Chapter Seven
The Seat of a Princess

Trixie’s eyes flickered open and she realised that she had a slight crick in the neck. She sat up and looked into smiling green eyes.

"Hello, sweetie."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About an hour. I will admit I only just woke up before you."

Trixie looked around her. "Where are we?"

Jim shook his head. "Somewhere on the road to Mandurah."

Trixie looked over to where her friends were still asleep. "I guess we all had a busy night last night."

Jim slid his arm around her and smiled. "I know we did."

Trixie was about to say something when she noticed the others beginning to stir.

"Good morning everyone." She smiled.

"Where are we?" Brian yawned.

Trixie laughed. "That is what I said."

"Maybe we should ask the driver?"

Jim pressed the intercom.

"I thought that you all would sleep the journey," came his laughing voice.

"Almost." Jim laughed back. "So, Joe, where are we?"

"Well, Jim we are about ten minutes outside of the city of Mandurah and another ten minutes to the Castle Fun Park where your father told me to take you before the hotel. He said that you were to follow the clue, have lunch there and then I will take you to the Hotel after that."

"So you must have the clue then. Dad didn’t give it to me."

"I have Jim, thought I am not totally sure what it means."

"It takes us a while too." Jim smiled.

"Okay well I will tell you what he said." Joe told them.

"To a castle you will go,
To a land where giants roam,
To find the seat of a princess,
To look until you find,
The fun for the evening,
That will make the girls smile
And boys don’t you worry
It will all be worthwhile."

"Hmmm," Brian said. "We are going to a place with a castle in it, so I guess this one should hopefully be easy."

"Who thinks up these clues?" Joe asked.

"My dad. And we know how corny they are."

Joe laughed. "Not my place to say."

As they drove up the gravel drive to the entrance, people standing around stopped to stare at the limousine arriving. And they were even more surprised when six teenagers climbed out.

"I don’t think that I will ever get used to the stares," Trixie whispered to Jim.

He took her hand and smiled. "We may not be famous, but you are special to me."

She reached up and gave him a quick kiss. "Right back at you, Mr Frayne."

Jim paid the admission and they went in.

"Look at the little village," Di exclaimed. "We look like giants."

"Like in the clue." Mart smiled. "You are clever as well as gorgeous."

Di’s face lit up brighter than the sun.

"I can also see food," Mart sighed.

"Clues first brother and then food." Brian grinned at him and Mart groaned loudly.

It was Trixie that spotted the tiny castle on top of the hill and she dragged Jim over. It was about the size of a garden shed, dominated by a huge throne.

"Well there the princess sits, but where is the rest of the clue?"

"It just says to look around, so let’s look," Honey told them.

And they did. It was Honey, looking behind the throne that came up triumphantly with a golden envelope.

"Open it," Trixie cried, jumping up and down.

Honey tore open the envelope and looked inside.  She laughed. "It's six tickets to Princess Diaries Two at the Mandurah theatre."

All three girls giggled delightedly. But the boys were not so impressed.

"A chick flick," Mart said out loud. "Who wants to go to a chick flick?"

Trixie smiled. "Do you remember the last line, Mart?"

"Something about it all being worthwhile for us boys. But I don’t see how."

Di smiled. "Think about it for a while Mart and if you don’t know soon, I will let you know."

Jim grinned suddenly. "Hm, Miss Belden, I have heard that a chick flick makes girls pretty snuggly and happy. Am I on the right track?"

Trixie winked. "I guess if you want to find out you will have to come with us tonight and find out."

Brian smiled. "I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

"I'm glad," Honey told him.

The smile on Mart’s face became wider and wider. "Might not be so bad after all."

"Now." Di smiled. "How about we have something to eat and then we can have a proper look around."

"This day is getting better and better."

Everyone laughed as they headed for the kiosk.

"The tiny Bavarian village is overshadowed by a Neuschwanstein Castle," Mart read as they feasted on hot dogs and chips.

