Happy Holidays VII: The Greatest Christmas Gift is You by Christine

The Greatest Christmas Gift Is You

by Christine

Chapter 1

“Mom, why didn’t you ever tell us we were related to President Johnson?” Trixie asked, as they were finally free to begin Thanksgiving dinner.

“That was a whole other world ago, one that I was desperately hoping to shelter you from,” Helen answered. “We lived our lives right here in this sleepy little town as quietly as possible, hiding who we were for good reason.”

“Why?”

“It’s my fault she’s gone. It’s always the parents’ responsibility,” Helen answered. Suddenly, she teared up.

“I was there, Helen,” said Peter Belden. “We didn’t turn our backs; we weren’t given the chance to turn our backs. We trusted that the hospital had honest staff; she was kidnapped right out of the hospital–in front of our eyes. It was a mistake. That is all--just a stupid mistake.”

“OH!” Helen just cried.

“What?” Trixie gasped as she looked back and forth at them.

“My oldest child was kidnapped at birth,” Helen cried. “It is such an awful story. We never could find her no matter how hard we tried, and I was so scared that it was my father that brought those kidnappers to the hospital that I made him stay away so when I had other children they would be safer.”

“Things aren’t always pretty being the relative of a world leader,” Alex said soberly. “Or the relative of someone that the terrorists consider a threat to their interests. We have suffered a lot in our pasts, way more than my daughter should have ever had to endure. I am sorry, Helen.”

Alexander Johnson was Trixie’s grandfather. Her mother only recently admitted that he was still alive to her children, mainly because he insisted that he be allowed to meet them at some point very soon. Alexander spent most of their young life away over seas serving in the military as a Five Star General. He returned to the States to work for the president nearly three years before as his top military advisor, but during the past year, he decided to run for the presidency personally, and through a major effort on his part and a whole lot of luck, he was recently elected president. Now Helen had to figure out a way to explain to her children exactly why this was held a secret all of those years.

“Oh, I don’t suppose it was anyone’s fault. I shouldn’t have made you stay away so long,” Helen said soberly.

“I hope the kids like our unexpected dinner guest for Thanksgiving?”

“Of course, but we are all blown away,” Mart said with a big grin.

“Did you ever find a trace of her? I mean of my sister--the one you were explaining about that got kidnapped at her birth?” Trixie asked.

“Well, not enough of a trace to ever track her whereabouts. We can only hope someone that loved babies took her, and that they treated her like gold through out her life,” Alex said.

“What?” Brian gasped.

“Your oldest sister was kidnapped right out of the hospital,” Uncle Andy said soberly from another table across the room as Brian came in to join the conversation having missed much of it.

Andy smiled as he slipped the family’s pet, Reddy Junior, a big hunk of turkey for dinner. Reddy Junior took the place of Reddy Senior after Reddy was found one morning that last summer in the yard. He was so ill from a recent copperhead snake bite that the vet couldn’t save him, and he passed on. The kids couldn’t stop missing that over active Irish setter that never did seem to learn to behave properly. Their parents drove Trixie and Bobby to the kennel where they first bought their beloved dog and allowed them to pick another pup from the same mother that had given birth to Reddy a few years before. This one was nearly identical, with one exception: with Mart away in college now he was being trained to obey proper commands instead of the fake ones that Mart taught him just to frustrate his sister all those years ago.

“We have an older sister then, Trixie?” Bobby shouted.

“Don’t shout,” Helen warned her son.

“Yes, we had an older sister.” Trixie stood up. “I would like all of the information that you had so I can check on your facts. Maybe I could find her.”

“I had professionals searching for twenty-two years, but you are welcome to have a look over it,” Alex smiled.

“There was a gunner woman in my squadron that looked a whole lot like Trixie,” Jim said suddenly. “Her name was Anne Star. I actually asked her once if she was related to you, Trix,, but she said no. She was taken from her parents when she was only six months old and placed up for adoption. Apparently, her parents were drug addicts. She said she didn’t know a whole lot about either side of the family, but all she knew was they lived in California, and they weren’t worth knowing.”

“Oh, no kidding! Were they anywhere near Lancaster or Palmdale?” Helen asked.

“Don’t get your hopes up, dear, we have seen near look-a-likes before,” Alex told his daughter.

“Wait. Anne who?” Trixie looked over at Jim with a frown.

“Anne Star. She is still in Iraq. I have a few pictures of the team in my suitcase back home. You would like her, Trix.”

“And she reminds you of my sister?” Mart raised one eyebrow suspiciously.

“Oh!” Jim jumped when he looked over at Trixie’s suspiciously angry look. “Don’t get the wrong impression; she is engaged to my gunner man, Stan. You met him in the hospital in Germany. I would never go there.”

“Oh!” Trixie relaxed. “For a minute there I thought I was going to have to clean your clock for setting me up as the girl in this port or something!”

“Now, babe, I don’t do girls in each port, games,” Jim just grinned from ear to ear. “You mean it is going to matter if I did?”

“Yes, it matters,” Diana, and Honey, Miss Trask, and Celia, Helen, and Mrs. Lynch, and Grace all chorused loudly.

“Okay,” Jim laughed loudly as Trixie started pouting.

“Hey, Trix, I love you, too.” Jim said with a huge grin. “And, babe, it is the only reason she reminded me of you. Dang, I was out there long enough to compare nearly all of the females to you, and trust me, no one ever measured up to my idea of perfect either but you.”

“Oh, I hear mush,” Mart pretended to gag

“So, does this mean you won’t ever be caught kissing our second cousin again?” Bobby asked.

“What?”

“I am going to kill you.” Trixie jumped up and started chasing Bobby out of the house and into the back yard. Reddy Junior, affectionately known simply as Junior, started barking loudly as he ran to chase them out the kitchen door. Bobby was running, but Trixie was faster. She tackled him to the ground and held him in a pin he couldn’t get out of. “You better take that back, now,” she shouted.

“OW.” Bobby groaned. “But you did kiss your second cousin. Dad said so,” Bobby squeaked a high-pitched squeal.

“Miss!” a Secret Service guard turned to gasp. “Any more pressure and you will break his arm,” he warned loudly.

“Oh you…” Trixie let his arm go. “I didn’t know I related to Tie. Why wasn’t I told his dad and my dad were cousins in the first place? Hello, I should have known that a long time ago.”

“What was that about?” Jim frowned.

“Oh, last week Tie Hanson came by for a visit. It seems he wanted to ask Trixie out to the movies. The movies would have been fine, in fact they still are, however I had to tell them that Tie’s father is my cousin. That is all,” Peter laughed.

“How serious was that?” Jim frowned.

“Not very, I mean, the conversation was raised in our child development class about interracial issues when the teacher asked her if she was sure if a black simulator doll would be allowed. Trixie said, and I quote ‘It is fine. There is not a racial bone in my entire body. I don’t have a problem with it.’ She was meaning that she didn’t mind if the doll was black or not, of course! However Tie, who was just coming in to his class, picked up on it. He asked her out a second later, and Trixie said, and I quote, ‘I am not exactly allowed to date by myself yet. Dad only now allows me to go on double dates or chaperoned dates. You would have to get that by him first.’”

“So he showed up that night to see if her dad would approve?”

“I don’t with a second cousin, no,” Peter shook his head no. “I always swore that my kids would be free to fall for whomever they fall for with out criticism, but I have to draw the line at relatives.”

“Oh! But I wanted to date Hallie,” Mart laughed loudly as he spoke.

“You sick-o….” Hallie’s older brother Cap nudged him. “Leave my sister alone.”

“At least you have known Hallie all your life.,” Helen grinned. “Trixie might have known Tie for most of hers, but the Hansons are pretty snobbish now that they have arrived.” She pretended to sneer.

“Arrived, you mean converged with Menards,” Matt laughed loudly. “Floating along on the shirt tale of a mother company is progress, but let him own the mother company, and then he can boast about arriving.”

“It is more like they consider us the snobs,” Andy laughed. “Were the one on this side of the highway having dinner with the Lynches, owners of the mother company by the way…?” He laughed.

“Oh, do I own Menards?” George thought a second. “Oh, I suppose I do have a fair share of stock in that franchise, hum?”

“Oh man, you make me sick.” Trixie gasped. “Don’t you even know what you own?”

“I own paper,” George laughed loudly. “I have men to remember what paper belongs to what real-estate for me, sweetheart.”

“How did you do after the Twin Towers disaster back in ‘01?” Alex asked George.

“Oh, we suffered a major blow. We also lost family members as well, but we don’t keep the trades in the towers. That is just where we controlled our electronic boards, but even they link up into another board halfway across the planet. We have securities in place to save us from huge disasters like those, although our losses were huge, they weren’t exactly my losses to deal with until I inherited them. I was always the black sheep of my family. I didn’t exactly worry over what they did. My father divorced my mother when I was a baby, and he just paid her to raise me.”

“I got into the business so we could save the world trade system from collapsing down around us and rebuilt what I could to date for the family, but other than that?”

“We are looking forward to getting into the new trade centers,” Matthew smiled.

“Are you going to move your offices to the trade center?” Marge asked Madeleine.

“Oh, I am not sure what Matthew has planned. We see so little of each other lately with my work as a peace ambassador now, and his work keeping our paths from hooking up.”

“That is no way to live,” Jim frowned some. Were his adopted parents getting along or not?

He wheeled himself to the front door and out onto the new wrap-around porch that the Beldens had placed around the entire house hoping to see Trixie. He wanted to speak to her. He spent a year and a half thinking they were going nowhere. He hadn’t been completely faithful during that time. He needed to speak to her, to apologize for leaving things so up in the dark like they were. Trixie was not going to end up some blonde trophy for yet another colored guy looking to score his “I have arrived prize” on his arm. It wasn’t that he was prejudiced: it was just that his feelings for his best friend were overshadowing his thoughts. He could hear her voice in the distance where she was talking to a couple of Secret Service guys that were giving her tips in hand to hand combat.

