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What
Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Part
Two
Much later that afternoon… With great
difficulty, Jim and Trixie managed to prepare some sandwiches and heat up
some chili for lunch. After lunch, they settled on the loveseat in the living
room to watch a movie. Trixie flipped
through the channels on the television. “There’s nothing on,” she complained. “Whoa!” Jim
yelled in excitement. “Go back to HBO! ‘Hot Babes in Cold Places’ was on!” Trixie snorted.
“I’m not watching that. Besides, didn’t
you already watch that Christmas night?” Jim glared at
Trixie. “We tried to watch it;
however, the ending was interrupted.” “Really?” she
asked innocently. “Don’t play innocent with me,
Trixie Belden! You know darn well that you changed the channel on us.” “We did not!” she insisted. “We
have no idea what happened to your stupid movie. We were already in bed by
then. Just ask Miss Trask.” Jim began fidgeting and looked
away. Trixie grinned in satisfaction.
“Something tells me you already did
ask Miss Trask.” Jim shuffled his feet and tried
to avoid answering the question. “Tell me, Jim, did you ask Miss Trask?” Jim muttered something
unintelligible under his breath. “What was that? I didn’t hear
you.” “All right! We asked Miss
Trask!” he bellowed. “She said when she checked on you at “A-ha!” Trixie exclaimed
triumphantly. “I told you it wasn’t
us!” Jim sulked. “Well, if it wasn’t
you, I’d like to know who did it.” “Maybe it was that slob who
broke his TV after you messed with his channels,” she suggested with a
giggle. Jim continued
to sulk, determined not to say another word about it. However, a few minutes
later, Trixie was still laughing. “What?” he asked in exasperation. “Nothing!”
Trixie gasped, trying to control her laughter. It was no use. She finally
collapsed in the floor in a giggling mess, her left arm in the air, anchored
to Jim. Unable to help
himself, Jim began chuckling, too. “What is it, Trix?” “We might have a little info about what happened to
your movie.” “I knew you
changed the channel!” Jim exploded. “We did not!”
she insisted. However, soon she was overcome in another fit of giggles. “But
we were going to,” she added impulsively. Jim began
tickling her. “You’d better talk, Belden, or I’m gonna tickle the pee out of
you!” “Stop! Stop!”
Trixie barely managed through her laughter. “May I remind you that I’m
chained to you, and if I have an accident, you’ll have to smell my uriney
pajamas all day?” Jim momentarily stopped his torture, and
helped Trixie back onto the loveseat. “ ‘Fess up, Belden.” “Okay, we were going to sneak to
the Farm to switch your channels,” she admitted. “But Regan heard us outside,
and made us go home.” “Then who—” Jim
scratched his chin. Suddenly, it all became crystal clear. “Regan did it?!
That no good so-and-so!” Trixie wasn’t
sure, but she thought that maybe she saw steam pouring out of Jim’s ears.
“What’s wrong?” she nervously asked. “Didn’t you
hear what happened?” Jim practically screamed. “No.” Jim took a deep
breath. “After our channel switched, we assumed it was you girls. We put our
shoes and coats on and ran outside. We were gonna catch you and dump you in
the deepest snow banks we could find. But, as we were running up to the Manor
House, Regan caught us. He yelled at us for waking up the neighborhood, and
made us muck out the stalls for the next three days!” As hard as she
tried, Trixie couldn’t contain her giggles. She almost fell in the floor
again, but Jim flexed his arm muscle firm, so she just dangled precariously
above the ground. Suddenly, he dropped his arm and Trixie crashed to the
floor. “Hey, what did
you do that for?” she asked. “We didn’t know Regan did that, honest!” She
looked up at Jim, who had a desperate expression on his face. “Jim, what’s
wro—” Trixie stopped mid-sentence when a horrid odor practically suffocated
her. “Omigosh! What’s that smell?” From the floor, she used her free hand to pull
the neck of her pajama tee over her nose. “Do you smell
something?” Jim questioned innocently. “I don’t smell anything.” “It smells like
Mart after he comes back from Taco Bell!” Trixie moaned. “It smells like… Oh,
no! JIM! YOU DIDN’T!!!” “I couldn’t
help it!” he pleaded. “Your mom’s chili is potent!” “You could’ve
at least warned me!” Trixie yelled, tears stinging her eyes. “With those
‘silent but deadly killers’, you’re entitled to give an emergency bulletin or
something!” “Sorry,” Jim
apologized. “I couldn’t help it.” “Brian and
Mart, I can understand!” she gasped. “But you’re supposed to be a gentleman!”
Jim shrugged.
“Even gentlemen have to let one loose every now and again. Usually, I go to
the bathroom when I’m around you and the other girls, but with rule number
three and all…” Trixie
uncovered her nose to test the atmosphere, but quickly covered it again. “Why
do guys do that? That’s so gross!” “Same reason
girls use cotton balls,” Jim retorted with a smirk. “Ugh… That’s
almost as bad as the time Mart and Brian locked themselves in their rooms
after Moms made pinto beans for dinner, and had a contest to see who could
rip off the smelliest flatulent,” Trixie said in disgust. Jim chuckled.
