rated *
Remember Me?
by Treanna
Jim Frayne checked the time on his watch and then picked up the phone. He smiled as a familiar voice answered.
"Hello, Shamus, remember me?"
The voice on the other end of the line laughed. "That must be Red."
"So, you do remember?"
"Well, I only saw you two days ago. I don’t forget gorgeous red-haired guys that easily."
"I hope you only remember this red-haired guy."
She again laughed. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this early call?"
"Well, I know that you are heading to the airport soon and I just wanted to ring and say goodbye for a week."
"You can still ring me in Paris."
"I know, but it gave me an excuse to ring you this morning."
"Any excuse," she laughed.
"What are you doing now?"
"I am having breakfast with a lady I met yesterday. She has even offered to drive me to the airport."
"That's nice of her."
"She is nice. I have found myself telling her all about you and my family."
He laughed. "Well, you have always been chatty."
"I have to leave in a few minutes, so I will ring you when I get to Paris. Okay?"
"Tell me what the new pilot is like, Trix. It is a shame that Bob had to leave us, but he told Dad that James was as good a pilot as he was, so Dad hired him straight away. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday and gave him a description of you, so you should have no problems getting aboard."
"What did you tell him?"
"To look out for a cute drop dead gorgeous blonde with curly hair."
"You didn’t."
He laughed. "I did."
"James Frayne, you are terrible."
"I hope so," he laughed.
"I had better go," she told him. "I am going to miss you."
"Me too, baby. But this conference is important to you and when you get back I have a surprise for you for your twenty-first."
"I hope it is what I think it is."
He smiled. "You will have to wait and see."
"So, sing for me and then I will have to go."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
Jim sighed, glad there was no one else about.
"You are my sunshine
My only sunshineYou make me happy when skies are grey
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away."He heard her sigh.
"I love you, Jim Frayne."
"And I love you, too, Trixie Belden."
Jim put the phone down and smiled. He turned to see Dan grinning at him from the door.
"Didn’t know you could sing so well."
Jim smiled. "I sang it to Trixie a long time ago and whenever I talk to her on the phone she wants me to sing it to her again."
"Cute."
"It makes the world go around. So, what can I do for you, Mr Mangan?"
"My self-defence starts in an hour, so I thought that I would have breakfast with you first."
"Haven’t had a better offer all day."
* * *
Jim sat down at his desk and sighed. Working on the school's books was one of his least favourite jobs. He was glad that he had a good accountant to handle them, but he still had to get everything ready. He looked at his watch. Trixie would have been in the air three hours; he knew it would be at least another five before he heard from her again. He looked at the picture of her on his desk and smiled.
"I love you," he whispered to the photo before he again picked up his pen.
Half an hour later, he heard footsteps and looked up to see his father standing there. He saw the look on his face and instantly jumped up and hurried over. "Dad, what is wrong?"
"Son, there has been an accident."
"Is it Mother? Honey?"
His father shook his head. "I got a call a little while ago. Apparently, a mayday was sent out from the plane about an hour ago and they haven’t heard anything since."
Jim sank to the floor as he moaned brokenly, "No!"
* * *
Jim looked down at the water below him. He could hear muffled sobs around him, but could still not connect them with what had happened. He held in his hand a dozen yellow roses, but had not yet dropped them.
When he felt a hand on his shoulder he turned slightly and smiled at his father. "Thanks for hiring the boat to bring us out here. It seems to make it more final, doesn’t it?"
"The Beldens and the Bob-Whites and the rest of us needed to say goodbye, too."
His father watched as one by one Jim dropped the roses into the ocean below.
"Dad, I have lost my sunshine."
His father held him as he sobbed. "I know, son, I know."
Three months later.
Jim looked up when someone knocked on his door and smiled at his sister. He watched as she walked in the sun glinting on the new ring on her finger.
"What a lovely surprise." He stood up and gave his sister a hug. "I haven’t seen you for about a week."
"Mother came to remind you that you promised you would come to the engagement party tonight."
He nodded. "I know. Dad already rang me."
"You have closeted yourself away too long, dear brother. We want you to start living again."
"I am trying, sis, but it has only been three months."
"Trixie would not want you to spend the rest of your life mourning for her."
He nodded again. "I know, but I still miss her so much and when I am around others they remind me so much of her."
"Then turn that into a positive. Remember all the good times we shared. Trixie was a unique person and we all loved her so much. But she brought so much into our lives. We should be grateful for the wonderful things she has done for us and taught us."
