This story is about breast cancer. I know for some it might be difficult if not impossible to read. I understand. I’m not one who likes to give or get spoilers but there are times when they are appropriate. Should you need to know any details before you make the decision to read this please contact me.

Chapter Eleven

Saturday, January 21, 2008

The remainder of the week sped by. Jim and the rest of the Bob-Whites tried their hardest to keep Trixie from overexerting herself. It wasn’t an easy task. Trixie was already bored with sitting around. By Saturday she decided that she could at least try to make dinner. She had sent Jim up to the Academy to get him out of her hair.

That morning, she decided to make her mom’s chocolate cake. As she started to get the ingredients out of the cupboards she realized that it would be a harder task than she anticipated. She was getting really frustrated when Lizzie came in the kitchen.

“Whatcha doin’ Mom?”

“I thought I’d make a chocolate cake for dinner tonight. Want to help?”

Lizzie was eager to help out. Usually she was told that she was too young or that there wasn't enough time. The only problem they had was getting the mixer out. It was too heavy for Lizzie to get out of the cupboard and Trixie couldn’t lift it either. Tears of frustration started to form in Trixie’s eyes when there was a knock on the door.

Trixie opened the door to see Hallie standing there. “You’re just the person I needed to see,” Trixie said. “Could you please get the mixer out? Lizzie and I are making a cake and neither one of us is strong enough to lift it.”

Hallie got out the mixer and sat down. By now Trixie had started to tire. Subtly Hallie took over helping Lizzie mix the cake while Trixie sat on a stool and offered encouragement. Trixie was aware what was happening and was just glad that Hallie was there to help Lizzie finish the task.

When the cake was in the oven and the dishes cleaned up Lizzie went off to play in her room. Trixie got up to get a drink of water. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Water’s fine.”

“Come on. Let’s go into the den. The cake won’t be done for awhile. You can tell me the real reason you came to visit.”

Hallie started to hedge. “I just wanted to see how everything was coming along.”

“Hallie Mangan! I just didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday. A phone call could have found out that information. We’ve been good friends for too long for me to not know that something isn’t right.”

They walked into the den. Hallie plopped herself on the window seat and stared out the window. Trixie sat down on one of the sofas and waited. Hallie was a lot like Trixie and Trixie knew that Hallie would explain everything when she was ready and not before.

“I don’t want to burden you with my problems. You’ve got enough on your plate.”

“Burden me please. I am already tired of sitting around doing nothing. I’m going stir crazy. Besides my brain hasn’t been turned to mush -- yet. I’m all ears.”

Hallie sat staring out the window for a long while. Trixie started to grow impatient but showed restraint and waited.

Finally, Hallie started to talk. “Dan and I had a good time watching the kids while you were in Rochester. They were so good and helped out so much. It made me think about what I’m missing out on.” Hallie paused, and despite her normal impulsiveness Trixie said nothing.

“You know, Dan and I have always talked about eventually having kids. We were seriously starting to discuss it right before he got deployed. His career was going well and my practice had taken off enough for me to be able to pick and choose the cases I wanted to handle. Then Dan went to Iraq.” Hallie stood up and started to pace as she continued. “It was so hard with him away. Sure, I consider myself independent and think I can handle just about anything but being able to, and wanting to, are two different things. I hated that I had to handle all of the crises that arose. When the furnace broke I had to deal with it. The grass needed mowing I either had to do it or arrange for it to be done. Eighteen months of that and I started to resent it. Yet, when Dan returned I had a hard time giving those jobs back to him. I had all of these irrational feelings. I found myself being mad at Dan for leaving. Yet I know it wasn’t his decision to be deployed and I always knew he could be deployed. The National Guard is part of who Dan is. It was just so hard when he was gone. Then I feel guilty about all of this because it’s not like he was on some tropical island sitting around drinking Mai Tai’s all day and soaking up the sun. He was in a very dangerous situation.

“Now that he’s back it seems like we’re walking on eggshells. He can’t tell me what he’s feeling. I know he saw some real atrocities. I’m afraid to say the wrong thing. He’s afraid to say the wrong thing. The only thing I know for sure is that I still love him as much today as the day I married him.”

Trixie got up and walked over to Hallie. She wrapped her arms around her, and despite the discomfort from her incision, gave Hallie an encouraging hug. “Oh, Hallie. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you. And for Dan. I’m no expert but I do know the most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open. Counseling has helped many couples get through this as well.”