“I suppose Mart won.” Trixie shook
her head and grinned. “Actually, it ended in a tie. Moms made them quit. She
was worried they’d get carbon monoxide poisoning. When they opened their
bedroom door… Whoo-eee! Smelled worse than the stables.” Trixie and Jim
were still laughing when they heard the back door slam shut. Minutes later,
Mart and Dan plopped down on the couch. “Why don’t you
sit over here with us men, Jim?” Dan asked with a devilish grin. “Methinks your
repose may be more advantageous if you could perchance lounge on this
colossal sectional,” Mart added with a twinkle in his blue eyes. Jim stared
daggers through Dan and Mart. “I assume you saw Bobby in the kitchen,” he
prompted. Mart scratched
his chin thoughtfully. “Robert Belden? About this tall? Blond curls? Blue
eyes with a perpetual mischievous glint?” Trixie sighed
in exasperation. “Was he still looking for the key?” “Actually, he
was playing with his Legos under the kitchen table,” Dan replied with a grin. Trixie
attempted to jump up, but in her rage, she forgot her bonds. She abruptly
landed ker-splat on the floor.
“Ooh! He’s in trouble now!” she fumed, rubbing her tender backside. “He’s
supposed to be looking for that key so we can get loose.” “And in your
current situation, you’re going to catch him how?” Dan asked with overly-curious expression. “Want me to
tell him to get busy?” Mart offered solicitously. “Please,” Jim
replied. “Yeah, and tell
him to hurry up!” Trixie hollered. “We have to be at Tad’s house in a couple
hours! I haven’t even showered or anything today!” Mart grimaced
and held his nose as he walked past his sister into the kitchen. Thankfully
for him, she didn’t see him. “Find it yet, Bobby?” Mart asked his little
brother. Bobby hurriedly
tried to cram all his Legos under the rug that lay beneath the kitchen table.
“Not yet!” “It might help
if you quit playing, and started searching,” Mart chided. Bobby sighed
unhappily. “I’m bored of lookin’, Mart! I can’t find it no place! It’s losted
for good.” Suddenly, the boys heard the familiar sound of the Belden station
wagon pulling into the driveway. “Uh-oh! Moms is
home,” Mart said ominously. “You’re gonna get it now.” Right on cue,
the tears began the oft-traveled path down Bobby’s chubby cheeks. “Well, I’m
tellin’ Moms that it was yer idea!” “Go ahead,”
Mart dared him. “But then I’m
telling Moms that you broke her Hummel figurine while throwing a ball in the
house, and then stuffed the pieces behind the couch.” Bobby shook his
curly head. “I didn’t breaked Moms’ figgereen and stuff the pieces behind the
couch. You did!” “Well, you know that, and I know that, and since Brian was the
one who missed the pass, he knows
that, but Moms doesn’t know that.” Bobby pouted
and stomped his little foot for the millionth time that day. It really stunk
being the youngest. Mart, seeing
his mother approaching the back door, gallantly opened it for her. “Afternoon
salutations, dear maternal caregiver.” “Hello, Mart,”
Helen replied wearily, handing him her shopping bags. “Did you help watch
your brother today?” “Nay, my fair
matriarch. Daniel and I journeyed to the abode of Mrs. Vanderpoel where we
assisted young Theodore Webster in his New Year’s Eve party adornments. I do
believe our young ward here spent this lovely day with my female
counterpart.” He began peeking in her shopping bags. “Perchance did you
purchase any victuals, my most charming forebear?” Helen smiled as
she flipped through the mail. “Are you ever not hungry?” “Nope,” Mart
grinned. However, that grin was effectively wiped off his face when he saw
his mother’s receipt. “Moms! Did you return the nightshirt I got you for
Christmas?” Helen looked up
nervously. “What nightshirt?” “The one with
the picture of a cheesecake on it!” Mart exhaled loudly in exasperation. Helen batted
her blue eyes in confusion. “Remember, it had the caption ‘Sex on a Plate’ written on
it,” he continued impatiently. “Oh, that nightshirt,” Helen answered
innocently. “It was too big, sweetie.” “It was one
size fits all!” Mart cried. “I can’t believe you took it back.” Helen sighed.
