Is it Possible to PROMenade Alone?

 

Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School:

Trixie, Honey, and Di exited their English class together, all talking at once.

"Man, I'm starving today!" exclaimed Trixie. "I just grabbed a slice of toast as I was running to the bus this morning and now I'm famished."

"Just as long as you don't start eating like your brother," teased Di, affectionately.

"Honey, do you remember what's on the menu today?" asked Trixie of her friend.

Honey had a distracted look on her face. "Um, no, I don't Trixie."

"We better hurry and put our books in our lockers so we can fill that tummy of yours, Trix," stated Diana.

"Oh, I'm not going to eat in the cafeteria today," interrupted Honey softly.

Di and Trixie stopped in their tracks. "Again?" asked Trixie in despair. "Honey, I know the food here isn't gourmet but you need to eat!"

"Are you not feeling well, Honey?" asked Di.

Honey avoided looking directly in their eyes. "I feel fine, really, I just don't feel like I'm ready for the History test sixth period and I want to get some more studying done. I had Cook pack me a granola bar and a juice drink that I'll eat before fifth period." Honey didn't quite convince her friends that she really needed to study more for her test, but they didn't know how to disagree with her reasoning.

"Ok, I guess we'll see you in Math class next period," said Di, brightly.

Trixie knew something was amiss with her best friend and she was beginning to suspect the reason for her odd behavior. She gave Honey one more deeply searching look and then abruptly hugged her best friend. "We'll miss you at lunch, Honey," she spoke softly. "We all will." Pulling back, she noticed how Honey moved her eyes quickly away from Trixie's perceptive eyes.

"You all have fun," stated Honey weakly and walked off in the opposite direction without a backward glance.

Di and Trixie stood watching Honey walk away for a second.

"Trixie, do you really think she is okay?" asked Di, rather concerned.

"I think she will be OK, Di, but I'm going to corner her later and try to get some real answers out of her!" replied Trixie.

 

In the school cafeteria:

When Di and Trixie arrived to the Bob-White's regular table without Honey, the male Bob-White's looked up in questioning surprise.

"What's up with that sister of mine?" asked Jim curiously.

Trixie took her usual seat to the left of Jim and answered, "She is studying for the history test in the library."

"That's the third time this week that she hasn't eaten with us for some reason," observed Dan out loud, "Is she suddenly having a hard time in school that we don't know about."

Jim thought for a second. "No, I don't believe so. She would definitely tell me if she was having problems and her teachers always tell me how splendidly she is doing in her classes. Has she mentioned anything to you, Trixie?"

Trixie's eyes automatically moved to look at Brian for a second. "No, she hasn't mentioned anything about her school work to me, either. She does seem really distracted lately."

"I've noticed that, too," stated Brian quietly.

"Trixie said she is going to try to wrangle the truth out of Honey after school today," added Di from her spot across the table, seated beside Mart.

"That's good," stated Jim sincerely. "If Schoolgirl Shamus is on the case, we are bound to know what is going on with Honey in no time!"

Trixie blushed under his compliment and she smiled at him weakly but gratefully.

Mart and Dan started to discuss what had happened in the Junior-Senior Prom Planning Committee meeting during third hour and the others soon became invested in the conversation.

While the others spoke animatedly about the upcoming event, Brian spoke quietly to his sister. "Do you really think she is al right, Trixie?" he asked.

"I don't think she is sick or anything, Brian," she assured him. "I just think she has a lot on her mind right now."

"Like what?"

"I'm not sure, Brian, but the end of the school year is coming on quickly and lots of things are going to change then," she stated wisely.

Brian suddenly looked down at his plate. "I know," he stated flatly, almost to himself.

Trixie noted her brother's attitude and stored it away to contemplate later. She then turned to add her two cents to the Prom conversation.

 

Right after school:

Trixie and Honey were at their adjacent lockers, hurriedly packing their homework and jackets into their backpacks. Simultaneously, they slammed their lockers shut and started to rush down the hall together.

"After all that studying, how do you think you did on the History exam?" asked Trixie of Honey.

"Fine. You?" Honey wasn't exactly being talkative that afternoon.

"Well, I do believe I may have pulled off a B by the skin of my teeth," quipped Trixie.

They exited the school doors together and stood outside on the steps, waiting for their ride.

"I wonder why Brian isn't already waiting for us?" thought Trixie aloud. "We need to get home if we are going to meet Moms to go into White Plains this evening for Prom dress shopping."

