Here’s the Trixie-Dan story. By the way Erika Nelson is a combo of my friends Erika and Karen’s names!
Love's Full of Surprises
by Steph
Part I
Trixie Belden, age 24, was returning home after a year and a half in Europe. She'd gone after college graduation and the reasons she was heading back to Sleepyside now were Christmas and her good friend Jim Frayne’s wedding to a woman named Erika Nelson on New Year’s Eve. She had been working with Scotland Yard and had about two months to decide whether to come back permanently. It would depend on if Honey would be ready to open their agency yet.
As she headed home on the plane, Trixie reflected on Jim. They never had pursued any kind of romantic relationship but there was always interest there and now she had gone away and he had fallen madly in love with a nice girl he had met while on vacation in Chicago the summer before. She was happy for him, but still felt a tinge of regret that they never had even tried.
Her parents greeted her at the airport and took her home to Crabapple Farm. They talked about the entire hometown goings on. Mart and Di and Brian and Honey were all very seriously involved and there was wedding talk. Brian was a resident at Sleepyside Hospital. Honey was working with the police as a clerk. Mart was teaching agriculture at the local university. Di was curator of the art gallery. Dan was chief of police in Sleepyside already despite his young age. Jim was teaching at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School and was hoping to open his own school in a couple of years.
When they arrived at the farm, everyone was there waiting for her. She hugged everyone and finally met Erika, a petite blonde. "I’ve heard so much about you from everyone," said Erika. "I’m so happy we have a chance to finally meet!"
The evening was a lot of fun as they talked about the past year and a half. Finally, Trixie admitted that she was really tired and jet lagged so the party broke up and she said good-bye to everyone at the door.
The next day she made her rounds to see everyone individually. Her second to last stop was at Erika and Jim’s apartment in downtown Sleepyside. It was a nice medium-sized apartment and when she arrived, they welcomed her.
"I’m so happy for you both," Trixie said. "I think, from everything I heard, you’re going to have a wonderful life together. How are plans for the school coming along?"
They filled her in on everything and then Trixie told them she had to leave. "I have one more stop to make. I haven’t really seen Dan at all yet since he had to leave early last night. Memories of Molinson, though, will make me cringe when I walk into the police station. I’m glad , though, that he’s happily retired to Arizona and gave Dan this wonderful chance."
She went to the station and walked in. She was proud of how Dan was handling things, obviously in charge and doing very well. She also couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. He was even better looking as an adult than he was as a teenager.
Meanwhile, Dan noticed Trixie and waved her over. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was and remembered the secret crush he had always had on her when they were growing up but she had always seemed to be only interested in Jim. He wondered if maybe, now that Jim was getting married, they had a chance.
Trixie walked over and Dan said, "I’m almost done for the night here. Let’s go to Wimpy’s for dinner and we can talk about old times. It’s been ages."
They went to Wimpys and talked for almost two hours, long after their food was done. Finally, they parted and went their separate ways.
On Christmas Eve the next day, everyone gathered at Crabapple Farm for the annual open house before going to church. In the middle of the party, Trixie and Dan were caught under the mistletoe and, of course, everyone shouted "Come on guys, you have to kiss!"
Dan put his arms around Trixie and they kissed and both were more than a little surprise by their inner reactions to the kiss as everyone cheered them. After they pulled apart, they looked at each other and smiled. "I’d like to talk to you alone," Dan said.
"I like that idea," agreed Trixie.
They finally were able to find some time alone a little later.
"Trixie," Dan began, "I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest with that kiss. I want to know how you feel."
"I felt the same way," said Trixie. "What I’d like to do is explore this with you and see where it goes."
"I feel the same way. Trixie, I’ve had feelings for you for a long time but admittedly always thought you’d wind up with Jim."
"I guess I agreed with you on that before but now things have changed and after that kiss I’m beginning to think that maybe it's you and I that belong together."
They kissed again and then rejoined the party and everyone couldn’t help but notice that they were holding hands.
The rest of Christmas was a lot of fun and the next week was full of wedding preparations. Trixie and Dan spent a lot of time together and everyone noticed the way they acted around each other. They were able to talk about how they felt and about the future.
The wedding was to take place at six in the evening on New Year's Eve with a reception immediately following at Manor House. Trixie was to be a bridesmaid and Dan a groomsmen and they were really looking forward to it. Trixie had gotten to know Erika a little bit more and really liked her and thought she and Jim made a perfect couple.
