A Springtime Mystery
by Michelle
New York City in April
Madeleine hurried along the sunny path, trying to get to the Central Park Zoo as soon as possible. Johnny would be waiting for her, and they would have only a few minutes together before she had to get home. Her mother worried like crazy if her only daughter didn't get home within half an hour of school letting out.
Catching sight of the zoo, Madeleine put on a little burst of speed, knowing that she could rest once she got to the donkey's corral. Leaning on the rail, she watched the donkey drinking water, and waited for her boyfriend.
"Hey beautiful," a voice whispered in her ear as arms wrapped around her from behind.
"Johnny!" she exclaimed as she spun around to give him a hug.
The two lovers gave a very public display of affection as if they hadn't seen each other only a short while ago at school. Of course, at school, they weren't allowed to make out in the halls.
Reluctantly, Madeleine ended the kiss, resting her head on Johnny's blazer. She traced the school crest with one fingertip as she sighed deeply. "I have to get home," she whispered sadly.
"I know." Johnny stroked her long, honey-coloured hair. "Just think, Maddie, graduation is in less than two months, and then we can be together. No one'll be able to tell you what to do."
"I can hardly wait for June," she replied. "On July 1st, I become an independent woman. The money that's waiting for me from my grandfather's trust will give me complete and total freedom."
"I'll walk you to the edge of the park," Johnny offered.
The pair walked hand in hand until they got to the park entrance. One last lingering kiss was shared before Madeleine broke away and stepped out on to the sidewalk.
"One day very soon I'll walk with you right up to your apartment door," Johnny declared. "Once you turn 18 and are out of school, your parents won't be able to stop us from seeing each other."
"In a few short weeks," Madeleine promised him, "I'll invite you over for dinner, and we can tell my parents that we're going to get married in the fall."
"Maybe you should tell them first. After all you've told me about your father's temper, I don't want to be there when he first hears about us."
"I guess you're right," Madeleine said doubtfully. "I just thought that we could present a united front."
"Trust me," Johnny replied. "You're the apple of your daddy's eye. If I'm there, he'll focus his anger on me, but if you tell him alone, he won't stay mad at you for very long." He kissed Maddie once more on the forehead, and stepped back into the park. "I've got to visit my brother this weekend, so I'll see in school on Monday, okay?"
"All right," Madeleine sighed. She watched as Johnny walked quickly down the path. He was soon gone from sight as the path turned among the trees. She hurried to the intersection, and crossed with the green light to Central Park West. It was less than half a block from the intersection to the towering apartment building where she lived with her parents in the penthouse suite. Smiling at Frederick the doorman, she crossed quickly to the elevators, and got into the special one that was for her family's use alone.
"Mother, I'm home," she called as she opened the front door. Taking off her shoes, she put her school satchel on the kitchen counter, and pulled open the fridge, looking for a snack. Hungrily biting into a crisp red apple, she was dreamily picturing what kind of bridal gown she would choose when her mother floated into the kitchen.
"There you are!" her mother exclaimed. "I was beginning to get worried."
"Sorry, Mother," Madeleine said meekly. "I had to talk to my Algebra teacher about an assignment that's due on Monday."
"Well, that's all right then, dear. Your schoolwork is very important. If your final grades are as good as they were last term, you'll be in fine shape for college. Though I don't understand why both you and your brother decided to go to NYU. He could have gotten into Harvard, and you could were accepted at Sarah Lawrence."
Madeleine smiled to herself. She had heard all of this many times before. Just wait until I tell Mother that I'm not going to go to college at all, she thought.
late June
Madeleine stared at the doctor, shocked into speechlessness. He patted her arm kindly, and sent her on her way with an informational packet. Sitting in the back of the taxi that was taking her home, she finally found the courage to look through the pamphlets. The titles stared accusingly up at her: How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy; You and Your Baby; and The Adoption Option.
Absentmindedly tipping the cabbie $20 for a $15 cab ride, she walked silently past Frederick and into the penthouse elevator. Her mind whirled in a thousand directions as she opened the apartment's door. Slowly but surely, a feeling was creeping up through the many fragmented ideas that crashed around in her head. A feeling of... happiness, and hope. She knew that she shouldn't be happy about this- pregnant at 18, unmarried, just barely out of high school. But... she was. She and Johnny were going to get married anyway. They would just have a summer wedding instead of one in the autumn. She would even pay for it herself out of her trust money if her parents didn't want to foot the bill.
Walking through the silent apartment, she threw the pamphlets down on her bed and hurried to the hall telephone. Dialing Johnny's number, she waited tensely while the phone rang once, twice, three times. Just as she was going to hang up, she heard the familiar voice say, "Hello?"
"Johnny, it's me. I just got back from the doctor's," Madeleine said breathlessly.
"Well?" Johnny asked anxiously.
"I'm definitely pregnant."
"Maddie, don't worry, we'll figure out what to do," Johnny assured her.
"I think we should elope," Madeleine declared. "We can just go to City Hall, and then we'll tell my parents right after. They'll realize that our relationship is serious, and we don't have to tell them about the pregnancy for a couple of months."