"A New what castle?" Di’s eyes became wider.

Mart shook his head. "I will have to look that one up when I get home."

"Uh-oh, Mart, there is a chink in your armour," Jim teased. 

Mart smiled. "My brain has been muddled by the enchanting Di I am afraid."

Brian shook his head. "How about we have a look around now and then we can get to the hotel?"

"Daddy says that there is a heated pool and spa right in the middle of the hotel."

"Spa," Trixie sighed. "Sounds wonderful."

After spending a pleasant hour wandering around the tiny village, with its tiny people and tiny animals, they headed back to the car. Joe was asleep in his seat, but woke up when Jim opened the door.

"We have a month old baby at home." He grinned as he started the car. "So I have a doze when I can get one."

"So you should," Brian told him.

Ten minutes later they pulled outside the Hotel Atrium. They got out and Joe went to the boot for their luggage.

Trixie hugged Honey's arm. "Hey, look this one is the Atrium."

Honey giggled. "Hey, I am right this time."

After saying goodbye to Joe, they followed the boys inside.

The girl's room was lovely. This room had two double beds in it and Honey was given her own bed. She lay down and sighed. "Two nights without Trixie kicking me."

"At least I don’t spend half the night sighing, ‘oh Brian, oh Brian.’"

Honey giggled. "No, all you say is ‘Jim, yes, Jim, oh yes, Jim."

Trixie dived on her and they began to giggle. A knock on the door stopped them and Di went to answer it.

Mrs Wheeler and Mrs Lynch walked in. "We heard you had checked in so we came to see if you were okay and had enjoyed the fun park?" Mrs Wheeler asked.

"Oh Mother, it was wonderful," Honey sighed. "And it was lovely of you and Daddy to give us those tickets to the movie. We have wanted to see it, but haven’t had the time."

"Well, tomorrow we are taking you girls shopping."

"Really?"

Mrs Lynch smiled. "We haven’t really spent much time with you so we decided that tomorrow we would spend the whole day with you. The boys are going out to look at properties with the men."

"I would rather go shopping," Di sighed.

"Me too," Honey laughed.

"Tomorrow is Thursday and then we only have two more days," Trixie sighed.

Mrs Lynch smiled. "We go to a hotel called Observation City on Friday and leave from there ten p.m. to go to the airport on Saturday night. Friday, we want you to have a lazy day just lying on the beach. The hotel is at a place called Scarborough and it right on the beach front. Then on Saturday you can do whatever you decide."

The two mothers stood up. "It might be an idea for you girls to rest for a little while before dinner. The movie starts at seven."

After they had gone, the girls lay down on the bed. Di fell asleep, but Honey and Trixie couldn’t. Both knew what Saturday night also meant--that a few days later they would have to say goodbye to one that was rapidly becoming more and more important in their lives.

*      *     *

"Trix, are you okay?" Jim asked as they seated themselves in the movie theatre.

"Yes, why?"

"You seem a little somber tonight."

She lay her head on his shoulder. "I am just a little tired."

"Are you sure that you want to stay for the movie tonight?"

"As long as you stay with me," she told him as she looked up.

He kissed her gently. "There is no where else I would rather be than here."

"Good." She smiled as the lights dimmed.

*      *      *

"I think that we should go to more chick flicks." Mart smiled as they walked into their hotel room. He then headed for the bathroom.

"Brian, Trixie seemed a little sad tonight. Do you think she is okay?"

Brian smiled. "I was going to ask the same thing of you about Honey. She seemed preoccupied all evening."

"It has been a whirlwind few days. Maybe they are tired," Jim commented.

Brian nodded as he prepared for bed. But neither was sure that was the case. And Jim fervently prayed that Trixie had not changed her mind about her feelings for him.

*      *     *

The next day none of them had the chance to think about anything. Just before ten, a taxi deposited the women at the Mandurah Forum shopping centre. It was a huge mall of shops and they spend the next six hours blissfully shopping. During lunch Trixie looked at the bags beside her chair and looked up at Mrs Wheeler.

