Our Town of Halloween | Halloweentown ❥ Ethan

𝟎𝟑: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲

The party continued on, and Maisie continued drifting around the partygoers.

"Well, I can't..." Aggie was saying, looking in her bag. "I've had this for centuries. It's never been empty before."

Maisie was confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Empty?" asked Marnie as she and Dylan went up to Aggie.

Aggie was looking in her bag.

"Well, it's no wonder," Dylan stated. They looked at him, "Every day for two years, pulling out bat games, dancing skeletons, enchanted toads, back issues of Magic Monthly...and, hey, let's not forget the ogre with the flatulence problem."

"Stinky," Sophie said, grinning. "I miss him."

Aggie motioned to her bag, "It just can't run out. It's connected to my house back in Halloweentown with all my charms and all my spells." She held a hand to her mouth and lowered it, "Oh, perhaps I should just pop back up in Halloweentown just – just to look at my house." 

Maisie felt excitement at the thought.

Sophie gasped, "Can I go? Can I go?"

"Oh, me too," Maisie pleaded. "Please?"

Marnie pursed her lips, "Oh, forget it you two. Mom already put the big foot down. None of us can go."

Maisie could feel the sadness and slight disappointment roll off of Marnie and Sophie. She didn't get why Gwen was still like this. She helped them save Halloweentown. Halloweentown was their heritage. Everyone had a right to learn about their heritage and live it. But apparently to Gwen, only once was enough. However, Maisie knew that Gwen had no say about it once she and Marnie turn eighteen.

"Well, perhaps if I said that I need your help with a technical problem," Aggie suggested

Maisie felt the elation come from Sophie, who said, "I'll get my coat," before taking off.

"This'll never work," Marnie stated.

"Buzzkill," Maisie replied.

"Let me do the talking, dear," Aggie replied. "I'll use my utmost powers of persuasion." She chuckled and grabbed her cloak that was hanging behind her. She whispered, "It'll work." She headed for the kitchen.

"And here I thought we were going to avoid the annual family meltdown," Dylan stated.

"Ha," Marnie mocked and followed after Aggie, pushing Dylan to the side.

"That was rude," Maisie called after Marnie, but they followed after her anyway.

Alex and Gwen were talking to one another, while Alex held a tray of cupcakes and Gwen was holding a bowl of something when they up went to the duo.

"Honey, I'm taking the girls out for a little while," Aggie spoke to Gwen. "Is that all right?"

"Sure Mom," Gwen replied, nodding. "Just make sure — wait." She seemed suspicious, "Out where?"

"Oh, just home," Aggie explained. "We'll be back in a jiffy."

Sophie came up to them.

Maisie tried not to feel to hopeful, because it'll lead to disappointment if Gwen said no, however, she also felt hopeful because she just might see Halloweentown once again. 

Aggie noticed Alex, "Oh, how do you do?" She stuck her hand out to him, "I'm Aggie, Gwen's mother. Nice to meet you."

Alex shook her hand, "I'm Alex."

"Mother," started Gwen.

"Marnie and Maisie are going to be staying with me for a whole year after they get out of high school," Aggie continued. She patted Marnie on the shoulder, "Isn't that fabulous?"

"How lucky for them," Alex replied.

"Yes," Gwen said. "And Sophie is going to stay with me." She grabbed Sophie's arm and pulled her daughter towards her.

"Mom!" whined Sophie, disappointment rolling off of her in waves. 

"Sweetheart, it's your bedtime," Gwen told her. "Why don't you go upstairs and start getting ready?"

Sophie turned and stomped her way out of the kitchen. Maisie made a mental note to get something from Halloweentown to give to Sophie once they got back.

Gwen made a face.

Aggie started patting Marnie's shoulder.

"We'll be back soon, Mom," Marnie told Gwen.

"Yeah, don't worry too much, okay," Maisie said to Gwen as she felt excitement come from Aggie. Marnie went to kiss Gwen goodbye, so Maisie did the same.

Aggie took a cupcake from the tray that Alex was holding, and they hurried to the door. Aggie said, "You see? Your mother can be reasonable." She handed the cupcake to Marnie.

Dylan was following and when they stopped in their tracks, Dylan said, "We should have a stranger there for all our family discussions." 

"At least the ones that Mom is slightly attracted too," Maisie said, seeing Marnie take a small bite out of the cupcake.

"Sorry you have to feel that, dear," Aggie told Maisie. She spoke to Dylan, "But if she wants to check on us, you tell her to call me on my head phone."

Dylan seemed confused, "You mean cell phone?"

Aggie held up her hands, conjuring up two heads, one red and one blue.

"Ew," Marnie said as Aggie passed the red one to Dylan.

"What are good are those things?" asked Dylan.

"Well, they're a little bit like your walkie-talkies," Aggie explained. She held her head phone to her mouth and whispered, "Except they work like magic."

The red head phone spoke in Aggie's voice, it's mouth moving, "Except they work like magic."

"Oh," exclaimed Dylan, horrified.

"They can even be used to communicate between the mortal world and Halloweentown," Aggie explained. "I invented them myself. Aren't they cute?" She kissed the blue head phone. 

"They're amazing," Maisie said.

"They probably won't be a problem, because you know we're gonna be home before midnight," Aggie replied.

Marnie said, "We'll be back in an hour because I have a date."