A little while before the ceremony, Jim found Trixie sitting in the hallway filling out the best wishes book that all the friends and family of the couple filled out. They hadn’t had a chance to really talk since she came home.
Jim sat next to her while Trixie hid her writing. "You guys can’t see this until you get back from your honeymoon and it’s all finished," she told him. "You look great. I think you and Erika will be very happy together."
"I’m happy for you and Dan, too," Jim told her. "You seem to be getting very close. And you look fantastic. Trix, I want to know we’re always going to be the best of friends."
"We will be," said Trixie. "And I am getting close to Dan. There was a time when I really thought you and I would wind up together but you belong with Erika and I’m beginning to really think Dan and I are meant for each other forever."
"I thought so, too, about us," Jim said, "but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. You and Dan make a wonderful couple. Maybe sometime soon we’ll be talking on your wedding day."
They hugged and Jim went back to the men in the wedding party and Trixie finished her writing and rejoined Erika and the other women.
The ceremony was wonderful and then the reception got into full swing.
As midnight approached all the couples gathered on the dance floor. The hour sounded midnight as everyone sang "Auld Lang Syne". After the song and their kiss, Dan looked at Trixie and said, his voice full of emotion as he realized how deep his feelings were for her, "Trixie, I love you"
Trixie kissed him and realized she felt the same way about him. "Dan, I love you too," she said, "and I definitely don’t think I’m going back to Europe. My future and everything I want in the world is here with you."
They kissed again.
Part II
The Wedding
After they had finally declared their love for each other on New Year's Eve, Trixie and Dan really were able to start a full-fledged romance and more and more with each passing day they realized that they were meant to be together for always. Everyone was very happy for them and thought they made a perfect couple. Even though she had thought for years she would wind up with Jim, Trixie realized that she was meant to be with Dan and was very happy for Jim in his obvious love and happiness with his bride.
As Valentine's Day approached, Dan realized that he wanted Trixie to be his wife so he went out and bought a simple diamond engagement ring for her and on Valentine's Day, as they arrived at the Lynch mansion for a party given by Di's parents, Dan grabbed Trixie's hand and led her to a private area. There he sat her down on the couch and got down on one knee."Trixie, will you marry me?" he asked.
She was surprised for a second but then hugged and kissed him. "Yes!" she said.
They kissed again and he put the ring on her finger. They walked back into the party and waited for all their friends and family to arrive and when they did, Dan announced, "I have asked Trixie to marry me and she said yes."
Everyone surrounded and congratulated them and then someone started singing "Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up that Old Gang Of Mine)" and the rest of the party was a lot of fun. When they had some time alone, Trixie and Dan decided that they didn't want to wait too long and decided to get married on her birthday. That gave them about two and a half months to make plans and preparations.
Over the next couple of weeks, they made all the plans. Trixie would wear her mother's beautiful wedding dress and a veil they bought in town. The ceremony would take place at sunset at Crabapple Farm with a buffet dinner reception right afterwards. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler offered them Manor House for the reception and they accepted. They would spend their first night at the Glen Road Inn and then go to the Poconos for 10 days for their honeymoon before returning to Sleepyside and a nice apartment they had arranged to rent in town.
They quickly also decided on their wedding party. Regan would be best man; Honey maid of honor; Mart, Jim, Brian and Bobby as the groomsmen; Di, Erika, Hallie and Regan's wife, Joan, would be bridesmaids; and Regan and Joan's son, Bill Jr., ring bearer and Tom and Celia's daughter, Susannah, flower girl. All the women would wear light blue silk and lace ankle length dresses and the men black tuxedos. The wedding would be semi-fancy but not too much so.
Trixie was delighted to find out that her mother's wedding dress fit her perfectly and was perfect for her since she looked so much like her mother. It was of white silk, floor length in front with a small train in back with lace, pearls and white sequins everywhere. She bought a tulle veil with a crown of yellow and white roses to go with it. Someday she hoped to pass it down to her daughter around twenty-five years down the line or so.
On their wedding invitations, Trixie insisted on having Trixie not Beatrix and when they had conferences with their old friend, Mark Baker, the minister who would perform the ceremony she insisted on Trixie in the ceremony and he said he understood. They had grown up together in Sleepyside and he remembered how much she really hated her full name and never ever used it.
