rated *

The Baby Broker

by Kay Lynn

 

Chapter 1

"Why is the bus turning down this road?" Trixie asked her best friend Honey Wheeler while they stared out the bus window. "I mean, I thought Tad Webster didn't ride the bus in the mornings."

Honey shrugged as the bus pulled to a stop in front of Mrs. Vanderpoel's driveway.

"Who's that?" Diana asked the other two as they saw the short, petite dark-haired girl standing in front of Mrs. V's house. The girl quietly got on the bus and, ignoring everyone, sat on the front seat.

"I wonder if she's related to Mrs. Vanderpoel?" Honey whispered to the others.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Trixie stated resolutely. Today was the first day of the girls’ freshmen year at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High and there was nothing she'd like better than a mystery to solve.

The day went by quickly, as the girls searched for classes they'd signed up for at the end of the last school term and later, in the auditorium, all three girls signed up for the drama club as Mart and Dan signed up for wrestling and Brian and Jim signed up for the science club, since the school had a floating lab on the Hudson River and they thought this would be a great opportunity for research. Trixie was glad when the school day finally ended and it was time to go home. She was meeting Honey later this afternoon for horseback riding and the chance to talk. She had hoped that all the Bob-Whites would be going, but the guys were all busy with part time jobs and Diana was going last minute school shopping with her mother.

At home, Trixie finished her chores and changed into an old pair of jeans and trudged up the hill to the manor house. While she walked, she contemplated the changes everything they were involved in could mean to the Bob-Whites. In the past, they had never really participated in extracurricular activities and had not had part time jobs. This would be a first. Trixie felt concerned about it. She wondered if there would be time for Bob-White meetings and she didn't want the group to lose the closeness they'd always shared, nor did she want the club to just kind of fade away, as the BWGs met less and less and spent less time together. As she crossed the yard to the stables, she saw Celia, the Wheelers' maid step out the back door and head for the path to the lake where she and Tom had lived the past two years in a little camper that Mr. Wheeler had given to them. Trixie smile at Celia, but it appeared that Celia didn't see her. "Hi Celia," Trixie said. Celia had her head down, but she looked up as she came face to face with Trixie and Trixie was sure she saw Celia dash a tear away with the back of her hand.

"Hi, Trixie," the pretty maid said, not even stopping to talk.

"Celia, are you alright?" Trixie asked concerned, she knew that Celia was always friendlier than this.

"I'm fine," Celia said curtly and kept right on going.

When Trixie arrived at the stables, she saw that Honey was already there waiting for her. "I just saw Celia heading toward her trailer and she looked like she was crying and she barely spoke," Trixie told her, in that breathless way Trixie had of speaking.

"I know," said Honey as she saddled Lady. "She's been upset for several days."

"Is there any thing we can do to help?" Trixie asked as she quickly saddled Susie.

"No, I don't think so." Honey said as both girls led the horses out of the stable and climbed on. "Come on.  I'll tell you more about it as we ride."

The two girls headed off into the Wheeler game preserve, first at a trot, and then they gradually began to slow down and ride side by side so they could talk. "So, what's wrong with Celia?" Trixie finally asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"She wants to have a baby really bad. And she's found out that she has a medical condition that makes having one of her own a chance of like ninety-eight percent, which means she probably will never have children."

"Oh, that's terrible!" Trixie exclaimed. "I know how much she and Tom want kids."

"They've bought the old house on Telegraph Road from Daddy," Honey told her. "They planned on remodeling and fixing it up in anticipation of having a family and now, they don't believe they can ever have children."

"Can't they adopt?" Trixie asked.

"Well, there are many people out there wanting children, particularly newborns, and it's really hard to find a baby which isn't already spoken for. Most adoption agencies put you on a waiting list and it can take years for your name to come up, but they're looking into other options. The reason I know this is because I overheard Celia talking to the cook the other day. So, please don't mention it to anyone."

"Oh, I wouldn't," Trixie reassured her. "I just wish there was a way we could help."

The girls rode a little longer, then went back to the stables and put the horses away and everything in its place as Regan demanded. 

Trixie headed down the path toward home.

"Moms, I'm home!" Trixie yelled as she came in the front door.

"It's your night to set the table," Moms reminded her as Trixie headed to the bathroom to wash her hands.

In the kitchen, she took the pink rose printed china out of the cupboard. Her mind wasn't on the table setting, but on Tom and Celia. She knew that Tom had always wanted a family. He sort of adopted the Belden kids when they were younger and he had always loved children.  I don't know how I'd feel if I found out I couldn't have children, Trixie thought, feeling sad for Tom and Celia.  I wouldn't want them any time soon, but someday... She daydreamed about a little red-haired boy with a freckled face and a little girl with curly blonde hair.

"Trixie, hurry up. Your father is going to be coming in the door at any minute," Moms said, startling Trixie who had been lost in thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Moms," she replied.

Trixie's mother put the fragrant roast beef smothered in onion gravy on the table. It was followed by garden peas from last summer's garden, delicately seasoned with bacon, along with mashed potatoes and Moms' yeast rolls with butter. And for dessert, a chocolate Italian cream cake--one of Moms' new recipes.

Later, when the whole family was seated around the table, laughing and talking and telling how each had spent their day, Trixie didn't really join in. Her mind was on Tom and Celia. She looked at her family and listened to them talk animatedly and knew this was the life the Delanoys would've wanted and she hoped that they could find a way to have that.

 

Chapter 2

"I thought about Tom and Celia all last night," Trixie told Honey at school the next day. "I wish there was some way we could help them."

"I know," said Honey. "But this isn't a situation we can fix. I'm sure they're looking into other alternatives."

Trixie forced her thoughts away from Tom and Celia as she noticed the new girl. She had ridden the bus again this morning, and Trixie still didn't know what she was doing at Mrs. Vanderpoel's. Trixie noticed her alone in the hallway. She didn't seem to have made any friends, but, of course, it was only the second day of school. "Honey, why don't we introduce ourselves to the new girl?" Trixie suggested. "She doesn't seem to have any friends."

"Sure," said Honey, a wave of compassion sweeping over her as she looked at the girl standing alone looking lost and forlorn. Trixie and Honey crossed the wide front hall to where the girl was.

"Hi," said Trixie.

"Hi," said the new girl in a way that didn't seem friendly to Trixie.

"I'm Trixie Belden and this is my best friend Honey Wheeler. We've seen you getting off and on the bus at Mrs. Vanderpoel's and we just wanted to introduce ourselves." Trixie and Honey both felt awkward as the girl just stood there. Finally, Honey said, "And your name is?"

