming up for sale. Jim had would be taking over his duties for the day.

She turned around and was met by a familiar firm chest and arms that encircled her.

“It looks like someone has been trespassing here,” Jim teased bending down to place a kiss on her inviting lips.

“Oh, please don’t turn me in, mister,” she played along. “I’d do just about anything if you wouldn’t.” She reached her arms around Jim’s neck and ran her fingers through his hair. Then she pulled his head back down to meet hers.

“Anything?” Jim asked.

“Well, just about anything,” she replied.

The two whispered sweet nothings to each other for a while. Finally, Jim said, “Is it safe to assume that since you are here, you didn’t get grounded?”

Jim guided Trixie over to Regan’s desk chair and pulled her onto his lap.

“You know what they say about assuming anything, don’t you?” she asked. “Well, you don’t have to worry. Dad apologized first thing this morning. It was like he was a totally different person from last night. I sure hope he’s not going to turn into Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

Jim was relieved that things had gone so well this morning. He bent down to explore Trixie’s face with his lips. When Trixie returned the favor she tried to place a kiss on every one of the freckles on his nose. Before she had finished with half of them Jim stopped her.

“If you keep this up we’re going to give your dad a reason to be upset with our actions. I don’t think I’m ready for his anger right now.”

Trixie got off of Jim’s lap and pulled him up. “You’re right. So let’s do something that won’t get us into trouble. Have the horses been fed and watered?”

“I’ve got most of those chores done. I’ll have to check on them again later tonight. We could go for a ride, but it isn’t necessary. Honey, Dan and I got all of the horses exercised this morning.”

The two decided instead of riding, they would take a walk through the preserve and then head over to the Bob-White clubhouse. Jim had noticed that there were a few shingles that had blown off the roof during the last storm and he wanted to fix them. Trixie was going to watch his supple chest ripple.

Honey gasped when she heard the concern in Brian’s voice over the phone. “What kind of trouble are you in?”

Brian hesitated to tell Honey what was going on. He didn’t know how to explain this without further upsetting her or making her feel guilty.

“Dad got on Trixie last night because she was late for her curfew by ten minutes. He was livid. I know he was reacting to what he saw last weekend. He’s afraid Trixie and Jim are going to take things too far,” he finally said.

Honey didn’t say anything, but Brian could hear her taking deep breaths on the other end of the line. He thought he might have heard tears as well.

“Say something, Honey,” Brian begged. “I didn’t say anything to Trixie or Mart. I just couldn’t. What you and I do is between you and me.”

Honey still didn’t say anything.

“Honey, tell me what you’re thinking. Better yet, meet me at the clubhouse, so we can talk. The phone is not where we should be having this conversation.”

Brian hung up the phone, told his mom where he was heading and raced out the door. He wanted to get to the clubhouse before Honey did.

When he got to his destination, he opened a couple of windows. He sat down on the sofa but was too restless so he stood up and paced. Honey entered the clubhouse and Brian immediately took her in his arms and kissed her reassuringly.

“Oh, Honey,” Brian said. “Things are such a mess.”

Honey tried to hold back the tears and listen to what Brian was saying.

“I felt so bad last night when Mart and I got back from the movies. Dad and Moms were in the kitchen having a pretty heavy discussion so Mart and I just headed upstairs. Trixie was already home and very upset. Apparently Dad accused her and Jim of inappropriate behavior. I just know it wouldn’t have happened if Dad hadn’t seen us.”

Honey looked at Brian with pain in her eyes. “Did you say something to Trixie?”

Brian tried to choose his words carefully. “The big brother in me wanted to explain everything to her and tell her what had happened so she could understand why Dad was acting the way she was. The boyfriend in me couldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that to you. If you want to share what we have with Trixie, it would be one thing but I don’t want to be the one to do that. There was no way I could do that. What we have is too special. I don’t want to cheapen it.”

Honey sighed in relief. “I was so afraid you were regretting what we had done. What we did was so wonderful. For us it wasn’t wrong.”

“The only thing I regret,” Brian said, “is that someone saw us. I love you too much and wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t.”

Honey sucked in her breath. “Say it again,” she said.

“That I have no regrets?” Brian asked.

“No, not that,” she teased.

Brian thought back to what he had just said. He pulled Honey in his arms and asked, “I love you?”

Honey reached up and kissed him. Then she said, “Yes, that’s it.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he proclaimed.

