I never thought I’d write this. I’ve always wanted the blame for the ‘Dot" thing to lie squarely on Jim’s male hormonal shoulders in Trixie Belden and the Happy Valley Mystery. But somewhere along the way, I decided that quite simply, the old 4 letter "m" word "miscommunication" was to blame. Okay, that’s more than 4 letters, but you get the idea. So I might be on my way to forgiving him – perhaps. Granted, this is only my take on things. I had to find some way to explain to myself the up/down/up/down nature of Trixie and Jim in Happy Valley. And to say that perhaps the other 4 letter word (no, not D-O-T, but J-E-A-L-O-U-S-Y – notice how that word ends with the word "lousy"?) wasn’t ALL coming from Trixie’s side? Jealousy isn’t always a bad thing. Lord, send me some man to like me enough to get jealous over me - as long as he has a supple body and red hair.

Thanks for reading "Dot Your j’s." I’ll let you figure out what the "J" stands for.

I don’t own em. Random House does. But if I did, Jim would have given Trixie more than a bracelet on the plane ride home.

Dot Your j’s

by Heather(Trix15)

Although Trixie was never shy about meeting people – she couldn’t shake the mild nervousness that had plagued her ever since the Bob-Whites had entered the gymnasium. Perhaps it was the agitation she had been dealing with ever since their arrival in Iowa. She was used to enduring teasing remarks and putting up with frowns when she made mistakes in her theories – but for some reason – there were many more of each to go around this time.

That coupled to the fact that Jim had barely spoken since getting in the station wagon to travel to the game was making Trixie falter. She could pinpoint the exact moment when he had grown quiet.

"He’s what the girls would have called a ‘sheik’ when I was your age," Mr. Gorman had teased them. "Tall, dark, and handsome."

"Let’s just hope he can play basketball," Jim had replied, thanking Mr. Gorman for the tickets.

And so they left for the game, Trixie noticing that although Jim hadn’t much to say he had at least looked at her rather appreciatively in her powder blue sweater and flouncy navy and powder blue wool plaid skirt. At this point, Trixie could not discern if his silence was merely reflection – or something else. In any case, it was disquieting.

The Bob-Whites sat down on their front row seats to watch the Rivervale team practice, noticing immediately that one of the players stood out so easily from the rest. Ned Schulz was indeed a "sheik".

Trixie watched Honey and Diana engage in the act of beautification, but with a look of disdain, turned her eyes to watch Ned play. And as her eyes followed Ned, Jim’s eyes followed her, frozen for a moment in time as he listened to her express her admiration for the boy by letting loose a whistle from between her lips.

Oh Trixie, Jim thought trying to push aside feelings he was reluctant to admit he was having. Don’t fall for it. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind that he snapped to attention as the object of her admiration walked towards the Sleepyside group sitting on the floor.

Ned introduced himself and talk quickly turned to basketball. Jim could not help but notice that much of the dialogue ran between Ned and Trixie. He tried to dismiss the thoughts he was having though as he moved out onto the floor to play ball. Methodically and deliberately he moved around the court, keeping his mind on the ball and its trajectory towards the basket. The task was rather difficult, for every time he glanced over at the sideline, he noticed Ned leaning down to Trixie, whispering to her. Using the ball in the fashion that he was, was the only means he had of keeping this ever growing temper under control.

But it was apt to come out at some time or another and upon hearing the almost taunting dare from Ned, Jim’s protective radar went up.

"Sink one and show him!" he said only loud enough for Trixie to hear. But an actual taunt from one of the Rivervale players pushed her over the edge. Inside, he was cheering as she sunk the ball, nothing but net. This continued for a while until Trixie – feeling like she’d made enough of a fool of herself, handed the ball over to Ned and plopped down beside Jim.

Rivervale won the game and amidst the cheering from the gymnasium, Jim wondered of Trixie was using her voice in support of Ned, or the team. After the game, it was painfully obvious, but oddly reassuring to him that while Trixie was paid much attention, even as much as Honey and Diana, it was because of her basketball prowess instead of her feminine wiles. Jim could appreciate the pretty, soft and charming appeal of the female gender. He didn’t know if Trixie knew, however, that he preferred the spunky, vivacious, petite and naturally beautiful woman that he knew she was. He sincerely didn’t believe so because the next thing he knew she was emerging from the bathroom in a cloud of perfume complete with combed hair and lipstick. The lipstick he would try to avoid because, well – he just didn’t want to concentrate on her lips. The hair he simply wanted to run his fingers through and tousle it once more. And the perfume – the perfume was a nice touch. He was just happy to see her again even though it hadn’t been so very long.

Jim had no idea what Trixie, Honey and Diana had been talking about in the restroom. If he had, he might not have been so quick to make the next move that he did. Not long after his attempt to encourage Trixie, boys immediately surrounded her. Somehow, they managed to draw her away from Jim.

Jim stood there and could clearly hear that they were talking basketball – but the moment was ruined. He heaved an inward sigh and thought perhaps about moving into the crowd to take hold of her arm while the other boys talked shop. But something stopped him and before he knew it, a tall attractive blonde girl had grabbed his arm and was leading him to a table. Jim made a silent decision and followed the girl without so much as a glance towards Trixie. None of this escaped Trixie’s notice, but soon she was aware of Ned taking her over to a table as well. I guess I can’t blame him, really, she thought to herself. If you were him, would you want to be with that gorgeous creature right now, or frumpy old Tomboy Trixie? She frowned inwardly at her thoughts – she wasn’t normally this down on herself. But it seemed that unlike her home in Sleepyside, here she had been more cognizant than ever of her looks and boys and the way she acted around them.

