New York City
May 24th, 1984
Tessa watched as her uncle paid the taxi driver and picked up their two bags. They were traveling light, considering that they would only be staying in Sleepyside for three nights. Sunday evening, the train would take them back to the city, and Monday morning would see them on an airplane, Maui bound. It seemed fitting to head for Hawaii on Memorial Day; after all, all she had left of home were her memories.
“Stop that!” Tessa scolded herself sternly, shaking her head in an attempt to shake off the sadness that seemed to increase with each westward step. Pasting a smile on her face, she moved to join Andy, when she suddenly felt a chill from her neck to her heels.
Turning around, she looked behind her at the milling crowd exiting the station. She could see nothing but people, heading off to their own business. Nearly as many people were heading into the station, all bent on reaching their own destinations. Tessa couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary for a busy Thursday, but she couldn’t shake the odd feeling that she was missing something important.
“Ready, sweetheart?” Andy asked, coming up behind her.
“Mmmmhhmm,” Tessa murmured, casting one last look around. A plump lady in a purple dress was waving down a taxi. A blond man in a gray suit, carrying a black briefcase, was walking briskly down the sidewalk. A tall redhead was sliding into a car service limousine. All perfectly normal. Turning her eyes back to her uncle, she gave him a smile that was almost genuine. “Let’s go meet some family.”
Jim and Dan moved quickly out of the train station, glad that they were not burdened with baggage, for it was teeming with people, all eager to be elsewhere. As they reached the exit, a blond man in gray, swinging a large black briefcase, pushed in front of them, bumping Jim and stepping on Dan’s foot.
“Hey!” Dan exclaimed. The man didn’t even look back, just glared and moved past them.
As the two reached the sidewalk, Jim’s eyes scanned the length of the block, in both directions, looking for the car. He spotted a uniformed driver, just beyond a plump lady in purple. Nudging Dan, who had stopped to rub his injured foot, Jim moved toward the car. Sure enough, the driver held a sign that said “Frayne”.
“Hello,” Jim said genially. “I’m Jim Frayne, and this is my friend...” Jim looked around. Dan was still standing at the base of the stairs, staring intently at the people milling about. “Just a minute,” Jim said, turning back and trying to catch Dan’s attention.
Dan turned slowly about, his eyes wary and dark. He spotted Jim, and hurried to the car.
“What’s wrong?” Jim asked. “You’ve got a weird look on your face.”
“I don’t know,” Dan admitted. “I just had a...feeling. Sort of like someone was watching me, but I didn’t see anyone.” He slid into the back seat.
Jim looked around, too, just in case, and then slid in beside Dan. “Cowhands?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Dan told him. “Like I said, it was just a feeling. Did you see anything unusual?”
“Nope.” Jim stretched slightly and grinned. “I guess you’re just paranoid.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Dan said. He grinned back, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Probably won’t be the last.”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks,” Jim said, becoming serious. “I don’t really think you are paranoid, just cautious.”
No, I am paranoid,” Dan admitted. “Something about being back in the city just really brings it out. Don’t worry, I’ll work through it.”
“I’m not worried,” Jim reassured him. “Besides, just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.”
Dan snickered, the tension draining from his face. The snicker became a hearty laugh, and Jim joined him, as the driver entered traffic.
Sleepyside, New York
May 24th, 1984
Andrew Belden glanced over his shoulder at his niece, as his brother Peter turned onto Glen Road. Tessa was chewing on her lower lip, staring out the window. She hadn’t said much since Peter had picked them up at the train station. Keeping his tone light, Andrew asked, “Are you okay back there, Buttercup?”
“I’m fine.” Tessa’s voice was barely above a whisper, and she didn’t react at all to Andrew’s “Buttercup” comment.
“The kids are looking forward to meeting you, Tessa,” Peter said in his calm and reassuring voice. “Aunt Helen has cooked a wonderful welcome dinner, and Bobby called me twice at work, just to make sure I didn’t forget to pick you up. He’s really excited to have you here again.” Andrew saw Tessa’s shoulders relax slightly, and shot a grateful glance at his brother. Peter continued. “Mart is really looking forward to showing you around Sleepyside High tomorrow, and Trixie, well, Trixie has been wanting to meet you ever since she got that first letter from Hawaii.”