"Ginna," the girl said curtly and turned away from them.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," Honey said, grabbing Trixie's arm to pull her away.

Trixie, undaunted by the girl's unfriendliness, snatched her arm away from Honey and asked, "Are you related to Mrs. Vanderpoel?" Trixie expected the girl to give her another curt reply, but, at least, it would be an answer to her question.  But the girl just turned and walked away from her. "Can you believe that?" Trixie asked Honey incredulously. "I guess she just doesn't want any friends."

"You don't know that," Honey said patiently. "She may not know how to relate to people, or someone may have been unfriendly to her since she's been here. We don't know."

"I know all that," Trixie told her. "But that didn't give her the right to act like she just did."

Afterwards, the day went by very quickly. Trixie was glad to get to go straight home that day.  Drama Club practice didn't start until next week.  When that started, she would be staying after school  on Tuesdays and Thursdays. "Bye, Diana! Bye, Honey!" she yelled as she got off the bus.

Mart and Dan didn't ride the bus in the afternoons anymore. They would either be working part time or staying for wrestling practice. Jim and Brian had after school jobs, also. So, Trixie trudged up the long driveway by herself. She wouldn't be going to Honey's this afternoon because Moms had told her that she wanted the upstairs closet cleaned out.

"Hey, Moms, I'm home," Trixie called to her mother. She headed to the kitchen where Moms would be preparing dinner at this time of day.

"Trixie," Moms said,"I had some extra time on my hands and I went ahead and cleaned out the closet this morning. I found a couple of pans I had stuck in the back that Mrs. Vanderpoel left here when the Sleepyside Garden Club had their summer garden luncheon in June and I want you to take them to her."

"Sure," Trixie said nonchalantly, grabbing a cookie out of the cookie jar. Inwardly, she was thrilled that she would get to go to Mrs. Vanderpoel's house. She could find out who the new girl was and maybe find out why she was so unfriendly. "Do you want me to take Bobby along?" Trixie asked her mother.

"No. Bobby has gone to a "back to school" party at the Lynch twins' house. They'll drop him off before dinner. I was over there earlier and Velma Lynch had ordered a cake shaped like a school bus and had decorated the room in bold red, blue, yellow and green. It was really cute."

"Wow, this is great, Trixie thought as she headed through the woods to Mrs. Vanderpoel's. I get to not do chores, not deal with Bobby, and to solve a mystery, all in one afternoon. Life doesn't get any better than this! She skipped along the path toward Mrs. Vanderpoel's house. She arrived at the front door and knocked.

Mrs. Vanderpoel came to the door. "Come, in child. It's so good to see you." Trixie hugged Mrs. Vanderpoel and then handed her the pans she had brought. She followed Mrs. Vanderpoel to the kitchen.

"Spider and Tad are gone this afternoon and my niece Ginna is staying with me, but she isn't here right now. I assume you probably saw her on the bus and at school?" She kept up a running commentary as she opened the ancient wood cabinets and stuck the pans inside. Then, turning around to face Trixie, she said, "I'm baking windmill cookies to take to one of my neighbors who is sick and I'm so glad you came."

"Yummy!" Trixie said as she recognized the fragrant aroma of the  many different kinds of spices that it took to bake the cookies. She realized she hadn't had Mrs. Vanderpoel's windmill cookies in a long time.

"This is such a nice time to for you to visit and I want us to catch up on what the Bob-Whites are doing these days. I so seldom see any of you. It's been ages in fact."

"I know," said Trixie.  "We all think of you often. We’ll have to get together and come for a visit one Saturday."

"That would be wonderful," she said as she handed Trixie a tall glass of milk and put the huge platter of cookies on the table. "Help yourself, child. And I don't want to hear any of that nonsense about watching your weight. You don't eat like this everyday and once in awhile isn't going to hurt you."

"Oh, we eat a lot," Trixie assured her, laughing as she pulled out the old heavy mahogany chair and sat down. "But I  seldom get windmill cookies, so I'm going to eat my fill of them," she said as she helped herself to about three of the cookies. "So, Ginna is your niece?" Trixie asked Mrs. Vanderpoel as she took a bite of the warm, soft cookie.

"She's actually my great-niece, my sister's granddaughter." Trixie knew she didn't have to say much, because Mrs. Vanderpoel would fill her in on all the details. "I don't want you to tell anyone this, but it'll get out eventually. She's pregnant. She's only fifteen, but her parents sent her here so she could go to school. She's only a month and a half along, so she won't be showing any time soon. Ginna's a very shy girl and not very much accepted by her peers and even though pregnancy out of wedlock is a lot more common now than it was in my day, her parents felt that she would've been unmercifully teased. She had a group of girls that picked on her at school anyway. They made fun of her clothes and her hair; she'd go home crying every day. So, when she found that she was expecting, she came here. Of course, she may be teased at Sleepyside High when she starts showing. She's so young to be going through all this."

That explains her unfriendliness, Trixie thought to herself. She's probably had people pretend to be friends with her just to have the chance to tease. "That's sad," Trixie said. "To have to leave home and to be pregnant so young."

"Yes, it is," agreed Mrs. Vanderpoel as she took a drink of milk. "But what's done is done. Of course, she's giving the baby up for adoption."

"She is?" asked Trixie curiously. Excitedly, she had a thought. "If she's giving the baby up, why doesn't she have Tom and Celia adopt it? The baby, I mean."

"Yes, Trixie," said Mrs. Vanderpoel, smiling. "I've thought about it. Lord knows those two young ones want a baby so badly. I feel so sorry for them. If you wonder how I know, the Wheelers' cook is an old and dear friend of mine." She noted the puzzled look on Trixie's face. "But the arrangements have already been made. There's a couple waiting to adopt. In fact, that's where Ginna is this afternoon. She's gone to a doctor's appointment and the couple that's going to adopt the baby are meeting her there. This nice man, Mr. Marcum, picked Ginna up to take her for her appointment. He's in charge of arranging these adoptions and he's going to make sure Ginna gets ten thousand dollars once the baby is born. That will go in a savings account for college. Her father is my nephew and they have six children. Ginna's the oldest and without help she won't be able to go to college."

Ten thousand dollars? I wonder how much money this Mr. Marcum is getting? she asked herself, but she didn't trouble Mrs. Vanderpoel with that thought.

Trixie visited a little longer and it wasn't long before it was time for her to go. "Oh, it's starting to get late," Trixie said. "Mrs. Vanderpoel, I always enjoy visiting you." She hugged her.

