*All Ages, future story, minor allusion to sex
A Chicago Love Story
by Steph
Part 3
After they finally had admitted their love for each other, Trixie and Jim were blissfully happy and ready to move on with their relationship to wherever it would take them.
For Thanksgiving, they were sad that they couldn’t go back to Sleepyside since she had to work the next day and he volunteered to play Santa at the children’s parade. They were invited to Sue from Merle Norman’s house where they spent the holiday with her boisterous family. Sue had explained to them that she always had a full house on the holiday by inviting customers who were from out of town or didn’t have any family or friends of her children whose family was out of town.
They called Crabapple Farm where the annual Belden open house was in full swing and talked to everyone who said they missed them and couldn’t wait to see them when they came home for Christmas and Brian and Honey’s wedding. They caught up on news and wedding plans.
The next day Trixie got off work at noon and headed back to Park Ridge where she found Jim in the well-padded Santa suit playing with a bunch of kids in the library. She stood back and watched, thinking about how wonderful he was with kids and what a great teacher he was already and how great he would be with his own school someday soon.
Then she couldn’t help but think about their future together. She knew she wanted to and was probably going to marry him someday. They hadn’t talked much about it, but had discovered they both wanted two or three kids and even agreed on some of the name possibilities. She knew he would be a great father.
After he was done they spent the evening enjoying Park Ridge’s big open house which was held between the two shopping areas with double Decker buses running between them. It was a beautiful clear night and not too cold and Park Ridge was beautiful as it was decorated for the holidays. They loved the quaint town that reminded them so much of home.
The next few weeks were full of Christmas parties and fun along with their work schedules. He had finals at Northwestern as well as end of first half grading for school and she was particularly busy with her training but they managed to spend some time together, mostly just sitting together on their couch talking about their dreams and the future. They parted late at night to go to sleep, with kisses and an understanding that it wasn’t quite time to go any further.
They also went downtown a couple of times and went Christmas shopping together helping each other pick out presents for everyone back home but went shopping for each other separately having a lot of fun doing that too.
On the night of the 21st they had a little Christmas party at their apartment for their friends in town and had a lot of fun. They had even gotten a small tree and decorated it together to celebrate the season.
Finally it was the 23rd and they were returning to Sleepyside. On the plane they talked about the wedding and Christmas plans and how excited they were to be seeing everyone again, most of whom they hadn’t seen since leaving for Chicago.
As they descended into Sleepyside, Trixie grabbed Jim’s hand and said, "It’s going to be so wonderful seeing everyone again. It’s been nice being alone together but I’ve missed everyone so much."
Jim said, "Me too."
Finally the plane landed and they were home!
Mr. and Mrs. Belden greeted them at the airport and there was a flurry of hugs and kisses and everyone talking at once. Finally Mr. Belden said, "There is a houseful of people at Crabapple Farm very anxious to see you so we better get back there fast"
Trixie said, "We’re both very anxious and excited to see everyone. We missed all of you so much and I can’t wait to see home again!"
When they arrived and walked in they were surrounded by everyone immediately saying, "Wow, you look great", "We missed you", "So glad you’re home", and finally they walked into the living room and sat down with everyone still talking at once.
First Trixie and Jim insisted on being caught up on all the last minute wedding details and everyone was very happy to oblige. They were so happy to see how blissful Brian and Honey seemed together. They were even more perfect together than Trixie and Jim was and it was natural that they were the first of the couples getting married.
Everyone also couldn’t help notice Trixie and Jim as they interacted with each other, always touching hands and looking at each other. They were so natural together and obviously living together had really worked out.
After a few hours everyone realized that Trixie and Jim were both very tired and they would see them the next day at the Christmas Eve open house at Crabapple Farm. After everyone started saying good-byes, Trixie and Jim suddenly realized that after all those months of living together they were going to be separated.
Naturally they couldn’t ask to share a room together since it would give their families heart attacks even though they lived togetherm, so while they were in Sleepyside they would spend their nights apart, she at Crabapple Farm and he at Manor House.
They kissed goodbye and Jim went off with his parents and Honey to Manor House. Mrs. Belden watched Trixie watch him leave and said, "It must be tough being apart like this. I guess you two will have to get married and then you can always be together!"
Trixie laughed, kissed her mother goodnight and headed up to her old room where her parents had set up a bed and dresser along with a table and lamp. She unpacked, undressed and showered and then fell tired into bed.
Meanwhile Jim headed over to Manor House with his parents and was flooded with memories walking in the front door and it seemed like much longer since he had been home because so much had changed, all for the better but it was still quite a lot and he fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about Trixie and the future all night.