Finally, it was the night before the wedding! They had a rehearsal in the Crabapple Farm backyard and then dinner outside. Everyone was so happy for Trixie and Dan because they saw how they glowed together when they were looking at each other, holding hands or just talking. As midnight approached, everyone teased them that they had to spirit Dan away because he couldn't see her before the ceremony and at eleven-fifty-seven, he left after kissing her goodnight. "I'll see you tomorrow at six at the altar," he told her.
The next day everyone was busy preparing for the wedding. The Beldens had hired professionals to make the backyard perfect with flowers and ribbons everywhere and candles ready to light up the ceremony. Trixie spent the day with her parents inside the house since they forbid her to go outside and risk running into Dan and causing bad luck.
Finally, she was ready and they left her and her mother alone to talk for a few moments and then there was a knock on the door and Mr. Belden was there to take her downstairs. She hugged them both."Today is going to be absolutely perfect," said Trixie. "Thank you both for everything. I love you both dearly and you are the most wonderful parents in the world. I just hope that someday Dan and I can follow your example."
They headed downstairs. They had asked their old friends, Bob and Barbara Hubbell to sing and they opened the ceremony with "We've Only Just Begun" before the processionals. The ceremony was simple but very moving. They added some more music and some poetry by Uncle Andrew and Miss Trask, who were obviously falling for each other big time and then it was time for their own vows.
First, it was Dan's turn."Trixie," he said, "when we were growing up, I admit now that I always had a crush on you but never said anything. I always dreamed of this day, never expecting it to happen but it has and everything is far beyond even my most wonderful wildest dreams. We are meant to be together, I realize that with each passing day more and more and we will have a beautiful life together. I love you more than I ever expected to love anyone. We will have the greatest of lives together, first just the two of us and then with children of our own who will be raised in a house of love and happiness that we create together. I will love you always and forever, my one true love."
"Dan, the more I think about it, I think there was always a spark between us, but it took us ten years to realize it. Now that we have, our lives have just begun. There are so many dreams that we both have that we will make come true together with help from our families and friends. I think that we are two halves of the same whole and now we are whole together. Our future is so bright and wonderful it could light up the sky by itself and I want to share everything in the world with you so today I take you as my husband and commit my heart, body and soul to you for always."
Then Mark said, "Whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
After they kissed, he said, "I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Mangan." They receded back down the aisle as their guests cheered.
They headed to the Manor House where soon the reception was in full swing. When it was time for toasts, Regan, as best man led off with, "I can't even begin to ever tell everyone how proud I am of Dan, whom I think of more as a son than a nephew. He has made himself into a wonderful man and now has Trixie, a wonderful woman, to share his life with and I think everyone that knows both couldn't be happier. So I propose a toast to our newlyweds, may their lives be as perfect as possible and may all their dreams come true. To Trixie and Dan!"
After the toasts Trixie threw her bouquet, everyone suspecting she aimed it at Miss Trask who caught it. Immediately, Uncle Andrew ran over and asked her to marry him and she accepted as everyone cheered!
Later, after everyone was full from eating the wonderful buffet, Trixie and Dan had their first dance as Bob and Barbara sang "Friends In Love" which was their special song that they had heard on the radio and thought was perfect. Then Trixie danced with her father to "Daddy's Little Girl" and then everyone danced.
As Trixie danced with Jim later he said, "You and Dan are perfect together and I think you're going to be very happy."
"You and Erika are meant for each other, too," said Trixie, "and we are always going to be the best of friends."
The reception ended a little while later and they left after Mr. Belden made one last toast. "To Trixie and Dan, may all their tomorrows be as wonderful as this day is." And then they were showered with rice, confetti and flower petals and were on their way.
Part III
The Baby
Trixie and Dan returned home from their wonderful honeymoon in the Poconos to settle into their nice apartment in downtown Sleepyside and enjoy their newlywed life.
A couple of weeks after their return, Miss Trask and Uncle Andrew were married in a beautiful little ceremony at Sleepyside Community Church with Mark Baker officiating. They couldn’t help but notice that Hallie spent quite a lot of time with the handsome young minister at the reception and they wondered if anything was going on.
