Homefront
Part 4
Saturday, June 30, 1984
“Uncle Peter is meeting us at the train, right?” Tessa asked, looking at her watch.
“Yes, for the tenth time. Sweetie, why are you so nervous?”
Tessa shrugged. “I really don’t know. I just am. Silly, right?”
“A little,” Andrew agreed. “Don’t forget, I’ll be with you for a while. I have dibs on the guest room for the rest of the summer. I’m not going to just drop you off and leave.”
Tessa giggled at the idea of her uncle tossing her off the train and continuing on his way. “I’m glad,” she said. “I know that this was all my idea, and I really am looking forward to it, but it’s just like Uncle Harry said. It’s another change, in a long line of changes.”
“Are you having doubts?” Andrew draped his arm over her shoulders. “Because it isn’t too late to change your mind.”
“Thanks.” Tessa relaxed a little. “But I don’t think I’m having doubts. More like minor anxiety. I’ll get over it. This was the right choice; I know it was. I’m just freaking out a little.”
“Well,” Andrew gave a little squeeze. “Prepare to freak out a lot, because the next stop is Sleepyside.”
“Does my hair look okay? Am I all wrinkled?” Tessa asked with mock seriousness, clutching at Andrew’s arm. He looked at her, and they both laughed, the tension dispelling as they did.
“Why isn’t the train here yet?” Trixie wailed, her hands clutching at her hair.
“Because it isn’t scheduled to arrive for another five minutes, that’s why,” Peter Belden told his daughter, unsuccessfully trying to hide his smile. “We somehow managed to get here a little early.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Trixie said, a little shamefaced. “I’m just really anxious for Tessa to get here. Do you think she’ll like her room? And the slumber party that we’re going to have when Honey gets back from Oyster Bay? I mean, Tessa and Honey haven’t even met yet, but she got along really well with Di, so we figured she’ll like Honey, too.” Trixie paused for breath.
“Slow down, Princess.” Peter held up his hand and chuckled. “I’m sure your cousin will love what you and your mother did to the sewing room. I’m equally sure she will like all of your friends--even the ones she hasn’t met yet. Just try not to overwhelm her with everything all at once. Give her a chance to settle in, first. Then you can bombard her.”
Trixie had to laugh. “Okay,” she said, “I’m a little excited. But she hasn’t met everyone yet, and with Jim and Dan away at camp, she won’t have a chance to until August. Honey gets back in time for the Fourth of July picnic, but then Mart and Brian leave for camp. So I guess we have to take it slow.”
Peter groaned, good-naturedly. “I just realized that the four of you girls are going to be without the boys for a whole month.”
“The Girl Power Summer,” Trixie intoned solemnly, before bursting into laughter. “We already figured that out, and boy, you should have seen the looks on the guys’ faces when they realized it!”
“I can imagine.” Peter closed his eyes, because he could indeed imagine the looks on the faces of the Bob-White boys when they realized the girls would be alone for the summer. He had to fight hard to keep that same expression off of his own face, as his mind conjured up all manner of trouble that Trixie and company could find.
Daddy! Daddy!” Trixie’s voice brought Peter back to reality. “The train’s here. Let’s go.”
“It’s beautiful, Auntie Helen.” Tessa set her small bag on the twin sized bed, and looked around the room. Helen’s sewing room had been transformed in the weeks since Tessa’s last visit. The sewing machine and mending basket had been moved out, and the whole room had been painted a cheery pale yellow. New curtains in a green gingham check hung over the window, the edges brushing the sill, and the brand new twin bed was covered with a beautiful quilt, pieced out of randomly placed brightly colored fabrics. Tessa carefully fingered the decorative embroidery. “This quilt is gorgeous. I love the colors.”
“Trixie chose it,” Helen told her. “The boys did the painting.”
“And the moving,” Mart groaned, rubbing his back. “We moved every piece of that furniture.” His smile belied his griping.
“It’s just...beautiful. Thank you.” Tessa impulsively hugged each of her family members.
“Most of your things arrived on Wednesday,” Peter commented. “Trixie and your Aunt Helen opened the boxes and put away your clothes. The rest they left for you.”
“I should probably get started then,” Tessa said. “Where are the boxes?”
“In the closet, dear.” Helen opened the closet door. “I’m going to get dinner started. Maybe Trixie can help you get settled.”
“Sure.” Trixie grinned. “Your clothes were fine, but I really want to see what’s in the other boxes.”
Tessa laughed. “Well, I appreciate the help, but I hope you won’t be disappointed.” She looked at Helen. “Are you sure you don’t need our help?”
“I’m sure. Mart can help me, and Brian will be back with Bobby before you know it.” Helen smiled at the thought. “Enjoy the peace while you can.”
After the rest of the family left, Tessa sat down on the bed, her hand caressing the fabric of the quilt as she looked around the room.
“Do you really like it?” Trixie asked, feeling unusually shy.
“Yes.” Tessa smiled up at her cousin. “I love this quilt. Thank you for picking it out for me.”
“It is pretty, isn’t it?” Trixie plopped down next to Tessa. “Miss Rachel makes them, all by hand. This one is called a crazy quilt, because it is made up of so many different colors and types of fabric. Then she did all the fancy stitches over the seams.”
“Do you sew?”
Trixie nearly choked, and Tessa laughed at the horrified expression on her cousin’s face. “No. Not me. Not ever. I tried knitting once, and it nearly drove me nuts. It did make my Aunt Alicia happy. Temporarily. I picked this one because it was bright and I liked the way the velvet and the satin and the cotton all blend together.”
“I like that, too,” Tessa admitted. “You have good taste.”
“Thanks.” Trixie flushed, and shrugged. “I’m not much of a girly-girl, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like pretty things. I just don’t spend all my time making or looking for them.”
“Makes sense to me.” Tessa rose and opened her bag, pulling out some clothing. “Now, tell me where you put my underwear, and we can get to the boxes.”
“Top drawer, right for the panties,” Trixie said, pulling a tattered blanket and a red spiral notebook out of the bag. “Left for the bras. What do you want me to do with these?”
Tessa turned. “Oh. Just leave them on the bed. That’s my journal and my favorite blanket. I like to keep them close.”
“This looks like it is well loved,” Trixie commented, as she refolded the blanket, and placed it at the foot of the bed.
“It is.” Tessa picked up the blanket, a sad look in her eyes. She hugged it to her, and then laid it across the pillow. Picking up the notebook, she slid it under the blanket. “Now where did you put the box with my hula stuff?”
“It’s right here.” Trixie pulled a box out of the closet. “Moms and I opened it, just to make sure it wasn’t clothes, and I have to ask: What are these things?”
Tessa laughed, taking the gourd-like object from her cousin’s hands. Trixie was almost vibrating again, and her enthusiasm was contagious. “That is called an ipu. You use it almost like a drum. Those feathered shakers are uli uli...”
