Author’s Note. The usual these are not my characters, they’re owned by Random House and I’m not making any profit out of it stuff. I haven’t bothered with a lot of the background info, after all, we know who the characters are and what they look like! Basically, Honey, Trixie and Di are about 25, and Honey and Trixie have been running the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency for eight months. Trixie and Di live in White Plains (in different apartments) The agency is in White Plains. Honey still lives at home. For my carry-over items I have used from project 1 the presence or mention of a pet, and from project 2 Viagra. At some later stage, the mystery man will be revealed!

Trixie Belden finished brushing her blonde curls and looked critically at her reflection in the mirror. The black pants and dark blue shirt skimmed her curvaceous figure. The doorbell pealed and Trixie went to answer it.

"Hi, Honey. I’ll just grab my purse."

"No hurry Trix, Di rang earlier and can’t meet us until eight, something to do with rehearsal running late tonight," Honey Wheeler replied, sitting down on the sofa. The Di in question was Diana Lynch, close friend of Trixie and Honey. Di was currently involved in an amateur theatre production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in which she was playing Bianca. The three women had organised a girl’s night. They were going to out for dinner, and then have an evening of fun.

"Do you want a coffee?" Trixie asked, moving towards her tiny kitchen. Honey stood and followed her. Trixie took down two mugs from the shelf above the sink, while Honey opened the refrigerator door. She surveyed the contents and shook her head. A carton of milk, some shrivelled stalks of celery, a block of cheese and a half empty jar of pasta sauce were the entire contents.

"What on earth do you eat Trixie?" Honey gasped. Trixie turned towards her and grinned.

"Actually I eat out most of the time. Breakfast is about the only thing I make. You know what my cooking is like. You can’t go too wrong with cereal and toast!" she laughed. "Moms would have a fit if she knew what I eat. When I go home to visit, I always come home with food. I’m sure Moms thinks I don’t eat right."

"Well, looking at all this I would have to agree with her." Honey handed Trixie the milk. While Trixie poured the milk Honey tidied up the bench. Throwing out wrappers, stacking up the dishes. She wrinkled her nose as she picked up half a mouldy apple.

"Oh gross, Trixie!"

"I know, I know. I meant to throw that out but never got around to it." She handed Honey a mug and they returned to the lounge. "I am so looking forward to this night. It is so long since the three of us have done anything together. Remember the slumber parties we use to have?"

"Oh yes. I don’t think we slept a bit, what with all that gossiping we did."

"And Di and I trying to turn you into a lady!"

"Now wasn’t that a lost cause! You should have known you just can’t turn a tomboy into a lady over night."

"Well, I’m sure we must have had some influence, you do look nice tonight Trix."
Trixie blushed, she wasn’t good at receiving compliments regarding her looks, not even from her best friend. Throughout her teenage years she’d always felt inferior to Honey and Di, who were taller and slimmer than her, and as Trixie felt, prettier than her. It was only in the past few years that Trixie had become comfortable in her looks. She wasn’t particularly interested in fashion, but had developed her own style.

"Thank you, Honey. What time are we meeting Di?"

Honey looked at her watch. "Eight. I guess we’d better get going since we’re walking to the restaurant."

It was only a ten minute walk to the Chinese Restaurant. Di was already seated when they arrived.

"How did the rehearsal go?" Honey asked her.

"Good. Things are really coming together. We’ve got dress rehearsals starting in two weeks."

"We’ll all want tickets of course," Trixie said. "I hope the food hurries up, I’m starving!"

Soon the steaming plates arrived. Honey used chopsticks just as well as she normally used a fork. Trixie struggled with the chopsticks but persevered. Di didn’t even attempt.
"I’ll end up with food everywhere but in my mouth," was her excuse. The three friends laughed and chatted their way through the meal. Di had them in stitches with stories from the theatre, while Trixie and Honey filled her in with some of the cases they’d been working on.

"I’m glad we’re walking to your apartment Di, I need to walk off this food," Honey said.

"I know what you mean, I’m stuffed," Trixie groaned.

They made their way out of the restaurant. As they walked along the pavement Honey made the suggestion that they should try the "Monkee Walk" Honey got Trixie and Di organised and they were successful until they crashed into a Japanese tourist who was just about to take a photo of his travelling companion.

"Oops, sorry!" the three of them chorused. They walked more sedately to Di’s apartment building after that.

They stumbled their way up the stairs. Di tripped over the top step, causing Trixie and Honey to burst into laughter as they each grabbed one of Di’s arms.

"Shhh. We’ll wake the neighbours!" Di said. Honey and Trixie clapped a hand over their mouths. At the door of Di’s apartment, they waited while Di fumbled through her purse for her keys.

"They’re in here somewhere." After some fruitless searching, Di finally tipped out the entire contents, but to no avail.

"I must have left them at rehearsal. I’ll just call Mart to bring his key over," Di sighed. The Mart in question was her boyfriend, Trixie’s older brother.

"Have no fear Diana dear," Honey sang." I have a copy of your key. Remember you gave it to me to water your plants while you and Mart were away on holiday." Honey handed Di the key.

Di smiled gratefully. "I really didn’t want to ring Mart. I’ve already lost my keys twice since moving in here." She opened the door and flicked on the light.

Trixie kicked off her shoes. "Oh that feels better," she groaned. "My feet were starting to kill me"

"Put some music on," Di said as she walked into the kitchen. Honey went across to the stereo and started flipping through Di’s CDs. She put on some rock ‘n’ roll. Di returned with some glasses and a bottle of wine which she put on the coffee table. Trixie opened and poured the wine. Di brought out a bowls of potato chips and peanuts, while Honey followed with chocolate and cheese and crackers. Trixie stretched out on the floor, while Honey and Di curled up on the sofa.

