rated *
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I am making no money from this story. Just trying my hand at some fanfic. =)
Timeline: Trixie, Honey, Di, and Hallie are all 26. Mart and Dan are 27. Jim is 28 and Brian is 29. The story takes place in late summer/ early fall.
Thanks to Gianna for reviewing this story for me.
Perfectly Perfect
By Stephanie
Lynch Mansion
"Have you finished checking the guest list?" Mrs. Lynch asked her daughter.
Diana laughed. Her mother was so anxious about her and Mart’s wedding and everything that went with it.
"Yes, mother. Here it is. Don’t worry about it so much. I still can’t believe though, that out of the 300 people we invited 254 of them are coming," Diana said.
"I know, dear. It’s a good thing we have such a large lawn or I don’t know what we would do. I don’t know though, do you think it was the right thing to do not inviting Trixie?" Mrs. Lynch said.
Diana’s expression vividly changed to one of annoyance. She and her mother had been through this so many times.
"Mother, Trixie hasn’t been here in four years, actually five; she was here so briefly that once. She never calls any of us, never writes us, doesn’t even email us! She obviously doesn’t care about us any more. She hasn’t spoken a word to any of her family or old friends in four years," replied Di.
Di actually was originally going to invite Trixie for old times sake but Mart had talked her out of it. He had never quite forgiven Trixie for getting in that argument with their parents, even if she had been partly right.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lynch hadn’t said anything but just sat staring at the guest list.
"Well, I’m going to go see if Janet needs any help. I have my cell on if you need to reach me," Di said.
Janet, known as Janet Stanton, was running for mayor of Sleepyside. Di worked as her assistant, though many times she felt like her equal. Janet was in her late 50’s and Di, being 26, sort of helped even things out.
"Okay, Di, see you later. Be home by six! Peter and Helen are coming to dinner," Mrs. Lynch said.
* * *
Wheeler Estate
"I can’t believe Mart and Di will be married in two weeks," Brian said.
"I know, but it isn’t really that surprising. Mart and Di were always the most open about their relationship," Jim answered.
Brian laughed, "Yeah, not like you and Tr—"
Brian’s laughter suddenly stopped as a strange look appeared on Jim’s face and there was an eerie silence. Neither Brian nor Jim would look at the other.
Despite being the best of friends with Jim, Brian had never gotten the full story on Trixie’s departure. She had gotten into a disagreement with their parents but no one really knew what had gone wrong between her and Jim at about the same time.
Whatever had happened, Jim obviously had still not yet gotten over it.
"I, um…"
"It’s okay, Brian," Jim said.
"I’m sorry, Jim. I wasn’t thinking," Brian said.
"I mean it, Brian, it’s okay. I suppose that you, along with everyone else, are more than a little curious about what happened between Trixie and myself.
Brian could see where this was heading. Jim would want to tell him all about it. Not that Brian wasn’t curious, but he knew it was none of his business.
"No, no, don’t tell me a thing. It’s none of my business; a private matter between you and Trixie," Brian said.
"But…"
"No ‘buts’, Jim. This discussion is closed," Brian said.
Jim just shook his head. Brian was always so honorable. ‘Gosh,’ he thought, ‘that was what Trixie always said about me and Brian.’
Brian noticed Jim’s expression had changed to one of pain and sadness and realized it was time to get a change of atmosphere.
"Come on, Jim. Let’s go grab some lunch," Brian said.
Trixie’s Detective Agency--NYC
"Clarissa, could you get me the file on the Bernoff case?" a blond, and very irate, young woman snapped.
Looking a bit hurt, Clarissa replied, "Yes, of course. Just a second."
‘What is going on with Trixie lately? Something’s up…’ Clarissa thought.
Clarissa went into the other room to retrieve the file Trixie had requested. "Dave! You startled me. I thought you already left?"
"I was going to but I started thinking—"
"Is this about Trixie?" Clarissa cut him off, "Because if it is I have a few things to say. She has been acting really grumpy and irritated for the past two weeks. She is always annoyed at you and I can’t do anything right anymore, in her eyes. I only put up with it for this long because she pays my paycheck."
" I know, I know. I don’t know what’s eating her," Dave said, running his fingers through his wavy brown hair.
At that moment, Trixie burst into the room, obviously still angered and annoyed at…something.
" Clarissa, how long does it take to bring me one measly file? And, Dave, what are you doing here? I thought you left hours ago," a very annoyed Trixie Belden demanded.
" You know, Trixie, Clarissa and I were just thinking it is about time we all head home. Come, let me walk you to your car."
"Daaaaaaaaaaave, I don’t like that tone in your voice. Why are you avoiding my question?"
" Trixie, come on, I’ll walk you to your car."
"I rode the train," Trixie snapped.
"Well, let me drive you home then," Dave suggested.
"Alright, whatever." And so Trixie gave in.
Trixie’s Apartment
Despite many protests by Trixie, Dave walked Trixie up to her apartment.
Trixie unlocked her door, went in, and Dave followed her through.
"Dave, I think you can go home now. Why are you being so protective of me tonight?"
"Trixie, I need to talk to you. Something is not right with you," Dave answered.
"Something’s not right with me?!?!?!?! That’s absurd. I’m as great as I’ve ever been," Trixie defensively replied, "You are the one suddenly following me around, watching my every move, dissecting the meaning of every word I speak. How do you think that makes me feel? Like one of those criminals I chase down, that’s what."