“I hope they aren’t disappointed when they meet me,” Tessa answered quietly.
“Why would they be?” Andrew asked.
“I’m nothing special,” Tessa said. “And I am being kind of pushy, just expecting to move in and join the family.”
Peter pulled the car off the side of the road and turned to face his niece. “Listen to me, young lady,” he said kindly, but firmly. “You are already a part of this family. Aunt Helen and I discussed having you live with us, all the way back before you and Andrew went to England. Andrew wanted to give you a chance to get to know him, to trust him. This isn’t some twisted kind of a test, to see if you can stay. The offer to live here, in Sleepyside, at Crabapple Farm, has always been open, and it always will be. You’re not pushing yourself anywhere.”
Tessa looked into the dark eyes of her uncle and found her fears melting away with his reassurance. Nodding, she bit down on her lower lip. “Okay,” she said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Peter pulled back out onto the road. “Now, you’d better prepare yourself for the onslaught. Our driveway is just ahead.”
Crabapple Farm
“What’s taking so long?” Trixie asked impatiently, stepping away from the kitchen window.
Helen Belden smiled at her daughter’s typical response to being forced to wait. Trixie might have reached the grand old age of fifteen, but some things just never changed. “They’ll be here soon enough,” she told her daughter. “Is your room ready?”
“Yes,” Trixie said, sneaking a cooked carrot from the dish on the counter. “It’s dusted, swept, organized and I put clean sheets on my extra bed. I hope Tessa doesn’t mind sharing.”
“I’m sure she won’t,” Helen said gently. “It was nice of you to suggest it.”
Trixie blushed, her blue eyes guilty. “Not really,” she admitted sheepishly. “I just want to get to know her, I mean really get to know her. I’ve wanted to meet her for years, and now, finally, I get to. I figured that, since she’ll only be here a few days, I could make sure we spent all our extra time, you know, together. That way, if she really does move in, we won’t be strangers.”
Helen couldn’t hide her smile. “That isn’t anything to be ashamed of, Trixie.”
“Are you sure?” Trixie asked. “I mean, I was kind of, man...mun... manipulating the situation.”
“I don’t think Tessa will mind that at all.” Helen gathered her daughter into her arms for a hug. “In fact, she’ll probably appreciate it.”
Trixie returned the hug, resting her head against her mother’s shoulder for a brief moment. “Moms?” she asked. “You’ve met her. What is she like?”
Helen sighed and pulled away, sitting down at the kitchen table, and gesturing to Trixie to join her. “I met her for a few days, almost two years ago,” she began. “I remember Tessa as being a little quiet, a little sad, and very, very polite. It wasn’t unexpected, considering all she had been through.” Helen closed her eyes, picturing her niece. “She was about as tall as you are now, and on the slender side. “Long dark hair that was sun bleached at the bottom. She wore it in braids, and she had rather unusual eyes.”
“Unusual how?” Trixie inquired, her curiosity sparked.
Helen laughed. “Nothing mysterious,” she hastened to assure her detective daughter, “just oddly colored. Tessa’s eyes aren’t green or brown or grey. They’re a mixture of the three.”
“Oh.” Trixie suddenly went on alert, as she heard the familiar crunch of tires on the drive. Popping out of her seat, she raced to the window and pulled back the curtains. “They’re here,” she said. Rushing to the entryway, she yelled up the stairs, “Bobby! Brian! Mart! Hurry! They’re here!”
Shaking her head, Helen pushed in the chairs and removed her apron. Footsteps thundering on the staircase told her that the boys were answering Trixie’s call. Placing her folded apron on the table, she went out on the porch to join them.
Peter stepped out of the car, and Trixie felt herself holding her breath, as her father opened the back door of the sedan. A pair of white sandal clad feet slipped out of the car. Long legs, and a pale peach sundress appeared, slowly followed by the rest of the unknown cousin. Trixie exhaled. This cousin was pretty, too, although not as exotic looking as Hallie. Her dark hair was short, chin length at the most, and nearly as curly as Trixie’s own, although Tessa was at least two inches taller than Trixie’s own five feet four inches. But as Tessa turned to face the porch, Trixie saw apprehension in her eyes.
