Trixie found Bobby in his bedroom with his face pressed against the window. He was staring intently at something below.

“What are you doing, Bobby?” Trixie asked.

“Watchin’ Mart and Di,” he replied, without taking his eyes from what he was watching. “Ewww!” He put his hands over his eyes.

“What’s the matter?” Trixie asked. Curious to see what was grossing Bobby out, she went over to the window. She giggled when she saw that it was Mart and Di kissing.

“You shouldn’t be spying on them,” Trixie scolded, pulling him away from the window.

“They kissed.” Bobby pulled a face, sticking out his tongue and making gagging noises. “Kissing’s gross.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it. When you’re older you’ll want to kiss girls,” she teased poking him in the ribs. Bobby squirmed and shook his head, his blond curls bouncing.

“Huh-uh. I’m not gonna kiss anyone, ‘cept Moms and Reddy.” He looked at Trixie. “Do you kiss Jim?”

Trixie blushed. “No,” she muttered.

“Why not?” Bobby asked.

“Because he’s not my boyfriend, and only girlfriends and boyfriends kiss.” Trixie was regretting getting involved in this conversation.

“So, does that mean that Di’s Mart’s girlfriend?” Bobby asked with interest. Trixie wasn’t sure how to answer this. There wasn’t anything official although everyone knew how they felt about each other.

“Enough about kissing, Moms says you need to wash up. It’s nearly time for lunch.” Trixie gave him a little push toward the door.” She felt a surge of pity for Mart. She was certain that Bobby wouldn’t be able to stop himself from telling him that he’d seen everything. Knowing Bobby, he would pick the most inopportune time to do so. Perhaps she should say something to Bobby. Before she had the chance to speak to him, Bobby went running along the hall and down the stairs. She called after him, but he either failed to hear her, or chose to ignore her. Trixie sighed. There would be no point trying to speak to Bobby with others in earshot.

“What?” he demanded. “Have I got something on my face? You’ve been staring at me ever since we sat down.”

Bobby simply stared at the wall above Mart’s head, and munched away on his sandwich.

“Couldn’t Di stay for lunch?” Trixie asked innocently. Bobby started laughing, and nearly choked on his sandwich. Trixie glared at him.

“No, she has to babysit this afternoon,” Mart replied. “She’s going to call you later, something to do with decorating the clubhouse.” Trixie nodded her understanding. She looked sideways at Bobby who was back to staring at Mart. She was surprised that he had managed to keep quiet this long. She was certain that he was just bursting to tell Mart. Maybe she still had the chance to have a word with him.

Trixie and Mart were designated to do the washing up. Bobby had disappeared as soon as he’d finished eating.

“Do you know what’s up with Bobby?” Mart asked, as he took the washed plate handed to him by Trixie.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on!” Mart scoffed. “He was acting weird all through lunch. He’s up to mischief, and I have a feeling it involves me.”

“You’re getting paranoid,” Trixie laughed. She was sure that he would be even more paranoid if he found out what Bobby and she both knew.

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

The dishes were finished and Trixie was wiping down the counter when she was called to the phone. Bobby sidled into the kitchen.

“I saw Mart kissing Diana, underneath the window…” he started to sing to the tune of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Mart clapped his hand over Bobby’s mouth.

“Sssh!” He looked around hurriedly. “Did you really see me kiss Di?” he asked. As Mart’s hand was still over his mouth, Bobby could only nod vigorously. Mart groaned and removed his hand, wiping it on the leg of his pants. Well, it certainly explained Bobby’s odd behaviour.

“Bobby, you’re not to tell anyone,” Mart said. “It’s a secret. Our secret, okay?”

“Okay,” Bobby whispered back. “It’s a seecrud. I like seecruds. I know lots and lots of seecruds. Can I tell Larry and Terry?”

“No!” Mart replied. “Especially not Larry and Terry!”

“All right,” Bobby said, a little aggrieved. “I won’t tell nobody.” Mart tousled Bobby’s curls.

“Thanks, Bobby. I knew I could count on you,” he smiled. Bobby wouldn’t tell him that Trixie already knew. He would have to find her and tell her that she couldn’t tell anyone else, not even Honey. He didn’t want Mart to be mad at him if Trixie told the secret.