“I don’t think I can get Dan to go to counseling. He had such a bad experience before he came to Sleepyside, when he was in high school, that I don’t know if you’d ever get him back, no matter how bad things got.”

“Well, just keep talking and listening, and if need be, yelling. As long as you keep communicating I have to believe things will work out.”

Hallie stood up and started to pace. Her shoulder length black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and it swayed as she paced. “Dan keeps talking about starting a family. Until we spent last week with your kids I just didn’t know. We both enjoyed our time with your kids. Even the occasional arguments didn’t get to us. But I’m scared. I don’t know what I would do with a baby if he got deployed again.”

Trixie sat back down on the sofa and carefully chose her words, “No one but you and Dan can make the decision to have kids. I can tell you one thing. They may cause you heartache and pain sometimes and there are days when I wish I could escape to a deserted island but I never regret having any of our kids. They bring so much joy and love into Jim and my relationship. You also know that all of the Bob-Whites, as well as all of the Beldens, would help out in anyway needed if Dan got deployed again. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last month, it’s that it’s okay to ask for help.”

Just then the timer on the oven rang. Both women got up and headed for the kitchen. Trixie could not resist giving Hallie a quick hug as they left the den. With the cake cooling on racks Hallie asked if there was anything else that needed to be done.

Trixie started to decline Hallie’s offer when she remembered the conversation she just had. “You know, I really could use your help. I thought I was up to making dinner but I’m really getting exhausted. Jim has been so understanding and helpful but he’s starting to drive me crazy hovering around. Could you help me get the rest of dinner together? There’s enough for you and Dan if you can stand the Fraynes after this past week.”

“Where is Jim by the way?”

“I sent him up to the Academy. He’s hardly left my side since we got back from Rochester and he has some big grant application that needs to be completed by the end of the month. Mart and Brenda did as much as they could, but Jim really needs to finish it up.” Trixie started to pull out the ingredients for pot roast and started chopping vegetables. “In addition, he hasn’t been able to spend any spare time with the students. Mart mentioned the kids were starting to worry about him. I think he was going to play basketball with some of the kids later. Matt went up with him as well.”

Hallie and Trixie finished getting the pot roast together. Trixie was really starting to tire, but she was trying to keep going. She just hated these feelings of weakness. She started to stumble walking over to the kitchen table.

“All right, Trixie. I think you’ve had enough. You need to lie down and get some rest.” Hallie said as she steered Trixie out of the kitchen. “Why don’t I take Lizzie and Jenny and head up to the Academy? They can watch their dad play basketball. If they get really bored and restless there is never a shortage of girls at the Academy that want to entertain your two princesses.”

In a sign of how exhausted she really was, Trixie didn’t even put up a token argument. “You know where the girls’ jackets and boots are. Just make sure Jenny keeps her mittens on. She tends to take them off and throw them on the ground.”

Trixie didn’t really have the strength to help get the kids dressed nor did she want to climb the stairs. She pulled a quilt out of a closet and curled up on one of the sofas in the den. Before Hallie and the girls had left the house, Trixie was sound asleep.

Chapter Twelve

Jim had gone up to the Academy early in the morning. Trixie had to practically throw him out the front door. He knew that he had been hovering too much and that Trix needed to have some breathing room. Jim had taken Matt with him and Matt was currently visiting with one of his best friends, Stevie.

The grant application was looming over Jim’s head as well. If it didn’t get completed the Academy would still be able to function, but it would mean that there would be fewer extra-curricular activities and in the summer, the kids would have to spend most of their time at the school instead of going off to camp and other activities away from Sleepyside.

Jim had dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, but it was not his normal attire when he went up to the school. It was the weekend and things were a lot more casual. He had shorts, a T-shirt and basketball shoes up at the school and hoped to be able to get in a little basketball with the kids later. Several of the kids had started to show some bad behaviors by the end of the week. Jim knew part of it was they were worried about Trixie and didn’t know how to express their concerns.

As Jim walked up to the Academy from the house he couldn’t help but reflect on all the efforts his family and friends had made to make the Academy what it was today. While Jim was in high school and college his father had wisely invested Jim's inheritance over the years so that now he had enough money for he and his family to live comfortably as well as to be able to run the school, with help from fund-raisers and government grants.