Brian and Honey announced their engagement at the end of the reception and everyone was happy for them. They were planning a wedding on Thanksgiving weekend at Manor House with Trixie serving as matron of honor and Mart as best man.
Trixie also started getting to know Jim’s beautiful wife better over the next couple of months and they became good friends. Erika was from the Philadelphia area, was an artist and collected dragons. She and Jim had met when he was in Chicago on business and she was visiting friends there. Although once Trixie and Jim had both thought that their destiny was to be together they knew that they would be friends forever.
Brian and Honey were married in a beautiful ceremony on Thanksgiving Day. Honey wore a beautiful silk and lace gown with a long train and veil. Brian looked handsome in a black tuxedo and they made a perfect looking couple. They had been shy about starting a relationship until they were in college and had gone on a magical date one weekend when they were both home.
By that time, Reverend Baker and Hallie were very much in love and everyone was happy for them. This time it was Mart and Di who became engaged at the reception and announced plans for a Valentine’s Day wedding at the Lynch mansion.
After the first of the year, Trixie, Hallie and Honey finally opened their detective agency in White Plains. They were glad that it finally was underway even though they were sure the original name Mangan-Belden- Belden Detective Agency would be changing pretty soon since Hallie and Mark were very close and talking about marriage.
Mart and Di were married on Valentine’s Day in a beautiful wedding at the Lynch mansion. Di’s parents gave her a very fancy wedding and everything went perfectly. Mart made a very handsome groom and Di a beautiful bride and everyone knew that they would be very happy.
Following what was fast becoming a new family tradition, Hallie and Mark announced that they were engaged and would be married in July and everyone wondered who performed the ceremony when it was the minister getting married? They announced that Hallie’s old minister, Reverend Sorenson would be flying in from Idaho to perform the ceremony.
As their first anniversary approached, Dan and Trixie were more deeply in love than ever and as they celebrated their anniversary they decided to start trying for a baby. They both wanted a large family and wanted to start soon. Dan was eager to be a father after the childhood he had had; giving his kids the kind of loving father he had never had until he had come to Sleepyside and Regan was like a father to him. They had become even closer over the years.
One time Dan was talking to Regan and said, "I never thought I’d be able to have Trixie because I thought that she would wind up with Jim and look at us now. I’ve probably been in love with her since we were teenagers and now we’re married and hopefully soon we’ll be expecting."
On July fourth, Hallie and Mark Baker were married in a beautiful ceremony at Sleepyside Community Church with her parents and brothers coming in from Idaho for the event. Cap and Knut were both happily married and had a child each and lived in Idaho where Knut was their father's right hand man at the family mining company and Cap ran an environmental center. Afterwards they watched the fireworks from the reception at Crabapple Farm.
Now all the Bob-Whites were married and enjoying married life and really starting to realize their dreams. Jim was almost ready to launch his school scheduled for summer of the following year. Brian would finish his residency at that time, so he would be able to come in and be the school doctor like they had always planned.
On Thanksgiving there was going to be the traditional open house at Crabapple Farm and that morning Dan woke up to find Trixie wasn’t in bed and she came out of the bathroom holding one of those home pregnancy tests in her hand."It’s positive!" she cried. "We’re having a baby!" They kissed and she said as far as she could figure it would be early July sometime.
When they arrived at Crabapple Farm for the party, they were trying to keep the news a secret until they saw the doctor but Mrs. Belden guessed when Trixie just about turned green at the smell of the kitchen even though the kitchen smelled wonderful and she had to sit down since she almost fainted. She told her that she was pregnant and then they decided to tell everyone and they were all very happy and excited for them.
On the Monday after Thanksgiving, Dan went with Trixie to her first appointment with the obstetrician everyone recommended in Sleepyside, Dr. Jenni Farrell, who was excellent and had been a year ahead of Dan at Sleepyside Junior Senior High School. She said "You want to know a secret, I always thought you two would be together even back then."
After examining Trixie, Dr. Farrell said, "Everything looks fine and you’re most definitely pregnant. I calculate the due date to be the fourth of July. You’re in excellent health so I don’t foresee any problems," and she gave them a bag full of books and pamphlets to read.
A couple of weeks later Trixie and Dan were able to buy a nice house in Sleepyside with 4 bedrooms and a big backyard to raise their family in. After Christmas they immediately started planning the nursery and everything. Everyone promised to help in every way that they could.
