August, 1997

The party was already in full swing as Diana led her daughter Imogen across the expansive lawns of the Lynch Estate. It seemed that half of Sleepyside – plus a generous measure of former residents and others – had been invited to farewell her brother Terry. He would be leaving for college in a few days’ time, while Larry languished at home with nothing constructive to do. This, Diana understood, was something of a sore point for her parents, but they were making the best of the situation.

As they neared the outer edges, Trixie swooped out between two conversational groups and grabbed Imogen, swinging the two-year-old high in the air. The little girl squealed with delight and asked for it to be done again.

“You’ll regret starting this,” Di told her friend, smiling. “She won’t want to stop.”

Trixie shrugged and spun around in a circle. “I’ll find something else to keep her occupied. Then, I’ll hand her on to someone else – Honey, for example – and she can come up with something new.”

“Honey’s here?”

“Everybody’s here.” Trixie gestured to the gathered crowd. “This is a way bigger party than yours, even.”

Di nodded. “Probably. So, have you seen any of my family? I should probably say hello.”

“Your mother’s over that way.” Trixie pointed to the right. “Your father’s over there.” She pointed to the left. “Your siblings… I’m not sure any more. They’re all here. I’m sure you’ll see them all, sooner or later. Larry’s with Bobby and they’re being a bit, uh, difficult.”

She sighed. “Well, give Immy to me. I’d better do the rounds and find them all.”

Trixie zoomed the child into her mother’s arms and disappeared back into the crowd. Di turned to the right and headed for her mother, who was speaking with a group of ladies of a similar age. Someone must have made quite a good joke, as they all laughed just as Di came into hearing of their conversation.

“Oh, Diana.” Her mother drew her into the group. She made a rapid round of introductions. “My daughter, Diana, and my granddaughter Imogen. Just the two of you today, darling?”

Di nodded. “Thorn sends his apologies. I thought I mentioned that?”

“I’m sure you did, but it must have slipped my mind.”

Once more, Di nodded. She made a few standard remarks, told the women how nice it was to have met them, then excused herself.

With a sense of duty done, she circled around to the left, looking for other family members. Her sisters were among a giggling group of teenage girls. Some of them cooed over Imogen, but Di did not stay with them for long, either.

She found her father without much effort, right where Trixie had pointed him out. Along the way, she had greeted Honey, Dan and Jim, along with a number of acquaintances. Her father’s group of friends made polite conversation with her, but it was clear that she did not belong here, either.

“You haven’t seen the guest of honour?” she asked, after a minute or two. “He and Larry don’t seem to be anywhere around.”

Her father pointed. “Try over that way.”

Excusing herself once more, Di left the group. She stopped by the place where her own friends were talking and handed her daughter over to Honey.

“I’m going to try to track down my brothers,” she explained, “and she’s getting annoyed with all the big people talk. You don’t mind, do you?”

Honey shook her head. “Of course not. Don’t worry at all. We’ll take good care of her.”

Di smiled and bid her little girl be good. Turning, she strode towards the corner of the house. Reaching it, she found that her father had been right. A rowdy group of teenagers, mostly boys, had claimed a spot just outside of the party area proper. She spotted Terry in no time.

“Pretty good party,” she greeted him, smiling.

He shrugged and returned the smile. “Pretty good.”

“But you would have preferred just this part back here,” she teased, indicating his group of friends. “That’s okay. I understand.”

“Oh, no. He loves all this,” a voice contradicted. “He’s been sucking up to get this for months.”

Terry stiffened at his twin’s taunt, but he went on as if nothing had happened. “So, are you going to be around for the next few days? I should probably drop in on you and Immy before I go.”

She nodded. “She’s here, actually. She was just getting bored.”

“I’ll give you a call. Tuesday, maybe. And I’ll try to catch up with her before the end of the party.”

“She’d love that. She’ll miss you when you’re gone.”

“I’ll miss everyone here, too,” he answered.

“No, you won’t. Traitor.” Larry’s voice was sharp. “You’re happy to leave us all behind.”