The next morning Trixie was getting ready when her mother walked in with toast and orange juice for both of them and said, "Merry Christmas!"
Trixie hugged her and said, "Merry Christmas, too! Wow, it’s so wonderful to be home on Christmas. It would have been awful to miss Christmas. The only year I wasn’t home was when we went to Arizona nine years ago!"
Mrs. Belden said, "It wouldn’t have been the same without you and Jim here. Maybe next Christmas we’ll be talking about your wedding!"
Trixie said, "Maybe we will but don’t count on it yet"
Mrs. Belden asked, "So what’s happening there anyway?"
Trixie said, "We’re in love and have talked about the future but there’s nothing official yet. When something does become official, you’ll be the first to know!"
The next two days were a wonderful Christmas celebration as the families gathered together as a big group and in individual families to celebrate the holiday. Christmas was always very special in the Belden family and they had many traditions including special ornaments on the tree for each family member and singing of carols.
As they watched everyone having a good time at the Christmas Day get together at Manor House, Jim walked up to Trixie and said, "Someday maybe we’ll have a family of our own like yours."
Trixie said, "I’d really like that," and they kissed. Then he took her over to the mistletoe and they kissed again and everyone saw them and whistled.
The next day Trixie went with her mother, Mrs. Wheeler, Di and Honey to the dress shop in Sleepyside where the wedding party dresses were made.
Trixie put on the beautiful winter white dress and it looked perfect. It was to be a beautiful black and white winter wedding with the men in black and the women in white. Trixie loved the dress, beautiful and elegant but also simple enough for a nice evening party.
After they were finished they went to lunch at the country club and discussed the wedding details and they also asked Trixie more questions about her experience living far away with Jim. She said they had a wonderful time but missed being home and missed everyone in the family. It would still be a year and a half until they came home for good but they planned to visit in the spring for a week and for six weeks in the summer and come home the next Christmas again.
Mrs. Belden said, "It sure has been much quieter around these parts without you around. No mysteries or anything!"
Trixie laughed and said, "Maybe we can liven it up when we’re home but I think we’ll just concentrate on getting Brian and Honey married. That’s the real important thing."
Honey said, "I can’t believe that we’re actually getting married in five days! All the preparations, planning and nervousness will be over and we’ll have our future ahead of us. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Brian Belden, something I always knew I would be since the day we met when he and Mart came back from camp early. It is the same with us as it was with you and Jim, Trixie, a connection immediately."
Mrs. Wheeler said, "I think we’ve all always known that you belonged together and now our families will be officially connected."
The next five days were full of all the last minute details and planning that always went with a wedding so everything would be perfect. Brian and Honey were just generally on cloud nine waiting to be married and everyone loved watching them together. They felt that a New Year’s Eve wedding was perfect--a perfect way to start off a new year.
Finally it was the day of the wedding, which was beautiful, warmish and perfect for a wedding.
Honey’s bedroom was full of excited preparations as everyone helped make sure she was the most beautiful bride in the history of the world. She was naturally very nervous but also blissfully happy as she talked about how much she loved Brian and their dreams of the future together.
Finally at the appointed time, Mr. Wheeler escorted Honey down the aisle set up in the main living room of Manor House to where Brian was waiting. Honey and Brian were married in a beautiful and simple traditional ceremony that had everyone crying tears of joy.
The reception was also wonderful. It was not only a wedding reception but a New Year’s Eve party and of course it was culminated in the traditional countdown and singing of "Auld Lang Syne".
After that Honey threw her bouquet and Trixie caught it. She blushed as everyone cheered and told her that she was the next bride.
Jim kissed her in front of everyone as they endured lots of teasing from everyone and then the rest of the reception continued with Brian and Honey leaving on their European honeymoon at three in the morning.
Trixie and Jim flew back to Chicago the next day after having a wonderful time with their friends and families. Jim was already thinking about the symbolism of Trixie catching the bouquet and thinking about how much he loved her and wanted to marry her.
In a few weeks, Jim knew that it was the right time to ask her as they planned a romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day weekend in downtown Chicago at the Hilton and Towers, which was a wonderful hotel in the south loop.
They both spent a lot of time preparing for the weekend, as it would be their first vacation alone together and everything was planned down to the smallest detail because they both wanted everything to be perfectly perfect as Honey would say.
Jim was off at noon the day of their get away and he got their suitcases at the apartment and headed down early where he checked in and then went out and got flowers and candles and filled the suite with them. It was a nice suite with a big main room, a bedroom and two bathrooms.