"Wait just a minute. I'm not letting you get away without some of my windmill cookies." She quickly wrapped the cookies up for Trixie to take with her.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Trixie laughed.

"Say hello to your parents and all the other BWG's for me," Mrs. Vanderpoel said as Trixie headed out the door.

 

Chapter 3

The week was finally over and Friday was here. Of course, the first football game of the season would be tonight and Trixie and Honey had been waiting all week for Jim and Brian to ask them. This would be their first real date. Mart had already asked Diana. But then the girls found out from Dan during lunch that Brian and Jim would have to work late this afternoon. Trixie went home disappointed. She got busy and quickly finished her chores at home, then, with Moms' permission, ran over to Honey's house. Trixie was determined not to miss the first ballgame of the season, with or without Jim Frayne.

As she walked to the front of the house, she noticed a nice, late model sports car parked in Honey's driveway, one of those deals that she knew probably cost like thirty thousand dollars.  She wondered whose car it could be.  Maybe Mr. Wheeler had bought it for Jim. She quickly ran up the steps and rang the doorbell.

"Come in," Honey said.

"Did Jim get a new car?" Trixie asked curiously, looking back toward the driveway.

"Oh no," said Honey smiling. "I don't think Jim would want anything that flashy. That's a guy who's here to see Tom and Celia."

"Really? Is it about adoption?" Trixie asked as she and Honey headed up the stairs to Honey's room.

"Actually, it is," Honey told her as they went in and closed the door.   They collapsed on each of Honey's dainty twin beds facing each other. "Here's the latets scoop. Mrs. Vanderpoel told them about this man who works for a company that arranges adoptions, his name is Larry Marcum."

"Yeah, I know about him." Trixie told Honey about her conversation earlier in the week with Mrs. Vanderpoel.  She had mentioned Ginna, but never told Honey the whole story.

"Well," said Honey, "Mr. Marcum finds expectant young girls or maybe couples that have no money and too many children and he finds good homes for their babies. The adoptive parents only have to pay a moderate price, so couples like Tom and Celia can afford it."

"Don't Tom and Celia have other alternatives?" asked Trixie.

"There are other things they could possibly do," Honey told her. "Once again, Trixie, this is confidential. Celia tells the cook everything. I was doing homework the other day in the study downstairs and again I just happened to hear them talking in the hallway. Tom and Celia have looked into many things, like,  surrogate parenting, where Tom would be the father of the child, but someone else would be the mother. This would be done through a doctor's office, of course. Then, there's going through a traditional adoption agency, which could mean waiting for several years. Then, there are fertility drugs, which the doctor said may or may not work because of Celia's condition. There's the chance of adopting a baby from another country, but you can run into all kinds of bureaucratic red tape with that. Tom and Celia have only a minimal amount of money to spend and all of these options would be risky at best. Once they've spent their money well... Anyway, Celia wants to do something that's sure."

"I'm surprised they have any money," Trixie said. "I mean, I know your dad pays them well, but..."

"Well, once again, I'm privy to information I shouldn't know. Celia and Tom have saved most every paycheck they earned since working with Daddy. They've eaten with us, so they haven't had to buy groceries, they drive the same old vehicle Tom had when they got married, and when they can, they use our cars. They have lived in the little camper. So, they haven't had many bills.  And Celia's grandfather died and left her something like forty thousand dollars and Tom had some savings when they got married. Altogether, they have something like seventy-five thousand dollars, minus ten thousand they gave Daddy on the down payment for the house. They need some for renovation of the house. They plan to put the remainder toward finding a way to adopt a baby. Mr. Marcum is the first person they've talked to that's made them feel that this was a sure thing and he said his agency usually gets more than the fifty thousand Tom and Celia are going to pay, but he's doing this as a favor to Tom and Celia because he really likes them and thinks they'll make good parents."

"He only gives those girls like ten thousand," Trixie said angrily, thinking about Mrs. Vanderpoel's niece Ginna.

"Well, if he works for a company, Trixie," said Honey, wondering why Trixie was so angry, "he has overhead costs. You know, employee salaries, office supplies, legal counsel, and building space. Ten thousand is probably generous when you think of all that. And, he is based out of New York City, where everything is very expensive."

"That's true," said Trixie. "But I still don't trust him. Something doesn't feel right." She rolled over on her back and fluffed her pillow and then changed the subject. "How can we go to the ballgame tonight?"

"I think I can get Tom to drop us off. We can catch a cab to get home or I can call him to pick us up."

"As long as I get to go, we can walk home for all I care. You know? The least Jim and Brian could do is say 'Look, I'm working all the time and doing school stuff, but I do want to date you.' I mean, they don't tell us anything. Or they could say drop dead, I never plan to date you. I want my first kiss to be from Jim, I want my first date to be with him, but I'm getting a little tired of waiting. I mean, I remember a couple of years ago when he called me his special girl, and I've had an awful lot of his fond looks, but I'm ready for some kind of action!" Trixie rememered earlier today at school when a cute guy in math class had acted interested in her. She had sort of ignored him because she thought Jim would be taking her to the ball game tonight.

"I know the feeling," Honey told her. "I want Brian to be all those things to me for the first time. But the homecoming dance is coming in October. The Harvest dance in November. The Jingle Bell dance in December, the Sweetheart dance in February. Plus, whatever we do in between times. And there's the prom. Jim and Brian are juniors this year and I would like to go to the prom. But this is our freshman year and I don't want to miss anything. Even tonight, the first ballgame of the season and they're not available. They haven't even hinted that they would take us if they were.  Nick Roberts walked me to class today and I kind of like him and I'm just not going to wait on Brian forever!" Honey declared, flopping over onto her back and hugging her pillow.

"I guess we should give them a little longer and then maybe it's time to move on," Trixie said, even though that wasn't what she really wanted. She rolled off Honey's bed and stood up. "I'd better go home and get ready for tonight. I want to see the Sleepyside Catamounts beat the White Plains Bears."

Tom and Celia and the conversation she had had earlier in the week, with Mrs. Vanderpoel, were now off her mind as she headed down the stairs and out the front door. She stood on the steps just for a minute before heading home. The front door opened and she heard Celia saying, "Thanks so much, Mr. Marcum. I'm pretty sure Tom and I are going to go with your agency. Thanks for all your help. We'll let you know Monday afternoon after we've discussed it further."

"Certainly, Mrs. Delanoy," said a very smooth, refined masculine voice. He didn't see Trixie when he came out. She had stepped backwards toward the porch furniture and was sort of hidden in the shadows. A man of about thirty stepped out. He was very handsome and, with his dark Armani suit and his wing tip shoes, he looked very much the up and coming executive. He took the steps two at a time, whistling as he walked, then he got in his sports car and drove away.