In spite of the way that Terry continued to ignore him, Di spun on her heel and faced her other brother.

“Maybe you should have worked a little harder. You could have been going, too.” She raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to Bobby, who lolled next to him. “The three of you could have gone together. It’s not his fault that you’re not.”

Neither of them made a reply. Inwardly fuming, Di turned away from them and back to Terry.

“I’m proud of you. I know you’re going to do well.” She kissed his cheek. “Have a good party and I’m sure I’ll see you again before we go.”

Terry nodded and allowed one corner of his mouth to turn up. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

Trying to keep her posture normal and her steps even, she walked back to the place where she had left her friends. Honey and Imogen had disappeared, in the meantime, but Trixie had joined them.

“Those – those – boys!” Di raged. “What do they think they’re trying to do?”

Trixie rolled her eyes, while the two men shared a glance. “They’re trying to ruin Terry’s education and his college experience,” she answered. “They both pretty much flunked. They want Terry to fail, too, or at least have such a bad time that he wishes he had.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much, Di,” Jim put in. “He’s made of stronger stuff than that. And he’s really interested in what he’s going to be studying. It makes a difference.”

She nodded. “That’s true, but it doesn’t stop me wanting to bang Larry and Bobby’s heads together.”

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to do that for ages.” Trixie mimed the action. “I think it would be really satisfying.”

“The assault charges would be a bit of a downer afterwards,” Dan quipped.

“We’ll keep our violent urges in check,” Di assured him. “But I didn’t really keep hold of my temper. I told Larry and Bobby off in front of all their friends.”

Trixie shrugged. “Their own fault. They started it.”

Dan laughed. “You weren’t even there! How can you tell?”

She pointed to where they were. “You go stand near the corner of the house for a few minutes and listen. Every time someone says anything related to Terry leaving, Larry insults him.”

“He’s doing that for everyone?” Di wondered, feeling sick to the stomach. “I thought, maybe, that was especially for me.”

Trixie shook her head. “No. Everyone. It’s been going on for weeks, apparently. Moms heard him do it in the middle of Sleepyside one day. Regan heard him once when they thought the three of them were alone. And according to Mr. Lytell, he’s done it a few times in his store.”

“In front of the worst gossip in the neighbourhood? He mustn’t care who knows.” She let out a sigh. “What are we going to do about this?”

The other three exchanged a look, and then Jim spoke. “You probably can’t do anything, except hope that it all calms down when Terry’s gone.”

“But what are Larry and Bobby going to do?” Di looked from one friend to another. “They can’t just do nothing!”

Trixie shrugged. “Bobby’s supposed to be looking for a job. So far, I don’t think he’s done anything useful. Moms and Dad are at their wits’ end. They’ve tried both encouraging him and punishing him; neither works.”

“You can’t make them be responsible adults,” Dan commented, in a low voice. “They have to choose that for themselves.”

Di nodded. “I know. This just isn’t turning out to be a very good day. First, my mother tried to imply to her friends that I’m married, then this.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “You practically are married. With four kids, even if three of them are step-kids. You’re the most responsible Bob-White and the most grown up, probably – except, maybe, for Brian.”

“I’m not more grown up than Brian!” she objected, laughing. “No one is more grown up than him.”

“True,” Trixie answered. “He was born grown up, I think. He probably got Bobby’s share of grown-up-ness. Can we say, then, that this is all his fault?”

“Is he here?” Di asked, glancing around.

Trixie shook her head. “He and Ginnie were invited, but they couldn’t make it.”

“No point in blaming him, then,” Di answered. “He’s not around to be offended.”

A couple of days later, Terry came to visit as promised. As Di opened the door of her apartment to him, she noticed a weariness about him that made him look older than his seventeen years.

“Too many late nights?” she teased, as she waved him to a seat.

He snorted. “I wish.”

“Oh. Then, it’s Larry.” She wished she hadn’t said anything. “Sorry.”

He lifted one shoulder. “It’s okay. It’s what I wanted to talk to you about in private. I don’t know what to do about him. We haven’t ever fought for this long before.”