His parents and the Bob-Whites had still held several benefits to raise funds for the Academy. The positive publicity had been something that no amount of money could buy. After the Academy had opened, one requirement Jim had insisted on regarding fund raising was that there would be student participation in any event.

As Jim approached the main building of the Academy he noticed Dan heading toward the stables. “Mangan, what brings you this way?”

Dan, who had been deep in thought, looked startled when he looked up at Jim. “Just checking to see if Uncle Bill was around. Thought I might borrow a horse and take it for a ride through the preserve for old times’ sake. I haven’t been out to Mr. Maypenny’s cabin in a long time. I really should check on it.”

When Dan had first come to Sleepyside, his Uncle Bill hadn’t been able to really care for him but wanted to be part of his life. Mr. Maypenny had volunteered to take Dan in. Although they had a rough start, Dan knew he wouldn’t be the person he was today without Mr. Maypenny’s guidance. Mr. Maypenny had passed away while Dan was serving in Iraq and Dan was having a hard time coming to terms with his death. Dan had inherited the pie-shaped piece of property and cabin that had been his home during his teenage years. It had been hard to go back to the cabin knowing Mr. Maypenny wouldn’t be there with a pot of hunter’s stew on the wood cook stove.

“I’m sure your uncle wouldn’t object. If he does just tell him the owner of the horses has given you permission to do so,” Jim said with a wink. “I wish I could join you. Trixie practically kicked me out of the house this morning. Apparently I’m hovering too much. Can you imagine me doing that?” he joked.

Dan chuckled at the thought picture Jim’s words brought to mind. “Yeah, I can’t believe Trixie would say something like that. Just because you practically worship the ground she walks on. Why don’t you join me?”

Jim sighed. “I wish I could, but I really have to get some work done. There’s a big grant application that needs to be finished by the end of the month. Most of it’s done and the truth is I want to finish it before Trixie starts chemo. Fortunately, we’ve applied for and received this grant for the last five years so a lot of the information can be pulled off the previous applications.”

“Ugh, paperwork. The thing I hate most about my job is the inordinate amount of paperwork you have to fill out. I don’t envy you.” Dan turned and headed toward the stables as Jim headed toward the school building.

Jim shouted back over his shoulder, “When you’re done riding why don’t you stop by the gym and join me and some of the kids in a pickup game of basketball? Having another adult will even up the teams.”

Dan turned around and hesitated. Before he’d been deployed to Iraq he would have jumped on the invitation. Now something held him back. He’d seen so many atrocities over there. In order to get through it he had to bury his feelings deep within his soul. So far he had been unable to dig them back up. Spending the last week with the Frayne kids had started to bring those caring feelings to the surface again. “I’ll see how things go, okay?”

Dan went to the stables and found his uncle. Bill Regan helped Dan saddle the horse.

“You want some company on this ride?” Regan asked. Regan was troubled by Dan’s behavior since he returned to Sleepyside. On the surface everything seemed fine but there were little things that indicated that Dan had a few demons that he had to deal with.

“Thanks, Uncle Bill. I really need to do this by myself. I haven’t been out to Mr. Maypenny’s since the day after I returned. If I’m not back in a couple hours come and look for me. I’m not planning to go much farther than the cabin.”

There was no mistaking the look of pain in Dan’s eyes as he turned and led the horse out of the stables and mounted him. Dan pointed the horse toward Mr. Maypenny’s and gave the horse its head. He knew he needed to make this trip to the cabin but was in no hurry to get there.

Dan’s unit had been in Baghdad when he received news that Mr. Maypenny had passed away. It had taken Uncle Bill four days to get in touch with Dan. Then to make matters worse because Mr. Maypenny was not a relative Dan was not able to get leave to come home and attend the funeral. That had really hurt since even though there had never been any papers signed, Mr. Maypenny had become the father/grandfather figure that he needed to guide him through his teens and into college.

Mr. Maypenny’s remains had been cremated and his ashes had been scattered on his property, as had been his wishes. On days like today, not having a headstone had frustrated Dan. There was nowhere for Dan to go and “talk” to him. As he approached the cabin Dan unconsciously slowed the horse. Finally he was at the front porch. He dismounted and tied the horse to the porch rail. He dug in his pocket for the key to the cabin, opened the door and slowly walked in.

