Amidst The Stars

Lessons from the Littlest

  It was strange, how the West always went a little crazy when Halloween was close — not even close, actually, just when it was the same month as the holiday. October had barely started, but stores all around Trofilos had already begun to hang up decorations, adorning their exteriors with black-and-orange tinsel, fake pumpkins and bat plushies. In fact, it felt like Huang's was one of the only places in the entire city that hadn't transformed into a Halloween haven.

  Even Boulangerie Bellecourt was decorated for the season. Lucien had painted several black cats and bats on the glass of his cake display, and inside the display were a number of autumn treats. On one stand was a pumpkin pie, on another was a plate of éclairs covered with glossy orange icing, and right in the centre stood a tree made out of fondant, caramel spiderwebs strung between the bare branches.

  "On Halloween, Matthieu will bring out a bowl full of candy for any kids that pass by," Madeline told him, "and most of the time we run out before ten o'clock."

  Vicente picked up one of the nougats she'd placed on the table and examined it. "Do you dress up? You know, to match the trick-or-treaters or something?"

  "Lucien and I do." She took a nougat from the plate and bit into it. "Last year, he had the brilliant idea of dressing up as Peter Pan despite not looking young in the slightest."

  "That's mean. Lucien still looks pretty youthful."

  Madeline chewed on her nougat, remarking, "he looks like a shrivelled old man, and anyone who says otherwise is wrong."

  "Ouch." He took another nougat, enjoying the rich pistachio flavour that came from it. "What did you dress up as?"

  "Lucien somehow got me to play Tinkerbell." She shuddered. "Thank goodness nobody took any photos or I would've died of embarrassment. Matthieu had the right idea, deciding not to dress up."

  "Well, I'm sure you looked great," he said, adding quickly, "but again, you look great every day."

  Why did he say that?

  Rosy pink dusted Madeline's cheeks. "Thanks."

  "...you're welcome." Maybe the nougat he was eating was poisoned, and he'd keel over on the spot. That would be less awkward. "Uh, anyways, these nougats are good." Or maybe he'd choke to death on the almonds in the candies.

  "Matthieu made them," she said. "He's always been better at making candy than pastries." Madeline gestured to the display. "He made the tree."

  He looked back at the tree and its intricate, twisted branches. "That's impressive. Did you make the pie?"

  "I made the éclairs. It was my first time working with choux pastry, but thankfully it turned out fine." She glanced at Vicente. "Would you like to try one?"

  "No thanks. At least, not now. Er, can I take one home?"

  She smiled, and the sight of it made his heart rush. How could the simplest of actions make him blush and act like an idiot?

  "You can split it with your siblings." Madeline returned with a plastic box, one of the éclairs inside. "If I recall, Leon has a sweet tooth, right?"

  "That's Ling," he corrected. "Leon is the one who can eat everything edible in a supermarket and ask for seconds."

  "Oh, right. Anyways, here you go." She pressed the lid shut over the box and handed over to him — or at least tried to. The box fell from her fingers before it could reach him.

  Luckily, he managed to catch the box before it hit the ground. "That was close."

  "Sorry." Madeline tugged on her sleeves absentmindedly, looking at the floor. "My hand slipped, and I couldn't catch it in time."