“I don’t know what to do about him, either. And the Beldens don’t seem to know what to do about Bobby, from what I hear.”

Terry waved that matter away impatiently. “But we’re twins. We’re supposed to do everything together. And now we’re not.”

“You know I can’t help you with that, don’t you?”

“But you’ve always been there, watching,” he argued, suddenly angry. “You’ve seen us. You know what we’re like. And now I can’t get through to him. It’s like he hates me.”

She took a moment to measure her words. “I don’t think he hates you. I think he’s just jealous.”

“He’s angry that I wouldn’t stay home, just because he has nothing to do.”

“You listen to me, Terry,” she ordered. “You can just put this whole thing out of your head. You’re going to college and you’re going to get a good education and, hopefully, in a year or two, Larry will pull his head out of his butt and find a way to join you, but until then, you just have to do what you have to do and let him be jealous, or angry, or stupid.”

“I don’t want to do this by myself,” he admitted, at last.

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “I know. But you can do it. I know you can. I managed without my friends and I know you will, too.”

A smile crept across his face. “No offence, Di, but you weren’t exactly a model student.”

She laughed. “No, that’s true. It took me three tries to find what I wanted to do. I dated every loser in a three-mile radius at more than one school. Then, I topped it off by getting pregnant to one of them right as I was dumping him. But I’m close to graduating, now. Only two subjects left. I should be done by Christmas. If Immy hadn’t come along, I would have finished ages ago.”

“Where is she, by the way?” he asked, all trace of his earlier anger gone.

“Finishing her nap,” Di explained. “She’ll be up any time now.”

He nodded, having apparently lost interest. “Is it worth it?”

She looked at him quizzically. “Is what worth it?”

“College. Going away. The whole education thing.”

“I think so. And I know my friends do, too. Ask Trixie. Or Jim. Or Brian. All of them have had opportunities they never would have had if they didn’t step out of their familiar little circle.”

“I’ve already talked to Trixie – and some of her workmates. They all think I should go.”

“And what do you think?” she asked, gently. “What do you feel?”

He looked at her, his eyes blazing. “I need to do this and not even Larry is going to stop me.”

She nodded once. This, she knew, was what he needed to affirm.

Several weeks passed. Diana and Imogen kept to their usual routine. Each weekend and the odd weeknight, they spent time with Thorn and his kids. Occasionally, they got together with Trixie and Jim, or Honey and Dan, or Di’s parents and sisters.

From what she could make out, Terry had no trouble settling in to college life. He had chosen well – both in the area of study and the place he had chosen to undertake it. Di was certain that the rift between him and Larry still hurt very much, but it was not ruining everything.

One weekend, she, Imogen, Thorn and his kids were invited to Crabapple Farm for the last cook-out of the season. The days were still warm, but the evenings were becoming much cooler. Helen Belden had arranged that the gathering take place for Saturday lunch.

The back yard was filled with those Helen considered to be her extended family. Brian and Ginnie had made the trip down to be there. Honey and Dan had travelled in from the city. A number of locals relaxed on the porch or stood around the barbecue. Diana was not surprised to see her own parents among those present, but she did sense an odd tension.

“I’ve missed something, haven’t I?” she demanded of Trixie, as Thorn chatted to Peter Belden and the kids ran riot with the young Delanoys and Regans. “What’s going on?”

Her friend looked confused for a moment, then her expression cleared. “Oh, you must mean to do with Larry and Bobby.”

Di groaned. “What have they done, now?”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Aside from breaking my mother’s heart? Nothing.”

Di looked over to her hostess in alarm, but other than a slight reddening of her eyes could detect nothing amiss. “Your mother?”

“You know how Moms was upset with Mart for going to Australia?”

Di nodded. “I don’t think she’s really gotten over that, has she? She said something to me a few weeks ago about when he comes back.”

It was Trixie’s turn to groan. “I just can’t make her understand that he’s not. But that’s not what we’re talking about. So, you know how Mart is so far away. And Brian is in Buffalo and is so completely settled in there that he’ll probably never leave?”