"I will be there tonight and I will be happy. But the only way I could stop thinking of her is if you cut my heart out."
She hugged her brother. "Then you would have to take out mine as well. I still miss her, too." A few minutes later she pushed him gently away. "Enough of the sadness, brother. Today is a new day and in a few months I become Mrs Brian Belden. I have to run. I will see you tonight."
He smiled and she hugged him again before she hurried out of the room.
Jim sat down and picked up Trixie's photo. "Baby, I know I will never stop missing you. We were part of a whole and I am nothing without you."
Another three months later.
"Come on, Jim, she is cute."
Jim shook his head.
"I will not allow you to hide yourself away another minute. You have to start dating again."
"Dan, I am not ready. It has only been six months."
Dan sighed. "I know, Jim, and I miss her, too, but at least come out and have dinner with us tonight. I am not telling you to even go out with her again, but Ally’s sister is a nice girl and she will only be in town for another week."
"I don’t know, Dan."
"You have to eat, don’t you?"
Jim was just about to reply when the phone rang.
"You are not getting out that easily, Frayne."
Jim smiled as he pushed the speaker button. "Jim Frayne here."
"My name is Thomas Clayton and I saw your picture in the paper today."
"I don’t recall being in the paper recently."
"This was about six months ago. I was cleaning up at work and I found it under a box."
"I don’t understand?"
"It was a story about you losing your lady friend."
Dan watched Jim's face fall.
"Thank you, but I don’t need any more sympathy."
"And you are not going to get some from me. But it says that she died in a plane crash."
"So?"
"But there must be a mistake because I just saw her this morning."
Jim's face grew angry. "If this is some kind of a joke, then it is not funny." He reached to hit the off button.
"Before you cut me off, let me explain."
For some reason Dan put his hand on Jim's. "Listen," he pleaded.
"Talk," Jim told the man on the phone.
"About six months ago I found a young girl wandering the streets of New York. She did not know her name and her clothes were torn. I took her home with me and got her cleaned up. She is now working with me at a diner. But she does not know her name or where she came from."
"What has that got to do with Trixie?"
"Did your Trixie have blond curly hair?"
"Yes, but everyone knew that."
"The photo was not colour, so I did not know that. Sammy has blue eyes. Did your Trixie have blue eyes."
"Yes, but who is Sammy?"
"The girl I was talking about. When she first came to me and I asked her what her name was she didn’t know, but she said she thought it was Shamus. Seemed pretty silly to me, so I called her Sammy."
Jim gasped. "What!"
"Does that mean something to you?"
"Yes, but it can’t be her. She died on that plane."
Dan interrupted, "My name is Dan and I am a friend of Jim's and Trixie's. Can you tell us anything else that might help us to know if it is her or not?"
There was silence for a moment. "I know that whenever someone with red hair comes into the diner, she gasps and says ‘Red, is that you?’"
Jim had been standing, but he fell into his chair.
"And she also sings a song a lot. Something about sunshine."
It was Dan that gasped then. "Okay, Thomas, you have our attention. Where are you?"
Jim did not even hear the address that was given.
"Jim."
Jim looked up.
"We have to go. I have agreed to meet this man in ninety minutes. Call your folks and tell them you are going to New York for a couple of days to have a break. They will understand. I will ring my uncle and let him know that I am going too."
Jim still sat there. "It can’t be Trix."
"Jim, we don’t know that and we need to find out."
Jim looked up with torment in his eyes. "I can’t bear to lose her again."
"Would you rather I go on my own?"
Jim shook his head. "I couldn’t sit here either knowing that she might be out there somewhere looking for me."
"Then ring your dad and let's go."
Jim picked up the phone and rang his father. His father seemed to understand his need to get away. He promised to watch over the school while he was gone. By the time he was off the phone, Dan was waiting.
"Give me your keys. I know the address and I don’t think that you are in a state to be driving anyway." Jim handed him his keys and followed him out of the room.
* * *
The drive to New York was done in total silence. Jim was lost in his own thoughts and Dan did not know what to say to his friend to offer comfort or support. When Dan turned off the car, Jim looked up. He looked at the dilapidated building wondering if Trixie had spent the last six months there.
As they got out a man about fifty walked over. "You must be Jim. I am Thomas."
Jim shook hands with the man. "Where is she?"
"She is up in our apartment. She has just finished work and she is tired."
