In order for things to work out, Diana is 13-years-old when the story begins in 1965. In my usual Trixie Belden universe, Diana would�ve been 18 in 1965. Hey, it wouldn�t be the first time someone messed with the timeline�

Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson, New York � Mid-October 1965.

The summer of 1965 had been quite eventful for the five teenagers swimming in the Wheelers� lake. Honey Wheeler, whose family had just moved into the Manor House, met and became instant friends with Trixie, Brian, and Mart Belden, who lived next door at Crabapple Farm, the sturdy white farmhouse down in the hollow. Trixie and Honey had befriended a runaway from Albany named Jim Frayne, whom Honey�s father, Mathew, had later adopted.

Honey took a perfect swan dive into the lake and swam around. Everyone looked as if they were having so much fun. Jim Frayne and Mart Belden sat side-by-side on the dock laughing and chatting like they were old friends. Black-haired, violet-eyed Diana watched the group of teens from her family�s limousine and rather wished she was swimming with them. The five of them were the best of friends and did everything together.

The Wheeler family had horses, and so they were always out riding. Diana remembered when Trixie would come over to play for the afternoon, and she would bring her plastic horses. Her own horse was named �Sunny�. The two girls dreamed of riding horses someday, and often talked about saving up money between the two of them to buy one.

Trixie walked over and sat down next to Jim and they started chatting. Diana felt a twinge of jealousy seeing her long time best friend spending time with her other friends. She felt bad because jealousy wasn�t right, but she couldn�t help it. Trixie had always done things with her, but ever since the Wheeler family moved into the Manor House, Trixie seemed to busy herself with them rather than with the Lynch family. Seeing Jim reach over and tug one of Trixie�s curls reminded her why the Wheeler family was so important in Trixie�s life. Honey�s adoptive brother was fond of Trixie, and that was no secret.

Staring up the hill at the Manor House, Diana had always dreamed that her family would move there. But instead, her family had purchased the grand estate just beyond it along Glen Road. The limousine rounded the corner and made a right turn up into the driveway and halted in front of an exquisite four-story mansion. It was a nice place, but hardly something Diana could call �home�.

Sleepyside � Lynch Estates � June 1965

Before leaving on a business trip to Rutland, Vermont, Mr. Lynch hired a poor, unemployed man by the last name of Durrell, or Darnell--Diana couldn�t remember. All she could remember was that while they were on vacation, the poor family took off in The Robin, their red trailer home.

Mr. Lynch knew that this family didn�t have a penny to their name. They were new in Sleepyside and had looked for work, but with no luck. Finally, one day they happened upon the Lynches. The wife hadn�t eaten in days in order that the children would have plenty to eat. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch took pity on the poor family, hired them, and then left that same day. As soon as Harrison, the Lynch�s butler, notified Mr. Lynch that the trailer was missing, the police were called and the vacation was cut short. A few days after calling the police, a report came back to Mr. Lynch that it had been found and its occupants were the same family that he had employed. Mr. Lynch then dropped the charges and agreed to let the family use the trailer for as long as they needed, even though he didn�t really approve of the poor man�s actions.

Later, Mr. Lynch found out from his staff that it was really Harrison�s fault that the family took off when they did. Harrison hadn�t approved of the poor family, but Mr. Lynch left before Harrison had any time to explain his feelings. Harrison acted as manager over the entire Lynch Estate and Gardens, and made many decisions concerning hired staff. When Mr. Lynch hired the family without consulting Harrison first, there were hurt feelings.

When Darney, as he was called by his wife, showed up for work the first day, Harrison decided that he was not suitably dressed. He needed a �respectable haircut and appropriate clothing.� Darney explained that he was penniless and couldn�t afford such things right then, and asked if it was possible to receive a loan for a haircut and if he could borrow a uniform. Harrison was shocked and ordered him dismissed for asking such a thing. The man pleaded with the butler to be able to leave his wife and children there while he look for work, and then would gladly repay Harrison for his trouble. The next thing the poor family knew, they were out on the doorstep with the door slammed in their faces.

�Darney,� his wife said weakly. �Why don�t we wander over to the house just up the hill from this one? I�m sure they could use more help. Possibly a chauffeur?�

The scruffy man shook his head and took a hold of his unkempt hair. �Do you think they�d hire a bum like me, woman?� His frustrated tone stabbed at the frail, thin woman like a million swords. She was at her wit�s end. Walking down to the end of the driveway, weakly holding her baby and pulling her son and two daughters in tow, she began to cry. Her husband turned to her and grasped one of her thin shoulders with his calloused hand. �You wipe those tears away right now! I will not let this happen! I don�t care if I never eat again, Doris, but I�m sick and tired of watching the rest of you starve.� Then he added with more emphasis, �I will get work, Doris! Please have faith in me that I can do this!�

Doris stood there, holding her nine-month-old, dark-haired baby girl, and stared right into her husband�s eyes. �I never stopped having faith in you, Darney.� With that, she turned to her children and took the six-year-old�s hand. �But please, please ask the people at the house up the hill if they need any extra help.�

Darney�s shoulders dropped as he turned and walked up Glen Road to the Manor House. There he met a husky, redheaded man, who introduced himself as Regan and wore riding boots, faded jeans, and a flannel shirt, and asked if he could speak to the manager of the estate. Regan apologized and said that at the moment, the manager was away on business and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Wheeler were available to speak to him.

�If you like, I can give your name to the manager when she gets back from her trip,� the young man said after shaking hands with Darney.

Darney shook his bushy, dark mane no. �You see, I need work immediately.�

Regan thought for a minute, and then his face brightened. �Know anything about horses?�

A look of desperation and anxiety came across Darney�s face. �No. I don�t know the first thing about taking care of horses, but I need work. My family is starving and I need something right now!� Darney was so desperate he was practically yelling at the young man. �I can learn. You need someone to clean? I�ll do it. You need someone to do the gardening? A chauffeur? I will do it!�

Regan could see the look in Darney�s eyes and felt as if he could make a decision about hiring even if Miss Trask wasn�t there. She trusted his decisions, especially if he were to hire for an assistant of his own. �Stay here and I�ll be right back,� Regan said as he turned around on his heel and walked back to the stables. It took him a minute to find the correct form to be filled out by employees of Wheeler Industries, and he headed back out to the driveway. The desperate man with the bushy hair was gone.

�Now how do you like that?� Regan said to himself and stalked back into the stables.

�They said they were overstaffed and couldn�t take on any new employees,� Darney lamely told his wife, who was standing on the other side of the street from the Lynch Estate. �I�m sorry about everything, Doris.� The tall husky man sat down on the curb and put his head in his hands and his wife and children sat down too.

The truth was, he wanted the job with the Wheelers very much, and, after seeing their incredible wealth, he dismissed any thoughts of ever having to look for more work. But after a while, he began to get nervous. If anything were to go wrong, as it usually did when he was around, certainly, he would be the first to blame. Suddenly he stood up and turned to his wife. �You stay here with Joanne, Sally, and Donny. I�ll be right back.� With that, he turned and headed back to the Lynch home.

�Momma?� the six-year-old asked as she tugged on her mother�s threadbare skirt. �Why�s Daddy goin� up there when that mean ol� man tol� us ta leave?�

�Daddy�s probably going to try to work things out so we can live there, Sally.� Doris� explanation was good enough for the little girl, but the older one, Joanne, turned her head to hide a look of disbelief. She had seen the look in her father�s face and knew that he wasn�t going to be civil when he spoke with the butler.

Five minutes later, a small car towing a large red trailer came down Glen Road and stopped before Doris and her children. �No questions. Just get inside!� Darney growled at his family and leaned over to unlock the passenger door. The children obeyed, but Doris hesitated.

�Darney, this belongs to the Lynches, doesn�t it?� She asked, knowing full well that the answer was yes.

�Doris, it�s not what you think,� he snapped at her. �I�m simply borrowing it for the time being.�

Doris didn�t feel as if there was anything more she could do, and slid in the passenger seat. Her baby started to cry and fuss as Darney pushed the accelerator pedal to the floor and sped out of town.

Sleepyside � Crabapple Farm � Middle of April 1959

Diana was always a frequent houseguest at the Belden house. She knew the ins and outs of Crabapple Farm almost better than Trixie did. They used to play in Trixie�s room, making a house out of a blanket draped over two chairs that were set back to back to make a tent. Then they would pool all their dollies together and those would be their kids. Sometimes, they were able to sucker Mart into playing Daddy. Brian was too old for that stuff, or so he liked to let them all believe.

For a first grade class project at Sleepyside Elementary, they were supposed to write a short paragraph over the weekend stating what they wanted to be when they grew up and why. Diana spent the entire weekend at Trixie�s house working on this extensive report. Both girls moaned and groaned over it and tried to get Brian and Mart to help them. Brian was being a pain and insisted that it wouldn�t make any sense for him to help the girls since the paper is not about what he wanted to be, but what they wanted to be, and since he didn�t know that answer, he couldn�t very well help them. Trixie let out a �harrumph!� and stomped up to her room. Brian ran out the front door, mounted his bike, and peddled as fast as he could to get out of earshot. Before Mart had a chance to follow his older brother, Diana widened her violet eyes and asked, �Would you help us, Mart?�

Mart hesitated. He hated to pass up an opportunity to show his sister�and her friend�just how smart he was, but at the same time, wanted to go play with Brian. After all, they might stop by Mrs. Vanderpoel�s and she always had treats and goodies on hand. His mind was instantly made up. �Nope,� he said simply and headed down the driveway hurrying to catch up to Brian.

Diana stood at the top of the Belden driveway and watched him go. �FINE!� she shouted as loud as she could, �BE THAT WAY!� She stomped up to Trixie�s room to finish her assignment.

They stumbled through their assignment as they tried to come up with some kind of an explanation for their choices.

�This is dumb,� complained Trixie as she erased her first sentence with her pencil. �Maybe I�ll be a Mommy,� she thought and scribbled down her new sentence.

Diana stared at her piece of paper with a blank expression. �I want to be a fireman when I grow up.� Trixie began to giggle at Diana�s sentence.

�That�s silly, Di,� Trixie said between giggles. �Whoever heard of a girl firefighter? Besides, why do you want to be one?�

Diana had a smug look on her face. �Because, Trixie, I want to be the one to get kitties down from trees and stuff.�

�But you�re scared of heights,� Trixie said. Diana shrugged and scribbled out her sentence.

�Well, then I want to be a...� Diana�s eyes started to dance and grew huge. �I want to be a singer! Hey, you and I could sing as a duo and become famous or something. We could say we�re the...um,� Diana cocked her head a bit and stared up at the ceiling. �I know, we could be the Belden Sisters.�

�Are you kidding?� Trixie almost shouted. �I can�t sing. You�re in this one by yourself, Di. I�m going to be a Mommy when I grow up.�

Diana started laughing uncontrollably at Trixie�s choice. �You�re not supposed to pick �Mommy� as your job, Trix. That�s not a job at all. You�re supposed to pick something like nurse, writer, ballerina, actress, or something like that. Not mommy.

�Why not?� Trixie said as she shook her six-year-old head of blonde curls with emphasis. �You picked fireman as your choice. If you can be a fireman, I can be a mommy.�

�Yeah, but I took mine back, so you have to also,� Di said as she neatly printed her explanation.

Trixie looked a little hurt, but tore another piece of paper out of her notebook and wrote down her sentence. Soon, both girls were finished with their assignment and soon took out Trixie�s paper dolls and began playing.

A few months later, their mothers had discovered that they were pregnant. Bobby was born a few months before Lawrence and Terrance, Diana�s twin brothers. When Bobby came into the picture, Brian began to put himself in charge of anyone younger than him. Fights used to break out among the Belden kids, which meant all kids involved would be sent to their rooms, and then Diana would end up being sent home.

Sleepyside Elementary � Middle of May 1961

Mrs. Beaman was proud of her third grade students, and her way of showing it was requiring the children to be in a spring program. Both Brian and Mart had had to do it, and now it was Trixie�s turn to endure the torture and Di was sure to help her through it. Trixie mumbled and grumbled about it for the whole month leading up to the play. They were putting on a small production of Alice in Wonderland.

Each day they set aside an hour for making props, costumes, and backdrops, while working on their lines. Even some of the drama students from the Sleepyside Junior/Senior High School helped out with the production as extra credit for their drama class. Diana and Trixie, along with Meredith Walters and Georgina Muntz, were to play four dancing daffodils, which would criticize Alice for being a weed. The music teacher, Mr. Preston, helped them choreograph dance moves and taught the girls what they were supposed to sing. Trixie grumbled through the entire thing, but Diana and the other girls didn�t think it was too bad.