“Hey, Trix!” Jim called out for her attention.

“Hi, Jim!” She walked back over.

“About that story, I was just teasing her,” Bobby walked over to the deck to explain.

“I wasn’t here to judge anyway,” Jim just grinned. “It’s not like I haven’t kissed Juliana before.”

“You kissed Juliana?” Trixie blinked.

“She kissed me, actually. It was back when she was Jane, and with no memory at all, she thought I was nice. I told her that I already had a girlfriend and that was that, but hey, we didn’t have a clue either. Imagine what might have happened if I were still looking for a girlfriend?” Jim winked.

“You’re just saying that, to make me feel better,” Trixie grinned.

“Is it working?” Jim asked as she climbed up her mother’s rose bush trellis and onto the deck where he was sitting.

“Yes, it worked. Thanks.” Trixie flashed him her award-winning, dimpled smile.

“Want to go on a walk or go back to bed?” She asked.

“A walk sounds nice; I want to see what the heck dad started doing on my property over there.”

“Oh, we just had a bunch of gardening shows up there for satellite TV,” Bobby smiled. “The gardens are beautiful. Mr. Wheeler said he liked it better as a garden than as a weed patch.”

“The gardeners basically exposed all of the old cobblestone pathways that once wound around a beautiful old garden.”

“Bobby, get in here! I need you to take the trash to the bin, and take Junior out. He is driving us nuts in here barking like that,” Helen hollered out the front door to get him to come back and make himself useful.

Trixie pushed his wheelchair down the steps as gently as possible, and they headed for the Ten Acres pathways. He was going to be stuck using that wheel chair for a while. At least until his back healed enough to enable him better mobility than he had at the moment. His jet was shot down in Iraq. He and his copilot and gunner man both narrowly escaped with their lives during that highly classified mission.

“Now when all of the brush was cleared out of here, they did most of it in the winter time under controlled burns. You know, with chain saws and brush fires until the whole ten acres was clear, and then by spring you would be amazed at the irises and lilies and tulips that started springing up. All of the hand work suddenly became worth our time, the fantastic garden that my dad told yours that this place used to be when your aunt was still alive to tend it was still under there. So for each show, they would come out here and uncover a little piece of it.”

“This is awesome. It is too bad it isn’t spring, though,” Jim smiled as he looked around at the shrubs and the flower beds that were fresh and clean. Some had straw over them, and others were filled with lava rocks and even a large fish pond full of six to twelve inch Japanese Coy were swimming up at their sound vibrations.

“Oh, we can feed them.” Trixie found the fish food and handed Jim a handful.

“Of course I can. After all, I own this ground,” Jim pointed out. “I saw a couple of those shows. Your mother’s garden club had a lot of time up here helping with that.”

“I know. I am sort of a member now. I pitched the idea to your dad for a cable show, and mom ran the idea for the project past her garden club when they were thinking up ideas for fundraising for the disaster relief funds for the hurricane victims in Florida and Wala,” Trixie smiled.

“I even saw you host a couple of those shows,” Jim took her hand in his. “I wasn’t sure where you were, until you said this is the property of your best friend in the entire world, and he inherited it in this run down state, and he was donating the property for the shows. Then I saw the ruins of the mansion and knew exactly where you were.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise for when you returned home,” she smiled. “We didn’t think you would mind.”

“I don’t,” Jim stood up out of the wheelchair and walked up to the fish pond and tossed the fish food inside the water.

“Are you feeling stronger?” She asked as she put her arm around his waist.

“A little, sometimes it feels better to be up than down.”

“Now that this place is so pretty it makes me want to build a home right here, marry the girl of my dreams, settle down, and have babies,” Jim said boldly.

“I mean, if I make it out of the service with enough body parts left to offer her a decent life with me that is.”

“You’re going to make it out of there.” Trixie smiled as she looked up at his handsome face.

“Will you wait for me?” Jim asked as he made solid eye contact.

“If you want me to…” she answered.

“I do. Don’t go finding replacements, wait for me. I am coming home.”

“Oh, you big lug….” she grinned from ear to ear as she took his kiss.

“I would wait for you forever. Even if you do come home with out all your body parts, I hope you know?”

“Oh, sweetheart….” Jim just leaned down for another kiss.

“I want to apologize for this past year and a half and that misunderstanding that I had.”

“It’s okay,” she answered.

“No, it isn’t. I just wish I would have known that we had a misunderstanding. I just feel so deprived. Here I was thinking we were over and I--”

“You weren’t exactly completely faithful?” She asked.

“Well, I didn’t think you were into it. I was trying to move on.”

“Why didn’t you just ask me?” She burst into tears.

“That is what Stan asked me when I told him about you! He told me I was stupid for just leaving. I should have had it out with you. I should have stood and fought for you. He thought that sometimes that is all a girl needs to see to know her guy wants her for real.”

“Yes, that adds security to the relationship. You never did seem to want to add a little security to our friendship.” Trixie dried her eyes with her gloved hands.

“I am so sorry we had this misunderstanding. If it takes me the rest of my life, I am going to make it up to you.”

“You and me both. I should have told you how I felt, but I was scared, and trying to deny it to my inner child too. That was because I was scared that you liked someone else like that, and I was just a friend. The rejection would have been the embarrassment of a lifetime,” She just smiled as they began to walk slowly around that little pond.

“I think I know what you mean. That was my problem, too. That is why I left so I wouldn’t have to face it.”

“Oh Jim!” Trixie started to cry again.

“It looks like it could snow,” Jim leaned over on her a little bit more as he began feeling the pain in his legs.

“Can you keep standing? I’ll rush back and get your chair!” She made eye contact.

“Yes, but hurry I don’t know for how long,” he answered.

Trixie turned and ran for the chair and get it behind him and locked into position. “I’ll help you down,” she grabbed his belt and pulled upward as he sat slowly.

“You do that well, Shamus.”

“I just spend my days filling old men with such cheer,” she giggled.

“I’ll bet you do,” Jim just pulled her close and hugged her waist as she stepped between his legs and looked down into his handsome young face and smiled.

Trixie spent nearly six months working as a nurse’s aid in training for a local nursing home for extra spending money. It was just part time work in the evenings, but it gained her valuable experience when it came to helping him up and down out of that chair.

“Jim how serious were your injuries?” She noticed his legs jumping some as he sat there.

“I have a bionics system in my legs now! It is still healing, but the electronics system controls my nerves.” He felt his legs jumping with his hands as he spoke. “I was told to expect this for the first month of heal time. I go into actual therapy in the second month, and they think I’ll be good enough to return to work after the third or fourth month.”

“Oh my word,” she looked shocked. “You were hurt badly.”

“No, just some flesh wounds,” he answered.”

“I don’t want you going back to war. You stay home. You’re scaring me,” she whined, instantly concerned.

“I tell you what, convince your grandfather to station me in Hawaii where it is safer. Do the pouting little girl act for me, until he gives in. I don’t want to go back out there any more then you want me to, but that is just between you and me, because I would never say that up front.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” she leaned down for a kiss as she put her arms around his shoulders.

“I don’t want to mess up my chances to have babies, and to grow old with my wife and have my boys’ school dream come true,” he whispered.

“I don’t want you to mess up those chances either,” she answered back. “I should get you back to the house where you can lie down.”

“Oh, that would be a good idea. Oh!” He gasped for breath. This hurt.

“Are you okay?” Doctor Carl Brown gasped as she wheeled him into the house.

“He forgot his pain reliever in the bedroom,” she said soberly.

“Okay, come on, let’s go get it.” Carl helped Trixie get him in the bed. This time he stopped her from giving him the pain reliever in the pill form as well. Doc Brown followed him from Germany’s hospitals over to the States due to his urge to return to the States, as well as after the military discovered that although Jim was an orphan, he did have very rich adopted parents that demanded his return. As well as the fact that Alex discovered that his very own granddaughter was very much in love with that soldier in particular, and he didn’t want to deprive her of her best friend’s company. Doc Carl was on special assignment until they were sure Jim wouldn’t reject those bionics that he had been the recipient of. After all the statistics did not favor the complete success of this added feature at the present time. The military was still experimenting with the new computerized systems that would enable wounded soldiers the chance to continue to do their contractual duties to their countries.

“I have an injection in my black bag. It is stronger. You’re going to need it.”

“No more moving the rest of the night, just stay right here,” Carl ordered. “The muscle relaxant should help with the pain soon.”

“How is he doing?” Matt stood in the doorway watching.

“He is still very much in recovery,” Carl answered, as he shut the door behind himself, leaving Trixie and Jim in there alone.

Then he explained Jim’s injuries and their severity and how much care he was still going to need in the next few months.

“But they said they were going to send him back into the field after sixty days,” Madeleine gasped.

“Well, he should be fully recovered by then.”

“Absolutely not--I won’t hear of it.” Madeleine shook her head “no.” “He served enough active duty. I’ll sue for his duty changed to domestic guard work, so help me God. He is the only Wheeler male child we have. He is the last of our family line, and I don’t care if we adopted him. He is Matthew’s biological son. I’ll get the DNA tests out to prove that, so help me.”

“Calm down, Mrs. Wheeler,” Alex gasped.

“No!” Madeleine looked near panicked. “I can’t lose my son to the war. I can’t.”

“Mommy…?” Honey gasped.