"Your apartment?"
"We share an apartment, Jim, and that is all. I am old enough to be her father."
Jim nodded. "And your family?"
"My little girl was thirteen and my son nine when the car crash took them and my beloved wife."
"I am sorry," Jim told him. "I know what it is to lose someone you love more than yourself."
Thomas smiled. "Then I hope that Sammy is your love."
"So do I."
Thomas led them up the rickety steps to the third floor. He produced a key and opened the door.
"Sammy, where are you, girl?"
"In the lounge, Thomas."
Jim faltered, not believing it could be the voice he heard in his dreams every night.
He walked into the room.
She was standing by the window, wearing an old waitress uniform. She looked thinner than he remembered and he felt as if he was going to throw up or faint. Instead, he whispered, "Hello, Shamus, remember me?"
She turned slowly and he took one step forward until he saw the confusion there. She watched him for a moment and then he saw her eyes open slightly.
"Red, is that you?"
"It’s me, baby."
"I have been looking for you, but I couldn’t find you."
"Baby, I am sorry. I thought that you were dead."
She shook her head slightly. "I have been." She then walked towards him and put out her hands. "Jim, I have missed you so much."
Jim met her halfway pulling her closely into his arms.
Thomas tapped Dan on his shoulder and they left them alone.
Timeless moments later, Jim drew Trixie down on the couch. He touched her face, still not sure if she was real. "I don’t understand, baby."
Trixie put her hand on his mouth. "Everything is confused, Jim. I need time to sort it all out."
"I need to take you home. I have my car outside."
She shook her head. "Tomorrow."
"But your parents?"
"Please, Jim. Let me just be with you tonight. I still can’t remember everything. I just need you. Tomorrow I will be able to face the rest."
He drew her into his arms. "Whatever you want, Trix."
When Jim and Trixie walked into the kitchen, Dan stood up.
"Hello, Trix."
He watched her concentrate for a moment. "Hello, Dan."
He smiled. "Glad you remembered me."
"Dan, Trixie wants to stay here tonight and go home in the morning."
"How about I book myself into a hotel tonight and take the train home in the morning? I can have Uncle Bill meet me."
"Can you tell everyone before I come? I don’t know if I..."
Dan nodded. "I will get them together and prepare them."
"We will plan to be home sometime in the afternoon."
Dan nodded.
"Stay here, Dan," Thomas invited. Dan nodded.
"I am going to take Trixie to the apartment for the night," Jim told them. "If that is okay with you, Trix?"
"As long as I am with you, it will be."
He nodded. "Is there anything you need from here?"
"I have a few clothes, but they are not nice."
"Both you and Honey have left clothes at the apartment, baby. Dan can bring anything you need."
"There is nothing here that I want."
"Then let us go. Thanks, Dan."
"I will see you tomorrow."
Jim then looked at Thomas. "How can I thank you, sir?"
"There is no need, Jim. Just seeing Sammy happy is all I wanted."
Trixie hugged him. "I will never forget you and, when I am okay, I will come and visit you. I promise."
"I know you will, girl. Now off with you."
Jim took Trixies hand and led her to the car.
* * *
"Trix, is there anything you want, baby?"
Trixie looked around the lush apartment trying to remember it. "It seems familiar but..."
Jim put his arms around her and she sunk into him. "It will come, baby."
"Jim, I feel so dirty. And these clothes smell of cooking grease."
"How about a long hot bath? I am sure that there are some of your pajamas in the spare bedroom."
"I haven’t had a bath in...I don’t know how long."
He took her hand in his and led her to the spare room. "There is some clothes of yours in here. I will go into the master bedroom and run the bath."
She followed him a few minutes later and he smiled when he saw she had found her pajamas.
"I am going to have a shower in the other bathroom," he said. "Then I'll make us something to eat."
"You won’t leave me, Jim."
He cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her. "I am never going to leave you again." He walked out and closed the door. Jim stood for a moment until he heard her climb into the water. He heard her sigh and he smiled. He grabbed a tracksuit and hurried into the other bathroom. He showered quickly and then dressed.
In the kitchen he took stock of the food. There wasn't much, so he went to the phone and made a call. Then he put on some coffee.
About half an hour later, Trixie appeared at the door of the kitchen. He smiled at the picture she made in her pajamas and bare feet. Her hair, newly-washed, dropped in ringlets around her face.
"Feeling better?"
She nodded. "I didn’t want to get out, but I am hungry."
