November 1st
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Queen of Hearts
The party was a brilliant success thanks to Sherry's attention to detail and Danny's amazing cooking!
It wasn't easy whipping it all together kind of last minute (the distractions abounded, who could blame me?), but we pulled it off!
I went as the Queen of Hearts, as seen here - sans crutches. Robert came in full dress blues, which considering they were his blues from 1942, he was quite a hit.
We've kept his 'condition,' for lack of a better word, a secret, though I think Sherry suspects something is off about him. She's got a nose for mystery, she does.
Other spirits in attendance were Samuel Jenkins, Jr. and the rest of his family. He and Robert barely spoke a word to one another the entire night, which would have been awkward if I hadn't been so busy playing hostess to the living guests.
As I walked past father and son at one point, I overheard a snippet of a heated discussion.
"This is not right, and you know it," Samuel was saying.
Robert glared at his father and his face was twisted with rage.
"You never supported any of my decisions, Father," he hissed, "even when the world was at stake, you would prefer I sat idly by and let innocent lives be lost. In life, I sacrificed myself so that others may have been saved. I'll be damned if I don't do something for myself now that I'm dead."
"And when she wants to marry... or have children? Have you thought nothing of her future and her life?"
Robert's chest heaved with anger and I thought for a moment the two men would begin fighting right then and there. As much as the words stung, I stepped in with a smile plastered to my face.
"Can I get you gentlemen anything?" I asked.
Robert wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close, supporting me so I wouldn't need my crutches. He glared at his father and kissed the top of my head.
"No, my lovely queen," he said with a forced smile, "My father and I were just discussing politics and these conversations never go well when two stubborn men are of opposing opinions. Isn't that right, Father?"
Samuel flushed and gave a short nod. "Quite. If you'll excuse me, I must go dance with my wife and my other children. "
Robert stiffened at the emphasis put on the word 'children', but said nothing. I tried to keep the mood light, though Samuel's words stuck in my head for the rest of the night.
November 2nd
Party Guest
"Ghosts even fight about politics?" I asked playfully.
Robert smiled down at me, but it was filled with sadness. "Politics are a universal subject of heated debate. Father and I have never seen eye to eye."
"I can't have children," I blurted.
He stared down at me in surprise. When he opened his mouth to respond, I put my finger over his lips.
"I overheard you and Samuel. I thought you ought to know that I can't have children. My plan, should the desire to have children come around, was to adopt a child."
"I'm so sorry," Robert breathed as he held me to him.
"Don't be," I said, "It just wasn't in the cards. I won't go into details, just suffice it to say I can't have a baby. Honestly, I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a mother."