“And he spends so much time working that he hardly ever visits.” Di nodded. “What does that have to do with Bobby?”

“I don’t know why she wants to keep him close! He’s so horrible and prickly at the moment. I think it’s a great idea for them to go to Florida, but Moms is upset about it and I can’t seem to convince her that this is a good thing.”

“Wait! Why are they going to Florida?”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “You don’t know?”

“This is the first I’ve heard about it.”

“Really?” Trixie’s brow furrowed. “I thought you would have known already that your Dad got them jobs down there, in some subsidiary of his company.”

“No. Did he?” She shook her head. “I mean, I know that his company has a Florida-based subsidiary, of course, and something of what they do, but what could Larry and Bobby possibly do there? They have no qualifications or experience or skills.”

Trixie shrugged. “I don’t know, exactly. Some kind of manual labour. Base-level, unskilled work. I think they’re going to hate it. I can’t wait for them to start.”

“Bobby is your brother,” Di chided.

“And he’s annoyed me quite enough already,” Trixie countered.

Di frowned. “You think this might help?”

“Your father thinks so. I hope he’s right.”

Di sighed. “I hope so, too. Terry doesn’t really say anything, but it’s been hard on him.”

Trixie nodded. “And Moms doesn’t need any more grief from Bobby.”

“When are they leaving?”

“The day after tomorrow.” Trixie looked across at her mother. “I think that’s why Moms is taking it so hard. She wasn’t expecting this.”

“Excuse me, please, Mrs. Frayne,” Thorn’s elder daughter Rachel asked, coming up to them at that moment. She turned to Di. “Dad says, do you have spare clothes for Immy, because she’s gotten all dirty.”

Di let out a sigh. “Already? I’ll be there in a minute. Thanks.”

The fourteen-year-old nodded and left them.

“I’d better go and change that child.” She smiled. “You’re not thinking of having one of your own, yet, are you Trixie?”

Her friend snorted. “With you to show me what happens when you do? No way!”

Di smiled and went to change the toddler.

Late in the afternoon, while Imogen slept and the older kids watched a movie, several groups of adults gathered in various places. Di lay on one of the picnic blankets at the edge of the lawn, propped up on one elbow. Beside her, Honey sat cross-legged. On the next blanket, facing them, Ginnie mirrored her posture.

“Hungry?” Trixie asked, depositing a bowl of snacks in the midst of them and dropping down opposite Honey.

“No,” Di answered. “I’m still full from lunch.”

Trixie raised one indifferent shoulder and grabbed a handful. “So, what have I missed while I slaved away in the kitchen and you all lived a life of leisure?”

“You’ve been gone for all of ten minutes,” Ginnie pointed out, dryly. “But since you ask, we’ve been speculating on what dramas might turn up to take your mother’s mind off her troubles.”

“I thought she’d like a grandchild.” Honey turned to Trixie. “But unless you want to volunteer, I don’t think that one’s happening.”

Trixie turned to Di. “What is this? A conspiracy?”

Di laughed. “I didn’t say a word! She came up with that idea on her own. My thought was that she’d like a wedding.”

“That’s convenient.” Trixie glanced over to where Thorn was chatting with Brian on the porch. “Your wedding will probably be next, Di.”

Di’s eyes opened wider. “Mine? I don’t think so. And anyway, I’m not a Belden.”

“As far as Moms is concerned, you’re as good as.”

“Well, I don’t think I’ll be having a wedding any time soon.” She gazed for a moment at Thorn. “We’re taking things slow. I told you that already.”

“Maybe we should think of some other distraction,” Ginnie suggested. “Brian and I considered giving her tickets to a show for her birthday, but then we found something else instead. Maybe something like that would help.”

“A weekend in the city?” Honey considered for a moment. “She likes galleries and museums, doesn’t she? Maybe something like that would be better. I’ll be away over the weekend after next. If I convince Dan to come with me, your parents might stay at our place. Di, do you know of any exhibitions or art shows on then that they might like to see?”