“I am of noble blood, Honey. We don’t have children out of wedlock; we hide them with friends and other family members. I was just sixteen when I found out I was pregnant with my first child. It wasn’t that I didn’t want him. My father stole him from me, and he placed him where he saw fit, with my husband’s illegitimate half brother and his wife, because they were willing to take my child. Win was a couple years older than Matthew and able to raise him because of having that great job and a wife, too. I wasn’t allowed further contact with my son, and Matthew had to stay away from him as well or my father would have never allowed me to continue to see him no matter how rich he was.”

“ He paid Win and Katie to disappear into a whole other country and stay hidden from my searching. A year passed--I was old enough to marry properly this time. I was pregnant again, and Matthew and I chose to elope instead of letting my father keep dominating my life. I was eighteen and old enough. We moved to America to get away from the British rule. That is why we still live in America today. We did come to this country in search of Win and Katie, hoping to find our son.”

“We only did find a trace of him at his age fifteen. That was when we adopted him with no questions, we knew who he was. We would have gone through hell taking care of him no matter what.”

“No wonder,” Trixie gasped. She opened that door to listen to Madeleine shouting so Jim could hear as well.

Madeleine walked in to see him staring in shock. She just bent down and gave him a big hug. “I never wanted to have to give you up. My hands were tied.”

“I can understand that, Mom.” Jim just hugged her back “Don’t cry, it is okay.”

“Good Heavens,” Helen gasped. “Her family skeleton tops mine.”

“Ah, no it doesn’t,” Mrs. Lynch laughed loudly. Since the Beldens held an annual Thanksgiving Day celebration at her house, all of the neighborhood showed up with covered dishes to add into the meal for a truly festive harvest day celebration.

“That one just might tie,” Monty laughed.

“I agree it ties,” Mr. Lytell hugged Helen as he spoke.

“We certainly will release him from his contracts if you wish to sign official protests,” Alex said soberly.

“Wait, no,” Jim said loudly. “Wait, Mom. I am good at what I do. What if I compromised and negotiated a states side assignment? Like say in New York, or maybe California, or heck, even Hawaii?”

“Oh, I could deal with that,” Madeleine sat next to him. “Right here in New York sounds nice.”

“I’ll see what I can negotiate,” Alex smiled.

“Thanks, Grandpa,” Trixie threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

“We can put a stateside only restriction on his files for the remainder of his contracts,” Alex promised.

“I love you, Grandpa. You’re so nice,” Trixie said happily.

“Oh gee, I am going to go home feeling good now, girl,” Alex laughed. “Speaking of going home, Gracie, we should be heading out of here. But before I do that, I have something for you, Trixie,” Alex pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket.

“This was your great grandmother’s, and she asked me to put it up and keep it safe because she wanted to pass this along to her granddaughter once you were old enough to appreciate her jewelry. Now I got this out of my safety deposit box just yesterday, and I want you to go through there and see what is all in there, and if you find anything that your brothers might like, then share them with them, but boys I am warning you: these are things from Johnson history. Never just give them to some girl that might not choose to give them back because they have historical importance. After all they were all bought for a late first lady, my very own grandmother. No, I want you to save them to pass them along to your children.”

“Oh that is so cool!” Trixie felt so excited. It was even better in her inner thoughts than when Honey was presented with the Queen’s necklace, although she would never openly brag about such things.

She didn’t have to because, apparently Honey thought the same thing, and she squealed loudly about getting a look at what was in there.

“Are you about ready?” Alex asked his beautiful bride.

“I think so, baby,” Grace smiled.

Grace wasn’t Helen’s biological mother because Helen’s real mother died several years ago of cancer. Alex remarried just before he chose to run for president, to an unbelievable partner, Helen’s childhood best friend. She had been working in Washington for the Pentagon while he was still advising the former president. That was when they grew closer and decided that age differences meant little. They both cared a lot about each other and wanted to marry.

Trixie took a few pictures as those limousines pulled out of her family’s driveway and the invited friends started heading for home. Helen’s party had been a success.

“Jim, you were right, it is snowing outside,” Trixie grinned as she walked back into his bedroom to see him sitting with his mom and dad and Honey.

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she apologized.

“Nonsense child, you’re family, too.” Maddie smiled as she held out her hand to her.

“How is he feeling now?”

“He is still in a lot of pain, but I think the sedative is beginning to kick in now,” the doctor smiled.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler have asked me to stay on to care for Jim personally, but I still have a military contract,” Carl said.

“I would think the military would want to keep their projects cared for anyway,” Matthew grinned.

“They do. It is partly why I actually traveled with Jim.”

“Hey, we aren’t talking like he is the actual real life bionic man, are we?” Trixie gasped.

“Oh, he is real and alive,” Carl smiled. “I sort of doubt that he will ever run two hundred miles an hour , but with some practice, he should be able to do everything he could before his injuries.”

“How much is a procedure like that worth these days?” Brian asked as he joined the conversation.

“A couple million, one day it will be available for the general public, but right now, it is only available to the military personnel that we choose to place it in. James here has the potential of being a very valuable soldier for our side. At first we assumed he was an orphan with no family, but then in his recovery we discovered that he wasn’t someone that would be missed very easily.”

“Oh no, he doesn’t,” Madeleine said firmly

“Mom, I’ll be okay I didn’t want you to worry,” Jim groaned.

“You’re darn right you will, I’ll pay that doctor bill personally to get you out of that contract,” Matt said firmly.

“Dad, you can’t. I am making a difference.”

“You still can make a difference. I heard Grandpa talking to Mom about assigning you the job of piloting Air Force One. If the idea appeals to you, he will assign you there once he takes the helm in January.”

“That could be cool; at least it is on the East Coast,” Jim shifted uncomfortably.

“Yes, and Grandpa has invited me along to visit him and help him work sometimes, too,” Trixie grinned from ear to ear.

“Girl, I am glad your grandfather won that election, even if I didn’t vote for him,” Carl laughed.

“You and me both….” Madeleine grinned.

“Are the two of you hooking up?” Brian asked his sister.

“Um, ask Jim. That is his decision,” Trixie tried to look soberly serious.

Jim opened his eyes and smiled, “Actually, it’s your decision as well, baby.”

“Yes, they are hooking up,” Honey laughed. “That’s obvious.”

“I think Jim has had enough excitement for one day,” Peter entered to say politely. “If you guys wouldn’t mind, if our patient can’t move until tomorrow then he is welcome to stay here!”

“You’re absolutely right. It is nearly ten p.m. Where has the time gone? We should go home, Matthew,” Maddie said quickly.

“I’ll see you later tomorrow, son,” Matthew said politely. “Your mother wants to do the after Thanksgiving sales in town, so we are going to the city in the morning, though.”

“Okay,” he took his head out from under the pillow.

“You look really sleepy now, so I am going to let you rest,” Trixie said after everyone left the room.

“Don’t leave,” he grabbed her hand. “Stay.”

“I love you!” Jim whispered as she kicked off her shoes and slipped into the bed with him. “Trix, what if I can’t have children?”

“We will figure out our options of course,” she answered. “I am not opposed to adopting. Maybe that artificial insemination thing would work?”

“Hmm…” Jim yawned. Soon, he fell asleep.

Trixie looked down at sleeping Jim and smiled.

Life for her was definitely changing; suddenly the need to be a detective wasn’t as strong. She always knew she would settle down in her future, now settling down dominated her thoughts.

Trixie got out of bed and tip-toed out of the room to go to the living room’s picture window and to stare out at the heavily falling snow.

“How is he doing?” Carl’s voice asked her as he sat up from where he was lying on the sofa.

“Oh, I didn’t see you there,” she turned to gasp.

“I wasn’t sure if I should go to the manor or not just yet.”

“How are you doing?” he asked as he stepped up behind her.

“Wishing I could take his pain away,” She turned around to look at him with tears in her eyes.

“I wish I could, too,” Carl put his arms around her and held her close.

“You don’t think he will be sterile do you?” She looked up at Carl’s handsome hazel colored eyes as she asked.

“I hope not, but there are literally hundreds of little nerve endings, and if even a few detach themselves from the bionics system, it could keep the organs from responding properly.”

“No!” She jumped some.

“There are other options, but I don’t want to discuss them with him until I am sure I need to discuss them with him. Just because he is sterile, doesn’t make you sterile--remember that. You will always have options on your own.”

“I just might as well be. Though I am more loyal then that,” she answered.

“Now don’t cry,” he wiped the tears out of her eyes.

“You know, I always figured there would be plenty of time for babies. Now that I am not even sure if there will be babies. It’s upsetting,” she took his hug of comfort as she cried into his muscular chest.

“There is plenty of time to make decisions like those. I am sure he would understand if you chose to just remain his best friend.”

“No! He is my best friend... he’s...I would never survive the look in his eyes when, no!” Trixie turned and rushed back into the guestroom and shut the door behind her. Those tears came. How could he hurt himself so badly?

He moaned some in his sleep.

“Oh my baby,” she rushed to his side and ran her hand across his short red hair, feeling the stubble of his military cut and then the stiffer stubble of his whiskers on the side of his face.

“Oh! Is that you, Shamus?”

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m okay. It’s just a flesh wound,” he said with a groan. “Are you just a drugged up dream again?”

“No, I am right here.” She sat down next to him and leaned over for a hug.

“Oh, my little Shamus, you’re so special!”

“I love you Jim!” She teared up

“Ow, my back,” he groaned. “Stan, keep your head up. Don’t let the water take you down dude; help is coming. I see the choppers circling over head. Mom, don’t die!”

Trixie just hurried to the door and motioned for the doctor who was talking to Mart who wanted to have a few words with him, after he came back from the Lynch estate.

Carl got up and walked in there. He put a stethoscope to his ears and listened to his heart and then he took his blood pressure.

