Chapter Sixteen - Understanding Moms

The group of seven BWGs, plus Bobby, were all startled by Helen Belden’s voice at the bottom of the stairway that led to the attic.

The rest of the BWGs all laughed, and Jim ruffled Bobby’s hair affectionately. "Sorry, Sport. But you do want to go on that trip to Arizona with Terry and Larry, don’t you?"

Bobby’s spirits improved at Jim’s words. "Yeah, and wait’ll I tell them everything they missed here!"

Trixie turned to look over her shoulder at her mother’s voice. "I’d guess we’d better get down there," she told the rest of the group. "Besides, we have to tell them about the diary!" she added excitedly.

Bobby and the seven BWGs made their way down the attic steps, with Trixie taking the lead.

"Moms!" she called down excitedly as she gingerly made her way down the steps. "Guess what we found?"

Trixie stood on the front porch, watching Bobby and her father place their bags in the back of the car and listening to her aunt’s feeble attempts to reassure her mother that someone with twenty years of teaching experience could handle seven teenagers for a few days.

"Helen, I handle six classrooms full of teenagers every day. That’s over 150 very clever and often devious teenagers. There’s nothing --nothing!--I haven’t seen over the past two decades. I think I’ll be fine with seven BWGs for a few days."

Mrs. Belden smiled at her daughter before turning back to Alicia. "You don’t know Trixie on the trail of a mystery. She can be…"

Alicia laughed heartily. "Oh, but I know her mother! And I remember when you…" Helen slapped her hand over Alicia’s mouth, and they both laughed.

Alicia gripped Helen’s shoulders. "Now that we’ve found the diary, there’s not much of a mystery to solve. I think all the answers will be right on those pages." She looked over at Trixie and winked. "In fact, I can’t wait to see what Aunt Helen wrote."

"And find out why it was so important to her that we find the diary," Trixie added.

"Peter and Robert are waiting." Alicia gave her sister a slight nudge. "And I have to check on dinner. We’ll give that diary a thorough examination after we eat, and I think that will be the end of the mystery. So get!"

Aunt Alicia placed her arm around Trixie’s shoulders, and the two watched as Helen headed towards the car. She stopped halfway there and looked back. Alice whispered to Trixie to smile and wave, and Trixie complied. When Helen reached the car and they all started to get in, Bobby grabbed something and ran up the walkway.

"Here, Trix. This might help you solve your mystery." He waved his Magic 8-Ball. "I won’t need it in Arizona."

"Oh, Bobby, I thought you were planning to take this on the plane. You might need this to have something to do on that long flight."

"Don’t worry, Trix. I won’t get bored. I’ll be with Terry and Larry. We’ll have lots of fun together. But you need help with your detectiving."

Aunt Alicia laughed and took the black orb from Bobby. "Thank you, Robert. I’ll make sure Beatrix consults this before she makes any important decisions."

Satisfied, Bobby turned and ran back to the car. Once he was buckled in securely, he looked up at his sister and aunt and waved heartily. "I’ll miss you. But not too much!" he called out as the car pulled away.

Trixie stood waving and then watching, long after the car was out of sight and her aunt had gone inside, pondering all that had happened since they’d arrived. Certain that there was much more to this mystery than what they would find written on the pages of her great-aunt Helen’s diary, she knew she and the BWGs needed to get to work; and the sooner, the better. She turned and ran into the house.

"Jim? Brian?" The door slammed behind her. She called up the stairs. "Mart? Dan? What are you doing? Di? Honey? Where are you guys?" She yelled again up the stairs. "Hey, everyone! Meeting of the BWGs in the living room! Meeting in ten minutes!" The door slammed behind her. "Where the heck is my Co-President? BWG meeting in ten minutes!" Trixie ran though the house.

It took more than ten minutes to track down all of the Bob-Whites, but eventually, they were gathered in the formal living room.

"This had better be important, Trixie." Mart flopped down onto the sofa and looked at this watch. "I’m hungry and wonderful aromas are emanating from the direction of the kitchen."

