* All ages
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, nor do I intend to make any money off of them. They are simply an escape from the pressures of my everyday life, as well as being practically members of my own family. The lyrics are from Jewel’s song, "You Were Meant For Me", which was extremely appropriate, IMHO. Also, the places and items (Gamberi Paesano) are real-I used to live in San Antonio. If you’ve never been, you’re really missing out! I hope you enjoy my first attempt at fanfic. If it really stinks, I’m sorry! :-)
What They Couldn’t Forget
by Karen C.
Jim Frayne tossed his suitcase onto the inviting bed in his suite at the La Mansion Del Rio Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, and heaved a long sigh. He walked over to the French doors that opened out onto the spacious balcony and gazed thoughtfully at the beautiful Riverwalk below. It was Christmastime and, lit up with glittering lights, was quite picturesque. (All things considered, though, he still couldn’t get used to the fact that it had been nearly 80 degrees that day!) I’m supposed to be on my honeymoon, he thought wearily, not standing alone in a hotel room watching dozens of other happy couples glide by with their heads in the clouds.
His thoughts drifted back to three nights ago. He and Kelly had been making last minute preparations for their wedding the next day at her parents’ home in Colorado Springs. He recalled sitting in her bedroom, discussing the order of the ceremony for the umpteenth time, when Kelly suddenly stopped.
"You don’t want to marry me, do you, Jim?" Kelly asked sadly.
"What are you talking about, Kelly? I love you!" Jim protested, startled at the turn the conversation had taken.
"No, Jim, you don’t. If you think about it hard enough, you’ll realize that it’s not me you want to be planning these things with. Your heart’s always been in only one place; with Trixie."
"Kelly, it’s been over with Trixie for three years. You’re the one I’m going to marry."
"No, Jim. You know as well as I do that I caught you on the rebound. When you came to work at the school and began teaching in the room right next to me, you were fresh out of college and wanting so much to get some ideas for your own school. I was so impressed by you. You seemed to know exactly what you wanted out of life; your energy was contagious. You fell in love with the mountains, I think you let yourself believe that you fell in love with me too. But it’s just not true, Jim. We both know it. Let’s be realistic here. You’ve never made peace with the end of your relationship with Trixie. There’s no way we can be together until you do that," she declared calmly.
So just like that, Kelly had called off the wedding and urged him to take what was supposed to have been their honeymoon trip to San Antonio alone. He’d finally agreed and admitted he could use the time to think. In fact, he’d done nothing but think the entire three days. He thought about Kelly, her jet black hair, her shy and quiet personality, and some of their times together-skiing at Crested Butte, chaperoning school dances; but he’d always felt that something was missing. Then he thought of Trixie; her sandy blond curls that she’d finally let grow out cascading down her back, the piercing blue eyes that could burn holes into his soul, trips when they were teenagers, quiet picnics on weekends home from college. He’d always known that she was his soulmate. Without her, he was incomplete--a work in progress.
After much soul-searching, he’d had to admit that Kelly was right. After Trixie, he’d just wanted to find someone and settle down. It hadn’t really mattered with whom, he had just wanted to reclaim the stability he’d finally found when Honey and his parents had taken him in and he’d felt like he had a purpose. It didn’t matter because no one else was Trixie. Trixie...just to think her name brought visions of her, how she just fit into the crook of his strong arms nestled close against his chest...
Jim shook his head clear. It was just as well that his marriage to Kelly hadn’t happened. Now that he could finally say that, he saw all kinds of signs that should have warned him off: his parents being suddenly called away to Hong Kong; his sister, Honey Roberts and her husband Nick not being able to come because Honey was too pregnant to travel; the fact that Brian had too reluctantly given his blessing to Jim to marry someone who wasn’t his sister.
The more Jim thought about it, the more he envied Brian. Who would have thought things would have turned out for him the way they did? While in medical school, Brian had been coming back from a seminar when he’d stopped by a little neighborhood coffeehouse in Greenwich Village. There he’d run into their friend Diana Lynch, who he hadn’t seen in a couple of years, since her graduation from NYU with a degree in art history. They’d ended up spending the whole night talking and realized that there had always been feelings that existed between them; they had just been too wrapped up in other aspects of their lives to acknowledge them. They were married six months later. Of course things had been a little weird between Brian and Mart at first, due to Mart’s lingering feelings for Di, but Mart had eventually seen what a good match the two were, and gave his blessing. Brian and Di were happily married and settling into successful careers: Brian as a pediatrician at Lenox Hill Hospital, and Diana as an assistant curator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If only it could have worked that way for me and Trixie, he thought dejectedly.