He started sounding like a panicked pilot radioing for help. “Keep up with me; we only got one chance of making it. Those scuds are locked on 56. Call left on my mark, bank 80.”

“I’ll have to ask the two of you into the other room, what he says now is classified.”

“Oh no, I don’t know a thing about Air Force calls,” Trixie said firmly. “You’ll have to shoot me first. I am not leaving.”

“Shamus!” Jim sat up and looked around. “Don’t go down those steps the air might not be any good down there.”

“It’s okay, baby, I didn’t go down there,” Trixie just hugged him tightly. “You’re just feeling badly because you’re still trying to heal. Everything is going to be okay. I am not leaving.” She just crawled up to the head of the bed and let him put his head in her belly as she held him tightly.

“Mom, don’t die! Don’t leave me with Jonesy. He’s nuts,” Jim cried out loudly.

“I am not leaving you with Jonesy. I got you away from him. Baby, you’re okay. It’s going to be okay.”

Brian just came in with a bowl of warm soapy water and a wash cloth. He handed it to Trixie, and Carl said it was okay to wash his forehead.

“14 23 69,” Jim said loudly. “373647B 74 hit the red button first--black second 2727272. Turn both keys counter clockwise two turns, then three to the right.”

“We got it, Captain. You can relax now,” Carl said loudly. “Return to base. You’re ordered to return to base for rest and relaxation. That’s an order, Captain.”

Carl injected him with more sedative and smiled as he went limp into Trixie’s arms.

“Yes, Jim tell me yourself. Don’t you dare make your friends tell me that. Tell me yourself.”

“I am not asking,” Carl smiled. “Just call me if he gets worse.” Carl motioned for everyone else to leave the room.

“Tell me something that I haven’t known for four years now,” Peter smiled.

“Things change,” Peter grinned from ear to ear. “Now I am glad that I did tell Tie that his father and I are cousins.”

“Didn’t his father tell you she was three months pregnant before he even met her?”

Peter shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t remember that! She would have turned from him the second Jim spoke to her anyway, and you know it.”

Trixie was slumped over asleep when Jim woke up that morning. With the sun shining through the window, he looked up at her and smiled.

“Yes, so could I,” she tried to smooth her tangled up curls as she spoke. “Jim, wait for me,” she gasped as he slipped out of bed on his own.

“No, just bring it behind me, in case I need it coming back. I have to do this, babe. I want to heal.”

“Ow, Little Shamus,” he winked at her as she made him take the back of the wheelchair to steady himself with.

“Hi, Jim. You look better this morning,” Bobby said as he passed him in the hall.

“Funny that bathroom didn’t seem so far away before I left for the military,” Jim laughed. “Boy, that bathtub looks inviting.”

“I got in and out of the sitz baths in the hospital, but they had chairs to sit on.”

“Well, a whirlpool might be just the ticket. I am sure the guys can help me get you out if you want to have a bath.”

“Um, this feels good,” Jim smiled. “Baby, I kind of want to know I can before I ruin your life by saddling you to a sterile, worn-out man forever.”

“I mean maybe we shouldn’t marry until after I am sure I can make you babies. I probably should go get tested to see if I am sterile now.”

“No, I don’t care about that,” she answered. “I just panicked a tiny bit. That is okay though, I don’t have to have a fertile guy anyway--we can adopt.”

“Hey, I’ll be the judge of what is fair,” she stood up and grabbed a towel. “Don’t you pull that attitude with me, buster. It isn’t going to fly. I am taking care of you, and that is final! Don’t you dare put me through pushing me away. I couldn’t stand that kind of hurt. Promise me you won’t do that? I am already in this for better or for worse.”

“Carla’s. She is back home due to a pregnancy issue. We all sort of suspected that she got herself pregnant on purpose, but she swears she is giving it up for adoption and running back for the force the minute they let her after her twelve weeks of heal time are up.”

“I am only seventeen, though. I am not old enough to have adoptive children.”

“Ah, but one five minute call to her, and I could convince her to tell the world it is mine, and I could claim father’s rights.”

“Yes, like I said: we think she was just trying to get pregnant. It isn’t like she is a chicken. Her mother was dying of cancer back home, and she wanted a leave of absence so she could go be with her. She didn’t want a permanent discharge. I did offer to help her along with that. I told you I compared the girls around me to you, she was one that came close that was all that was.”

“Then call her, claim father’s rights, don’t let your own baby slip away,” she ordered as she quickly dressed into something dry.

“No! Hurt maybe, but no, I can understand. I’ll be fine. How far along is she?”

He lifted himself up and sat on the edge of the tub, and she helped him swing back around.

“That is immediate,” she said as she fed his feet through his clean boxer shorts and lifted him up so she could slip them in place.

“Once and it was on a three day furlough, and she got me drunk out of my mind. I can just remember saying, ‘Shamus, is that you, babe?’ and this voice that didn’t sound like yours at all saying, ‘Yes, sure Jim, I’ll be your Shamus tonight for you, sure.’ Things got intense. Curiosity won the battle between right and wrong. After I finished I just felt so guilty. She was happy, though. Three weeks later her late cycle was reported to the MPs, and she was sent Stateside to have her baby with an honorable temporary release because she told the military that she would be back.”

“Oh Jim!” Trixie put her arms around his shoulders and kissed his lips. “I love you!” she whispered.

Jim smiled as she helped him into the wheelchair and wheeled him through the house.

“I just barely got out of Iraq alive. Look, I just have one question for you.”

“I have no choice. I can’t keep it, my mom died three weeks ago, and she was all the family I have left, and I have to go back to the front. It means a hundred thousand dollar bonus for returning. I have so many bills to take care of now, or I lose the entire ranch, and this has been in my family for two hundred years. I can’t do that. My urge for a baby will have to come later, after my tour is up.”

“Okay, listen, I want to claim parental rights. Look, my injuries were extensive, my fiancée really loves babies and so do I, and I can’t marry her if I can’t ever give her one of her own.”

“I am aware, but what if I claim it is anyway? You won’t fight it, will you? I am sure it definitely is one of the team’s, right?”

“Yes, one of yours, for sure,” Carla grinned from ear to ear, the only possibility was Jim, and she knew it, but then she was letting him off the hook because she knew he was in love with his girl back home, and she didn’t want to mess with that.

“So your parents are, like, rich then? He wouldn’t need anything? He would grow up happy? That is my only concern: I want him to grow up happy.”

“I assure you that he will grow up happy, and my adopted parents are the best. They always have been and always will be. He will grow up with the best of the best.”

“You might want to meet me at the hospital. I’ll refuse to adopt him out to anyone because I am giving him to the father, then no problem,” she groaned.

“Send your fiancée along with him, then. I want to meet this woman you deem worthy of raising my son.”

“It is! Son of a longhorn steer,” Carla groaned. “I’ll tell the hospital that the father and I reconciled, and he wants custody so I am taking it. We can deal with custody rights and the legalities later.”

“Okay!” Jim just grinned as he hung up. “I knew she would agree. If one of us team members take it, that means she can still see it again later. We promised each other to be there for our kids if the need arose in the future.”

“I won’t let you,” Trixie said firmly. “No more airline travel for a couple weeks. We will just bring that woman here instead if need be.”

“What am I supposed to do, Mart?” Trixie teared up as she rushed to her bedroom.

“I think I would get my dad to take the kid for a while, but she isn’t going to take that well.” Brian shook his head.

“That girl loves babies,” Carl pointed out. “I think I would tell her you knew its parents instead of it could be yours.”

“No, I am just in shock. I don’t think that child is his. I just watched that intro into that conversation, he asked her to tell them it was his so he could claim father’s rights, and she said it was probably not his, and he said, ‘Is it one of the team’s?’ and she said, ‘Definitely,’ and that was the gist of the conversation.”

“True, he isn’t ever going to go for that sort of woman. I am not exactly sure I am ready for instant custody of a newborn, though. They are hard work.”

“That is where his family comes in. They can afford to hire nannies, and you know Honey-- she loves babies. Then there is you, and the rest of us Bob-Whites, the baby will be loved by us all. We can sort of unofficially call it our group adoption.”

“Yes, he said to be ready in an hour. Do you want to go?” Jim asked her, he made it up those steps with the help of Mart getting there.

“I love you, Shamus,” Jim hugged her. “But if this isn’t what you want, I’ll call her right back and change my mind.”

“No, you won’t. Oh gosh, don’t make me ring your neck,” she smiled. “This one is for your team out there risking their lives to keep us safe. I’ll raise one of their babies gladly in exchange.”

The trip to Texas was underway a few minutes later. Matt looked anxious to speak to Trixie.

She and Mr. Wheeler had a serious conversation about his son’s urge to adopt this little one, but after he discovered that Jim admitted that it could possibly be his, he settled back and seemed satisfied with the comment. “Then I will adopt that child, and raise him for him if I have to without regrets. I want my grandchild very much.”

He just reclined his seat and closed his eyes as he put his hat over his face. It was time to get some rest for them both. Trixie closed her eyes as well, knowing deep within that she would do her best to help raise that baby as well.

By the time they made it to the maternity ward of the hospital, the baby was born and Carla was sitting in a wheelchair looking at the nursery where her baby lay.

“That’s my nickname, I suppose. I had an obsession with solving mysteries once upon a time.”

“Don’t let her lie to you, she still has that obsession,” Matt winked at her.

“How long ago did you have him?” Trixie looked in at the dark-complexioned little boy full of long dark hair.

“About fifteen minutes after Jim called. It has been nearly ten hours now. They are about to release us.”

“No insurance, we go home tonight. I didn’t want to have him in a VA hospital. Plus the waiting line was too long. You practically have to book your pregnancy ten months in advance to get in for the prenatal care in the military. Its plan really sucks. I think they would prefer that us female soldiers choose not to have babies, so they make it harder for us in this aspect.”