"Mart is hungry," Trixie drawled. "What else is new?. We’ll break for dinner, if necessary."

"This will take that long?" Mart patted the sofa cushion next to him for Diana to sit down. "Can you wait for me to get a snack?"

"Thank you, Brian. Now, is anyone missing?" Trixie leaned against the mantle and looked around the room. Dan was spread out on the rug in front of the hearth. Di, Mart and Honey were on the sofa, and Jim was in a large armchair. Brian was sitting in another armchair. They all had assumed they were called together to begin examining the diary and were anxious to see it.

"Okay, we’re all here." She first picked up the diary from where she had placed it on the raised hearth and held it up. She then picked up Frank’s birth certificate, held it in the other hand and turned slowly.

" And must you be so supercilious, Mart?" She smiled smugly at her brother and looked to Jim for approval before continuing, "Somewhere in the pages of this diary is the answer or at least clues to what Aunt Helen wanted us to know."

"She wanted us to know that Frank was her son, not her brother." Diana shook her head and tried not to tear up. "I can’t imagine what a heavy burden that must have been for her."

Honey nodded her agreement. "It’s such a shame. Your Aunt Helen keeping the secret right up until…"

"So we know that secret," Dan interjected. "I guess it’s safe to say you solved that mystery, Trixie," he added. "I guess you want to tackle the other mystery, now."

"Yes!" Trixie waved the diary. "And I think the answer is right in here. I found an entry made on the day Frank disappeared, and it provides some insight, but doesn’t say much. I thought we’d look at all the other entries, and…"

"Dinner is almost ready, children!" Aunt Alicia called from the doorway. "Actually, I need for some strong young men to move chairs and put ice in the glasses and some lovely young ladies to set the table. Beatrix made the salad earlier, and the casserole is almost ready."

"As Co-President, I suggest we adjourn this meeting until after dinner. Is that okay with you, Trix?" Jim stood up. Seeing Trixie nod her agreement, he rubbed his stomach. "I think I’m as hungry as Mart right now."

Trixie set the diary and birth certificate on the coffee table, placing Bobby’s Magic 8-Ball on top, before following the other BWGs across the hall and through the dining room into the kitchen.

Aunt Alicia proved to be as wonderful a cook as her younger sister. She had prepared a chicken and rice casserole that was very similar to what the BWGs knew as Moms’ "Chicken Delish", but with some "secret" spices that had everyone asking for seconds or thirds. It was accompanied by fresh steamed peas, the salad Trixie had prepared and sourdough rolls. For dessert, there was cherry cobbler topped with ice cream.

"I don’t think I can move," Trixie moaned as she cleared several dishes from the table and headed into the kitchen.

"I don’t want to ever hear another utterance from you, dear sibling, about the abundant amounts of sustenance I require," Mart muttered from behind her. "I had one serving of cobbler, but I believe I saw you take a second."

Trixie jerked to a stop so that Mart bumped into her. "Not one word, buster. I almost never take seconds, but you always do."

"Trixie, if you and the girls will rinse the dishes, I’ll handle the rest so you BWGs can get back to that diary. I’m as excited as all of you to hear what it says." Aunt Alicia began filling the sink with sudsy water. "Jim and Brian, would you please carry those empty boxes from the pickup onto the porch so they won’t get damp overnight?. And I need one of you boys to wipe off the table. We’ll meet in the living room in a few minutes." She dismissed the boys.

Mart tossed a rag to Dan. "Only one rag, Danno. You get table duty while I digest." He started to head towards the living room.

Brian grabbed his brother in a neck lock. "No way, Martin. You can help us." Laughing, he pulled Mart out the back door behind Jim.

Trixie laughed at her brothers’ antics and then turned to watch as Dan headed into the dining room, glad that he had been able to join the BWGs on this adventure. He’d missed far too many in the past.