�Why couldn�t I be the Cheshire Cat?� Trixie griped to Diana while working on their lines at Trixie�s house one evening. �I wouldn�t be messing up my lines so much because I actually liked him.�

�I don�t know, Trix,� Diana said, feeling sorry for Trixie. �Paul Victors just makes a better cat, I guess. Besides, Mrs. Beaman thinks you look cute as a daffodil.�

�Sure I do,� Trixie said sarcastically. �Maybe while we�re all singing to Missy Rhodes, we�ll all forget that she�s the weed and start singing to me.�

�Oh Trix! Come on,� Diana said as she put her arm around her best friend. �It can�t be that bad. Just keep your chin up and everything will be fine.�

�Yeah, but you don�t have a brother who�ll smirk and laugh all the way through it.� Trixie started to doodle on her script as she spoke. �I think I�d be happier with math than this.�

Diana burst out laughing. �Oh Trix, it�s not that bad.�

�I�d also rather be the Queen of Hearts, because I�d like to see Jane Morgan play a stupid flower rather than my absolute favorite character in the entire play,� Trixie spat out and tossed her pencil. �All Jane can do is just stand there and yell �OFF WITH HER HEAD!� She can�t act!�

Diana began laughing, because she didn�t like Jane Morgan any more than Trixie did. �Well, I�m glad she�s not a daffodil, because I don�t want to dance with her. I�d rather dance with you, Trix.� Diana looked down at her script and then back up at Trixie with a grin. �Mrs. Beaman made me a daffodil because I don�t have a prayer of remembering my lines anyway. I�ll just get up there and laugh all the way through it.�

�You mean like what you did in last years production of �Our Town�?� Trixie began to laugh herself. �For crying out loud, Di, you began laughing during your speech at the end because you couldn�t remember your lines.�

�I know,� Diana said and grinned. �But, even though I botched the whole thing, the play actually went quite well, don�t you think?�

�Well, you don�t have to worry about botching this one,� Trixie sighed. �I�ll be sure and do that for you.�

�Don�t talk like that! You�ll do just fine!�

The week of the performance the teachers made their final arrangements and began measuring the girls and boys for their costumes. The daffodils made their costumes from colored paper, while Missy Rhodes got to dress up in Dorothy�s costume left over from �The Wizard of Oz�, last year�s production. There were plenty of black tights and leotards so each child had his or her costume.

An hour before the production, all third graders and parents were at the school to help with preparations and costumes. Carolyn Lynch wanted to be one of the mothers to help, but being pregnant with her second set of twins, and caring for her first set, she decided not to. Helen Belden jumped at the chance. She didn�t have the opportunity last year because she was pregnant with Bobby and not feeling very well.

After Trixie and Diana changed into their black leotards and tights, their yellow paper skirts were wrapped around them and stapled in the back. Trixie squirmed because the staples made her itch. Next their paper crowns were bobby-pinned to their hair.

Before the play, one of the mothers grouped the children together and took pictures. Standing backstage, the third graders could hear the crowd of proud parents in the auditorium talking among themselves, no doubt bragging about their own child, and how well that child would do.

�Trixie, stop that! You�ll ruin your costume!� Diana scolded Trixie for scratching her back, where the staple was poking her skin.

�Will not, Di. I just itch like cray-zeeee!�

�Well, stoppit! You�re making me itch!� Diana scratched at her back even though the staple holding her skirt together wasn�t itching.

A few minutes later, Trixie�s mother kissed her daughter and sat down with the rest of her family. All the house lights went dark and music began to play. Missy Rhodes, playing Alice, took her place behind the curtain and, as soon as they opened, the play began. Both Trixie and Diana had to admit that Missy did a fine job as Alice. Everything had gone as scripted, and the high school drama students were very helpful with scene changes and special effects.

Soon, Alice would find herself in the garden of flowers, and that meant Trixie, Diana, Meredith, and Georgina would be up. Missy sat on a papier-m�ch� mushroom while each of the flowers danced around her.

�Trixie! Quit scratching your back! You�re going to ruin your skirt! Okay girls, you�re up next,� Mrs. Beaman whispered. She waited until both the red and white flowers took their spots on each side of Alice and gave Georgina a slight nudge. She was the tallest flower, so she led the group of girls out on stage.

Georgina tiptoed out on the stage, followed by Diana, Trixie, and Meredith. While Mr. Preston played the piano, the four girls took their positions and twirled around Alice. The two taller girls�Georgina and Diana�stood on each side of Alice, while the two shorter girls�Meredith and Trixie�stood in front of them. As Trixie began her toe-point exercises, the staple began to poke her skin again. The four girls twirled and, after a series of awkward pli�s, they twirled again. Then all four girls stood in a line, facing the audience and sang:

As the four girls twirled, the staple began to dig in to Trixie�s back. Quickly, she reached back and scratched. Suddenly, her paper skirt ripped and one side fell down, while the other side clung to her leotard with the staple. Remembering Mrs. Beaman�s words, �No matter what happens, keep the show going�, Trixie ignored her fallen skirt and continued to dance. The four girls performed a series of toe touches and twirled, but Trixie stepped on her skirt and lost her balance and sprawled on the stage.

The audience gasped, Mrs. Belden cried out, and Mart snorted and started laughing uncontrollably.

Trying with all her might to stand up, she only slipped on her skirt again, causing the staple to dig further into her back, and one of the bobby pins to fall out of her hair, causing her crown to fall down around her eyes. Because of the freshly waxed and buffed, slick stage floor, and her smooth tights, Trixie couldn�t get enough footing to stand up. She felt like she was slipping and sliding on ice.

Mrs. Belden scolded her son for laughing at his sister, but he just sat back and snickered.

Di stopped dancing and helped her best friend up, but to no avail. Trixie was itching because of the staple, slipping on her paper skirt, and the crown down around her eyes. Next thing she knew, she had fallen on Mr. Preston�s upright piano.

CLAAAANNNNNGGGGGG .......CLONNNNNNNGGGGGG ...........CLUNNNNGGGGGG ............
CLAAAAAAAAANNNNNNGGGGGG

�Catch her!� Mrs. Belden cried from the audience, and handed Bobby to her husband. Mart and Brian were in stitches laughing, while Mr. Belden tried to cope with a screaming baby.

From there, she fell down into Mr. Preston�s lap, but he didn�t catch her in time and she landed on the floor next to his feet. Mrs. Belden hurried up to the apron of the stage and gathered Trixie in her arms. Mart was howling, Bobby was screaming, and Brian was snickering, but at the same time hurrying up to see if Trixie was all right.

Diana climbed down off the stage to check on her friend, and Missy had fallen off her mushroom from laughing too hard. Meredith and Georgina tried to continue, but the curtains closed.

Sleepyside � Main Street Apartments � July 1961

Mr. Lynch worked for Mr. Ashberg, who owned New England Banks, a small chain exclusive to the New England states, and was expected to spend most of his time in Manhattan, where the home office of the small chain of banks were. Mrs. Lynch was left to care for the children alone because they couldn�t afford hired help, and she had no other family to pitch in. Franklin had a sister who lived in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but she was only able to visit once in a while since she worked full time and couldn�t get away much.

One night, a few months before the twin girls were born, Mr. Lynch awoke out of a sound sleep to see his wife kneeling at his side of the bed with a terrified look on her face. She was lightly nudging his shoulder.

�Frank!� she whispered anxiously. �Wake up! Something�s wrong!�

�What is it, hon?� Franklin Lynch hoisted himself up on one elbow and wiped the sleep out of his eyes with his free hand.

�It�s Larry!� she gasped. �I don�t think he�s breathing!�

�Are you sure?� he asked as he sat up.

She started to cry. �I�m sure.� She looked up to the doorway with terrified fright in her eyes. �What if he�s...�

�Carolyn, he�s fine. I assure you.� Franklin stood up. �I�ll check on him.� Even Franklin was a little frightened to check on his young son. As he hurried down the hallway to the nursery, he could hear Terry�s light cooing, who was accompanied by the light sounds of Larry�s even breathing.

Carolyn was in the doorway, sweating profusely. �Is...he?�

As an answer to her question, Franklin picked up Larry and kissed his forehead. The infant made some light gurgling noises. Carolyn started to cry as she rushed over to her little son and gathered him in her arms. She started mumbling about how they almost lost him, and how sorry she was. After rocking Larry back to sleep, both Carolyn and Franklin stayed up for a while.

Soon, the infant was back to sleep. Carolyn carefully laid him back down in his crib, kissed her index finger and touched it lightly to his nose. She turned to face Franklin, who yawned. �I�m sorry I got you up, Frank. Now you won�t be able to work very well tomorrow.� She wrapped her housecoat around herself and stretched it over her unborn twin girls. �Would you like to have some tea?�

Franklin stepped over in front of his beautiful wife. �I would�ve been upset if you hadn�t gotten me up, Carolyn.� He took her by the shoulders and kissed her passionately. �I love you.�

�I love you, too.� Carolyn fell into her husband�s loving arms and let him take her back to the bedroom and put her back to bed.

Sleepyside � Main Street Apartments � September 1961

When Cynthia and Melinda were born, it was especially a hard time for Carolyn, since Franklin was traveling for business, and Diana was in school. Before leaving, Franklin had arranged with his sister to come up and help with the children. Because Debbie didn�t have the chance to visit often, she jumped at the opportunity.

Diana stood over her younger brother�s crib, watching him sleep. �Aren�t they just darling?� the nine-year-old asked her tall, slender, tanned skinned aunt as she reached her long slender finger in to touch Terry�s cheek.

�Yes, Di. They are,� Debbie answered her niece. �I�m going to check up on Carolyn and see if she�d like a cup of tea. Would you like any?�

Diana shook her head no and continued to watch over her brothers and sisters. Melinda began to cry as Debbie put her back down into the crib. Diana stood over next to the crib to keep her sister company while her aunt fetched tea for her mother.

Debbie strolled out to the kitchen and began to heat up a kettle of water. After preparing two teacups and two tea bags, Debbie leaned her small frame against the counter top and made a mental note of some of the spots that needed cleaning. Their apartment was simple, and nothing elaborate. Various photos and knickknacks were on display in the living room.

A big eight-by-ten photo of Frank and Carolyn on their wedding day stood tall above the rest. Carolyn�s slender figure leaned into Frank�s husky one and her deep violet-blue eyes sparkled with delight as she gave him a big, wide smile. Her dark black hair flowed down around her shoulders. Frank stood tall and proud, with his arm holding his new wife close. His tanned skin was the perfect contrast for Carolyn�s fair skin. Right next to the photo was a school picture of Diana. She looked exactly like her mother.

The shrill whistle of the kettle interrupted her thoughts, so Debbie returned to the kitchen and removed the kettle from the burner. Upon entering the bedroom with the tea, she saw her sister-in-law sitting on the edge of the bed in tears. Quickly she set the tray down on the vanity and hurried to her side.

�Carolyn, what�s wrong, dear?� Debbie asked taking the woman�s hands in hers. Carolyn didn�t answer her but turned away instead. �Please tell me what�s wrong,� Debbie asked again.

Without thinking about it, Carolyn had turned to the tall mirror attached to the vanity. She stared at her own figure next to Debbie�s petite one. She appreciated all of Debbie�s help and generosity, but frankly it was getting to be too much. She turned to face her sister-in-law.

�Nothing�s the matter, Debbie,� Carolyn fibbed sarcastically. She looked down at her oversized, lightweight nightgown and took a hold of it. �I�m only a hundred pounds heavier, but I don�t see anything wrong with that. Do you?� Her voice got louder as she spoke.

Debbie didn�t quite know what to say. It was true that Carolyn had gained weight, but that�s only normal after having a baby, and it would be expected especially after having twins � two sets of them. �Now Carolyn, don�t talk like that. You look just fine to me.�

Suddenly fire blazed forth out of Carolyn�s violet eyes. Debbie had never seen her this way before.

�What do you mean, I �look just fine�?� Carolyn seethed. �If I looked �just fine� then why is Frank away all the time? I�ll tell you why. I�m a cow, that�s why. I can�t fit my clothes, I have no energy, and I eat everything in sight!�

�Now Carolyn, you know that�s not true,� Debbie soothed. �Frank loves you.�

�You shut up!� Carolyn screamed. �You and your skinny figure wouldn�t understand!�

�Why wouldn�t I understand?� Debbie asked, her voice still soft.

�Because you can fit into everything and anything, and you can afford it too! Your feet don�t swell up! You didn�t need to get your wedding ring cut off because it was cutting off circulation! You wouldn�t understand!� Carolyn stood up from the bed and stepped in front of the mirror. Debbie was still on the floor looking up at her.

�Carolyn, regardless of what you say,� Debbie said as she stood up next to her brother�s wife, �you are beautiful, and Frank does love you.�

Carolyn didn�t look at Debbie, but instead looked at her own body. None of her clothes fit her anymore. She had to continue to wear her maternity clothes. She was no longer the petite little woman she used to be. Just look at me! I�m bursting at the seams! She glanced over at Debbie�s reflection and lamely smiled. Debbie was a perfect B-cup woman who was telling a D-cup woman that she looked just fine. Debbie must die! She desperately wanted to pound Debbie�s head in with her hand mirror.

�Would you like some tea?� Debbie asked and reached for one of the two cups of tea. �I think this will help you feel better.�

Carolyn accepted the cup. It was part of the china set Frank�s mother had given them for a wedding present. It had a gold trim around the rim and dainty little pink flowers lining the base of the cup. She took a sip and stared down at her reflection in the tea. One of the babies in the nursery started to cry.

�I think I�ll check on the children and see how Diana�s doing,� Debbie said and left the room.

Carolyn held onto her cup tightly. The tea had cooled off, but she didn�t care. She wasn�t really drinking it anyway. She kept staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her chin grew by the minute. Her legs were getting bigger and bigger. She didn�t feel good at all, in fact she felt like throwing up. Before she knew it, her teacup had left her hands and was flying full speed to the mirror. The cup shattered into a thousand pieces and cracked the mirror. Next, she shoved all the pictures off her nightstand and yanked her bedside lamp out of the wall, tearing the cord, and sent it flying across the room. Carolyn threw the lampshade across the room and began to hit things with the lamp. As if it were a bat, she swung at anything in her path. She put dents in the walls, smashed knickknacks, and vases.

In the cracked mirror, she saw five Carolyns looking back, making the situation even worse. Grabbing the side of the mirror, she scowled at her red, flustered face and screamed at herself. Letting out an even louder shriek of fury, she began shaking the mirror loose from the vanity, knocking her make-up, combs, brushes, the tea tray, and other items to the floor. The mirror wouldn�t come loose.