“Tess!” Bobby, unable to contain himself any longer, hurled himself from the porch, directly toward his cousin. She responded immediately, her arms enveloping the seven-year-old ball of energy.
“Kekei,” Tess said, a huge smile on her face. “You’ve grown so much since I saw you last.”
“That’s because I was only five then,” Bobby told her. “Now I’m almost eight.”
“Well, that explains it, doesn’t it?” Tess agreed, ruffling his curly head. She looked again at the family members gathered on the porch, the uncertain look returning to her face.
“C’mon,” Bobby said, tugging on her hand. “You gotta meet my brothers and Trixie.
Tessa allowed the little boy to pull her toward the others. A tall young man, who looked remarkably like Uncle Peter, stepped forward.
“I’m Brian,” he said, his dark eyes warm, “It’s nice to finally meet you.” He offered his hand, and Tessa shook it gratefully.
“This is Mart,” Bobby told her tugging her toward a taller, crew cut version of himself. “He talks big and he eats a lot, but he is pretty smart.”
Mart blushed, and held out his hand. Tessa took it, smiling at his discomfiture. “It’s nice to meet you,” Mart said. “Or, as my sibling would expect, felicitations dearest paternal relation, welcome to our humble abode.”
“Thank you,” Tessa said, feeling herself relax. “It is nice to be here.” She turned to the last unknown, the blonde girl she had only heard about. “You must be Trixie,” she said.
“Guilty!” Trixie stepped forward, her natural curiosity outweighing her own apprehension. “It is nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise.” Tessa smiled wide at the girl’s friendly manner. “Uncle Andy has regaled me with the stories of all your adventures, I feel like I already know you.”
“Well,” Helen interrupted. “You have all night and most of the next three days to get to know each other. Right now, we need to get dinner on the table before it all turns to ashes. Trixie, show Tessa where she is going to sleep, and where to wash up. Brian, get the bags, and Mart, help Bobby wash up for dinner, and then the two of you can help me get food on the table.”
“Aye, aye!” Mart saluted, grabbing his little brother by the hand. Brian grinned amiably at Tessa and Trixie grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs.
“We’re sharing a room while you’re here,” Trixie explained and they climbed the stairs. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Tess assured her.
“Good.” Trixie opened the door to her room and pointed to the bed nearest the window. “This is your bed. Brian will put your bag on it, and I’ll show you the bathroom. Then, we need to go eat. Moms made roasted chicken.”
“That sounds delicious.” Tess looked around the cozy room, a little dazed by the whirlwind that was her cousin.
“Well, let’s go, then!” Trixie spun out the door.
Tessa watched her go, trying to figure out whether or not to follow her. Brian stood at the doorway, Tessa’s bag in his hands and a big grin on his face. “Don’t worry,” he chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.” He set the bag inside the door, and held out his arm. “Come on. I’ll show you where to wash up, and we’ll catch up with her.”
“Thank you,” Tessa told him. “How do you do it?”
“Well,” Brian said with a thoughtful frown. “I was about four when Trixie’s personality began to surface, so, I’ve had a good thirteen years to adapt.”
Tessa giggled. Taking Brian’s arm, she allowed him to escort her to dinner.
Dinner was over, the dishes were washed and put away, and Mart, Trixie, Tessa and Bobby were playing Monopoly on the floor of the living room, when Andrew Belden asked his oldest nephew to join him on the porch. Brian left Bobby to play for himself, and stepped outside.
“Tomorrow was supposed to be your graduation, right?” Andrew asked, patting the seat next to him.
“Yes,” Brian replied, sitting next to his uncle on the porch swing. “But we had a late freeze in March, and the pipes at the school burst. We were out of school for a week, so now we have to make it up.”
“I’m sorry we’ll miss your graduation,” Andrew told him. “Valedictorian. I am very proud of you.”
“Co-valedictorian,” Brian corrected. “But, thank you. I’m a little proud of myself, too. But, Uncle Andrew, I understand about your plans. When you made all of your reservations, you had no idea the pipes would break. If they hadn’t, you would have been here for the ceremony.”
