A Second Chance
Part III
Trixie made her way back to the payphone feeling nothing but numb. Her head was spinning and she could only think of calling Honey.
Her best friend in the whole world, Honey would tell her that this was just a big misunderstanding and that everything would be all right.
With each ring of the phone, Trixie's head throbbed.
Honey picked up the phone and immediately knew something was terribly wrong. "Trixie? What's happened?"
"I messed up big this time, Honey. I really blew it. Not only is Dan lying in a hospital bed because I acted like a toddler but his wife is keeping vigil by his bedside and I’ve just realized he is the one that I have always loved."
"I’ll be right there, Trix, Sleepyside General, right?"
Trixie barely choked out a yes and was sobbing as she placed the phone back on the receiver.
It seemed only a few minutes before Honey arrived.
"Start at the beginning! What has happened to Dan and what’s this about a wife?"
Trixie retold everything to her best friend as Honey sat quietly with a sympathetic look on her face.
Honey grabbed Trixie’s hand as they sat down. "Okay, think about this, Trix, why did Dan come back to town?"
"I would assume to visit his Uncle Regan, Honey!"
"Well, I suppose you could be right," Honey said as she struggled to think of anything that would cheer Trixie up.
"Okay, explain why he was at the same restaurant as you!"
"Honey, I really appreciate what you are trying to do but it’s not working! Sleepyside is a very small place and it was just coincidence that we ran into each other."
"Tell you what," Honey said as she made her way to the double doors that joined the waiting room to the hallway, "I’ll go into the hallway and peek into the ER. If I can see Regan, I’ll get his attention and find out exactly what is going on here."
Trixie quickly hugged her best friend. "You’re the best, Honey Wheeler. I don’t know how I would ever get by without you!"
Honey made her way through the double doors that led out into the hall. She peered in through the ER doors and saw Regan standing outside one of the rooms. She waved her hands back and forth and caught his attention.
He said a few words to someone in the room and made his way out to the hallway where Honey was waiting.
"Oh Regan!" Honey cried as she threw her arms around him. "Is Dan going to be okay?"
"They’ve changed his condition from serious to stable but he is going to be very sore for quite awhile. They are going to keep him for a few nights just to be on the safe side."
"I am so relieved to hear that!" Honey exclaimed.
"How is Trix holding up?"
"Not very well, Regan. She is floored about Dan being married and she is very hurt and confused right now."
"I didn’t get a chance to explain anything to her earlier. She was in hysterics and wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise!"
Honey half-heartedly giggled. "That sounds like our Trix!"
"Since his condition has been upgraded, she should be allowed in to see him. I’m going to have Nora take a little "break" with me and you can let Trixie in to see him once the coast is clear."
"Thanks, Regan," Honey said and gave him another quick little hug.
Honey waited down the hall as Regan went back into the Emergency Room.
He came out shortly with a slender, darkhaired girl and led her up the hallway towards the cafeteria.
Honey went back into the waiting room and told Trixie that Dan was upgraded to stable and that it was okay that she went in to see him.
"Regan took Nora to the cafeteria so the coast is clear."
Trixie gave Honey a defeated look and made her way to the ER.
"I’ll wait out here in the hallway. Good luck!"
Trixie went through the ER doors and paused before she went into Dan's room.
She took a deep breath and held her head high as she walked in.
Dan had never looked more handsome to her then he did right then. Even lying in a hospital bed with a bandage around his head, she had to catch her breath at the sight of him.
She sat down beside his bed and whispered his name.
He opened his eyes and gave a weak smile as he looked at her.
"Hi there, beautiful."
"Dan, please don’t."
He grabbed her hand. "You’re trembling, Trix."
"Well, um, you gave us all a terrible scare! Dan, I am so sorry for acting childish. If I hadn’t ran off, this would have never happened!"
"Shhh," Dan said as he put a finger to Trixie's lips.
"Don’t blame yourself. It’s nobody’s fault. I’m still in one piece, am I not?"
"Barely," Trixie said, not able to look him in the eye.
She sat there in silence looking down at the white bed sheet and he could tell there was something else was bothering her.
"Trixie, what's wrong? I’m finally in a wide awake state after drifting in and out of consciousness and the first thing I get to see is your beautiful face at my side. The only trouble is, it doesn’t look very happy."
"I called Regan," Trixie said still looking down at the bed sheets.
"Did you tell him that I’m going to be okay and that there isn’t anything to worry about?"