Dan was not prepared for the emotions that hit him. The cabin was the way it had been since Dan had moved in. There was no fire in the stove, however, and the cabin had lost the permanent smell of hunter’s stew. Dan wandered through the cabin until he got to the room that had been his all those years ago. He sat on the bed and his emotions took over. Tears started to over flow his eyes. He didn’t wail or sob, he just sat staring up at the ceiling as if he was getting ready to talk to God.

“Mr. Maypenny, I sure miss you. Like many people, I didn’t realize what an important part of my life you were until it was too late. Of course I appreciated everything you had done for me over the years but I never realized the wisdom you so subtly instilled in me even two years ago. I never would have made it through these last few years without you.

“I’m so confused. I love Hallie so much. She means the world to me and deep down I know we are meant to be together as much as Jim and Trixie, Diana and Mart, or Brian and Honey. She gets me. There’s so much I want to share with her about my time in Iraq but I just can’t. It was so horrible. The bombings of civilians, the poverty, it was all so horrible. I don’t know if I can ever get over it. I’m tired of not feeling but I don’t know how to get to where I want to be.”

Dan suddenly quit talking. It was if he could hear Mr. Maypenny. Dan stood up and looked around the cabin. He didn’t find what he was looking for so he went outside and looked in the shed. There he found it leaning against the wall waiting for Dan to pick it up.

Dan grabbed it and went outside behind the shed. He smiled as he saw the pile of unchopped wood leaning stacked against the building. Dan picked up the axe and started to chop the wood.

With each swing of the axe, Dan could feel Mr. Maypenny’s presence. Dan remembered all of the things Mr. Maypenny had taught him. On the surface, one would think that Dan had learned wilderness survival skills from the eccentric man but in truth he had learned skills to survive in the world. For each lesson Mr. Maypenny had taught there were unspoken lessons that were also learned.

The axe continued to rhythmically swing, each swing bringing Dan’s spirit back to the surface. His soul felt cleansed. Dan didn’t have any idea how long he had been at it until he glanced as his watch and realized it was almost noon. Quickly he put the axe away and locked up the cabin. He mounted the horse and headed back to the Academy.

As Dan approached the Academy stables he saw Trixie’s Expedition pull up into the parking lot. He started to scold the driver of the car saying she shouldn’t be driving yet when he noticed it was Hallie driving the car. His eyes softened and the smile on his face reached into his eyes for the first time in a very long time.

“Hallie, what brings you this way?” When Hallie had left the house this morning she had very curtly said she was just going out.

A snippy reply was on Hallie’s lips when she looked up and saw the look in Dan’s eyes. She gasped and it took her a minute to compose herself. “I ran over to Trixie’s to see how she was doing. She had been going stir crazy and decided she was up to making dinner. Well, she wasn’t so I helped get everything put together then brought Jenny and Lizzie up to watch their dad play basketball.” That explained why Hallie had the Expedition. It was a lot easier than moving the car seats to Hallie’s car.

Dan had dismounted and had walked over to the car. As Hallie got out of the car and turned around Dan bent down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Hallie looked up into Dan’s eyes. All she saw was love. The bitterness and frustration had disappeared.

“Where have you been?” Hallie asked.

“I decided to go out to the cabin. I hadn’t been out there for awhile,” Dan glanced sheepishly at Hallie. “I chopped a lot of wood.”

Hallie nodded. For as long as Hallie had known him, whenever Dan was troubled he would go out and chop wood. It had proved to be better therapy than visiting a psychologist. She reached up and returned Dan’s kiss. “Let’s talk later.”

By now Lizzie and Jenny were anxious to get out of the car. Lizzie had undone her seat and was ready to bound out the door. As the door opened Lizzie started to bolt in her excitement.

“Uncle Dan, I’m so glad to see you. I missed you.”

“Whoa there, you don’t want to spook the horse.” Dan caught Lizzie by the arm.

“What brings you up here?” Dan asked.

“Mommy was tired so Aunt Hallie brought us up to watch Daddy play basketball,” Lizzie didn’t sound really thrilled with the idea.

“Your dad asked me to join him in the game. Why don’t you come with me down to the stables? Hallie and Jenny can go find your dad and tell them we’ll be down as soon as we’ve groomed the horse.”

Lizzie could hardly contain her excitement. She knew not to make any sudden noises to spook the horse. Going to the stables to visit with Regan was one of her favorite spots at the school.