Just then the doorbell rang. Trixie jumped into his arms.
"It’s okay, baby," he soothed. "I just ordered a pizza."
"Sorry," she murmured. "I’m just not ready to see anyone else yet."
"I will be back in a minute," he told her and she nodded.
By the time he had gotten back, she had set the table with plates and had made them both coffee.
Even though she had told him she was hungry, she did not eat nearly as much as she used to. "My appetite isn’t as good as it used to be," she apologised. "Sometimes, I was just to tired to eat and there was not always enough money for food."
"Oh Trix," he sighed.
She smiled slightly. "Give me time and I will be eating like I used too again."
"With your mother's cooking, I am sure you will be eating as much as Mart does soon."
"No one can eat as much as Mart does," she told him and then smiled. "I remember my family more clearly now."
Jim stood up and smiled down at her. He took her hand and led her into the lounge. He sat down and she sat beside him. He put his arm around her and she snuggled closer.
"I had dreams about you, Jim," she told him. "I would wake up and call for you but you never were there. Every time I saw a man with red hair, I thought it was you. But it never was."
"When they told me the plane you were supposed to be on had crashed into the sea, I just didn’t want to believe it. It was as if half of me had died that day too and I felt that I could never function properly again. Even when I started doing the everyday things again I never had you out of my mind. I knew that I would never love again like I did with you." He reached down and kissed her gently on the forehead. "And now you are here in my arms again and I feel so blessed."
"I never want to be away from you again, Jim."
"I will never let you go, baby."
Half an hour later he felt her snuggle closer to him. "You must be exhausted, Trix. It is going to be a long day tomorrow, so maybe we should both get some sleep."
She nodded and sat up. He stood up and put out his hand for her. She moved back into his arms. And he reached down and picked her up. Safely cradled in his arms he took her off to the main bedroom.
"You sleep here, honey, and I will sleep in the spare room."
She clasped her arms tighter around his neck. "Please, no, Jim. I don’t want to wake up in the night and you not be there. Please, sleep in here with me."
He put her down gently. "But Trix."
"Please, Jim. I can’t bear for you to be so far away."
He looked down at the sheer desperation in her eyes and nodded.
He pulled back the covers and she slipped into the bed. He slid in beside her and lay down.
She moved herself tightly against him and he sighed inwardly.
It was going to be a very long night.
* * *
Trixie looked for Jim but he wasn’t there and in desperation she cried out his name.
"It’s okay, Trix, I am here."
She moved even closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.
"I was so scared that it was just a dream and I would wake up alone again."
"You are not alone, babe."
"Jim, if I asked you to love me here and now would you?"
"Trix, don’t ask that of me."
"Why?"
"For six months I mourned you and now I have you in my arms and all I want to do..." he sighed. "But I don’t want either of us to wake up in the morning and regret what we did tonight out of desperation or emotion. I want the time to be right for both of us and not before."
"Still as honorable as ever," she whispered.
He grimaced. "I am hanging on to that honor by just a thread, Trix, so let us go back to sleep before the thread snaps."
"I love you, Jim Frayne."
"And I love you, Trixie Belden."
And she drifted off to sleep with him singing to her again.
* * *
The next morning when Trixie was in the shower the phone rang.
"Hi Jim, how are you both?"
"We’re fine, Dan. Where are you?"
"I caught the six o’clock train and arrived back here just after seven. Uncle Bill picked me up and we went straight to the Belden house. Then I called everyone for an emergency meeting."
"How did it go?"
Dan sighed. "A lot of tears, mate. But then Mrs Belden starts ordering everyone on clean-up duty. You know that she kept Trixie's things in her room. Well, she also kept all of her clothes in boxes in the attic. Brian and Mart have been bringing them down so she can wash them ready for when you arrive home."
Jim laughed. "That sounds like her."
"Look, Jim, your dad is here and he wants to talk to you. Ring me when you are leaving so we know when to expect you."
"No probs, Dan, and thanks."
"Anytime, mate."
The line was silent for a moment.
"Son."
"Hi, Dad, I am fine."
"More than fine I expect. But how are you coping?"
"It is like my whole world has been turned upside down, Dad. Trixie is back, but she is so scared. She is not the Trixie I said goodbye to six months ago."
"We don’t know yet what she went through," his father told him. "Trixie will bounce back soon. I am sure of it. Now, look after that girl and bring her home as soon as she is ready."
