A Friday Evening in Early December New York City It
had been a long day, but a good one. On her day off, Trixie Belden had
driven up from New York City to her hometown of Sleepyside-on-Hudson,
New York, with her young daughter. They had lunch with Trixie's mother
and, leaving Patty with "Gramma", Trixie had gone into town to meet
with the local Chief-of-Police, Wendell Molinson. When Trixie returned
to Crabapple Farm, Patty had begged to stay the weekend with her
grandparents. It hadn't taken much to convince Trixie to leave her for
a few days so she could have some time alone with her husband and,
hopefully, catch up on Christmas shopping and other holiday
preparations. Trixie now was home, singing along with the
Christmas music on the stereo and hurriedly trying to finish wrapping
the gift she had purchased that afternoon for her husband, who was due
home from work any minute. She hoped he would like the gift. Like most
men, he was difficult to buy for and, too often, she gave him something
he needed more than desired. While struggling with her third attempt to
make a bow, she heard a key in the lock and quickly hid the package in
the back of her closet. She ran to the door and grabbed her husband in
a huge hug as he entered. "Mmm. What'd I do to deserve this?"
He asked as he set down his brief case and pulled her closer. His face
felt cold and prickly to Trixie when he kissed her. Trixie returned his kiss. "I met with Chief Molinson and the Personnel Committee this afternoon." "And?"
He nuzzled his face in her hair. He did that every evening when he came
home. Trixie used a peach scented shampoo and, even after almost ten
years, he still loved the smell. "And, they all but offered me the Chief's job." Trixie's
husband was so happy for her he lifted her up off the floor in a bear
hug. He set her down, stepped back to look at her and said, "Tell me
everything." "Take your coat off and sit down, first!" Trixie
waited anxiously as he took off his coat and hung it in the front
closet. She then led him by the hands into the living room. He looked
around. The room was in order and the apartment quiet. "Where's Patty?"
"She wanted to stay with Moms and Dad. I let her, but it means
you have to go get her on Sunday." Patty had the day off from school
for teacher's inservice, but she had to be back to her preschool Monday
morning. Trixie had Friday and Saturday off but had to work Sunday. "No
problem." They sat down on the sofa. The excitement on Trixie's face
was obvious, but she sat stiffly erect with her hands clasped in her
lap. "Now tell me." Trixie swallowed and smiled. "Well....."
She wanted to drag out the suspense as long as possible. "I had a nice
visit with Moms and then with the Chief." She hesitated. "Cut to the chase, Trix." Trixie
was enjoying her little game. "I met with Mayor Smythe and Porky
Bowers. Do you remember Porky from High School? Anyway, he's now
'Peter' and Chair of the Personnel Committee." Trixie paused
dramatically. "We went through the formalities of an interview, but
they pretty much offered it to me on the spot. Chief Molinson said he
'hand-picked' me as his successor. Apparently he has been doing quite a
sales job to the Mayor and Town Personnel Committee." She leaned back
against the sofa and smiled. "Did they have any problems with
your terms?" Prior to the interview, he and Trixie had discussed what
salary, benefits and "perks" it would take for her to leave her present
job after almost ten years. "None. They didn't even blink at
my salary and benefit requests. In essence I'll be on call twenty-four
seven, but I'd actually be away from you and Patty less than I am now.
Chief Molinson spent about thirty minutes telling me how great the job
could be for my family; that by being police chief I'd still work long
hours, but I'd have greater flexibility and it would be better for you
and Patty and...I've been thinking about that ever since." "When will you hear for certain?" Trixie
turned to face her husband. "They didn't say, but they did ask when I
can start. They seemed to like my request that I overlap with the Chief
and talked about starting right after the first of the new year." "What
about Spider?" He referred to Spider Webster who, except for a short
stint working in White Plains, had been with the Police Department
almost as long as the Chief. As Assistant Chief, he was the natural
successor to Chief Molinson. "Spider becomes eligible to
retire in less than a year. He has made it clear he doesn't want the
job, because it would be a waste for him to take it short-term and he
doesn't want to stay past his retirement date. Apparently he has some
minor health problems and is anxious for them not to become major." "Makes sense. I'm just concerned about how he'd react to you. He's been Assistant Chief for a long time." "I
don't think there would be any problems. He's a good guy. One thing for
certain, he won't do anything to jeopardize his retirement." "You're
right, of course. So I guess it's done. After the first of the new
year, you'll be Sleepyside's Chief of Police." He kissed his wife. He
knew that this position was part of her lifetime dream. He reached to
pull her closer and show her just how happy he was for her. Trixie gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Don't make any plans until they call." "I
know them and I know you. You'll get the call." He pulled her even
closer and kissed her more passionately. "It's been strange enough
sleeping with a NYPD Detective Sergeant, but now a Police Chief?" He
kissed her again and pushed her down on the sofa. "I promise.
