July 4, 1984

        “Tessa seems to be settling in well enough,” Helen commented.  “What do you think, Andrew?”

        “So far, so good,” Andrew agreed.  “Truly, Helen, I am continually amazed by how adaptable she is.”

        “She’s young,” Helen said with a smile.  “We used to be more adaptable, too.”

        Andrew laughed.  “True.  All too true.”

        “Have you had any success finding her father’s family?”

        Andrew had the grace to look a bit abashed.  “I haven’t tried very hard,” he admitted.  “I like to tell myself that I was more interested in getting Tessa settled, but truthfully, Helen, I just wanted to make sure they didn’t take her away.  From what Sarah said, they are amazingly wealthy and powerful.”

        “I can understand your feelings, Andrew,” Helen told him.  “But you aren’t being fair to Tessa.”

        “I know.” Andrew rose and poured himself another cup of coffee.  “I’ll get things started tomorrow.  I promise.”

        “Perhaps you should speak with Matthew Wheeler.  He knows a great many wealthy and influential people. Perhaps he knows some of Tessa’s family.”

        “That’s not a bad idea,” Andrew mused.  “Is he home, yet?”

        “I understand the Wheelers will be home later this afternoon.  I know that Trixie is counting on Honey being here for the picnic, and the girls have planned a slumber party at Manor House for tonight.”

        “Then I’ll see Matthew tonight,” Andrew said.  “Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow, and discuss what I know about the mysterious Hart family.”

        “Oh no!”  Peter Belden entered the kitchen.  “Do not use that word in front of my daughter, Andrew.”

        “Which word?”  Andrew racked his brain, trying to figure out which inappropriate word had left his mouth.

        “Mysterious,” Peter told him, pouring himself coffee and taking a seat next to his wife.  “The word might be spelled with ten letters, but around here it’s a four letter word!

        “Are you all packed, Tess?”  Trixie poked her head into her cousin’s room.  “Honey just called and she’s on her way over to pick us up.”

        “I think so.”  Tessa smiled widely as she turned to face her boisterous cousin.  “I have pajamas, a robe, my bathing suit, and clothes for tomorrow.  Do I need anything else?”

        “Nope.  When Mrs. Wheeler redid Honey’s room last spring, she put in two queen-size beds.  We can sleep all four of us, without any problem.”

        “Great.  I’m ready.”  Tessa picked up her bag and followed as Trixie bounced down the stairs.  She set her bag on a kitchen chair, and watched he cousin barrel out the door as a large sedan pulled into the drive.  Shaking her head in amusement, Tessa leaned against the counter and waited.  Sure enough, Trixie came back into the kitchen, dragging a taller, slender girl behind her.

        “Tess, this is my best friend, Honey Wheeler.  Hon, this is Tess, my cousin.”

        “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Tessa,” Honey said with a smile.  “It’s funny how we just kept missing each other.”

        “Yes, it is funny,” Tessa smiled, immediately at ease with the soft-spoken girl.  “But Trixie and Diana have told me so much about you, I feel as if I already know you.”

        “Speaking of Di, we should get going so we can pick her up for the parade.”  Trixie picked up Tessa’s bag.  “I’m sorry your parents aren’t coming to see the parade.”

        “So am I,” Honey said.  “But Mother was a little tired after the trip, so she decided to take a nap so she’ll be up for the picnic.  She seemed excited about it.”

        “I am too,” Trixie giggled.  “All of that food, and no Mart to eat it.  Yay!”

        The three girls giggled all the way out to the car.  Fifteen minutes later, they had picked up Diana, and Tom was pulling into the parking lot behind Crimpers.  Tom and his wife, Celia, walked across the street to the grandstand bleachers, while the four girls staked out seats on the curb.

        Seated on a towel, Tessa whispered to Di, “Are they speaking in some sort of coded language?”  She wagged her eyebrows toward Trixie and Honey, who were deeply involved in an animated discussion.

        Diana giggled, “Yes, it’s a rare language called detective-ese.  You’ll get used to it.”

