*All Ages, future story
Welcome Home
by Marsha
"Gee," Tish Frayne thought to herself as she walked up the path that led from Crabapple Farm to the Manor House, "I never knew helping Grams with one of her catering jobs would be so exhausting." Pausing briefly to let a young rabbit scamper across the path, Tish continued her trek home. At least it was something to do, she thought.
Tish had agreed to help her grandmother with hopes of meeting someone near her own age at the luncheon. Lately, Tish felt she was experiencing a run of bad luck and today was no different. Unfortunately for her, the luncheon Mrs. Belden had catered was the June meeting of the Sleepyside Senior Citizens and Tish was by far the youngest person in attendance.
Almost everyone at the luncheon had recognized thirteen-year-old Tish Frayne. She had inherited her father’s red hair along with her mother’s blue eyes and freckles. Although her friends back in Chicago kept telling her how cute she was, Tish never quite believed them; she longed for straight hair but had the misfortune, in her opinion, to have also inherited her mother’s curls. Today, though, Tish enjoyed watching the reactions of people as she served them. At first, they would only glance at her as Tish asked, "Iced tea or lemonade?" When they looked up as she set the glasses on the table, people who had known her parents would gasp and stare in disbelief. Numerous times today she had heard. "Oh my! You’ve have got to be..." or "You look just like ..." Tish was always polite when she answered, "Yes, I’m helping Grams today. I hope you enjoy your lunch," before she hurried away to serve the next table.
Grams had taken the time to introduce Tish to several people after the meeting. She was quite relieved when Grams simply called her, "My granddaughter, Tish." She would have died of embarrassment if Grams had introduced her by her given name, Leticia Madeleine Frayne. Her mother had apologized for that mistake many times. She would say, "I don’t know what came over me. Your dad and I had decided to name you after your grandmothers, but when I saw you for the first time, your name just came to me. I can still remember your dad saying that he understood where Madeleine came from, but where in the world did I get Leticia? And me with my name! You’d think I would have shown more sensitivity in naming my daughter. Oh, well. At least you’re happy with your nickname. Thank goodness your Uncle Mart came up with Tish!"
Still lost in her thoughts, Tish reached the Manor House and sank down on one of the gliders on the wide verandah. Wistfully, she wondered if she had a letter waiting for her on the mahogany table in the front hall. Thinking of the friends she had recently left made Tish feel even lonelier. When she left Chicago two weeks earlier, her friends had promised to write to her every day. However, it did not take long for those promises to be forgotten. Tish realized that her friends were too busy to write, with swimming at the town pool during the day and softball games in the park during the evenings. They weren’t moved halfway across the country because their parents were chasing a dream, she thought bitterly.
Tish knew that she really shouldn’t begrudge her parents this opportunity. After all, she knew Dad had dreamed of opening a school for orphaned children since being orphaned himself as a teen-ager. He’d even saved the half a million dollars that he had inherited from his uncle with the intent of using it to build his school. But how many times had Tish heard him sigh, "Growing up, I never realized how little half a million dollars would buy today. I never imagined that it wouldn’t be enough to open my school."
Yet Dad seemed to enjoy teaching at the high school in the suburb of Chicago where he and her mother had lived since finishing college. When her dad would speak of his dreams, her mother would stop what she was doing and give him a hug. She always gave the same reply, too. "And Honey and I were going to be famous detectives with our own agency. I still have the "Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency" sign that you painted for us when we graduated from Sleepyside High School. Who knows, maybe someday we will actually get to use it. Isn’t it strange how life never turns out the way we imagined it would?"
Tish did not hear the screen door open or her mother step out onto the porch. She was startled and her mind leapt back to the present when the glider moved as her mother settled down beside her. "Did you have fun helping Grams today?" her mother asked.
"Oh, yes, Moms," Tish replied. "It was fun but I feel exhausted. I didn’t expect it to be so tiring."
