Chapter 3
IF YOU BRING IT, THEY WILL PLAY

Early the next morning, the group got up, had a nice breakfast in the Starlight Restaurant, and then headed for the large SUV that they had rented for the week. Mart insisted that he be the one to drive as he had been studying the maps and tourist books of Iowa for weeks before the trip. What the others didn’t know is that Mart had also stuck a secret sack of materials in the back of the SUV, hidden under the overnight luggage.

Mart drove with his beauty by his side; Hallie, Jim and Trixie road in the middle section, and Brian, Honey, and Dan filled up the back row. Brian quipped that they were lucky they didn’t have anyone else along for the trip as no one else would have fit in the vehicle with them. As it was, they were snug but comfortable as they traveled across the lush landscape of northeastern Iowa. They traveled in content silence as they listened to the popular hits coming from 102.9 out of Cedar Rapids, enjoying the scenery of rolling green hills, trees galore in full splendor, and large farmhouses with sheep, cattle, hogs, and horses in their fields.

"I had no idea that there was so much water in this state," exclaimed Di, "but everywhere we go, there are rivers, lakes and streams."

"I’m hoping that Uncle Andrew will allow us to fish sometime during the week while we’re here," started Mart. " Although Iowa isn’t Minnesota with their 26.000 lakes, Iowa does have a lot of water. Besides the fact that Iowa is bordered on the right by the Mississippi and by the Missouri on the left, Iowa has more than 19,000 fishable interior streams, 35 natural lakes, and more than 200 man-made lakes. All in all, Iowa has more than 100,000 surface acres of prime fishing waters!"

Many of the group were excited at the prospect of fishing in such a promising location before their trip was over.

"It really is a pretty state," admitted Honey, gazing out the window. "Besides the lack of real mountains, Iowa reminds me a lot of Sleepyside, all the greenery and parks."

"I know what you mean, Honey," added Brian, "But Iowa definitely has more farms that we see back home."

"Well, what do you expect?" quipped Mart. "Iowa has more than 100, 000 farms. Despite what Uncle Andrew says about Iowa being more of a manufacturing state than an agricultural one, Iowa harvests more grain than any other state in the U.S.. It produces one-fourth of our countries pork and four percent of the grain-fed beef that we eat in this country comes from Iowa!"

The group was used to the Walking-Man-of –Information, but actually appreciated Mart educating them on the place where they were visiting. They were all just happy that he had foregone the usage of extremely big and long word. He used to do that all the time when they were in high school to the amusement and annoyance of the group. When Mart. reached college, he realized that he didn’t need to prove his intelligence to anyone and also, he had already gotten the woman of his dreams so he didn’t need to impress anyone.

"It’s amazing, but a single farm family in Iowa grows enough food and fiber to feed almost 300 people!" finished Mart.

"Iowa has led the country for the last two decades in education," shyly added Di who was currently a student of Teaching Art History at NYU. "For the last two decades, Iowa youth have led the nation in college entrance exam scores. I almost went to UNI in Cedar Falls for my education degree as it is one of the three world-class state universities that the state has, as well as being one of the best teaching universities in the country."

"Yes," Mart agreed, "Iowa is an astute leader in education. It’s a small state, but it actually has 62 public and private colleges, as well as 28 community colleges. I might transfer to Iowa State University for my masters as there are many federal programs in agriculture there. In actuality, the federal government has spent more than $252 million dollars in research within the state of Iowa and Ames, Iowa is the center of this with vast studies being performed for the Department of Agriculture, Energy and Defense, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the DOT. Also, Ames Laboratory is home to the Department of the Interior’s Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Research Facility based out of ISU, the National Animal Disease Center, as well as the National Soil Tilth Laboratory."

"That’s awesome, Mart, but did you just memorize the whole Iowa Visitor’s Guidebook, or what?" quipped Dan and the whole group laughed, including Mart.

"Oh, well…just parts of it," stated Mart, a little red-faced.

"Hey," Trixie burst out in a sassy challenge, "I bet I know something about Iowa that You don’t know!"

"What’s that, Trixie?" inquired Jim by her side.

"The world’s first electronic computer was finished in 1942 by Iowa State University’s John Atanasoff and research assistant, Clifford Berry. The Atasasoff-Berry Computer was called up for the war effort. Another one at the University of Pennsylvania, funded by the military, was finished in 1945. For decades, the ENIAC goliath in Philadelphia got the credit for being first, creating generations of hard feelings that officials of the two universities say they're finally trying to soothe. They are currently making a replica of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer at ISU as the original was cannibalized!" Trixie stated all this information triumphantly and was delighted to see the open-mouthed surprised reaction by her brother, Mart.

"How do you know that, Trixie?" asked Mart, quietly.

"Hey, I learn things in college, too, you know!" Trixie’s temper was starting to flare at people always thinking that she was street-smart but not book-smart.

Honey was quick to come to her defense. "We know that, Trixie," she assured firmly.

The tension now in the car made everyone a little uneasy and the interior of the SUV filled with aplomb silence. Mart concentrated on his driving and the others looked outside at the passing Iowa greenery, dwelling silently within their own thoughts.

After a few minutes, Trixie noticed something strange about Mart’s driving.

"Hey, Mart," she called out from her middle seat, "Why are you coming off the road already? I thought Dubuque was about an hour away and an hour definitely hasn’t passed!"

Mart grinned back at her and said, "It’s a surprise."

The group was very curious but knew that Mart wouldn’t fudge on his surprise before he was good and ready. Finally, when they began to drive in very rural surroundings and on gravel roads, Trixie couldn’t contain her questions.

"Come on, Mart, what are we doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" asked Trixie.

Mart’s grin became a big smile as he quipped, "I’ll tell you in one phrase: If you build it, they will come."

Trixie was very confused. "Huh?" she asked ineloquently.

"If you build it, they will come," stated Mart, hiding a gleeful laugh.

"Wait a minute, I remember that!" called out Dan from the back seat. "That lines from the movie Field of Dreams. That’s the most famous line in the movie, besides the line ‘Is this Heaven?’ and Costner answering, ‘No, it’s Iowa.’"

"That was an awesome movie," said Jim with passion.

"Yeah, and Costner was pretty dreamy in that movie, too," stated Honey with a flutter of her lashes.

"Hey!" chided Brian.

"Don’t worry, baby," consoled Honey, "He could never be as dreamy as you!" And she kissed him quickly on the lips, which Brian quite enjoyed.

Trixie was finally getting it. "So, what you’re saying is that we are going to see where the movie was shot?"

Mart’s smile gleamed in the rear-view mirror. "Yes and no, Trixie. We are going exactly where the film was shot, but the really cool thing is that the baseball field is still there and kept up in prime condition. People can visit the spot and play ball there."

"Now, that’s cool!" Dan was excited, but then realized a problem. "But, how are we going to play ball, we don’t have any equipment."

Mart’s eyebrows wiggled in the mirror and he replied, gleefully, "Elementary, my dear Mangan. What you all don’t know is that I have been planning this for months and in the back of our SUV is a large back of softball equipment supplied by one dear Uncle Andrew."

The whole gang was thrilled with the fun and unique opportunity of playing ball on the exact field where The Field of Dreams was shot. A few minutes later, they arrived at the large, white colonial style home with the gleaming baseball field in its back, just outside of Dyersville. They met the hostess and owner of the house and she assured them that they should play and look around as much as they would like and that souvenirs and refreshments could be purchased inside.

So, out came the bats, gloves and softballs. To the protesting of the boys, the ladies decided to challenge the men to a game of softball. For over an hour, the group played and frolicked, laughed and dashed, with an abandon that they never lived their lives with any more now that they were in the "real world" and in college. They had a fantastic time playing together and also acting like the old baseball players in the movie by suddenly appearing from the corn stalks surrounding the field.

They ended the game in a decided tie as they knew they needed to get back on the road in order to meet their one o’clock lodging reservations. After a short break for purchasing souvenirs, donating money for the continued up-keep of the field, and chatting with their hostess while enjoying yummy snacks, the Bob-Whites loaded the softball equipment into the SUV and themselves back inside for another short stint of travel to Dubuque.

Brian had insisted on being the driver for arriving to Dubuque as he had made special accommodations for the whole group to stay overnight in the Iowa city. Shortly after Dyersville, the Iowa landscape changed drastically and they were now viewing huge sweeping valleys of tall , green, rolling hills, as well as rocky bluffs. The SUV moved up, down, and around like a car on a roller coaster at 67 miles per hour.

