“Are you absolutely sure you didn’t want to put on the fairy wings?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Everyone loved my costume at school, and I love it too. I can be a fairy next year. Maybe.”
“Okay, baby. Go sit on those steps for me, please.” I pointed at a flight of six stairs leading into our building. “Remember to smile. Otherwise, Mom will think we’re not having fun.”
She pouted and lowered herself down, plopping her face between her hands. “We took pictures of my costume yesterday. Why do we have to do it again?”
“Because your mom asked for more.” I lifted my phone and aimed it at her. It was a pretty good shot actually, even though she was still pouting.
Light poured out of the building and illuminated her from behind. Dark clouds floated in the dusky sky above, but there was enough sun left to make out her facial features despite the light behind her.
She sighed and placed her palms on the step above her, leaning back slightly and cocking her head. I knew she wasn’t trying to pose, but she was doing a damn good job of it anyway. “How many pictures does she want?”
“Just a few.” I snapped dozens more. Some of her walking away from me down the street and some silly ones of both of us.
When I was done, I sent the ones of Allie to Shannon and slid my phone into my pocket. “Okay, we’re done here. Let’s get going before all the good candy is gone.”
She nodded. “Did I tell you all of my friends are going trick or treating?”
“You might have mentioned it.” I bumped her shoulder gently while we walked to my car. “I’m glad you’re excited about it now.”
“I am, but I still don’t understand why we can’t just trick or treat around here.” She frowned when I opened the door for her. “No one else drives to go trick or treating.”
“That’s because a lot of the kids in your school live in the suburbs. We don’t, but I refuse to do what city families do.” I made sure she was buckled in before climbing in behind the wheel.
“Why do you refuse to do what city families do if we are a city family?” Her big brown eyes caught mine in the mirror.
“Do you really want to go trick or treating in the mall or apartment hallways? No way. You want the authentic experience.”
She peered out her window, frowning again. “It looks like it’s going to rain.”
“That’s all part of it,” I said cheerfully. “Don’t worry. I’ve got us covered. There are umbrellas and raincoats in the back.”
“Oh.” She perked up while settling in for the drive. “Which neighborhood are we going to? You said it was close to school. Do you think we’ll see any of my friends?”
“I’m willing to guarantee we’ll run into at least one of the kids in your school. I grew up around there, and all the kids go out right around now.”
We’d gone to the same neighborhood last year as well, but she hadn’t been so concerned about it then. How much things have changed in a year.
Allie chattered excitedly all the way there. It seemed speaking to all her friends about going trick or treating had completely eliminated all her doubts, and she was a bundle of bouncing energy by the time I parked.
It took me longer than it should’ve, but the sidewalks were packed with kids and parents making their way from house to house with baskets and pillowcases overflowing with candy. Taking a bit of time to get the car in a spot was worth it to avoid hitting someone.
Lest the angry lady shows up again to start screaming at me about how much of a danger I am to society.
Allie helped to banish all thoughts about the woman when she stared with wide eyes at the houses on the street once we climbed out of the car. “Wow. I don’t remember it looking like this last year.”
“We parked somewhere else last year. I don’t think we made it to this street before we went home, but I caught an inside tip about how this was the place to be this year.”
The inside tip hadn’t been an inside tip as much as it’d been Dannie’s research. I’d asked her to do some research for me, and as always, she’d come through. Just in case Allie hadn’t caught the Halloween bug at school, I’d wanted to make sure that the place I brought her was as awesome as I could get it.
The residents on this street had definitely guaranteed that she’d be more excited in the run-up for next year. I took her hand and guided her through the throngs of people. “Apparently, they’re having a competition here tonight. It’s a community drive thing.”
She pointed at a row of immaculately carved pumpkins on the lawn closest to us. “Those people should win.”
I looked up and down the street, taking in the yellows, reds, and browns between the bursts of green on the trees and the sidewalks beneath them. It wasn’t just the natural fall colors or the costumed crowd that got me all nostalgic, though.
Every house was made up with lights strung in the trees, fake cobwebs, pumpkins, and a whole variety of other spooky details. “Let’s reserve our judgment about who should win until we’ve seen more.”
She rocked her head from one side to the other. “Fair enough.”
“Should we start here?” I jutted my chin in the direction of the house with the carved pumpkins on the lawn. “It’s as good a place as any.”
“Will you come with me?” Just as she looked at me, a group of giggling children spilled onto the lawn and headed up the stairs.
“I’ll be right here. Go join them. You can do it, honey. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I won’t take my eyes off you.”
I gave her hand an encouraging squeeze, watching as she took in a deep breath before releasing me and going after them. She carried a toy briefcase I’d gotten her for the occasion. It wouldn’t carry too much candy, but that was why I had a folded pillowcase in my back pocket.
The couple who opened the door were dressed up as a witch and a ghost—not too original, but since I was in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, I couldn’t really talk. They even did a little skit before showering the kids in candy, making them squeal and laugh before Allie ran back to me.
She was breathless with excitement and her eyes shone as she proudly stuck the briefcase in my face. “Look how much I got! Not bad, huh?”
“Not bad at all.” I ruffled her hair, decided it was best to empty the briefcase in the pillowcase before we really got going, and took her hand again once I’d secured her loot. “See? This is fun, right?”
“So much fun.” She let out a carefree laugh and ran to the next house. There were no other kids on the doorstep of this one, so she looked up at me again after she stopped. “I don’t want to go alone.”
“You’ll never be alone, honey. I’ve got your back.” We marched up to the door, and I hung back while Allie knocked on the door. The residents weren’t dressed up this time, but they were kind and gave Allie a few bars of chocolate.
We hit up the next few houses together. Then Allie spotted some kids from school and went to the next few with them. I knew their parents from seeing them around, and we struck up light conversations while following our kids around.
Everything was going well until Allie got cold feet at the end of a long, spooky driveway. These people had gone all out, killing all their main lights and leaving a trail of plastic candles in brown paper bags leading to their front door.