Dan had started to lift Lizzie into the saddle when he remembered the school rule about all children wearing a helmet when they rode. Adults wore them when they were around the children but the rules relaxed a bit when they weren’t. Together Lizzie and Dan walked hand and hand to the stables leading the horse.

Dan and Lizzie met up with Jim, Hallie, and Jenny a short time later. Matt was still playing with Stevie but would meet them in the gym in time to play basketball.

“Are you ready to be taken down, Frayne?” challenged Dan.

Jim was taken aback by Dan’s change in attitude. While he was putting the finishing touches on the grant application Jim had tried to come up with all kinds of arguments to convince Dan to join them.

“I think you’re delusional. I’m taking you down.” Jim put his signature on the application and placed it in the folder for Brenda and Mart to review. Then he got up from his chair. “Have you eaten anything?” he asked.

“No, unfortunately there was no hunter’s stew on the stove out at the cabin,” Dan replied.

Jim looked at him in surprise. Up until now Dan could not even talk about Mr. Maypenny or the cabin without shutting down completely. Jim sensed that Dan had some sort of breakthrough but decided that Dan would tell him when the time was right.

“Well, I’ve got some fruit and a couple of granola bars. Will that tide you over until dinner? Hallie tells me that she and my wife have it cooking in the crock pot as we speak.”

“That should do it. I don’t want to eat a lot before I take you on,” Dan challenged.

Dan and Jim grabbed a few snacks and then headed to the gymnasium with Hallie, Lizzie and Jenny. They ran into a couple of high school girls who couldn’t wait to spend some time with Lizzie and Jenny. The older girls loved to practice the babysitting skills that Jim insisted all students in the middle school learn.

Hallie grabbed Dan’s hand as the continued on to the gymnasium. She stopped Dan and reached up to gently kiss him on the lips. Jim continued on toward the gym chit chatting away, not noticing that the other couple had stopped. When Dan didn’t respond to a question he had asked, Jim looked up and realized they were no longer with him. Looking back and seeing what was happening, Jim smiled and continued on to the gym.

Before Jim headed into the gym he made a call home to see if Trixie needed anything. He admitted to himself that he was checking up on Trixie. Part of him wished he could not worry so much and let Trixie rest. Years ago both he and Trixie realized that part of his nature was to worry about those he loved. After one particularly volatile argument when Trixie was involved with a murder investigation they decided that Jim would worry and Trixie would continue with her work. The qualities that drove one another crazy were also qualities that they loved about each other.

Trixie had just woken up and was getting a bite to eat when Jim called. She was considering walking up to the Academy to watch the basketball game. Jim noticed that Jenny could barely keep her eyes open and suggested Hallie bring her back to the house for her afternoon nap. Hallie was more than happy to oblige.

Jim and Dan met up with the kids in the gym. As it turned out several girls were ready to join in the game as well. Jim divided the teams up trying to evenly balance them. A lively game was played and after about an hour the game was tied. Jim and Dan spent most of their time coaching the kids and didn’t actually play much. They agreed to play for five more minutes and at the end of that time Dan’s team was ahead.

“I told you that you were going down, Dr. Jim,” said Dan.

“Well, your team won fair and square, Detective Mangan,” Jim said. “Let’s get cleaned up and head back home. I’m sure Trixie and Hallie could use some help with dinner. I want to take a quick shower before we leave.”

By the time Hallie made it back down to Ten Acres Jenny was sound asleep and Trixie had lain down to take another nap. Hallie was glad to have some time alone to process all that had happened with Dan today.

She still couldn’t get over what appeared to be a sudden change in Dan’s attitude. The more she thought about it, however, the more she realized that these decisions were not that sudden. Years of living with Dan had taught Hallie that when things bothered him, Dan tended to hold his emotions close to his chest and shut people out. Then he’d go out and chop wood. As he chopped the wood something would happen that would allow him to find a solution to his problems. After this had happened a few times Hallie had realized that Dan could not explain what happened and she just accepted it. And so Hallie accepted what appeared to be Dan’s sudden change of heart.