“If it means that much to you, son, I’ll go back and exchange something for
it.” “No, no,” Mart
said, holding up a hand in protest. “I’m sure it’ll be gone by then. Some
other lucky lady will scarf it up, so don’t bother.” “Fat chance,”
Helen muttered under her breath, still rifling through the mail. “Bill, bill,
bill, advertisement, credit card offer, bill, dating solicitation? ‘Are you single and looking for that special
someone? Look no further. Date Match can help.’ Don’t you have to be over 18
to get these?” Mart cleared
his throat. “I can explain, Moms.” Helen stared at
him suspiciously. “This isn’t for you. It says Robert Belden on it.” She
glanced up at her youngest son. Bobby
innocently shrugged his shoulders. Helen pitched
the solicitation in the nearby trashcan. “I seriously doubt Robert Belden is
ready for the dating world.” “And the dating world isn’t ready for Robert Belden,” Mart commented with a
snicker. “You’d better keep that, Moms. With his rep, Bobby’ll probably need
that in a few years. With the criminal record he’s sure to amass, he’ll need
some help getting a date.” Helen put down
the mail and hugged her youngest child. “How was your day, sweetie?” “Uh… okay,”
Bobby replied. “Do you still have the ‘corrections’ for my handcuffs?” “You mean the
‘directions’?” Helen amended, smiling. Bobby bobbed
his head up and down. “Yeah. Do ya got ‘em?” “I think we
threw those away, Bobby. Why do you need them?” The silence was almost
deafening. “What did you do, Robert Belden?” Possessing that almost-psychic
maternal instinct, Helen hurried into the living room to see what was amiss. In the living
room, Trixie and Jim were sitting on the loveseat. Trixie was still in her
pajamas and had several stains all over the front of her shirt. Jim was
dressed, but his flannel shirt was covered with beige powder. Dan knelt in
front of them, sticking something in the handcuffs. HANDCUFFS??!! “What
happened?” Helen asked frantically. “When did this happen?” “About a half
hour after you left,” Mart replied helpfully. “You’ve been
like this all day?” Helen questioned. “Where’s the key?” “Well, Moms, if
we knew that, do you think we’d be sitting here, handcuffed together?” Trixie
retorted. “Bobby ‘losted’ it.” “Bobby!” Helen screamed. A second later,
Bobby appeared, a frightened look on his cherubic face. “Is somethin’ wrong,
Moms?” “Bobby, where’s
the key for your handcuffs?” “I dunno. I
lookded for it all day. It’s losted real good, Moms.” “I assume
you’ve tried everything possible to unlock them,” Helen commented wearily. Trixie and Jim
nodded. “We’ve tried my
handcuff key, and it doesn’t work,” Trixie told her. “A saw won’t
work, either,” Jim added. Dan threw down
the tiny screwdriver he had found in an eyeglass repair kit. “Apparently it’s
pickproof, too.” “I suppose
we’ll have to contact the company that made the cuffs,” Helen said. “Maybe
they can send a replacement key.” “And that will
take how long?” Jim
questioned, his eyes wide. “Hope your elasti-bladder can hold out that long,
Belden.” Helen’s eyes
widened in horror. “You haven’t gone to the bathroom all day? That’s not healthy. You’ll get uremic poisoning.” Trixie rolled
her eyes. “What’re we supposed to do, Moms?” “I don’t know,
but we’ll have to think of something. If you don’t go to the bathroom, you
could die,” Helen warned. Mart snickered.
“It takes longer than one day to get uremic poisoning, Moms. But if Trixie does kick the bucket, can I have her
room?” Jim glared
threateningly at Mart. “We’ll be fine, Mrs. Belden. According to Trixie, she
can hold it for a long time.” “That’s not
good for guys, you know,” Dan replied helpfully. “It can cause impotence.” Jim paled just
thinking of such a travesty, Mart hooted with laughter, Trixie blushed, and
the look on Helen’s face said that maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. “You worry too
much, Moms,” Trixie finally said in exasperation. “In ‘Mystery on the “That’s
fiction, dear,” Helen scolded. “This
is real life. Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.” She sighed in despair.
“Why on earth did you get Bobby those handcuffs for Christmas, Trixie? I knew
they would cause trouble.” “Because I’m stupid!” Trixie moaned. She
buried her face in her free hand. “Why didn’t I get him a machine gun or a
machete, or something else harmless? I’m such an idiot!” “Wait a minute.
Let me get Ty Scott’s tape recorder,” Mart teased. “Before I finally remember
to return it, I want to record that admission for posterity’s sake.” Trixie shot a
dirty look to her almost-twin, but chose not to grace his comment with a response
of her own. “After Bobby helped capture Molinson—” “Holped?” Bobby repeated indignantly. Trixie rolled
her eyes. “After Bobby captured Molinson,
he showed an interest in law enforcement. I thought that having his own set
of handcuffs would encourage him to end up on the right side of the law. You
know how you’ve always worried about him ending up in jail, Moms.” Mart snickered.