I sure hope Tom and Celia aren't getting into something that's going to cost them all their money and lead to terrible heartache, Trixie thought. I hope I can find a way to prove  whether or not Mr. Marcum is on the up and up before that happens.

 

Chapter 4

Trixie rushed up the stairs at home and took a quick shower. Then she went into her bedroom and put on her new black hip-hugger jeans. They were part of her school clothes, but she hadn't worn them cause she'd been saving them for tonight. They make me look so slender,  she thought, looking in the full length mirror at the end of the hall.. She put on a thin royal blue peasant blouse and applied the foundation makeup Honey had given her, which covered up her freckles, along with some very light eyeliner and mascara and some pale pink lipstick. After putting straightener on her hair and blow drying it straight down the sides, with just the ends curled, she completed her dress ensemble with a pair of black shoes.

"How nice you look," said her mother as she came down the stairs.

"Thanks," Trixie said, smiling. "Moms, is it alright if I ask Honey to spend the night after the game?" 

"Of course," said her mother. "You know Honey is welcome here any time."

Tom picked her up and drove her and Honey to the game. He was extra talkative tonight and seemed really happy. As Trixie listened to him and Honey discuss who they each thought would win the game tonight, she guessed he was so animated because of his and Celia's meeting with Mr. Marcum this afternoon. After telling Tom goodbye, Trixie and Honey paid for their tickets at the gate and quickly found a seat up on in the bleachers.

Honey looked absolutely stunning tonight in a pair of indigo blue jean hip huggers and a red peasant blouse very similar to Trixie's. They sat there watching the game when someone came up beside Trixie and sat down.

"Hi," a familiar male voice said shyly.

Trixie looked to see who had sat down by her. "Hi," she said, equally as shy as she recognized the guy who had been talking to her in Math class today. She remembered his name was Jason Ledford. Trixie looked awkwardly toward Honey and noticed Nick Roberts had come up and sat beside her. Trixie felt a little shy as she didn't know how to make conversation with him, since she didn't know what they possibly had in common. "It looks like it's going to be a great game, doesn't it?" Trixie finally said, unable to think of anything else to say. That sounded stupid,  she thought, mentally kicking herself.

"Sure," he said. "But the other team's not that good. They lost six games out of ten last year."

"Oh," said Trixie, unable to think of anything else to say.

"At halftime, I'm going to the concession stand, would you like a Coke and maybe some nachos or a burger or something?" he asked.

"Sure," Trixie said. "I'd like a Coke, just a Coke, I mean." She felt too shy to let him buy her something to eat, even though she realized she hadn't eaten lunch nor her after school snack this afternoon, cause she had been in such a hurry to get over to Honey's house. She'd actually love a grilled burger and some nachos, but she wasn't about to try to balance food and a drink in her lap while sitting in these bleachers. She looked over at Honey. Honey and Nick seemed to be having a lively conversation. Trixie noticed that Honey didn't seem to be feeling shy like she was. Of course, it was probably easier to make conversation with Nick, since they had known him awhile.

The four of them stood up and yelled when someone made a touchdown and afterward they all sat down. Jason moved over a little closer to Trixie and that's when Trixie looked up and noticed Brian and Jim heading up the bleachers, through the crowd, toward them. "Could you move over, buddy?" Jim asked Jason. Without waiting for an answer,   he squeezed in between Trixie, pushing Jason over.

"Sure," Jason said, looking puzzled as he stood up to leave.

"Hi Nick," Brian said, shaking Nick's hand. "How's it going? You don't mind if I sit next to Honey, do you?"  He began to sit, leaving Nick no choice but to scramble over away from her.

It's a good thing we picked a part of the bleachers that isn't real crowded, Trixie thought.

"I'll see you later, Honey," Nick said as he and Jason quickly stood up to leave.

Trixie and Honey looked at each other incredulously. The four sat side by side, watching the game. Trixie felt partly annoyed by the way the guys were acting so possessive. She didn't like the way they had treated Jason and Nick. But, on the other hand, she felt secretly thrilled. Maybe Jim did like her "like that" after all. She glanced over at Honey and they shared a smile. She knew Honey was thinking the same thing. Jim coughed and raised his arm up for a minute and was about to put it around Trixie's shoulders when their team made a touchdown. Everyone, including Jim and Brian, jumped up and started cheering.  Rats! Trixie thought.

When the game was over, Jim never did get around to putting his arm around Trixie again, but, as they were leaving the stadium, he did grab her hand and lead her through the crowds to the Bob-White wagon. Honey and Brian sat in the front seat and Jim and Trixie had just climbed in the back when Mart and Diana came up to the vehicle. Mart tapped on Brian's window and Brian quickly rolled it down. "Hey,  are you guys going to Wimpy's?" Mart asked. "If so, save us a seat."

Trixie knew that Wimpy's was always crowded after a ball game. Trixie felt excited.   First, she'd get to be with Jim even more, and second, a Wimpy's hamburger and fries, with an ice cold Coke would taste so good right now. She was starving.

"No, I don't think we're going," Brian said.

Trixie and Honey exchanged disappointed glances. Everyone went to Wimpy's after the game.

Brian and Jim were quiet as they took the girls home. They made small talk, but both boys yawned all the way to Crabapple Farm. When they got there, Brian pulled up to the driveway and said, "We'll see you tomorrow, hopefully. I'm spending the night at Manor House because we're getting up at five o'clock in the morning to go down the Hudson River with the Science Club." The guys were so tired, they didn't even walk Honey and Trixie to the front door. Brian shone the car lights for the girls and then left when they were safely inside.

"Well," said Trixie as they walked into the cozy living room. "I can't believe they just assumed we'd rather come home instead of going to Wimpy's."

"I can't either," said Honey. "They assume a lot and I'm getting tired of it."

"Let's raid the refrigerator," Trixie suggested.

Trixie set out glasses and plates, then took out ham and potato salad, and grabbed some bread out of the breadbox for sandwhiches. Honey munched her ham sandwich with a preoccupied look, as she and Trixie quietly sat at the table.. Trixie was very much in love with Jim Frayne and she had been since she was thirteen. She was sure that Honey felt the same about Brian and she wanted her to feel that way about him. She once again felt that little nagging fear that she'd been feeling lately, that if they started dating outside the group and participating in activities outside of it, the Bob-Whites would eventually grow apart and would disband. As she thought of this, she wished she could force Brian to be open with Honey about how he felt. She really believed that Brian liked Honey a lot, but he didn't really know how to show it. Trixie wanted to console Honey, because she knew that Honey was upset over the way things had gone tonight.