“No, we can’t have this,” Matt frowned. “What if there are complications? I’ll pay this bill,” he said firmly.

“He has your dark hair,” she smiled inwardly, thanking God it wasn’t the Wheeler’s red hair on his head.

“Yes, that is true,” Trixie giggled as Matt gently handed the baby to Trixie.

“Hi, sweet pea. Do you like horses, and puppy dogs, and sail boats and little chickens, frog catching with your momma’s best strainers, too?” She teared up. “Your daddy is going to teach you those things, sweetheart.”

“That and baseball and football,” Matt smiled. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. He will get out of that wheelchair for good one of these days.”

“He is recovering from a spinal injury. A scud got his jet. He and Stan ejected, but just in the nick of time.”

“I don’t think so,” Matt shook his head, no. “At least not to active duty, we pulled rank and demanded his contract. He is our only son, the last of our family line. He stays Stateside or else.”

“But he will recover enough to stay Stateside, they aren’t releasing his contract?”

“Not at the present time. They will if he rejects the bionics system, but he is past the rejection time. They think he is going to be fine.”

“He got the Shew,” Carla whispered. “He must have done some serious saving. They don’t go that far for just anyone.”

Twenty minutes later, after many instructions about the baby’s care and Matt’s chauffeur bringing in a brand new baby carrier to place the baby in, they were leaving in that long sleek black limousine.

“I had to hire a taxi and since those yellow things normally have drivers that don’t know how to clean their cabs, I don’t usually call their service.”

“I would like to go visit carrot head if I might?” She asked. “I mean, if I am going to sign over custody rights, I should do that in person.”

“She did. I really don’t have anyone here in Texas, now. I suppose I am an orphan. Can twenty-five-year olds be orphans?”

“Yes, they have been living together for three years now, or when active duty permits anyway.”

“I hope to someday meet this look-alike,” Trixie grinned. “I probably have relatives all over the place; my grandfather was a military man.”

“There are exceptions to every statistic,” Carla smiled. “Jim wasn’t the type to go there.”

“Then why is it that he isn’t sure if this child is really his or not?” Trixie asked.

“I was desperate to get out of there. My mom was sick, you don’t get dishonorable for pregnancies. I need that bonus for reenlisting. He was just a means to an end. I know that sounds selfish, but if you were ever poor and desperate... Jim is a compassionate, caring, sensitive guy. He would do anything for a friend, including adopting her son so she doesn’t have to worry about him when she goes back to the front.”

“I know what not having money is all about,” Trixie said soberly “I learned how to survive the hard way myself. Babysitting for peanuts practically. Now I am a nurse’s aid for an old folk’s home that decided to start taking anyone who walked in there with the will to work that was smart enough to pass the certification test no matter what the age. It’s grungy work, but someone has to do it.”

“True!” Carla smiled “You might want to go for a better career someday, though. Maybe in registered nursing? You would sure brighten those recovering soldiers days on the front.”

“I plan to go to college and become a criminal lawyer,” she smiled. “I am a senior right now, but eventually I’ll be through high school.”

“Oh, this one is Jim thinking of adopting babies. He thinks he is sterile. He can’t live with it. You would have to really know Jim a lot to understand what drives him,” Matthew smiled.

“Really!” Trixie grinned. “We could do the artificial insemination thing if it comes to that later, but this one is for the team. The child one of you had that he wants to see get a good home for the rest of the ones who could never see the dream of their future children arrive.”

“Oh, that is so sad, and so sweet. Remind me to hug him for the gesture,” Carla teared up.

“I intend to. It’s not fun being with a drunk guy calling out for his ‘Shamus’ every time he comes to enough to realize he is still alive. Hang on to that one, girl.”

“Aren’t you like afraid to touch him?” Carla asked. “I just want to run from it already.”

“No, I am not afraid to touch him; I think I would rather run from those Iraqi scuds coming at me, but not this.”

“I am sure he will be cute at two or three, but you can deal with diaper changing and spit ups and screaming all hours of the night. Ug.”

“Then, honey, you just go out there and protect us while I take care of all of that.”

“You and me both. I don’t know if I like her picking the name Jim Frayne, though,” she whispered.

“Aw, just pick out another family name for yours when you have one. Matt is especially cute.”

Matt sat and held the infant as he nursed the bottle with a huge grin. “You know I actually think he has my hands. Look at this,” Matt held up his hands.

“I don’t know.” Matt looked in there. “We can see where his dark complexion came from.”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Trixie smiled. “But for Jim’s sake, let him believe what he wants.”

Once that jet touched down, they headed for the Manor where Madeleine and Honey were waiting.

“We rushed out to the store for baby furniture and clothes and diapers the minute we heard,” Honey said proudly.

“This is Carla Carlson,” Trixie motioned for Carla to step forward. “She came with us to sign the paper work and stuff, plus to see Jim. They are team mates. Is he over here by now?”

“Yes, he came back shortly after the two of you left,” Honey answered. “We told him you were arriving. I am sure he is.”

“Hi Jim,” Carla leaned down for a hug. “What on earth happened, dude? Couldn’t you keep it in the sky without me there?”

“Oh, we lost Captain Bligh and Greg Rome. Kyle and Jason are back in Germany trying to recover from amputations. Stan is getting better. He will be able to fly Stateside soon himself.”

“Now, you just rest I’ll hurry back,” she patted his shoulder as she spoke.

“This is James. I called him James Winthrop Frayne so you wouldn’t have to, like, change his name later or something.”

“Your dad thinks he has his hands and feet,” Trixie kneeled down at his chair to grin.

“Yes, sure, great likeness,” Trixie rolled her eyes, silently agreeing with Carla that that was stupid—the child was going to change completely in just a few short months.

“This is a nice place. Are you sure you guys want to take my baby in, though?” she asked Maddie.

“Jim said that if I make it back out of the war that I can come back to visit my son.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to come between him and his Shamus. He loves her,” Carla said quickly.

“You have no idea why I couldn’t make it work with him,” Carla just grinned as she sat slowly on the fresh clean bed.

“I’ll be okay, though,” Carla ran her hand through her short cropped off hair as she spoke.

“I am. It takes a lot out of you to have a baby. Ug, this episiotomy wound bites.”

“I have been there and done that. I know what you mean,” Maddie smiled. Carla reminded her a lot of Trixie Belden a whole lot, even those deep embedded dimples in her cheeks and the shape of her white teeth. The only real difference was those dark brown eyes and that black hair.

“No, I was born in California. My father was in the Force stationed at Edwards, and I was born in the closest hospital to the base.”

“Twenty two and a half. I was born on December 5^th twenty two and a half years ago.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. You see my family had a tragedy that day at that very hospital, probably.”

“No, my grandfather is going to send me all the evidence they ever found as to what their investigations turned up. You see, I have been accused of being psychic before. Not that I place any stock in that, but I never really ever lost a case when it came to solving a mystery. Someone out there knows what happened to her.”

“I like mysteries, too. I was quite the amateur detective when I was a kid. Say, mind if I help you? I still know a whole lot of my parents’ friends. Maybe one of them could shed some light on that for you. Who was your grandfather by the way?”

“Oh!” Carla gasped. “That doesn’t matter. Let’s go for this anyway,” She shrugged that part of it off. “That means that if any of the old timers actually knew something, his being the next president is likely to have jarred their memories, and they are likely to want to talk to innocent little me.”

“I think she might’ve seen what I just did,” Maddie shocked out of her speechlessness.

“You’re hyperventilating,” Jim walked in looking alarmed as he took Trixie out of Honey’s arms to hug her personally.

“Yes, it was huge,” Trixie said quickly. “Don’t say anything,” she mouthed to Maddie.

“What? We don’t have rats?” Matt started looking around the room. “I am calling the exterminator.”

“Why, Trixie, I never saw you afraid of a rat before,” Honey gasped innocently. “Jim, remember the pack rat in Idaho? She practically made best friends with it after she went through his nest and found all his shiny things.”

“It’s just I never seen one in the house before. People sleep in here,” she lied. “I am taking the baby home. What if it chews off his little fingers in the night?”

“Oh good heavens! Call fifteen exterminators, Matthew,” Maddie shouted loudly. “Get that rodent away from that baby!” She went running.

“I freaked out a little, okay, but her birthday is my oldest sister’s birthday, and she was born in the same hospital. And, when she was talking, she actually looked nearly exactly like Hallie.”

“Jim that birth date and her looks might not be coincidence unless of course my dad was cheating on my mom with hers or something?”

“I don’t know. Well, you have uncles that look like your dad, too. Don’t jump to conclusions. Get the facts first. You’re better at detective work than that.”

“I know. Why do you think I lied about the rat? I don’t want to freak her out for nothing. She might have really loved her parents, and this would devastate her memory of them. What if I was wrong?”

A week passed before Carla left to go visit friends in Mississippi. All the papers were signed, and Jim had official custody. It was arranged the child would stay at the Wheelers’ after he left to finish the remainder of his term of duty. By now, he was sure of where his new station was located. He had conversed with his commanding officer numerous times about his recovery progress. Jim was assigned the Air Force One detail. He was happy with this turn of events. It would mean that he would be near enough to New York to commute on his days off when he got them.

They subtly got DNA evidence from Carla and sent it to the labs for testing. The doctor at the labs said they would know the test results in a couple months.

Trixie was already bonding with Jimmy so much that she spent more of her time in that nursery then at home.

“Hey, are you throwing out the wheelchair now?” Trixie smiled at him as he came nearly jogging past the nursery.