“Maybe next year, you can get him a nightstick, Trix. Or maybe a pistol.” He
barely missed the throw pillow that Trixie flung at him. “Calm down,
children,” Helen soothed. “I’m sure we’ll think of a solution.” “Well, I hate
to miss all the excitement, but I need to go home and get ready for Tad’s
party,” Dan announced. “Sorry I couldn’t pick the lock for you, guys. Now, if
you needed something hot-wired…” “Need a ride
tonight?” Mart asked. “Nah, I’m
borrowing Mr. Maypenny’s rattletrap,” Dan said with a grin. The gamekeeper
had finally broken down and purchased an old Jeep. “Mr. Hartman’s
granddaughter is visiting from “Is she
pretty?” Mart inquired. “Aren’t all the ladies I date pretty?” Dan
flashed his most handsome smile. “And she’s
an Orlando Bloom fan.” “You know, in
some sort of alternate universe, I
could be an Orlando Bloom fan,” Trixie mused thoughtfully. “His character in
‘A Perplexing Existence’ was so… so sullen. But I could never desert my dear
Ewan. He’s just so… so… supple.” Mart snorted.
“Sullen, supple… Who comes up with these terms?” “You’re just
jealous because you don’t have a
following,” Trixie commented with a sniff of indignation. Mart jumped
back in mock horror. “For your information, Beatrix, there are several beauteous creatures in this vast
cosmos who prefer a good sense of humor to an outward physique which shall
eventually languish. Why, I’ll bet at this very moment there’s an underground
movement to laud all things Mart!” Dan chuckled.
“As enriching as this conversation has been, I gotta go. I’m picking up Sirene
in an hour-and-a-half. See ya later!” With a merry wave, he was on his way. “Oh, Moms!”
Trixie cried. “What’re we going to do?” “Brian should
be home any minute,” Mart consoled. “Maybe Moms could sterilize her butcher
knife, and Brian could amputate your hands at the wrists.” “Mart!” Trixie
exclaimed. “What? I’m sure
it wouldn’t be that hard. We can
get a bottle of Mr. Maypenny’s moonshine to use as anesthesia. Brian would be
thrilled to get to practice on real live people. Or maybe Jim could do it using
his penknife. I’m sure a supple woodsman like him has one.” “Mart.” Helen’s
tone implied serious implications if he didn’t cease and desist the teasing
immediately. She shot him a warning glance, then went into the kitchen. As if on cue, they heard Brian
open the back door. “Is Jim here?” he asked when he entered the living room.
His eyes searched the room and landed on Jim and Trixie. “Are you still
handcuffed?” He plopped down on the couch beside Mart. “Pssst,” Mart whispered in his oldest
brother’s ear. “Have you learned about amputations in medical school, yet? Do
you think you could perform one without killing Jim?” “So, have you been obeying all
the rules, Jim?” Brian asked, ignoring Mart’s questions. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Don’t
you have a party to get ready for? I’m sure you stink after all that
wood-chopping.” “Don’t you want the bathroom
fir—” Brian stopped to cock his head in a pensive manner. “Hey, how’re you
going to get ready for the party, Trixie?” “Does it look like I can go to the New Year’s Eve party?” Trixie cried.
“I’m in my pajamas! If that wasn’t bad enough, I have dried chili stuck to my
pajama top! My hair’s a mess, and Jim has threatened my life if I get any
more makeup on him! I can’t go like this!” Brian stifled a chuckled and
attempted a nonchalant shrug. “What? You… look… uh… great.” Mart snorted. “Actually, you
don’t look much different than how you normally do.” He gasped as Brian
elbowed him in the gut. “You gotta come, Trix. Tad was really looking forward
to seeing you there. He told me to ask you to save him a dance or two.” He
smirked and studied Jim for a response. The jealous redhead didn’t
disappoint him. Jim’s green eyes blazed, his ears turned red, his jaw was
set, and his fists were clenched. “Well, you know… it might be best if we
stayed here, Trix,” he stammered. I
never have trusted that Tad Webster, he thought to himself. “Aw, come on,” Brian urged. “You
were really looking forward to this party.” “And Jim, with you being
handcuffed to Trixie, just think how easy it would be to cut in on her and
Tad,” Mart teased. “I’m not going,” Trixie
declared, her chin lifted stubbornly. “Not only do I look gross, I don’t want
to hear a bunch of S&M jokes. You guys go ahead.” “All right,” Brian reluctantly
conceded. “I’m getting in the shower. Mart, you keep an eye on Jim. Be sure
and tell me if he breaks any of my rules.” Sevenish… Brian grabbed
his jacket from the living room closet. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here,
guys?” Trixie glumly
nodded, but Jim smiled. “We’ll be fine. Have fun,” he said.. “I assume you
remember all the rules? If you want I can go over them again,” Brian offered
helpfully, fighting a grin. Jim rolled his
eyes. “I think it’s safe to say that all rules will be obeyed.” “What do you think’s going to happen,
Brian?” Trixie snorted. “The minute you walk out the door, Jim’s going to rip
off all our clothes and drag me into the shower against my will?” An ever-so-slightly suggestive
smile tugged at the corners of Jim’s mouth. “Like Dad would let that
happen!” Trixie continued. Jim’s smile immediately