Her mother laughed and said, "I should have warned you! I have so many memories of helping Grams in her kitchen. I hated it! And don’t even get me started on dusting! I could never wait to finish my chores so I could come up here to visit with Honey or so I could get to a meeting at the clubhouse."
Trixie Frayne paused for a moment and looked thoughtfully at her daughter before she spoke again. "You know that Dad and I thought long and hard before we decided to leave Chicago and move back to Sleepyside."
Recalling the day in January when Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler had unexpectedly arrived in Chicago, Trixie continued. "We were delighted when Grandfather Wheeler announced his retirement and plans to move to Florida. Dad was pleased that his parents were finally going to fulfill their retirement dreams. Little did he know that they were going to help him fulfill his dream, too. You know that we were shocked when Grandfather offered us the Manor House and all its property for Dad’s boarding school. Even though it seemed perfectly perfect, we still thought it over for a long time. Besides making you leave your friends and everything you’ve ever known, I had to leave my job, too."
"Yeah, that’s quite a career move you’ve made, isn’t it?" asked Tish
"You bet it is," replied her mother. "It’s going to be a tremendous change for me, going from lead detective in the Chicago Police Department to business manager of the Ten Acres School. But, I think it will be worth it. I don’t know when I’ve seen Dad so happy. When he left early this morning to go to White Plains to order furniture for the dorms, he was so excited. He reminded me of you on your first day of school."
Trixie paused and smiled as she thought of her handsome husband. "Speaking of school, I promised Dad that I would double-check the surveyor’s stakes for the layout of the dorms. Do you want to go with me?" she asked her daughter.
Tish pondered this for a moment before she replied. "Might as well," she said. "I don’t have anything else planned for this evening. It’s not like I have friends here."
Tish felt bad as soon as the words left her mouth. "I’m sorry, Moms. I didn’t mean to sound so sarcastic. You know I like it here. It’s been fun getting to know Grams and Pop Belden better and I’ve had fun exploring all of those places you and Dad told me were here. You know, the lake, the boathouse, the trails through the game preserve, and your old clubhouse. But it’s not much fun exploring by myself."
"I know dear," said Trixie gently, "but you know we never intended for you to be an only child. As I’ve said before...it’s funny how life never turns out quite the way you expected it to."
Tish then noticed the sad look in her mother’s eyes and she felt a little guilty. She hadn’t meant to remind her mother of Matthew. She thought of him often herself. Being only a year old when Matthew James was born, Tish had no real memories of him, yet she wondered how different her life would have been if he had lived. Her parents had taken tons of pictures of him during the six months he lived and those photos looked so much like her own baby pictures. Moms occasionally remarked that she and Matthew would have been a second generation of "almost twins."
Many people wondered why Jim and Trixie did not have more children but Tish knew there was a good reason that she did not have younger brothers and sisters. Her brother, Matthew, had been born with a genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This terrible disease had paralyzed Matthew and ultimately caused his death. As in most cases, there was no family history of the disease; Jim and Trixie hadn’t realized they were both carriers of the defective gene until Matthew was diagnosed. However, they later learned that there was a one-in-four chance that any future children could inherit the disease. After Matthew’s death, they had decided not to take the risk again and this decision made them cherish their only daughter even more.
After a slight pause, Trixie quietly said, "Well then, let’s get going. I need to check the dorm layout before it gets dark."
Just as Trixie and Tish started down the steps of the verandah, a metallic green Jeep Cherokee turned off Glen Road and into the driveway of the Manor House.
"Dad’s home!" cried Tish as she ran down the steps and into the yard. The vehicle came to a stop and a handsome man with slightly fading red hair, stepped out. He ran to his daughter, scooped her up and hugged her. "I missed you so much," he said. "I kept wishing you hadn’t offered to help Grams so that you could have gone with me."
"Oh, Dad, you know I would have liked to go with you, but I had already promised Grams. Anyway, I had fun helping her today and most people guessed who I was," Tish replied happily.
"I’ll bet they did! That Frayne red hair and the Belden good looks are hard to overlook!" said Jim. "Speaking of Belden good looks..." Jim turned and greeted his wife.