It wasn’t long however before she had returned to her old self. She was sure that the men who had sold the lamb to the school at a very cheap price were her Uncle Andrew’s sheep thieves. And she was determined to prove it – with or without help from the others.

Trixie tried not to notice Jim and Dot and when Ned asked her to dance, she turned on him her most bewitching smile and accepted. Ned wasn’t paying so much attention; he merely wanted to be active. Had he been more perceptive, he would have seen in her eyes the hurt behind the smile.

Jim, too, was watching the scene out of the corner of his eye. But he as well missed the hurt and saw only the feminine charm she was attempting to wield – that and Ned’s arm around her waist pulling her close so they could speak in earnest conversation with each other.

The evening went on and Trixie danced with a number of boys while Jim seemed contented to spend his time with Dot. They both felt like they were in some bad cliché version of a daytime TV show, each secretly seeing the other across the room dancing with another person, but wanting to be with each other – just too afraid to admit it. Finally towards the end of the dance, Trixie found herself dancing with Ned again, while Jim danced across the floor with Dot. As if by some unspoken command, the two couples would up finishing their dance next to each other. And boy met girl all over again.

"Next dance, Trix?" he asked.

"Yes, Jim," was her answer.

From then on, Trixie was more content, even when she saw Jim dancing again with Dot. Near the end of the dance, they found each other once more. Jim spun her around as they danced the "Pretzel". The magic was short lived however when the both proved to each other that their attempts to act like neither had noticed the maneuverings of the other all evening, were proved false.

"I must have danced with a dozen different boys instead of just one," Trixie said.

"Yes, I noticed you were having quite a ball. Are you really having fun? Ned Schulz seems to have the Indian sign on you," Jim monotoned.

His words raised her hackles. "And Dot seems to have the Indian sign on you. You’ve been her slave all evening," was her wry reply. She hated the tone in her voice.

Moving off the dance floor for a moment, the two exchanged quiet words until they were ready to dance again. This time, the beat was slow and Jim commented on it as he placed his arms around her waist and she brought hers up to encircle his neck. Both felt an exciting thrill at once again holding each other. It felt like Heaven and coming home all at once.

As Heaven on earth usually is however, the moment was fleeting. No sooner had Trixie invited Ned to share in their car, then Jim proceeded to sit in silence once more except to make one or two rather sarcastic and sharp remarks during their attempt to follow the sheep truck through the woods.

Things only worsened leading into the next morning. Trixie had just about had enough of everyone’s teasing the night before and had marched upstairs to bed without so much as a look in Jim’s direction. And to top it off, her breakfast began to taste like sawdust upon hearing that Dot had personally called Jim to invite him skating that day.

So when they arrived at the skating rink, Trixie wasn’t in the best of spirits. Upon seeing the vision in white that was Dot first thing, she about gave up on feeling better. She put up a good front however, resigned to the fact that Dot was so much more beautiful than she was or would ever be, according to herself. If Jim noticed this melancholy Trixie, he did little to help it, thinking instead that as it was the Rivervale boys who had wanted the girls in attendance, that Trixie wouldn’t remain alone for long.

Nor did she, at first waiving the boys off but finally accepting help from Ned. Part of her thought that the femininity she was practicing was a bit on the ridiculous side. Obviously she was capable of adjusting her own skates. But if Jim were going to be attached to Dot, she would play her own games as well. What could it hurt, being attached to a tall, dark, and handsome young man all afternoon?

After Dot’s skate, they both attempted to draw one another out. Trixie was determined to see goodness in everyone, even those she felt she had to compete with. And Jim was determined to keep the lines of communication with Trixie flowing. Her courage was amazing. It was the quality in her that he had admired far above and beyond all of her other good trait. And it was her later courage that made him wonder why he had ever bothered with Dot. Trixie’s willingness to help Mr. Gorman and Brian with the pregnant ewe elevated Trixie even higher in Jim’s eyes. Confidence shone from her like a lighthouse beacon. It was infectious and Jim loved being around her for this very reason. Unlike Dot, or many of the other primping females he had met in his life – Trixie needed no pretensions. And he resolved then and there to make sure she knew without a doubt who came first in his life.

Later that night, after Mr. Gorman, Trixie, Brian and Bed had come in, Jim listened to the conversation at hand… something about Ben becoming a sort of surrogate parent to the abandoned lamb. His ears perked up as he heard Mrs. Gorman ask Trixie what she thought about being a lamb’s mother. Watching her with the little black orphaned lamb now, Jim knew that Trixie would make the best mother. There was no substitute for generosity and genuine care for others. He smiled inwardly to himself.

Little did he know that his very thoughts were being returned. Relaxing after the long hard and very emotional day, Trixie watched as Tag finally managed to maneuver himself onto Jim’s lap. Looking at the tired but contented look on his face, Trixie could easily imagine him holding one of his own children someday.

She sighed to herself. Dare I hope? she thought – to think – our children? No matter about that now. Right now – I just know that he and I will be okay. More than okay. And she truly believed it.