“In the kitchen.” I nodded behind me. “Getting more candy. She’s with the ticking time bomb formerly known as Violet.”
“Costume win!” Mitch said over his shoulder as he teetered into the house on his wooden peg. Paul laughed behind him, and Peter shook his head.
Before I could close the door, a group of girls rushed up, all in different costumes, varying from cat to witch. They had to be at least sixteen.
I stood there and they stood there. Romeo laughed.
“Dolcetto o scherzetto!” He opened his hands. Nothing. Just open mouths. “Trick or treat?” he tried in English.
“What is going on here?” Rocco said, ambling up, running his hands along his suspenders. He was an old-time gangster. “They have to say themagicwords to get a treat, no?”
“I believe this is how it works,” Dario said, coming to stand next to us. He was a plus sign. “No trick or treat, no candy. Diego has to say this to every house.”
I held the candy bowl out, but none of them made a move to take any. Rocco, Dario, and Romeo laughed.
“What’s going on?” Juliette asked, fighting her way through the three of them to get to me. “Oh, hi, girls!”
“I believe they have seen Medusa,” Romeo said, glancing behind him. Then putting a hand to his heart, he crumbled to the floor. “I miei capelli!” he cried in mock horror.
Figures he’d worry about his fucking hair.
“I believe they have been blinded by the power of the Fausti Four,” Juliette mumbled underneath her breath. She took the bowl from me, pulling out a claw of candy for each girl.
The leader blinked. “Mrs. Fausti?”
“Hi, Leona.”
“This is your house?”
“No.” Juliette shook her head, adjusting the fabric of her dress over her arm. “We—” she nodded to Romeo, still on the floor, smiling “—live down the street. This house belongs to my brother- and sister-in-law.”
Scarlett put her hand to my back, peeking at the girls.
“Scarlett Rose Fausti!” Leona rushed out.
Her name caused an echo effect. Each girl repeated her name, looked at the girl next to her, and then all at once, squeals.
I went to thePoésy ballet school—
I always wanted to go—
We heard that you were coming back—
My mom said you moved back to town—
Lorraine is not going to believe this—
All of these excited sentiments seemed to come out at once, and Juliette laughed, handing Scarlett the candy bowl.
“I am no longer needed here,” Juliette said with a smile. “I need to pick Spartacus up from the floor anyway.”
“Who are you supposed to be?” one of the girls took a step closer to Scarlett, her smile wide.
“Amphitrite.” Scarlett returned the smile. “Poseidon’s wife.”
“You should know this!” Juliette shouted, laughing and trying not to be pulled down to the floor.
Talk soon went back to the ballet. The girls had what seemed like hundreds of questions for Scarlett, all about her time as principal dancer, andifshe was going to teach at the studio anytime soon.