I won't wear my gun to bed." Trixie put her arms around his neck.
"Unless you want me to." She whispered between kisses. Just as she
began to relax into his arms, she sat up straight. "We have to talk
about you." "What do you mean?" He stroked her cheek and leaned back towards her. He wanted to do more than talk. "About
your career. I can't accept the position in Sleepyside unless it's okay
with you." Trixie pushed him away firmly. "TALK." * * "Gramma,
what's the seecrud to your yummy hamburgers?" Patty was in the kitchen
of Crabapple Farm helping her Gramma Belden make dinner. They were
preparing Helen Belden's famous Crabapple Farm Hamburgers. "Well,
Patty," Mrs. Belden smiled at the child next to her who was wrapped in
the same faded apron and standing on the same wooden kitchen chair that
each of her four children had used when 'holping'. "I add some special
ingredients." She reached into the cupboard above her. "What greedents?" "That's
the milk, egg and bread crumbs I just put in the bowl. And now I'm
adding some spices." Mrs. Belden shook some of her own seasoning
mixture into the bowl. "Now we take my special wooden spoon and we mix
it all up." Mrs. Belden handed the worn spoon to Patty. Patty
took the spoon with both hands. She stared intently at the meat mixture
in the large bowl and, gripping the spoon firmly with her tiny fists,
began pounding at it with the rounded end of the spoon. Seeing that
Patty was occupied for a few minutes, Mrs. Belden went over to the
stove to check on the rest of the meal. She opened the oven door to
check on her baked bean casserole and filled the room with wonderful
aromas of onions, brown sugar and molasses. Patty began singing to herself as she pounded. "What are you singing, Sweetie?' Mrs. Belden asked. "Way in a Manger," Patty replied. She looked over at her Gramma. "I don't know all the words, but I know some." "Sing it aloud for me." Mrs. Belden stirred the casserole and placed it back into the oven. "Okay, Gramma." She paused and thought for a few moments before continuing. "Way in a Manger no crib for a bed. Liiiiiittle baby Jesus stands on his head. That's all I know, Gramma." Mrs.
Belden laughed out loud as she pictured baby Jesus standing on his
head. She applauded with her oven mitts still on. "Maybe we'll work on
the words after dinner. I bet Grampa will play the piano if we ask." "Okay." Patty beat at the hamburger mixture a few more times before stopping. "Can I stop now? My arms are tired." "Of course, Patty. Do you want to go watch cartoons?" Mrs. Belden took off the mitts and offered to help her down. "No." She handed the spoon to her Gramma. "I'll watch you." Mrs.
Belden took the spoon and bowl. Patty had done a lot of pounding but
little mixing. She set the spoon down and took the mixture in her
hands, kneading all the ingredients together. Patty watched for a while. "Gramma?" She finally asked in a serious tone. "What Patty?" Mrs. Belden looked at her granddaughter. Her tiny forehead was wrinkled in a frown. "Did you know my other Gramma?" Obviously, she'd been thinking about this for a long time. "No I didn't, sweetie. She died before your Mommy and Daddy even met." "I
know." Patty watched her Gramma shape patties and place them in the big
iron skillet she had used for over thirty years. "Daddy say's that she
was beautiful and he loved her very much. That's why they named me
Patty." "That's right, sweetheart." "And she had orange hair like me." "We call it red." "I
know. But hers was wavy and mine's curly." She pulled at her curls just
as her mother had done as a girl. "And Daddy loved for her to read
stories to him, so he and Mommy read to me." "That's right.