Hallie also thought about how she had contributed to their problems. She knew that she was not being fair to Dan by resenting his military commitment. Dan had enlisted in the National Guard when he started college. She knew that she had been unreasonable. Part of her wanted to be a “liberated” woman who could take care of herself. The other part of her didn’t want to have to worry about all the traditional manly duties of running a household. If she never had to mow the lawn or worry about car issues again she wouldn’t complain. It was the resentment of these conflicts that started her unreasonable resentment of Dan. She finally realized that it was okay to not want to do all things for all people.

While Trixie and Jenny slept, Hallie went into the kitchen to make some healthy snacks. She knew from experience how hungry Dan got after playing a game of pickup basketball. While she worked putting together a meat and cheese tray calm settled over her. For the first time since before Dan had been deployed to Iraq she felt at peace with herself and her relationship with her husband. She truly felt that whatever the outcome of the discussions they would have over the next few months she would survive.

At about three o’clock Jenny woke from her nap and wanted to play. Hallie got her up and changed and then took her down to the den. Jenny had just discovered the fun of building a block tower and then toppling it over. When Dan, Jim, Matt and Lizzie returned that is where they found Jenny and Hallie.

Dan walked into the den to see Hallie standing on her tiptoes trying to put another cardboard block on the tower. Jenny was jumping from one foot to the other clapping her hands and yelling, “More, more.”

As soon as Hallie had the last block in place Jenny ran over and toppled it down. Then Jenny started to belly laugh at the results. Dan surprised Hallie when he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her neck. Dan was only a few inches taller than Hallie’s five foot eleven inch frame.

“I don’t know who’s having more fun,” he commented, “you or Jenny.”

Hallie turned into Dan’s arms and rested her head on his shoulder and said, “I think it’s a tie.”

When Jenny spied Dan she ran over to him lifted her hands in the air and said, “Up Unca Dan, up.”

“Not until you pick up this mess you made,” he replied. Jenny started to protest but one look at Dan and then Hallie and she knew they meant business. With the three of them working they were soon giggling as they picked up all of the blocks and put them away. By the time they had finished Jenny had forgotten she wanted to be picked up and took off looking for her brother and sister to bother.

Hallie and Dan left the den, arm in arm, and headed to the kitchen. Hallie set out the snacks she had put together just as Jim came through the door. The three Frayne children followed behind them. Jenny was trailing behind trying to catch up to Lizzie and Matt.

“Trixie’s still sleeping. She must have really overdone it this morning.” Jim said.

“Turn off your worry machine, Jim. She pretty much sat and watched while Lizzie and I did the cooking. You would have been proud of her. She didn’t complain once about what she couldn’t do and really was content to just sit, watch and offer a little advice here and there. You should be proud of Lizzie, too. She was a great help, especially when it came to making the cake.”

Lizzie’s face glowed with the compliment. She always wanted to be more help in the kitchen. Usually she was told that it was too difficult or there wasn’t enough time.

“Lizzie has become quite the helper these last few months. She doesn’t complain too much when she has to entertain Jenny either,” Jim commented.

A few minutes later Trixie made her way down to the kitchen. Jim walked over and put his arm around her and gave her a kiss on her head. Trixie turned her face into his and returned the kiss on his cheek.

“I was a lot more tired than I thought,” she commented. Trixie reached for a glass and filled it with water before joining Dan, Hallie and the kids at the table.

Matt started to tell about the basketball game. “Mom, you should have seen it! We were tied up and Stevie had the ball! He passed it to me even though Dan was open as well! I took one bounce and whoosh, nothing but net. It was my first three pointer! I smoked Dad!”

Hallie looked at Trixie and said, “Looks like the most wonderful son in the world is taking after the most wonderful man in the world.” Over twenty years before, Trixie had described Jim as “the most wonderful boy in the world”. None of the Bob-Whites or honorary Bob-Whites ever passed up a chance to tease her about it. In twenty years Trixie never failed to blush when she was teased about it and today was no different.

“What can I say, it must be something in their genes,” Trixie replied.

The pot roast was just about done. In quick order the table was set and everyone sat down to eat. The conversation revolved around activities at the Academy as well as speculation about whether Bob and Tanya’s baby would be a girl or boy.

With everyone’s help it didn’t take long to get the kitchen cleaned up. Hallie and Dan helped the kids get ready for bed so that Jim and Trixie could have a little time to themselves. By eight o’clock the kids were in their beds. Lizzie and Matt were reading and Jenny was asleep. Dan and Hallie left with promises to check in later in the week to see how things were going.

 

 

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