Waiting Around for a Yes or a No

Waiting for a train to go
Or a bus to come, or a plane to go
Or the mail to come, or the rain to go
Or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
Or waiting around for a yes or a no

 

“Dude! Quit moping around and just ask her. Hell, if it’s that important to you just hop on the next plane to Las Vegas and get married. She’s not going back to work until after the first of the year. Take this time before the New Year and have a honeymoon in Vegas.”

“Are you kidding? Trixie’s parents would kill me! Not to mention her brothers,” Jim protested.

Dan’s eyes narrowed as he thought about the Belden’s reaction. “Hmm, I kind of doubt it. I’m your friend and I won’t care about missing it. Not as long as you two are okay with it.”

“But I need to make a big splash, do it up right and surprise her with the proposal. I want it to be special.” His own eyes narrowed, Jim stared back at his friend. “You said you would help me with that!”

Dan raised both his hands and grinned. “Like that’s my scene? If you want that kind of help you need to speak to the lovely Diana. Of course, you’ll have to deal with her mood swings, her tears, and don’t forget -- you’ll have to feed her as well.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Careful, you are talking about one of my employees.”

Dan snorted. “Right. That woman is more powerful than you want to admit. You don’t dare get on her bad side.”

“Truce, man!” Jim laughed. “I still have to ask Trixie somehow… and convince her to get married quickly. Maybe she’d agree to Valentine’s day…” Jim’s voice trailed off as he began to count exactly how many days were left until Valentine’s.

Dan grinned wickedly. He knew exactly what his friend was thinking. “Hey, if you can wait another fifty or so days, go for it. But I say Las Vegas is the answer. You can have a big party later. Your friends and family will forgive you. Heck, I don’t think Mr. B will care! You’ll save him a ton of money, not to mention months of listening to the women talk.”

Jim shook his head. I’ll explode if I have to wait another fifty days to be with Trixie. “I don’t know, Dan. None of us have done anything like that before.”

“That is exactly what I mean. Since when have you and Trixie done anything like the rest of us? Just do it, Jim. I dare you to ask her.”

 

 

Jim sighed in frustration. Ever since he had remembered what happened on the day Jonesy abducted him and Trixie, he could think of little except being with her. He wanted to be married. He wanted her spending the nights with him, so that together, they could chase away the dark nightmares that plagued them.

True, the first Christmas at Frayler Academy had been a success for his school and the students. But he felt he had failed in his own personal goals. He had expected to convince Trixie to marry him by Christmas. And now the holiday has come and gone and I haven’t even managed the proposal. Not to mention … it's still forty-six days until Valentine’s Day.

“Jim?” Miss Trask asked quietly, “Do you have an answer for me?”

“Sorry, Marge.” Jim apologized. “My mind is a million miles away.”

“The Duncans will arrive on the third of January, and Ron will start work the following Monday. We’ve put them in one of the counselor suites, but I’ve assured them it’s only temporary.”

Jim nodded. “The contractor has some house plans that he wants me to look over, for staff cottages. The other alternative is to increase salary and allow the Duncans to purchase their own home. Do you know if they have a preference?”

Miss Trask shook her head. “I suggest you take the time to finish the master plan for the campus. Let them take a look and decide. Ron assured me he wouldn’t mind staying in the apartment for a while.” She paused for a moment. “I suspect they’ll be fine until they decide to expand their family, then they’ll need more room.”

“Are there any concerns with their little boy living in the main building?” he asked.

“No, Ron plans that he’ll attend the local elementary school. He’s only in kindergarten and we don’t have a curriculum set up for that age. Not to mention he’d be the only one.”

“Okay. We’ll do what we can to give them extra room for now, just short of remodeling – agreed.”

“Yes, I’ll make it so. The security system installation will also begin on the third. We both know that Brad won’t be back, but no one else does. We could offer them the guest cottage.”

Jim shook his head. “No. Let’s go with the counselor suite. I want them to be closer to the students. It makes it easier to bond with them. In fact, when everything is over with Mr. Thomas I think we need to reserve the guest cottage for visitors, not staff.”