"Man, my ears keep popping!" complained Trixie.

"I think all of ours are, Trixie," stated Jim with a smile and a quick squeeze of her hand. "We are moving up in elevation."

"Say, doesn’t this remind you of our part of New York?" inquired Dan and the others had to agree.

"The only thing that we are missing is the Hudson River and the seagulls flying around," replied Brian.

"Well, we are about to come upon the Mississippi River and if you look close, you will probably see hawks and bald eagles flying around. They are well known in Dubuque," added Mart.

They were now entering the city and traveling through it. It appeared just like any other city in the U.S., that is until Brian came to the end of his driving and entered the historic part of Dubuque. The group was struck breathless at the beautiful splendor of the Mississippi River sparkled before them, as well as the entrance to a huge bridge reminiscent of the George Washington Bridge in the City starting right before them.

"Wow, this is beautiful!" exclaimed Di.

"Brian, we’re not going to go across that bridge, are we?" asked Honey from her spot beside him.

"Not right now, Honey," he answered. "We need to get checked into our rooms. Also, on the other side of that bridge is actually Illinois." He laughed.

"Cool, so where are we going now, Bri?" asked Jim leaning forward to hear him better.

"We are almost there, just let me turn left here."

Brian turned and they followed along the Mississippi Riverwalk, gazing at the water, the large ships and gambling boats, and adored all of the old, large red brick buildings. Brian turned left again and started heading up a very steep road.

"Man, we are in Iowa, right?" joked Dan. "This place surely looks like San Francisco!"

The group all agreed with him quietly, but their curious thoughts were occupied as to where Brian was taking them. Suddenly, Brian turned left again and the ladies gasped at the beautiful Victorian homes located on Bluff Street. Brian continued to move their vehicle slowly down the street, checking out the signs in front of each house that he came to. Finally, he saw a large white sign that read Hancock House in big caligraphry letters. He remembered the directions given to him by the hostess of the Bed and Breakfast and took a small road up the hill and parked the SUV under the carport.

All the other Bob-Whites sat in silence for a second, digesting where they were. Finally, Honey said quietly, "Brian, are we staying here?"

Brian had the good graces to be a little red-faced in his answer as he turned away from the steering wheel and looked at his girlfriend.

"I hope you all aren’t upset, but Mart and I thought it would be a nice idea to do something romantic for our ladies. We realize not everyone is in a relationship currently, but this place has a lot of history and character to it and we thought everyone would enjoy the experience." Brian rambled on, afraid of everyone’s reaction.

After a short moment of thinking it over, Honey gave Brian a brilliant smile, leaned over and kissed him on the lips. Di threw her arms around the neck of her Belden man and gave Mart a quick, noisy kiss of happiness and affection.

"Oh, Honey, this is going to be perfectly perfect!" exclaimed Di as she followed Mart out of the SUV, and then joyfully hooked arms with Honey who was already outside the vehicle.

Trixie and Jim shared a nervous look before Trixie slowly slipped out of the car, followed by a dubious Jim. The two happy couples led the way up the porch and inside the large, blue and white historic house. Their four single friends walked slowly behind them with bewildered looks upon their faces.

At the sound of the bell on the door jangling with their entrance, an active fifty-something-year-old woman came into the room with a warm and welcoming smile.

"Hello and welcome to Hancock House Inn," her eyes twinkled as she greeted the group. "You all must be the group from New York. I sure hope you are enjoying your time in Ioway and I want to thank you for choosing to stay with us during your vacation. My name is Susan and my husband, Chuck, is just finishing adding the kindling to the fireplaces in your rooms as it will be getting cool tonight, as Iowa Spring nights go. Now, which one of you is Brian Belden?"

Brian stepped forward with a wide smile for the infectiously warm woman and shook her hand. "That would be me, ma’am. Very nice to meet you and yes, we have been enjoying ourselves here so far. Yesterday we went to the Waterloo Renaissance Faire and today we visited the Field of Dreams in Dyersville on the way over here. We all are very excited to explore Dubuque for the next two days."

"Oh, I’m so glad!" said Susan. "Now if you all need any help in directions, sites to see, or restaurants to go to, don’t be afraid to give us a holler, OK? The only phone in the building for our guests is over there in the parlor and beside it you will find a table full of pamphlets and menus of different places within Dubuque. Feel free to take any with you."

She got down to business as she grabbed her guest planner from a nearby antique lamp table and opened it to Monday’s date. "Al right, I see here that you made reservations for four rooms, three with whirlpools and one without. Now you all know that each of our rooms has a queen-sized feather bed and its own private bath with marble fixtures. As I see from the reservations, you will be enjoying rooms on each of the three floors of Hancock House. I do suggest that you all take a tour of each other’s rooms to have a better feel of what Hancock House is like and also to share the different views of Historic Dubuque and the Mississippi from each location. It’s truly a sight to be seen!"

Susan was going to continue with her opening schpeel, enjoying her rapt audience of the four couples from New York. Brian however had not been listening since she first started talking. He had been waiting for a moment to interrupt her politely. He saw his moment and he seized it.

"Excuse me, ma’am, but did you say that our reservations were for four rooms?" he asked in trepidation and with thundering heart.

Susan looked down at the sheet in front of her and smiled back up at Brian. "Why, yes, four rooms is what we have you down for. And four very nice rooms, if I might say so myself!"

Brian was worried now but hoped it would all work out. "Ma'am," he started, "we need five rooms not four."

Susan’s smile slackened. "Oh dear, oh dear! Well, I’m afraid that we only have the four rooms available to you. You see, there is a wedding today and the bride and groom’s families will all be taking up the rest of the inn tonight. They were booked a year in advance." Susan was rather worried about this and she prayed that there was something that could be worked out.

The Bob-Whites all looked at each other in concern. The two couples really wanted to have this special experience with their significant others as this would be the only time in the whole trip that the couples would have some alone time. On the other hand, they couldn’t possibly ask their friends to be in an uncomfortable situation. Jim, as one of the co-presidents of the group suggested that they all go out on the porch and discuss the situation. The other Bob-Whites agreed and they told Susan that they would return in a moment. Susan gave them a wan smile and told them that she would wait for their return. Somberly, the group filed outside onto the wrap around porch and faced each other.

"OK, gang, there must be some way we can work this out," Brian started. "We are all adults and there must be a way."

"Is there any way we could go somewhere else?" asked Dan. "I know that this seems like a really neat experience for everyone, but couldn’t we just find other accommodations?"

The rest of the group murmured their agreement with his idea, Honey and Di less enthusiastically than the others. Brian held up a hand to silence them and explained to them with a clear voice that he didn’t really believe that would be possible. "Guys, I understand how awkward this is, but I really don’t think we can switch places. What I mean is that I figure we can find another location, but I’d rather not as I put our reservations on my credit card and it isn’t refundable, not this late in time." He looked at the others’ faces grimly. "I know that money is a bad excuse, but the reservations cost me a lot of money that I saved up for and I can’t afford to just lose that money with all of my studies, etc."

The group all looked at each other, communicating with their eyes. Finally, Jim spoke up for the group. "We understand, Brian. We know that you don’t have money to throw away and we wouldn’t want you to."

Trixie spoke up as she squeezed her brother’s arm in solace and understanding. "Jim’s right, Bri, we’ll figure out something so that we can still stay here. It really is a neat place. You and Mart did a great job in picking it out for us all. We’ll work it out." The group fell silent for a moment.

"Trixie and I could just share a room," stated Hallie. The others agreed with Hallie that that was a possibility. But, Dan and Jim shared glances over the heads of the others and didn’t care for the idea.

"There’s just one problem there, gang," Dan broke their bubbles, "That would mean Jim and I would have to share a queen-sized bed together. And though I do like Jim I will not share a romantic room with a whirlpool and feather bed with him!"

Everyone kind of laughed at the mental picture of both large men sharing a queen-sized feather bed in a romantic room. Trixie’s mind was working, though she was very nervous in where her mind was taking her.

"That means that we would have to split up, boy-girl, boy-girl," she stated faltingly. Trixie couldn’t look at Jim after saying this.

The group was quiet for a moment, the couples not wanting to suggest anything that would make their friends uncomfortable. Finally, in some exasperation, Hallie spoke up, "Fine. We’re all adults here and we can handle it. It’s not like we haven’t all camped together before! I’ll share a room with Dan and Trixie, you can share with Jim. OK?"