"I will, Dad, and thanks."
"I love you, son, and I know that it will all work out."
"So do I. I love you, too."
Trixie walked in a minute later dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. He could tell by the jeans the amount of weight she had lost. She had noticed, too.
She looked up at Jim and smiled slightly. "Well, Mr Frayne, are you going to feed me before these jeans fall off me."
"How does an omelet sound?"
"Best offer I have had all day."
"Want to help?"
She nodded and taking his hand followed him into the kitchen.
For lunch they went downstairs and grabbed a burger from a diner.
"Nowhere near as good as Moms," Trixie commented as she bit into the burger.
Jim smiled. Slowly, he was getting his girl back.
* * *
Jim stopped the car and turned to Trixie.
"Ready?"
She shook her head. "But it is time to get back to my old life so let’s go."
No one was outside when they stopped outside the farmhouse and Jim was glad. Too many people at once would have been too much for her to bear. He got out of the car and walked around to the other side. He opened the door and helped her out.
He watched as she took everything in and then she turned to him.
"Promise you won’t leave me."
He smiled. "Never."
They then went inside.
As they walked into the kitchen Jim was glad that only her parents sat at the table. They stood up as she entered.
Trixie looked from one to the other and then her body began to shake with sobs. "Moms, I missed you so much!" Her mother's arms were waiting for her.
Jim stood back and watched as, one by one, the rest of her family came in to welcome her home.
Brian and Honey, Mart and Di, Bobby and Jim's parents all just wanted to hug her and touch her, just to make sure that she was real.
Half an hour later, they were all seated in the living room. Moms watched as her daughter fitted herself more closely to Jim. And she smiled knowingly.
Trixie looked around the room at faces that were becoming more familiar by the moment.
"Honey, do you remember what happened?" asked Mr. Belden.
Trixie looked at her father and smiled."Not all, but I will tell you what I remember."
She was silent for a moment and then began. "The day before I was to fly out I met a woman named Linda. She was about the same build as me with hair similar to mine. We hit it off right away. I remember I told her about all of you and that I was flying on a private jet to Paris. She asked me about the pilot and I told her I had never met him because he was new. She then offered to take me to the airport. Just after I spoke to Jim the next morning, we went to get her car. It was down a dark alley next to the coffee shop. I saw a car, but then I felt a sharp pain in my head and I remember nothing else." Moms gasped and Trixie smiled. "I’m okay, Moms."
Trixie continued, "The next thing I remember is coming to and realising it was dark. But I couldn’t remember who I was. I sat for a while and then got up. I didn’t know where I was, but I knew that it was dangerous to sit in a dark alley at night. I remember being cornered by a huge bear of a guy who smelt strongly of alcohol." She thought for a moment. "He grabbed me and tore my clothes and I think I broke his nose."
"You go, girl." Honey smiled.
Trixie smiled back. "I told you those self defence classes were a good idea didn’t I?"
"You certainly did." Honey realised that Trixie had remembered.
"Then I hurried out of the alley and ran into Thomas. He took one look at me and ushered me up to his apartment. He made me a cup of tea and produced some clothes for me."
"And you weren’t worried about what he would do to you?" Di asked.
Trixie shook her head. "I now realise he reminded me of my own dad, so I trusted him completely. He got me a job at the diner and I was there until Jim found me and brought me home."
There was silence for a minute or two while everyone absorbed what had been said.
Then Moms stood up. "One thing you need, Trixie, is to have some good food in you. How about we make some of the Belden Specials."
"I dreamed about them," Trixie told her mother.
"Now, you don’t have to dream any more." When Trixie made to move, her mother put up her hand. "Honey and Di can help. For tonight, I will let you off. And the boys can help with the dishes."
"Humph," Mart grunted. "For today I will allow, but from tomorrow she has six months worth of dishes to catch up on."
Trixie smiled at her brother, knowing what he meant.
* * *
Trixie reached out for him and he wasn’t there. It couldn’t be another dream.
"Jim!"
He was by her side in a moment. "It’s okay, baby, I am here."
"You promised you wouldn’t leave me," she sobbed.
"I waited until you fell asleep and then I went into Brian's room."
He moved her over and lay beside her in her bed and she again snuggled against him.
"Don’t leave me again, please."
"I will stay here all night, baby. Go back to sleep."
Moms stood outside the door. She shooed everyone else back to bed. But she stood for a moment and she nodded to herself.
When Jim came down the stairs the next morning, Moms was already at the table.