“Fair enough. I’ll include the counselor suite in their contract.” She stood to leave. “Oh, Jim, one more thing. When I saw Trixie yesterday, she seemed just as, ah… distracted as you are.”

Jim flushed, and gave his chief administrator a weak grin.

What am I going to do about us? Why can’t it be as simple as Dan acts like it is?

He glanced down at his appointment book. It was clear for the rest of the day. In fact, when he turned the pages he noticed it was clear through January 2. Is it a sign? Jim reached for the phone dialing the number automatically. “Trixie? Are you free for lunch?”

 

 

Three phone calls, he mused. I can’t believe all it took was three phone calls! Jim was amazed at what he was able to accomplish before collecting Trixie for lunch. He grinned as he escorted her back to the far corner booth at Wimpy’s, making sure she sat with her back to the rest of the diner. She didn’t notice his surreptitious wink at Mike, who had whisked the “Reserved” sign from their table when the couple entered.

Sizzling burgers and frosty shakes were served promptly, and Trixie chattered like a magpie between taking bites of burger and nibbling on Jim’s fries. The waitress gave Jim a saucy wink when she dropped off the check. He grinned in return, and leaned back in the booth, watching his special girl finish her strawberry shake.

“Trixie, do you remember the last time we had to use secret communications because we were being watched?”

“Huh?” she asked, raising her head.

Jim repeated the question.

“No,” she said slowly. “I don’t remember us using secure communication before.”

“Maybe this will help you remember,” he said, leaning forward to pull his wallet out of his back pocket. He gingerly extracted a folded piece of paper and handed it to Trixie.

She stared at it curiously, noting it was creased; and then looked up at Jim with a question in her eyes.

He nodded, and Trixie gingerly unfolded the paper.

“Our secret code!” she exclaimed, grinning as she leaned forward in excitement. “Jim, I had forgotten all about this. We could use it if we wanted to leave messages for each other.”

Jim smiled. “Can you still decode it?”

“You bet I can!” she declared looking at the paper. “Let’s see…”

“I remember SOS,” Jim offered helpfully.

“I should hope so!” She concentrated on the paper in her hand, immediately recognizing the figure for the letter O in the second word. “There aren’t any S’s” she informed him. I’ll never forget the figures for our SOS signal! Absorbed in her task, Trixie failed to notice that Mike was only letting people leave the diner; no new customers were allowed in.

“Are you sure about that?” Jim smiled again as Trixie frowned at the paper. She has no idea how adorable she is!

“I’m sure. This word is you,” Trixie said pointing to the second word in the message. The next word ends in the letter Y as well.”

“Are you going to be able to decipher the entire message?”

“If I can’t… then I have no business being a detective, don’t you agree?” she sniffed. “It’s been a while… but I’ll get it!”

She talked aloud as she analyzed the code. “The first word ends in the same letters, and this one has two of the same letters also.Kill you sorry so, no -- that’s not the symbol for S, it must be will you carry it. No -- that’s not an I in the last word, it’s an E. Okay -- I’ve got it! It says will you marry me?” Trixie looked at him in triumph. Then she realized what she had just said to Jim.

“Yes, I will!” Jim grinned at her stunned expression.

Trixie was speechless. She stared at Jim, unable to say a word, holding the paper. Will you marry me? Oh my God, he’s asking me to marry him. Say something, you idiot. Trixie opened her mouth but nothing came out.

“Trixie, this was my big scene. I had it set up that day, for you to decode the message. I want you to marry me.” He spoke earnestly and reached into his pocket, slipping the small jeweler’s box into her hand.

“Jim Frayne! You said -- you told me -- is that my ring?” Trixie stammered as her eyes focused on the familiar box.

“You could open it and find out,” he suggested as she looked up at him.

The two of them just gazed at each in the quiet diner; a few customers were still at the counter, watching them with interest.

“Are you going to open the box? It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to marry me, what’s inside is still yours. It will always be yours.” Jim finally lost patience with his special girl, deciding she was trying to find a way to refuse him gently.

Trixie flicked the box open and gazed at her ring. “It’s my ring, the one you gave me that summer, so I could buy a horse.” She looked up at him, unable for once to read the expression in his eyes.