The couples looked at their friends for agreement to this new plan. Dan was shocked but happily surprised that Hallie had chosen to share a room with him. Trixie and Jim were silent and avoided eye contact with the other.

"Would that work for everyone?" asked Brian. He had been watching his sister and his best friend. "Trixie, is this al right with you?"

Trixie and Jim finally looked up at each other and shared a moment of embarrassment and heart pounding. With an imperceptible nod, Trixie signaled to Jim that it would be al right with her. Jim responded with a quick nod himself and nervously looked away. "Yes, Brian, that will work," she replied softly.

"And I’m OK with the set-up, too!" added Dan quickly. "So why don’t we go tell Susan that we will take those rooms after all? Come on, gang, this trip is for fun…let’s not let the fun get away from us!"

Dan led the group back into the foyer of the Victorian home. At the back of the line were the two Belden brothers. They looked at each other for a moment and then both grinned. They didn’t set this up, but they couldn’t have planned this situation any better. They had both discussed how they hoped that this trip might bring both Trixie and Jim closer together, as well as make Hallie and Dan act on their secret feelings for one another. These new sleeping arrangements could have some interesting developments!

Susan was anxious to hear their decision. She felt bad that there had been a misunderstanding with the reservations and hoped that the group had worked out a plausible solution. When Brian came up to her with a grand smile, she knew everything was going to work out.

"Oh, so you’ve worked it out and you are going to stay?" she asked for affirmation sweetly and with a big smile.

"Yes, we have, ma’am, and I apologize if we have made you uncomfortable in any way. " Brian stated. "My only defense is to say that I made those reservations while studying for a very big exam and I must have told you the wrong number for the rooms. I am very sorry, but I believe we have a solution now. "

"Great, wonderful!" exclaimed Susan and clapped her hands together in glee. "No worries at all, young man, I am just so glad that you will be staying with us!" She leaned toward him as if to share a secret conversation. "Now, so that I don’t embarrass myself further, would you please indicate to me the real couples in the group?"

Brian grinned back at her and laughed lightly. "Certainly. This is my girlfriend, Honey. My brother, Mart, and his girlfriend, Di, will also be sharing a room." He indicated each person mentioned with his hand.

"Wonderful!" Susan was such a delightful hostess. She eyed Brian and Honey for a second. "From looking at you two, I will say that you and your girlfriend should stay in The Ballroom tonight." She turned to Mart and Di. "And don’t you two worry, we have a wonderful room that is actually the favorite among our newlyweds that will suit you two just fine. It is The Dollroom and it has an oversized whirlpool filling the entire space of the tower that is part of the room."

Di cuddled into Mart’s side and sighed. "Oh, that sounds absolutely beautiful, Susan! Thank you so much for selecting it for us."

Susan looked at the other four seriously, not knowing how they had worked out the pairings. "The other two rooms are The Library which is the only room located on the first floor but does sport a huge whirlpool and working fireplace and the Train Room which is located on the third floor."

Dan and Hallie looked at each other quickly and Dan smiled slightly. "The Train Room sounds neat. We’ll take that one."

Jim looked at Trixie from the corner of his eye. "Guess that means that The Library is ours, Shamus." Trixie turned to him slightly and gave him a small smile. Oh, boy, thought Trixie, we are going to share a room with a whirlpool and a fireplace! How am I going to get through this night? Jim’s thoughts were pretty close to Trixie’s as he was trying to think of how he would get through the night without touching Trixie, or letting her know of his true feelings for her.

Brian glanced at his watch quickly and moved the group along. "It’s already 1:30 guys and we have much that we wanted to do today. Why don’t we all get our bags, freshen up quickly and then meet back here in 15 minutes?" he asked and directed.

The group agreed with his plan and moved back out to the SUV. Once back inside, Susan first showed Trixie and Jim to their room that was just left of the parlor. The group gasped in delight at the interior of their room that was indeed a library. Taking up precedence in the room was the large, queen-sized brass bed in the middle. The whirlpool was to the left upon entering with the large, antique fireplace to the right. Beyond the bed, the back of the large room was lined with bookshelves laden with antique books and an antique writing desk stood in front of the shelves. It appeared that the private bath was through a small door on the far right side of the room.

The group left Trixie and Jim alone in their room while Susan showed the rest of the Bob-Whites to their individual rooms. Trixie and Jim moved to opposite sides of the bed and placed their bags upon the beds’ surface. They then looked up at each other across the expanse of the high, puffy feather bed. They just stood there for a moment, looking at each other somberly, nerves running high.

"You can freshen up, first, Trixie," Jim offered, always the gentleman.

Trixie smiled lightly at him and grabbed at the chance to escape the thick tension in the air. "Thanks, Jim, I’ll do that!" She opened her bag and took out her cosmetics bag. With one more small smile, she fairly ran to the small door along the wall and disappeared behind its decorative glass windows.

Jim just looked after her, frozen for a moment. Then he looked back at the bed. It was a small bed for his frame, let alone one to share with Trixie! He felt his body reacting to the idea of sharing the bed with Trixie and forced himself to move and alter his dangerously running thoughts. He opened his own bag and took out his shaving kit. Quickly looking around, he noticed that each bedside table was actually a small dresser. He decided to place his clothing in the dresser beside him as he waited for Trixie.

Just after he shut the dresser door with the last of his meager belongings for the trip, Trixie reappeared from the door fresh, happy, and lovely. Jim’s breath caught at the sight of her. Trixie had taken her own time away from Jim to coach herself in the mirror as to how not to make a fool of herself, that she could make it through this night.

She smiled slightly at Jim and said, "It’s all yours! The shower is directly to the right through the door and the bathroom is down a small hallway and on the left. It’s a little small, but quaint. And you have to pull down the rope to make the toilet flush from the above reservoir; it’s really neat!" she laughed at that.

Jim excused himself. Trixie investigated the room while he was gone. Her eyes avoided looking at the large bed and the oversized hot tub. Her heart beat furiously with the thoughts that came to mind when looking at them, so she tried her darndest to occupy herself and her thoughts in other ways. She, too, found the bedside dresser and placed her things in the drawer to the right of the bed. She was looking over the titles of the antique books along the far wall when Jim rejoined her. She smiled shyly at him and he returned a similar smile.

"Why don’t we go wait in the parlor for the rest of the group?" Jim suggested. Trixie thought it was a good idea and led the way out of the room. She found a comfortable spot on a love seat before the large dated fireplace and watched Jim deftly lock up their room in the far left corner of the parlor. He sat in a large antique armchair to the left of her and they sat in silence, the air once again thick with anxiety and unanswered questions. With a big sigh of relief for both of them, they heard Di and Mart noisily making their way down the stairs to the parlor.

"Oh, Trixie," Di excitedly sat down beside Trixie on the love seat, "you have got to see our room. It’s just so perfectly-perfect!" She smiled adoringly at her boyfriend of many years.

Mart took her hand. "Anything for you, my lady," he said and bowed down to kiss her hand.

Soon, the sounds of Hallie and Dan making their way down the stairs was heard in the parlor. The duo was talking quietly together as they joined their friends.

"How’s your room, Dan?" asked Jim, curious how the other un-involved pair had handled their time alone in such an intimate situation.

Dan smiled lightly, understanding the real question Jim was not asking. "It’s very neat, Jim," he replied, "we have a large bathroom and the room is decorated with the coolest period furniture."

"Yeah," added Hallie, excited. "Susan was telling us about the history of the room. Originally it didn’t even exist. When they were restoring the building, they noticed that the measurements didn’t quite add up. Upon further investigation, they found that a small room was hidden behind a fake wall! They decided that the room was originally used as either a school or a playroom for the Hancock’s children and that is why they call it The Train Room."

"When you are inside it, you can just picture little boys playing in there with their wooden train sets," added Dan with some awe.

Brian and Honey lastly joined the group. Honey’s face was flushed and her lipstick was smeared. Brian’s lipstick was a little garish for him and pink didn’t really suit him well.

Mart couldn’t let an opportune moment such as this pass him by. "Brian, I believe you would look much better in red lipstick, not pink," he quipped, barely concealing his laughter.

"What?" Brian looked at him for a moment, confused, then quickly looked at his appearance in the large antique mirror above the fireplace. He groaned loudly and viscously wiped at his lips with the back of his hand. The rest of the group, including Honey, all laughed outright at his actions. Then Susan entered the room from the guest dining room with a burly, athletic fifty-something man by her side. The Bob-Whites smiled as she introduced her husband.