Finally, Honey started talking. "You know, I like Brian a lot," Honey said, finishing her sandwich and getting up to grab a couple of Moms' cinnamon cookies out of the old-fashioned cookie jar. "But I've waited almost two years. I'm almost fifteen. This is my freshman year of high school and I want to enjoy it. I want to attend all the dances, I want to have a date at least one night of every weekend. When I get older, I don't want to look back on this time and realize that I sat home on Friday and Saturday nights and missed having fun because I was waiting for Brian to acknowledge me. I feel like you're willing to wait for Jim like that, but, Trixie, this time in our lives will never happen again and I think we should live it to the fullest. I don't want to get really serious about anyone, except maybe Brian, if there is ever a chance for that, but I want to start dating.  I don't want to wait till I'm twenty to go on my first date."

"The question is are Jim and Brian worth waiting for?" Trixie asked, hoping that Honey would deduce that they were.

"Of course, they are," replied Honey. "I've never known anyone like Brian. And even though I like Nick, he doesn't compare in anything with Brian."

 

Chapter 5

The weekend was over too soon for Trixie as she rolled out of bed on Monday morning. She felt troubled by several things as she stood in front of the mirror brushing her teeth. For one thing, she was concerned for Tom and Celia. She had read things in the past about babies being sold illegally by unscrupulous people and she was afraid they would spend all their money and still not have a child and she knew that would be devastating for them.

As Trixie walked through the halls at school later that day, she saw Ginna. She had such a sad and forlorn look on her face that Trixie felt immediate compassion for her. Trixie thought about what it must be like to be pregnant, away from your home and family, and about to give your baby away. She also thought of being so afraid of rejection that you couldn't reach out to make friends with others.  I'm going to do something about this, she thought as she opened her locker and took out her English book. This is one problem I do have a shot at fixing.  She was also worried about Honey and Brian's relationship. She knew if Honey chose to date other people, she had that right and Trixie couldn't and wouldn't stop her. Trixie could think of no one she'd rather have be with her oldest brother than Honey. In fact, she thought. I really don't think I could possibly believe anyone else would be good enough for Brian. Trixie had a lot of admiration and respect for her oldest brother. But, on the other hand, she somewhat selfishly wondered what might happen to the Bob-Whites as a group, if they started dating other people. I wish I could fix everything.

Later, on the bus, she,  Honey and Diana sat together. Trixie noticed Ginna take her place on the front seat, totally ignoring everyone around her.

"Are you coming over today, Trixie?" Honey asked.

"No. I have a ton of homework. I'm planning on doing all of it tonight, so I won't have to worry about it anymore this week."

Honey nodded understandingly. At Sleepyside Junior-Senior High, it was school policy for the teachers to give you all of your weekly homework on Monday and students had until Friday to turn it in. Trixie loved this new policy and she planned on spending every Monday getting hers finished. She had completed some of it in study hall and would probably be able to finish tonight.

When the bus arrived at Mrs. Vanderpoel's long driveway, Ginna got out. The bus driver closed the door and started forward. Trixie, suddenly thinking of something, jumped up and ran to the front of the bus. "Ms. Greene, would you let me out here? I need to talk to Ginna about something. I can walk to my house." When she agreed, Trixie went to the back and grabbed her bookbag and said "See you later" to Diana and Honey and she took off down the road after Ginna.

It was hard to run with the heavy bookbag, since she had to bring all her books home to do her homework, but when she got up close, she said, "Hey, Ginna. Wait up."

"What do you want now?" Ginna asked, turning around on one heel . "Isn't it enough that you came over and nosed around and got my aunt to tell you all about me? Did you and your little friends have a good time talking about me being knocked up?"

"No," said Trixie as she walked up to stand in front of her. "We would never do that."

"Yeah, right," replied Ginna, turning to walk away. "I've had dealings with your type."

"No, really," Trixie said, falling into step beside her. "I haven't even told anyone except Honey. And, she's real nice. You'd like her if you gave her a chance."

"Look," said Ginna. "I don't need any little rich girls for friends. There was a group like you back home and they made my life a living hell. That's why I'm not there now. I knew they'd really talk bad about me when they found out I was going to have a baby, especially when it belonged to the high school football's star quarterback.   I've already run into these two little witches just like them here in Sleepyside, by the name of Cindy Franklin and Ana Callahan."

Trixie winced as she thought of the two of them. They were probably the most popular girls at Sleepyside High, but Trixie had even been the brunt of their meanness. One day, right before school was out last spring, they had gotten behind her in the hallway and had talked about her loud enough for her to hear them.

'There's freckle-faced, tomboy Trixie,' said Ana. 'I don't know why someone like Honey Wheeler or Diana Lynch would hang around with her. They could be part of our crowd if they wanted to, but she doesn't stand a chance. No matter how many rich people she's leeching off of.'

'Yeah,' said Cindy. 'Look at her. She doesn't dress right. She doesn't wear her hair right. I saw her picking out her school clothes off the sales table at Crimper's.'

The two girls started laughing loudly at that point. 'And, look at her hair.' they said laughing. 'It's so curly, did she stick her finger in a light socket?'

Trixie remembered how humiliated she had felt that day. She couldn't understand anyone being so mean and hateful. "I know Ana and Cindy," Trixie replied sympathetically. Then she told Ginna what they had said to her. "I'm not rich, Ginna," she continued. "Honey and Diana have money, but they're just regular people. They aren't like that, either. Honey wouldn't hurt so much as a fly, much less a human being and she's the nicest person I've ever known. And Diana is probably one of the second nicest people I've ever known. They are both beautiful and rich, but they don't act like it. They're really great, I promise. We'd all three like to be your friends. I give you my word, we're not just trying to toy with you. I know that's the kind of game Ana and Cindy play, but that's not how we are." Ginna had turned and listend to the speech Trixie had just given. "So, how about it?" said Trixie. "Can we be friends?"

"Sure," said Ginna smiling as she stuck out her hand toward Trixie.

 

Chapter 6

The next few days something happened that drove all thoughts of every other situation out of Trixie's mind. Trixie had gotten off the bus, done her chores and, with Moms' permission, hurried over to Honey's house. As she walked toward the front of the house, she recognized the car of Mr. Marcum just leaving. When she walked into the huge formal living room, everyone, including Tom and Celia, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, Jim and Brian, Honey, Diana, the servants, Regan and Dan were standing in the spacious living room. Celia was talking excitedly.