"I think we should have a confession time," Honey announced. Trixie and Di stared at her. "What?" Di asked.

"A confession time. We each get to ask one another a question, and that person has to answer honestly. So, are you game?" Trixie and Di looked at each other.

Trixie shrugged, "I’m in, how about you Di?" Di nodded.

"Okay then, I’ll go first. Di, are you and Mart doing it?" Di went red and Trixie threw her hands over her ears.

"I don’t think I want to hear this! This is my brother your talking about. I don’t want the mental pictures!"

"Yes we are, " Di replied. "What about you and Brian then?" Now it was Honey’s turn to blush, Trixie groaned as Brian was also her brother. It was a few moments before Honey could answer. She cleared her throat and Di leaned forward eagerly.

"Yes," she squeaked. Now the focus turned to Trixie.

"What?" she asked. Honey and Di looked at each other.

"So Honey, what shall we ask her?" Di asked.

"Hmm let me think. What I’ve been dying to know is who sent you that bunch of flowers the other day."

"Someone sent you flowers Trixie?"

"Don’t sound so surprised," Trixie replied.

"Well who was?" Honey demanded. "You refused to say anything when you got them and I’m dying to know who they’re from."

Trixie took a deep breath, trying to think fast. She wasn’t ready to say who the flowers had been from. Her relationship, if you could call it that, was just too new, and she felt uncomfortable about bringing things out in to the open, even with her best friends.

"Oh, they were just from some grateful client," she finally said.

Honey frowned. "I don’t believe you. Why be so secretive if it was only a client."

"So who are they really from Trix?" Di asked. "Were they from Jim?"

Trixie shook her head. "No. Why would they be from him?"

"Well who else would they be from?" Honey demanded.

"Is this an interrogation?" Trixie laughed uneasily.

"Have you got a new man in your life?" Di asked.

Trixie took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Yes," she said finally. "I would tell you all about it but it’s just so new at the moment. There’s so much I’m trying to figure out."

Honey leaned down and hugged Trixie. "It’s okay. I know you’ll tell us when you’re ready. I just hope he’s good to you."
Trixie smiled in return. "Now it’s my turn. Di, have you ever fantasised about kissing another woman?"

"You mean there‘s already been one?" Di laughed. "In truth, not really. I mean, I‘ve wondered what it would be like, but I wouldn‘t call it a fantasy. Not like the one’s I have of Ricky Martin!"

"Honey, what was the worst present you ever got from someone?" Trixie asked.

"Geez, give her an easy one!"

Honey thought for a moment. "Hmm. There’s been a lot. Actually, the most useless thing I got was a Slinky. I think I was about ten when I received it. With being away at boarding school and camp, I couldn’t really play with it, and it soon lost it’s appeal after about the third time. It seemed to have no point to it."

"Bobby had one once. He was forever sending it down the stairs," Trixie said. "I think Reddy buried it somewhere. It doesn’t seem the same going home without Reddy nearly knocking you over when you arrive," Trixie sighed. Reddy had been the Belden’s Irish setter, and had died several years earlier. There were a few moments of silence when Di suddenly jumped up.

"I just love this song! Come on get up and dance." It was the Champs’ Tequila. Honey and Trixie groaned but got up any way.

"Da da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da da , dadadadada da, tequila!!" they yelled in unison. There was a thump on the wall.

"Oops!" Di giggled. "Old Mrs Stapleton obviously doesn’t share my enthusiasm for this song." They collapsed on the floor. "Shall we watch the video now?" They’d elected to watch Message in a Bottle. They settled back to enjoy the movie. At the end there wasn’t a dry eye.

"That was so sad," Di sniffed. Trixie and Honey wiped their eyes and nodded.

Honey yawned. "I’m beat. How come we were able to stay awake all night when we were kids, but struggle to stay up past midnight now we’re adults?"

"It’s your old age showing," Trixie teased.

Di stood up and stretched. "Shall we go to bed?" Honey and Trixie also stood up. Honey made her way to the bathroom as Trixie and Di put the food away and tidied up.

"Hey Di! We’re out of toilet paper!" Honey shouted.

"In the cupboard under the basin," Di called back.

"Got it!"

"So where’s everyone sleeping?" Trixie asked. "I don’t mind sleeping on the floor."

"We could properly all squeeze in together," Di suggested as Honey joined them. "I have a big bed."

Trixie and Honey looked at each other. "Why not, it’ll be like old times," Trixie said. They got into their pyjamas and clambered under the covers. Just as Di was about to turn off the light, Honey sneezed.

"Bless you," Trixie mumbled sleepily.

"Have you got a tissue?" Honey asked.

Di nodded. "In the top drawer beside you." Honey opened the drawer and pulled out a tissue. Then something else in the drawer caught her eye. Giggling she took it out, holding it up for Di to see.

"So what’s this then?"

Di blushed. "That’s Vibrating Victor," she replied.

"You’ve named your vibrator?" Honey was astonished.

"It makes it more personal, "

"What do you need a vibrator for, when you have my brother?" Trixie asked. "Or does he need a prescription for viagra?"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with Mart’s performance, thank you. It’s just that well, you know, sometimes when he’s not here I just get a little lonely."

Honey and Trixie laughed. Honey returned Victor to his home, and Di turned off the light. "We need to do this more often," she said.

Trixie and Honey murmured their agreement, and soon all three were asleep.