A Different Reality (Lasting Love)

Glimpse of Future Halloween

"Jen, it's going to be fun!"  Justin drags me out of our room "This is what Halloween is going to be like for us from now on.  It's like a nice trial run.  And we even get to return the kid after she gets all hyped up on candy!"

"But all the children, Justin!"  I complain "They're going to be all over and all sugary.  It's gonna be crazy.  What if we lose her?"

"But it's also going to be fun."  He kisses me "Especially next year when we're walking around with our little princess and watching how excited she'll be."

"Babe, I'm excited for that too, but she won't even be one yet.  She's not gonna know what she's looking at."

"You're ruining all the fun."  He hands me my costume and walks away "Put this on and meet me in the living room.  Elle's gonna be here soon and she's going to want her candy."

I put the costume on and stare at myself for a while.  I let Justin pick out everything this year, and I can't decide if I like this or if I regret letting him pick.  He decided that he's going as a wizard and me a witch.  Luckily, they aren't crazy costumes and all I have to wear is a witch like outfit and a purple witch hat.  He even got my niece to go as a black cat, which was probably her idea anyway.

"Thank you so much for taking her!"  My brother and sister in law say as they leave.  They get to go to a party.  I'm only a little jealous of them.

"Can we go?!?"  She bounces around at the door "I want lots of candy!"

"Yes, honey.  We can go."  I laugh "Just make sure you stay near us.  There's lots of cats out there."

"Okay."  She grabs one of each of our hands and pulls us out the door.  We follow closely behind as we walk down our driveway and out to the neighborhood where everyone is walking around.

"You should go to that house."  Justin says.

"But it looks scary."  She says tightening her grip on us as we walk by "I don't like scary." 

"What if I go with?"  He asks "The scary houses always have the best candy."

"Yeah." She smiles following him.  I stand to the side watching as they walk through the "haunted" trail part of the house.  He looks so excited to be able to do things like this.

"Look what I got!"  Elle runs up to me "They gave me like 10 pieces!"

"That's awesome, honey!  Was it scary?  Did uncle Justin get scared?" I ask

"Yeah."  She says before he cuts her off.

"I did not!" He gets defensive "I just wanted to act scared.  You know, to make them think it was scary.  I think you should do it.  You would get scared."

"No I wouldn't."  I try to hide the fact that I probably would.

"Then prove it."  He points towards the house "Go through it and tell us after that you aren't scared."

"I don't have a kid with me, Justin.  That would just be weird."  I watch as he turns Elle towards me "I can't take her again, they aren't stupid."

"You have the baby."  She suggests "That might count."

"And that's why you're my favorite!"  Justin looks over at her proudly "You have nothing to worry about."

"Fine.  I'll walk through your damn trail.  But if I get any candy I get to keep it."

I walk through the trail, secretly hoping that it isn't scary.  There isn't anything other than a few decorations in the beginning, and it isn't scary at all.  As I walk further, I start to understand the haunted part.  They have fake ghosts all over and are playing scary music. 

I step past the pitch black, vandalized coffin and a huge skeleton jumps out in my face.  I scream not expecting it and everyone around me laughs.

"Oh my God."  I laugh "That was pretty good."

Still a little shaken up, I walk through the rest of it slowly, not wanting to get scared again.  I reach the end and see Elle and Justin waiting for me laughing.  I get my candy from the witch pot bowl, and throw it at them.

"You got scared!"  Justin laughs "We were right."

"Yeah!"  Elle laughs too "We knew you would be scared."

"I was not that scared."  I defend myself as we walk away "I just didn't expect it."

We walk down the rest of the street watching her closely.  She runs in front of us, close enough we can see her, and somehow manages to get to every house.  As soon as she has her candy, she gives us her bag to hold so she can run faster to find the houses.

"Are you really eating her candy?"  Justin asks "That's so mean!"

"I'm hungry, and It's good."  I open a new piece "The baby really wants some."

"Sure.  Whatever you say."  He laughs watching Elle "I really wasn't too sure about this, but I actually think that I really like it."

"Like what?"  I ask "The candy?"

"No, the whole finding out what Halloween is going to be like for us from now on.  I actually don't really miss all the partying and drinking right now.  Watching her get all excited about everything just makes me even more excited."

"Yeah, it makes me really happy."  I admit "It's nice to see someone we love so much do something, even if it is just running around for candy.  It makes missing all the partying worth it." 

We follow Elle to a few more houses before it starts to get late.  Justin carries her after her feet start to hurt, and we eventually make our way back to our house.  She excited digs through her huge bag of candy asking us if she can eat every piece she sees.

"Just a few."  I say.

"What the hell?  It's only Halloween one day a year."  Justin hands her some extra candy "I say you should eat it all.  That's the best part of the day."

"Thank you!!"  She smiles.