Trixie was a little nervous as Jim arrived to pick her up on Friday afternoon of the weekend, waiting in her office lobby with a bouquet of red roses and a bottle of champagne. He said, "I’ve already checked us in and our bags are waiting in our suite."
They kissed and then went outside where they took a cab to the hotel. The weather was surprisingly beautiful for a Chicago February, just a little snow and a temperature in the low 30’s. The winter hadn’t really been all that bad, nothing compared to the horror stories of Chicago winters that they had heard from the natives.
They went into the hotel admiring the magnificent lobby and went to the restaurant, the Buckingham, where they had their favorite meal of prime rib and talked and laughed about their future and their plans for the weekend.
They were both extremely nervous but were trying to hide it from each other as they laughed and joked about some Valentine’s Days in years past.
After they finished eating they were both a little nervous about going upstairs so they went to the bar, Kitty O’Shea's, where they danced and joined in a sing along with the Irish band, singing along to the traditional favorites, including their favorite "The Unicorn Song"
One of the bartenders said, "This place really gets goofy during the annual Cubs convention every January. Last time the entire pitching staff was in here doing the Unicorn Song and making the movements and the general manager was doing an Irish jig. It’s amazing what can happen when people get a few drinks in their systems. We could blackmail them with these tapes!"
Trixie turned to Jim and said, "This champagne has been having quite an effect on me too or is it the way you’re looking at me and holding me while we’re dancing?"
Jim said, "Same here. I think it’s time we headed upstairs don’t you?"
Trixie kissed him and said, "Lead the way," and they said goodbye to everyone and headed over to the bank of elevators.
When they got to their suite, he picked her up and carried her inside where the door opened up into the main room.
He put her down and closed the door behind them and said, "Before we do or say anything else, I have a little surprise for you. Close your eyes and put out your right hand."
She complied, closing her eyes tightly and putting out her hand.
He got a small box out of his pocket as he bent down on one knee. She felt him put the box in her hand and he asked her to open her eyes.
She opened the box and saw a beautiful diamond ring in it, and he took her hand in his and asked, "Trixie, will you marry me?"
She kissed him and said, "Yes!"
He put the beautiful ring on her finger and they kissed and soon he carried her off to the bedroom where they enjoyed a wonderful weekend together celebrating their love and future.
When they arrived home on Monday they called Sleepyside immediately and announced their news. Everyone, of course, was delighted and asked them when it would be and if they would marry in Sleepyside or Chicago.
They announced they had decided to be married on June 21st, which was the tenth anniversary of their meeting. They were returning to Sleepyside on June 10th, so they would need everyone’s help with the preparations. They were going to have their closest friends in Chicago come out for the wedding and have a reception in Chicago in August for those that couldn’t.
They also planned to get a lot done when they came to Sleepyside for a small vacation in March during Jim’s spring break.
The ceremony would be at Crabapple Farm in the backyard with the reception afterwards at Manor House. They would go to Ireland for two weeks afterwards for their honeymoon and then go back to Chicago for the final year of their stay there.
Trixie asked Honey to be her matron of honor and Di, Hallie and Juliana to be bridesmaids. Hans and Juliana’s daughter, Betje, would be the flower girl. Brian would be Jim’s best man with Dan, Mart, and Bobby serving as groomsmen and Hans Jr. serving as ring bearer. Juliana and the children would be able to make the wedding but Hans Senior wouldn’t be able to because of an unbreakable commitment.
They also found out that day that Dan and Hallie had surprised everyone by eloping to Las Vegas on the spur of the moment and they were very happy for them, of course.
There were a lot of phone calls, emails and chats between everyone from then until Trixie and Jim arrived in Sleepyside on March 24th for their vacation at home. They planned to enjoy themselves, but also to take care of a lot of wedding details.
They had a big meeting at Crabapple Farm that first night where everyone was armed with their own ideas and went over everything they needed to do while the bride and groom were home. Mrs. Belden and Mrs. Wheeler had provided valuable help to them in speaking with different people, interviewing musicians and getting some possible cake and dress designs together for them. They had also talked to some caterers and had everything laid out for them.
Finally Trixie said, "We’re all so glad to have this stuff done already. We have no idea how else we could handle it without all this help!"
Mrs. Belden said, "We just want to see you married and everything go perfectly. That’s what’s really important in this whole thing."
The week they were in Sleepyside flew by as they took care of everything that they could. Trixie was happy to find out that her mother’s dress fit her perfectly and she ordered a nice matching tulle veil to go along with it. She decided on yellow and white dresses for her attendants and the men would all be in black tuxedos. Their one indulgence was a beautiful six-tiered wedding cake modeled after one Trixie had seen in the local bakery and had fallen in love with as a small child.