Tish watched them embrace and kiss. It never failed to amaze her that her parents were still so obviously in love; many of her friends’ parents were divorced. She couldn’t understand when her friends in Chicago talked about disliking their parents or arguing with them. Of course there were occasional times when she was mad at her parents, but, overall, Tish believed that her parents were terrific and she knew that they loved her very much.
"I’ve got a confession to make," Jim said after letting go of his wife. "I didn’t go to White Plains just to look at furniture for the dorms. I’ve been keeping secrets from the two of you." He looked at his daughter before continuing, "Tish, I know you’re somewhat lonesome and at loose ends here. That will change as soon as school starts; you’ll have plenty of friends and activities to keep you busy then. But for now, I think you need something to keep you occupied."
Turning to his wife, Jim said, "Trixie, I think you’ll be pleased with the arrangements I’ve made, too."
Tish looked at her mother and noticed Trixie’s bewilderment. "You mean Moms doesn’t know what you’re talking about?" she exclaimed.
"No, Tish, I don’t know what your father is talking about," answered Trixie. "Jim, what in the world have you done now?"
"I’ve kept quiet about these surprises for some time and I’m not going to tell you now. As a matter of fact, I can’t hardly wait to see the look on your faces when they arrive," Jim said smugly as he looked at his wife.
"They? That must mean there is more than one surprise," noted Tish.
"You bet there is and here they are now!" said Jim as he pointed down Glen Road.
As Tish and Trixie turned to look at Glen Road, a large truck pulling an equally large trailer pulled into the Manor House driveway. "Jim Frayne!" Trixie exclaimed. "That looks like a horse trailer!"
"Right you are! It’s nice to see that your powers of observation have not left you since you’re no longer a detective." replied her husband. "The trailer happens to contain Tish’s surprise."
They turned to their daughter and were surprised to see a puzzled look on her face. Jim laughed and said, "Tish, haven’t you figured out what your surprise is?"
By this time, the truck and trailer had stopped near the former stables. The three Fraynes moved towards the truck. Just as they reached the trailer, a horse inside whinnied. "Oh! Oh! Is there a horse in that trailer?" asked a dumbfounded Tish.
Her parents laughed and hugged their daughter. "Yes, Miss Tish, there is a horse in that trailer. Although it is not just any horse, it’s your horse," said Jim.
"My horse? A horse for me? But I don’t know how to ride," wailed Tish.
"You’ll learn," said Jim with confidence.
"Now, Jim, how in the world is she going to learn to ride that horse?" said Trixie in a somewhat irritated manner. "You know that we are both too busy getting the school off the ground to give her riding lessons. Besides, it’s been fifteen years since I’ve been on a horse!"
"I know," said Jim. "but since we’ve been back, I’ve missed the horses. I know there was no reason for Mother and Father to keep Jupiter, Susie, Starlight, Lady, and Strawberry after the BWG’s went to college and scattered across the country, but the Manor House just doesn’t seem right without horses in the stable, does it?"
"You’re right. The stables do look forlorn and empty," answered Trixie sadly. "I remember how hard I cried when I heard that your parents had given the horses to a camp for kids with cancer. The only thing that consoled me was the thought that the horses were being well-cared for and loved." Trixie’s expression brightened as she said, "It will be good to have a horse around here again."
"Better make that horses," Jim corrected. "I bought three horses today and I plan to purchase more before the school opens."
"Three horses! Jim, what were you thinking! There is no way we have time to care for three horses!" exclaimed Trixie.
"Tish can help," said Jim easily. "You’ll take care of them, won’t you?"
Tish, who was still dumbfounded, managed to nod, indicating that she would be willing to care for the horses. She could hardly believe that her father had bought her a horse! She had grown up hearing wonderful stories about horses and riding from her parents. Tish knew from these stories that horses were fun to have but they also involved a lot of work. It was the work aspect that still concerned her mother.