"Everyone, this is my husband, Chuck," she started. Everyone said hello to the older man and he replied pleasantly in kind.

"It’s very nice to meet all of you!" he stated in a warm, low voice. "Susan explained to me the mix up on your rooms and I am very glad that we were able to work out something that satisfied everyone! Have you all decided where you are going to eat dinner tonight?" he asked.

Brian spoke for the group. "No, sir, we haven’t even decided where we are going to go for lunch yet. Why?"

"Well, I feel bad about the mix-up and thought perhaps I could call in a favor for you all. A good friend of ours own a restaurant just over the bridge called Timmermans. It is a nice, rather fancy restaurant that is a favorite among the locals here for special occasions. I called Bill and had him reserve his best table for your group tonight at 9 o’clock if you are wanting to dine there."

"That was very kind of you, sir" said Jim, stepping up and shaking Chuck’s hand. "It wasn’t really necessary as these things happen, but I’m sure we will really enjoy our time tonight at dinner. Thank you very much!"

The rest of the Bob-Whites echoed their thanks. Susan explained that tea was at 5 o’clock in the guest dining room, but there would always be fixings for snacks and hot drinks throughout the day and night and that they should feel free to take as much as they like. Also, she explained that the gourmet breakfast would be served precisely at 8 o’clock the following morning and that all tenants in the Inn were welcome to join and eat around the long, oak table. The Bob-Whites thanked her for the information and promised Chuck that they would get directions from him that evening for Timmermans across the River.

With that, they bid the couple adieu and headed back out to the SUV. Once there, they sat in silence for a moment before Dan asked, "Um, gang, where exactly are we heading?"

"Well, I’m starving!" stated Mart. "It’s already 2:00 and we haven’t eaten since 8 this morning."

"So that Mart doesn’t die of hunger, we better go get something to eat," teased Trixie, though she admitted that she was rather hungry, too.

"Susan mentioned that there is a charming boutique district not far from here on Bluff Street," Brian called from his spot in the back. "She said they have quaint little coffee and sandwich shops that we could grab something quick at."

"Well, that sounds like a good idea!" Jim said from his driver’s seat. "Point me in the right direction, Jeeves!"

Brian directed him down the long steep street and then west toward Bluff Street. They quickly found a spot in front of one of many small antique shops and all piled out from the confines of the vehicle again. They spotted a small café just down the road and went there to enjoy a nice, delectable meal of soup, sandwiches and Italian sodas of many flavors. As they wanted to get on with their sight-seeing as fast as possible, they agreed to all order the specialty of the day and greatly enjoyed their meals. After some deliberation, they decided to go see the Fourth Street Elevator first, as it should give them a good view of Dubuque and the River.

At a quarter to three, the Bob-Whites parked their car in the parking lot, at the bottom of a big cable car.

"I thought this was really going to be an elevator, but it’s not an elevator at all," commented Di as she got out of the vehicle with the others. They stood together and looked up the steep hill at the trolley cars moving up and down the hill in slow motion. Mart grabbed a pamphlet on the site while Brian paid the meager fee of 25 cents per person for the whole group to enjoy a ride.

"Listen to this, gang," Mart read aloud from the pamphlet, "This ‘elevator’ was created in 1882 by the owner of a house on top of that hill. It would take him about an hour each way to navigate the hill during his lunch break from work and it required too much of his time. So he built this trolley system so that he could quickly get back and forth to work downtown everyday!"

"Man, what a cool but crazy thing to do!" exclaimed Dan. "He must have been wealthy to be able to afford to do something like that."

The group handed their tickets to the attendant and either stood or sat to enjoy the experience. As their trolley scooted up the hill, another trolley came down to balance the large pulley system. Slowly but surely, the Bob-Whites moved up the hill until they reached the top, some one hundred and eighty-nine feet up in the air. They all got out of the trolley and moved to the lookout shelter where they could see for miles and miles.

"Oh my goodness, you can see for forever up here!" exclaimed Honey in excitement, as she hugged Brian’s arm.

"Actually, Honey," Mart referred to the pamphlet again, "What we are seeing is not only wonderful Dubuque, but we can actually see three states from here: Iowa, Illinois across the river that way, and Wisconsin that way."

"Wow, that’s way cool!" Trixie exclaimed in excitement. "It reminds me of how you can see multiple states from the top of Bear Mountain back home."

"Yeah, but the Mississippi is quite a bit larger than the Hudson," teased Jim, again by her side. "From Bear Mountain, the Hudson looks like a snake winding across the land. But from here, the Mississippi still looks like a huge river!" The group laughed at his true observation.

Everyone stayed at the top for a few minutes, taking pictures, admiring the view, and enjoying the soft cool breezes against their faces and skin. Eventually, Brian indicated to the crew that they should get moving so that they could see some more of the sites on the ground. They all laughed at that and started back towards the trolley that would take them back down the hill.

Trixie followed the rest of the group onto the trolley car. As the last person in the group to reach the vehicle, Trixie was stepping onto the trolley behind Jim when the trolley car started moving. Trixie lost her balance and started to fall out of the trolley, suspended some 189 feet in the air. Trixie grabbed for the pole at the door of the trolley and hung perilously in mid air, wrenching her right shoulder in the process.

Jim had turned around as soon as he saw Trixie in trouble and lunged for her arm. Dan rushed to help him while all of the other Bob-Whites were screaming at the attendant in his little control booth to stop moving the car!…

 

Chapter 4
Who’s Been Sleeping In My bed?

The attendant was pushing the emergency stop when Jim and Dan successfully pulled Trixie back inside and lugged her over to a seat. The Bob-Whites rushed to her side.

"Oh, Trixie, are you okay?" demanded Honey. The Bob-Whites waited breathlessly for her answer. Trixie’s face was totally devoid of color and she sat there motionless for a good moment. Suddenly, she heaved in a deep breath of air and came back to life. The shock was wearing off and she realized that she was safe. Slowly, the color came back into her cheeks. She gingerly rubbed her aching shoulder and gave a wan smile to her friends and brothers.

"I-I guess I’m okay," she said breathlessly. "My shoulder really hurts but I’m al right otherwise."

Brian ushered the others from his sister’s side so that he could check out her shoulder and make sure that she hadn’t broken or dislocated anything. Though she yelped in pain a few times, he found that no major damage had been done.

"Looks like you just wrenched it badly, Trixie," he stated succinctly. "We should get some ice on it, but otherwise, you should be okay."

The trolley started moving down the hill as soon as the attendant saw that Trixie was safe. He was very worried about his job as he knew it was his fault that the young woman was perilously close to being seriously hurt. He stopped the trolley at the bottom of the hill, braked and then shut off the motor. He rushed over to make sure that the woman was okay. Trixie assured the man that she was bruised but would be al right.

Brian rushed the group off to find a source of ice for Trixie’s shoulder. They stopped at a nearby Texaco station and bought a five-pound bag of ice. The bag was the smallest they could find and Jim held the bag against Trixie’s shoulder in the car, the chill soothing Trixie’s aching muscles. The group sat in the car for a minute in silence. Finally, Mart spoke up from his spot in the back row.

"Um…well, during lunch we agreed that we would take the architectural trolley tour around the streets of Dubuque next," he grimaced and smiled lightly at his injured sister, "but after your last experience on a trolley, I could understand if you didn’t want to ride on another one, Trix."

Trixie gave her brother a grateful smile. Mart loved to give her a hard time, but deep down he was really a sweet, caring and supportive big brother that she respected.

"Thank you, Mart," she said sweetly. "I really wasn’t looking forward to that."

"Why don’t we go on to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium?" suggested Brian.

The group agreed that was a good idea and headed off to the museum. They had a grand time looking at all of the thirty-foot wide tanks, each showing different river habitats. The hands-on exhibits and the immersion theaters were fascinating and enlightening. They laughed delightedly when they saw the film that compared the Mississippi with other rivers across the country, including their cherished Hudson. An hour after entering the museum, they were tired and desiring snacks. They decided to head on to something else.

Di saw a poster on the wall as they were exiting the museum. "Hey guys, look!" she called attention to the poster. "Doesn’t this look like it would be neat to do?" They all gazed at the amazing site of Crystal Lake Cave on the wall and murmured their agreement.

Dan checked his watch. "Well, it’s almost five now. It says that it is a few miles outside of Dubuque and it closes at 6 o’clock; we’d better hurry if we are going to check it out," he advised.

"They say there is a picnic area outside," read Mart, "Why don’t we stop somewhere and grab a snack to take with us and we can eat in the park area afterwards."