Just as he leaned over the table to begin wiping it down, something caught his attention, and he jerked to attention. "Hey!" he yelled as he ran into the living room. "Hey! What the…"

The plate Trixie was holding shattered loudly on the floor as she took off behind Dan. "Hey! Hey!" she called out, not sure why, as she followed Dan through the living room to the hall and then out the front door. She stepped onto the porch just in time to see Dan hurling something across the yard.

He stopped and looked back at Trixie. "I saw a man…. At least I think it was a man…but he got away. I saw something in the living room."

"No. I didn’t hear anything. Are you sure? Are you sure you saw a man and not just…" Trixie shuddered. "I didn’t see anything."

"I saw something. A movement--there. There was someone in the living room. At least… C’mon, let’s see if the ball I threw is broken."

"Yeah, there was one of those Magic 8-Balls on the hall table. I grabbed it as I ran out and threw it at our intruder…or whatever. "

"Yeah. On the table. Where’d it come from?" He led Trixie across the lawn. "There it is."

"It’s Bobby’s. I left it on the coffee table when we went in to eat dinner. Ohmigosh!"

Dan bent over and picked up the ball. "It’s okay. It doesn’t seem bro… Trix!"

"Oh no!" Trixie turned and began running back to the house. "The diary! The birth certificate!"

"Oh no! Where is it?" The screen door slammed behind her as Trixie hurried into the living room. "I left them right there." She pointed to the coffee table. "The intruder…"

"What intruder?" Jim hurried into the room, the rest of the BWGs behind him. "What are you talking about? Why all the noise?"

"What was? What’s this about an intruder? Take a breath and tell us." Jim walked over to Trixie.

"We need to go after him! He took them!" Trixie pointed towards the front door. "Dan saw someone in here and chased him." She looked over to Dan for confirmation. "The 8-Ball had been moved. I left it in here, on top of the diary and birth certificate. And they’re gone. The 8-Ball..."

"Looking for these?" Mart held up the diary and certificate he found on the floor behind the sofa. "Would you like to tell us why my sister is in such a state?" He turned to Dan.

"Trixie’s right. I thought I saw someone in here. I yelled at him, and he ran out the front door so I went out behind him. I grabbed Bobby’s Magic 8-Ball off the table in the front hall, and I threw it at him. Or at least across the yard. I couldn’t see him in the dark." Dan held up the ball. "This is it. It appears it just bounced around on the front lawn."

"Who cares about baseball?" Trixie moaned. "This is really strange. We don’t know for certain if someone was in here or not, but this is really curious. Can you say for certain you saw someone, Dan?"

Dan shook his head no. "I thought…I saw something in here, and when I yelled and ran in…I ran outside, and there were shadows…It sure looked like someone…" He glanced around the room, confused. "Maybe I…"

"I honestly didn’t see anything, Dan, but the Magic 8-Ball was…" Trixie started to speak.

"If there was someone in here," Honey interrupted, "they didn’t get anything. Dan might have knocked the things off the table when he ran through. There are a lot of explanations for the disturbance in the room, and I do not want to discuss possible intruders or anything else." Honey shivered. "Nothing seems to be disturbed. If someone was trying to get the diary, I suggest we start looking through it right now. It might provide some clues, but if nothing else, there’ll be an interesting story to read."

"But the Magic 8-Ball," Trixie argued, "was moved. I placed it on top of the birth certificate and diary before we ate. I…"

"I think my little sister is the one befuddled and not Dan. For now, Trixie, I think we should heed Honey’s sage advice and focus on the diary. Once you calm down, you will probably recall that you did not leave the Magic 8-Ball in here. Shall you read or I?" Mart held the book towards Trixie.

Trixie grabbed the book from Mart and sat down. "What should we read first? Do you want me to read the entry I found where she writes about the meeting with Frank?"

"I think first we need to be sure we aren't still needed in the kitchen," Honey suggested.

"Of course." Trixie blushed as she stood up. As always, Honey remembered their responsibilities, while Trixie was ready to forge ahead without thinking. She followed her friends into the kitchen, being sure to carry the diary and birth certificate with her.

Once the kitchen chores were done, they all sat down in the living room, including Aunt Alicia, and looked to Trixie to begin reading sections aloud. She first found an entry Aunt Helen had made about the night Frank had last visited them.