"Well, not exactly, Dan! I was in hysterics not knowing how seriously injured you were so he rushed right over here so that I wouldn’t be alone!"
"Hey! Easy now!"
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’ve been quite an emotional wreck this evening and I don’t know how much more I can take!"
Trixie was confused why Dan hadn’t mentioned anything about Nora. In fact she thought to herself, He is acting as if he doesn’t even know she was here!
"Dan, Do you remember Regan in here visiting with you at all earlier?"
"Well, no. I don’t remember anyone in here until you. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason really, I guess I’m just worrying about your memory. Nasty bumps on the head can cause memory loss you know!"
"Oh no you don’t, Trixie Belden, you aren’t going to get out of this one that easy! I remember exactly what happened leading up to my fall! That brings me by the way, back to where we left off."
"Really now, Dan, you shouldn’t be talking so much. You need to get your rest and we can talk about this later."
"Later could be too late, Trix. It almost was tonight."
Trixie could feel the tears stinging her eyes as Dan continued.
"I love you, Trixie. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you tonight that we were meant to be together."
"Oh Dan!"
"Shhhh. Let me finish."
"So many years have been wasted. Years that we could have been together, loved together, laughed together. I always had a feeling that I wasn’t quite complete. Like emptiness. You know, like how a sky without clouds looks so empty. There was an important piece missing from my life. That piece is you Trix."
Tears were streaming down Trixie's face and she didn’t know how much more of this she could take.
"It’s fate that we found each other tonight. When I walked in and saw you sitting there, I knew it was meant to be. You took my breath away and my heart stood still. When I heard your voice, it gave me reason to smile. I’ve not had much of a reason lately to smile, Trix."
Just then, the curtain came flying open. Nora turned on Trixie and yelled at her.
"And guess just why he hasn’t had much of a reason to smile lately? That’s right, because of me! His precious loving wife!"
Regan and Honey came rushing in behind Nora, Honey whispering an apology to Trixie.
"Come on, Nora." Regan said, grabbing her and trying to get her out of the room.
"I’m not going anywhere!" Nora yelled.
"I’m his wife and I have more reason to be here than this, this two bit tramp who obviously has her sights set on my husband!"
"Now hold it right there, lady!"
Everyone stared in shock as Honey got in Nora’s face and let her have it.
"Trixie Belden is the farthest thing from a two bit tramp you will EVER see and as for her having her sights set on your husband, well, I--I think you need to have the facts before you start slinging mud!"
Dan tried to sit up but the pain in his head was too unbearable.
Nora pushed Honey aside. "I heard every word that you said to Trixie. Is this why you were in such a hurry to come back to Sleepyside?" Nora was sobbing as she made her way over to Dan's hospital bed.
"I followed you here to try to get you to change your mind about our marriage Dan. I know if you give me one more chance, I can make things right."
Dan looked at Regan who took his cue and led Nora out of the room. Honey, who was still in shock at how rudely she had just spoken to someone, followed behind.
Trixie stared at Dan not knowing what to say or do.
Dan finally spoke up. "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do."
"I guess you do, Dan Mangan."
Conclusion
Regan and Honey watched as Dan and Trixie left the stables and headed for the game preserve on the horses.
"Go easy, Dan! Keep them at a walk with those ribs of yours!"
"Look how in love they are," Honey commented.
"I’ve not seen him that happy in a long time," Regan said with a smile on his face.
"I know it’s none of my business, Regan, but what exactly did happen between Nora and Dan?"
"Well, Dan met Nora on the rebound. He was heartsick when Trixie didn’t meet him that night."
"Anyhow, Nora just wasn’t ready to settle down I guess. She wasn’t a good wife to Dan and well, to be quite honest, I think Dan couldn’t get Trixie out of his blood. They had a lot of problems and Dan asked Nora for a divorce. I think it was a wake up call for Nora. When Dan moved everything out and came back to stay with me for awhile, Nora showed up on my doorstep to try to work things out. Dan didn’t know she was in town. That is when he was out with Trixie the night of his accident."
"That is so sad Regan. Why is it that people don’t understand what they have until it’s gone? Life is so short and if people were only honest not only with each other but with themselves, it could prevent a lot of heartache in the end."
"Amen to that, Miss Honey!"
They both smiled as they watched Trixie and Dan fade into the distance.
As Honey turned to walk down to the Manor House, Regan noticed the look of content on her face and heard her whisper something to herself about best friends and second chances.
The End