Carolyn picked up the lamp and glared at the mirror. �Fat, ugly cow!� she seethed at herself and gave the mirror one good whack and then threw the lamp out the bedroom window, causing it to shatter the glass and put a dent in the parked car four stories below. The lamp wasn�t the only thing to go flying out the window. She grabbed everything from shoes and pillows to knickknacks and pictures, and sent them straight out the window. Neighbors� voices from outside drifted up as she began to pound on the walls and sob uncontrollably.

Finally out of breath, the woman stumbled to her knees and fell down onto the floor. A shocked and slightly scared Debbie stood in the doorway. How long she had been there, Carolyn didn�t know. Upon realizing that Diana had followed her to the doorway, Debbie turned her scared, young niece around and lightly pushed her down the hall towards the nursery. She rushed to Carolyn�s side and lifted one shoulder so she could see her face. Her eyes were shut and light weak breaths were coming from her mouth. Debbie gathered all her strength and pulled her hyperventilating sister-in-law to a sitting position and leaned her up against the bedroom wall.

The next few moments were mass confusion for Diana. Her mother had gone from a whirlwind tornado destroying everything in her path to lying limp and passed out in the middle of the floor. Within a few minutes of calling the emergency room, the paramedics were taking her away. Diana, along with the two sets of twins, were left behind at the apartment in the care of the landlord�s wife, Mabel. The attending physician gave Carolyn a sedative and a few extra tranquilizers, and left Debbie with strict instructions to keep a close eye on her.

Diana�s mother stayed in bed for the next few days, awaiting Frank�s return home. It had been really late one night when Debbie went to bed, but Diana wasn�t tired at all. She had bad dreams about her mother, and wanted to see her.

�Mummy?� Diana whispered from the door to her mother�s bedroom. �Are you awake?�

Carolyn was lying on her side with her back to the door, and rolled over so she could see her daughter. Upon seeing her, she gave one of the warmest smiles she could manage.

Diana stepped across the bedroom floor in her pink open-toed slippers and sat down next to her mother in bed. �How are you feeling, Mummy?�

�I�m feeling just fine, darling.� Carolyn smiled sweetly at her daughter. �You�ve been so wonderful to help Mummy out with the babies.� Diana scooted closer to her mother, and Carolyn reached out for her hand. �Are you feeling all right, dear?�

Diana nodded her head of long black hair up and down. �Aunt Debbie said you weren�t feeling well, and that�s why you had to go to the hospital.�

Carolyn�s smile grew wider. �Yes, dear. Aunt Debbie was sure nice to stay here with us. Is she sleeping now?�

�I don�t know,� Diana whispered. �She said �good-night� to me and went out to the couch in the living room. She was awful tired, you know.�

Carolyn snickered. �I�m sure she is tired. It�s a lot of work to take care of four babies all right at once. Just imagine if I had triplets both times?�

�Or four-lets.�

�That�s quadruplets.�

�Yeah, and what about the one that comes after that?�

Diana�s mother started giggling. �Now Diana, quintuplets is a bit much.� Both of them giggled at the idea. Diana snuggled under the covers and her mother put her arm around her daughter.

�Mummy?� Diana whispered.

�Yes, dear?� her mother whispered back.

�I love you.�

�I love you, too.�

Diana slept the night there, next to her mother.

Wednesday after school, Diana had been invited over to the Trixie�s house for a while. Debbie agreed and said she could take care of the twins by herself. Diana was truly a big help to her, but she insisted that her niece have a little time off from taking care of the children.

Diana rode Trixie�s bus home and walked up the long driveway with her. �Hi Diana,� Mrs. Belden chimed upon seeing her daughter�s best friend. She looked so cheerful and active. Something Diana had missed with her own mother.

�Hi, Mrs. Belden,� Diana waved and smiled at her. She followed Trixie up to her bedroom to get started on homework.

�Math! Ugh!� Trixie groaned as she took a sheet of notebook paper and put her name and date at the top. �How anyone understands this is beyond me.�

Diana shrugged and continued with her math problems. �It�s funny how someone can do well at math, but can never remember dates in history,� Diana remarked.

�Well, I can�t do any of those, so I guess I�m doomed for life then.� Trixie bit on the end of her pencil for a while. �You know, Brian and Mart are awfully good at this stuff. Maybe we can get help from them?�

�No, I�d rather we didn�t.� Diana�s tone of voice was shaky and unenthusiastic.

�Listen, Di,� Trixie said getting up from the floor. �Maybe you are good at math and all, but I�m not.�

Diana didn�t say anything but just hid her face in her book. Trixie had her hand on the doorknob when Diana finally lifted her head. Trixie saw her friend was on the verge of tears and would probably burst out crying minute.

�What�s wrong, honey?� Trixie said, forgetting all about going to Mart and Brian for help.

�It�s Mummy,� Diana bawled. �I don�t know what�s wrong, but she�s awfully sick and she cries a lot. She hasn�t done anything but sleep and when she�s awake, she cries and eats. That�s all she does anymore.� Diana�s words tumbled over each sob.

�Oh Diana,� Trixie said crawling up on the bed with her friend, �Your Mom�s not sick at all.�

�Then what�s wrong with her?�

�Does it have anything to do with why your aunt is there?� Trixie put her arm around her best friend.

�I don�t know,� Diana wailed. �I just don�t know.� She started crying uncontrollably. All Trixie could do was be a shoulder to cry on. She had no idea why Mrs. Lynch was doing the things she did. �Maybe she should see a doctor.�

Mrs. Belden was just walking down the upstairs hallway and heard crying coming from Trixie�s room. She opened the door to find Diana sobbing. �Trixie, what�s the matter here?�

�I don�t know, Moms,� Trixie replied. �She thinks her Mom is sick.�

Mrs. Belden set the laundry basket down outside Trixie�s doorway and came inside, shutting the door after her. Moving Trixie�s pillow, she made room for herself on the bed and put an arm around Diana�s trembling shoulders.

�Diana,� she said soothingly, �your Aunt Debbie called me earlier, and I asked how your mother was doing. What your mother is going through is only normal. It�s nothing to worry about.�

�But she�s been acting so weird,� Diana said with a sniff. �She�s just not acting like herself anymore. She cries all the time. And you didn�t see that tantrum she threw. I don�t think I�ve ever seen anything like it.�

Mrs. Belden smiled down at her nine-year-old daughter and Diana. They were probably old enough to understand changing emotions. �These things happen when a woman has a baby,� she began. �Not all women go through this, or if they do, it�s not severe. That is why your aunt is visiting � to help your mother out. What she needs is plenty of support from you and your dad. It would help her out considerably if someone did the housework and looked after the children.�

�But Auntie and I are doing that already,� Diana said as she rubbed her irritated eyes.

Mrs. Belden reached for a tissue and handed it to Diana. �Having a baby creates mixed emotions and frustration. This is called �postpartum depression.�

�Maybe we could throw her a party or something,� Trixie piped up.

Mrs. Belden smiled at her daughter and shook her head no. �I don�t think a party would cheer her up.�

�But parties always cheer people up,� Trixie argued.

�Trixie, no.� Mrs. Belden�s smile grew wider for Diana�s sake. �What Mrs. Lynch needs right now is peace and quiet. Maybe a weekend trip to the countryside to get away from the city.�

�It�d be neat if they could move in next door up the hill,� Trixie suggested. �Then they�d always be in the country.�

Diana sighed. �I wish we would move out here. It�s so nice and beautiful, and besides, you guys are here. I don�t have any friends in town.�

�Maybe someday,� Mrs. Belden said wistfully. �But right now, you two girls need to get ready for dinner. Dad will be home soon and dinner�s almost ready.�

By the time both girls and boys were finished in the bathroom, dinner was ready and the table was set. Bobby had already been fed and was sleeping in his room upstairs. After Mr. Belden said the prayer, everyone helped themselves to a delicious feast. A few times, Mart was caught goofing around and had to be told to stop.

It was Friday morning when Frank arrived home. He had great news to tell his family and knew for certain that his wife would appreciate what he had to say. He met Debbie as he walked in the door. She looked tired and frazzled, but at the same time, looked as if she enjoyed it.

�Carolyn will be happy to see you,� she told her brother. �She�s one tired lady.�

�I�ll be happy to see her too. I have some good news to tell her.� After hugging his sister, he hung up his coat and hat. �Where is she now?�

Debbie didn�t say anything right away. Instead, she folded her arms and leaned up against the wall. �Well,� she said finally in a thoughtful voice, �she�s sleeping.� Frank started for the hallway, but his sister stopped him. �I think we should let her sleep. It�s doctor�s orders, you know.�

�Doctor�s orders?� Frank turned around and asked. �What do you mean?�

�She�s been put on tranquilizers and shouldn�t be up and around doing things.� Debbie stepped in front of him. Her �bossy big sister� approach to her younger brother�s stubborn attitude was beginning to show. �She just went to sleep too and shouldn�t be disturbed.�

�Yeah, well she�s my wife, so out of my way, Debbie.� Frank glared at her and gently pushed her aside. With his hand on the doorknob, he stopped and glanced back at his sister, and gave her a teasing grin. Debbie had seen that grin all her life, and it ticked her off. It was that �I can do what I want and you have no power over me� grin that basically told her she was going to lose this battle.

He stepped into the bedroom to greet his wife. He was thrilled to the hilt to see her, and couldn�t wait to tell her the news. But instead of seeing the bedroom that he saw two weeks ago, he saw a broken window, three holes in the plaster walls, and the vanity was missing its mirror. Carolyn lay on the bed sound asleep, unaware of his presence. The morning sunlight reflecting off her beautiful face was too much for him to handle. The light cool breeze flowing in from the window lightly brushed against her shoulder length blue-black hair. Frank put one knee on the bed, crawled over to her side, and planted a light kiss on her forehead, and laid a box of chocolates on the pillow next to her.

Out in the kitchen, Frank poured two cups of coffee and made a light breakfast for himself. �What�s been going on since I left?� he asked his sister as he set her cup down in front of her, and took a seat at the old table.

�The doctor at the hospital said that she had a mildly severe case of postpartum depression,� Debbie said as she took a small sip of her coffee.

�What�s �mildly severe�?�

�The doctor gave me a list of different symptoms. Take a look,� she said as she handed the list to him.

Looking it over, he saw various different symptoms of postpartum depression. Changes in eating habits. Weight gain. Anxiety, hopelessness, anger, hatred, guilt, irritable feelings, loss of control, panic attacks, loss of sleep and nausea. The last ones gave him an uneasy feeling. Feeling suicidal. Feelings of low self-worth. He looked up at his sister with an anxious look of his own. �She didn�t try to...�

�No, she didn�t, Frank.� Debbie knew what her brother was thinking. �She�s going in about twelve different directions all at once and is feeling very frustrated. That is why she�s on tranquilizers.�

�How are the children?�

�They are doing just fine.� Debbie looked down at her reflection in her cup of coffee. �Carolyn hasn�t touched them in since you left, though, except for when she�s nursing. She has spent most of her time in the bedroom resting.�

�And Diana? How�s she handling all this?�

�Better than I thought,� Debbie said with a bit of an impressed tone. �I thought she�d be scared, but she�s taking all this in stride. She�s been a great help in taking care of the twins.�

�Why didn�t you call me? You had the phone numbers to the hotels I would be staying at and the days I would be there?� Frank was a little irritated in his sister. After all, Carolyn�s his wife.

Debbie saw the look in her brother�s dark eyes and just ignored it. �What if I did call you?� she asked. �Would you have been able to drop everything to come home? What good would it have done?�

�I would at least like to know when my wife�s having problems, that�s all.� Frank raised his voice. �Is that too much to ask?�

�Okay, you�re somewhere out on the road. I call you and tell you about Carolyn. Is there anything you can do about it then? You would have been a nervous wreck and would have ruined the entire trip. You wouldn�t have been able to concentrate on anything because you�d be thinking about Carolyn.� Debbie took a sip of her coffee. �She was in good hands, Frank. If you were here, she probably would have devoured you.�

Frank glanced up at his sister and smiled at her. �Thanks for coming up to help out. I appreciate this very much.� He leaned back in his chair and rested his right ankle on his left knee. �Do you mind telling me what happened to the bedroom?�

Debbie closed her eyes and pictured Carolyn�s tantrum last week. �The female of the species is often strange and mysterious,� she said.

Frank gave her an odd stare. �What the heck does that have to do with the bedroom?�

Debbie ran a hand through her long, dark brown, wavy hair. �It�s always hard to explain stuff like this, but...� she stopped to think for a second. �Okay, do you remember Aunt Rosie after she had Robbie?�

Frank nodded, remembering his uncle�s ex-wife and how she began to have strange problems after having her fourth child. She locked her children outside for hours at a time because she didn�t want them around. Each of her children were a year apart and the last one was the straw that broke the camel�s back. There were two babies in diapers, a three year old to keep a constant eye on, and a four-year-old who wasn�t even in school yet. After a year, she threatened to kill herself and her children. One night, she had enough of Robbie�s crying and threw him down the stairs. Four years later, she divorced her husband and stated that she never cared to see her family again.