"You're sure you don't mind not having a fancy wedding?"
"As long as I get to marry you, I don't care what the wedding is like!"
"We can go tomorrow and get the marriage license," Johnny suggested. "Then we can get married next week, after the blood tests and whatever else is needed."
"Madeleine, are you home?" Maddie heard her mother call as she came in through the front door.
"My mother just walked in, I'll meet you at noon tomorrow at the zoo," Maddie whispered into the phone. "Bye, Johnny. I love you." As she hung up the phone, she heard her mother's light footsteps going down the hallway to her room. The pamphlets! Madeleine raced through the apartment, desperate to get to her bedroom before her mother.
As she burst through the doorway, she saw she was too late. Her mother was sitting on Madeleine's bed, staring in horror at the pamphlet in her hand.
Later that evening, Madeleine sat on the couch, faced by two angry parents. Her mother had fled from the bedroom, and locked herself in the library until her husband got home. Maddie had never seen her father's face so stern and forbidding.
"Who's the boy?" her father demanded.
"Daddy, I love him and he loves me. We're going to get married."
"And where will you live?" her mother questioned stonily. "You are not going to be living here if you decide to throw your life away."
"We'll get our own apartment! In less than a week, I'll get the money from grandfather's trust, and we can live on that."
"You don't get the trust money next week," her mother scoffed. "Your father is the executor of the trust, and the money is to be used for your education only. If you don't go to college, then you have to wait until you're 25 to get the funds. Do you think this boy is going to wait for 7 years to get his hands on your money?"
"Johnny doesn't care about money," Madeleine spat at her mother. "He loves me. And he's got a job."
"Johnny? Johnny who? Madeleine Grace, tell me right now!" her father demanded again.
Madeleine slowly told her parents Johnny's last name, and how they had met. Her mother and father exchanged long looks, then sent Maddie to her room.
"I will soon straighten Johnny out," Maddie's father declared to his wife. "He thinks that he's found a way to marry into money. Well, when I tell him that Madeleine does not get any money at all for 7 years, he'll agree to any offer I make."
"Whatever you think is best, dear."
The next day, Madeleine waited anxiously at the zoo as the hours crept by. By five o'clock, she admitted defeat. Johnny wasn't coming. I bet my parents phoned him and threatened him. I know that if I can talk to him, we can work this out.
Pushing as many coins as she could find in her purse into the nearest pay phone, she waited for her call to be answered.
"Hello?" An unfamiliar voice echoed into her ear.
"Hi, may I speak to Johnny, please?"
"He's not here."
"Can I leave a message? I need to talk to him as soon as possible."
"Listen, kid, this is his brother. Johnny's moved out. He won't be coming back here. He took a job in Maine."
"A job in Maine! How could he get one so fast?"
"He applied for it over a month ago. They interviewed him last week, and he phoned them to accept this morning. Just forget about him, will ya? He isn't worth your time."
Madeleine dazedly hung up the phone, and started walking. Her feet automatically took her along the familiar route to her apartment. I don't believe it. I just don't believe it, she thought as sagged against the elevator wall.
Wanting only to escape to the privacy of her room, she tried to slip quietly into the apartment. However, both of her parents were waiting for her, and as soon as they heard the door open, they made her go into the library. She sat alone on the handsome leather couch as her parents stood in front of her.
"We've made some calls," her mother stated. "You're deferring your acceptance to NYU for one year. You and I will be spending the rest of your pregnancy in the country. Once the baby is born, the adoption agency will take over and we will come back home."
"Adoption?" Madeleine whispered in disbelief. "I don't want to give my baby away."
"Nevertheless," her father declared, "you will do as we say. If you choose to have that baby, you will be doing it on your own, without any money from us or your trust."
"You'd kick me out of the house?" Madeleine couldn't believe this was her warm, loving father talking.
"I will not have our good name disgraced because you could not control yourself with that- that Johnny!" her mother shouted.
"We know what is best for you," her father said. "And we know that this Johnny of yours has left the city."
"What do you mean, you know he left the city?"
Her mother smiled, though she wasn't at all happy. "I talked to him myself. Once he found out you wouldn't be able to get your hands on any money, he was quite eager to cut any ties with you."
Finally, Madeleine couldn't take any more. Her face crumpled, and tears poured out of her eyes. Her father started forward to comfort her, but her mother put a restraining hand on his arm to stop him, and led him out the room. They left their only daughter curled up on the couch, sobbing.
Chapter One
Sleepyside
Fifteen-year-old Trixie Belden hurried out of the school to where the buses were waiting to take the rural students home. Di and Dan both had rehearsals for the play, and Mart never waited for her, but she and Honey usually met at Trixie's locker to walk to the bus together.
"Trixie!" Honey's breathless voice called behind her. "Wait for me!"
Trixie turned quickly and saw Honey rushing toward her. "Jeepers, Honey," Trix teased, "I'm the one who almost always makes us late. Are you trying to take over my job?"
"Oh Trix," Honey teased back. "I could never do as good a job at being tardy as you!"