Honey’s face broke out in a huge grin. “I love you, too.”

The two kissed for several more minutes. Then Honey said, “What are we going to do about Trixie? I truly hadn’t planned on sharing our relationship with her. It would just be too much information, especially if she started telling me about what she and Jim do.”

“Well, I think everything worked itself out at least for now. I just hope Dad will quit acting so weird and not be overbearing all summer.”

Honey bit her lip, worrying it a little bit before she said, “Are you suggesting we go back to the holding hand stage?”

“Is that what you want?” Brian countered.

Honey hesitated again. “Is that what you want?”

Brian realized Honey was afraid that whatever she said would be the wrong thing. “I don’t want to go back to holding hands, but if that’s what you want I will.”

Honey reached up and kissed Brian’s lips and then began tracing kisses along his chin and neck to the opening of his red polo shirt. “That’s not what I want,” Honey finally replied.

Brian started to lead Honey over to the couch when they heard noises coming from outside. They jumped apart and Honey straightened Brian’s shirt.

They were innocently sitting apart from each other when Jim and Trixie came walking hand in hand into the clubhouse. Jim eyed Brian suspiciously but didn’t say anything.

“Hey, guys,” Trixie said, not noticing the guilty looks on her friend’s and her brother’s faces. She continued to hold Jim’s hand as she greeted them. Jim pulled her close to his side when they stopped. “Jim noticed the other day there were some loose shingles on the roof of the clubhouse and thought he’d check it out.”

Brian and Jim set out to inspect the roof. They pulled out the ladder they kept stored in the back area and climbed up to see what was going on. It looked like several shingles had come loose and several more had completely blown off. Fortunately, they still had a few shingles left from when they had originally repaired the roof.

The weather hadn’t broken and temperatures were once again at an unseasonable high of over eighty degrees. It didn’t take long for Brian and Jim to remove their shirts as they worked. Complaints weren’t heard from either Honey or Trixie.

While the guys worked on the roof the girls decided to wash the outsides of the windows. Everyone had been so busy the past few months that they hadn’t done a thorough spring-cleaning of the clubhouse. They trudged up to the stables to get a pail of soap water and a pail of plain water.

Honey started washing and Trixie finished up rinsing. They soon found their t-shirts wet, water dripping down their arms. Trixie had donned a sports bra that morning and so she decided to just take off her t-shirt before she looked like she was seriously competing in a wet t-shirt contest. When Honey saw what she had done she followed suit. She, too, had chosen a sports bra this morning.

The four Bob-Whites worked for about an hour on their beloved clubhouse. Jim and Brian finished up the roof repairs and were putting away the ladder as Trixie and Honey finished up the windows. When the guys came off of the roof, Honey looked at Trixie with a wicked gleam in her eye. Each picked up their bucket of water and threw it at their boyfriend.

After their initial shock, Jim and Brian captured their girlfriends.

“This is war,” proclaimed Jim. He had his arm tightly around Trixie as he reached around and locked the clubhouse door. He then bent over and threw her over his shoulder and picked up one of the pails. Brian followed suit.

Trixie and Honey screeched for several minutes as they were carried to the stables where the guys put the pails back into the tack room. The guys needed a rest before they continued on their journey so they set the girls down.

Honey and Trixie took off in opposite directions as soon as their feet hit the floor. They weren’t afraid of their boyfriends, but were enjoying their antics immensely.

Both girls zigzagged across the lawn of the Manor House. Honey headed to the veranda and Trixie headed to kitchen door. They had just about made it inside when they were caught.

“What do you think we should do with them?” asked Jim, who had just picked up Trixie and thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Trixie gave up a token protest but when she realized she had a perfect view of her boyfriend’s cute, tight butt, she stopped.

“We could dump them in a dirty stall,” Brian suggested. He had Honey over his shoulder as well. She, too, was admiring the view.

“Even with Regan gone, there are no dirty stalls. Trixie and I saw to that before we headed to the clubhouse,” Jim replied. He thought for another moment, Trixie’s weight not even fazing him. “I know what we can do.” He didn’t say anything more but nodded his head toward the lake. Brian nodded in agreement.

Trixie and Honey were so wrapped up in the view they had that they barely registered they were moving. It wasn’t until they noticed the dock underneath them that they realized where they were. Honey shrieked and started to protest.