Seeing his understanding expression, Debbie continued. �You�re lucky you weren�t here, Frank.�

Frank didn�t say anything for a while. Instead, he sat across the table from his sister and sipped his coffee. �More coffee?� he finally broke the silence and offered. In answer, she pushed her cup towards the pot. �How would you feel about staying until Monday?�

�Well, I figured that since you were home now, that I probably should get going home,� Debbie stated firmly. �I�ll be leaving in the morning then.�

�I�m beginning to think about how she needs a vacation from all this,� he went on as if his sister hadn�t even protested. �I also feel bad about how I left her here so soon after having the girls, but if I hadn�t gone, I...I probably would�ve lost this job opportunity.�

�And if you had left early, you probably would�ve lost your opportunity as well.� Debbie grinned at her brother, but he didn�t return her smile. He truly was worried. �Why don�t you tell me about your good news, Frank?�

Frank thought about his promotion, and how he had worked hard for it. But he wanted to surprise his wife with the news first. �I hope you don�t take offense, Deb, but understand that I wanted Carolyn to know first.�

Debbie looked up at her brother. There wasn�t anything he wouldn�t tell her. He used to confide in her with everything. It was she who knew before anyone else that he was engaged to marry Carolyn. It was she who knew first that they were pregnant with Diana. It was she who knew first that Carolyn was going to have twins, and already knew what their names would be: Lawrence and Terrance if they were boys, or Melinda and Cynthia if they were girls. �I understand, Frank.�

Frank saw the uneasy look in her eyes. �Hey, come on Sis,� he said with a slow grin appearing on his face. �You know I always tell you everything, but this will mean the world to Carolyn.�

�Well, I suppose you could make it up to me by answering one question of mine,� Debbie said as she looked searchingly into Frank�s dark eyes. �Will all this �good news� require you leaving town for weeks at a time leaving your wife and daughter to care for four children all at once?�

�This good news, Deb,� Frank said after clearing his throat, �requires my presence right here. I�m not going anywhere.�

Debbie nodded her head in agreement with his news. �I know you had to go away for business, but if you and Carolyn ever have anymore kids, or if she lets you live long enough to have more, don�t you ever do this to her again.�

Frank knew she was right, but he grinned knowing he wouldn�t have to do that anymore. Before he could think anything more about it, he laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world. Her sleepy eyes fell upon him and she smiled.

�Carolyn!� Frank exclaimed, happy to see her. He stood up from the table and slid his arms around her waist and kissed her �hello�. Carolyn didn�t say anything but just look tearfully at her husband. �I missed you,� he whispered in her ear, making sure he let his warm breath grace her neck.

�Coffee-breath,� Carolyn teased as she wrinkled her nose and grinned up at her tall, dark-haired husband.

�Morning-breath,� Frank answered her. He couldn�t take in enough of her beauty.

�I missed you, too,� Carolyn whispered back in his ear and kissed his cheek.

�I...ah,� Debbie began, �suppose you two�d like to be alone, so maybe I�ll take the children to the park or something.� Debbie fidgeted with her napkin and finally set it back down on the table.

�No, Debbie,� Carolyn cried in protest. �I�ve got an idea!� She slid her arm around her husband�s waist. �I�m famished. Why not go out for a little lunch? What do you think, Franklin?� Debbie looked over at her brother. He wasn�t paying attention to anything but his wife.

He wasn�t really even listening to her words; he was just gazing at his violet-eyed, beautiful wife. No one compared to her. No one even came close. If there were ever a model of perfection, she would be it. Carolyn Lynch, the woman that is more beautiful than beautiful. Such phrases as �a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet� were truly inadequate for this woman. How he used to think about her before they were married, and picture the two of them together.

In school, he would try and do anything to stand next to her, walk behind her in the hallway hoping for the slight chance that her rosy scent would drift in his direction, and hoping Ronny Tyson wouldn�t notice his actions, since Ronny was usually at her side with his arm around her slim shoulders.

Instead of concentrating on his homework, he used to write her letters, never intending to send them. Yes, one could have said that he worshipped her, but she was worth it.

Then there was the day that she strolled up to him, or rather up to the lunch counter at Wimpy�s, ordered four Cherry Cokes from George Munson, and then noticed Frank gaping at her. �Hi� she threw in his direction, and paid for the drinks.

The next thing he remembered after that was waking up to the sound of Pete Belden, Mike Munson laughing at him, and this dark-haired angel dabbing his face with a cool washcloth. He was lying on the hard tile floor.

�Am I in Heaven?� Frank asked aloud, causing his friends to double over with more laughter. Pete finally regained his composure and helped his friend up.

�You okay there, Frank?� George had asked.

�Yes, sir, I am,� Frank croaked out and ran to the bathroom, leaving everyone puzzled. Pete followed him to the men�s room to find his friend banging his head against the tiled wall.

Suddenly, coming out of his reverie, he noticed Carolyn was looking at him as if she expected him to answer her, but he had no clue what was discussed.

�Huh?�

Both women laughed and laughed. Debbie was truly happy to see her brother home, but was even happier seeing her sister-in-law in such higher spirits. She was a total different person right now than she was about a week ago. Hurricane Carolyn. Tornado Carolyn. Earthquake Carolyn.

After Debbie insisted and argued numerous times, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch gave in and let her take the twins to the park while they have lunch. They watched as the car pulled out of the driveway.

�I don�t know how Debbie will handle all four babies,� Carolyn remarked remorsefully to her husband, �but she�s been so good at it the whole time.�

Frank could see her eyes cloud over, and figured right now would be a good time for his news. �Carolyn, I�ve got something to tell you.� He turned to face his wife in her light blue floor-length nightgown. �Mr. Ashberg wants me to seriously consider the position of Branch Manager of First New England Bank.�

Carolyn had mixed emotions about this. �Wonderful! You�ve worked hard for it.� She tried to sound happy, but her mock cheerful attitude didn�t cover her true emotions.

�That�s what this trip was all about, sweetheart,� Frank said pulling her into a tight hug and resting his chin on top of her head to catch an occasional whiff of her hair. �I met with the current vice-president and we attended meetings in Boston, Hartford, and Providence.�

Carolyn pulled back from her husband to look up into his dark brown eyes. His thick wavy jet-black hair framed his smiling face as he looked down at her. �So now because of your position, you�ll be traveling every weekend. Right?� A few tears of frustration welled up in her eyes.

�That�s the �good� part of the news, Carolyn.� Frank�s smile grew bigger as he continued. �I�ll never have to leave Sleepyside at all. If I take the job of Branch Manager of First New England Bank, the most traveling I�ll ever be doing is a quick jaunt to the city and back.� His explanation didn�t really seem to cheer her up at all. �What is it, Carolyn? I thought you�d be happy!�

�Happy? Why�d you think I�d be happy about this?� Carolyn was sobbing. �Branch Managers are VIPs, and VIPs do nothing but spend all their time away from home! They just told you this so you�d accept the position!�

Frank�s smile fell at his wife�s words. �Now, hon, you�re overreacting. I haven�t even acc....�

�Overreacting?� Suddenly the beautiful gem in front of him transformed into a shrieking banshee. Then she lowered her voice. �Why is it when I simply state the truth, you insist that I�m overreacting? You know what? Fine. Be the Branch Manager. Be a vice-president. Be the president! Own the stupid bank for all I care. Just count me and the kids out of it!� With that, she stormed down the hallway and into the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving a stunned Franklin Lynch standing in the living room with his mouth gaping wide open, as if the words to his previous statement were still on their way out.

Frank knocked on the bathroom door. �Sweetheart, please open up! We can talk.� He heard sobbing from the other side of the door and tried the doorknob. It was locked. �Carolyn, open this door now!�

�No. Go �way.�

�No, I will not �go �way�. Please open this door!� Frank twisted the doorknob for all it was worth and then started banging on the door. �What�s the matter? We used to talk through this stuff like mature adults?�

�We also used to talk about this stuff before we made the final decision.� Carolyn stopped talking long enough to blow her nose. �When did that stop?�

�I�m sorry, sweetie,� Frank said in a calm voice. �I haven�t said yes yet. Besides, I thought it would be a great surprise for you, because I�ll be home more often now. You won�t have to take care of the children by yourself anymore. I�ll be here for you now.� He hated the sound of his voice when he pleaded and begged. �Please! Carolyn, please open the door.�

Quiet. Not even a sniffle or a sob.

�Carolyn?�

Silence. Suddenly, his mind reverted back to that list that Debbie handed to him earlier. Anxiety, anger, hatred, irritable feelings, loss of control, panic attacks, and...and... Before he even thought of the next symptom, he backed up and kicked in the bathroom door.

Franklin Lynch wasn�t an athletic man, nor did he have the best leg muscles, but through the rush of adrenaline, a man can do anything.

Pulling open the torn shower curtain, he found his wife curled up in the corner of the tub sobbing. Ignoring the soap scum on the walls and the dried soap in the tub, he climbed in and took his wife in his arms and gently began to rock her back and forth.

Diana took the bus home from the Sleepyside Elementary School. For once, she had no homework over the weekend, which worked out nicely for her. Upon seeing her father�s briefcase sitting by the door, she excitedly kicked off her school shoes and set her school bag on the table and ran down the hallway to greet her father. Diana ran past the bathroom, but stopped short and walked back. The bathroom door was off the top hinges, there was footprint next to the doorknob, the doorjamb was wrecked, and the shower curtain was torn and halfway lying on the floor. While Diana stood in the bathroom entrance, her parents� bedroom door opened and a tall, dark-haired man walked out.

�Daddy!� Diana squealed and raced towards him.

Frank stooped to gather his nine-year-old daughter in his arms. �Shhh. Mummy�s sleeping right now. She needs her rest.�

Diana lowered her voice to a whisper but could barely contain herself. �Did you see the bathroom?�

Frank nodded but didn�t say anything more about it. �Have you been a good girl for Mummy and Auntie Debbie?�

�Yes Daddy,� she firmly stated and put her hands on her hips. �I�m always a good girl. Where�s Aunt Debbie?�

�She should be home soon.� Frank took his daughter by the hand and walked her out to the living room. �She went to the park with the children so Mummy could relax.� Spying her school bag on the table, he asked his daughter, �Is that where we keep our school bag?�

Diana grinned and walked over to get it. �No, I guess not. How was your trip?�

�It went very well.� Her father answered and told her about some of the historic things and sites he had seen. �I stopped at the office as soon as I got back into town and something arrived in the mail for you from Uncle Roy and Aunt Shirley in Milwaukee.� Frank and Carolyn often received larger packages at the bank since the mailboxes weren�t big enough.

Diana�s face lit up at the words and threw her school bag on the couch. Instantly she was at her father�s side as he opened his brief case. He pulled a small box and paper sack out and presented it to her.

With wide violet eyes filled with excitement, she sat down at the kitchen table and opened up the sack. There was a color post card of the farmland around Milwaukee, Wisconsin and another one of the tall skyscrapers of the city. She had never been to Milwaukee, but had always dreamed of going there sometime. The small box contained a necklace with a blue jay charm on it.

Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson � Crabapple Farm � July 1962

One weekend at the Belden house Trixie, Diana, and Mart wanted to go swimming since it was beastly hot. It hadn�t rained in a long time. But the Belden rule was that none of the children could go swimming unless Mr. or Mrs. Belden were home.

Mr. and Mrs. Belden were getting ready to head into town and were getting Bobby ready to go with them. �There�s meat and cheese for sandwiches, iced tea in the icebox, and apple pie for dessert. We�ll only be gone for a few hours. If the phone rings, don�t answer it.� Mrs. Belden hoisted Bobby up and slung her purse over her other shoulder. �I�m putting Brian in charge, so you kids behave.�

Brian had a smug look on his face, while the other three displayed angel faces. After the family car pulled out of the driveway, Mart ran to the kitchen and started making the biggest sandwich possible.

�Mart, you pig!� ten-year-old Trixie yelled from the table, where she and Diana were snacking on crackers and cheese.

�Mart, really!� Brian said as he watched his younger brother pile turkey meat, lettuce, and cheese high on top of Mrs. Belden�s homemade bread.

�What?� Mart asked innocently while trying to balance the sandwich on his plate.

Brian poured iced tea for everyone and fixed himself a smaller, sensible sandwich. They ate and chatted for a while, and grew amused at watching Mart eat his entire sandwich.

�Do you guys still have an icebox?� Diana asked her friend, wide-eyed.

�Nope.� Trixie answered proudly. �We got rid of ours and bought a refrigerator. Moms is just used to saying �icebox� that�s all.�

Mart finished his sandwich and proceeded to impress Diana with his spoon-on-the-nose trick. Trixie and Diana laughed themselves silly over it, but Brian was not amused.

�Come on,� Trixie said getting up from the table, �let�s go out for a bike ride.�

�Good idea,� Mart agreed and hurried outside, leaving his plate on the table and letting the door slam on the way out.

Reluctantly, Trixie and Diana picked up their plates and glasses and put them in the sink. Soon, they were out riding down Glen Road past Old Mr. Frayne�s house and towards Albany Post Road. Since Diana didn�t have a bike, she doubled with Trixie. Mart wanted to ride up to Mrs. Vanderpoel�s house to see if she was home, but Brian was against it.

Soon, they turned around and headed back home. Mr. Frayne stood in his driveway yelling at the kids and shaking his fist at them. Truthfully, he scared Diana and she wished they didn�t have to ride past his house. His hair was unkempt and bushy, and he had cold, mean, blue eyes, and a withered old figure.

�How old his he anyway?� Diana asked after they were out of earshot.

�I don�t know,� Trixie said. �He�s probably a hundred-and-twenty-years-old.�

Diana started laughing, but Brian didn�t think it was so funny. �Trixie, that�s not a very nice thing to say about him. He�s not that old, you know.�

�Well, no kidding, Brian,� Trixie retorted. Diana snickered and turned her head the other way. Brian started to turn up into the Belden driveway, but the others rode on.

�Where are you guys going?� Brian yelled after them.