“Not bad. It is unbelievable that Christmas break is already starting tomorrow.”

“I am glad--that way you won’t have to go to school for two whole weeks. Say, I want to go Christmas shopping.”

“So do I. My last paycheck from the nursing home came today. It is burning a hole in my pocket.”

“Oh, yes, you are,” he hugged her tightly. He shut the nursery door and turned the lock before he leaned down and grabbed a kiss.

“Um.” Trixie just grabbed his face and pulled it back to her lips for another kiss.

They spent quality time together, enjoying each other’s company in the quiet time before Jimmy woke up to demand attention.

Jim’s mind flashed to Carla and how much he wished she was Trixie back then. Now, he knew why as he looked over there at her tending to that week-old baby. He knew why. Down deep, he also knew whose that baby really was, too. Those shapes of hands and feet weren’t coincidence. Neither was the shape of his eyes that he suspected would eventually turn emerald green.

She finished changing the baby’s diaper and walked over grinning. “Were we going shopping or not?”

Jim pulled his car out of the garage and grinned when it started on the first turn. Trixie borrowed his car more than once while he was gone. It was clean and in working order.

Jim seemed like the typical proud daddy every time a friend would pass them in the store. He would tell them he had custody of his son, and they would smile as everyone made over how cute he was. Trixie was beginning to get sick of listening to him telling them that the child’s mother gave up custody so she could return to the front lines in the military.

“You officially have your first member of your boys’ school for the underprivileged and orphaned,” Diana gasped. She hadn’t heard about the baby yet because she went to Arizona for a week to visit Monty and Miss Trask.

“Yes, and so far the entire club has chosen to adopt him unofficially.” Jim looked over at Trixie and smiled.

“I want to take turns babysitting for him, too,” Diana cooed as she picked him up out of the carrier and held him gently.”

“Oh, we won’t fight over it. She can visit with me while I watch him.” Trixie grinned from ear to ear.

“You know, I found the greatest Christmas gift of all!” Trixie started singing with the caroling music that had no words. “It was right there under my nose all along!”

The man playing the large black piano turned to smile at her as they walked past him.

“It wasn’t made of silver or gold! It didn’t jingle when I shook it or bounce when it fell. It wasn’t wrapped with bright ribbons of glittery fun paper at all! This year the gift that you gave me made my heart leap with joy, for it was with you, I found my best Christmas gift this year!”

Her spontaneous song was so heartfelt beautiful that most passersby paused to drop money into the pianist’s cup that clearly had a large label across its bright belly. “Will play for donations for Toys for Tots, give a gift of love to a needy child this season.”

Cheers and whistles from the crowd grew increasingly loud as confetti fell gently around them as they stood in the middle of that wintry wonderland scene as live models.

“I love you, too. You are the greatest Christmas gift of all,” she hugged him tightly.

The sound of a newborn’s cry made her turn to look for Diana who was standing next to Dan Mangan. Dan was holding the baby and grinning down at him.

“I got here as fast as I could. I was doing my two weeks in the National Guard service when I got word that you were coming home. Sorry it took so long to get back here to see you, dude.”

Dan handed the baby back to Diana and grabbed a quick hug from Jim. “I was told you were dealing with the possibility of being paralyzed forever.”

Dan just laughed loudly and burst into loud song. “I found the greatest Christmas gift of all.”

She did what came natural and jumped on his back and made him carry her piggy back through the store.

“Six months pregnant and groaning about it already.” Dan smiled “She is out at the farm visiting your mom and dad. Brian thought you guys were out here so I came to find you.”

“She’s pregnant, huh?” Jim grinned from ear to ear. “Did you marry her yet?”

“Yes, about four months ago in Vegas. We just gave up the social crap and eloped. That big social party was just getting outrageous.”

“Let’s go see Hallie,” Trixie put her arms around Jim as she looked up at his face.

“Ha, you! I carried your sorry behind halfway across this mall,” Dan laughed.

“I once carried yours for three miles after you broke your leg out in the game preserve, in the middle of an ice storm no less,” Trixie giggled.

“Oh yes, most likely,” Dan grinned from ear to ear. “We’ve kept the Bob-Whites close in your memory, dude.”

“Well, maybe I’ll take up some of that slack once my back fully heals,” Jim laughed as he followed Trixie. He was pushing that stroller that the baby was lying in so he could lean on it some.

“Regan put the stop on my call overseas, due to my being the last of the Mangan family line. I am a part of the domestic areas first line of defense instead.”

“I’ll go get the car, you look winded,” Trixie said to Jim as she paused for his car keys

“Thanks, Shamus,” Jim gasped for breath as Dan helped him to a bus stop bench to sit down.

“When my nerves get too tired, it feels like I just put my finger in a light socket.”

“I am okay; don’t tell Trixie, I am not.” His face looked red as he struggled with the pain “It’s just a flesh wound. I am–oh!” Jim started to cry.

“I got news for you, dude, she knows it is worse than a flesh wound,” Diana said soberly.

Trixie pulled up quickly and jumped out to rush for the baby she unclicked that carrier from the stroller and rushed it to the car to strap it inside.

Dan helped Jim get up, and limp to the passenger side of the car and get inside.

“Are you okay?” He kneeled down at his side with worry-lined deep in his handsome forehead as he spoke.

“Right here, dude,” Dan pushed a button and the automated seat reclined back for him.

“I’ll meet you back at the house to help you inside,” Dan made eye contact with Trixie as he spoke.

“Or his body trying to reject that electronics gadget they put in him?” Dan frowned. “I know a little something about that bionic system. Did you know that only five percent of patients tested ever actually fully recover? More than eighty percent die within six months.”

“Oh gosh.” Diana burst into tears. “She’s going to be in a really bad way if...” Diana gasped.

“I have news for you, babe. We all are going to be in a really bad way if...” Dan groaned. “I hope their new research has improved that system. That does it. Hallie and I are moving back home, come hell or high water. I will be here to help him out, no matter what.”

“I’ll meet you back home,” Dan said to her soberly as he rushed for his Jeep, jumped in, and gunned it out of the parking lot, speed shifting to catch up to that car headed up the highway.

Trixie wasn’t getting out of the car she just stopped it and turned to look at Jim.

“We shouldn’t have gone without your wheelchair,” she said with tears streaming down her face.

“My medicine is in the house in my room. I need the muscle relaxant,” he groaned

“Okay, I am on my way.” She grabbed the baby carrier and all and ran for the house.

“Take him. I have to get Jim’s medicine,” she told Ben Riker, who had just come for a visit.

“What the…?” Ben looked down at the infant in the carrier who was sucking his thumb cutely. Ben grinned from ear to ear

Trixie was thumping up those winding stairs as fast as her feet would carry her.

“The car in the lot needs--” she panted, out of breath, as she grabbed his bottles of pills.

“Someone find me a glass of water and have it at the front door in thirty seconds,” Matt shouted to the top of his lungs as he took those steps three at a time.

Ben handed him a bottle of bottled water from Jimmy’s diaper bag as he ran past. Trixie was nearly passing Matt by the time he reached the parking lot.

“Jim baby!” She couldn’t breathe, she was so out of breath, neither could Matt, but Dan just roared up next to them. He jumped out and moved Trixie so he could get in there and feel for a pulse.

“What is going on?” Ben came walking up with the baby out of his carrier and cradled in his arms. Curiosity had gotten the better of that West Point graduate.

“He was injured in Iraq,” Matt told Ben. “It is a spinal injury. He’s got a bionics system.”

“Oh geez,” Ben groaned. “Not Jim, dude.” He shook his head in disbelief.

Dan walked to his jeep, and found a vial of smelling salts and cracked it under Jim’s nose a second later.

“I think it is time for more MRIs,” Matt said loudly “I am calling Doctor Brown to get him up here to order those MRIs. Are you okay, can you move?”

“Let’s just give him a few minutes for the pain reliever to kick in.” Dan looked at the bottles and shook his head. This was some mighty powerful stuff.

Diana motioned for Ben to give her the baby as she pulled in and rushed directly up to him.

“Regan, get us a piece of plywood or something. He isn’t walking in the house like this,” Matt shouted at the horse groom who had come out of the stables to see what was going on with everyone around the car like that.

“Get it,” Dan called back. “Trix, get this top down so we can slip that back board under him.”

“Oh no, you won’t. I don’t know what they told you, but I am a certified field medic. We do not move patients with spinal injuries,” Dan said firmly.

“Jim, Carl made you stay in bed and not move all night long the last time you had a set back,” Trixie pointed out. “Humor them for me, please. I can’t watch your stubborn bull-headed pride hurt yourself.”

“Oh babe!” Jim teared up. That look in her face was enough. He stopped protesting and let them strap him into that back board that Dan took charge of getting him on.

Trixie stood back as those men carried Jim into the house, wringing her hands with worry. Tears were streaming down her face as she prayed to God for his full recovery. She wasn’t sure when she arrived or how she got there, but Hallie grabbed her up for a big hug.

“What is going on?” The girl getting out of the taxi out front came running up in alarm.

“Is he okay?” Carla Carlson nearly shouted. “Oh gosh, Trixie!” She grabbed her up for a big hug.

“I don’t know. Matt is in there calling his doctor to demand more MRIs to be sure he is okay. He is getting worried. You’re back early.”

“I went to Mississippi to find my mother’s former best friend, and I found out something about your missing older sister. I just had to come back to tell you,” Carla said soberly. “How is Jimmy?”

“He is in the house,” Trixie answered. “Come on.” Trixie motioned for her to follow.

Before anything else could be discussed, they hurried to find Jim who was being subjected to Dan’s forceful exam.

“Buddy, you’re going to lay there, or I am reporting you for deliberately disobeying a direct order,” Dan was heard saying loudly.