“I promise I’ll buy you a horse,” he said gravely.

“Oh, Jim. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Suddenly he was on her side of the booth, and she was being kissed as their bodies collided. She felt his fingers weave their way through her curls, and the warmth of his lips combined with the touch of his fingers to create a feeling of knowing -- this, them – they were meant to be. She nearly groaned when he finally pulled back, releasing her lips and moving his hands to her arms.

He spoke softly. “Are you busy this afternoon?”

“No, why?” she asked.

“Let’s go get married.”

“Today!” She shook her head briefly in disbelief. “Jim, there’s a twenty-four hour waiting period, remember.”

“Not in Las Vegas.” He kissed her again. “I don’t believe in long engagements.”

She gaped at him. “I guess not!”

“Trixie, remember me telling you I was going to propose to you that day?”

She nodded.

“I was going to talk you into being married by Christmas. Now that Christmas has come and gone, I don’t want to start the New Year without you, without being with you.”

“Jim, I’ve already told you we don’t have to wait until we’re married.”

“Yes, we do. I have to, Trixie. I can’t explain it, but for some reason it’s important to me.”

“When would we leave?” she asked, tentatively accepting the idea.

“Tonight.” Jim held his breath and dared to hope she was actually considering it.

“Why not sooner?” she asked, her blue eyes twinkling.

“Because first we have to pack!” He gave her a salacious wink.

Trixie grinned. “Let’s do it!”

Jim drew in a sharp breath. “You mean it?”

“Yes, I mean it. Let’s go to Vegas!”

“Wait a sec,” he said grabbing the box off the table. He pulled the ring out and pushed in onto her finger, caressing the hand that was now free from the cumbersome cast.

“You’re my special girl, Trixie. You always will be,” he murmured, pulling her into a strong embrace.

He didn’t release her until the sounds of clapping and cheering penetrated their absorption in each other. Grinning at the small audience watching from the counter, he turned to look at Trixie. “Dad said the plane would be ready by four thirty.”

“What are we waiting for?” she replied.

 

 

Jim grinned as he rounded the corner of the farmhouse with a ladder. This would have never worked if Bobby were still home! Propping the ladder against the house, next to Trixie’s window, he winced at the loud thud. As he expected, Trixie’s head appeared instantly.

Her eyes widened as she managed to push the window open.

“Jim! What are you doing?” she demanded.

“I’m eloping with my fiancée,” he retorted. “Where’s your luggage?”

She shook her head in response and glanced over her shoulder toward the door. “Right here. I guess we’re not going to tell Moms where we’re going?”

“Nope, we agreed. We’re not telling any of our family but our dads, remember?”

Trixie nodded, moving to block Jim from entering her room. “Do you think you can just waltz in here because you have a ladder… and have your way with me?” she teased him.

“I was hoping maybe something like that!” he admitted.

She leaned forward and kissed him carefully, not wanting to do anything that might overbalance the ladder. “You can’t come in. Moms will be worried if I just disappear out the window. You can take the suitcases down to your car and come inside to pick me up.”

“Spoilsport,” he murmured, kissing her again.

Trixie finally broke the kiss, turning to retrieve two suitcases from her bed. “I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes,” she told him.

“I love you, Trixie.” He managed to hold both suitcases in one hand. At least one of them isn’t heavy. Jim was down the ladder in a flash and Trixie watched, holding her breath until she saw him safely on the ground.

She looked around her room and smiled, and then walked downstairs, thinking, I’m going to elope!

Jim was quick. Within minutes he was knocking on the door. He grinned and winked when she opened it. “You ready for our big date?” He held his hat in his hands, looking more himself at fifteen than he had in years.

Trixie nodded. “Let me tell Moms where we’re going,” she answered with a wink of her own.

Together, they walked into the kitchen.

“Moms – I’m going out with Jim, I’m not sure when I’ll be home.” She spoke cheerfully, picking up an apple from the basket on the counter.

“Goodness, you two are spending a lot of time together,” Helen remarked as she looked up from the new cookbook she had received for Christmas.

“Jim’s got a lot of free time right now,” Trixie said truthfully.