"What's going on?" Trixie asked. No one had noticed her coming in.

"Mr. Marcum's found us a baby to adopt. It's a little girl and she's only one week old."

"Wow, congratulations," Trixe said, totally in shock and a little concerned.

"How would you like to join me and Tom when we go into the city next weekend to finalize the plans to pick up our baby girl?" Celia asked Honey and Trixie.

"We'd love to," Honey said. "But are you sure you want to share a moment like that with us?"

"It's too wonderful for us to do alone," Celia replied. "I've already talked to Tom about it. You two girls can shop while we're signing papers and taking care of legal stuff, which will be all day Saturday. We'll get to see the baby on Saturday evening and then, hopefully, if everything goes as planned, we'll bring her home on Sunday morning."

"We'd love to," said Trixie. "That is, if Moms will let me."

Later, Trixie, Diana, and Honey walked to the stables to go horseback riding.

"We have to give her a baby shower," Diana said to Trixie and Honey.

"However can we do that Diana?" asked Honey. "We only have a week and a half until they go pick her up."

"I think between the three of us and our mothers we can come up with something," Diana replied.

The surprise baby shower was held at Crabapple Farm on a Tuesday afternoon. The Drama Club had been called off and the girls had left school an hour early to help Mrs. Belden and Mrs. Lynch with the preparations. Since it was a beautiful sunny September day, they were having it in the backyard at Crabapple Farm. They had ordered a cake from the bakery in Sleepyside and it was decorated with tiny baby dolls crawling around on it, with diapers made from frosting, as well as tiny pink and light blue sweetheart roses. They had spread a pretty pink tablecloth on the old picnic table. For party favors they had tiny plastic pink and blue bassinets filled with pink mints and peanuts. Mrs. Belden had made spinach dip in a breadbowl as well as a vegetable platter with ranch dip. Mrs. Lynch had brought over a tuna mousse shaped like a fish and trimmed with olives and radish roses along with crackers, as well as a tray of tiny expertly made sandwiches, of pimento cheese, cream cheese with olives and ham salad. Everything looked wonderful. There was strawberry sherbert punch.

One by one, the guests began to arrive. Mrs. Vanderpoel and Ginna came. Trixie was glad they had made it, Ginna was friendly to Honey and Diana and all four girls hung out together and enjoyed themselves through the whole thing. The cook and another maid came from the Wheelers as well as Ms. Trask. Mrs. Wheeler was absent because she and her husband were called away on a business trip. Old Mr. Crimper's daughter-in-law came as well as Mike's wife.  Mike ran Wimpy's. There were also some ladies Celia had gone to school with.

They had fun playing the games, like pin the wing on the stork and other things and then it was time to open presents. The Wheelers had bought Celia a beautiful bassinet with ruffles and ruffles of white eyelet. Mrs. Lynch had bought a nice baby stroller that was adjustable. The Beldens had bought Celia a pink and white layette set that had about twenty pieces to it. Trixie smiled when she thought of what a nice time she and her mother had had picking it out late yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Vanderpoel and Ginna gave her a nice bag to carry the babies stuff in. It was pink and had bunnies and polka dots adorning it. Someone had also given Celia a beautiful stuffed white bunny rabbit that played a lullaby when you wound it up, because Celia's nursery theme was going to be white eyelet, pink checks and pink and white bunny rabbits. Everyone had such a nice time, and Celia was happier than Trixie had ever seen her.  I never thought of what a time of joy having a baby was until today, Trixie thought, watching her.

"What's the baby's name going to be?" asked Mrs. Vanderpoel.

"Well, I decided a long time ago that I wanted all my children's names to start with a C like my name does," Celia said. "So, after much deliberation, Tom and I decided her name is going to be Christy Lynne."

"Oh, that's pretty," everyone said, oohing and aahing.

"We just have to hurry and get our house fixed up now," said Celia, laughing. "Because we're going to be living in a camper with a baby."

 

Chapter 7

Friday finally arrived and it felt like it took ten years to get here to Trixie. She was looking forward to having a long weekend in the city as Tom picked up Honey, Diana and herself from school at lunch time.

"I feel so good, all my homework is done and all my school work for the remainder of the day is finished and turned in, so I don't have to worry about it," Trixie announced as soon as the three of them were in the car.

Trixie saw Tom and Celia look at each other smiling indulgently. They were so excited. Especially Celia, who fidgeted nervously all the way into the city.

They arrived at Mr. Wheeler's apartment and everyone put their bags away. "How about dinner everyone, it's on me," Tom announced.

Honey started to say she would put everything on her Dad's credit card, but she knew this was probably important to Tom. They went to a very nice candle lit Italian restaurant that night and then to see a movie. It had been such a long day, everyone was exhausted when they arrived back at the apartment, so they went to bed.

Early the next morning, after a quick breakfast of cereal and fresh fruit, which Celia had brought with her yesterday, Tom and Celia were ready to go. "If we wouldn't be interrupting a private moment, could we tag along?" Trixie asked them reluctantly.

"Well, it'll probably be boring for you, cause we have to sign a lot of papers, but sure, why not," replied Tom.

So, after taking showers and dressing nice, they all loaded up to head to the address Mr. Marcum had given them.

They wound up in what looked like a bad neighborhood, which was somewhat surprising to Trixie, since Mr. Marcum wore designer clothes and drove a very expensive automobile. She expected him to be located in some downtown skyscraper.

"Let's hurry and do what we have to do," Tom said nervously as if he noticed the rundown neighborhood too. He quickly locked the car and herded Celia and the girls up the side stairs to an old red brick building, which was probably built back in the sixties and hadn't been maintained since.

They climbed the stairs and came to a door and knocked. An older man wearing a rumpled suit answered the door, whom Trixie assumed must be the lawyer handling everything and he herded them into an office, not much bigger than the walk in closets at the Manor House. Trixie and the other girls stood quietly as the man introduced himself as Mr. Thomas Treadwell, attorney at law and then proceeded to give them a ton of papers to sign. While they were signing, they heard a knock on the door.

"Would you girls open that please?" Mr. Treadwell asked from behind his desk.

Trixie quickly turned around and opened the door and Mr. Marcum came into the already crowded room with a diaper bag and a baby carrier. In the baby carrier was a tiny baby, with a dusting of blonde curls and dressed in pink.

"Oh my goodness," Celia said softly, standing to look at the baby. She stood to take the carrier from Mr. Marcum, who was smiling broadly as she sat the carrier in the chair, unbuckled it and picked the baby up.