Trixie said, “I’m not letting go, Jim Frayne. If I’m going in you’re going in.”

“That won’t stop me, Trixie. I’m already wet.”

There was more shrieking from both girls. Somehow the guys had managed to get the girls shoes as well as their own shoes off of their feet. When Jim tried to toss Trixie into the lake, she held on tight and Jim fell in the water at the same time. Honey and Brian soon followed.

Once she hit the water, Trixie let go of Jim to get her bearings. Before she had surfaced she felt strong hands spanning her bare waist and pulling her into him.

Brian and Honey surfaced a couple yards away from them. The four friends frolicked in the water for quite some time. Since they were already wet they didn’t bother to go and change into the swimsuits they always kept in the boathouse. They had chicken fights, splashed and made lots of noise. When they got tired they raced to the raft and climbed up to rest on it.

Trixie and Honey exited the water first. Both Brian and Jim gasped as they emerged from the water. Their wet sports bras and shorts, that covered way more than the string bikinis they had taken to wearing, were much sexier. What made it even sexier was that neither girl realized what a turn on it was.

Jim and Brian sidled up to their girlfriends and sat down next to them, thigh to thigh, shoulder to shoulder. They sat there catching their breath.

“You guys don’t play fair,” said Trixie.

“Who’s the one who dumped the water on us?” Jim asked. He leaned over to kiss a droplet of water than was running down her nose.

“Who said we had to be fair anyway?” Brian asked. He had placed his arm around Honey’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

Once they had all caught their breath they sat in silence enjoying the peace of each other’s company and the warmth of the sun beating on them. After a few minutes Trixie asked, “I wonder what time it is?”

Jim looked at his watch and said, “Almost four o’clock.”

Trixie sat bolt upright. “I’ve got to go. I told Moms I’d be back in time to help with dinner. She wanted to eat between five and five thirty. I think she and Dad are going on a date tonight.”

She was off the raft and halfway to the dock before the rest of them could even get to their feet.

Jim was able to catch up to Trixie by the time she was out of the water. “Slow down. What’s the hurry?” He saw panic in Trixie’s eyes.

“I don’t want to get into any more trouble with my parents. It will be bad enough that I will be coming in looking like a drowned rat. Who knows what my dad will accuse me of this time.”

By now Honey and Brian were also on the dock. “I’ll head back with you,” Brian said. “If we both show up looking like drowned rats they won’t be suspicious. Besides, it’s warm enough that we should be just about dried off by the time we get home.”

The foursome put their shoes back on and then walked back up to the Manor House. Trixie and Jim lagged behind Brian and Honey so they could have some privacy as they said their good-byes.

“Do you want to do something tonight?” Jim asked Trixie. “Top Gun just came out on video. I picked up a copy with you in mind. We could watch it up here. Miss Trask is around tonight, but Mother and Dad are meeting friends at the Country Club.”

“I’d love to, but I’m not sure what’s up with Bobby. Since Moms and Dad will be out someone will have to keep at least one eye on him,” Trixie said. “On the other hand, Moms did mention that this summer Bobbysitting will not be just my responsibility. I think it should be Brian or Mart’s turn,” Trixie replied.

Jim couldn’t resist pulling Trixie down to kiss her and then pull his curl. “Well, if we have to Bobbysit, I’ll bring the video down to your house. Bobby should be an appropriate chaperone if your dad’s worried.”

Trixie reached on tiptoes to meet Jim in one last kiss before she broke away. “I’ll call you after supper and let you know what the plans are.”

She turned and walked over to Honey and Brian who were locked in a steamy lip lock. “Hey, break it up you two or I’m going to have to go and get another bucket of water to separate you,” Trixie teased.

Honey and Brian jumped apart as if they had been caught in an inappropriate predicament. Jim and Trixie laughed.

Brian’s face turned bright red. He wondered if he would ever be able to have some privacy with Honey. Of course, he should have remembered that he and Honey were not alone.

Brian placed one last kiss on Honey’s sweet lips then he turned to his sister and said, “Let’s get going. If you’re nice I might even help in the kitchen, too.”

Brian and Trixie walked back to Crabapple Farm in uncomfortable silence. Despite the fun the four of them had had this afternoon, Brian still couldn’t help feel guilty over how his dad had treated her last night. No amount of guilt, however, would allow Brian to break his promise to Honey about what had happened the weekend before.

 

 

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