It was so good to see Frank again. We see him so seldom now that he has grown up. And what a handsome, intelligent and charming young man he has become! I am so proud of him and know I did the right thing so many years ago. Or at least I felt that way until tonight.

His visit began amiably, and we enjoyed a delicious dinner. In retrospect, I realize I should have noticed his discomfort, but I was just so happy to have him for a visit. It never occurred to me that he wasn’t as delighted as I.

Once we retired to the living room for coffee, he informed Martin and me that he had news, important news, and he hoped we’d be happy for him. Martin and I looked at each other in silence, both clueless as to what this might be.

And he told us. He and his girlfriend are expecting a child. And they aren’t married, and Frank was insistent that they had no plans to marry. Oh, he insisted he would never abandon his child, but he saw no need to marry the mother. He wanted us to help him. Something about giving him some money. Once the words were spoken, he waited silently for a response from us. I couldn’t speak. All I could think of was the shame and embarrassment that this would bring the family. The shame and embarrassment I had tried to spare him twenty-five years ago was for naught. Our family name would be smeared anyway. I couldn’t look him in the face. I couldn’t look at my darling Frank.

Finally, Martin broke the silence. Oh, the angry words that were spoken! I’d never heard such language in this home. Frank was insistent that he and Nancy had discussed marriage, but decided against it, and they would raise their child with or without our blessings. Martin was equally insistent that he must do the honorable thing. Frank tried to explain that he had every intention of supporting his child and that he didn't need a marriage license to force him to do so, but Martin refused to hear such rubbish. When Frank looked to me for support, I couldn’t face him. I certainly didn’t want to see him trapped in a loveless marriage, but I didn’t want him to bring shame to our family, either. And the child, to spend a life stigmatized by his parents’ infidelity. Finally, Frank stormed out and headed into the dark night, not even closing the door behind him.

The wind was howling and the rain pouring. My heart felt as if it would shatter, and I wanted to howl and let my own tears pour. Instead, Martin and I sat silently for what seemed hours, but were only moments, before he got up and closed the door. As he shut the door, Martin turned to me and grabbed his left arm. I hurried to him, and he tried to speak, but could not. I immediately ran to the phone and called for help.

It seemed an eternity until the ambulance arrived, and they were able to take us to the hospital. Martin has been admitted to the Cardiac Unit, and I am only allowed to see him for a few moments at a time.

I continue to worry about dear Frank, but feel that once he hears of Martin’s illness, he will come to us. My only solace is to write these words, while praying that Martin will recover, and this all will be resolved.

"Moving." Honey wiped the tears from her eyes. "She had given up her child and lived twenty-five years with the consequences of being forced to give up her son as result of her out-of-wedlock pregnancy. She made such a sacrifice, only to have him repeat her mistake."

"No child is a mistake," Diana interjected firmly. "And he wasn’t planning to give up or lie about his child."

"No. That’s not what I meant. It’s just so sad. And she saw it all as...what did she call it, Trixie?"

"A shame and embarrassment." Trixie shared her friends’ sadness and tried to change the mood. "At least we can pretty much rule out he was murdered by them," she added.

"We know what you mean, Trix." Jim sat forward in his chair. "Before we found the diary, I think we all thought there might have been some kind of fight, and maybe Martin struck Frank in anger or something and then tossed him down the well." Jim turned to the others. "Trixie’s right. Frank’s death wasn’t directly related to that fight, at least. Read more, Trix. Maybe there's something else."

Trixie flipped though the pages. "Nothing…nothing…" she muttered. She looked up at her friends and aunt and shrugged. "She has a lot of boring stuff about housekeeping and gardening. She frets a lot about Martin’s illness and slow recovery. Geesh…how much can you write about medicines and walks in the garden? Blah, blah, blah!" She flipped though some more. "Oh my! She wrote this about one week after later."