        “Maybe,” Tessa said, smiling warmly at the younger girl.  “But I am really glad that you’re here, otherwise I think I’d be feeling abandoned and ignored.”

        “You get used to that, too.”  Diana stopped, shocked.  “I can’t believe I said that out loud.”

        “It’s okay.”

“No, no, it isn’t.  I didn’t mean...I mean, they don’t...” Diana’s voice trailed off.

        Tessa squeezed Diana’s hand.  “It is okay, Diana.  I understand.  I’ve only been with them for half an hour, and I can see it.  They don’t mean to leave us out, but Trixie and Honey are obviously a team.”

        “That’s the truth.  I’m not interested in mysteries like they are, and with Drama and Art, and babysitting the twins, I can’t always be around to help--even if I wasn’t afraid ninety percent of the time.”

        “I bet you are a big help, when you can be,” Tessa said.  “Besides, I think you and I make a pretty good team, too.  How about you?”

        Diana nodded shyly.  “I’m glad you moved to Sleepyside, Tess.  It’s nice to have a partner.”

        “In crime?” Tessa asked.

        “Crime, shopping, parade watching, whatever.”

        “Whatever, indeed,” Tessa agreed, solemnly holding out her hand.  Equally solemn, Diana shook it, and they both dissolved into giggles.  The laughter broke through Honey and Trixie’s conversation, and Trixie stared at them suspiciously.

        “Okay.  What are you two up to?”

        “We were just wondering what kind of trouble we can stir up while the boys are gone.”  Diana’s violet eyes twinkled mischievously.

        “Boys!  Hah!” Trixie wrinkled her nose. “They’ve been gone for two weeks; I’ve got a short letter from Dan, and a two sentence postcard from Jim.”

        “That’s more than I have,” Honey complained.  “I think I probably got a duplicate letter, and Jim didn’t even bother with a postcard.  He just had Daddy relay a message to me when he called to check in.  And Brian didn’t even call to say goodbye.”

        “Neither did Mart,” Di snorted, “and I was only a mile down the road when he left yesterday.”

        “That’s it!”  Tessa said firmly.  “I haven’t even met all of the boys yet, and I’m already starting to think that they are a bunch of irritating PITAs”

        “Peetuhs?” Honey asked.  Diana leaned over and whispered an explanation.  Honey flushed.  “Oh, no, Tess.  The boys are really great, they are just...I don’t know...insensitive, sometimes.”

        Tessa shrugged.  “If you say so, but I’d like to suggest that we do not discuss the ‘Bob-White’ boys until I get to meet them and make my own decisions.  Deal?” She held out her hand, palm down.

        “Deal!” Diana said, placing her hand on top of Tessa’s.

        “I’m in!” said Trixie.

        Honey hesitated briefly before adding her hand to the pile.  “Deal.”

        “Great!  Girl Power cheer,” Tessa said.  “One-two-three! Girl Power!”  As they chorused together, the band started to play, and the parade began.

        Hungry and happy, the four girls climbed into the car, chatting with Celia about the parade, as Tom drove them back towards the Manor House.

        “Let’s take your things upstairs, and then we can head down to the lake with Mother and Daddy,” Honey suggested.

        “You’re the hostess,” Tessa agreed cheerfully.  “I haven’t really been inside your house before, Honey.  I’m looking forward to getting the grand tour.”

        “That’s right,” Honey recalled.  “You were visiting while Trixie and I were off looking for Jim...oops!” she slapped a hand over her mouth.  “Sorry.”

        Tessa laughed.  “Oh for goodness sake, Honey.  I didn’t mean you couldn’t mention the boys, just don’t discuss them.  Jim’s your brother.  He’s bound to come up in the conversation.”

        “Well that’s a relief!” Honey giggled.  “I think I understand, now.  You’ve met Regan, right?”

        “Yes.  Regan was the first non-Belden person I met here.  He’s great, and you have some wonderful horses.”  Tessa wrinkled her nose.  “And I think you have the biggest kitchen on the planet, but that is about as much of the house as I’ve seen.”