"Of course you would mention grabbing food," teased Trixie, but she smiled. "That sounds like a good idea. Let’s get a move on!"

They all trudged out to the SUV and soon drove off in search of a food store. A few blocks away, they came upon a big Hy-Vee food store and Honey and Di dashed inside to purchase some snacks. Trixie stayed in the vehicle with Jim pressing the remains of the un-melted ice to her shoulder again, following the direction of Brian. Everyone knew that Trixie’s shoulder must be hurting a lot and had noticed her favoring her right arm throughout their time in the museum. They also knew that Trixie wasn’t one to complain or admit that she was in pain.

The girls returned with two bags full of cheese, fruit and crackers, as well as 20 ounce bottles of Gatorade for everyone. Honey had inquired of the directions to the cave and she took the wheel to drive them out to Highway 52 and then to Crystal Lake Cave Drive.

Quickly, the group exited the car and headed for the small building announcing Tickets and Gift Shop. Trixie threw away the dripping bag of ice in a receptacle container outside the building as they headed inside the building.

A tour guide escorted them to the entrance and within the interior of the Great American Show Cave. They were amazed and delighted by the panoramic view of the beautiful stalagmites and stalactites sparkling in brilliant colors within the cavern, lit by the natural day light shining through different crevices in the walls. They investigated the cave for a good fifteen minutes and then went off to the gift house to purchase post cards and souvenirs of their experience. Regular photography was not allowed within the cave as it could harm the natural formations and the Bob-Whites wanted to be able to show their family and friends this beautiful place that they had visited.

They bid the kind woman goodbye as they left the gift shop, knowing that she would soon be closing the shop for the day. They found some picnic tables in a nearby grove of oak and maple trees and sat down to enjoy their snack that Dan and Mart had retrieved from the SUV. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, munching on fruit and crackers while enjoying the cool, fresh breeze moving through the grove and enjoying the simple but picturesque landscape about them.

"Iowa reminds me a lot of our part of New York," Jim broke the silence. "But I must admit that Iowa seems to have cleaner air and more preserved nature. I wouldn’t mind living here some day."

Trixie’s heart beat a little faster at that statement as she didn’t want to imagine her life with Jim so far away. "I understand what you mean, Jim," she added softly by his side. "New York is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, at least our part of New York is, but at the same time, times are changing and New York is moving farther and farther away from how it was when we were kids."

"I have to agree with you, Trix," supported Brian, "It scares me to think of how Sleepyside High will be like for Bobby when he goes to school. We never had to contend with a major drug problem or juvenile crime, but they already have it in the schools in Sleepyside and Croton! And we’ve only been out of school from Sleepyside for about five years!"

The group all became somber at the thought of changing times. Honey tried to alter the mood in the group as was her personality and natural role among her friends. "I’m sure that Iowa has it’s share of drugs and crime, too, guys!" she stated. "They just don’t have a huge city like NYC to deal with and New York really alters our whole state!"

"It would still be a good place to grow and raise a family someday," added Mart. "I might have to take Uncle Andrew up on his offer to help run his farm after I graduate. That is if a certain young lady wouldn’t mind relocating for me." He smiled sweetly at Di who had the grace to blush.

"We’ll see how it goes, Mart," she told him softly, with a sweet smile in return. "I really like the people in Iowa and the way of living. It seems like everyone is so open and friendly, and people aren’t rushing around to get on to the next part of their lives like they do in New York."

"Yep, it seems like a great place, reminds me a lot of life back in Idaho," Hallie put in her two cents. "Say guys, what are you wanting to do after this? Our reservations aren’t until nine o’clock and that leaves 3 hours to fill." Hallie had a purpose in changing the conversation as she had a special plan in store for the Bob-Whites.

"Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am pretty much all museumed out," stated Trixie who liked to see new things, but preferred more action to just sitting and watching or walking and viewing. Many in the group agreed with Trixie. Hallie was very glad to hear this and she pulled out a flier from her back pocket.

"Then why don’t we have some fun?" she suggested with a big smile on her face. She opened the flier for all to see and displayed it on the picnic table. "I picked this up at the Inn and thought it looked really fun. They are even having a special event this evening."

"Grand Harbor Waterpark and Resort," read Brian slowly aloud. "Iowa’s first indoor waterpark. That sounds like a lot of fun!"

Jim continued reading to the group. "The 25,000-square-foot waterpark includes nearly four-story high waterslides, body slides and flume slides. There are also water cannons and water toys themed to the Mississippi River."

"And they are having a beach party tonight from 6:30 to 8:30!" Hallie burst out in her excitement. She had wanted to go to the park all day but had waited for the right moment to present the idea to the group.

"Well, that sounds perfectly-perfect, Hallie!" exclaimed Honey and gave her friend a quick hug. "That should be so much fun."

"And we’ll still have time to get dressed for dinner at Timmermans before nine," added Di, really getting into the idea of the fun night.

Trixie snatched the keys from Honey’s hands and started off for the SUV. "We’d better get this show on the road then!" she called back and the Bob-Whites laughed behind her. They quickly cleaned up their snack and disposed of their refuse in a nearby garbage can on the way to the vehicle.

Trixie drove deftly back to Dubuque and quickly found her way to historic downtown. The gang was laughing and carrying on, singing along with Smashmouth and Justin Timberlake on the radio, all excited about the night to come. Trixie parked their transportation under the carport again and the Bob-Whites rushed inside to grab their swimsuits and snag extra towels from their rooms. Chuck came out to greet them at the sound of the bell and he chatted happily with the group in the parlor until all members were back together and they were heading out again. Chuck laughed at their loud and quickly disappearing backs and shook his head at the energy of youth.

Two hours later, the Bob-Whites returned from a fantastic frolic at the waterpark a huge complex along the Mississippi waterfront, that was located only eight blocks from the inn,. Susan met them at the door with a smile, indicating that she had seen them drive up. She told them that Chuck had already lit the fireplaces in their rooms as the temperatures were starting to really drop and then she insisted that the Bob-Whites hand over their wet towels and suits so that she could launder and dry them. They insisted it wasn’t necessary but she stubbornly pointed out that it wouldn’t be any fun for them to travel with wet clothing in their bags the next day.

The Bob-Whites graciously agreed and thanked her profusely for her offer to do such a kind thing for them. As they were walking off to their different rooms, Brian took Honey’s hand in his and lightly pointed out, "In some ways, she really reminds me of Miss Trask!"

Honey smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I know what you mean, but they are good ways!" Her smile sobered and she stopped Brian on the stairs. "Thank you so much for this gift, Brian," she said sweetly, "it is really beautiful and I couldn’t have dreamed of a more special place to stay with you tonight!" She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss that he soon leaned into and explored for a moment or two.

Abruptly he pulled away and flushed a little. Clearing his throat, he said gruffly, "Don’t start that now, Honey, as I don’t have the proper time to finish what you started!"

Honey laughed outright at that and with a saucy grin over her shoulder, she started to run up the steps in front of him. "Promises, promises," she sang softly then ran faster up the stairs as her boyfriend was now in hot pursuit of her.

Trixie and Jim were once again in a very romantic room. But, now it was worse. They both groaned inwardly as they entered the room, seeing the high, big bed illuminated by the light of the fire that blazed away in its hearth. The light of the fire bounced off the walls in a tantalizing dance

They both just stood there, right within the room for a moment, breathing in courage to get through this night.

Jim nervously cleared his throat. "You can shower first, Trixie, I can wait," he said abruptly. Trixie looked at Jim for a second and then snatched the out he was giving her.

"Thanks, Jim, I’ll do that," she said hurriedly and moved over to her small dresser. She pulled out her skirt and top, along with new intimates that she hid quickly within her clothes and headed off to the shower. "I’ll be out quickly!"

Jim wasn’t’ sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Her heard the shower turn on only feet away from him and he groaned loudly at the idea of Trixie disrobing and standing beneath that spray. He flopped heavily down on his back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to coach himself through this experience and torment. He lay there for a while but then sat up straight at the sound of the shower turning off. As he couldn’t let Trixie know what he had been doing in her absence, he moved to quickly grab his clothes to change into.

He had just grabbed a book off the shelf and made himself to appear that he had been lying on the bed waiting patiently for her to finish when the door from their bathroom area opened. His eyes bugged out for a second when he saw Trixie standing there, wrapped in a big, fluffy white towel. And probably nothing else! his mind screamed at him. His heart beat wildly as he began to wonder if his fantasies were about to come true. Trixie interrupted his thoughts with an uncomfortable grimace of a smile.