“Hey Trixie!” Bobby yelled before bursting into her room. Trixie looked up in annoyance.

“Bobby!” she scolded. “How many times have I told you not to come into my room without knocking?”

“Lots,” Bobby said simply. “But, it’s really, really important. You can’t tell anyone that you saw Mart kiss Di.”

“I wasn’t planning on telling anyone.”

“Good,” Bobby smiled. “’Cause Mart made me promise to keep it a seecrud.”

Trixie grinned. “Then I’ll keep it a seecrud too,” she promised.

“Moms, Di wants suggestions on how to decorate the clubhouse this year,” Trixie said. “But, we don’t have any ideas. I hate the thought of leaving it up to Honey and Di again, and these two are absolutely no use.”

“I object to that!” Mart protested. “We men folk will be the brawn and you girls can be the brains.” Mart pulled a face. “Well, Di and Honey can be the brains.” This earned him a glare from Trixie.

“Any thoughts, Moms?” Trixie asked.

Mrs. Belden pondered for a few moments. “Have you thought about choosing a theme?”

Trixie’s face lit up. “We could do that,” she said excitedly. “I don’t know what yet, but it would be a perfectly perfect idea! Thanks Moms, I knew you’d be able to help. Unlike certain other people.” She narrowed her eyes at her brothers.

“Are you going to put up any mistletoe?” Mrs. Belden asked. She laughed as her older children blushed. Bobby watched his siblings’ reaction with interest.

“Why?” Bobby asked. “What’s misstoe?”

“Mistletoe is something you put up at Christmas,” Mrs. Belden explained. “If two people are standing underneath it, the tradition is for that couple to kiss.”

Bobby pulled a face. He looked around quickly. “Do we have any misstoe?”

His mother laughed at his concern. “No, we don’t, so you don’t need to worry about being kissed.”

Bobby gave a loud sigh of relief. As he walked away, a plan began to form in his mind, and he knew just the person to help. He grabbed his jacket and hat before returning to his mother. To his relief she was alone. He didn’t want his brothers and sister knowing what he was up to.

“Moms, can I go up to Honey’s?” Bobby asked. His mother looked up in surprise.

“I thought you were going to help me with the cookies.”

Bobby hesitated a moment. He loved baking with his mother because he always got to have the first taste, and there were bowls to lick.

“Honey’s gonna help me with somethin’ very important.” Mrs. Belden raised her eyebrows, but agreed to Bobby’s request.

“Okay then, but make sure you behave,” she said sternly.

“I always do!” Bobby shouted over his shoulder as he rushed out the door. His mother just shook her head.

“Can I please talk to Honey?” Bobby asked.

“Hello, Bobby. Of course you can. Come on in, she’s just in the study.” Bobby followed Celia inside. Honey was sitting cross-legged on the study floor, with photographs spread all around her.

“Honey, you have a young man to see you,” Celia said with a smile. Honey looked up and smiled.

“Hi Bobby,” she greeted. Bobby went over and sat beside her.

“Hi Honey! Whatcha doing?” He asked, looking at the photos.

“I’m sorting through some photos from last Christmas. I’m going to use them for Christmas cards. Bobby picked up one that had Honey wearing a red Santa hat. He remembered Honey handing out presents to himself and Di’s brothers and sisters. The younger siblings had had their own Christmas party. Bobby had stuffed himself so full of candy canes, cookies, and other delicious treats that he had gone home with a tummy ache.

“So, Bobby what brings you over here? Did Trixie come with you?”

Bobby shook his head. “Nope, just me. I need some help, but it has to be a seecrud. Can you keep a seecrud?”

“I can keep a secret. What do you need me to do?”

“Do you have some misstoe?” Bobby asked.

Honey frowned as she tried to decipher what Bobby was asking. “Do you mean mistletoe?”

“That’s what I said, misstoe.”

“I’m sure that we have some around somewhere amongst the Christmas decorations. Do you need some?”

“Yes. It’s very, very important,” Bobby said seriously.

Honey bit back a smile. “Can you tell me why it’s so important, Bobby? I’m curious to know what you have planned.”

Bobby looked around the room. He beckoned for Honey to come closer. When she did so, he whispered in her ear. Honey looked at him and smiled widely.

“That is a wonderful idea, Bobby! Of course I’ll help you.”