"You’re the only one who needs a Prom dress, Trixie. I don't even think I'm going this year," Honey stated disdainfully.

Trixie sputtered. "What are you talking about, Honey? Of course you are going to the Prom this year! You'll go with Brian just as you went with him last year to the Junior Prom."

"I don't know anything, Trixie," Honey spoke harshly, totally against her normal character. "It's not like he's asked me or anything. It's not like he even cares about me at all. In one month, he is going to graduate and move away, and I won't even factor in his life at all then!" Honey's voice broke on this last statement and her eyes filled with tears. She turned abruptly away from Trixie so her friend couldn't view her pain.

Trixie just had her suspicions confirmed. Honey had been avoiding Brian for the last week because of the Prom, well…because of their questionable relationship. Trixie understood much of how her best friend was feeling as she was struggling with Jim graduating and moving away herself. Though their relationship was just as special friends still, Jim had asked her to the Senior Prom weeks before. Trixie was holding onto the happiness of being his special girl at the Prom for the time being before trying to deal with his imminent moving away.

Trixie reached out a comforting hand to Honey's shoulder. "Honey, I understand how you are feeling but I know Brian is planning on asking you to the Prom. He must have his reasons for not having done so by now." Trixie looked out in the front of the school where Brian was pulling up. "There he is now, we need to go."

"I'm not going!" exclaimed Honey. "I asked Jim to give me a ride home so I could work on my art project."

Trixie was baffled by her friend’s behavior, but deep down, she understood her pain. "Are you sure, Honey?" was all she said and after receiving a silent nod, she hugged her best friend fiercely. "I'll call you when I get home tonight. It'll all be okay; I promise!"

"Okay," mumbled Honey and hugged Trixie back briefly.

With one last concerned look at her best friend, Trixie turned and jogged down the long flights of stairs toward where Brian was parked with the jalopy running. Trixie saw Jim pull up two cars behind Brian and she waved at him briefly before reaching the jalopy.

Brian had seen the odd exchange between his sister and the girl he loved and had gotten out of the jalopy when Honey did not come down the stairs with Trixie. "Why didn't Honey come with you?" he asked his sister, his tone serious, as she faced him over the roof of the jalopy.

Trixie turned to watch Honey literally run past the jalopy towards waiting Jim without baring the Beldens a glance. Without saying a word, Trixie opened the jalopy and got in, securing herself safely in the seat belt.

Brian soon entered the jalopy and followed suit. Once his seat belt was on, he turned very concerned eyes to his sister. "What's going on, Trixie? Isn't Honey going to go shopping for Prom dresses with you and Moms today?"

Trixie's temper got the best of her. "Why would she need a Prom dress, Brian, when she doesn't even know if she is going to the Prom?" she asked him spiritedly.

Brian's face fell further. "Doesn't she know I'm going to take her, like I take her to all of the dances?" he asked quietly.

Trixie turned to look directly in her big brother's eyes. "I don't think she believes in you any more, Brian," she stated baldly. "She doesn't even know if you really care about her or not. She just told me that you are going to graduate and move away to college and then you won't ever think of her any more. And frankly, I can totally understand why she feels that way. It's not like you have told her that you have feelings for her. It's not like you have even asked her to the Prom!"

"I know, Trix, I've been meaning to," Brian started.

"Meaning to, schmeaning to! Brian, there are few people I love as much as you and Honey and right now you two are indirectly hurting each other…and I'm in the middle of it! You are eighteen, please act like the adult that you legally are." Trixie's eyes filled with frustrated tears and she turned to look out the window.

The drive home to Crabapple Farm was made in complete silence. Trixie was afraid to open her mouth again for how emotionally tempestuous she was feeling. Brian was sullenly contemplating all that his sister had said.

As soon as they reached home, Brian went up to the upstairs hallway phone and placed a call.

"Jim?" he asked upon hearing an answer. "Could you meet me at the clubhouse? I need to talk."

 

Two hours later:

"Why do we have to exercise the horses right now, Jim?" Honey asked in some annoyance as she followed her brother into the stables. Once her eyes adjusted to the bright light in the stable, she focused on the two saddled horses standing before her, right beside a tentatively smiling Brian.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, looking from Brian to her big brother.

