I laughed. With the way Gideon and I had been all week... “I’m not going to be doing it when kids are ringing my doorbell. I haven’t really talked to him, but I’m sure he’s fine with answering the door a hundred times in two hours.”
Teachers’ houses were popular stops on the Halloween route.
“Only a hundred?” She let out a wistful sigh. “I miss that. No one comes out to the cabin, and I don’t blame them. It’d eat up half their trick-or-treating window.”
“You’re bringing the kids by?”
“Most definitely. Brinley got a taste of the candy last year, and she’s been talking nonstop about it.”
“I can’t wait.”
She rose. “What are you going to be dressed as this year? Or is your after-school costume a surprise?”
The air in my lungs froze. My costume. I had purchased it months ago, and I’d been preparing for Halloween, but the idea of wearing it around Gideon hadn’t set in. I had a costume I wore at school and then I switched out to surprise the kids when they came by the house. “Uh...”
She tilted her head. “You’re wearing your costume for trick-or-treating, right?”
“Oh, yeah. Of course.”
Her eyes narrowed. “With your makeup?”
“Not at school.” We weren’t allowed to have face paint at school.
“You know what I mean. AroundGideon?” she taunted, like a kid on the playground. “Or are youscared?”
“No?” My voice pitched high. “I’m still dressing up.”
“Good,” she said with false innocence. The hint of gotcha was in her voice. “See you then.”
“Bye-ee.” My grin faded as soon as she walked out.
Great. My trick-or-treating costume.
For school, I’d learned to wear something that was comfortable, and I had a rotation of clothing and headbands. Black shirt and slacks and a headband with ears—kitty cat. Brown shirt, brown pants, and a headband with even bigger ears—fox. A dress and leggings with a red cape if it was cold out—Little Red Riding Hood.Tomorrow, a purple dress and a green scarf. With my red hair, I could pull off a decent Daphne fromScooby-Doo.
If only I was wearing that for tomorrow night, but my other costume was too uncomfortable for a full day of teaching. I couldn’t be Daphne at night too. Every kid that came to my house would be expecting something different. Not only would it be embarrassing to have kids repeatedly ask where my second costume was, but then I’d have to explain why if Gideon overheard.
And if any of the trick-or-treaters found out what my trick-or-treat costume was supposed to be and I didn’t wear it? They’d never let me live down the irony of lying.
Gideon
My wife was standing at the threshold of the living room, her cheeks bright red, and it wasn’t just from makeup. She wore red shorts with suspenders, a yellow shirt with an obnoxious white collar, and a blue bow tie. She had her hair bundled under a black bowl-cut wig and a yellow-and-blue beanie plopped on her head. A long nose was strapped around her face.
“Is sexy Pinocchio a thing?” I folded my arms. Through the picture window in the living room, I could see a group of kids rushing down the sidewalk toward the house. They needed to slow down so I could take in the picture in front of me.
She shot me a mock glare, but a smile playedalong her lips.
Laughter bubbled in my chest, but I held it in. “Remember, I’ll know if you’re not telling the truth.”
Her flush deepened. She looked so damn cute and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but her gaze was obstinate. “They were out of sexy nurse costumes.”
A chuckle left me, turning into a full belly laugh. The doorbell rang, and she scurried past me.
“Trick or treat, Miss K!”
I turned when I heard Deon’s voice.
“I mean, Mrs. J,” he amended.