"I feel I should pay for the lovely things you have gotten for me."

Mrs Wheeler reached over and took Trixie’s hand in hers.

"Oh Trixie, after what you have done for me...bringing my family back together."

"But, Mrs Wheeler--"

"No buts, my girl. It gives me great pleasure to get things for you. And the way I see it, you are going to be my daughter one day anyway." She watched Trixie blush. "Jim is pretty special, isn’t he?"

Trixie nodded.

"Then no more talk about paying me back. Okay? You owe me nothing, but the pleasure I see in your eyes when you receive something."

"Thank you," Trixie told her and Mrs Wheeler smiled as she squeezed her hand.

Trixie did not see Jim that night. The boys arrived back late with Mr Lynch and Mr Wheeler.

She was disappointed, but she had a wonderful day anyway and shared a lovely dinner with the mothers. She fell asleep hoping to see Jim early the next morning.

 

Chapter 8
Sun, Sunsets, and Heartaches

Trixie thought she heard someone knocking on her door early in the morning, but she thought she was dreaming so she rolled over and went back to sleep.

Di looked at them and laughed. "Look at you two sourpusses. We had fun prior to boyfriends and kisses so let's go and have some fun. We only have today and tomorrow. Let’s have a great girl's day out. What do you say?"

Trixie stood up and grinned. "United we stand, together we have fun."

"And today we can eat as much junk as we want without worrying about what anyone else thinks."

"So let's start off with a totally decadent breakfast." Di grinned and they were all laughing as they hurried downstairs.

*      *     *

Trixie sat up and rubbed sunscreen on the front of her legs. She then lay down again. The sun was warm and she knew that she had dozed a little.

"This is the life," she sighed and received two "Mmms" from her friends.

"That ice cream sundae hit the spot." Di looked over to Trixie and smiled.

Trixie nodded. "Bacon eggs and Danish for breakfast, McDonald’s for lunch, and a chocolate sundae for dessert. What a way to go."

"Hey girls." Honey lifted her head in their direction. "I think we are being watched."

"Is it the boys?" Trixie looked around.

*      *     *

Chapter Nine
Where Dreams Become Reality

She stood on the edge of the sand hills, looking down at the ocean. The cold permeated the shirt she was wearing, so she pulled her jacket closer around her. Her mind was still in a turmoil about what had happened last night. Hoping for a restful sleep had not helped. She had watched the clock chime most of the hours of the night. And finally frustration had driven her outside, where her thoughts always became more clear. When she felt someone beside her, she knew instinctively who it was. And she smiled.

"Trix, what are you doing out here alone and so early?"

"The same as you I would say. I sometimes find indoors so stifling that I feel I want to just run and feel the wind around me. And then I can think."

Jim slid his arms around her and she leaned back into his embrace.

"The others will worry where you are," he told her.

"I left Honey a note."

They were silent for a moment and then Trixie spoke. "I wanted to talk to you about last night," she told him.

She looked at his face. He was watching the ocean, but she saw the look that he only had when thinking about his past.

"What is it, Jim?"

He turned to her and she saw sadness.

"There is something that I have wanted to tell you for a long time, but didn’t know how."

"You can tell me anything."

He smiled slightly. "I know."

He again looked out at the ocean and she waited.

"The farm that Jonesy owned was next to the Johnson's farm. There was Mr and Mrs Johnson and their sons Adam and Mark and their daughter Reanna. She was the same age as me. When my mother died, they were there for me and it was they who stopped Jonesy hitting me on occasions. A few times, when he was in one of his rages, I hid in their barn." He sighed and she knew what he was going to tell her was hard. She reached over and took his hand.