�Swimming. Where�d you think we were going?� Mart called back.

Brian rode his bike down to join them. �Come on guys, you know the rules.�

�What rules?� Diana asked.

�Moms and Dad don�t want us to go swimming when they�re not around,� Trixie answered.

�Well, Moms and Dad aren�t around so I don�t think we should,� Brian stated firmly and glared back at his brother and sister, like he meant every word he said.

�Well, you heard what he said, Trix,� Mart said with a mischievous grin. �He wants us to go home. Come on!�

Trixie, Mart, and Diana raced up the next driveway to the Manor House and cut across the property to the lake. The Manor House was a grand mansion that had remained empty ever since Brian was a baby, and so they always viewed the property as their own. Brian reluctantly followed.

�What�ll we swim in?� Diana asked Trixie as she parked her bike by the boathouse.

�Just swim in what you have on,� Trixie answered as she headed to the boathouse.

�You know, guys,� Brian added breathlessly from his climb up the Manor House driveway, �Moms and Dad would never approve of this. They aren�t home you know.�

�We know,� Trixie said as she kicked off her loafers and headed for the end of the dock. �That�s why we�re doing it!� With that, she dove in. Mart followed and then Diana.

�Moms and Dad are going to kill me.� Brian kicked his shoes off and dove in too.

Sleepyside � April 1963

Sixth grade was by far, Diana�s worst year. She had turned eleven last July and had developed faster and grew taller than any of the other girls, and was gawked at by most of the boys in the sixth and seventh grade classes.

It was a sunny day in April when eleven-year-old Diana walked to Wimpy�s Diner with Meredith Walters, whose family lived in the same apartment building Diana lived in. Meredith�s mother was in town shopping and had arranged to pick the girls up at Wimpy�s after school.

While the girls were sitting in one of the booths, a group of seventh grade boys walked in and took a booth across from them. Among those boys was Charlie Watkins, the school prankster. This was his first year in Sleepyside and made his friends by humiliating others.

�Hey look, everyone, it�s the Princess!� Charlie announced to his friends.

Diana felt her face grow hot. Since his arrival, she had endured his teasing.

�Don�t listen to him,� Meredith whispered to her friend.

Charlie and his friends snickered and laughed. �So, Princess,� Charlie began as he left his table and slid in next to Diana. �Hi, Pimples,� he threw over in Meredith�s direction.

�Leave us alone, Charlie,� Diana half pleaded with him.

�Oh yeah,� Charlie drawled. �That�s right, you�re too good for me.�

�She said �leave us alone�,� Meredith interrupted.

�What�re you doing hangin� around this for?� With �this� he gestured towards Meredith.

�Listen, Charlie,� Diana said sternly. �I don�t like you any more than you like me, so knock it off. You�re not impressing anyone.�

Charlie tauntingly grinned at her. �I�m not impressing you?�

�No you�re not,� she answered.

�After all, I�m not like Belden who can sweep a girl off her feet.� Charlie grabbed her soda away from her and took a sip. �Face it, Princess. You like him. I know you do, so don�t lie.�

�Mart is a nice guy, and I�ve known him forever, but that doesn�t mean that I like him.� Diana reached for her soda but Charlie pulled it away again.

Charlie took another sip out of Diana�s soda. �I wasn�t talking about Mart. Mart�s a twerp. I was talking about Brian. Every girl in this school has a thing for him, and you know you do, too.�

�Brian Belden is a snob,� Diana said flatly. �I like him because he�s my best friend�s brother, but it goes no further than that.� Diana reached for her glass again but he pulled it away from her once more. �Gimme that!� she shouted just in time for the glass to slip out of his hands and crash to the floor.

Charlie and his friends began laughing as different customers tried walking around the mess.

�Now look what you�ve done,� Meredith scolded.

Charlie shrugged and stood up from the booth. �Di�s in love with Brian,� he chanted to his friends as they pointed to her and snickered.

�Shut up, Charlie!� Diana shouted.

By now, Mike Munson had come around from behind the counter with a mop bucket and kicked the boys out of the diner. Before they could leave, Meredith picked up her own soda and threw it in Charlie�s face.

His face dripping with Coke, a very irritated Charlie stood in the middle of the mess while the boys switched from laughing at the girls, to laughing at him.

�You kids get out�a here,� Mike stormed at them and waited until the boys were gone. They were laughing as they left. �You girls gonna be okay?�

�We�ll be fine, Mike,� Meredith responded and took Diana by the hand. �Sorry about all this,� she said looking down at the mess. �I don�t have the money to pay for the glass.�

�I�m not worried about the glass. I will talk with Charlie�s parents about this incident, though.� Mike glanced out the window. �If you have any more trouble with them, you let me know, okay?�

�Yes, we�ll be fine. Thanks Mike,� Diana said. �Bye now.� With that, both girls left the diner.

The next morning at school, she caught a glimpse of Charlie as the students changed classes. Surprised, she stared at his enormous black eye. �What do you suppose happened to him?� she asked Trixie, whose locker was right next to her own.

Trixie displayed a Cheshire Cat-like grin. �You�re never going to believe what happened to him, Di.�

�Don�t keep me in suspense, Trix,� Diana squealed. �What happened?�

Trixie shut her locker and leaned up against it and held her books in front. �Lets just say that Mart was none too pleased with what Charlie did to you at Wimpy�s.�

Diana�s pretty face instantly grew pale. �Whaaa?�

�Mart and Frankie Wilson were sitting in the booth right behind you and...�

�...And�heard�every�word�we�said?� Diana�s face grew pale with each word.

�Moms� punishment was just, and Mart had to admit that,� Trixie stated with a grin, �but he said he�d stay grounded for the rest of his natural born life to hear you say that again.�

�Oh, come on, Trix,� Diana�s face started to redden with embarrassment, �it�s not like I went off about how devastatingly handsome he is. I just said he was a nice guy.�

Trixie grinned like the Devil. �Oh? That�s not what I heard.�

�Trixie Belden!� Diana exclaimed. �Mart�s a nice guy, but trust me, he�s the last guy on earth I�d ever want to date.� She stopped and pulled her books out of locker and shut it. �But it was still very nice of him to...do that for me.�

�Well, Mart also overheard what Charlie said about Brian, and that made him furious enough.� Trixie talked as she and Diana started for their math class. �But he just couldn�t help himself once you said whatever it was that you said.�

�Then...he...heard...what I said about, um...Brian,� Diana stammered, dreading the entire incident. She adored Brian too, but never found him as, well, loveable as Mart. She wasn�t sure if �loveable� was the correct word to use. Likeable. That was a safer word.

�He just mentioned what Charlie said,� Trixie answered. �That he was a snob.�

Diana nearly tumbled and sprawled all over the floor. Even though what Mart said was a half-truth, she felt horrible about what she said and that Mart got in trouble over the whole thing. It was said that Brian was a snob, but it was she who said it. �Is Mart here today?� Diana asked as she walked through the classroom door. �I just want to tell him I appreciate what he did, but it wasn�t necessary.�

�He�s here, but I haven�t seen him since this morning on the bus. Maybe at lunch you can talk to him.�

Diana suffered through her math class, hoping against hope that the teacher wouldn�t call on her to work a problem in front of the class. Mart was at their normal table at lunch, but avoided Diana. She tried over and over to start a conversation with him, but it didn�t work. He either grunted or didn�t answer. He wasn�t even eating.

�Well, Trix,� she sighed as she started to get up, �I�m going to my next class. Care to join me?�

�Are you kidding?� Trixie blurted out. �Social Studies? Yeah, right. You couldn�t pay me to show up this early for that class. See you when class starts.� Trixie turned back to her food and continued eating.

�Okay. See you later then.� With that, she was gone. Mart sat still for a few seconds and without saying a word to his sister, he stood up and left too.

Diana fumbled with the combination on her locker, but it just wasn�t working. Suddenly, without warning, her eyes grew hot. Tears were threatening, and she blocked them by blinking them away. Her face flushed and heated. Diana tried the locker again, but could barely hold on to the lock. Her mind reverted back to Mart�s face. He wouldn�t even look at her. She took a deep breath and tried the lock again. Mart�s face looked heartbroken and sad. Without thinking about it, she turned the dial aimlessly. Hurt was more like it. Okay. She was going to try one more time. 28-18-12. Right-left-right. She tugged ferociously at the lock but it wouldn�t budge. I can�t believe I called Brian a snob! Maybe it was left-right-left. She tried that and the lock still wouldn�t budge. She had seen Brian before lunch and instantly felt bad about what she had said. She tried the combination again, but the lock still wouldn�t budge. Frustrated, she yanked and pulled and pulled and yanked. Nothing.

�Diana?� came a voice behind her.

She whirled around to see Mart. She felt him staring at her red, swollen eyes and trembling lips. �Go �way!� she cried and turned back to her locker. She could feel him standing behind her. �Mart?�

�Yes, Di,� he answered her.

�I heard about what you did to Charlie.� Diana still had her back to him.

�News travels fast.�

�Trixie told me. You didn�t have to, you know.�

�He was being a jerk, Di,� Mart explained.

�He was being himself. I was the jerk.�

�Diana, you aren�t a jerk. His little gag was way out of line and completely unfair to you.�

�He made me look like an idiot, that is true. But after what I said at Wimpy�s, I feel like he was right. I�m just a princess.� She still remained facing the locker, with the lock in her hand.

�Diana, what you said about Brian hurt.� Mart leaned on the locker next to hers and looked into her face. �But it is true. Brian can be a little snobbish at times. It only hurt because he�s my brother and you�re my friend.�

�I know,� she said and put her head down. �Stupid lock! It�s not working!�

�Do you know why Frankie and I were there yesterday?�

Diana shook her head. �Stupid lock!� she said through her teeth and yanked on it.

�I was there hoping to, um, talk to you.�

�Why would you want to talk to me?� she seethed at him. �I�m nothing but a conceited princess of the school and probably wouldn�t want to be seen with the likes of you, Mart.� She yanked and pulled on the lock all the while she yelled at him. �Open, you stupid thing! Open!� She took her fist and banged it on the locker. The sound of clanging metal went echoing down the hallway creating a disturbance.

Mart shrugged and smiled at her. �Maybe I can give it a try.�

�I doubt it,� she retorted. Right now she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. Her heart beat hard and rapidly, and more tears scrambled down her cheeks. She quickly ran the palm of her hand over her eyes and looked over to see Mart standing next to the locker with it wide open. Inside it were stacks of books, a boy�s jacket, and a picture of her on the door of the locker.

�It would help if you had the right locker, Diana.�

She looked up and realized to her horror she was on the third floor. �I thought I was on the�the second floor.� She began to laugh as she gazed inside his locker. �I must�ve looked like some kind of idiot.�

�Only the prettiest �idiot� around.�

Diana flushed. �Isn�t that the one I gave to Trixie?� she asked, pointing to her school picture.

�Yeah, but I weaseled it away from her.� He shut the door. �Come on. I�ll walk you to your locker.�

�Mart,� Diana said as they headed away from his locker. �I�m sorry for everything I�ve said. Brian�s not a snob, and I�m never embarrassed to be seen with you. You know that, don�t you?�

Mart didn�t say anything.

�Why did you lie and say that Charlie called Brian a snob?�

Mart nervously extended his arm around her, then at the last minute changed his mind and took her hand in his. �Never mind.�

New England Bank, Sleepyside Branch � May 1963

Before he made his millions, Franklin Lynch played the stock market and saved his money for a year so that they could move out of the apartments in town and find a nice ranch style home just outside of Sleepyside. There were some nice homes on Old Telegraph Road as well as Glen Road. With his new position as branch manager, they could now afford a nicer home and not have to deal with living in downtown Sleepyside.

�Hi Pete,� he greeted Peter Belden, his longtime school friend and newly appointed loan officer, upon entering the bank on Monday morning. �How�s it going today?�

�Oh, not bad at all,� Peter Belden droned out sleepily and took a sip of his coffee. �We�re meeting with the Underwoods today, remember?�

�That�s why I�m here and not at Mr. Ashberg�s office in Manhattan today.� Frank strolled into the break room and made himself coffee and came back out. �It�ll do this little bank some good to have their money in our vaults.�

A middle-aged woman stepped out of her office and shut the door. �Good morning, Mr. Lynch,� she said quickly and headed for the break room.

�Good morning, Shirley,� he responded.

�Mr. Ashberg called this morning and left you a message to call him back,� Shirley said upon leaving the break room with a cup of steaming coffee and headed back to her office.

�Whoa, Frank,� Peter teased. �What�d you do now?�

�We�ll find out soon enough, I guess.� Frank grinned. �He probably wants to offer me another transfer to Rhode Island. I keep telling him no, but it never really seems to get through to him.�

�What�s in Rhode Island anyway?� Peter asked his friend.

�I really don�t know.� Frank took a sip of his coffee. �I keep telling him that if I were transferred to Rhode Island, Carolyn would murder me.�

Peter chuckled. �Helen�d probably kill me too if I went home and told her, �Pack up the kids and all, we�re headin� to Rhode Island.�

�There�s nothing wrong with Rhode Island, but it�s just the fact that I�d be moving seven people, which includes four children all between the ages of four and five.� Frank grinned. �I�m not sure if I�m ready to do that and battle my wife at the same time.�

Peter looked down at the family picture he proudly displayed on his desk. �It would be hard to do that with the family, too, but it would be easier for the kids to adjust and they could help with the move. I�m just not sure Helen would do it, though. Her family is here after all.�

Frank looked up at the clock in the lobby. �Oh, I suppose I should call Mr. Ashberg and see what he wants. Thank goodness I know how to say no.� He chuckled and walked off to his office. He shut the door to his office and sat down at his desk and began to dial Mr. Ashberg�s number.