The two girls skipped up into the bus, and made their way to the B.W.G.'s customary seats at the back of the vehicle. Mart was already on the bus, his nose stuck in a book.
"Hello, dear brother!" Trixie caroled as she sat across from him. "Whatcha readin'?"
"History," Mart answered dourly. "Extremely boring history." He closed the text with relief, and smiled as he caught sight of Honey's rosy cheeks and slightly mussed hair. For Honey, that was as rumpled as she ever got. "You look like you just got out of gym class," he gently ribbed, "but I know you have gym right after lunch."
"I was on the phone with Mother," she explained. "She called the school to tell me that she and Daddy would be going into the city tonight, and asked if I would like to stay at your house."
"So of course you said yes," Trixie stated.
"Of course!" Honey agreed. She looked troubled as she added, "Then Mr. Wood stopped me to ask how I'd done in the practice Algebra test today. I had to rush to catch the bus."
Trixie knew exactly why Honey's face looked grave when she mentioned Mr. Wood. This was his first year teaching at Sleepyside, and he spent way too much time staring right at Honey. When Honey had been kidnapped a few months before, Trixie had considered the teacher a suspect. Sergeant Molinson had checked him out, though, and the kidnapper had turned out to be Brian's college roommate.
"Hey, how about I get off the bus at Manor House, and we can grab your stuff together."
"Now, dear sister, you know you're supposed to watch Bobby as soon as you get home from school," Mart reminded her.
"Oh Mart, it'll only take us a few minutes to pack a bag. Honey only needs to grab her toothbrush and makeup. She has at least two entire outfits at our place, along with a nightgown and some pajamas."
“Is that where my new pink top is, Trix?” Honey asked. “I've only worn it once, and I couldn't find hide nor hair of it since.”
"Yup." Trixie wrinkled her nose, saying, "It sure isn't MY pink top that's on top of my dresser." Trixie never wore pink, thinking it clashed horribly with her sandy curls.
"Daddy surprised Mother with tickets to the opera this morning, so Tom is going to drive them, and they are going to spend the night in the apartment." As the bus slowed to a stop at the driveway to Manor House, Honey and Trixie waved goodbye to Mart as they hurried up the aisle to the doors.
The girls walked quickly up the long sloping driveway, and saw Tom loading the car in the large turnaround right in front of the lawn. He waved cheerily as they went up the steps on to the front porch.
"I'll just dash upstairs and grab my stuff," Honey told Trixie.
Trixie wandered into the parlour, but finding it empty, she decided to see who was in the kitchen. The cook, Nina, was wrapping up a pan of brownies while going over the next week's menu with Miss Trask.
"Trixie," Miss Trask smiled, "you're just the person to take these brownies home to your mother. Since she'll be feeding Honey, Nina offered to send dessert."
"Thanks, Nina!" Trixie took the pan and sniffed ecstatically. "Your brownies are always so tasty!"
Miss Trask gave Trixie a friendly pat on the shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen. "I'll just see if Honey needs any help with her things."
Trixie wandered back out to the parlour, and gazed idly out of the window as she waited for her best friend. A movement on the front porch caught her eye. She could see long honey-coloured hair swing through the air as a person climbed the front steps. Honey must be waiting for me outside, Trixie thought.
Opening the heavy oak door, Trixie surprised a young woman who was about to knock. She was the owner of the long hair Trixie had seen through the window, and the silky strands framed a lovely face with wide hazel eyes.
"Hello," the girl said with a southern drawl.
"Hi," Trixie replied. She couldn't believe it! This woman looked so much like Honey that she had to be somehow related. While her face wasn't identical to Honey's, the features were very similar, and even her expression reminded Trix of Honey: shy, unsure, but still warm.
"I'm lookin' for Madeleine Wheeler," the woman said as Trixie continued to stare in silence.
"Come- come on in," Trixie managed to stutter. She led the girl into the parlour and indicated the comfortable brown couch. "If you want to sit down, I'll go find Mrs. Wheeler."
Trixie hurried into the kitchen, calling, "Nina! Nina!"
"What is it, Trixie?"
"Do you know where Mrs. Wheeler is? There's someone here to see her," Trixie said breathlessly.
"She's up in Honey's room, saying goodbye," Nina told her. "She should be down any minute."
"Thanks!" Trixie called over her shoulder as she left to run up the stairs to Honey's room. However, before she got more than a few steps up, she saw Honey and both of her parents on their way down. "There's someone in the parlour to see you, Mrs. Wheeler," she said hurriedly. "I hope it's okay that I let her in."
"Of course, Trixie," Mrs. Wheeler replied. She smiled down at her daughter's impetuous friend. "Whoever it is won't be able to stay long. I don't want to be late to the opera."
Trixie and Honey led the way into the room. As the four of them entered, the young woman on the sofa stood up, and looked eagerly at Mrs. Wheeler.
"Hello," Mrs. Wheeler said softly. "I'm Madeleine Wheeler. Do I know you?"
"Not exactly," the woman answered. "You gave me up for adoption 18 years ago. I'm your daughter."
To be continued