"Even with Tish’s help, I don’t know if can manage to properly care for those horses and teach Tish to ride," said Trixie, who was starting to become irritated with her husband’s nonchalant attitude.
"You won’t have to," said a voice from behind the Fraynes. The driver of the truck had gotten out of the vehicle and was standing near it. "I just might be willing to teach Tish to ride and care for the horses," he continued.
Trixie whirled around at the sound of the once-familiar voice. She could not believe her eyes. "REGAN!" she screamed as she ran to him.
Regan lifted Trixie off the ground in an enormous hug. By the time he set her down, Trixie was crying from sheer happiness. She had not seen Regan since her wedding fifteen years earlier. The Wheeler’s former groom had left the Manor House shortly after Trixie had graduated from high school, only returning for the weddings of the various Bob-Whites. Along with his wife, Regan had been managing his late father-in-law’s Thoroughbred farm for almost twenty years.
Suddenly, Trixie remembered the smug look on her husband’s face earlier when he had first mentioned the surprises. With her arm still around Regan, she said to Jim, "You are a sneaky man, James Winthrop Frayne the second! The horses were Tish’s surprise but Regan is my surprise, isn’t he?"
Jim laughed and thought about how hard it had been to keep Regan’s impending arrival a secret. Keeping secrets from Trixie was difficult; they had known each other for so long. Jim had called Regan in January, soon after his parents had offered to give him the Manor House and its grounds. Having a riding stable had always been in Jim’s plans for his school and he had called Regan in the hopes that former groom could recommend some farms that would be willing to sell horses to the school. Regan had been delighted to hear from Jim. The two men had been very close at one time, but had drifted apart in the years since Jim had left to go to college. Their contact had dwindled to exchanging cards and letters at Christmas each year.
Regan had been more than willing to recommend farms for Jim to contact. Generously, he had offered to look for some horses for his friend. Regan and Jim telephoned each other frequently during the past six months and were well on the way to reestablishing their old friendship. There was even some discussion of Regan returning to manage the stables for Jim’s school.
"Yes, Trix, Regan is your surprise. You can’t imagine how many times I wanted to tell you, but the look on your face just now is worth all the anguish I’ve been through in the last six months," said Jim.
Jim was quite pleased with himself as he looked at the scene before him. Trixie was formally introducing Regan to Tish and Regan was remarking about how much she looked like Trixie, except for the red hair, of course. As his eyes wandered from his dazed daughter to his wife and his old friend, he couldn’t help grinning. He had dreamed of opening a school for orphans for more than half of his life and now it was about to become a reality. It was going to be an adventure, building and running Ten Acres, but he was up to the challenge. He had enjoyed the years in Chicago, but to him, Sleepyside would always be home and it felt good to be home.
"Regan," Jim said as he interrupted Regan and Trixie’s conversation, "you’ll stay and have dinner with us, won’t you?"
"Of course I will," replied the former groom. "I’d be delighted. Before we even think about eating, though, ..."
"I know! I know!" interrupted Trixie impatiently. "The horses have to be taken care of first. You haven’t changed a bit, Regan. Let’s see if I can remember the routine." She closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"Brush the horses and make them comfortable. Clean the tack and be sure to use plenty of saddle soap. See that the tack is hung the way it should be with stirrups on leathers and girth thrown over the saddle. Bridle goes on the hook right under the saddle peg," Trixie chanted triumphantly.
"Right you are, Trixie!" chuckled Regan. "Come on, Tish. Why don’t we get started?"
As Regan and Tish moved towards the stable to make it ready for the horses, Trixie turned and gazed at Jim. "Do you know how happy I am...how incredibly happy I am?" she asked her husband as she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. "And how very much I love you?" she added quietly.
Jim reached out and took his wife into his arms. As he hugged her tightly, he said, "No matter where life took us, Trix, I always dreamed we’d end up here."
He released her then and stepped back so he could look into her blue eyes, which were sparkling with joy. After a moment, he gathered her close again and softly whispered in her ear, "Welcome home, Schoolgirl Shamus. Welcome home."
The End