Sleepyside//A Trixie Belden Fanfic

1

Trixie Brisbane stood on the sidewalk with her hands in her coat pockets as rain pounded heavily on the streets of northwest Sleepside, the poorest district of the now thriving city. She let the rain wash over her as if trying to cleanse herself from the last fifteen years of heartache and misery.

   Trixie Brisbane (neé Belden) was the wife of Allan Brisbane. She had married him as soon as she had graduated high school, and with her marriage died her teenage dreams of becoming a Private Detective with her best friend, Honey Wheeler. A lot had died, but mostly her familial relationships and her friendships with the members of the Bob-Whites.

   The Bob-Whites of the Glen had been the club that Trixie, her older brothers, and some friends had started when they were teenagers. Just kids, from where Trixie stood. She sighed, now a soaking mess, and began the ascent up many flights of stairs to the decrepit apartment that the Brisbane family called home.

   She began to unlock the front door with some trouble because she was holding a large brown paper bag full of groceries. Not that she had been out shopping, that was easily betrayed by the large letters printed on the bag that read, "Food Pantry." Just then, Carl Mansel, an old man that was about as old as time and who also happened to be her next-door neighbor came walking by.

   He quickly came to her rescue by grabbing her bag for her despite his arthritis and the fact that he walked with a stoop. "There you go, Miss Trixie." She smiled at him fondly and said, "Thank you." Mr. Mansel was like a father to her. Not that she didn't have a father, but she hadn't seen her father, Peter Belden, since her wedding. So Mr. Mansel would have to do.

   She began to try the lock again, this time the only obstacle being how rusty the lock was that it barely worked. It was a miracle that it locked at all, much less unlocked. She twisted the key sharply and finally got the door to unlock with a loud grating noise. She thanked Mr. Mansel once more and took the bag from him.

    She began to open the door when the old man stopped her by putting a hand gently on her shoulder. "You don't have to go it alone, dear. If you need anything, just ask." He gave her a toothless smile and hobbled off to his apartment.

   Trixie paused before the door and wiped a tear off of her cheek. Kindness was rare these days. She pushed open the door and was welcomed by the shout of, "Mom's home!" and the running of her children to meet her. She had three boys whom she loved very much, despite who their father was.

   The oldest, Peter, was tall and dark just like his father, although Trixie would have rather likened him to looking like his Uncle Brian. Not that the children had ever met her family. But she knew that if they had, they would love them.

   Charlie, the middle child, took after Trixie, with curly blond hair and blue eyes. He was the class clown of the three and was always laughing at some joke or another. Then there was Danny, the baby of the family at only four years old.

   He didn't look like either of his parents as of yet, but Trixie hoped more than anything that whatever he looked like when he grew up, that he wouldn't look like his father. The three kids looked up at their mother expectantly. She knew they hadn't eaten dinner yet. Peter took the bag from his mother and set it on the table.

   He had been forced to grow up quickly and he was always helpful where he could be.

   "Thank you, Pete. Charlie, have you done your homework?" A devilish grin spread across his face as he shook his head. "Why don't you do it then while you're waiting for dinner?"

   The boy shook his head again. "Can't."

   "And why not?" She said as picked Danny up.

   "'Cuz, I turned all my homework papers into paper airplanes and threw them at Andy Cramer." He laughed appreciatively. "You should've seen him trying to figure out where they were coming from, Mom. It was great."

   Andy Cramer was a kid at school who loved to hurt other kids and from what Trixie could tell, her ten-year-old son was something of a conquering hero to all the kids who had been beaten on by Andy. Nowadays it seemed like Charlie lived for playing tricks on him at school.

   She couldn't help but smile at her son. "But you still have to do your homework."

   "But I don't have it."

   "Then ask for more copies tomorrow."

   "Oh alright, Mom. What's for dinner?"

   "Sandwiches." She knew he had been teasing. They had sandwiches every night for dinner.

   "Listen, Charlie. Take Danny and help him wash up."

   "Ok. Come on, Danny!"

   She smiled at the pair and began to butter pieces of bread for dinner. Peter took some of the bread and did the same. "How was school?"

   "Fine. I got an A on my math test."

   "Good job, Pete! You could become a doctor just like your Unc--" Trixie stopped herself. Her kids didn't know about her family, and she would like to keep it that way. Besides, who knew if Brian was still a doctor? She had no idea where her family and friends were, and it was best to keep it that way.

   "What?"

   "Nothing, darling."

   Charlie came running in with Danny. "Mom! The water stopped running again."

   "That's just great! Sorry about that, Charlie. Let's just eat our food." She finished making the last sandwich. As the four sat down to eat their food, Trixie heard a faint but familiar bumping noise coming from the stairwell. She gave a start and urgently said to the boys, "Take your food and go eat in the bedroom!"

   They immediately jumped up, grabbed their food and their little brother, and went to the bedroom. They didn't need to be told twice. They knew what was happening: their dad was home.