�Hello, Mr. Ashberg,� he said cheerily into the phone. �This is Franklin Lynch returning your call.�

�Well, Fred,� came a loud, low, jolly voice from the other end. �How�s my boy doing?�

�I�m doing just fine, Mr. Ashberg. How is Gladys?�

�Oh she�s doing fine. Just fine. Say, I hear you have the Underhills coming to your bank today. Fine job, son. Fine job.� Mr. Ashberg�s voice was deep and low, but had a rather sing-song ring to it. �And what is Kathryn up to these days?�

�That�s Carolyn, sir,� Frank said with a grin. Mr. Ashberg was always getting names mixed up and rarely used the correct one. �She�s doing just fine. The twins are keeping her busy, you know.�

�Aren�t they in school yet?�

�No, sir. Not until next year.� Frank began to get nervous. Mr. Ashberg�s phone calls were never this casual.

�Say, after you close the deal with the Underheims,� Mr. Ashberg began, �why don�t you and your wife mosey on up to the house. Bring Daphne and, uh, the kiddies too while you�re at it.�

�I can�t bring Diana because she�s in school, sir, but I�m sure Carolyn would like to meet you. I�m afraid that the twins would be a bit much though.�

�Fiddlesticks!� he boomed through the phone. �You and Cherylin will bring those kiddies up to the house. I�d like to meet you�re little ones.�

�That�s Carolyn, sir, and anything you say,� Frank said holding in a laugh.

�I have a feeling that with the Upton�s money, we�ll have cause to celebrate,� Mr. Ashberg said with glee. �So we�ll see you around, oh, let�s just say whenever you and your pretty wife get here. Don�t keep me waiting, son.�

�Okay, sir,� Frank said and smiled. �You have a good day now.�

�You�ll be having an even better day if the Upjohns leave smiling, you know. Good-bye.�

Frank hung up the phone and began laughing. He picked the phone back up again and called home and told his wife about their meeting with Mr. Ashberg.

�But I haven�t time to get all four children ready,� Carolyn said with concern.

�Don�t worry, sweetie,� he replied calmly. �I�ll be home soon and I�ll help you out.� With that, they said good-bye and he hung up.

The meeting with Richard and Florence Underwood went well. Florence kept her jewels and other valued items in their safe deposit boxes, and Richard was more than happy to open a new account at the bank. They left with strict instructions that the public was to never know their items were being stored at the bank. Frank gave them his word, and even agreed to sign a statement regarding the secrecy. Peter had to sign a similar statement. Soon, the Underwoods left in their private car and headed back to Brooklyn

�Now if we could only get people like the Eugene Humphrey, Julius Whitmore, and Walter Jamison MacArthur the Third to bank with us.� Peter said with a chuckle. �That would do wonders for this bank.�

�I�m sure we�ll have more people like them as well. If the Underwoods get excellent service from us, and we keep to our little contract with them,� Frank explained, �they�ll tell their friends and club members about us too. We�re a small-town bank, and that would be ideal for things like this. No one would ever really think to break in here to steal priceless gems and such.� He looked at the clock on the wall again. �Well, it�s about ten, so I�d better head home and get everyone ready. We�re invited to Mr. Ashberg�s place.�

�Have fun,� Peter grinned and waved him off.

�Yeah, I�m sure,� Frank said with a shrug. �If he can remember our names or why we came up there in the first place.�

Peter laughed as Frank left. A few hours later, Carolyn and Frank were headed to New York City with the twins. After a phone call to Helen Belden and the school, plans were made for Diana. Soon, the Lynches were pulling into Mr. Ashberg�s driveway and the butler met them at the door with four maids. Mr. Ashberg greeted them as well and took each child into his arms.

Mr. Ashberg wasn�t a very tall man. He was more on the order of a short, chubby, stocky man who was elderly and loved to tease children. He owned the small chain of New England banks and made his fortune. He had married his wife forty-seven years ago when he was just a teller at a small bank in New York City. Mr. Ashberg�s wife, Gladys, loved pool parties. She held a luau on a monthly basis with the different society women around the metropolitan area, which, to her, meant the entire New England states. In the forty-seven years they had been together, they never had children. Gladys was a tall, slender elderly woman who, at the moment, was sitting on the patio planning her next luau.

�Now, don�t tell me the names, Frances, let me guess,� Mr. Ashberg said as he crouched down to the four bashful children. �You�re Eenie, and you�re Meenie, and you�re Meinie, and you�re Moe. Right?� All four children began giggling and laughing. �Oh blast, I always get names wrong. Here, kids, have a lollypop.� He held out the lollypops and they looked up to their parents for reassurance. Both parents nodded their heads, and they greedily snatched the candy from his hands. �Sweet kids. Sweet kids,� he said as the four maids took each child by the hand and strolled away to the gardens.

�Let�s head outside, Floyd.� With that, Mr. Ashberg led the way through his living room and out the patio doors. Gladys sat underneath a wide umbrella, sipping ice-cold lemonade and jotting plans down in her notebook.

�Carolyn, dah-ling,� Gladys greeted her guest. �How simply lah-vly to see you again.� Then she turned to Frank. �Now really, Frank. Why hah-vent you been around?�

Carolyn threw her husband a look. She had never in her life laid eyes on these people, and they were fawning all over the Lynches saying how lovely it was to see them again. Frank threw his wife a sideways glance, winked, and grinned.

�Why, Mrs. Ashberg,� Frank said cheerily as he took his place right beside the old woman. �You�re looking lovely today!�

Carolyn was beside herself. She had no clue how to react with such people.

�Doesn�t she look lovely today, dear?� Frank asked his wife.

�Why, yes,� she stammered. �Mrs. Ashberg, you do.�

�Oh, pish-posh!� The old woman huffed, but then grinned playfully at Frank again. �Go on, please.�

�Oooh, you be careful there, Fred,� Mr. Ashberg growled playfully at Frank. �You�ll steal my bride away from me with your dashing, handsome, good looks, you know.�

Carolyn was speechless. She knew that Frank was just teasing, but felt as if she was being placed in such an odd position.

�Now, Mr. Ashberg�� Frank began to playfully defend himself.

�Please,� Mr. Ashberg protested, �you�re in my home, you can use my name, Phil.�

Frank looked surprised. He hadn�t known Mr. Ashberg�s name. �All right, Phil.�

�Who�s Phil? The name�s Stanley!�

Frank could barely contain himself. �Okay, Stanley.�

�Now what were you trying to say?�

�I don�t remember.� Frank laughed and held a chair out for Carolyn under the wide umbrella where Gladys was sitting.

�Why don�t you two lovely women sit here at chat about whatever it is that women chat about while we men make ourselves scarce,� Stanley suggested and took Frank by the arm and left for another patio table with an umbrella.

Carolyn smiled but remained silent. �Now Carolyn, dah-ling,� Gladys started, �you simply must help me plan my next pool pah-ty.�

�Why, I�d love to Mrs. Ashberg, Gladys, but you see, I don�t really know about pool parties. I�ve never been to one.� Carolyn said as she accepted lemonade from one of the maids.

�What do you mean by you�ve never been to a pool pah-ty?� Gladys said in aghast. �Surely you attend all the ones I�ve invited you to?�

Suddenly Carolyn reddened a little with embarrassment. �I�I�m sorry, Gladys, but I�ve never received an invitation from you.�

�Probably because I�m getting old and forgetful,� she said with a giddy little laugh. �That�s all right, no need to worry. You�ll be attending the next one!�

�You don�t have to, Gladys, but thank you.�

�My pleasure, dear,� the elderly woman said as she sipped her lemonade. �I say, the pah-ty would simply be a dis-ah-ster if you and Frank weren�t present. So, I�ll see you then Saturday night?�

�So soon?�

�Why yes,� Gladys answered, �I hope there�s not a problem.�

�I suppose I can find a baby-sitter for the kids��

�Nonsense!� Gladys scolded with a twinkle in her eye. �You�ll bring the kiddies here. Our nannies will enjoy taking care of them.�

Carolyn wanted to ask why they bothered with nannies when there were never any children but held her tongue. �Shall I bring anything?� she asked.

�Nonsense!� Gladys piped up again. �All you have to do is show up with Frank and the kiddies and have a splendid time!�

Frank and Stanley sat at the patio table sipping lemonade and enjoying the breeze. �Well, Floyd, how�s life at the office?�

�Everything�s going just fine, Stanley.� Frank took a sip of his lemonade. �The Underwoods were very pleased with us today when we met with them. We�re looking at the trends in the reports and we�re doing very well. The stock market is in its prime right now and did you hear how much our stock is worth? We�ve doubled since last year this time. I took a sneak peak at our accounts reports and, even though we built a bank in Hartford, which made a dip in our expenditures, we are still soaring above the larger banks.�

�To be honest with you, Frank, I�m just making small talk,� Stanley said as he looked off across their yard. �I asked you here to discuss a change in business.� Stanley took a cigar out of his shirt pocket and stuck it in his mouth. �Care for one?� Frank declined. �I�m just too old for this sort of thing any more. I�ve been to the doctor and he says I need to relax.�

Frank didn�t say anything but just listened intently.

�I�m nearly seventy-years-old, Fred. I should�ve retired almost ten years ago. I need to let go of the company.� Stanley took a puff on his cigar and tapped it into the crystal dish sitting on the table. �The bank�s not my baby, Frank. I�m not worried about giving her up because I�ve owned her for only twelve years. I just don�t want her to go to someone who�ll run her to the ground. So I�m selling to Julius Whitmore.�

Frank swallowed his lemonade quick or else he knew he�d choke. �Whitmore? He owns The Sun! He has no clue when it comes to banking. Why not to Randall? He�s the Vice-President and knows what he�s doing.�

�Mitch Randall, in my mind, is not fit to run this company. Besides, he�s what you young kids would call �old-school� and would probably ruin the company with his old-fashioned ways.� Stanley set his cigar down and took another sip of his lemonade. �The new modern world is creepin� up on me fast, and I�d like to just let go of all this chasing around tryin� to keep up with things.�

Frank remained silent for a while as he reflected on his future with Julius Whitmore. Mr. Whitmore owned The Sleepyside Sun and treated people like they were useless. He used the rich and wealthy as reasons for printing gossip. His grandson was chief photographer/reporter for the newspaper and was a pain in the neck. He always seemed to pop up at the wrong moments.

�Has he discussed how this transaction is going to effect our employees?� Frank broke the silence after a while.

Stanley picked up his cigar and took a puff before answering. �We discussed employment, and he has no plans to let anyone go, so you don�t have to worry about that for right now.�

�I�m not sure I have much to fall back on if I do get let go,� Frank said, hoping he didn�t sound pitiful. �I know the way he treats employees, and to be blunt, Stanley, I don�t really know if I want to remain under his kind of management.�

�Well, do what you want, Fred,� Stanley said in response. �I just hope you don�t decide to quit or anything because you know what you�re doing when it comes to this sort of thing. You�re no dummy.�

Frank laughed at his comment. �No, I don�t plan on quitting, but I�m just a little worried�concerned, rather, with what could happen if I was let go. I�ve got a small amount saved up, and I suppose I could sell some shares I have in the stock market.�

Stanley�s eyebrows went up. �What�ve you got your money on?�

Frank shrugged and grinned. �Just a small chain of restaurants called McDonald�s Hamburgers out of Illinois. I�ve never eaten at one, and I�m not even sure if New York has any.�

�McWhich?�

�McDonald�s Hamburgers. I purchased stock in the company because it was cheap, but I�m not sure just how good it�ll do me. They�re small-time, and I really don�t know much about them.�

�Well, do whatever you like with your stock. After all,� Stanley chuckled slightly to himself, �I invested in Macy�s and sold it all about fifteen years ago. I used that money to buy New England Bank with. It�s a gamble, son.�

�I�ll talk with Mitch Randall about it. He�s an expert when it comes to the stock market.� Frank stood up and shook Stanley�s hand. �Thanks for the lemonade, and for the talk, Stan,� he said, �but it�s getting late and Diana should be getting out of school soon, so Carolyn and I should go.�

Stanley gestured toward Carolyn and Gladys sitting at the patio table and making plans. �I don�t know what they�re cooking up in their pretty little heads, Fred, but I�ll bet it has to do with the party this weekend. It looks as if you have no choice, and you�ll be forced to come along.�

Saturday morning, Carolyn invited Helen Belden and Trixie to go shopping in New York with Diana. Since the pool party was to be a luau, Carolyn wanted to be sure to look her best. Diana was excited because she was going to a party while Carolyn was stressing out and couldn�t wait until they ate lunch so she could devour a dish of ice cream.

That night, Carolyn and Frank dropped the younger children off at the Belden residence. Helen and Peter insisted upon watching the twins while the other Lynches headed to the party to enjoy themselves. It was about seven o�clock when they showed up at the Ashberg doorstep, and were immediately invited inside. One of the maids led Diana to a few patio tables outside where other children her age sat and chatted, while Carolyn and Frank followed Stanley out to the bar.

Diana saw a group of young kids about her age mingling with each other just as the adults were. Shyly, she walked up to a table with two girls and two boys.

�Is�is this chair taken?� she asked them nervously. She was excited about the party to begin with, but now felt out of place�different, as if she didn�t really belong.

�It is now,� said a young blond boy as he pulled the chair out for her. �I�ve never met you before. My name is Sean.�

�Glad to meet you, Sean,� Diana croaked. �My name is Diana Lynch. I�ve�I�ve never been to a pool party before.� One of the girls at the table snickered, but the other one simply smiled at the scared dark-haired girl.