Jim smiled lovingly at his shorter and younger sister. "Honey, there are going to be times in your life when I am going to ask you to do something that you don't want to do as your big brother who loves you and knows what is best for you; this is one of those times," he stated.

"But I told Ms. Trask I would help her make the pie for tomorrow's dinner," Honey tried.

"She's behind this, too, Honey," Jim admitted. "Cook made the pie this morning."

"Oh." Honey knew she was beat. Grudgingly, she turned to her horse and mounted her. After taking the reigns tightly in her hands, she turned to Brian. "Well, let's get on with it then."

Brian grimaced at Honey's lack of enthusiasm at joining him on a private horseback ride. Sharing a long look with Jim, he nodded once in silent thanks for Jim's assistance in getting Honey to ride with him, and he likewise mounted his horse.

Honey and Brian traveled for about ten minutes in silence, Brian contemplating what to say to Honey and trying to buck up his courage to follow through while Honey was sullenly riding beside him.

Finally, Brian pulled his horse to a stop beside the Wheeler's lake and Honey followed suit. Brian dismounted and then came over to Honey to help her gently down to the ground. Honey gave Brian a silent questioning look when he took her hand in his, but he just started walking with her along the circumference of the lake. They knew the horses would not move much beyond their stopping point while they grazed and lapped at the fresh water of the lake.

After taking a deep breath, Brian came to a stop and Honey stopped by his side, looking up, now with some fear, into his eyes. She didn't know why he had brought her out on this private ride, and she wasn't sure she was ready to hear what he had to say.

"Honey," Brian started falteringly, his thumb rubbing across the top of her hand in his. "I know you have been avoiding me lately and I think I know why."

Honey looked away from him. She was too honest to lie to him so she said nothing.

Brian turned her to directly face him. "Honey, I'm very sorry if I have hurt you," he stated earnestly. "Believe me, it was never my intent to do so."

Honey looked up at him with sad eyes. "I know that, Brian," she said quietly.

"Please forgive me for not having done this before now, but I was wondering if you would do me the honor of being my date to the Senior Prom?"

"Sure, Brian, I go to all of the big dances with you…why should this one be any different?" asked Honey, flippantly, tearing her hand away from his grasp and turning her body somewhat away from him.

"Honey, that’s not it!" Brain protested in disdain.

Honey turned back around to look at him. "It’s not?" she asked sarcastically.

Brian moved closer to her side and tilted her head gently up to look into his warm eyes. "No, it’s not," he replied huskily.

"It’s not," Honey restated, breathlessly, recognizing the serious look in Brian’s eyes.

Brian caressed Honey’s check with his hand. "Honey, there is a reason why I have asked you to every major dance and not some other girl."

Honey blinked repeatedly. "There is?" she asked quietly.

"Most definitely," he smiled softly, lovingly. "Honey, I didn’t ask any other girl as I could not imagine holding any other girl in my arms all night."

"You couldn’t?" asked Honey, inanely, her heart beating in double time. She held her breath, afraid to hope that this moment was finally happening.

Brian’s thumb began to caress her lip softly. "No, I only wanted you in my arms. But I’ve been afraid to tell you how I want that to happen all the time and not just at dances."

"All the time?" She licked her lips nervously.

"Yes, baby, all the time." Brian couldn’t help himself, he moved down and kissed her softly on the lips.

After a moment, they broke apart and Honey asked, stunned, "Why didn’t you tell me?"

Brian wrapped his arms loosely around her frame and was holding her softly against him. "Because of so many things, Honey. The BWGs, we’re a great group, but we are almost a big family. My best friend is your brother. Your best friend in my sister. If we dated each other, it would change the whole dynamic of the Bob-Whites. Two people would be paired off and the others would have to deal with it. And in an odd way, it seemed like our getting together would be incestuous or something!"

Honey laughed softly and musically at that last comment. "You mean, you didn’t tell me because you didn’t think I was mature enough for you?"

"Oh, no, Honey! Not mature enough for me, what a laugh!" And he laughed literally at the thought. "I was just so worried what it would do to all of the Bob-Whites! We’re all so close and interrelated, if something bad would happen in our relationship, it would cause not only problems in our group, but probably in our families, too."

Honey sobered suddenly. "My gosh, Brian, you’re right! I had never thought of it in that way before."

They were quiet for a moment. Then, Brian asked, "So do you understand why I have waited?"

Honey looked up to Brian with tears filling her eyes. "Yes, Brian, I do."