vanished, as he remembered that Mr. Belden was home and talking to his wife
in the kitchen. “You ready, Mart?” Brian yelled
up the stairs. Seconds later, Mart thumped down
the steps, wildly flinging his arms into his letterman’s jacket. “Ready,” he
answered. “Let’s get going. The fair Diana awaits, and I don’t want that
skulker Nick Roberts claiming the first dance.” Peter and Helen walked into the
living room to say goodbye to their oldest sons. “Remember to be home by Brian nodded. “We will, Dad.” “I am aghast at the insinuation
that my trustworthy kinsman and I could possibly be dilatory,” Mart said, shaking
his head. “Have we ever failed you, most noble patriarch?” “As a matter of fact, you have,”
Peter said with a grin. “Last time, you were almost an hour late. Next time
that happens, you’re grounded.” Brian turned to Mart. “Got your
watch?” Mart held up his wrist in verification. Neither noticed the devilish
grin on Bobby’s face. “You boys have a good time,”
Helen told them, kissing their cheeks. “Be sure to thank Mrs. Vanderpoel for
letting Tad have his party there.” “We will,” Brian promised, heading
for the door. Before he left, however, he turned to Jim and mouthed a silent, “Don’t forget the rules!” After they left, Trixie sighed
deeply. Jim placed his handcuffed hand on top of hers. “Sorry your evening
got ruined, Trix.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s not your fault, Jim. I guess we’ll have to make the most of it.” “I have an idea,” Helen said
brightly. “You and Jim could have your own party here. I have some old
holiday albums that you could listen to, and I could whip up some snacks and
maybe even some punch.” Trixie smiled. “That sounds
great, Moms. Well, all except for the punch. I think I’ll pass on the
liquids. As much fun as it was to pee with not only Jim, but also you and
Dad, in the same room, I think I’ll skip the beverages.” Helen, a constant worrier, had
begun obsessing about uremic poisoning. Even though Brian had tried to put
her at ease, Helen had insisted that both Jim and Trixie empty their
bladders, much to their horror. She and Peter had held up a thick, wooly
blanket between them. Trixie had refused until Jim put in earplugs so he
couldn’t hear anything. However, no amount of thick blankets and earplugs
could make the situation any less humiliating. Jim, who’d been worrying about
impotence, decided that maybe going to the bathroom wasn’t that bad an idea.
Of course, it wasn’t an act he wanted to repeat. “I think I’ll pass on
liquids, too, Mrs. Belden,” he added grimly. “All right! You two wait in the
kitchen while Bobby and I get everything ready!” Helen told them excitedly. An hour later, Helen led the
couple into the living room. The room was lit by the Christmas tree lights,
as well as several candles burning around the room. A warm fire danced gaily
in the fireplace, creating a romantic glow. Soft music played on the stereo,
and several old records were sitting nearby on reserve. Helen had used her
artistic talents, and made a colorful banner that said Happy New Year and hung it over the fireplace. The coffee table
was lined with all sorts of goodies, like fudge and cookies. “Oh Moms!” Trixie exclaimed
happily. “It looks perfectly perfect!” She hugged her mother with her free
hand. “You’re so thoughtful to do this for us.” “It looks great, Mrs. Belden,”
Jim agreed. “It sure was nice of you to go to all this trouble.” “It was no problem at all, Jim,”
Helen assured him. “Trixie, your father and I are going to take Bobby
upstairs and watch a movie in our bedroom. You two have fun!” “But Helen,” Peter protested.
“We usually ring in the New Year together. Alone.” Helen smiled knowingly. “I know, sweetheart,
but I thought just this once we’d
let Bobby join our party.” She leaned over to her husband and whispered,
“I’ll make it up to you later.” “Come on,
Bobby,” Peter conceded. “But the Bobby
gleefully raced up to his parents’ room. He didn’t know what sort of fun his
parents would’ve had without him, but he was sure that he could provide even
more entertainment. Before he went
upstairs, Peter looked back at Jim and Trixie. “Think it’s safe to leave
them?” he whispered to his wife. Helen played
swatted her husband’s backside. “Jim’s much too honorable to try anything.” “Well, I was
honorable, and that didn’t stop me from trying to round second base,” Peter
muttered. “They are handcuffed to each other,” Helen
reminded him. “As inexperienced as they both are, I doubt they’d get far with
only one hand apiece.” Peter scratched
his chin thoughtfully. “Speaking of handcuffs, do you still have those heart
ones I got you for Valentine’s Day?” Helen giggled
as she ran upstairs to find her own pair of cuffs. With any luck, Bobby had
“losted” the key to them as well. Once they were alone in the
living room, Jim and Trixie sat in awkward silence. “I’m sorry Bobby got you into
this mess, Jim,” Trixie said finally. “I told you it was okay, Trix,”
Jim replied. “I’m the one who’s sorry. If you weren’t stuck to me, you’d be
dancing with Tad at his New Year’s party.” Trixie shrugged her shoulders,
afraid to tell Jim that she would much
rather dance with him. Jim nervously chewed on his lip,
desperately trying to think of something clever to say. He peeked at Trixie.