"I’m sorry, Jim," she started, "there just wasn’t enough room to get dressed in that hallway. I would have had to stand in the wet shower to do so." She tried to make light of the matter so that Jim would stop looking at her in that strange way.

Jim tore his eyes from her, put down his book and moved to get up. "That’s understandable, Trixie." He said quickly, avoiding her eyes and holding his clothes in front of his body. "I better hurry up and get showered so I don’t make us all late!" With that, he literally dashed to and through the door to the private bath.

Trixie laughed a little at his behavior and wondered how much of an effect she really had on him. Her mind contemplated the possibilities and her lips quirked in a secret smile. She wondered to herself if she should ask Jim later why he had been reading the book Little Women, and upside down to boot! She giggled to herself as she took off the towel and placed it over the back of the desk chair to dry. She continued to dress with a happy little smile and a sassy glint in her eye.

Twenty minutes later, Trixie and Jim went out to the parlor to meet up with their friends. Dan and Hallie were already waiting for them. They made small talk and waited for the two couples to join them.

 

I wonder how Dan is handling the situation with sharing a room with Hallie, Jim thought, but he wasn’t about to actually ask Dan the question. Unbeknownst to him, Dan was quietly thinking the same thought of Jim and Trixie across the room. He and Hallie had shared a few awkward moments, but otherwise, they were getting by. Dan just feared that he was going to grind off the tops of his teeth before this night was over, so constantly had he been clenching his jaw and grinding his teeth to keep his mouth closed for the last half hour. He was afraid to let his real thoughts and feelings come out to Hallie and he was doing everything he could to keep them hidden, including forcing his mouth closed frequently.

Finally, the two couples came down the stairs together, happy and handsome in their evening attire. It was obvious to all that both Di and Honey had chosen special dresses to tease and entice their men. Hallie and Trixie exchanged bemused glances and quickly took in the nice but not knockout attire of the other. Trixie was dressed in a short, Spanish-Style skirt that swayed in a sultry manner as she moved and a matching solid color top in dark blue. Hallie was dressed in long legged black slacks that molded her athletic frame and a colorful dress shirt in the colors of black, hot pink, and purple. Both girls had done up their hair and had applied some basic makeup but they had not made an effort to appear flashy or to standout from the others, as was not their personalities. Hallie gave Trixie a secret smile and shrugged her shoulders lightly and Trixie repeated the action back to her with the same smile.

Dan took the helm this time and he followed Chuck’s directions to Timmermans’ resort, about ten miles on the other side of the River. The Bob-Whites had loved the site of all of the ships and gambling boats lit up on the water, and were secretly spooked a little by the tight fitting ride in the fast moving, double lane of the bridge. The construction of the bridge seemed to enclose their SUV in a small cocoon and they were all silently happy to be safely out of the structure and on the other side of the bridge quickly.

They all enjoyed the soft music playing on 96.1 out of Waterloo as they absorbed calm and pretty night life of the Dubuque area, nestled in the small mountains. Dan noticed the sign for Timmermans ahead and soon turned off to the left, taking the Bob-Whites once again up a steep incline. Finally, at the top, Dan parked the vehicle and they all clamored out in expectant excitement.

They entered the large, rectangular restaurant and were greeted warmly by the host. He guessed who they were and explained that they had been expecting them. He bid the group to follow him and he led them through one white room lit by candlelight into another more intimate room. The far side of this dining room was covered with floor-to-ceiling windows and you could gaze out at the starlit night, the lights of Dubuque and the nearby Mississippi. Their host indicated two tables pushed together directly in front of the large windows and panoramic scenery. The girls were delighted at the location and greatly thanked their host.

"We must be as high up as we were in the elevator today," spoke Dan with awe, gazing down at the beauty outside and below them.

"When Chuck said he had a special table for us, I had no idea it would be something like this!" added Brian with some amazement at their situation.

"Oh, Bri, it’s so perfectly-perfect!" cried Honey as she nuzzled into his side. He put his arm around her and they gazed out at the view together. Across from them, Mart and Di were similarly engaged. The four singles were slightly uncomfortable with the situation but were still impressed by the set-up and the atmosphere. Trixie and Jim avoided looking at each other in an equally romantic setting as was their room at the Inn. Dan and Hallie spoke quietly together on the other side of the table.

The group enjoyed a wonderful meal of Italian cuisine and laughed often. They had shared a long but fun day in the midst of their closest friends and family and they were content to spend this special time together. Before desert, the couples slow-danced together to the music of the pianist at the far side of the room. Dan asked Hallie to dance with him and they left Trixie and Jim alone at the table. They sat their nervously for a minute and then Jim told Trixie that they might as well join the others in a light tone. Trixie agreed and she was soon off dancing with the man she adored, by candlelight, to It Had To Be You.

The Bob-Whites returned to the Hancock House Inn at a quarter to eleven. The two couples quickly escaped to their rooms and left the other four talking in the lobby. None of them had much desire to be alone in their rooms with the secret person of their affection. They decided that Hallie and Dan would change and come back and share the oversized whirlpool in Jim and Trixie’s room, as their room did not have a hot tub. Jim and Trixie found that their suits were neatly placed upon their bed and there were now extra towels draped over the side of the whirlpool. They avoided eye contact with each other again.

Trixie took a deep breath. "I’ll go change in the shower, Jim," she said quietly. "It should be dry now and you certainly wouldn’t be able to navigate yourself in there!" She laughed lightly at this and disappeared into the private bath area with her suit before Jim could protest at the silly idea.

Jim quickly changed from his dress up evening wear to his swim trunks. He neatly placed his used clothing in a special compartment in his overnight bag and then moved over to turn the whirlpool on and fill the tub up with water. He was so caught up in watching the swirling water fill the tub that he didn’t hear Trixie behind him.

"Thanks for setting up the tub, Jim, I wouldn’t have a clue as to how to get it going!" she stated politely behind his back. Jim swiveled around suddenly and his voice locked in his throat.

Sure, he’d seen Trixie in her American flag bikini earlier on in the day, but it hadn’t been under such intimate and romantic circumstances. He shifted restlessly on the side of the pool where he was sitting so as to disguise her effect on him. His eyes caressed down Trixie’s body and he was awed by the firelight dancing across her skin.

Trixie noticed his reaction to her and smiled slightly. She looked over at the tub as the water was getting pretty high. "Shouldn’t we shut that off?" she asked. Jim swiveled back to see the rising water and rushed to turn off the spout.

"Do you think we should wait for Hallie and Dan to get here?" Trixie asked, shivering slightly in her bikini.

"Uh, no…I don’t think so," assured Jim getting up and nervously moving off the side of the whirlpool. "Why don’t you go ahead and get in?" Jim picked up the towels that he had moved to the side of the pool onto the cool tile that encased the whirlpool in a tight little rectangle. Jim started folding the towels neatly and placing them on the tile, anything to avoid looking at Trixie.

Trixie wasn’t fooled. "OK, then," she said and moved to the small set of stairs that led up and into the hot, swirling water. Jim couldn’t prohibit himself watching Trixie’s athletic but buxom frame disappear into the water.

Trixie grimaced as she settled into the water and gingerly rotated her right shoulder. Jim could now see that her shoulder was starting to sport a large blackish-blue hue.

He stood up and looked at Trixie. "That shoulder is really hurting you," he declared and didn’t ask. "Why don’t you ever talk about these things?"

Trixie looked up at Jim and saw the concern for her in his eyes. "It’s really nothing, Jim, I’ll be al right," she assured him.

"Silly woman" Jim muttered under his breath and moved over by her. "Scootch over, Trixie."

Trixie looked up at him, standing by her side and her heartbeat picked up. "Why?" she asked.

"Just do it." He said and she knew that tone. With confusion in her eye, she moved her body so that she could be closer to him. Suddenly, she felt the cool skin of Jim’s hands upon her shoulder, kneading it tenderly. Trixie groaned in the exquisite relief that his hands were giving her. Jim was clenching his teeth, trying everything and anything to really think about the feel of Trixie’s wet and silky skin beneath his administering hands. He also was avoiding looking down as it would not have been gentlemanly of him to see as much of Trixie as he would see, if he were to look down from his vantage spot.

The room filled with their awareness for each other. After a minute of both Trixie and Jim fighting to avoid saying what they were really thinking, Trixie looked up over her shoulder at Jim with a thankful smile.