They also got their invitations designed and picked out their wedding rings and talked to the minister, an old high school friend of theirs, Reverend Baker, who had just been ordained and was already a beloved minister in Sleepyside.
They returned to Chicago on the 30th, satisfied that everything would go perfectly.
The next two and a half months kept Trixie and Jim busy not only with work, but with wedding preparations and also planning the reception in Chicago they were going to have when they returned. They were happy to find out that their closest friends there would be able to go to their wedding in Sleepyside.
June 6th was Jim's last day of the school year and after the day was over his kids and their parents threw them a surprise wedding shower.
Trixie was lured there by a mom calling and saying Jim had hurt his hand and needed help driving home and she walked in with him to the gym and they were all waiting there and yelled, "Surprise! Happy wedding!" The kids would all be at the Chicago reception and they wished that they could have had them all fly out for the ceremony in Sleepyside. They received many wonderful presents. The kids had loved having him as a teacher and he was pleased to announce that he would be their fourth grade teacher also.
On the 8th, Sue threw Trixie a shower at her home in Park Ridge with all her friends there. She was one of the people going to the wedding and would do her wedding day hair and all the women’s makeup. Trixie and Jim had become friends with her entire family and they were all coming to the wedding.
Finally on the 10th they returned to Sleepyside to a big welcome home party at Manor House. Everything was pretty much ready for the wedding and all they had to do was enjoy themselves, take care of the last minute details and, in eleven days, walk down the aisle! They were both very nervous but also blissfully happy together.
The next eleven days did fly by as everything fell into place and everyone was full of excitement and activity. Trixie was glad to find that her mother’s dress still fit perfectly and the white perfectly set off the tan she had already developed.
On the 12th, Juliana and her children arrived for the wedding and that afternoon everyone had final fittings for their dresses. They had a lot of fun teasing each other about them and Trixie was happy to see that everyone liked their dresses.
On the 18th Honey gave Trixie a bachelorette party and Brian gave Jim a bachelor party which were both very tame and they wound up all together at Brian and Honey’s house eventually anyway.
On the 14th they had their blood tests and got their marriage license, making yet another official and happy step towards their wedding.
On the 19th, Mrs. Belden and Honey threw her a surprise bridal shower at Crabapple Farm where several of her Chicago guests, who all flew in that morning and were staying at the Glen Road Inn, attended. She introduced everyone and everyone got along perfectly. After the shower Trixie took them on a tour of Sleepyside and Sue agreed that Sleepyside was a lot like Park Ridge, finding the downtown business district very similar and Wimpy's similar to Hackney's.
The 20th was full of last minute things and also the wedding rehearsal and dinner which went perfectly.
The party was a lot of fun as they kidded around and helped Trixie and Jim relax a little as they were both getting very nervous.
Soon Di went to the piano and suggested a sing-along.
Everyone gathered around and Jim started singing,"The bells are ringing for me and my gal", and they sang other traditional wedding songs ending with "Chapel Of Love".
Finally midnight was approaching and Jim had to leave or risk bad luck.
He was staying at Manor House with his parents that last night and they kissed goodbye at the door and Jim said, "I’ll see you at the altar," and he and his parents were off and Trixie watched him and waved until they were out of sight.
The next morning, Trixie woke up to hear birds singing and the sound of workmen in the backyard. She rushed to the window and saw the day was perfect. The sun shone and there was not a cloud in the sky. The hired people were working to set up the backyard for the wedding.
Mrs. Belden walked in, carrying her breakfast on a tray and said, "Good morning, sweetheart, happy wedding day!"
Trixie hugged her and said, "Everything is perfect! Has Jim called yet?"
Mrs. Belden said, "Jim has called four times just to tell me to tell you he loves you, knowing he can’t talk to you until the ceremony and he also sent roses which are in a vase downstairs. The weatherman says sunny all day with a high in the 70’s, perfect wedding weather. How are you doing this morning?"
Trixie said, "As nervous as heck but fine really. I just know everything is going to go perfectly because this is meant to be!"
Mrs. Belden said, "You’re right about that. Everyone should be arriving soon. Eat what you can of this food I made for you or else your stomach will rumble at the altar and you probably don’t want it to. I’ll be back in a little while."
Trixie ate and read the copy of the Sleepyside Sun her mother had brought up with the food. There was a nice little article about the wedding which her mother had circled written by their high school acquaintance, Lester Mundy, who had really straightened himself out, become a well known local writer and married Ruthie Kettner a few months earlier.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon was a flurry of activity for everyone as soon her attendants, Mrs. Wheeler, Miss Trask, and Sue arrived to help her get ready and when they were all finished she looked like a fairy tale princess, an absolute vision of beauty ready to walk down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams.