On Valentine’s Day everyone gathered at Crabapple Farm for a combined Valentine’s Day and Mart and Di’s first anniversary party. Trixie was radiant and at the party she felt the baby kick for the first time and of course everyone wanted to feel it.
Dan was driving Trixie a little crazy with his worry and the fact that he read even more than she did of all the books that they bought. Her parents were also a little obsessive as grandparents to be. Dr. Farrell was an excellent doctor who really helped them understand everything that was happening and Trixie’s pregnancy proceeded normally without any complications.
Mr. and Mrs. Belden were insisting on treating Trixie like a princess whenever she was at Crabapple Farm and she insisted that she was fine. They were just very excited grandparents to be. They also treated Dan like another son and he was very close to them.
On May first, Mr. and Mrs. Belden threw Trixie and Dan an anniversary party which was also to celebrate Trixie’s birthday at Crabapple Farm where they talked about the Lamaze classes they were starting the next evening at Sleepyside Hospital and the nursery which was really starting to take shape.
Lamaze classes were a lot of fun for them. Dan wanted to be with her every step of the way and they were more in love than ever. Of course, he would be with her in the delivery room and wanted to cut the cord and Dr. Farrell told them that she was open to anything they wanted to suggest.
In mid-June, three weeks before the due date, Dan and Trixie had a bit of a fight when he didn’t want her to drive to the city for a conference and she stormed out and went to her parents where she and her mother had a long talk.
Mrs. Belden related stories of when she was pregnant and Mr. Belden went overboard saying it was natural for men to go a little crazy when their wives were pregnant and Trixie calmed down and said it was probably also the stress and nerves over those last few weeks and returned home the next morning where Dan said he’d wouldn’t go overboard and he actually drove her to the conference two days later.
A week later Mrs. Belden gave Trixie a really nice baby shower at the farm on June twenty-third, 11 days before her due date. She said that she felt as big as a house and was pretty sure that it was a boy. She looked terrific and not quite as big as a house. They gave her real nice presents and she and Dan were able to finish off the nursery with the presents and then were able to wait their baby patiently but nervously.
On the fourth of July, which was, of course, her due date, Trixie and Dan went to the big annual picnic and party in town after a family lunch to celebrate Hallie and Mark’s anniversary where those two announced that they were expecting in mid February.
After the lunch, Trixie told her mother, "Dr. Farrell said yesterday that she thinks it could be any day now. The baby has dropped and, of course, today is my due date. I’m so excited. I can hardly wait"
The party was a lot of fun and so was the picnic. Trixie had to sit down a lot on the lawn chairs since she wasn’t feeling all that great as the evening wore on. She figured that it was just the fact that it was hot and she was nine months pregnant.
Later that evening, Brian brought some punch to her and noticed she didn’t seem too well and asked her what was wrong and she said, "Just a backache, I don’t have any contractions or anything. Last night I cleaned the house. Can you believe it? Dan thought I had flipped out!"
Brian said, "That’s called nesting. Often, when a woman is about to give birth she goes on a cleaning spree or something like that. Moms told me what you said Jenni told you yesterday. She’s an excellent doctor, her instincts are great."
That night, Trixie woke Dan up with the news that she was having contractions and they started timing them. Later that morning, they called the family and told them that she was in labor but it would still be awhile and then called them again when Dr. Farrell told them to go to the hospital since the contractions were 5 minutes apart.
Trixie wasn’t surprised when Brian stopped by the labor room a little later and said, "Everyone is in the waiting room waiting anxiously for news. From what I understand from Dr. Farrell, everything is going fine and it should just be a matter of hours."
Naturally it seemed like days to Trixie and Dan, but at 5:47 pm they became the proud parents of a healthy, 8 pound 2 ounce baby boy that they named William Peter Mangan after Regan and Mr. Belden. He had Dan's hair and Trixie's eyes and was perfect.
Soon Trixie's room was full of family and friends who all oohed and aahed over the baby and Trixie and Dan were blissfully happy. Trixie and baby William spent a couple of days in the hospital and returned home to their house full of flowers from family and friends and settled into a very happy life with their newborn son.
Six weeks later they christened William at Sleepyside Community Church with Mark officiating and it signified the beginning of a new generation in the group of family and friends and hope for the future for all.
The End