“True.” Andrew shifted in his seat. “But I could have changed the reservations. It’s just that...” he hesitated, “... it’s just that I’ve been promising to take Tessa back to Hawaii for the last two years. Each time, something has stopped us. She needs the closure, and frankly, Brian, so do I. I couldn’t bring myself to put the trip off again.”
“I understand. Really, I do.” Brian leaned back against the swing. “The ceremony itself will probably be long and dull,” he said with a smile. “Tomorrow night, I’ll read you my speech and show you the awards I’ll be getting. That way, you can have the highlights, without the tedium.”
“Now that’s a deal,” Andrew chuckled. “I understand you have a full scholarship to Columbia.”
“I just about died dead when that letter came,” Brian admitted. “And, best of all, it is a renewable scholarship, as long as I maintain a 3.6 grade point average.”
“Still going pre-med?” Andrew asked.
“That’s the plan,” Brian responded. “I hope I can maintain a strong enough GPA to go directly into the medical program. That is my ultimate goal--Columbia P & S.”
“I’m sure you’ll achieve that goal.” Andrew reached down for his briefcase, drawing it onto his knees, and unlatching it. “This is the real reason I asked you out here, Brian. What I’m going to discuss with you needs to stay between the two of us--and your parents, of course. I really don’t want you to say anything to your brothers, sister or friends.”
“What is it?” A tinge of worry crept into Brian’s voice, and the dark eyes he turned on his uncle were filled with concern. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no. Of course not.” Andrew patted his nephew’s arm, reassuring him. “I’m sorry for sounding so grim; I’m just trying to maintain secrecy. It’s what your parents asked for, and I’m trying to respect their wishes.”
“That still sounds a little ominous,” Brian said, trying to smile. “So, what is it?”
“It’s your graduation gift.” Andrew pulled a large envelope from his briefcase, and handed it to Brian. “Sorry I didn’t get it into fancy wrap, but go ahead and open it.”
Cautiously, Brian did, slipping a sheaf of papers from the envelope. His eyes widened as he read them, glanced at his uncle, and re-read them. In stunned disbelief, he looked at Andrew and whispered, “You’re kidding, right?”
May 25, 1984
Sleepyside High School
Tessa clipped the visitor badge to her sweater and followed Mart out of the office. So far, so good. She had been introduced to the principal, Mr. Stratton, signed in and labeled. Now, Tessa followed Mart down the long locker lined corridor, toward his first period class.
Brian had driven them to school, and Trixie and Mart had bantered back and forth, nonstop, the entire way. Their relationship reminded Tessa of the one she had once shared with her own brother, although Keoni had not been as big a tease as Mart. No, Keoni had been more of a hybrid of Mart and Brian. Tess frowned slightly as she thought about Brian. He had been very quiet on the drive, and not just because he couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Brian was definitely preoccupied with something, and Tessa had a fairly strong idea what that something was.
Deep in thought, she didn’t see Mart stop, and ended up smacking into his back. “Ow,” Tessa laughed, rubbing her nose. “Next time, turn on your brake lights, Cuz.”
Mart flushed. “Sorry,” he mumbled, “I just wanted to introduce you to a friend and fellow Bob-White.”
That was when Tessa noticed the girl standing in front of her cousin. Slender, with long, silky-smooth black hair, and the most unusual violet colored eyes, the girl was model-gorgeous. Tessa smiled, and the girl smiled back, shyly.
“Diana Lynch,” Mart was saying, “meet my cousin, Tessa Hart. Tessa, this is Di. Bob-White, and actress extraordinaire!”
“Oh!” Recognition flared in the purple eyes. “You’re the cousin Tessa. The one from Hawaii, and England, right?”
“I see my reputation precedes me,” Tessa said wryly. “But yes, I am that Tessa. Uncle Andy and I got in last night, so Mart agreed to show me around the school.”
“You’ll have more fun if you let Trixie and I show you around,” Diana said. “Oh. I wish Honey hadn’t gone to the City. We could have so much fun.”