“Will you be home for supper?” her mother asked. “I’m thinking of making something totally different tonight.”

“No, we’re going shopping over to White Plains. I thought we’d make an evening of it,” Jim answered. “I don’t usually get time off in the middle of the week.”

“Okay, then. Be careful, sweetie.” Helen gave Jim a pointed look before she returned her attention to the cookbook.

Trixie stared for a second, wondering if she should tell her Moms. No, we promised, she thought blinking rapidly, as she thought of what she had packed in the second suitcase. It seems so strange not to tell Moms.

“Bye, Moms. We’ll see you.” She turned and left the kitchen.

Helen nodded, but said nothing until she heard the front door slam. Then she stood and looked out the window to make sure her daughter was indeed leaving. Picking up the phone, she dialed a well-known number.

“Peter?” she said quietly. “She’s leaving now… No, I didn’t let on… She almost told me.” She smiled softly. “Yes, I know we have to let her go, but…” Helen choked a little. “My baby’s getting married!”

 

 

“Jim, I didn’t realize it took so long to fly to Vegas,” Trixie chattered as she carefully buckled her seat belt.

“Six hours, but don’t forget the time difference,” he reminded. “We’re lucky Dad let us use his plane. Did you decide where you want to get married?”

“Not exactly,” she hedged. “You know, I think we should just get married at one of the local chapels or someplace very simple. I don’t want a wild and crazy package,” she told him as she flipped through a sheaf of papers. “I just want to get married some place like this.” She handed him the page from her Dad’s printer.

Jim was surprised. “You want to get married somewhere simple?”

She threaded her arm through Jim’s, snuggling up to him. “Yes. Elvis is soooo tempting, but…” her voice trailed off.

“But what?” Jim asked, curious about her reasoning.

“The whole Las Vegas drive-through wedding scene is just a teensy bit over the top, even for me. Marriage is supposed to be forever. It’s a covenant, if you believe what the preachers told everyone at our friends’ weddings. A promise to love and cherish someone forever is too important to treat lightly.” Trixie pinked at her heartfelt speech, but she had thought long and hard over the wedding options when she secreted herself in her dad’s study to search the internet.

Jim fell just a little bit more in love with her at that moment. “Whatever you want, you get!” He told her with a fond glance, pulling his favorite curl. “So, let’s review. Who knows we’ve left town besides our dads?”

“We stopped by to see Molinson, so he knows.” Trixie offered. “Of course, Mike and anyone who was in Wimpy’s around lunchtime. But I didn’t tell anyone else.” Trixie grinned hugely. “I know you thought I’d end up telling Honey or Di. But I didn’t. I decided it would hurt too many feelings if I told anyone else so I kept my mouth shut. I knew you wouldn’t tell anyone else.”

Jim was quiet as he thought over what she said before deciding to speak. “I might have told someone else,” he finally admitted.

“Jim Frayne! Who did you tell?” she exclaimed.”

“I left a message for Dan. I just told him that I had taken his dare and would see him after the first of the year.”

“Dare? What dare?” her blue eyes were suspicious as she looked at Jim.

Jim related his recent conversation with Dan. “It was important to me to do something special when I asked you, Trixie. Dan finally made me realize it wasn’t imperative for there to be moonlight, rose or candles, that it could still be special.”

“It was,” she assured him. “I think getting engaged in Wimpy’s is special and romantic. It was where we went on our first real date. Besides, it gives us a place we can go eat every year for our anniversary.”

“Hmmm,” Jim gave her a kiss. “How much do you think Mike will charge us to rent Wimpy’s every New Year’s Eve for the next hundred years?”

 

 

Wendell Molinson slid onto a stool at Wimpy’s. “Give me the usual, Mike.”

The counterman nodded, as he placed a coffee cup in front of the harried law enforcement officer and filled it with a fragrant brew.

“Looks like business is slow this week,” he remarked noting the diner wasn’t that busy for dinner. He automatically added the cream and sugar to his cup.

“It’s still a bit early for most of my dinner crowd. You should’ve been here for lunch today, Captain.” Mike grinned at him. “We had us quite a show from some of your crowd!”