"Thank you, Jim, that was wonderful! It feels much better now," she dismissed him politely, hoping that if he moved away from her, the tension in the room would subside. Unfortunately, Jim had been leaning over Trixie’s body to administer the massage and now their faces were a mere six inches from each other.

Trixie and Jim’s eyes met and darkened as their expressions became very serious. As if with a mind of their own, their heads started to move closer to the other…

 

Knock, Knock, Knock! The door suddenly came open to the left of the whirlpool. Dan poked his head inside and his eyebrows raised sharply at what he could tell was interrupting something rather interesting. He smiled lightly.

"Guys, I’m sorry, but Hallie and I have decided to go walk along the Riverwalk instead of soaking in the tub with you all," he informed them. "I hope that’s not a problem! We both would just like to check out the scenes along the waterfront." Dan knew that he was chattering on, but he wanted to escape the confines of what he could tell was a very intimate situation between two of his dearest friends.

Jim straightened up to stand by the whirlpool and after a quick glance at Trixie, he said, "That’s okay, Dan. We understand."

Trixie blushed but added, "Yeah, it sounds pretty neat. You could get in a whirlpool any time, but you only have one night to check out the nightlife of Dubuque. You guys enjoy yourself!"

Dan grinned broadly and gave them one more curious look before saying, "I’m sure we will." Dan started to back out of the door again and shut it behind him when he stopped and popped his head back around the door. "Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do," he teased and quickly shut the door behind him.

"Ooh, sometimes he’s just as bad as Mart!" exclaimed Trixie with an embarrassed flare of temper.

Jim chuckled lightly as he could only imagine how he and Trixie had looked upon Dan’s entering. His mind screamed at him that he wished Dan had waited a minute more before interrupting them as he finally would have kissed the woman he had loved for so long! With a chastising grin for himself, he moved and entered the other side of the whirlpool, now facing Trixie with a good foot or two between their bodies.

"You wouldn’t like to have gone with them, would you Trix?" he asked her quietly and seriously.

Trixie considered that for a moment. "I might have if they had mentioned it earlier. As is, I’m already wet and I’d have to get out and get all ready to go out again." She made an unpleasant face at the idea. "I don’t want to bother with that."

She grinned as she stretched her body out in the water. "Besides, after all that we did today and the last few days, a soak in a whirlpool is exactly what this body of mine needs!" Her eyes twinkled when they met Jim’s across the water.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Jim inadequately, but he was very distracted by Trixie’s moving in the water.

They were silent for a minute or two, just relaxing with their eyes closed and enjoying the hot water that moved and caressed their tired bodies. Finally Trixie asked quietly, "You know what’s funny about this?"

Jim realized that it would be rude if he didn’t look at her to reply. He had been keeping his eyes closed so that he need not look at her in the firelight, as the sight was just too tempting and maddening for him. So, Jim opened his eyes and asked gruffly, "What’s that, Trix?"

She smiled slightly and looked away from him, viewing the room around them. "The funny thing is that this is the perfect honeymoon spot. I could see me coming to a place like this on the night of my wedding." She looked back to Jim and ended softly, almost sadly, "But this isn’t my honeymoon."

Jim suddenly had a picture in his mind of him dressed in a tuxedo and her in a bridal gown, he was carrying her over the threshold of the room and they were both happy and laughing delightedly together. Jim spoke quietly, as well, "I know what you mean Trixie, but one day it will be your honeymoon and you will have this experience for real."

They both looked at each other seriously and wondered silently if that day would be spent together. Trixie didn’t want to dwell on the subject, so she stood up and moved over to Jim’s side to grab a towel. She then moved quickly out of the whirlpool and down the short set of steps. Trixie felt it was best if she distance herself from Jim as she wasn’t sure she could restrain herself from shamelessly throwing herself at him and declaring all the pent-up love in her heart. Yes, distance is good, she thought to herself from the safety of the other side of the room.

Jim was mesmerized by the sight of Trixie drying herself off across the room. Sure, he had seen her do that countless number of times in the years that they had known each other, but tonight was totally different with them in a romantic room, set up for lovers, and they were alone. Shaking himself physically, he deftly shut off the spouts to the whirlpool and moved to exit the whirlpool himself.

"Jim" Trixie said almost too soft for him to hear. He looked up over at her as he grabbed the towel to dry himself off, a question in his eyes.

"Jim," Trixie started again, "I didn’t expect to be in this situation." Jim’s look changed to confusion at her meaning. "What I mean is that I didn’t pack for this situation."

Jim suddenly caught on to her meaning. "You have pajamas, don’t you, Trixie?" he asked her quietly, though his mind thrilled at the idea that she might sleep in the nude.

Trixie flushed and looked away. "Well, yes and no," she started. "All I brought along with me was a long T-shirt." She held up the oversized shirt with a fiesty Garfield on the front.

"Oh," was all Jim could say. "I just have boxer shorts to sleep in, so we are much in the same boat!" he admitted with his heart thundering loudly in his ears.

Trixie looked at him dubiously but tried to be nonchalant about the situation. "Oh, okay," she plainly. She held the T-shirt in her hands and wasn’t sure what to do from there.

"I can go in the other room if you want to change, Trixie," he suggested helpfully, finishing toweling his hair dry.

Trixie numbly shook her head and said, "No, that’s okay." She put the shirt over her head in a daze, her mind reeling with the thought of Jim and she sharing a bed, her only in a T-shirt and him in boxers! Without even thinking of what she was doing, Trixie automatically moved to take off her bikini top from beneath her shirt in that little trick that women can do and pulled her bikini top off and through her right sleeve.

Jim’s eyes bugged at the sight and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in his throat, him swallowing compulsively. He knew he needed to exit the room post haste or he was going to pounce on her.

Jim tossed his towel onto the tile surface of the whirlpool and marched over to his dresser, yanking out his boxers. "Well, I certainly can’t get changed in front of you!" he stated roughly and rushed out the door into the private bath.

This shook Trixie out of her stupor and with embarrassment and chagrin, she realized what she had done. Realizing that she couldn’t turn back the clock, she shrugged her shoulders and grimly went in search of a clean pair of panties. She heard the shower turn on in the other room as she was changing into dry underwear and moving to get under the warm, satin covers.

Jim had decided that he needed a cold shower before he could return to that room and that bed with Trixie. He hoped the time would calm his running thoughts and the cold water would quiet his raging body. He spent as long a time that he could showering, brushing his teeth, and otherwise getting ready for bed.

When he came back out into the main room, he found Trixie sound asleep under the covers of the high, feather bed. Jim moved over to the bed and, as softly as he could, he joined her under the covers and lie looking at her, with love flying around in his heart. Trixie’s face was girlish and peaceful, reminding him of how she had looked the first time they had met. Her damp curls caressed her face and he moved his hand to gently move one big curl away from her face.

"One day, Trixie," he whispered as he caressed her face with his hand, "one day we will share a night in a place like this. I will carry you over the threshold and that night you will have no doubt in your mind how completely I love you!" He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "I promise you that, Trixie."

Jim eventually fell asleep, too, his hand still caressing her face.

* * * * *

This dream is awesome! thought Trixie the next morning. She was dreaming of her and Jim sharing that romantic room in the Hancock House. They were in the high, feather bed together and she was wrapped in the arms of the man that she loved. She could feel his heartbeat against her cheek and her skin burned from its naked contact with his. I’ve had realistic-feeling dreams before, but this is definitely tops!

Trixie felt Jim’s breath softly against her neck and she suddenly realized that this wasn’t really a dream. As consciousness returned to her, it dawned on her that she really was wrapped within the safe arms of the man she loved, that there skin was touching and her lower body was braced to the bed by one heavy, masculine thigh.

Oh my…Oh, my, oh my, oh my, oh my, OH MY!!! Trixie’s heart raced as she didn’t know how to handle the situation. She loved the feeling of being held so tightly and lovingly by him, but she knew that Jim would be embarrassed if he were to wake and find them lying together like that.

Jim must have sensed her turbulent thoughts as he suddenly woke up. Shocked, he realized how he was holding Trixie and immediately enjoyed the contact with her. He hoped that Trixie wasn’t awake so he could just move aside slowly and she would never know any better.

Jim lifted his head from it’s secure place in the crook of her neck and came very face to face with Trixie’s wide open eyes. Embarrassed, he quickly disengaged himself from her and dove off the side of the bed. He carried the satin comforter with him and left Trixie in a rather interesting state of undress.

