Group Writing Project #5
Steph has picked my brain more than once for perspective while writing Jim, Dan, Mart and Brian and when I told her I had this idea she encouraged me to write.
The Gift of New Beginnings
By: Scott
Jim Frayne, age 19, returned to Sleepyside for Christmas vacation more than a little nervous because of what he had planned out in his head.
He just needed to get up the courage to actually do it.
Jim finally decided that it was time to ask his longtime friend and girl of his dreams, Trixie Belden, for a date. He had wanted to for a long time but had decided to wait until she was at least almost finished with high school.
He knew that she was in her senior year at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School and, more than that, she would be attending the same school, Columbia, as him the next year.
He thought to himself, he had always known that they belonged together but the timing never seemed right, and also he had felt that she was too young before now. But she was 17 and finishing high school in a few months.
After unpacking his suitcase and saying hello to his parents and sister, Jim headed up to the stables to ride his beloved horse, Jupiter.
He had really missed the horse while away at school. He knew that Regan also missed having him around to exercise him.
He greeted Regan with a cheery wave and Regan said, "It’s good to see you home for Christmas vacation. Trixie just left on Susie, maybe you can catch up to her."
Jim got Jupiter ready and then was off on him hoping to find Trixie.
He heard her singing "Winter Wonderland" and thought it appropriate since there was a fresh snowfall on the ground from the night before and it was beautiful outside.
But he thought to himself that Trixie was the most beautiful part of the day.
Jim called out, "Trixie, let me catch up to you and we can go riding together!"
Trixie turned to smile at him and say, "Hi, welcome home, Jim! We’ve missed you!"
They rode for awhile while talking about school and all the latest goings on with the other Bob-Whites and their other friends and family.
Jim said that he really missed everyone and couldn’t wait for the party they were having that night at the old clubhouse.
They finally decided to call it a day. As Trixie headed home, Jim kicked himself for not asking her out and thought he had a chance that night.
Meanwhile Trixie thought to herself, "I thought for sure he was finally going to ask me out today, but I guess I was wrong."
They both thought to themselves that things should be happening between them, but weren’t yet.
That Night
The Bob-Whites all gathered in the old clubhouse and, after shouts of hellos and how are yous and missed yous, they all settled into a fun party.
Brian was a junior at Harvard and had been home a couple of days. Mart was a freshman at UConn and had been home a week. Di and Honey were seniors in high school like Trixie and Dan was a rookie police officer on the New York city force already.
It seemed like old times to all of them. They were all glad to be together for the first time since the end of the summer.
Jim couldn’t take his eyes off Trixie the entire evening. She grew more and more beautiful every time he saw her. She dazzled him with a smile more than once.
Finally, as the party broke up, Jim offered to give Trixie a walk home and she accepted.
They walked to the farm in companionable silence until they reached the front porch and Jim asked Trixie to sit next to him.
They looked at each other for a few moments and finally Jim said, "Trixie, I’ve been thinking lately and I would like us to start seeing each other. Not just when we’re with the other Bob-Whites but also on dates--just the two of us. We have always belonged together. For the rest of the school year I know we won’t have much time, but this summer, and then next year when we’re both at Columbia, we will."
Trixie smiled and said, "I would like that, too. I’ve always wanted it, but the time has never seemed right until now."
Jim asked, "Trixie, can we seal this with a kiss?"
Trixie smiled and said, "I was wondering when you’d get around to that!"
Jim gently took Trixie’s face in his hands and bent over to kiss her and they both felt like it was the fourth of July all over again as they felt fireworks going off.
Afterwards they sat together just holding each other for a few moments until Mrs. Belden called them inside.
They both knew that they had given each other the greatest possible gift – themselves.
The End