“You’re a National Guard paramedic. You rank sergeant. Who outranks whom?” Jim argued back.

“Um, I outrank you. I held my captain’s rank a whole six months longer than you. What is the problem, Sergeant?” Captain Carlson asked as she made her entrance.

“I am not letting him risk tearing those leads out of his spinal column. I just spoke to the doctor. He is on his way, and he told me no matter what make him stay down, even if I have to knock him out somehow.”

“James Winthrop Frayne Wheeler,” Trixie shouted. “You are going to lay there and like it, or you’re going to sleep alone for the rest of you life so help me God! Listen to your medic.”

Carla turned to look at Trixie as she shouted. She just grinned. “Take the helm, Miss Fiancée,” She motioned for her to continue.

Jim just lay back, and for lack of anything better to react to, he just laughed at her shout.

“How many times has she heard you shout something along those lines about her?” Hallie laughed.

“Girl, how do you look so much like me?” Hallie asked Carla, who apparently knew this family well. “Trixie, do I have a cousin that I don’t know about?”

“Well, maybe. Carla came back early to tell me about what she found out about my missing sister. Just lay there, baby, and let your medicine kick in,” she said to Jim pretty much in the same sentence that she said to Hallie.

“Oh, my mom must have had a thing with your dad or something,” Carla gasped. “I once wore my hair just like that.”

“Don’t get sidetracked. My uncle was military way back then. He might be responsible.” Trixie crawled onto the bed with Jim to snuggle with him.

“You’re right.” Carla sat next to Jim. “How are you feeling are the meds kicking in?”

“Atta Belle was a nurse at the hospital long about the time I was born,” said Carla. “She said she could remember that baby-snatching incident like it was yesterday. She said that back in those days plenty of poor women would go out where the soldiers hung out in hopes of snaring a soldier boy for future marriage. She said in those days some would even be so desperate to get off the streets that the did things not so honest like pretending you were pregnant, get your guy, and claim miscarriage a few months later before you’re showing real good.”

“Those types still exist even today,” Dan pointed out as he motioned for Hallie to have a seat.

“I am aware, and I told Atta Belle that. But she said once and a while a girl would get so desperate, maybe she wasn’t going to hold on to her soldier if he thought there was no baby, maybe the family was rich? Whatever the reason, she thought what happened was the case of a desperate woman who lost a baby due to SIDS maybe, or maybe she had the child before getting to the hospital, and it was stillborn. In any event, she said that with the right amount of money to the right nurse in those days, you could buy what you wanted normally. They snatched them away from the teenaged pregnancies if the stillborn child was available, the child would slip into the bed. If it weren’t for the right amount of money, anything can come up missing, too.”

“So, you got hearsay, we already knew things like that happened,” Trixie said.

“No, Atta Belle is older now so her memory isn’t too good, but I got the feeling that she knew who did that.”

“Yes, but she had a stroke so she isn’t really completely there speechwise, but I got a lead to follow, if you want to follow with me?” she asked Trixie.

“Well, I know your grandfather and Uncle both did the electronic searches, and they searched the video tape recordings, and they even interviewed everyone even remotely involved with this case. But, face it, General Johnson was the CO of Edwards, plenty of people had disgruntle arguments with the top brass, they always do. My search into the side door of some of those people involved might lead us in another direction, because I am not threatening. I am also an intelligence agent.” She grinned from ear to ear. “So my method of search is professional. I know you aren’t well enough to travel, Jim, and you probably won’t let her fly off with me to California either, but maybe in a couple more weeks when you feel stronger?”

“No, not now,” Jim groaned. “Trixie is danger prone, and she isn’t trained. You might need back up because if someone is guilty of stealing a baby twenty two and a half years ago, they are likely going to be pretty dangerous when backed into a corner. You are going to need back up yourself.”

“And that is why I returned here before doing anymore inquiries. Atta Belle indicated that it was going to get dangerous if I tried to probe into this any further. She didn’t think that I would like what I found out.”

“I would have freaked,” Trixie gasped. “No one hands me a mystery like that and expects me to drop it.”

“Relax and let your mystery solve itself,” Jim opened his eyes as he spoke sort of deliriously.

“Nothing, you should rest. I am going to get the friends out of here so you can sleep.”

“Grace Johnson, her former best friend, my mom was upset over what her father said about how it is the parent’s responsibility to keep their eye on their babies at all times if they want to keep them from harm. Mom was upset over what he said. Apparently she had the baby and was still in the recovery when the child disappeared. Grace told her that there was no way it was her fault, she was still in recovery, and there was someone there with her.”

“I have been practicing memory skills for the past five years,” Trixie said soberly. “Something isn’t adding up there. Something isn’t adding up about why we didn’t know we even had a grandfather for seventeen years. She wasn’t just trying to shelter us. She blamed him, I am sure of it. She blamed him.”

“Trixie!” Hallie gasped. “What was Jim saying about DNA testing on whom?”

“We are DNA testing someone. It is a long shot, but if it doesn’t pan out, we don’t want her to know about it before hand because this issue is painful, and it isn’t worth knowing about until we are sure so if we are wrong. The only one that knows is just me and my mom and dad.”

“Oh,” Carla looked shocked. “My birthday was the same day as...in the same hospital and...”

“Oh,” Carla looked so emotional she started to cry as her face twisted in upset. The look it made mirrored her own mother’s.

“Why is it I am sure you’re wrong about being wrong?” Carla started crying. “They have spent millions in search of their baby!” Her voice broke. “Your family never gave that search up. They are still searching! Oh, I can’t not know where my son is! I know I have to go back to the front soon, but oh!”

“It's emotional, I know that.” Trixie hugged her “You are always going to know where he is. I am going to take care of him for you no matter what, and I expect you to come back as soon as you can, no matter what.”

“Thanks, Trixie. Jim used to tell me that I would like you if we ever met because we were a whole lot alike. I guess I can see that myself.”

“How long will it take before we know if she is your oldest sister?” Dan interrupted.

“The DNA test is expected to take at least thirty days. But mom is following her heart with this one and not any real evidence.”

“Even if it comes out positive, I still want the facts. Who did this? My parents, how could they lie to me? How could they let that family suffer so long? What was the motivation?”

“I am so sorry. I know it’s emotional, but I really was going to keep it to myself until I knew for sure.”

“I can’t leave my son and never look back. I don’t want to go back to war. Oh God,” Carla cried.

“Come on,” Trixie dragged her to the nursery. “You have never even held him before. I think it is high time you did.”

“Is everything okay?” Matthew asked as he passed the nursery and paused curiously to see who was crying.

“Well, it isn’t going to be forever. You have joint custody with Jim, remember? We allowed you that, so you could come back after the war to your child.”

“I know! I thought I could, but now he is my only family. He is my baby. He is so helpless. I am not a mother, I know next to nothing about being a real mom. I don’t have the gift that Trixie does.”

“Every young mother feels that way to a certain extent. They taught us that in our child development class. Those are natural fears, but it is okay. I know this is going to be very difficult, but we can make this work.”

“I just requested a break from active duty based on my son’s needs. I asked to be stationed Stateside.”

Carla and Trixie spent most of the evening with Hallie and Honey in the nursery while Carla spent time bonding with her beautiful baby.

Jim started waking up enough to get up to come check on the baby himself along about midnight. Hallie had long since gone, and Honey went to bed. Trixie was sleeping in the half-sized bed, but Carla was rocking the baby as she bottle fed him.

“How is he doing?” Jim asked looking a little bit shocked by seeing her feeding the baby.

“He has nearly finished.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Are you sure you should be out of bed now?”

“Yes, I am fine,” Jim answered as she handed him the baby so he could burp him.

Trixie didn’t stir. She just lay there, perfectly still, waiting to hear their conversation.

“I have spent a good long time with Trixie and the baby today. She has been teaching me how to take care of him. Boy, babies are hard work.

“True, they are twenty four hour a day seven days a week jobs,” Jim smiled .

“It means a lot that you are willing to help me, and that your parents are, too.”

“Well, it’s not like I didn’t tell Anne and Stan that I wouldn’t find a place for their baby if her pregnancy scare didn’t turn out to be false, too. I had dreams of owning my own school. I was planning to adopt children for that school anyway. I guess that something always told me that I would never end up having my own in the end, and I hate being an orphan.”

“But you aren’t an orphan. Didn’t your biological father adopt you at fifteen years old?”

“I suppose, but the father that will always be my real dad in my head is the one that bonded with me first not the one that calls himself my real dad now. I can’t believe my real dad, I mean Win Frayne, ended up sterile and searching to adopt all those years ago. This sucks.”

Trixie was inclined to agree. His weird sense of logic even confused her sometimes, and she knew him from way back.

“I can’t tell you if you are sterile now or not. Only a test will tell you for sure, but I can tell you that you weren’t always. I also need to apologize for taking advantage of you when you were drunk and crying in your beer over how much you missed your Shamus. If I hadn’t been so desperate to get a way home that would also allow me to slip back into the military for the rest of my career, so I wouldn’t lose the veterans’ benefits that I am entitled to. After all I went through at the front, I would think I deserve my free medical care for life, plus my free college tuition, wouldn’t you?”

“I understand how much you wanted to go spend those last days with your mom without breaking your contract to the point you lost your benefits.”

“Say, do you think there is a possibility that my mother might have had a thing with one of her uncles?” Carla whispered.

“I suppose that is possible. I know Andrew was a military man at that time. Helen or Peter might be able to tell you a little bit more about that question then I would.”

“True, but I didn’t want them to think I was only gold-digging. I am just curious how on earth do I look so much like Hallie? It makes me curious.”