Mrs. Belden had tears in her eyes as she said, "I hope that dress is as lucky for you as it was for me, Trixie. You are definitely history’s most beautiful bride."
Soon the others left Trixie and her mother alone and headed downstairs to wait for the beginning of the ceremony and after a bit longer, Mr. Belden joined them.
Mr. Belden kissed his only daughter and said, "Today is the day I get to give the bride away. This is a day I’ve known was coming but dreaded since the day you were born. But I know that you’re marrying the man of your dreams and are going to be very happy."
Trixie hugged and kissed them both and then said, "Thank you both for everything. Not only for today but for twenty-three years of being the most wonderful and loving parents in the world. I just hope that when the time comes, Jim and I will be even half as wonderful. Also I hope that our marriage will be nearly as happy as yours. You have set a wonderful example for us to follow."
Mrs. Belden said, "I have an extra handkerchief and I think it will be needed. Trixie, parents couldn’t custom design a more wonderful daughter. Yes, you gave us a few gray hairs but also gave us love and happiness. Also, Jim has always been like a son to us so this is perfect and you picked a beautiful day to be married!"
They all laughed and hugged again and then realized that it was almost time and they headed downstairs to join the rest of the wedding party on the back porch.
Trixie and her father took the long walk down the aisle as the organist played the traditional processional and when they reached the altar, Mr. Belden took Trixie’s hand and placed it in Jim’s and said, "There has never been a more beautiful bride. Take care of her son," and he kissed Trixie on the cheek and shook Jim’s hand and the ceremony was ready to begin.
It started with Bob and Barbara Hubbell singing Atlantic Starr’s song "Always" and then the regular ceremony took place and finally it was time for them to say their own vows. They made them simple and beautiful and after the vows they had wriitten, they read a poem they had selected to read together that they thought was perfect, recommended by Sue’s daughter, who had used it a year earlier in her own wedding.
They said, "Now we will feel no rain for each of us will be shelter to the other. And now we will feel no cold for each of us will be warmth to the other. Now there is no loneliness, we are two bodies but there is one life before us and one home. When evening falls, I’ll look to you and there you’ll be. And I’ll take your hand and you’ll take mine and we’ll turn together and look at the road we have traveled to reach this-the hour of our happiness. It stretches far behind us and our future lies ahead, a long and winding road where every turning means discovery, all the hopes, new laughter, shared tears, the adventure has just begun."
After that Reverend Baker said, "Whom God hath joined together let no one put asunder. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Everyone cheered and they kissed and then hurried back down the aisle as the organist played the traditional recessional music and led the way over to Manor House on foot for the reception.
The reception was traditional and wonderful and when she threw her bouquet, Di caught it and Mart immediately proposed on the spot and she accepted which meant there was going to be another family wedding very soon and that would complete the Bob-White marriages.
Finally it was after midnight. Just before Trixie and Jim left amid a shower of rice and flower petals to spend their wedding night at the Glen Road Inn, Mr. Belden toasted them with tears in his voice, "To Mr. and Mrs. Jim Frayne. May all your tomorrows be as happy as this day."
Everyone joined in and said, "To Trixie and Jim, God bless, goodbye and good luck."
They waved at them and were off to their married life.
Epilogue
Two and a half years later
Christmas DayTrixie and Jim had spent the next year in Chicago and then returned to Sleepyside as planned. A year later he opened his school on the grounds of Ten Acres and Trixie, Hallie and Honey opened their agency, the Frayne-Belden-Wheeler detective agency and at that point, Trixie and Jim had one more wish that they were working on.
On Christmas morning, Jim woke up to find Trixie not in their bed and wondered what happened to her. Suddenly he heard a "YES!" from their bathroom and then, of course, wondered immediately what she was so happy about.
She came into the bedroom holding up a little stick and said, "This is one of those at home pregnancy tests. It’s positive! We’re having a baby. Merry Christmas, Jim."
And eight months later they welcomed their daughter, Katje Helen Frayne to the world, 7 pounds 5 ounces and perfect, joining her cousins, Matthew Peter Belden, son of Honey and Brian; and Elizabeth Nicole Belden, daughter of Di and Mart; and her second cousin, William Harold Mangan, son of Dan and Hallie.
And they all lived happily ever after.
The End
Authors Note: The poem in the wedding ceremony was one I was looking for that I remember from Days of Our Lives Years ago that I finally found and am using for my wedding.