She looked so pretty! Shadows from the firelight highlighted her sandy curls.
The warmth made her cheeks slightly rosy. That one curl, his curl, lay on her forehead, just begging, pleading, to be tugged. Entranced by the lovely sight
before him, Jim reached out and gently clasped the curl that had been
tempting him. “There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the
middle of her forehead; when she was good, she was very, very good…” “And when she was bad, she was horrid!” Trixie finished with a
giggle. “Is that nursery rhyme the reason you’re always pulling on my curls?”
Jim’s lopsided grin made her
heart skip a beat. “My dad used to tease my mom
about that nursery rhyme,” he admitted softly. “But I tug your curls because
I like them so much.” Trixie’s cheeks flushed. “Right
now, they need a good combing…” “No, they don’t,” he murmured.
“They’re perfect the way they are.” He was rewarded by one of Trixie’s
special blushes. Jim nervously swallowed. “Do you want to dance, Trix?” “You don’t want to dance with
me,” she muttered. “I’m in my pajamas, and they aren’t even clean.” “Come on,” Jim urged. “I’m a
sucker for a girl in chili-crusted snowman PJ’s.” Trixie giggled and nodded her
consent. At almost The time
passed quickly for Trixie and Jim. The old grandfather clock chimed a quarter
to midnight as Jim, with his free hand, awkwardly placed another old record
on to play. “Johnny Mathis,” he murmured, studying the album cover. “My mom
liked to listen to him.” “I’ve never
heard of him,” Trixie commented. “Hey! This
album has a song about New Year’s Eve.” He put the record on, and soon, the
velvet crooning of Johnny Mathis filled the room. “Maybe
it’s much too early in the game “One last dance, Trix?”
Jim asked, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. Trixie merely
nodded her consent. Her breath caught as Jim’s cuffed right hand clasped her
left one. With his left hand, he pulled her closer in a tight embrace. “Wonder
whose arms will hold you good and tight “Me too, Jim.”
Trixie shivered as his warm breath caused goose bumps to rise up on her arms.
“There’s nobody
I’d rather spend New Year’s with,” he admitted. “Me either,
Jim.” “Maybe
I’m crazy to suppose He reluctantly
shifted his gaze from her to the picture window. Unable to keep his eyes off
of her for long, he looked back down at her just as Trixie looked up at him.
As if fate decided to take over, their lips accidentally brushed. “Ah, but
in case I stand one little chance The split second seemed to pass
in slow motion. When Jim could finally catch his breath, he looked at Trixie
to make sure she wasn’t angry. “Sorry,” he whispered huskily. Trixie smiled
dreamily and ever-so-softly sighed. “Don’t be. I enjoyed it. Besides, isn’t
that a tradition at Jim grinned.
“Well, it isn’t “Wonder
whose arms will hold you good and tight When the clock struck Trixie smiled and nodded in
agreement. Their hearts pounded as their lips inched closer. Finally, their
mouths met, and the Hallelujah Chorus could be heard in the heavens. The kiss started out gentle, but
overcome with emotion, Jim deepened the kiss. His free hand lovingly caressed
Trixie’s cheek, and then moved to those enticing curls. For ages he’d longed
to see what that tempting mass felt like. And he wasn’t disappointed. He
buried his hand in Trixie’s silky ringlets and reveled in their softness. Jim’s heart beat furiously at
the intensity of their first kiss. The room began spinning, his entire body
tingled and he was positive Bobby was upstairs setting off fireworks.
Abruptly, Trixie pulled away. Jim’s green eyes sought her blue ones. Did he do something wrong? “Why, Mr. Frayne, aren’t you
forgetting rule number two?” she teased, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes
and a bewitching smile on her face. Jim grinned, remembering the
rules Brian had carefully laid out for them and how he had tried so
diligently to follow them to the letter. “What rule number two?” Jim
murmured, his lopsided grin making Trixie’s pulse skip a beat. “Happy New
Year, Trix.” “Happy New Year, Jim,” she
whispered, lifting her lips in anticipation of another kiss. In the past
she’d been left wanted when she’d expected a kiss. This time, however, she
wasn’t disappointed by fond glances. Jim kisses her thoroughly and
repeatedly. Precisely a
minute after Too excited to
sleep, he sat up and watched out his window to see if, by some chance, Mart
and Brian would actually make their curfew. He perched by his window facing
the driveway, his trustworthy “nocklers” in hand and focused on At Bobby
quietly removed his clothing so he could put on his pajamas. His plan would
be ruined if Dad saw he hadn’t changed. The last item of clothing he removed was
his socks. Moms insisted that he wear footed-pajamas, although Bobby detested
them. He pulled off the left sock, and then the right. A tiny ping sounded out on the wooden floor. Just as curious
as his sister, Bobby bent down to investigate. The key! It had been in his sock the entire time. He almost
whooped out loud with joy. He was sure Trixie had already devised a plan to
dismember him in the most painful way possible. Maybe this would grant him a
pardon. Bobby quickly
hopped into his pajamas, zipped them up, then quietly padded down the hall.