“It’s a seecrud though.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Honey promised.

“Moms, can I quickly go down to the clubhouse? I know it’s nearly time for dinner but Honey said it was important.”

Mrs. Belden nodded. “Don’t be long though,” she warned.

“I won’t! Thanks, Moms. You’re the best mother in the world!”

As she ran to the clubhouse, Trixie wondered what was so important that Honey had to see her now, and couldn’t have said on the phone. She was the first to arrive, so she pulled out a chair. It was only marginally warmer inside than out. She hoped Honey wouldn’t be too long. A few minutes later she heard approaching footsteps. Expecting to see Honey, she was surprised to see Jim in the doorway.

“Hi, Jim! I didn’t know you were coming too. Do you know what Honey’s in such a fluster about?”

Jim frowned. “Honey? I’m supposed to be meeting Brian here. Honey passed on a message that he needed to see me urgently.”

Now it was Trixie’s turn to frown. “Brian’s in town picking up something for Moms. He couldn’t have rung you.”

“That’s odd. Honey definitely said that it was Brian. Perhaps he meant for us to meet later. I’ll have to go back and ask Honey.”

“Honey didn’t say anything about meeting me down here?”

Jim shook his head. “No, nothing.”

“Oh well,” Trixie shrugged. “There’s no point hanging around here then. Tell Honey I’ll call her after dinner.”

They didn’t see a small boy peeking through the window. When it appeared that they were going to leave, he ran around to the door and stood in front of it. He put his arms out so they couldn’t pass. He wasn’t going to let them leave without completing the last part of the plan.

“What are you doing down here, Bobby? You should be at home,” Trixie told him.

Bobby ignored her and pointed above their heads to the mistletoe above the door. Trixie and Jim looked up.

“It’s misstoe and you’re standing under it. You hafta kiss now.” He grinned at them.

Trixie blushed to the roots of her sandy hair. She couldn’t meet Jim’s gaze. Right now she wished the ground would open up and swallow her. She also wanted to cheerfully strangle Bobby.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said crossly. She was mentally cursing the person who had put it there. Just wait until she got hold of them!

“You hafta,” Bobby insisted, his lower lip thrust out. “It’s the rules.” He would use every trick that he could to make this work, even if it meant tears.

“I’m sorry,” Trixie said. “I don’t know who put that up there. Let’s just ignore it.”

“Be quiet, Trixie.”

Trixie continued without listening to a word that Jim had just said. “I didn’t realize that Bobby knew that it was…” She didn’t get to finish as Jim covered her mouth with his. Trixie was surprised at first but quickly began to respond to the gentle kiss. When they drew apart, Jim smiled down at her.

“Wow,” Trixie whispered.

“Wow, indeed. I don’t know why I waited so long to do this.”

“I hope you’re not going to make me wait as long as that for my second kiss,” Trixie said shyly. Jim didn’t need a second invitation.

Bobby snuck away feeling very proud of himself. He couldn’t wait to tell Honey that their plan had been successful.

“Honey!” Bobby yelled at the top of his lung. “Jim just kissed Trixie!”

Jim pressed his forehead to Trixie’s and laughed.

“I guess we won’t be keeping it a secret,” he said.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Trixie smiled. “I think the entire neighbourhood knows by now. Bobby doesn’t know the meaning of quiet.”

“Do you get the feeling that we were set up?” Jim asked.

“It is very suspicious. I’m surprised at Honey, though. I wouldn’t expect her to be quite so sneaky.”

“Unless she had help,” Jim mused.

“But who would? Surely you don’t mean Bobby?”

“He was most insistent that we kiss beneath the mistletoe, and he was calling to Honey just now.”

Trixie started to giggle. “Fancy being set up by a six year old!”

“Remind me to thank him for this, later. Shall I walk you home?”

“That would be nice,” Trixie said, smiling up at him. She had almost forgotten that she wasn’t to stay long. Hand in hand, Jim and Trixie walked slowly back to Crabapple Farm.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Thanks as always to my perfectly perfect editors, Robin and MaryF.
Submitted as a Happy Holidays VIII GWP for Zap's Trixie Belden Fan Fiction Page.
Elements used: holiday photograph, holiday food, holiday song, holiday decoration, animal (mention of Reddy)

Graphics courtesy of Ever Eden Design

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