“Some of my men?” he asked, surprised any of his officers would have made a scene in Wimpy’s.

“Nope, your old adversary, Trixie Belden, got herself engaged back there in my corner booth. It was quite the show. That Jim Frayne, he did her right.”

Captain Molinson chuckled. “Yeah, understand they’ve gone to Vegas for a New Year’s Eve wedding.”

Mike laughed, “It sure took those two long enough. I’d bet a dozen burgers they would’ve been the first of that crowd.”

“I don’t know, Mike. That middle Belden boy had his mind made up who he wanted from the time he was six.” Molinson replied easily.

“Ah, you’re probably right,” Mike admitted. He looked questioningly at the officer, “You ever think of getting married?”

“Maybe,” he replied noncommittally.

“Well I ain’t too worried about those two. Figured out years ago they would end up together. I’m just glad all that business last month didn’t bust ‘em up.”

Molinson nodded, “Mangan will be the only one left in that crowd that’s not hitched.”

“Yep, how much longer is he going to be working around here? It’s been nice having him around.”

“Through March. Why you going to find Dan a wife?”

Mike turned to put Molinson’s burger and fries on a plate, answering back over his shoulder. “There’s some of us kinda wondered if he wouldn’t be the one to end up with that Belden girl, instead of Frayne. But like I said, I figured out years ago they would end up together. Wonder what their folks will think about them eloping like that? Peter Belden probably likes it; he’s saving a mint on a wedding. I wish my wife would’ve eloped with me like Jim and Trixie, she about drove me crazy with wedding stuff.”

“Elope like Jim and Trixie?” the voice said. “What in the world are you talking about, Mike?”

Molinson turned on his stool and saw Mart Belden standing there with Dan Mangan. It was obvious that Mangan knew what was going on. It was also plain that Mart Belden did not.

“Uh, well, I’m not sure exactly what you mean, Mart?” Mike stammered.

“You just said elope like Jim and Trixie,” Mart said slowly. “Do you know another Trixie besides my sister?”

“Uh, no.” Mike knew Mart Belden was probably his best customer. He also knew that Mart’s salary was paid by Jim Frayne.

Mart’s hands were on the counter and he leaned forward, almost menacingly towards the nervous counterman. “Cut the crap, Mike – quit avoiding the question. Is my sister eloping with Jim?”

“I just heard some talk like that,” he admitted. “I couldn’t say for sure, you know, Molinson here is always telling me to stick to the facts.”

“Dan! Do something! Interrogate him, beat it out of him,” Mart demanded.

“Interrogate him about community gossip, get real Belden,” Dan answered as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“What are you --- wait just a minute, here…” Mart had turned and caught the brief flash of something on Dan’s face before he had put his cop face on. “Okay, Mangan – spill it. You know what’s going on.”

Dan held up his hands defensively and stepped back. “Look, leave me out of it. I only know that a few of days ago, I dared Jim to just do something about his relationship with Trixie. I had an obscure message on my answering machine thanking me for the dare. I haven’t talked to either one of them since I talked to Jim.”

Molinson guffawed at Dan’s attempt to evade Mart. Mart immediately whirled and looked at the officer, “What do you know about it, Captain Molinson?” he asked in a meaningful tone.

“I know enough to keep my mouth shut,” he retorted. “You’re not going to get anything from me.” He picked up his burger and took a large bite, unconcerned at the drama unfolding.

Mart hesitated for a moment, his eyes shifting from Mike to Molinson to Mangan, wondering exactly what they each knew. How is it they know my sister is eloping and I don’t? How could she keep something like this from her family!

“You aren’t going to tell me anything, are you?” he asked finally looking at each of the men in turn.

“Nope,” Dan shook his head.

“Done told you everything I know,” Mike groused.

Molinson just took another bite of his burger and continued to chew.

“Fine! That’s just fine!” he whirled and pushed the door open. Dan turned and watched as he saw Mart head towards the bank. He shrugged and slid onto the stool next to Molinson.

“I’ll have what he’s having, Mike,” he told the counterman. “So, you going to tell Pete Belden anything if he asks you?” he asked conversationally.