Celia was so taken with the baby, that she just floated through the paper signing in a daze and Trixie and the other girls were relieved when everything was over and they could finally leave. Trixie just didn't like Mr. Marcum and she didn't trust him and she also felt a sense of foreboding in the air.

"Can I take her back to the apartment with me?" Celia asked, smiling at Mr. Marcum.

"Well, we usually don't allow that until the final papers have been signed, but I guess we could make an exception in this case, since we'll be finalizing it tomorrow."

Back at the apartment, the girls, Celia and Tom took turns taking pictures, more of the baby than anybody . "Isn't our little Christy perfect?" Celia kept saying. That night, Celia didn't want to go out, she just wanted to stay home and enjoy the baby, so they ordered pizza and watched television.

 

Chapter 8

"How could you possibly have more papers to sign?" asked Diana, yawning as Tom and Celia were getting ready to go.

"Oh, today is when we turn over the check, and they will call the bank to make sure there are funds to cover it, that sort of thing," Tom explained.

"We could stay here and watch Christy for you," suggested Honey.

"Oh, Mr. Marcum said we have to bring her with us," Celia explained as she smiled down at the baby she held in her arms.

"If it's okay, I'd like to go with you guys," Trixie said.

"That'll be fine," said Tom, looking at Celia to make sure she agreed.

Trixie ran in the bedroom and quickly slipped on a pair of blue jeans and a plain white pullover, with lace around the neckline. She quickly ran a comb through her unruly curls and put on pale pink lipstick. "Okay, I'm ready," she yelled, running out of the bedroom, quickly donning a light blue sweater.

"Trixie, you can get ready to go somewhere quicker than anyone I know," Diana said, laughing.

"Yeah, she's the only girl I've ever seen who doesn't spend hours making herself beautiful," Tom laughed. "And, to think, my little Christy will grow up spending hours in front of a mirror and boys will be coming to see her."

"Yeah, laughed Honey. "And, she'll go on her first date and her first prom and she'll get her driver's license."

"She hasn't even learned to walk yet," laughed Celia. "Thank goodness, we have a while before we have to deal with all that."

Trixie rode in the backseat with little Christy, who was in her baby carrier to the same office where they met with Mr. Marcum and Mr. Treadwell yesterday. When they arrived, and were quickly ushered into the same tiny, crowded office, but today, Trixie sensed some apprehension in both Mr. Marcum and Mr. Treadwell.

"We have some relatively bad news," Mr. Marcum told them, from his desk in the corner. "Please, take a seat."

"What?" asked Celia. "Is there a problem with the adoption?  Is it because the authorities have found out that we live in a recreational vehicle?  We're going to move in our home within a month."

"No, no," said Mr. Marcum placatingly. "It's just that we need more money."

"How much more?" asked Tom indignantly.

"At least fifty thousand more," Mr. Marcum said.

"No!" Tom shouted. "We're giving you fifty thousand already, which is everything we have, how can you ask for more?"

"Tom," Celia pleaded.

"Another couple has stepped forward to adopt the baby, they are willing to pay one hundred thousand," Mr. Marcum told them.

"So, she's being sold to the highest bidder?" Celia asked, starting to cry.

"Now, now, that's not how we mean it," consoled Mr. Treadwell.

"Just how do you mean it?" Tom shouted, the fury evident in his voice.

Trixie stepped forward, planning to try to restrain Tom. He was so angry, she was afraid he might hit Mr. Marcum.

"I'm sorry, folks," he told them. "But you have to come up with money. You work for a wealthy employer, I'm sure he'd probably give you a loan."

"Not for fifty thousand dollars!" Tom told him. "Celia, put the baby down and let's go!"

"Tom, no," she said, starting to cry.

"Celia, they're trying to con us and I won't stand for it!"

"We'll give you a couple of days in case you change your mind," Mr. Treadwell said, offering Tom his hand. Tom just took Celia by the arm and dragged her out with Trixie following.

Celia was inconsolable on the drive back to the apartment, she cried as if her heart would break. "We can sell the house, Tom, and Mr. Wheeler will loan us the rest of the money."

"I'm not going to ask him for money," Tom told her. "Celia, these guys are cons. This adoption may not be legal." "I don't care!" she told him.

Trixie sat in the back listening and she felt very uncomfortable.

"I just want to know Christy is alright," said Celia.

It was obvious to Trixie that Celia had already bonded with the baby and considered her her own.

"I think you should either call the law and have them investigated or call a lawyer and see if you can do anything legally," Trixie told them.

"You're right Trixie, that's exactly what we'll do," Tom said as they pulled up at the apartment building.

 

Chapter 9

It was a very quiet, dejected group that drove back to Sleepyside the next day. The girls didn't say very much, Celia just stared out the window when she wasn't crying and she was barely speaking to Tom. Trixie was glad to be going home. She just had to find a way to make Mr. Marcum stop doing this to people.

Trixie had heard Celia crying off and on all night and she hated that this had happened to her friends. They had talked to Mr. Wheeler's lawyer in the city and to a law officer and the officer said he would look into it, but as far as he could see, Mr. Marcum and his lawyer weren't doing anything illegal.

Trixie was very glad when Tom dropped her off at Crabapple Farm. The familiarity of it's warmth and the smell of frying chicken greeted her as she walked in the door.

"Hi, Moms, I'm home," she yelled, setting her suitcases down for a moment.

"Hi, Trixie, I'm glad you're back. Take your things upstairs and come help me in the kitchen."

"Sure, Moms," she said as she ran up the stairs with her belongings.

"Moms, you just wouldn't believe what happened," she told her mother as she set the table. Trixie then began to tell her about Tom and Celia's plight.

"I don't mean to interrupt," said her mother, as she stirred the pot of fresh field peas from the summer garden, "but only set a place for four because Brian and Mart won't be here."

"Where are they?" Trixie asked curiously.

"They're having dinner with Mr. Maypenny and Dan."

"Oh," she said. "Even though I miss them, I'm glad I don't have to endure an evening of Mart's teasing and I will get a piece of coconut cream pie. Last time we had coconut cream pie, Mart ate my piece, plus the whole other pie that you had put up! Moms, when dinner's over, can I walk to Mrs. Vanderpoel's and visit Ginna?"

"I don't know, Trixie, it's going to be dark soon and I just don't like for you to walk down that deserted road at night."

"I won't stay long. If it looks like it's growing really late when I start to leave, I'll call and you can send Brian to pick me up."

