Something Wicked This Way Comes

All Hallows Eve

"This is ridiculous mom why!??" Marley yelled at her mother.

"Because Mar, my life's plan is to make sure you never have any fun ever!" Her mom replied sarcastically, then sighed "Because it's been years since someone has asked me to go to a costume party and I really would like to go. Plus the fact that it is Halloween I feel much better knowing all three of my kids are at home together safe and sound!"

"Oh my God whatever Mom!" Marley shouted and shut her door. Flopping herself onto her bed, she couldn't help being irritated and feeling like she needed to raise her voice to be heard.  Her mom and dad had only been split up for about three months and she has been on more dates than Marley has. Marley was the one who is supposed to be going out having fun, and dating she felt. Now she's the one stuck always babysitting her little brother and sister.

Fiona Apple's song "Criminal" interrupted her thoughts, she grabbed her phone, Jake had text her. 'So, this for the party? I think I have the legs for it?' it read with a photo attached of a guy and girl as Popeye and Olive Oil except the girl was dressed as Popeye and the guy was Olive Oil. Marley couldn't help laughing, Jake always makes her smile and laugh at the exact times that she needs it. The two of them have been an exclusive couple since freshman year. Halloween is their holiday, they always dress up, last year they were Bonnie and Clyde, the year before they were a fisherman and a mermaid.

Marley sighed and responded, ' Those are awesome, and I would say Hell yeah, but I just got stuck with kid duty for Halloween, I'm sorry babe, looks like I can't make it to the party, effing ridiculous!'.

Her phone dings again, 'Well damn, that sucks, but hey I can think of many other things we can do that would be way better alone together in a house' the text read with the wink eye face emoji and then the devil one.

She clicked her tongue and shot back ' ONLY if you wear this' and attached a picture of a guy in a Tinker Bell costume, adding 'You know I love a man in tight tights.'

He replied with that silly GIF of an overly fat guy busting out of a Tinker Bell costume twerking like mad to "I'm sexy and I know it". Then he sends ' For real babe, it's cool we can hang at your house and watch some movies, hand out candy, that kinda stuff, we can keep it PG for the night.'

Jake is a joker and a smart ass most of the time, but he has always been ok with whatever Marley wants to do and has never pressured her in any way to do anything. Why she was crazy over him. He wasn't another douchebag from her school who treats girls like fuck dolls.  "Marley!" her mom yelled from downstairs. 'My dictator is calling me Babe, I will TTYL. XOXO' she hit send on her phone and went to the door.

"Yeah, Mom what is it?" she called back.

"Can you come down here for a minute please?" she asked. Marley came down the stairs and sat on the arm of the couch. "Look Mar I know you would rather go out with Jake that night, I get it, I was your age once too, and I also know that these last few months have been kind of crazy, they have been crazy for me too. But I'm not trying to punish you, it's just been so long since I have had any kind of life outside of these walls and without your dad. I'm trying to figure things out not only for us as a family but for myself as a woman and-"

"Mom, gross, NO" she interrupted, she really did not want to hear anything about her sex life.

"Marley! That is not what I'm saying! I just want you to know that I really appreciate everything that you have been doing around here, helping with Max and Poppy, and pretty soon you're going to be off to college with this place in your rearview." " I really am going to miss you when that time comes, and I just want to keep things a bit more normal for your sister and brother as long as I can."

Marley couldn't help it, she felt a little bad for how she reacted towards her mom earlier now, her mom is a badass, she has always taken care of their family and up until recently her dad too, she knows her mom isn't abandoning them by wanting to have somewhat of a social life and she can't blame her for wanting a little bit of a life. 

Marley sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's ok Mom, I get it, and don't worry I will be here to watch the rug rats, I talked to Jake, we are just going to hang here and watch some scary movies, hand out candy, maybe bob for apples, take the kids grave digging, you know the usual Halloween fun!" she cracked a smile.

"Oh ok smarty pants, I see, and um is this a good thing having that good looking Jake here all alone on a romantic night like Halloween?" she said with a smile.

"Romantic? It's Halloween Mom."

"Yeah Marley a crisp cold night to snuggle under a blanket while getting scared out of your wits watching horror movies and needing a tall dark and handsome guy to protect you? Halloween is probably a hotter holiday than Valentines Day actually!" her mom said with a distant thought in her mind as she stared off.  

"MOM! OMG STOP!" Her mom's focus snapped back to the conversation.

"I'm just saying, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" she joked.

"Of course not Mother!"

She smiled at Marley and squeezed her leg. "You are the best daughter ever, you know that?" she said getting up from the couch.

"Yes, I am" she replied.

"Ok don't stay up super late with your scary stories got it? And quit calling me Mother! I'm not that old! That's like what kids called their mom in the 50's!" she said.

"Got it Mom, good night, I love you." she said exaggerating the word mom. Her mom smirked. 

"I love you too babe" she replied and walked to her bedroom.

Marley's " scary stories", more like her true crime and paranormal obsession she would call it. Even though Marley doesn't look like the girl who has that as a hobby she is a Wednesday Addams by definition. She loves reading about all the spooky stuff and watching every serial killer documentary there is. Just a sick guilty pleasure, I guess. But hey lots of people are amateur sleuths and ghost hunters. Marley went back up to her room to turn on her chrome book, she had gotten a great idea for Halloween! She's going to research a scary legend to scare the crap out of her little sister and brother.