“That DNA test shouldn’t take that long,” Jim chuckled some. “Say, I saw you out by the stables, chumming it up with Regan. What is up with that?”

“Oh, he’s, like, the cutest guy, I have ever met,” Carla laughed, “I sort of have a redhead fetish.”

“Okay,” Jim snorted into laughter. “I’ll warn you though Regan has a fear of the M word.”

“And I don’t?” Carla grinned from ear to ear. “He promised to email me daily about how my son is doing.”

“Oh, sorry to wake you,” Carla noticed Trixie roll over to look at her with a curious frown.

“I thought I was the only one around here with a redhead fetish?” Trixie said soberly.

“Sorry, you don’t walk alone,” Carla giggled. “But I am still on that no go there rule. Jimmy is only three weeks old now, so that sucks. I really don’t have a lot to entice him with at the present time.”

“That just means you won’t spook him off too quickly. That is where most girls make their mistake with Regan.” Trixie smiled. “Stick with me, and I’ll teach you the maze that it will take to go through to get to his secure side.”

“Oh brother.” Jim rolled his eyes. “Trixie, I thought you swore you were never going to be a match-making enabler?”

“Oh, I’ll make an exception for this one. She threatens my personal security,” Trixie said soberly. “James, go dye your hair black.”

Trixie didn’t have to worry, though, Carla wasn’t intending to go there anyway. She was not into rebound loves. Jim would never truly be hers no matter how hard she tried to convince him she was the better woman.

The next day came early for Jim. He was tired of sleep and tired of lying in his bed. Helping those workers repair the nativity scene out in the large loop of grassy area that made up the circular turn around in the drive seemed mildly interesting. The windstorm in the middle of the night seemed to have upset the manger. He walked down there to watch. They covered the fountain that normally spit water into the air over twenty feet high with its winter blanket of plywood the month before so it would be protected from the winter freeze and then spread out a layer of straw across it for the Nativity scene. Regan and Tom were carrying the rather large manger that sat in the middle of the stage back to where it belonged.

“Hi guys,” Jim said nicely. “That storm screwed up this little scene, didn’t it?”

“Yes, most of the ornaments were blown over,” Tom answered. “Are you sure you should be up?”

“I am fine,” Jim smiled. “I would help, but that would be against doctor’s orders.”

“We are fine. You’re not helping,” Regan said firmly. “It is a miracle you’re walking. Don’t you dare even think about messing with that.”

“I won’t,” Jim just smiled as he bent down and picked up a plastic Santa Claus.

“So where have the two of you been?” Jim asked between bites of his French toast.

“We went down to visit mom for more questions about my kidnapped sister,” Trixie smiled as she sat the baby carrier on the floor and uncovered his little face.

“Mom says that Jimmy actually looks a whole lot like Andrew, but she doesn’t know how she feels about the fact that there is a possibility that he could have fathered a child. You see, she was engaged to Andy and not Daddy at that particular time.”

“In my book, that lowers the chance that he did father me with my mom,” Carla groaned. “She also said that he was the only Belden that she knew of on the West Coast during that time frame. You see, the Beldens are from New York, this county, in fact. Andy was the oldest one, and she met him at Edwards during his stay and knew him from her visits to her grandmother’s house, and they hit it off from there. I guess they broke up after the kidnapping because Mom was upset over losing the baby, and Andy was stationed in Iraq and not allowed to return. They weren’t married so getting family emergency leave was not possible at the time. Andy called his brother Peter to go try to find his daughter, and during the time that Pete was there working on helping to find his niece, the two of them ended up hooking up, she married Pete instead.”

“Here is the information that I snagged about Anne Star.” Carla sat in front of Jim. “She was born out of the same hospital only two weeks before. Her father was military, Air Force to be exact. He married a local girl, in a nearly shotgun style wedding because the girl was pregnant. Frank Star was not just an ordinary Joe. You see, he was the son of movie star Betty Star.

“So he was trapped?” Jim raised one carrot orange colored eyebrow in interest.

“Yes, we’ve been working on this all day. Carla called Frank’s mom and explained that she was a teammate of her daughter’s and wanted to check in and see how she was doing in the Gulf.”

“She even got her to email us a bunch of her parents’ photos as well. I was impressed. The girl has skills,” Trixie giggled.

“Not too much, only that I knew an artist that was willing to paint her a family portrait if I could get a photo, that I wanted to do something nice for her because she saved my life once during active duty. I discovered that the family of service men and women love to know that their child is brave and heroic.”

“Frank Star looks nothing like Anne, and Anne looks nothing like her mother, either. I ran it through the computer for related similarities like we do some times at work. They have no related similarities to note on the computerized network.”

“No, Anne’s mother is the only parent still living. Frank was killed mysteriously a couple of months after Anne’s birth. Her mother took off with millions before she would consent to leave the baby with her grandmother without protest. Betty said that Gwen Samuels lives in Hollywood with her fourth husband. Take this one down. The three husbands before her all have been rich and all have died of some mysterious reason or another leaving her with even more money than the money she had before her.”

“Anyway, Uncle Andy flew to California to have a closer look, and Grandpa ordered Anne to the infirmary where they plan to take blood samples for DNA testing. He got involved, and we should know who possibly is the kidnapped child once and for all real soon.”

“Not too bad.” He smiled. “Dad and I spent a good portion of the morning discussing my plans to rebuild the old mansion on Ten Acres. He plans to make it a building project for the shows like he did with the old abandoned house over on Telegraph Road. I just okayed the projects and went down to the bank to transfer a decent-sized amount of money to begin with. He claims that there will be plenty of freebie work that comes along with it, and he is likely not to even need that money, but normally they do use a portion of the home owner’s money as well when they get started.”

Time passed rather quickly. Soon it was Christmas Eve and time for the Wheelers’ annual Christmas party. Invited guests from all over--family, friends and business acquaintances alike-- were arriving for the festivities. Trixie found herself standing at a huge piano singing along with Honey and Diana as Dan played the piano for them, one Christmas song after another. As the guests arrived, another one or two would join the laughter and song with the girls until soon that large ballroom-style, formal entertainment room was filled with carolers loudly singing as they followed Trixie’s lead. She held a baton and waved it around, cueing each group in at the precise moment. Her time spent at the church in the music department had paid off. She could lead a choir nearly as well as the choir director could. Funny how things worked out, most of the ones willing to sing were a part of the church choir.

Even the minister arrived to smile at his congregation that had gathered for fun and festivities. Soon, Diana and Honey proved to have the Christmas story all organized in a dramatic play for all to enjoy as Trixie narrated with an angelic voice to the audience.

Nearly an hour later, dinner was served banquet style in the massive dining room. Where Matthew stood and humbled himself with a bowed head to pray before the meal was ready to be served.

Finally, as the evening began to unfold, a soft gentle snow began falling outside, silently blanketing the hillside as it fluttered around on the wind so gentle, as those festive lights blinked red yellow and green across the trees and hedges that littered the lawn. Those guests inside were dancing around to the music from the stereo. Trixie, tucked so comfortably into Jim’s loving arms, was the first to notice the gift Nature had chosen to provide them with as she lifted her head off Jim’s muscular chest to check to be sure he was still feeling no pain. Her attention first was attracted by Jupiter snorting loudly in the corral that she could see outside that sliding glass door that slid open closest to the stables.

“No, it was your Uncle Andrew, silly.” Helen looked excited. “We know where our kidnapped daughter is. The DNA tests that we took are back.”

“It is a mystery that we had long since given up on ever solving, but here it is right here in black and white,” Peter said loudly as he held up a piece of paper.

“What is right there in black and white?” Carla shouted as she pulled out of Regan’s arms to get interested in quickly.

“It seems that our delivery doctor is to blame. When he shooed her family into the hallway after he claimed there were complications, he quietly delivered her second born child and sold her to a couple that were willing to pay nearly anything for a healthy white baby. Andrew finally got a confession out of him after he teamed up with an unlikely person-- Betty Star herself to be precise--who worked her art of persuasion to the point that he confessed in confidence to her about what he had done.”

“Will you stop beating around the bush? Who is she? What do the DNA tests say?” Trixie said impatiently.

“I am trying to tell you that your mother had twins, Trixie. One was sold to a couple that wanted a baby no matter what it cost, and the other child was the one that ended up kidnapped, by the desperate mother trying to prove to her estranged husband that she really was pregnant. In fact, that woman faked a nine-month pregnancy.”

“It says here that both Carla Carlson and Anne Star are ninety-nine point nine percent positively the genetic children of Helen Belden.”

“Carla, I am afraid that you were the daughter that they stole, hiding your existence from us completely, and the child that ended up kidnapped was...”

“Oh, my gosh, she is, like, my best friend in the entire world!” she shouted as she started jumping up and down.

“Hey, you’re my big sister,” Trixie joined her jumping. “You didn’t die after all! This is the greatest Christmas gift ever.”

“Oh, this means that my mom and dad were the biggest boobs that ever lived,” Carla teared up when the realization hit her.

“No, that doctor was the biggest boob that ever lived. I don’t think they knew that doctor’s plan. I think they thought he convinced a young mother that couldn’t keep her baby to adopt it out to them. That is all I think they were guilty of,” Helen promised.

“The real tragedy is that poor girl will be in the middle of that nightmare once she finds out what her mother did to get her. My father just ordered her home so we can tell her. We should be able to meet her and break the news to her real soon.”

“Congratulations,” Matthew said to Helen and Peter both. “I know how long you have been searching for those answers. I am glad they finally came.”

“Yes, this is the greatest Christmas gift,” Peter agreed as he grabbed Carla up for a spontaneous hug.

Helen was holding that tiny baby in her arms and grinning, as Trixie burst into song with the greatest Christmas gift of all is you.