"Coffee?" she asked.
"I’ll get it," he told her. He made himself a cup and sat across from her.
"You look tired, son."
"Trix, didn’t sleep to well last night. She is asleep now though."
"It is good you stayed last night."
"I will be here as long as she needs me."
Moms watched him for a moment. "When my parents died, I was devastated. And then when we thought Trixie had gone, too." She stopped for a moment. "One of the things I needed the most at that time was my husband. If I could have crawled inside of him, I would have done it. I felt so safe in his arms, but making love to him was a way that I could rest my mind for a time. Being together with him made everything easier to bear."
She watched the blush appear on Jim's cheeks. "Has Trixie asked you to make love to her?"
Jim nodded. "But we didn’t."
"I am glad, but I know that she craves for that intimacy with you. I am sure that then she will feel safe."
He nodded.
"Marry her, Jim, and do it now. Don’t wait until she feels better. Being your wife is the only thing that will make her safe and well again."
Jim stood up and walked to his coat. He pulled out a small box. He then sat down again. "I bought this to give to Trix on her twenty-first birthday."
"Then give it to her now. And marry her tomorrow if it can be arranged."
"Are you sure that is what Trixie wants?"
"I watched my daughter yesterday and last night. I have watched how close she sits to you, how she looks for you when you are not by her side. I watched how she curled herself around you last night when you got into bed with her. All I have ever wanted is to see my little girl happy and I know that you are the only one that can make her truly happy. If you love her like I think you do, then do this for both of you."
Jim looked down at the box in his hands.
"When I thought that I had lost Trixie, I thought that the sun would never rise again in my life. But she was given back to me and I am determined that sunshine is all we will have in our lives from now on."
Just then they heard footsteps coming down the stairs and Trixie appeared.
"Hi, Moms. Hi, Jim."
Jim smiled at Moms and then stood up. He walked over to Trixie and took her hands in his. "Can I ask you something?"
She gently touched his face and then nodded.
"What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?"
She smiled slightly. "I will have to check my calendar but I am sure I am free."
"Good. How about we get married then?"
She gasped as she looked at him. "What?"
She then felt something cool slip onto her left hand and she looked down at the ring on her finger.
"I wanted to give it to you on your twenty-first, but you were away from me then. I want to marry you tomorrow, Trix. I don’t want to be apart from you ever again."
She threw herself into his arms as the tears fell. "Yes, yes, yes." She laughed and cried at the same time.
* * *Trixie stood by the window of the apartment and sighed happily. She looked down at the two rings on her finger that proclaimed she was indeed Mrs James Frayne.
Arms slipped around her and she leant back into the embrace.
"Happy, Mrs Frayne?"
"Yes, but for one thing."
"And what is that, baby?"
"Two days ago I asked you a question and you told me not to ask that of you. But if I asked now what would you say?"
She was surprised, but delighted when he caught her up into his arms.
"I would say ask away."
He carried her to the master bedroom and this time he didn’t even attempt to leave her.
One month later.
Trixie and Jim walked into a diner. She smiled at those she recognised. The boss let her walk out the back to where Thomas was washing dishes.
"Side of fries with that order please."
He turned delightedly. "Sammy. Jim."
"Hello, Thomas." Trixie smiled.
Thomas saw before him a vision of loveliness. She had gained a little weight back and her eyes looked peaceful. And he could see she was happy. He saw the rings on her finger.
"So, now it is Mrs Frayne?"
She nodded. "We are here for an interview."
He smiled. "I don’t think a rich man like Jim would want to work in a place like this."
Jim smiled. "Actually, the job interview is for you."
"Me?"
"I have a position available at my school. It is for a groundsman. But we are all jacks of trade there so you might need to help with the boys as well. Maybe teach them how to garden or play football or any other talents you have."
Thomas was speechless.
"It also comes with a cute little cottage that is your own."
"Why?"
"Because I could not think of anyone else I would want than the man who saved my wife's life."
"You are like another dad to me," Trixie finished. "Please say you will come."
"When do I start?"
Trixie hurried over and gave him a hug. "We will pick you up at ten in the morning and you can drive down with us.
Thomas smiled. "That will be perfect."
Trixie looked over at her husband and laughed. "No, that will be perfectly perfect."
Jim laughed with her.
"Most definitely, my love. Most definitely."
The End
Was going to put this in parts but when I started writing I couldn’t finish. Hope you like it.