"Oh my gosh, Trixie, I am so sorry!" he exclaimed breathlessly. His eyes search hers for understanding and his face flamed red. "I have no excuse for what I did! Please forgive me!"

Trixie moved to cover her exposed torso and panties with the long T-shirt and said slowly, "It’s okay, Jim. I know you didn’t mean to do that."

Jim sat down on the side of the bed, with his back to her. "It’s just inexcusable, Trixie!" he muttered.

Trixie moved over behind him and touched his shoulder lightly. "It’s not like it was an awful experience for me, Jim," she teased him softly.

Jim looked at her from over his shoulder and a cocky grin filled his face. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Yeah." She smiled into his eyes.

Jim laughed with her at the situation. "Well, it’s not like I’ve ever shared my bed with a beautiful blonde before!" he could laugh about it now.

"Oh really?" Trixie asked sardonically. "But you’ve shared your bed with brunnets and redheads before?"

Jim’s eyes became very serious and he turned to directly face Trixie. "You know I haven’t," he stated firmly and quietly.

Trixie’s eyes locked with his and she realized that one of them need to move before they ended up in each other’s arms again, for real this time. Her heart danced in her throat as she thought of the idea, but it scared her also as she and Jim had never officially moved beyond hand-holding and special trinkets. She quickly scooted off the other side of the bed.

"We better get ready. We only have fifteen minutes until breakfast in the guest dining room," she said and then quickly rushed into the safe haven of the bathroom, away from Jim and the scary power he and that room had over her.

The Bob-Whites had a wonderful gourmet breakfast with their hosts and thanked them profusely for their hospitality and the amazing place they kept. After they checked out, the group decided to enjoy the fun experience of riding upstream and back again on the Spirit of Dubuque, Iowa’s only authentic paddlewheeler. Trixie teased the others that this certainly was a more enjoyable experience than the last time they had traveled on the Mississippi!

They returned to stable land just short of ten o’clock. As they only had limited time to explore more of Dubuque, they agreed to split up and meet back at noon. Therefore, Dan and Brian headed off to try their luck at the Diamond Jo Casino Riverboat, they had a bet to see who could end up with the most money when they both were only going to play ten dollars. Honey and Di wanted to check out the Dubuque Museum of Art and the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Hallie and Dan were interested in taking that tour with the Trolleys of Dubuque as well as possibly dashing back to Dyersville to see the National Farm Toy Museum with its some 30,000 scale models.

That left Jim and Trixie. They talked it over and decided that they wanted to enjoy more of the outdoor sights of Dubuque. Therefore, they first walked along the Riverwalk to the historic shot tower where lead shot ammunition was made during the Civil War. They then walked further down the Riverwalk to the General Zebulon Pike Lock and Dam, and then caught a taxi to Eagle Point Park where they enjoyed wonderful weather and the site of numerous bald eagles flying around.

All of the pairings met up in front of the majestic Dubuque County Courthouse at just after noon. They all decided that they would head off to the historic town of Galena, Illinois, only about 15 minutes away, to enjoy a peaceful lunch and do some shopping for souvenirs. Once again, the group was awed and delighted by the site of the historic downtown part of Galena. For over a mile, historic buildings encased specialty shops and classy restaurants and cafes. They enjoyed a blissful meal at Bernadine’s Tea Room and filled each other in on the adventures each pairing had enjoyed that morning. Dan had struck it big playing the Monopoly slots game on the riverboat and graciously picked up the tab for everyone.

Afterward, they split up and went shopping in the various stores downtown. When they met up an hour and a half later, they all laughed uproariously as each person had made some purchase at the wacky and zany store Floopies whose motto boasted "Where’d you get that?!" It was now 3 o’clock and the group didn’t really want to head back to Waterloo already. Di had an idea.

"Hey, guys," she started, "I know it’s a bit of a drive from here, but a store-owner told Mart and I that we should check out the Amana Colonies."

"The Amana Colonies…what are those?" asked Trixie.

"It’s a historical communal Amish society just outside of Cedar Rapids," Mart supplied.

"Like Lancaster, Pennsylvania?" asked Dan, with interest.

"Yes, like that," agreed Di.

"That would be so neat," exclaimed Honey. "I’ve always wanted to visit Amish country but have never had the chance to do so. Please, let’s go!" She urged her friends and they were all just as excited and interested as she was.

An hour and a half later, Jim directed the "Bob-White Mobile" as they had now nicknamed it, into a parking space in front of the Coppershop Museum in the Homestead of Amana. As they all exited the car, Mart filled the group in on the information he had ascertained from the shop-owner in Galena.

"The Amana Colonies were established shortly before the Civil War by a group of German-speaking European settlers who belonged to a religious group known as the Community of True Inspiration," he began. "Here they began a communal system of living divided into seven different villages, and encompassing over 20,000 acres of land. There are more than 31 historic places within the various Amana Colonies that are recognized by the latest National Register of Historic Places Travel. These historic places illustrate the fascinating history of one of the longest lasting communal societies in the world!"

"Wow, that’s awesome, Mart!" declared Trixie, sincerely. "For once, Mart, I don’t mind that you are the Walking Dictionary and the Man of Facts!" She nudged her brother lightly with a big smile to indicate that she was joking.

"I agree, Mart," added Jim with a smile, "Do you know anything else about the Amanas?"

"Well, the landscapes and architecture are elegantly simple but distinctive, as you can see. Also these buildings of communal Amana span a period which lasted from 1855 to 1932. Amana villages originally consisted of 40 to 100 buildings."

"Hey, I see a sign for the Museum of Amana History," stated Brian pointing at it across the way, "why don’t we go there first?"

The group thought that was a wonderful idea. After learning more about the Amanas, the Bob-Whites moved on to explore the Amana Woolen Mill and the Amana Furniture Shop. They continued their site-seeing by investigating the one room school for children ages 7 to 14 and the large but simple church within the Homestead. They further enjoyed popping into little shops for homemade candles, quilts and linens, furniture, food and deserts, and also primitive farm equipment.

They had a great time and everyone purchased at least one souvenir to take back to New York with them. Honey was shy but pleased about her purchase of an authentic wedding quilt and she planned to add it to her hope chest when she returned home. She and Brian had spoken some of their future but he had yet to ask her to marry him. She was waiting with bated breath for the day she would be able to unload her hope chest and start saving items for another dream!

After six o’clock, the Bob-Whites were tired and hungry from their marathon day and decided they should grab a bite to eat. They decide to go to the Ox Yoke Inn where they enjoyed a scrumptious and filling family-style traditional German meal. Mart was dying for the recipe of the German potato salad as he wanted Moms to be able to make it in the future. The chefs at the restaurant were very kind and provided him with a printed out version of their special recipe. Mart thanked them profusely and the Bob-Whites soon walked back to the SUV and headed for Waterloo.

It was a very simple drive back to Waterloo from the Amanas. Trixie was able to work out her turbulent thoughts about what was going on with Jim and herself while cruising across eastern Iowa on Interstate 80 at a constant 68 miles per hour. Her heart was troubled, scared, but hopeful that perhaps with this trip they would finally confess their feelings to each other and take that next step to a more romantic relationship. The growing tension and awareness between them was so strained at times that she wanted to scream!

Not even 45 minutes after leaving the Amanas and having a very quiet ride as all of the Bob-Whites were tired and lost within their own thoughts, Trixie saw the signs for Waterloo and turned off on the exit. About five minutes later, at just short of 9 PM, Trixie parked in the Starlight Inn parking lot, heaving a heavy sigh of tiredness and mental strain as she shifted the SUV into park and turned off the car. With yawns and much stretching, the Bob-Whites quietly exited the car, went behind the SUV to retrieve their bags from the back storage area, and slowly walked into the hotel. They found Uncle Andrew sitting in one of the lobby’s comfortable chairs, reading the newspaper. With one look at their warn and tired faces, he laughed and bid them all a goodnight, explaining that he would see them all for breakfast the next morning.

Exhausted, the Bob-Whites trudged to the elevator and then to their rooms once they were on the right floor. They tiredly bid each other goodnight at their doors and then all of the Bob-Whites disappeared into their rooms. Though she was equally exhausted and wanted to crash on her bed without changing or washing up, Trixie knew that she needed to do one thing before giving into to her exhausted body’s demands. She reached into her purse and snagged Coral’s number from her wallet. She was in luck and Coral had returned home from work already. They talked shortly as it was evident Trixie was falling asleep and they hung up with their plans secured for the next evening.