He shook his head again. No use dwelling on that right now. He’d just order up some room service, call it a day, and try to make a fresh start tomorrow.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for flying Alamo Airlines. Please return all seats and tray tables to their full upright positions and enjoy your stay in the home of the World Champion San Antonio Spurs!" The flight attendant’s perky voice trailed off as Trixie Belden smiled with anticipation. San Antonio was one of her favorite places; she’d worked with the FBI on an interstate drug bust there two years ago. Back then, she’d been all business--this time, she vowed, she’d get a little pleasure. It was high time she’d had a vacation and she thought she’d timed it to get back to Sleepyside just before Honey and Nick’s baby was due.
She’d told the travel agent to spare no expense, and so she was booked at the Hyatt Regency-Riverwalk, in the heart of downtown. As the plane began its final descent, she remembered the last vacation she’d taken…
Jim had surprised her. "What do you say, Trix? Ten days in San Francisco, the most romantic city in the U.S.!" She’d eagerly accepted, sure that Jim was finally going to propose. After ten years together, it’s about time, she thought to herself.
It had been their last night in San Francisco, when Jim had done it. They’d been walking along Fisherman’s Wharf when Jim pulled out a gorgeous platinum and diamond ring. "Trixie, my beautiful, brave Schoolgirl Shamus, will you do me the tremendous honor of becoming my wife?"
"Yes, oh gosh, Jim, yes, you know I will! I love you!"
And so they continued walking, talking about their future plans, parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen until Jim casually commented "--and when we move to Colorado...Trix, what’s wrong?"
Trixie was downright astonished. "You know I can’t move to Colorado, Jim. All my family, my work, everything is in Sleepyside. You know that."
They had talked and argued over this subject countless times before, but now that they’d finally made their commitment official, the argument had finally reached the breaking point. Even though each knew the extent of the other’s stubbornness, neither one would budge.
And so I returned his ring, even though it felt as though I were losing half of my soul, Trixie remembered. Well, there wasn’t anything she could do about it now. She’d been meant for Jim, and only Jim, and now that that was over, she didn’t want anyone. No one else could touch her and send shivers down her spine or look at her with such intensity that she nearly wept. Not any of Nick’s artist friends or the cops she met in the line of duty.
San Antonio will help me get through it. I won’t think about it at all. I’m sure I’ll be much too busy.
Jim awoke to the odd sight of December sunlight streaming blindingly through his window. He looked at the clock--9:00 AM. After quite a bit of stretching and a long hot shower, he decided the first item on his agenda would be to go to that mall he’d seen on the way from the airport--Rivercenter, he thought was the name of it. He wanted to get his souvenir shopping over with so he wouldn’t have to worry about it later. He got dressed and decided to walk over to the mall-he'd grab some breakfast tacos at the restaurant on the corner of Alamo Plaza.
Four hours later, he emerged from Guitars and Cadillacs. Wow, he thought. I’m glad this isn’t the height of tourist season. There’s enough people here as it is. Loaded down with bags, he strolled to the escalator heading down to the food court. He had the stray thought that perhaps he’d better drop his packages at the hotel before he dropped them somewhere else. As he balanced precariously on the emerging top step, he saw a sight so unbelievable he would have sworn he was dreaming. His packages went rolling down the escalator toward the woman whose sandy curls had caught his attention…
"OWWW!!!" Trixie yelped angrily as a Doc Marten shoebox banged into her heel at top speed. "What the--? Oh my…..Jim," she breathed. "What in the world--?"
They stood there for what seemed an eternity at the bottom of the escalator, each searching the other’s face for some sign of…what?
"Jim, what are you doing here? I thought you were getting married…." she trailed off questioningly.
"I was. I’m not now." His words sounded short, but not unkind.
"What happened? How are you?"
"I’d love to tell you right now, Trix, but I can’t," Jim replied.
"Oh," she said, crestfallen.