"Yuck! I’m not sure I want to read any more of this." Diana stood up. "I don’t want to think of fighting and rotting bodies and…"

"Wait! Di! I won’t read anymore about dead bodies, but I think I found another clue!" Trixie pointed to a page in the diary. "Listen to this!"

Diana sat down, and all the BWGs as well as Aunt Alicia leaned forward as Trixie read on.

Two months since Frank shared his news, and we’ve heard nothing further from him. I’ve tried to contact him, but he hasn’t been to work, and his landlord knows nothing. In fact, no one has seen him since the night he was here. Where could he be? Did he and Nancy change their minds and elope?? I can’t believe...

Oh, I can believe they might elope. Perhaps Frank recognized what he needed to do, and they did marry after all. But if he did elope, why hasn’t he contacted us, or, at the very least, his employer? He'd never abandon his job. This is so unlike him.

Where could he be?

His…girlfriend (is that what I should call her? ) is named Nancy, but I don’t even know her last name. If I did, I’d try to find her.

I asked Martin about hiring a private investigator. At first, he refused. He insists that Frank will come back, his new wife by his side, begging our forgiveness. But now, Martin is beginning to agree that something is wrong. Even though he doesn’t agree with Frank's decision, he understands that Frank is my life, and I think he loves Frank, too. Perhaps I think I’ll mention that to him at dinner tonight. It’s been too long to ignore Frank’s mysterious disappearance.

I wonder how you go about hiring a private investigator.

Trixie placed the book on her lap and looked around the room. Everyone sat in silence, not sure what to say or do. She began flipping through the diary again.

"Nothing," She finally announced. "Not one word about Frank or Nancy anywhere else in the diary. Not even a mention hiring a mention of hiring a PI. Now that's mysterious."

"No, it’s not, Trix. It was probably just too painful for her to write about it," Diana offered sympathetically.

"More?" Mart asked. "You just learned that Aunt Helen and Uncle Martin almost certainly weren’t involved in Frank’s untimely demise; that he probably died right after that fight and was buried in the well; and his girlfriend’s name was Nancy. That should be more than enough for two capable detectives like you and Honey to solve a murder."

Diana shivered involuntarily. "Well, I’ve had enough of mysteries and murders for tonight."

"As have I." Aunt Alicia stood up then. "I’m calling it a night. I’m sorry, Daniel, but despite what you thought you saw, even you aren’t absolutely certain it was anything but shadows. We have no concrete proof, and while she’s insistent, no one else saw Beatrix place the 8-Ball on the table. I don’t believe we had an intruder, and I don’t want you to worry about it. But, just in case, I will keep the birth certificate with me tonight.

"I suggest all of you follow me to bed, since we have a full day tomorrow. Between all the excitement of finding the diary and getting your parents and Robert off, we didn’t accomplish much today. We’ll have to make up time tomorrow."

Trixie stood and yawned broadly. "I didn’t realize how tired I am." She yawned again. "We’ll be right up, Aunt Alicia. I’d like to get some hot cocoa first."

"Beatrix, I’m beginning to understand why your mother has more gray hairs than I! But I love you, dear. Do not stay up late!"

Magic 8-Ball® is a registered trademark of Tyco Toys, Inc. and is used without permission. According to Wikipedia, the Magic 8-Ball®, a toy used for fortune-telling, was invented in 1946 by Abe Bookman of the Alabe Toy Company. It is a hollow, plastic sphere resembling an oversized, black and white 8-ball. Inside is a white, plastic, icosahedral die floating in a dark blue liquid. Each of the 20 faces of the die has an affirmative, negative, or noncommittal statement printed on it in raised letters. There is a transparent window on the bottom of the 8-Ball through which these messages can be read.

Acknowledgements: I want to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to put this complicated project story together:

Susan, who has to be bald by now with all the hair-pulling required to coordinate this monstrous effort;

Carol, Ronda, Cathyoma, Janice and Mary N, who, with Susan, served on the lead team;

Cathy, without whom there’d be no Jixemitri, no Jixaversary to celebrate, and a lot of lonely Trixie Belden fans searching for a home on the web.