�Diana,� Sean began, �next to me is my cousin Warren, and then Peggy, and my other cousin, Sidney.�

Diana grinned politely at each one and nervously shook hands with them. Sean had a sweet smile that went well with his tanned skin and sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Warren had a skinny face and ears that poked their way out of his slick black hair. Peggy had shoulder-length blonde hair with a red clip on the side, keeping her hair out of her sparkly blue eyes. Sidney had a thin face, pale skin, big, bulgy, dark brown eyes, and dark brown hair that flowed around her thin, bony shoulders.

�So what school do you attend?� Sidney quietly asked Diana.

�I go to Sleepyside Junior-Senior High,� she said rather proudly. �We don�t live in New York City. We�re just here for the party.�

Peggy snickered a little. �I am in my eighth year at the Albany Academy for Girls.� She flipped her hair and smoothed out her skirt. �Mother and Father would never approve of a�public school.� She put an emphasis on �public� as if it were purely an insult to attend one. Diana felt a little embarrassed, but smiled at the girl anyway.

�I attend Syracuse Heights School for Boys with Warren. We�re in the ninth grade there,� Sean said proudly. �We�re visiting my aunt and uncle for the weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey? Maybe you�ve heard of them?�

Diana shifted in her seat. �N-no I haven�t. Should I have?�

Peggy instantly got bored with the conversation and left to chat with a group of older teenage boys.

�My father is a very wealthy man,� Sidney began with a smile. �In the stock market, people invest in him.�

Suddenly Diana realized her blunder. �Oh, I�m terribly sorry! I didn�t mean to incin�incinu�. I didn�t mean anything by what I said.�

The girl laughed it off. �Don�t worry, Diana. Sometimes I�m almost relieved when Daddy hasn�t been heard of. Daddy doesn�t come from a line of wealth, but Mother does. Perhaps you might�ve heard of the Robinson-Fuller family?�

�No, I can�t say that I have,� Diana said quickly.

�Oh, but they are very well known throughout upstate New York,� Sean broke in. �Perhaps your parents have met them already.�

Diana looked down at her lap as she could feel her face redden. Her feelings of difference hadn�t gone away yet, and she still felt out of place. She felt fake, like she was living a lie going to a rich party. These people were high class. They sent their kids to private schools while she went to a public school.

�Oh, Sean,� Warren laughed as he took a drink of his punch. �Give me a break, it�s not like they are all that famous.�

�Don�t listen to Warren, he�s just modest about his family,� Sean said quickly. �They really are quite well known. But that�s all right, Diana.� He shifted himself so that he faced his new acquaintance. �So now, where are you from? What does your father do?�

Diana didn�t quite know how to answer that. He wasn�t a rich millionaire like their fathers were. �He�s the Sleepyside Branch Manager of New England Bank.� The other three young people young people remained quiet, as if they were waiting for her to continue on.

Without really knowing how to tactfully break the silence, Warren stood up and asked, �Anyone for more punch?�

�No, thanks,� Diana said quietly.

�I know it�s hard meeting new people,� Sean said to her, his blue eyes twinkling, �but you�ll get used to it. Sidney is from Long Island, and she can introduce you to her friends sometime. I�m from up north with Warren.�

�I�d love to introduce you to my friends,� Sidney said with a weak smile, �but I haven�t any, really. I attend the Carol Parker Academy for Girls in Southampton. I just have one friend, but she�s not here tonight because she�s really sick. Her parents are here, though.�

Diana smiled her thanks. �I�m just not used to this, Sidney. I have friends, though, but have really never been to a party such as this.�

�Oh, we all know what it�s like,� Sean said wistfully. �When we were younger, we weren�t allowed to come to these parties. Now that we�re older, we can come, but have to remain separate from the adults�so they can talk money and power without interruptions.�

�Money and power?� Diana asked.

�Sure!� Sean agreed with a nod of his head. �Stock market secrets, money schemes, you know how it goes.� Sean perked his head up and scanned the mingling adults. �For example, Mr. Swanson is probably discussing stock and trade with Mr. Fenton, because one is a stock broker, and the other is an aspiring accountant for Mr. Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler is probably talking about horse breeding with Mr. MacArthur while Mrs. Wheeler is discussing her next garden party with Mrs. MacArthrur.�

Diana looked amazed. �How do you know all this stuff just by looking at them?�

�Because I�ve gone to too many of these parties,� Sean said. �I�m sure your parents can tell some pretty good stories about their associates, acquaintances, and business partners.�

Diana didn�t say anything. Instead she looked at the crowd of adults milling around the pool. Wouldn�t it be funny if someone fell in? She resisted the urge to speak her thoughts. Besides, things like that only happened in movies.

�So now, you�re from Sleepyside,� Sidney started up small talk with her friend again. �Where is that?�

�Just about thirty to forty miles west of the city. It�s a small town of about three or four thousand people,� Diana said as she fidgeted with her dress.

�Our parents must not attend the same parties, or belong to the same clubs,� Sidney remarked.

�My parents don�t belong to any clubs,� Diana said quickly. �We live in downtown Sleepyside, in the Main Street Apartments.�

�Oooh, a penthouse!� Sidney squealed. �Mother and Daddy insist on a big silly old mansion, but I�d love to live in a�.�

�We don�t live in a penthouse, Sidney. We live in a small apartment. That�s all. Nothing else.� Diana could feel tears of embarrassment welling up in her eyes.

Warren came back to the table and set his punch down. �Why so glum, everyone? This is a party, isn�t it?� Neither one of the teens said anything. �Well, I�m gonna enjoy myself, and they�re starting music. Diana, would you like to dance with me?�

�S-sure,� she said and stood up. She hoped she could remember how to dance. She accepted Warren�s hand and followed him out to dance silently wishing it had been Sean who had asked her instead.

Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson � Lynch Estates � Mid-October 1965

Harrison met Mrs. Lynch and Diana at the door and ordered the maids to take their purchases up to their rooms.

�Madam,� Harrison began, �Some mail came while you were out with Miss Diana. Shall I arrange to have personal mail sent up to your room? Or shall I have the secretary answer them?�

�Oh, please have Jillian answer them,� Carolyn answered her butler sweetly. �I�m much too busy for that right now. Mrs. Wheeler and I are going to plan the next garden party, I have dresses to try on, and Diana has her piano lesson. I�m swamped.�

�Thank you, Madam,� Harrison said with a quick tilt of his head and hurried away.

Diana�s mother teetered her way up the winding staircase in her high heels, letting the maids carry her bags up to her room. Diana retreated to her own elegant room and allowed the maids to set her five shopping bags down.

�Would you like me to take care of these for you?� Polly, Diana�s own personal attendant asked, gesturing to the bags.

�No, thank you, Polly,� Diana said and sat down on her window seat. �That�ll be all.�

�Yes, Miss,� Polly said quietly and briskly hurried out of the room.

Instead of putting her new clothes away, Diana sat down on her neatly made bed. The maids did such a good job of keeping her room spot-free and making sure that there were new clean towels in her bathroom. It had been a long time since she had done any of this herself. After kicking off her shoes, she laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about the days when she was expected to replace the toilet paper roll herself, replace the hand towels, put away her own clothes, and make her own bed. She was grateful to the servants, but they were always underfoot, and couldn�t go anywhere or do anything without finding a servant.

Sleepyside � Main Street Apartments � May 1964

Her father, as branch manager, had taken charge of the Sleepyside and White Planes branches of the New England Bank and was handling them quite well. Slowly, the family began to fit in among the New York wealth. This meant garden parties, weekend getaways, clubs, foundations, organizations, and plenty of talk about the possibility of starting the twins in a private school that year and hiring nannies to look after them at other times.

Frank and Carolyn had befriended Mathew and Madeleine Wheeler, an extremely wealthy family from Long Island. They had a daughter that went to a private school and attended summer camp, but Diana hadn�t ever met her.

�I�m meeting Madeleine for lunch today, Frank,� Carolyn called from the bathroom where she was fixing her hair. �What do you have planned today?�

�Well,� Frank said as he put his newspaper down and headed for the bathroom, �I have to take a trip into the city to meet with Mr. Whitmore. When I�m done with that, I have the rest of the day off.�

�Madeleine and I are planning our next fund raiser.� She stopped and pushed a bobby pin into her hair and turned slightly to look at herself in the mirror. �Oh it�s no use,� Carolyn spat out at herself and yanked the bobby pin out causing a few loose strands of hair to fall down. �How does she do it?�

�How does who do what?� Frank asked his wife.

�How does Madeleine always manage to look beautiful?� Carolyn hissed at Frank and roughly brushed her long black hair out. �I just don�t get it!�

�Madeleine�s nice looking, dear, but she can�t hold a candle to you, you know.� Frank smiled sweetly at her and leaned forward to give her a kiss.

�I�m sure!� Carolyn mumbled as she dodged his kiss and headed down the hallway to their bedroom. �I�ll be making a quick stop to the beauty parlor so I won�t have time to take the kids to the babysitter�s. Will you do that for me?�

Frank didn�t know what to think of this. She had never dodged his kiss before. Did she not want it anymore? �Carolyn?� Frank called from the doorway of the bathroom.

�Yes, dear?� Carolyn called back to him from the bedroom, where she was getting dressed.

�What was that?� he asked.

�What was what?�

�Just now. My kiss��

�I didn�t kiss you because�� She was all set to say, �because my make-up would smear,� but she never got it out. Frank turned his head, trying to hide a scowl. ��because�because�� Now she couldn�t think of anything to say. ��I don�t know.�

�Do you know why I wanted to kiss you?� he asked quietly. When she didn�t answer, he went on. �You are the most beautiful woman there is. Do you know what I put myself through to get a hold of you before any other guy would? I dreamt of you night after night. It was pure torture when you dated Ronny Tyson, because I loved you, and I�m the one who wanted you more. While Ronny wanted a trophy, I wanted someone as beautiful as you to love, and I wanted someone like you to return that love. I married you because I wanted to spend my life at your side, so I�m not going to stand here and listen to you cut yourself to ribbons over how Madeleine is prettier than you. I don�t care how pretty she is. She could be knock �em down gorgeous, but she�s nothing compared to you.� Frank stopped as he saw tears fall from his wife�s violet-blue eyes, pulled her close, and wrapped his arms around her body. �The exhilarating feeling that went through me the day you dumped Ronny for me is just too much for words to describe.�

�Oh please!� Carolyn giggled. �I didn�t start dating you until the next year, when I finally began to realize there were other kids that went to school with me, and not just Ronny and his football team.�

�It makes no difference when you told him good-bye, it was just the fact that I was next.� Seeing that he finally got a big smile out of his wife, he kissed her gently on the lips, said good-bye and took both sets of twins to the babysitter�s house.

On the way to the city, they stopped at Lucy�s Parlor in Sleepyside and Carolyn had her hair styled quickly while Frank dropped the twins off at the babysitters. After picking his wife back up again, he headed up over the city and down into Long Island to drop her off at the Wheeler penthouse. If everything went as planned, the fund raiser would take place next Friday evening at Mr. and Mrs. MacArthur�s garden.

After Frank was finished at the Whitmore Penthouse in Manhattan, he drove back across the city to the Wheelers� tall penthouse to pick up his wife. Frank greeted Tim, the elevator man, and ascended high up to the Wheeler�s floor. Celia, their petite blonde maid, greeted and led him to the sitting room while she alerted Mrs. Wheeler of his presence. While she was gone, a smartly dressed woman briskly walked past the room and glanced in. As soon as she saw him she stopped short.

�Excuse me,� she blurted out. Frank was startled by her voice, since he was amusing himself by looking Mr. Wheeler�s collection of artwork and portraits. �Might I ask who you are? And why are you lurking around in Mr. Wheeler�s sitting room?�

Frank was a bit put off by her tone, but didn�t say anything. �I am waiting for my wife, Mrs. Lynch.�

Her eyes grew piercing dark. �I don�t know of any Mrs. Lynch. I think you�d better state your business now, or you�ll have to leave.�

Suddenly Mr. Lynch was put on the defensive. �Mrs. Lynch is a guest of Mrs. Wheeler. Celia showed me in, thank you.� With that, he turned and began studying Mr. Wheeler�s most expensive painting, although Frank didn�t know it.

�Excuse me, Miss Lefferts,� came a small familiar voice. Frank turned to see the same petite maid who had let him in. �Mr. Lynch is a guest of Mr. Wheeler. I was just checking to see if he was in the study.�

�What am I to do with you maids?� Miss Lefferts scolded. �Hmph!� With that, she stalked away.

Celia grinned at Mr. Lynch. �Right this way.�

�But I came to see if Carolyn was ready to go,� Frank protested while following Celia to Mr. Wheeler�s study.

�I just spoke with Madam, and they aren�t finished with their plans,� she explained as she stopped at the study door. �Mr. Wheeler overheard me say that you were here, so he sent for you.� Then she leaned forward and whispered, �Don�t pay any attention to Miss Lefferts. She thinks she runs the show around here, but some day she�ll get hers. By the way, you didn�t hear that from me.�

Frank grinned. �Who�s Miss Lefferts?� he whispered back.

�You catch on quickly!�

Frank cashed in his investments that year and hit the jackpot. He hadn�t realized just how big McDonald�s Hamburgers had become. But there was something else he hadn�t counted on: his stock in the New England Bank chain. Within six months of ownership, the banks had gone downhill and Julius Whitmore sold to First National Bank, a larger firm from New York City. Because of a rise in popularity once again, the bank was doing great, and under the advice from Mr. Wheeler, Frank sold his shares and used the profits to invest in richer stock. However, it was the stock he owned from McDonald�s Hamburgers that made him a millionaire.