“There’s sure to be something, but I’d have to check,” Di answered. “Leave it with me? I’ll let you know in a few days.”

“Otherwise, I could ask my father about the city apartment,” Honey continued. “Or do you think they’d prefer that anyway?”

Trixie shook her head. “I think they’d rather your place, Honey, than your parents’. It’s more their style.”

Honey nodded her agreement. “This sounds like a plan. And a much quicker one than the one where someone has a baby.”

“I don’t think anyone wanted to try that plan,” Di noted, smiling. “And don’t look at me for any more babies. I’m waiting until after I get married, which won’t be for a long while.”

“That’s what you say,” teased Trixie.

“Be quiet.” Di shook a finger at her. “If you don’t drop that, I’ll start bothering you.”

Her friend shrugged. “I’m already married.”

“I meant, about babies,” Di replied. “As in, you should be having some. Your mother would enjoy that so much.”

Trixie snorted. “Not until I’m ready – which won’t be until way after you’ve gotten married.”

“We’ll see.” Di glanced again at Thorn. “I don’t think you’re right about that, Trixie. I think your first child will come before my wedding.”

Mid-morning on the following Wednesday, Di received a rather cryptic phone call from Trixie, urging her to come over right way. Caught between amusement and exasperation, Di strapped her daughter into the car and headed over to her friend’s place.

“What’s the big mystery?” Di demanded, as Trixie answered the door. “Why did you want me to get here so fast?”

Trixie shrugged. “I just wanted you to see something.”

As Imogen wriggled down to the floor and wandered off into the living room, Di followed her friend to the dining room.

“Oh! Hello, Thorn. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

As she kissed him in greeting, she was bemused to notice a faint blush on his cheeks.

“I didn’t expect to be here, either, but you know Sir Winslow,” he answered, referring to Trixie’s boss and his friend and some-time employer. “He gets these ideas and has to act on them immediately.”

“In this case, it had to be immediately, or not at all.” Trixie pointed to a pile of pen and ink drawings. “He decided he needed these for a presentation he’s making this afternoon. But there’s just enough time for you to look at them before I take them to him.”

Di glanced at Thorn, who would not quite meet her eyes, then began to look through the illustrations.

“They’re beautiful,” she told him. “But I’d expect nothing else.”

“Thanks,” he murmured, seeming more uncomfortable by the moment.

She reached the bottom of the pile and discovered why Trixie had called her so urgently. The central figure of the drawing was a young woman in the dress of a few hundred years ago, but her face was Diana’s own. Radiant happiness shone in her expression.

Di looked in slight puzzlement from Trixie, who looked smug, to Thorn, who appeared mortified and was still avoiding her gaze.

“Were you thinking of me when you drew this?” she wondered.

His eyes snapped to hers. “For this one, Sir Winslow asked for a beautiful young woman.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“A beautiful young woman on the way to her wedding,” Trixie corrected, grinning. “Start packing those up for me, will you, Thorn? I’ve just remembered something else I need to take.”

Trixie darted out of the room without waiting for an answer. Di took one look at Thorn’s face and set off after her friend. She caught her half-way up the stairs and grabbed her arm.

“That wasn’t nice, Trixie.” She struggled to keep her voice low. “What made you do that to him? He doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.”

“It was a really nice picture of you,” Trixie answered, with mock innocence. “Why shouldn’t you see it?”

“You know very well why.”

Trixie huffed out a breath. “He’s asked to draw a bride and he draws you. When are you going to wake up to what’s going on between you?”

Di checked over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone and lowered her voice further. “When are you going to understand that it’s for his benefit that we’re taking things slow? He’s not ready to face this. You saw him, Trixie. He looked sick with dread about what this is going to lead to.”

The colour drained from Trixie’s face and she bumped her head against the hand rail. “Oh, woe! I’ve done it again, haven’t I? And here I thought I’d gotten past sticking my foot in my mouth every time I saw Thorn.”

“Go and get whatever it was you were getting and let me try to patch things up,” Di offered, giving Trixie a little push. “You still have to deliver those drawings.”

