"Halloween is a big deal in Harrogate," I told Garrett as three Captain Americas raced past me to the sink.
"We’re going to help!"
"They are?"
"Josie and Hazel have been teaching them how to cook," Garrett explained. "They said they will not have useless males running around, though I think their general sentiment was that the older Svenssons were too far gone to save."
"I do love a man that’s good with his hands," I quipped.
Garrett's eyes widened slightly.
"You know, for chopping and banging."
"Banging?"
"Meat. You know, like pounding chicken." I winked at him and turned to inspect the seafood.
Otis handed me an apron. "We made this for you in school. We had art today."
"Thank you! How adorable!" There was a somewhat wobbly bat on the front of the apron and lettering that said, "Have a batty Halloween!"
"I love it," I said, hugging him. "Now, who here has ever made pasta?"
"What are you making?" Garrett asked as he watched me swirl egg yolks and salt and a little water in the flour mound I had made. I had set up each kid with his own mound. They all seemed familiar with the process. Between the dozen or so crowded around the large island, we should be making enough pasta to feed an army… Or an ex-polygamist cult.
"A nice hearty seafood pasta dish, perfect for fall. It has a tangy creamy lemon and shallot sauce. It's tasty and surprisingly easy to make. The trick is to time the cooking of the fish, shellfish, shrimp, and scallops."
Garrett grunted in approval.
"I hope they like this dish," I said lightly. "I guess you all didn’t eat a lot of fish in the desert."
Garrett peered at me. I tried to look innocent and harmless. Was he onto me? I wouldn't have been surprised; Garrett was obviously very perceptive. I half wanted him to call me out so I could end this charade. After the kids had given me the apron, I felt like a grade-A bitch coming in their house and lying to them.
"There were silverfish in the compound," Billy said, handing me a perfectly round, smooth yellow ball of pasta dough.
"Silverfish are gross," I said. "My cat, Salem, catches them in our house."
"You have a cat?" Arlo exclaimed. "You should bring him to the Halloween party."
"You can’t bring the cat here," Garrett said, scooting Arlo out of the way so he could set several heavy metal pasta makers on the counter. "He wouldn't like the crowds."
The kids chattered to each other happily, the novelty of me in their kitchen having quickly worn off.
"What are you dressing up as for the Halloween party?" I asked him. "Wait, let me guess… a really sexy vampire?"
"No."
"I have a ton of glitter. I can make you a moody sparkly vampire."
"Not my style."
"Okay then, how about an Anne Rice vampire? I think you’d look very tasty dressed up in a waistcoat and those super-duper-tight pants from the Victorian era—you know, not to objectify you or anything, just to be period accurate." I winked at him.
"I figured you would insist on some sort of themed couple costume," Garrett said, turning back to cleaning the mussels. "Not that I'm volunteering."
I thought I saw a slight smile around his mouth.
"Really? Because on the theme of tight pants and waistcoats, we should be Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. There's a Halloween costume contest at the fall festival. We should enter. I’m sure Ida could drum up some votes for you. She could be our campaign manager."