He stopped to listen outside his parents’ door. All quiet, he thought. Those
funny noises stopped. He crept silently down
the staircase. He knew precisely which stairs creaked and where to step to
make the least amount of noise. Once he was on the first floor, he tiptoed in
the living room to give Trixie the key. The flames in
the fireplace provided him with enough light to see. Bobby saw his sister and
Jim sitting on the couch. Jim was leaning in one corner of the sofa, with
Trixie cuddled against him. Her right hand rested on his chest. They were
both asleep, contented smiles on their faces. A thousand
mischievous plans danced in Bobby’s brain. Should I sneak up behind them and yell real loud? Or maybe stick
Trixie’s hand in warm water and make her pee? Bobby had to cover his
mouth to stifle a giggle. But as he crept
closer to the sleeping pair, Bobby’s heart softened. His sister looked so
peaceful, so happy, so pretty… When did
Trixie get so bootiful? And for the first time
Bobby could remember, Jim actually looked relaxed. He didn’t look like was
itching to build something or climb something. He looked like he didn’t have
a care in the world. And he looks
pretty strong, Bobby thought. He
might cream me if I do somethin’ mean to Trixie… The little boy
crept stealthily to the trunk by the wall, and quietly opened it and pulled
out a warm blanket. He gently laid it over his sister and Jim, making sure
they were all covered. After one last sweet look at the two, he tiptoed into
the kitchen to place the key on the table. After he placed
the key on the kitchen table, Bobby giggled as he saw headlights. He waited
by the door, anticipating the fun. Minutes later,
the back door slowly creaked open. Mart and Brian had already taken off their
shoes and placed them by the door. They tiptoed inside. “Yer late,”
Bobby said in a loud stage whisper. Both Mart and
Brian jumped in surprise. “We are not, Mudflap,” Brian whispered. “It’s only
12:28.” “And if you
were as perspicacious as your elder kinsmen, you would fathom that we are not
in abeyance. Indeed, we are one hundred and twenty seconds premature,” Mart
elaborated. Bobby merely
grinned and pointed to the digital clock on the stove, which read Horror filled the older
boys’ faces. Brian yanked Mart’s arm up to his face, read 12:28, and asked
frantically, “Is your watch wrong?” “No!” Mart
sputtered. “I just got it for Christmas! Did I forget the time change?” “This is New
Year’s Day, not Daylight Savings Time, you moron!” Brian hissed. “Your stupid
watch stopped!” “I just checked
it this morning,” Mart sputtered, “and it was fine!” He held the watch up to
his ear, and sure enough, he heard the soft tick, tick, tick. “It didn’t stop. It’s just an hour behind. But
how could that—” Bobby’s
giggling drew all eyes to him. Mart’s blood ran
cold, frightened by the cleverness of the child before them; oh, the havoc
this evil little genius could wreak. “You changed the time, didn’t you, small
fry?” Bobby grinned
at them impishly. “Well, you know
that, and I know that, and Brian knows that, but Moms and Dad don’t know that.” With
that, he yawned and left the room to climb the stairs leading to his cozy
bed. Mart and Brian
looked at each other helplessly. If they told on Bobby, they would have to
tell where he got the idea for such blackmail. Before going
upstairs to their room, Brian peeked into the living room and saw Trixie and
Jim cuddled on the couch. He tiptoed over to them, picked up his sister’s
hand from Jim’s chest, and laid it by her side. “What’re you
doing?” Mart whispered. “Come on, before Dad wakes up.” Brian held up
his index finger telling Mart to wait. Knowing his sister was a sound
sleeper, he gently tried to move her away from Jim, but it was no use. She
seemed to be anchored firm. Determined to put a little space between his
sister and his best friend, Brian gave a final tug. However, that only seemed
to make Trixie snuggle closer to Jim. Her free hand once again rested on Jim’s
chest. Deciding he’d better not press his luck, Brian shrugged and followed
Mart to the staircase. The two boys
tiptoed up the stairs, successfully navigating the creaky steps. They crept down
the hallway and, very, very quietly, opened their bedroom door. Behind their
bedroom door stood Peter Belden. He was looking at his watch and tapping it
as if to check to time. He looked up at the boys and waited for a lame
explanation, which he would immediately disregard. Brian was
silent, but Mart had never mastered the fine art of keeping one’s mouth shut.
