He grinned, noting he was surprisingly excited for a small-town trunk or treat in the dirt. “I’ve got the thermoses and the candy.”
“Candy. Candy. Candy!” Rachel sang at the top of her lungs, and Mitch rolled his eyes.
“Good deal. Your mom is bringing fried chicken strips and tater tots, and we were supposed to bring dipping stuff. So I got ranch, honey mustard, and ketchup. Does that work?”
“Lord yes.” Every family would bring something—rolls, a vegetable tray, what have you. “That way, we can all have a bite to eat and not have to worry about having only candy-fueled children on the way home.”
“At least tomorrow’s not school. Tomorrow’s Saturday.”
“Right, and Teresa’s coming over here to spend the night?”
Mitch nodded, grabbing a handful of stuff they needed. “And Bekka is gonna spend the night at Lizzie and Ramsey’s with the twins-es.”
Yeah, Bekka did fall right in between both sets of twins, didn’t she?
“And I’m gonna come and be with you, Daddy.” Little Rachel wasn’t quite old enough to spend the night, and neither were any of the nieces and nephews who were of an age with her. It worked out because she’d be asleep in the car before nine anyway.
It took forever, it felt like, but they did manage to get everybody loaded up into the car.
And all the food in there too.
With drinks, candy, flashlights, extra batteries. Blankets. All the coats. Makeup to fix any accidents that happened in the first aid kit that had to be the size of a cooler.
This whole hauling kids around thing was super-involved. He couldn’t imagine trying to travel with them. Lord, that would require a U-Haul.
Once they reached the trunk or treat, Cam pulled into the spot the family had saved for him, popping the back of the Suburban once they were in place.
“About time, son,” his mom murmured when she came to help the kids out.
“Let it go, Momma.” He shook his head. This is his first year doing this, and she just needed to watch it.
“Miz Halley?” Bekka nodded to her, and Momma smiled.
“You can call me Miss Pam if you want.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bekka gave her a tentative smile and then went right to Mitch.
Rachel, on the other hand, was unbuckling herself and squealing, “Granny Halley! I’m here! Did you see my dress?”
Cam snorted again.
The girls had only worn the same costumes over and over for every goddamn party in this entire town.
Momma popped him on the butt and hugged her tight. “I did. You’ll have to let me put more batteries in for you so you can be all nice and lit up. Grandpa Halley’s right there. Tell him I said to battery you.” Then she glanced in at Sarah, who was in the farthest back. “You look amazing,” she said. “You really do pull Wednesday off better than anybody I’ve ever seen.”
“Thanks,” Sarah grinned at her, so obviously pleased. “Is Teresa, here yet, Granny?”
“Everybody’s here, sweetheart. She is over there with her momma, so three cars down. Make sure you ask if it’s okay if you can go.”
Sarah looked to Cam. “Is it okay if I go over and be with Teresa?”
Well, fuck, what was he supposed to do? He froze. Did he have the right to say she could go over there?
Mitch nudged him on the way by with a bag of food, but said nothing, so Cam guessed he could. “Sure, honey. Just don’t wander too far without us.”
“No, I’m going to just be with Teresa. It’ll be okay.” She smiled at him, waved, ran off, and Cam felt a little as if he’d been popped in the gut.
Momma gave him this arched eyebrow knowing look. “Problem, son?”