Trixie nodded and left at full speed. Di walked down the stairs in a more staid manner, glanced in at Imogen, who was playing happily and at last re-entered the dining room. She found Thorn seated at the table, pencil in hand and drawing something on a piece of paper. Opposite him, the other drawings were neatly packed into a folder, ready for Trixie to take.

She took a seat at the other end of the table, to let him have some space and considered for a moment the best way to begin the conversation.

“She didn’t actually mean any harm,” she told him at last. “But I’m sorry I let her manipulate me like that. I should have known better than to look at the illustrations, when you so clearly didn’t want me to.”

He waved the matter away with the hand that did not hold the pencil. “It doesn’t matter. I should know Trixie better by now.”

A certain thumping down the stairs heralded Trixie’s arrival. She dashed into the room, spotted the folder and took it up.

“Lock up when you leave, okay? I’ve got to run.”

“Drive safely,” Di urged, as her friend left at speed.

They heard her say goodbye to Imogen, then the outside door closed with a bang.

“Trixie is always in such a hurry,” Di noted, as a smile played around her lips. “I’m not. My life is running at a much slower pace these days.”

“You don’t mind that?” he asked, with just a hint of worry visible around his eyes.

Di shook her head. “Not at all. I like it.”

He smiled and turned back to his drawing.

Imogen wandered into the room and headed straight for Thorn. He lifted her as she tried to scramble onto his lap. She looked at the paper and poked at it with her finger.

“Mama!”

This time, Thorn did not seem the least embarrassed. In fact, he looked amused.

“Yes, that’s your Mama.”

“Boo-full.”

He smiled at Di. “Yes, she’s beautiful.”

One weekend a few weeks later, Di and Thorn chose to spend Saturday evening at his house. He cooked dinner for everyone and they enjoyed each other’s company over the meal. When it was over, he sent Di, Imogen and his eldest, Rachel, into the living room, while he, Aaron and Gina cleaned up.

“Here’s dolly.” Rachel handed the toy to Imogen and sat beside her on the floor. “Is it her bedtime yet?”

The two-year-old shook her head and hugged the doll tightly. She began to play a game of her own. For some moments, the other two watched her play.

Rachel looked up at Di. “I wish you two could live with us.”

For just a moment, Di froze. “That’s not exactly in our plans, right now.”

“But it could be,” Rachel insisted. “You could have that plan in the future. I’m not saying stay now. Just that you could. Soon. Aaron and Gina think so, too. Gina wants to share a room with Immy, instead of with me.”

Di shook her head. “It’s not that simple.”

Rachel seemed unconvinced. She turned to the smaller child. “Immy, let’s go and see what Gina’s doing. I think she needs our help.”

Imogen nodded. “Dolly help.”

“Yes, dolly can help, too.” Rachel got easily to her feet and picked them both up. “Let’s go and see.”

They disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Di alone in the room. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about what had just happened. At times like these, it felt like there was a conspiracy to force the two of them together, whether they were ready or not. As she heard someone approaching, she opened her eyes and saw Thorn.

“They ambushed me, too,” he admitted, smiling. “I wasn’t listening, but I’d guess that mine was even more awkward than yours.”

“Awkward is the word,” Di agreed.

“Not nearly as awkward, though, as Trixie’s ambush. I can’t tell you how sorry I was at the way I handled that. And for the fact that I’d inserted you into something for work.”

She shook her head. “I was flattered by that one. I just felt bad for the way that Trixie was treating it. She wanted to prove she was right and she didn’t think about how it would affect us.”

“It didn’t take long for me to be able to look back on that one and laugh. But that incident – and being called out by my own children – got me thinking and maybe they have a point.” He took her hand. “This isn’t the most romantic of proposals, but I thought it was more appropriate this way. I want to blend my family with your family. I want to wake up with you and spend all our evenings together. I want us to grow old together. Diana, will you marry me?”

She smiled. “Yes, Thorn, I will.”

The kiss that followed was only slightly interrupted by the sound of four young voices cheering.

The End