“Hey! I’m fun,” Mart protested. “Besides, Tessa is in the same grade as I am, so she should be with we sophisticated sophs. You fun-loving froshes can have her at lunch.”
“Fine.” Diana tossed her head at Mart, and batted her eyelashes. Tessa watched as her previously funny and composed cousin turned into a slobbering zombie. Diana smiled at Tessa, and said, “You have fun with Mart. Trixie and I can sympathize with you over lunch.” She turned and sauntered off, leaving Mart staring in her wake.
Tessa was still giggling, when the bell rang, shaking Mart from his Di-induced daze. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her on down the hallway and into class.
Cafeteria food is cafeteria food, no matter in which country you find yourself. Tessa watched the trays of spaghetti and green beans walk by, thankful for the sandwich that her Aunt Helen had made for her. The thick, homemade bread, spread with peanut butter and what she had been told was crabapple jelly, was gooey and delicious. Taking another happy bite, she checked out her surroundings.
“So, what do you think of Sleepyside High?” Trixie asked, plopping her lunch sack down on the table.
“So far, what I’ve seen has been...surprising,” Tessa said, hastening to explain. “I attended public school in New York for a short time, you know, before. This school seems much more modern and... and...” She struggled for the right words to complete her thought.
“Well equipped?” Brian supplied, as he sat down next to Tessa.
She nodded at him gratefully. “Yes. The school in the city was run down and nothing was very up to date. Here, you seem to have everything you need.”
“For the most part, that’s true.” Brian unwrapped his sandwich. “But sometimes we really have to beg and plead.”
“Tell the truth, Bri,” Trixie said with a snort. “We get supplies because we hold a fundraiser and get the problem out in the open, until the school board gives in and gets what the school needs.”
“Really?” Tessa was intrigued. “Public exposure really works?”
Mart shrugged. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
“You should see what we managed to get for the art department, Tessa,” Diana interjected. “It’s amazing what proper funding can do.” She glanced sweetly at Mart. “In fact, I have art right after lunch. It’s a mixed elective, so maybe Mr. Sophisticate over there will let you come with me for a while?”
Mart, his eyes glazing somewhat at Di’s gaze, looked at Tessa. “I guess that would be okay,” he managed to stammer, “I mean, if Tess likes art.”
“Tess does,” she replied dryly. “Tess likes much variety, and Tess would like to meet the language teachers, if possible.”
Brian smiled for the first time. “I can introduce you to the Spanish and French teachers,” he told her. “Why don’t you go with Di to the Art Department, and I’ll meet you there after class.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Tessa took another bite of her sandwich.
“Uh-oh,” Trixie whispered, “What’s wrong with Josie?”
“Who is Josie?” Tessa asked, as everyone turned their heads.
“She’s a friend of ours,” Diana informed her. “That’s her over there, with the dark hair and the I’m-going-to-explode-with-rage look on her face.”
Tessa looked. The girl did look as though she was ready to burst. Her face was flushed, her spine rigid, and her eyes narrowed as she scanned the room. Spying the Bob-Whites, Josie marched up to Mart, and through gritted teeth, asked, “May I speak to you, please? Privately?”
Surprised, Mart rose, grabbed his sandwich and followed Josie into the hallway. The Bob-Whites watched them go, wondering what was happening. The warning bell rang, and Diana stood up, motioning to Tessa.
“Let’s go,” she said. “If we get there early, I can introduce you to Mr. Crider, and Nick Roberts. I think you’ll like Nick Roberts. Mart can fill us in later.” Obediently, Tessa followed her.
Trixie and Brian were cleaning up the table when Mart returned. Trixie looked at him for a full seven seconds before she could contain herself no longer. “So?” she asked. “What’s up with Josie?”
Mart shook his head. “It’s good news, actually,” he said. “Josie has been awarded a summer scholarship of some sort.”
“Then why does she look so mad?” Trixie asked.
Because,” Mart explained, “Josie didn’t apply for the scholarship. Someone sent in her articles, without telling her, and she’s furious.” He shook his head. “It wasn’t Josie, it wasn’t Mr. Zimmermann, and it wasn’t me. Dan had better hope it wasn’t him; if it was, he’d better stay in the City.”