He looked closely at her face--did he dare to hope? "Meet me for dinner--Paesano’s at 8:00. Do you know where it is?"
"Yes, Jim. I’d really like that--if you’re sure. It’s been a long time."
"OK, it’s a date then." Smiling, Jim turned and continued on his way. He couldn’t believe it--it was another sign. He wasn’t going to play anymore and let stupid things stand in their way. This was what was truly meant to be. Now he just needed to make it happen.
Trixie watched him leave, joy and disbelief mingling on her face. What just happened, she thought. Could it be? She wondered excitedly as she hurried down to Dillard’s. She had to find something really special to wear. Someone up above had just given her a second chance, and she didn’t intend to waste it.
He could have spotted her in a cast of thousands, but the crowds seemed to part as the beautiful young woman in the blue silk T-shirt and white linen slacks made her way toward the handsome redhead dressed in a dark green Polo shirt and black Wrangler jeans. "Mr. Frayne? Right this way," the maitre’d called.
"Trixie, you take my breath away," Jim said, so seriously that she was mesmerized by just the sound of his voice.
"Thanks, Jim. You’ve never looked better yourself," she replied, blushing to the roots of her sandy hair.
They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, both thrilled just to be there, but neither knowing how to proceed. Finally the waiter appeared. "Are you ready to order, sir?"
"Actually, we haven’t even glanced at the menu," Jim answered slowly. "What do you recommend?"
"The Gamberi Paesano is our specialty, sir. Succulent fresh shrimp in a rich lemon garlic butter sauce, served with capellini and tender fresh steamed vegetables, accompanied perhaps by a nice Chardonnay..."
"That sounds wonderful," exclaimed Trixie.
"Make it two, then," added Jim.
"As you wish," the waiter grinned, and hurried off.
"So Jim, what’s the story? Why aren’t you celebrating your newlywed status?"
"I don’t want to go into explicit detail right now, Trixie. It wouldn’t be fair to Kelly. All I’ll say is that she realized something you and I should have seen a long time ago."
"Do you mind if I ask what that was?" Jim’s eyes hypnotized Trixie. Had they always been so deeply green?
"I think you know, Trixie. I didn’t really love her, and she knew it. I was trying to forget you when I met her, and then I just let myself get caught up in the natural progression of a relationship. I guess I knew it the whole time, but I couldn’t bring myself to hurt her. But some things never change. You and I belong together, Trixie, and you know it too. You can feel it between us right now. Can’t you?" He sounded so earnest, but he knew the quickest and best way back to Trixie’s heart was the plain and simple truth.
"Yes, Jim," she answered softly. "I’ve always known too. Listen to the song they’re playing--it’s fate."
You were meant for me,
And I was meant for you…After that, it was as if they’d never been apart. Talking, laughing, just enjoying being together and eating a delicious meal in a terrific restaurant in one of the most romantic cities in the country. In fact, they were having the time of their lives when Trixie asked the question: "Are you still set on having your boys’ school in Colorado?"
Jim tensed. He couldn’t help it--this had always been the argument. He answered, "I honestly think it’s the best place. Mountains, nature, but close to the city, too. It’s perfect for kids who feel the need to belong somewhere. But I guess....well, never mind. Why do you ask?"
Trixie looked at him with a wicked gleam in her eye. She knew exactly what he was thinking--they’d always been able to read each other’s thoughts. Just this once she couldn’t wait to knock his socks off. "I know we couldn’t or wouldn’t compromise on this, Jim. That’s why I’ve taken the bull by the horns."
Jim looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Trixie chuckled nervously. It was now or never. "Well, about a year ago I was involved in a kidnapping case with the FBI gang in Denver. To make a long story short, let’s just say that they were so pleased with my work that, well, they offered me a job with their branch of the Bureau. So this afternoon, I took the liberty of making a few phone calls…"
Jim stared. He couldn’t believe the sacrifice she was making--for him. Thank you, God, he prayed. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve a second chance, but thank you. "Trix, are you saying…"
"Yes, Jim. That is, if you still want me."
At that moment, Trixie and Jim knew only that through some miracle of fate, they had been reunited after a too long separation. As they fell into each other’s arms, to forever seal the destiny of their relationship, the only sound was the applause of the other diners at the sight of the delirious young couple kissing passionately, oblivious to the world around them.
The End