The Bracelet and Baffling Bobbi
By Country Girl
“Oh Honey! It’s all ruined!” Trixie moaned to her best friend as she closed Honey’s bedroom door. For the New Year’s ball at Manor House, the girls had decided to make a grand entrance together in their hard earned new ball gowns. Honey had been patiently waiting for Trixie to dash into the room for nearly thirty minutes now. She expected Trixie to be slightly late, but hadn’t expected Trixie’s dramatic actions over a damaged bracelet.
“Honestly, Trixie, it isn’t ruined,” Honey chastised.
“How am I ever going to tell Jim? This time it wasn’t my fault. I could kill that little runt,” Trixie fumed.
“Well,” Honey said. Her legendary tact couldn’t even come up with a proper response.
Trixie dejectedly plopped down on her best friend’s bed and sprawled out. “Hon, it’s New Year’s Eve, Jim and I are finally dating, and I should be the happiest girl in the world. Then, like usual, here comes Bobby to ruin everything. Do you know how many times he interrupted a hopeful moment between me and Jim?”
Honey joined Trixie, but sat more ladylike. “Trixie, Jim will understand. He’s crazy about you. Nothing this silly is going to matter.”
“But it matters to me!” Tears welled up in her sapphire eyes.
“Oh Trixie,” Honey hugged her friend as best as she could in their full length gowns. “Trust me, it will be fine. I’ll even loan you one. Jim will never know the difference.”
“Yes, he will. I told him I would wear it tonight. He’s so self-conscious, Honey. This could ruin our relationship. And if he sees me wearing something else, he’ll think I don’t like it. Then, he’ll keep trying to make it up to me when I really liked it in the first place,” Trixie sighed.
“I seriously doubt Jim is going to let Reddy’s little mishap come between you. Just tell him and it will be fine.” Honey rolled her eyes.
“Whatever,” Trixie pouted.
“Come on, I hear the band playing,” Honey tugged on Trixie’s arm. Trixie shot her an annoyed glance, but Honey wasn’t giving up that easily. She refused to let such an insignificant thing ruin the New Year’s ball.
~~~~~~~~
All evening Trixie had fidgeted and moped around like she’d lost her best friend. Several times, Jim had tried to broach the subject with her, but Trixie avoided it or refused to talk about it by saying she was fine. Finally, Trixie couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Jim, can we talk?” Trixie blurted out.
Jim visibly paled at her words. “Sure, Trix, you know that.”
He led her away from the party to the upstairs study. Most couples that weren’t in the main ballroom, had briefly stepped out on the back patio for fresh air and he figured they could use a little privacy.
“What’s wrong?” Jim asked. His heart had sunk when he’d noticed she wasn’t wearing his bracelet that night and wondered if that had anything to do with Trixie’s mood.
Trixie nervously twisted her hands and raised tearful eyes to his.
“It’s about my bracelet,” she sniffled.
Jim looked away so that she couldn’t see the hurt in his eyes.
“What about it? I noticed you didn’t have it on,” he stiffly replied.
“That’s the worst of it!” Trixie plopped down on the luxurious leather sofa.
Jim couldn’t help the rueful grin that formed on his face. She might be breaking his heart in two, but she would do it with style.
“It can’t be that bad,” he chuckled as he sat beside her.
Trixie grabbed his arm and turned to him. “But it is, Jim,” she insisted, biting her lip.
“Then what is it? If you aren’t happy with me, I understand,” Jim softly tried to console her.
“Not happy? I’m happy with you. Are you unhappy with me?” Trixie’s eyes earnestly held his gaze.
“Not at all,” Jim said trying to steer the conversation back to the topic at hand, “But, Trix, isn’t that why you wanted to talk to me and why you didn’t wear that bracelet I bought you?” Jim was confused.
“No!” Trixie wailed. Jim was sure they heard her downstairs at the decibel she cried. He knew he’d heard her and may never hear anything else again.
“Calm down. I’m confused. If that’s not it, then what is wrong?”
Trixie leaned against his arm. “Bobby got mad at me the other day when I wouldn’t let him go ice skating with us. Remember?”
At Jim’s nod, she continued.
“I had placed my bracelet in my jewelry box so it wouldn’t get broken while we were outside. Well, he decided to get revenge. He took it and hid it, but in the meantime Reddy ate it!” Trixie finished, distressed.
Jim smiled down at her. “Trixie, is that why you’ve been so sad all evening.”
Trixie nodded against his shoulder and Jim tipped her chin up so he could see her eyes.
“Why were you so worried?” He questioned.
“Because I thought you’d break up with me. I don’t want to lose you.” Trixie broke eye contact after revealing more than she had planned.
“You aren’t going to lose me, Shamus. You couldn’t if you tried. Some little trinket and your little brother aren’t what make this relationship. Next time, don’t fret.” Jim affectionately tugged on a curl.
Trixie hesitantly raised her eyes to his. “But Jim, I ruined it all again.”
“No you didn’t.” Jim lowered his lips to meet hers and assure her that all was well.
~~~~~~~~
“You never finished your story. What happened with Jim after what you did to Trixie’s bracelet?” Lauren questioned.
“The next time he saw me, he promptly dumped me in the first snow bank he found and told me not to make my sister cry again. She was good to me and I ought to be nice in return.”
“What a bully!” Lauren exclaimed.
“Nah,” Bobby shrugged. “I deserved it. I was ten by then and needed to grow up some. I did some pretty mean things to the guys, too, through the years.”
“Sounds like Jim was really crazy about her. What happened to them?”
Bobby laughed. “He bought her another bracelet for Christmas that year, same charms and all, and brought it to our house the next day. He also threatened bodily harm if I ruined it again.”
“That’s it? No happy ending for this fairytale,” Lauren eyed Bobby carefully.
“Depends on your perspective,” he vaguely answered.
“How so?”
“Every year now, Jim buys her another charm for Christmas. He’s bought her more than one bracelet now told hold all of her charms,” Bobby rolled his eyes.
“What’s wrong with that?” Lauren disgustedly asked.
“The rest of us guys have to compete with that. My brothers moan and groan all the time about how often Jim shows his love and dotes on Trixie. Their wives expect the same show of love and adoration.” Bobby shuddered.
“I thought you were unattached and a forever bachelor, our pretend relationship aside.” Lauren giggled.
Bobby shoved his hands into his pockets. “You never know,” he vaguely answered. “I guess if I found the right girl I might settle down.” He winked at her.
“Right,” Lauren snorted. “I know your type very well.”
“And how would you know my type much less very well?” Bobby laughed.
“Jock isn’t too many letters from jerk,” Lauren said bitterly. Her bitterness cut him in two, but he wasn’t going to let her know that.
“That’s a bit harsh. Is this firsthand knowledge or just general opinion?” he asked.
“Let’s just say I’ve seen it firsthand, but it hasn’t happened to me and it’s not going to.” Lauren glared at him.
Bobby raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, I’m not arguing. Some guys are jerks. I’m not the one you should be glaring at though. I haven’t done anything that would earn me the title of jerk.”
“I don’t know. You’re the one who didn’t stick by your friends and are working on revenge.” Lauren challenged.
“Hey, get off your high horse. You’re in on this, too.” Bobby argued. What was wrong with her? They’d been getting along and now she suddenly decided to flip out on him. This chick was certifiably nuts!
“Not any more. I don’t know what I was thinking. They may have trashed my room, but I can get the girls to help me retaliate. I don’t need some jock working with me.” Lauren sprinted off.
“Lauren!” Bobby stood rooted to the spot completely confused. He wasn’t sure what had just happened or why Lauren had just ran away from him like he had rabies, but he was going to find out.