After dinner, which Trixie had spent telling her father what had happened and answering Bobby's childish questions about it, she started clearing off the table hurriedly, so she could go talk to Ginna. She hoped she could talk her into dropping Mr. Marcum like a hot rock. Maybe even letting Tom and Celia adopt her baby.

"Trixie, I'll go ahead and do the dishes," Moms told her. "If you're going to Mrs. Vanderpoel's, I want you to go and hurry back before it gets late."

"Thanks a bunch, Moms," she said, grabbing her sweater as she ran out the door.

Ginna answered the door when Trixie arrived. Trixie wasted no time in telling her how Mr. Marcum had treated Tom and Celia and what they were going through. She knew that when she finished Ginna was going to be as indignant as she was and she would tell Mr. Marcum to go fly a kite. When Trixie finished, Ginna, who had listened patiently, didn't comment.

"I am glad we found out what he was really like before your baby was born, Ginna, because I know you don't want to deal with a person like that."

"Trixie," said Ginna sighing. "I'm still going to allow Mr. Marcum to find a home for my baby."

"What?" Trixie asked, incredulously, her eyes wide as saucers.

"He takes me to and from my gynecologist," said Ginna. "He's giving me money to go to college, and he's really good to me. I'm sorry about what happened to your friends, I know they must be hurting, but I'm not changing."

Trixie couldn't believe her ears. "I can't believe that you would let a monster like that have your baby!" Trixie shouted.

"I think it's time for you to leave," Ginna said, getting off the couch and opening the door.

"Gladly!" said Trixie. She was furious.

As she was leaving,  she saw Mr. Marcum's car coming down Glen Road. She quickly hid in the thick shrubbery beside Mrs. Vanderpoels house. She wasn't sure what she was going to do next. Trixie felt that finding out as much as she could about Mr. Marcum would help her to help Tom and Celia. After Mr. Marcum exited his car, she noticed that he didn't lock the doors. After he had gone into Mrs. Vanderpoel's house, she quickly ran over, climbed in the car and hid in the back seat. He had thrown a large coat in the back, and she curled up and threw it over her and hoped since it was growing dark out, he wouldn't notice anything amiss.

 

Chapter 10

He wasn't in with Ginna for very long before he came out, whistling as usual. He opened the door, buckled his seat belt and took off. Since it was beginning to grow dark, he didn't really see into the back seat of his car, where Trixie lay huddled underneath a suit coat. He drove for almost an hour, before stopping at a store.

When she heard him get out, she eased her head up to see where she was. She recognized the convenience store as being on the edge of White Plains. She had stopped there many times before. She quickly lay back down and positioned the coat over her before he came back out and quickly hopped in the car and started driving again. After many turns, he finally pulled into a driveway and stopped. Trixie lay very quiet and still as he exited the car. When she was reasonably sure he was away, she eased up.

The neighborhood they were in looked like one of those places that, at one time, may have been a really nice neighborhood, but for whatever reasons had been allowed to get really run down and beat-up looking. There were several older homes, which had been converted to apartments, and all of them were badly in need of a paint job. Trixie, after seeing Mr. Marcum go inside the apartment, climbed out of the car and hid in the bushes and waited. Mr. Marcum stepped out of the house and Trixie could see he was furious.

"You better have that baby here tomorrow or else!" he shouted at the person who was with him.

"You're not getting her. I've changed my mind!" Trixie heard a woman say.

As Trixie watched, the woman came out the door behind him. She looked somewhat malnourished and had scraggly dishwater blonde hair.

"She is no longer yours!" Mr. Marcum told her coldly. "I took care of you, I paid your doctor bills, you owe her to me! I don't know where she's at, but you get her here tomorrow afternoon, or you'll be sorry." He flung the slender young woman into the wall.

"Ow!" she said. "You hurt my arm."

"I'll hurt more than that if you don't get that baby back here," he told her furiously. He stomped out to his car and drove away.

The woman watched him worriedly, still clutching her arm. That's when Trixie chose to reveal herself.

"Who are you?" the woman asked, startled when Trixie stepped out of the bushes.

"I'm a friend of a very nice couple, who like you, have been victimized by Larry Marcum ," she told her. "May I come in? I think I can help you."

"I hope so," the woman said, extending her hand to Trixie. "My name is Marla."

"I'm Trixie." Trixie then explained what had happened to Tom and Celia. "Could it be your baby they were wanting to adopt?" she asked.

"Here's a picture of her. I had started calling her Cindy. But I think I like Christy better. I'll be honest with you, Trixie. I wish I could keep her, more than anything. But I have no job and no education. I moved out here from a small town in Kansas thinking I could find a job and I got in with the wrong crowd and started drinking and then I found out I was pregnant. My baby's daddy left town because he didn't want a child. Larry Marcum came along and got me an apartment and food and paid all my medical bills, but I've just started realizing how evil he is. I can't keep my baby, but I want let him have her! Now, I just want to go home. But my parents have five children and I'm not going to burden them with another. And I have no choice but to go home, except I don't even have bus fare. Your friends sound like real nice people. I'd like to meet them."

"Well, I can arrange that," Trixie said gladly. "But where is the baby?"

"Oh, she's with friends," the woman told her.

"Well, why don't we go get her and I'll call my friends from Sleepyside," Trixie suggested. She realized then that it was growing dark outside and quite late. "I also need to call my parents." I'm in big trouble, she thought to herself.

Of course, Trixie's mother was frantic. After explaining what she had done and how she had ended up in White Plains, she found out she was going to be grounded for awhile. But it was worth it when Tom and Celia showed up and took Marla and Christy home with them.

A few days later, Marla signed all the necessary papers allowing Tom and Celia to adopt Christy and they in return gave her enough money to go home, along with a little extra. While in Sleepyside, Trixie introduced Marla to Ginna.  Marla helped Ginna realized that she was part of a racket and that Mr. Marcum was only out to make money, so Ginna decided to go back to her parents and keep her baby.

"Maybe I can get a scholarship," she told Trixie happily before she left. "I'm going to look into what kind of programs are out there for unwed mothers."

Unfortunately, Larry Marcum skipped town after he found out that Marla had filed assault charges on him.

Things got somewhat back to normal after that. Trixie still felt very concerned about the Bob-White's and about Jim. But, since she was grounded and couldn't date right now because of her hiding in the back of Mr. Marcum's car, she didn't think much about that. But she felt very concerned. She hoped that she could keep them from growing apart, but if Jim and Brian kept on thinking that other things were important besides she and Honey, and if Honey lost interest in Brian, she wasn't sure where the BWG's were headed. She hoped that things would work out though.

The End

TBH Main