        “Well, Trixie and Di and I can show you around after dinner and fireworks.  It’s a big house, though.  When we first moved in, I was afraid I would get lost, and starve to death in some hidden wing.”  Honey shook her head at the thought of her former self, and led the way into the house.

        “There you are, darling.  How was the parade?”  Madeleine Wheeler stepped into the foyer, looking cool and refreshed in her mint sundress and strappy sandals.

        “It was wonderful, Mother,” Honey enthused.  “The band actually sounded good, and the horses were beautiful.  I wish you had felt up to coming.”

        “I do too, darling, but I feel much better after my rest, and I’d much prefer to spend my evening with you and your friends.”  Madeleine brushed her hand over Honey’s hair.  “I suppose this is the new Belden?”

        “Oh!  Yes, Mother, I’m sorry.  I forgot that you hadn’t met Tess.”  Honey turned and reached for Tessa, drawing her toward Mrs. Wheeler.  “Mother, this is Trixie’s cousin, Tessa Belden.  Tessa, this is my mother, Madeleine Wheeler.”

        Tessa stepped forward, her hand extended.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wheeler, but Honey was mistaken.  My name isn’t Belden.  My mother was the Belden.  I’m Tessa Hart.”

        Madeleine Wheeler froze, her fingers barely grazing Tessa’s outstretched hand.  White-faced, she asked, in a voice that was soft and strained, “Excuse me?  What did you say your name was?”

        “Tessa Hart.”  Tess took a step back, unsure of what was happening.  “Mrs. Wheeler?  Are you okay?”

Madeleine stared at the girl, hazel eyes taking in every inch of her from head to toe.  Honey touched her arm.  “Mother?  Mom?  What is the matter?”

“Honey darling, please find your father.”  Honey started to protest, but the odd look on her mother’s face changed her mind.  She hurried off toward the library.

        “What...” Madeleine’s voice was little more than a whisper.  “What was your father’s name?”

        “Jack,” Tessa said cautiously.  “John Valentine Hart.  My mother was...”

        “Sarah.”  Madeleine supplied the name before Tessa could. 

        “How do you know that?”  Tessa asked, her eyes wide.

        Honey nearly skidded across the waxed floor, as she entered with her father in tow.  Matthew Wheeler took one look at his wife, and dropped Honey’s hand.  “Maddie?” he asked, slipping his arm around her trembling shoulders.  “Tell me.”

        “Matthew, it’s her.”  Madeleine pointed one slim finger at Tessa.  “It’s her.  Call Wes, tell him...tell him she’s here!”  With a shrug, she escaped Matthew’s arms and moved toward Tessa.  Tessa backed away, moving toward the door, where Di and Trixie stood, watching in confusion.

        “I just want to touch you,” Madeleine said.  “I need to know you’re real.  Please?”  As her hand reached out to stroke Tessa’s hair, Tessa cringed.

        “Please, Mrs. Wheeler,” she pleaded.  “Just let me go.  I’ll just go.”

        “No. No!”  Madeleine turned to Matthew.  “Matthew, you have to make her stay.  Tell Wes she’s here.”

        “Who, darling?  Who is she?”  Matthew gently removed his wife’s hand from Tessa’s hair.

        “She’s Tessa!” Madeleine cried out.  “She’s Jack’s Tessa.  Tessa Hart.”

        “Is that true?” Matthew asked gently, aware that his wife’s erratic behavior had frightened the girl.  “Are you Tessa Hart?”

        “Yes.”  Recovering, but still confused, Tessa looked the tall man directly in the eye.  “My name is Tessa Hart.  My parents were Jack and Sarah Hart.  They’re dead, both of them.  What I don’t know is who you are.”

        Madeleine burst into hysterical tears.  Scooping her into his arms, Matthew answered Tessa’s question.  “My name is Matthew Wheeler.  I think there is a good chance that I am your uncle.”

July 4th, 1984

        “I don’t want you to think your aunt is crazy, Tessa,” Matthew said, pouring her a glass of water.  “She was just very surprised.”

        “She’s not the only one,” Tessa told him, casting a glance at the woman now sleeping on the sofa.  “She’ll be okay, won’t she?  She’s been out almost an hour.”