"A few days before I left, I was hiding in their barn. Reanna came in and brought me some food. Her mother had died a year earlier and she was still upset about it. When she again began to cry, I held her in my arms. She told me never to leave her and I remember telling her that if I ever left I would always come back for her. It was the second time we kissed and things got a little heated. Luckily, I stopped us before we went too far. She was really angry with me and told me that making love to me was all she had ever wanted. Because it would truly make me hers." He sighed. "That was the last time I saw her."

"Have you tried to contact her or has she tried to contact you?"

He shook his head. "But I have a feeling that one day she will just appear in my life again."

Trixie smiled at him. "Well, she can visit, but I am afraid you are taken."

He turned to her and hugged her against him. "And don’t you ever forget it."

"Do you miss her?"

"I thought I would but a cute curly hair vixen charmed the socks right off me and made me forget about her."

She reached up for his kiss. "Then I had better make sure to keep you that way."

*     *      *

Mart sat beside Di as the Ferris wheel took them around again. He turned to her and smiled.

"Enjoying yourself?"

She nodded. "I was just remembering the other night. You were lost for words for one of the first times in your life."

He laughed. "I was sitting here next to the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and I so wanted to kiss her. But how to put it into words?"

"You didn’t need to." She smiled. "You just gave me that puppy dog look you have and I knew that if I didn’t kiss you, I would regret it."

"So, you lean over and say to me, ‘the first kiss is always the hardest so I have heard’ and then you smile. What else was I to do but kiss you?"

"What else indeed." She smiled back. "And I can see that our ride will be over soon and I certainly haven’t had enough kisses."

Mart grinned. "My brother might be the up and coming doctor, but I can give a remedy for this situation." And he did.

*     *      *

"So, Mr Belden, you are not looking to see what is happening with you sister today?"

Brian smiled. "The only girl I am interested is right before me and the only thing I am interested in doing is taking up where we left off the last time we were on this ride."

"You will hear no complaints from me." Honey smiled.

*     *      *

"I am so glad that we came back," Trixie told Jim as they sat close together.

"I know, Trix, that it might not always be easy having a long distance relationship, but I promise you that there will not be anyone else on my mind while I am away, but you."

"Same here," she told him. "We go home soon and it seems the end of a dream, but, to be honest, I think the reality will be much better than the dream."

"So come here and show me," he invited and she accepted the invitation.

*      *     *

They stood again watching the sun go down. But they both knew that this one would be their last.

"Do you think we will ever come back, Jim?" Trixie asked him.

He hugged her closer. "I hope so, Trix. Dad has made a decision to invest over here, so he will fly over here every now and then and I am sure we can catch a lift with him."

Trixie looked at her watch and sighed. "We had better go in, Jim. I still have some packing to do and your dad wanted us to have a last dinner together before leaving for the airport at ten."

"We have a few minutes," he told her and she turned to him with a smile.

"Oh, I hope so."

Trixie watched the Swan River fade into the distance. She felt Jim take her hand and she looked at him with a smile. She came here expecting so much and got so much more. And she was thankful.

Epilogue

"I love it all." Bobby smiled as he opened up the many presents on the kitchen table.

Trixie sat next to her mother and she took her hand. "And did you love it, Trix?"

"It was the best holiday I have ever had. I learned so much about myself and I brought so much back with me I will never forget it."

"Including a new love."

Trixie nodded then sighed. "But I have to soon let him go, Moms."

Moms hugged her. "Baby, it is all part of life. We take the good with the bad. And I have no doubt that you and Jim will get through this and will be stronger for it."

"I am glad I am home," Trixie told Moms.

"And I am glad you are, too."

Just then Jim popped his head in the kitchen door. "Mother and Dad are going to see Celia in hospital. Any takers?"

All three jumped up. Trixie looked at her mother.

"Go," Moms told her. "We have plenty of time to talk later."

Trixie hugged Moms and then hurried into Jim's arms. Moms stood by the kitchen door and watched as they hurried hand in hand up the hill. She smiled.

Life was sure going to be more interesting from now on.

HUGS

TBH Main