Brian noted Honey’s tears and he felt a sudden punch to his gut thinking that he had caused her to be unhappy. "Honey, why are you crying?" he asked quietly, but urgently.

"Because we can never be together! It would be too hard on the Bob-Whites and our families."

Brian realized how Honey had misunderstood the situation. "Honey, please stop crying!" he urged her. "Sweetheart, I know those are the reasons why I didn’t speak to you about my feelings before now, but things are different now."

"How are they different?" she asked, tearfully. "We’re all still one big group, interrelated and all that!"

Brian felt like a clod having his words returned to him in such a manner. "Yes, Honey, you are right. But you are wrong that we can’t be together."

"What has changed then?"

He wiped her tears from her cheeks with the soft palms of his hands. "We’re all older, Honey. We’ve all matured and it is time for the Bob-Whites to move into a new relationship with one another. But somebody needs to be the first one to start the process."

"What process is that?" Her tears had stopped but she was unsure as to where this conversation was going.

"Honey, do you know how many people in the Bob-Whites are in love and have been in love with someone else from the group but no one has said anything about it?" Brian asked with a smile.

Honey was quiet for a second but then smiled herself. "Well, I can think of at least four people that I know about, what about you?"

"I’m sure that I know some of those people and I can name a few that you might not know of."

"Oh really?" Honey was happily intrigued by this information.

"Yes, really." Brian kissed her on the cheek impetuously. "So, my thought is this. If ONE of us makes the move and becomes a couple, then hopefully that silly big brother of yours and my besotted little sister will get together."

"Ooh, that is a wonderful idea!" stated Honey, very excited. "And after they get together, we could only hope that Di and Mart would get together, too."

"Exactly!"

Honey sobered suddenly. "But that would leave Dan out. He’d always feel like the third, fifth, or seventh wheel!"

"I’m not so sure of that, Honey."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have it on good authority that Danny boy has a thing for my cousin."

"He does? Well, Hallie likes him!"

"I thought she might."

"So we would all hopefully get together and the Bob-Whites would only be better for it!"

"Correct."

Honey threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "Oh, Brian you are truly wonderful! To think you are doing this to help get all the Bob-Whites together!"

Brian pulled back from her slightly while saying, "Well, hold on there a minute, Honey!"

Honey was confused. "What’s wrong?" she asked sharply.

"I just don’t want you to be mistaken, is all, love."

Honey’s heart soared at him calling her that. "What would I be mistaken by?"

Brian caressed her cheek again with his hand. "I don’t want you thinking that I am doing this for any reason other than the fact that I love you completely and can’t imagine my life one more day without you knowing that," he stated solemnly and huskily.

"You do?" Honey’s eyes filled with tears again, this time with happy tears.

"Of course I do!" Brian laughed softly in a self-derisive manner. "Honey, you have no idea how long I have been in love with you without your knowing it," he admitted.

Honey smiled brightly. "Probably about as long as I’ve loved you without you knowing about it!"

"You do?" Brian gasped in happy surprise.

"Of course I do!"

They looked at each other and started to laugh happily. They laughed and laughed until their lips met and all sound was lost for quite some time. Finally, they moved apart and Honey laid her head on his broad and strong chest.

"Please don’t tell me if I’m dreaming this. If I am, I don’t want to wake up," she declared softly.

"I could pinch your cute fanny to let you know that you are awake," Brian offered helpfully.

"You better not!…cute fanny?" she repeated his words, teasing.

"Yes," he moved his hand lower over her body and swept his palm gently over that part of her anatomy, "very cute fanny. But then all of you is not only cute, it’s beautiful."

"You think I’m beautiful?" Honey asked, breathlessly.

Brian looked directly into her eyes and said seriously. "The most beautiful woman in the world."

Honey could only smile at him for his words had left her speechless. After a long moment, she found her voice. "Yes, Brian, I WILL go to the prom with you!" she declared passionately.

"You’ll go as my date to the senior prom?"

"No."

Brian was really confused now. "No?"

"No, Brian, if I go to the senior prom with you, it won’t be as your date."

Brian understood now. "You’ll go as my girlfriend," he stated humbly.

"Right, I’ll only go with you as your girlfriend," she agreed with much love in her voice.

Brian wrapped her tighter in his arms. "I think that most definitely can be arranged," he replied.

His lips prevented Honey from saying anything further.

The End