"Trixie, I know something’s wrong because I know you. It is almost four years ago that I met you and you practically threw yourself at me. At first I thought that was just your style but in later years when I would see you throw yourself at other guys right after we had had a disagreement I realized that that is what you did when you had a disagreement with someone who meant a lot to you. I realized that when you came to me you were trying to escape from something. Something big. I think that whatever it was is still haunting you. Trixie, I care for you a great deal but obviously there was someone before me who meant a ton more to you than I do now and you can’t forget him. I want you to be happy and I want you to take some time off from work and get things straightened out. And after that, no matter how it turns out, I want you to get a vacation and relax. Trixie? Answer me…"
"I’m okay," Trixie said almost half laughing though her tears, " I didn’t realize everything was that obvious. I’m so touched that you care though."
"Trixie, I know that by doing this I may be losing you forever, but I really want you to take that trip."
"I guess you are right. I do need a vacation. Would you be too mad at me if I don’t leave until next Saturday?" Trixie asked with a slight smile.
"If you promise not to be too hard on me and Clarissa all week."
Trixie and Dave both started laughing now and there was a relaxed feeling in the air. Dave was happy with the decision he made to talk with Trixie. She seemed to be in a much happier mood now. He knew this was probably goodbye to all the dreams of him and Trixie together but he wanted her to be happy, above all else.
"Well, where are you going to go? Do you want me to get your plane ticket?" Dave asked.
"It’s not that far. I can drive. I’m going back to where I grew up."
"Okay. Well, I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll let myself out. Goodnight, Trixie," Dave said.
"Goodnight…um, Dave?"
"What?"
"Thanks."
Sleepyside-One week before wedding
It was one week before Di and Mart were to be married and all the Bob-Whites plus Hallie and minus Trixie, of course, were having a reunion of sorts.
Dan and Hallie had flown in from their home in Chicago where Dan was a police officer and Hallie a lawyer.
Brian, Honey, Di, Mart, and Jim still lived in and around the Sleepyside area.
They had so far spent the day taking a *tour* of their old clubhouse and going for a horseback ride. They were now at the Wheeler picnic area on the Wheeler grounds. A few years back Mr. Wheeler had had a small portion of his land cleared and landscaped and added several picnic tables and grills.
"I’m so glad you two were able to fly in so early," Honey spoke to Dan and Hallie, "I mean, I know you would have been here next week anyway but things will be too chaotic for us to do anything like the fun stuff we’ve done today."
"Oh yeah, it will be crazy here next week with everything she has planned!" Mart said, pointing an accusing finger at his fiancée.
Di just rolled her eyes in response and everyone except Mart laughed.
Brian started to speak, "By the way, Honey, going back to your monologue—"
"Hey! It was not that long and boring," Honey broke in.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Brian said, holding both of his hands up in defense, "No need to get so testy. Listen to the rest of what I have to say. You were talking about all the fun we’re having but I noticed you didn’t once say that it was ‘perfectly perfect’."
"Well, it’s not," Honey answered quietly without looking at anyone.
There was dead silence for what seemed an eternity but was really only a few seconds.
Finally, someone spoke.
"Trixie," Hallie said.
"Yes," Honey answered, "it will never be the same without her."
"Why did she do this to us? Why can’t she at least send an email, or pick up the phone and talk for five minutes, or send a Christmas card to let us know she is alive and well," Hallie complained, "We don’t know where she is but she knows where we are."
Brian looked at Jim to see how he was taking all this. Based on their conversation from a week before Brian knew Jim would either break down and tell them what he knew or just walk away.
Jim chose the latter for he suddenly stood up and started walking deeper into the woods.
"I guess what I said kind of got to him," Hallie said as they all stared after Jim.
"Guess so," Dan said.
Meanwhile, Jim was walking along a path. He could see someone-a woman-up ahead.
"Did you know you are on private property?!" Jim yelled out to the woman, still walking towards her.
Neither of them said anything else; they just kept walking towards each other.
Suddenly, Jim got this really weird feeling as he saw the woman approaching. ‘Oh my God; it can’t be,’ Jim thought.
"Jim?"
"Trixie? Oh my goodness, it is you!" Jim grabbed her, and without even thinking what her feelings might be now, he kissed her passionately. Trixie responded, but she finally broke off the kiss.
"Well, I’m happy to see you too," Trixie joked.
"I just can’t believe you’re here," Jim said a bit cautiously.
Trixie just smiled. "So, tell me, what’s new?"
I wanted to be like you
I wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away
"Trixie, why did you come back? Why did you leave in the first place? Jim asked.
"I came back because…I was ordered to, by my employee. But I…I realized I made some wrong decisions. I wanted so much to be proud and independent like you are, Jim, I just wanted everything. And, I guess, I got carried away. I’m sorry, Jim, I really am," Trixie said.
If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares
Trixie continued, "I wish I could ask you to love me again, but you must have someone else in your life now, I mean, it’s been four years.
"Actually, no. Trixie, you are the only woman for me. I threw myself into my work. I did my best to forget you, but nothing worked. If you don’t marry me I’ll die a bachelor," Jim said.
"Is that supposed to be a proposal?" Trixie asked.
"It is if you want it to be," Jim grinned.
"Well, than the answer is yes," Trixie smiled back.
"Should we go break the news?" Jim asked.
"Not quite yet," Trixie said, " I’d like some time to get to know my fiancé. I haven’t seen him in…oh, four years?"
"Your wish is my command," Jim said.
And so Trixie and Jim walked off hand-in-hand, certain of a bright and happy future together.
The End
* * * The verses used are from the song All You Wanted by Michelle Branch and is ©2001 I’m With The Band Music Publishing Company (ASCAP). This song can be found on the album The Spirit Room by Michelle Branch.