I've been told she was a wonderful mother and in the pictures I've
seen, she looks very beautiful. I wish I had known her." "My mommy says the same thing." Patty
watched in silence for a while as her Gramma got a few things from the
refrigerator and set them on the table. She was remarkably still for a
preschooler, Mrs. Belden thought, as she returned to the stove to flip
the burgers. "Did Grampa know my other Grampa?" "No. He died very young, too. Even before your Gramma." "I know. Daddy talks about him too. But Daddy said he doesn't member a lot about his Daddy cept he loved him very much." "I
know, sweetheart. It's very sad that your Daddy's parents both died
while he was still a boy, but I'm glad he came to Sleepyside and met
your Mommy and all their friends." "Like Uncle Mart and Uncle Brian and Aunt Diana?" "Yes." Patty
thought about that for a while. Mrs. Belden continued to tend to
dinner. "What about Katie and Peter and Marty?" They were three of her
older cousins. "No sweetie. All of you kids came much later." "You mean we weren't borned yet? Mrs. Belden nodded. "Mommy
says we were waiting in heaven to be borned." Patty thought for a
while. Mrs. Belden could almost see the wheels turning inside her
little head. "But she says Gramma and Grampa are in heaven. Do you
think I saw them there? Before I was borned?" "I don't know sweetheart, but that might be. I'm sure they see you, now." Patty
nodded. She'd heard that before too. "Mommy says they're my angels. My
garden angels." She started to climb down from the chair. "Like the
angel on the Christmas tree." She tried to untie the apron. "Can I
watch cartoons, now?" Her Gramma helped her take off the apron. "I think I hear Grampa coming. Why don't you let him in?" Patty
ran across the kitchen towards the door into the service porch. Mrs.
Belden wondered how many times a young child had made the same trip to
greet the man getting out of the car in the drive. Crabapple Farm was
in desperate need of the happy sounds of young children. * * Trixie
Belden sat and waited for her husband to respond. Any decision she made
about a job change would have significant effect on his own career. She
was not going to accept any offer in Sleepyside unless she was
convinced it was what was best for him also. "Trixie, we've already talked about this." He sat back up and frowned. "I have several options." "But are they what you want?" "Yes.
I've told you that." What he wanted more than anything was for Trixie
to be happy. He loved his current job, but knew he could never be happy
if he felt he had denied his family anything. "I can stay where I am
and commute." Trixie shook her head. Her husband worked long
hours. She didn't want to add a lengthy commute, even by rail, to the
time he spent away from her and Patty. "I can open an office in Sleepyside." "Is
that what you want?" Trixie shook her head again. Her husband was a
brilliant trial lawyer who had made quite a name for himself as a
prosecutor. Neither of them could seriously imagine him doing anything
else. A practice in Sleepyside might include some trial work, but he
would spend most of his time addressing exciting challenges such as
writing wills and real estate closings. His happiness was as important
to her as Trixie's was to her husband. "Or, I could go to work in the Westchester DA's office." He offered. "Will she hire you?" "Jeanine
has been after me for years to come to work for her. I'm in a great
position to bargain for what I want." Transferring from the Manhattan
District Attorney's Office to Westchester County was not exactly
progression up the career ladder, but the change would be beneficial to
his family and just might work out better in the long run. "Are you sure?" "Wellll. I happened to speak to her the other day." Trixie sat up a little straighter. "WHAT? You did? Why didn't you tell me?" "I
wanted to wait until after today. I ran into her at a meeting on
Tuesday. She asked me when I was giving up on City life and returning
to my roots. I reminded her that my real roots were not in Westchester.
Then I told her we were giving serious consideration to moving and
asked her if her offer was sincere." He smiled and paused. Now it was
his turn to create a little suspense. "And?" "I'm to call her first thing next week." Trixie hugged her husband. "As long as this is what you want." "I
won't lie to you Trixie. I love my job. But I'm all the time wondering
if we're providing the best environment for Patty. Is city life what's
best for her? The private school tuition is killing us. And it goes UP
when she starts kindergarden! She has to walk blocks to see any real
grass. And this over-priced apartment is bulging at the seams." He
waved his arm to display their tidy but cramped two bedroom home.
"Maybe it's time for a move out to Sleepyside." "I know. I
think about the same things." Trixie spoke quietly now. She didn't want
to put any pressure on her husband to move or change jobs. "And
I kinda' like Chief Molinson's thinking." He smiled again. "That the
job might give you greater flexibility for dealing with a family." He
hugged his wife. "What do you mean?" "Aren't we a little past due making a brother or sister for Patty?" "We
have two days to work on it." Trixie laughed slyly as she stood, took
her husband's hands, placed them around her waist, and led him into
their bedroom. Mmm she thought. A baby. What a wonderful Christmas
gift. * * Mrs. Belden watched as Patty went to the
back door and struggled to open it. Of all her grandchildren, Patty was
the only one living close enough to visit regularly and she didn't
visit enough by gramma-standards. She was so thankful Trixie had left
her with them for the weekend. She enjoyed Patty's company. Wouldn't it
be nice to have them closer? She sincerely hoped that Trixie might get
that job, so they could move back to Sleepyside. "Helloooo Miss Mangan." She heard a baritone call from the service porch. "Grampaaa," She heard in reply. Mrs.
Belden hummed to herself as she put the food on the table. Yes, having
Trixie and Dan moving nearby would make a wonderful Christmas gift. |