He threw up his hands and, in a jubilant voice, decreed, “Happy New Year,
Dad!” “Happy New Year,” their father replied, a
stern expression on his handsome face. Down the hall,
in his cozy bed, Bobby Belden grinned in satisfaction. Snuggling under the
warm comforter, he murmured, “Happy New Year, indeed!”
Jixemitri Cwp #4 required elements: Must be a kiss by mistake- Trixie and Jim Song: Love in an Elevator- Mart taped the music video of it
over the Beldens’ wedding video Someone must receive an “Are you single?” dating solicitation-
Bobby got one Cheesecake referred to as “sex on a plate”- Written on the
nightshirt Mart got Moms for Christmas that she subsequently returned. Someone chopping wood, other than Dan- Brian Single sock, placement optional- Mart’s smelly one which at
one time, had been placed in Bobby’s mouth. J People putting up decorations- lady at Crimpers Shooting star- what provoked the accidental kiss Cameo appearance by a created character- Bernadette’s lovely
Sirene from her Bob-White Magic site. Thank you, Bernadette! {{HUGS!!}} Carry over item- (a make-up mirror and the mention or presence
of a pet from #1, a hula hoop and Viagra from #2, someone losing keys from
#3) Be sure to check out the Blooper Reel at The
Cameo. There was an affectionate tip of the hat to some of the talented
writers in Jixland! A big humongous thank you
to my editors, Kaye and Kathy, for working on this. I didn’t give you very
much time, and I’m so grateful to you for getting it finished in plenty of
time! Big hugs to you both! Let me just say, I had a
little brother just like Bobby, so I know how their foul little minds think. If
my brother would’ve had a set of handcuffs like these, I can only imagine the
chaos that would have ensued. *G* I know in the books, it
doesn’t say if Jim is left-handed, but he was in Cathy P’s universe, and
that’s good enough for me. J Besides, it made things a
little easier for Jim and Trixie to have the usage of their dominant hand.
See how kind I was to them. BTW, I had lots of fun
experimenting to see if such things were possible while handcuffed. Some
things may be exaggerated, but hey, this is fanfic. J According to my lovely
editor, Kaye, I’m the only person in this vast universe who would call Mart
‘Poor Mart’ in this story. Am I crazy? Yeah, crazy for Mart. J BTW, did you see the pluge for UMM in there? Making up a slew of rules
just seemed like the Brian thing to do. One of my editors suggested
handcuffing him to Honey, as recompense. *VEG*. Trixie holding her
liquids for an extremely long period of time is possible. My daughter is
veeery picky about where she goes to the bathroom. She will hold it the
entire 9+ hour trip to I know Trixie wouldn’t
normally be so adamant about putting on makeup, but I thought it would be fun
to have this scene included. One of the things that bugs my dh most is for me
to squirt hair spray or perfume in his presence. And after I wrote the powder
part, I asked him if he would mind if makeup powder was spilled on him. His
reaction was just like Jim’s, so I knew I hit the nail on the head. And the
cotton ball sequence was inspired by one of Seinfeld’s monologues. Also, there was a reference to the infamous
‘Hot Babes in Cold
Places’ is a creation of my own, going back to ‘All I Want for Christmas’,
and I gave myself permission to use it. I can only imagine the
torture I would endure if I was handcuffed to my dh after he ate anything
containing beans. He gives a whole new meaning to the silent but deadly
killers. *G* Legos are made by
somebody, and I didn’t ask permission to use them. However, let the record
show that I’ve bought millions of the things, and thereby have earned the
right to swipe the name and use it in my fanfic. Only Moms would obsess
about uremic poisoning at a time like this. Thanks to Kate for giving me the
term on the MB! This part was included especially for Kathy, who wanted me to
make it realistic. J Mystery on the Ty Scott was a Julie
Campbell character. I don’t know if Mart ever gave back that recorder or not,
but if he did, just pretend he didn’t. J Of course, more
referencing to ‘Boys
Will Be Boys’ with the I adore that particular Johnny
Mathis song. When I was in high school, I rode with my dad to school. He had
that tape, and one morning, he played it. I grumbled and complained about
having to listen to it, but after several mornings listening to it, I ended
up enjoying it and putting it in before Dad could. Now, I’m older, and would
love to have that tape. J The extended kiss scene
is dedicated to Kathy, who declared that inquiring Jim fans needed more
details. *G* And didn’t Bobby end up
being a sweetie to Trixie! I can’t make him all bad. He has his moments. And revenge is sweet. Saccharine
sweet. Just ask him. Did you really think that
such a die-hard Jim and Trixie fan would let them have their first kiss with
someone else? This, of course, was the kiss referenced to the “Why Do Fools Fall in
Love? Part Three”. There was a hint about it in that story, which was a
teaser, of sorts. Finally, Happy New Years
to you all! New Year’s Day is one of my most favoritest days of the year.
It’s my wedding anniversary, so I wanted to make that be the anniversary of
Trixie and Jim’s first kiss. It’s always good to start the new year right. J
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