Lynch Estates � Mid-October 1965

Diana searched her spacious walk-in closet for appropriate attire to eat dinner in. She knew that while she was going to be eating in a glamorous royal blue and gold dining room off of a large cherry wood dining room table, drinking out of crystal, using fine china and the best silver, and wearing formal attire, her friends along Glen Road would be devouring fried chicken, potato salad, chocolate cake, and burning off their dinners with a game of volleyball. They were wearing swimming suits, shorts, and sun suits. Chances are, Bobby was probably having fun with them as well.

Bertie and Penny, two of the kitchen maids, hurriedly set the table and presented dinner for the family of three. The two sets of twins ate in their nursery away from the family. Harrison stood up against the dining room wall behind Frank with a silver tray that carried a crystal decanter half-filled with cognac. Loretta hurried in with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to fill Mrs. Lynch�s wine glass. Diana finished her last bite and within an instant, Penny cleared her dishes away.

�Jillian took the mail today, Frank,� Carolyn said after taking a sip of her wine. �After dinner I must show you an interesting letter.�

�If it�s about the Garden Club, Carolyn, do what you want,� Frank said. �You�re into these parties with Mrs. Wheeler, not me.�

�It�s not about the Garden Club,� she answered. �Although there was an invitation to Mrs. MacArthur�s party, but I�m afraid I might have to cancel. I�m not sure what that will do to my social status, but I feel this other letter calls for more attention than a garden party.�

�Who�s the letter from?� Frank asked his wife.

�Why, it�s from my very own brother!� Carolyn got so excited that she nearly spilled her wine on the crisp, white, linen tablecloth.

Frank looked at his wife like she had gone completely cracked-up insane. �Now Carolyn, you know as well as I do that your parents are dead--no longer with us. There is no possible way for you to know if you had a brother.�

�There�s a possibility that I do have a brother,� she said grinning. �Remember what I said about the welfare department and what they did with me after Mother and Father died? They gave me to a foster family for care. No one ever said anything about a brother, but that doesn�t rule out the possibility.�

�I don�t know, Carolyn,� Frank said shaking his head. �It does seem odd that suddenly out of the blue some guy sends a letter claiming to be your brother. Do you mind if I take a look at it?�

�Sure,� she said and gestured to Harrison. �We�re finished with dinner now and will retire to the sitting room.� With that, she stood up with her wine glass and headed out of the dining room.

�Is it true, Daddy?� Diana perked her head up and grinned. �Do I really have a new uncle?�

�Nothing�s for sure yet, sweetheart. I want to take a look at that letter first before I say anymore.� He stood up and dabbed the side of his mouth with his linen napkin.

After seating themselves in the sitting room, Carolyn took the letter out and began to read:

Dear Carolyn Lynch,

My name is Montague Wilson. I am certain you have no memory of me since you were just an infant when your parents passed away. Your parents� names were Jonathan and Clara McDermott. I�ve known this since ten years ago, when I discovered the names of my parents. Please forgive me, but I�m not very good in my speech and grammar, but what I�m trying to say is that there is a very good chance that we are brother and sister.

After Jonathan and Clara died, the Westchester County welfare council gave Mr. and Mrs. Charles Van Brekken, of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson, rightful custody of you, while I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Victor Wilson of Croton-on-the-Hudson, who later on moved to Tucson, Arizona where I grew up.

I know you must have mixed feelings, but I would like to close this empty gap between us once and for all. Growing up, I always wondered what happened to my infant sister, Carolyn. I�ve tried agencies and different avenues hoping that someday, one of them would lead me back to you, my only living relative. I was about to give up, but when I read about you and your husband, Franklin, in the newspaper, I knew that I had found the answer to my prayers. I had found my sister at last. How did I know that the �Carolyn� mentioned in the paper was my sister? I knew because the picture of you in the paper was identical to the only photo I have of my mother, Clara.

Please respond to this letter, and I�ll drop whatever I�m doing and come see you immediately. It has been my dream for some time now to finally meet the sister I never knew, my brother-in-law, and my nieces and nephews. I would be more than happy to have you all down to my ranch someday, but we can make plans for that at a later date.

I�m very excited about meeting you and your family, and hope that we can start a new relationship as brother and sister. Please don�t hesitate to dial my telephone number or to respond to this letter.

Sincerely,

Monty Wilson

Carolyn Lynch passed the letter to her husband who studied it carefully. �I�m just not sure what to say about this,� she said. �Mom and Dad never talked about an older brother. The day they told me I was adopted, all they said was that my parents had died and that the welfare council handed me over to them as foster parents. I suppose he got their names from records kept on file at City Hall.�

�Why don�t we take this letter over to the City Hall and look up those names and see if they are legitimate? Your adoption records would be on file.� Frank picked up the envelope and read the return address, which said that the letter had come from Arizona. I�ll take this into City Hall on Monday and see if they have anything to say about it.�

�I�ll come with you,� she said in response. �Diana, perhaps you can have Trixie Belden over for an after school snack so you won�t be alone on Monday. I�m not sure how long we�ll be in town. I do have shopping to do, and Mrs. Wheeler and I do have an errand.�

�I can ask Trixie, Mummy, but I don�t think she�ll want to.� Diana hung her head so that her shoulder length blue-black hair hid her eyes.

�Why darling, whatever do you mean?� Carolyn raised her dark eyebrows and widened her violet eyes.

�The last time she was here was positively dreadful,� Diana said in a low voice, feeling very sorry for herself. �Neither one of us could do anything, say anything, or go anywhere without Harrison trailing behind us. Since then, we haven�t done anything together. I�ll be happy by myself.�

�We�ll give Harrison the day off, or maybe you can stay at Trixie�s house if Helen wouldn�t mind,� Frank said, feeling rather jolly. He loved the Beldens and did notice the rift between the two families since social statuses changed between them. �You two have always been inseparable. I�m sure you�ll have fun.� Frank looked at the date on the postmarked envelope. �Why, this envelope says that it was sent three months ago!�

Carolyn looked at the envelope, and let her beaming smile fade. �Then he�s probably given up on me because I haven�t answered in all this time. I�ll answer him right away, but after we check things out at City Hall on Monday.� With that, she tucked the letter back inside the envelope and closed it back up in the large cherry wood desk.

That evening Diana went to sleep thinking about the excitement of finding out about a long-lost relative, but deeply confused about the situation as well. Why didn�t this surface earlier? Why hadn�t Mummy ever heard about him before? Why does he surface as soon as Daddy strikes it rich? That was the last thought before she shut her eyes for the night.

�Westminster Chimes� played softly as Harrison hurried to the front door to answer a caller the next afternoon. It was a short man with a big wide grin and dark, dark black eyes. His nose matched the rest of his body�skinny and rather boney.

�May I help you, sir?� Harrison stiffly greeted the caller.

�I say yes sir, you just might be able ta,� the little man chirped out at him. �Ya see, my name�s Montague Wilson, and I reckon I�m Car-o-line�s older brother from Ari-zo-na.�

�One moment, sir,� Harrison said as he stood tall and gave the man a disdainful look. He invited the little man inside and asked him to stay in the grand foyer. �I won�t be long, sir. I will fetch Madam. With that, he disappeared down the hall and into the grand sunroom.

�A Mr. Wilson to see you, Madam,� he said with a slight bow of his head towards Carolyn, who was reclining on a Queen Anne lounge reading a book.

Her eyebrows went up instantly. �A Monty Wilson?�

�That�s what he claims, Madam.�

She dropped her book on the floor and ran past Harrison only to stop short in front of the small man in the entrance who was admiring a porcelain vase on a pedestal.

�Car-o-line!� he exclaimed and ran to the tall woman. �I tell you, I thought I�d never get the opportunity to meet you!�

Instead of happy, Carolyn was confused. This little man in front of her looked so skinny and scrawny, and his dark black eyes stared at her without a twinkle. �Monty?�

�Ya remember!� he cried, almost jumping up and down in excitement. �I thought ya prob-ab-ly woulda forgotten all about me!�

Carolyn took a few seconds off from the situation to organize her thoughts. Hearing a noise from behind, she jumped and whirled around to see Diana coming down the stairs. �Diana, darling,� she said as she reached out for her daughter, �come and meet Monty.� She paused for a second as if she had to convince herself of the truth. �My brother.�

Diana looked into the eyes of the small man and slightly shivered. �How do you do?� she asked as she extended her hand to shake his.

�Naw, where I a-come from, kiddo, we don�t bother with all of this formal doin�s,� He drawled out. �When we happen ta meet up with a rel-ee-tive down in Ari-zo-na, like at a ro-day-o or somethin�, we don� bother with a-shakin� hands, little lady, we go right up to them and give �em a big ol� hug!� With that, he grabbed the thirteen-year-old girl around her shoulders and wrapped his bony, thin arms around her slender body.

As he rocked back and forth, patted her back, and tightened his embrace, she glanced up at her mother. In a silent conversation, Diana told her mother what her immediate reaction to him was. Carolyn invited him into the sitting room and asked Harrison to fetch some tea.

�Uh, Harrison,� Monty said as he stopped the butler from leaving the room. �I prefer mine with lemon and sugar.�

�Yes, sir,� he politely answered the guest.

�Boy! Now I like that!� he crowed after the butler. �I tell ya, growin� up in Ari-zo-na, I never had a butler. Sure is nice to have someone to get things for ya!�

Harrison left the room with a scowl on his face, thinking that if he weren�t a proper gentleman�s gentleman, he�d haul off and punch the little squirt right in the nose.

�I know we just met, and all, but I gotta ask ya, where�s the hosses?�

�Hosses?� Carolyn asked her brother. �Don�t you mean horses? We haven�t any. None of us know how to ride.�

�What? No hosses! Well, it�s a good thing that I came when I did, b�cause y�all need some hoss ridin� lessons!� He rubbed his bony hands together as he thought. �As a treat to my brand new family, I�m gonna treat y�all ta some hoss-back ridin�. I know a place up a-north a-here that specializes in hoss lessons. Whaddya say?�

�Thank you for the offer, Monty, but we�ve already arranged for Diana to take lessons. Besides, she still has piano lessons.�

�Now what kind of an uncle would I be if I didn�t treat my fav�rite niece to somethin�?" He thought for a while. �I know what you�d like, little lady,� he said with a grin. �Whaddya say you and me and my brand new sister go to New York City this evening and we�ll buy you some dresses! Why, you�re practically a woman, so I fig�re, why not!�

Diana felt rather put off by this remark but forced a smile anyway to be polite to her new uncle.

Carolyn Lynch scowled. �That won�t work either, Monty. There aren�t any trains that run to the city on Sunday evenings.� She thought hard for a second. She still wasn�t quite sure about her new brother, but knew the situation was awkward and wanted the opportunity to get to know him better. �But, I know Diana would love to have some gowns, so what if you and I go shopping tomorrow while she�s in school!� Carolyn said as she accepted the tea from Harrison and smiled her thanks.

Diana looked at her mother in horror, but remained quiet.

�Thank ya, there Mr. Harrison,� Monty said abruptly as he accepted his cup of tea with lemon and sugar. �Hey Car-o-line, d�ya think I could take him back home ta Ari-zo-na with me so he could be my butler? I need one for my new ranch business that I got goin� on.�

Harrison�s jaw dropped as he glared at Monty Wilson. �Excuse me,� and to Diana he bowed slightly, �Miss,� and left the room.

That evening, Monty and Carolyn continually made plans and talked. At first, she was finding it hard to warm up to her new brother, but as the evening went on, she began to put their differences aside and realize that it�s just not everyday that your long lost brother shows up out of the blue and wants to start anew.

Diana went to bed that night thinking different thoughts. From the beginning, he sounded questionable. There was something wrong, but she couldn�t put her finger on it. Well, the one thing for certain was the fact that he was not from Arizona. As much as she fought it, it was decided that Carolyn and Monty were going shopping for evening wear for parties and social events. Monty�s reasoning behind the gowns, was that if she was going to be �hob-nobbin�� with �rich-folk�, she needed to look sophisticated.

Voices echoed up the grand staircase and down the hallway into Diana�s large bedroom. Voices of laughter, chatter, and memories being told that Carolyn didn�t remember. She began to relax into a drowsy sleep as she forced herself to believe that things were going to be okay, now that her mother has family again.

But she seemed to be the only one who thought it odd that there wasn�t any mention of the letter and why her mother never answered it�

Thanks to Susansuth for proofreading!!!

No right to even use Trixie Belden without written consent from Golden Press Publishing, but since they are currently in Chapter Eleven, that automatically allows me to do what I want.

Most of the memories were taken from the following Trixie Belden books: �Red Trailer Mystery�, �Mysterious Visitor�, and �Mystery in Arizona�.

�Mysterious Visitor� makes mention that �Uncle Monty� shows up at the Lynch�s doorstep, and that�s how they meet. I felt it would�ve been better to add a letter to explain more since the �Monty Wilson� that shows up at the doorstep is a fraud and doesn�t know the first thing about anything.

Uncle Monty�s thick accent is not meant to insult or mimic the people of the southern states. Uncle Monty�s accent was put on very thick in �Mysterious Visitor� and I decided that I would continue to use it for his character in this chapter. My apologies if this accent offends.

While we�re on the subject of accents, Mrs. Ashberg�s accent is patterned after Thurston Howell�s accent from Gilligan�s Island.

Hope that the Coca-Cola Corporation, McDonald�s Hamburgers, and Macys doesn�t have fits that I used their names without permission.

Learn more about post partum depression by clicking here.