        “I think so.”  Matthew poured himself two fingers of scotch.  “We spent the last four days in a family meeting at your grandparents house in Oyster Bay.  During those days, we mostly discussed you.  Wesley has had an investigator looking for you since you disappeared, but he kept coming up empty.  The family met, and finally decided to go public with our search, hoping that you would contact us.  An artist is working on aging a picture of you, and the first round of publicity was supposed to go out on  Friday, after we had a chance to tell the children.  Finding you in our foyer was a substantial shock.”

        Tessa looked at her aunt, breathing peacefully as she rested under a soft plaid blanket.  “Did you drug her?”

        Matthew laughed.  “No, no.  I didn’t give her anything.  Maddie has always had the ability to fall asleep on demand; it is one of her coping mechanisms.”

        “It’s one of mine too.”  Tessa rose from her chair, moving closer to the sleeping figure.  Her aunt.  The sister her father had always referred to as ‘Lainey’ had been just down the road from the Belden family homestead.  Shivering, she turned back to Matthew.  “So, what do we do now?”

        Large hands spun the glass, sending the scotch whirling around the crystal.  “I really don’t know, Tessa,” Matthew  admitted.  “It was so chaotic back then.  Your grandfather had just had a second heart attack, and your grandmother had collapsed from sheer exhaustion and stress.  Wes and I were trying to keep it all together, and frankly, your Aunt Genevieve and Uncle Christian were having some marital problems, and were not any help at all.  You and your mother were a low priority--right up until the moment we realized you were missing.”  He sipped from his glass. “Truthfully, I thought that you were dead, just like Sarah.  The first P.I. Wes hired traced you to the foster care system.  After that, there was nothing;  no information, just...nothing.   It was as if you had vanished off the face of the Earth, and frankly, when that happens to a young girl, it rarely ends happily.”  

        “Uncle Andy won’t give me to you.”  Tessa returned to her uncle, giving him a defiant look as she picked up her water.  “He is my guardian, and he takes that very seriously.  I understand, sort of, why you all lost track of me, but he won’t.”

        “He doesn’t have to.”  The soft voice spoke from the  sofa, and Tessa turned to see Madeleine awake and calm.  “All Andrew needs to do is allow us to get to know you.  We were so worried about you, Tessa.  All we want is for you to be safe and happy.”  She rose and walked towards her husband and niece.  “I apologize for frightening you, my dear girl.  It was just such a shock to see you standing in my house;  it was as if God had sent me another miracle.  I would like to give my niece a hug, if she will allow it?”

        Setting down her glass, Tessa faced her aunt.  “I think that would be okay,” she said.

        Madeleine gently wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her into a hug that was surprisingly strong.  Tessa let herself lean in, inhaling the scent of expensive perfume and something she recognized, but couldn’t identify.  A tear fell on Tessa’s neck, and she pulled away, looking at the tears streaking Madeleine’s face.

        “You have your father’s eyes, but then you probably know that.”  Madeleine stepped back, looking at Tessa from head to toe.  “The hair is definitely from your mother, but I would bet it gets lighter in the summer sun.  Jack’s hair always lightened in the summer.”  She reached for Tessa’s hand, drawing her toward the sofa.  “The rest is a good mix;  I see a great deal of Hart in you, and even a little Belden.”  She laughed, the sound tinkling like bells throughout the study.  “Isn’t it amazing, Matthew?  I so didn’t want to move to this sleepy little backwater, and yet, it has given us everything I ever wanted or needed.  Good friends, our daughter, healthy and happy, a son, and now my brother’s daughter.  I don’t know whether to thank God, or Sleepyside.”

        “Considering that I’ve always felt that it was God who brought us to Sleepyside, I’d go with the ‘Big Guy’ on this one, Maddie.” The doorbell rang,  followed by the loud pounding of a fist upon the door.  Matthew finished his drink, setting the empty glass on his desk.  “And while your thanking Him, you might want to ask for advice on what to do next.  I do believe that Andrew has arrived.”

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