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“Are you sure?” I ask, even though the offer is tempting.

“Absolutely,” Dad says. Ella is already distracted by the shiny buttons on his wizard robe and is trying to pluck one off.

She let Ella eat three pieces of candy already. I’ve been watching them like a hawk, Gwyneth thinks to herself. Before dinner. Of course she did. Bizzy doesn’t understand the importance of good nutrition at Ella’s age.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

That costume is going to give her a sugar rush and nightmares, Gwyneth continues internally. I would have never let my children trick-or-treat this late.

I’m used to Gwyneth’s constant judgment about my parenting. It’s basically background noise at this point.

I kiss Ella goodbye. “Be good for Grandma and Grandpa,” I tell her.

Ella is already reaching for Dad’s hat and doesn’t acknowledge me at all.

They leave, and I catch Dad’s thoughts as they go. She’s doing great. Ella’s happy and healthy. Gwyneth needs to relax. Bizzy is the best mom I know.

I can’t help but smile at that. I do love my sweet daddy.

Now it’s just Jasper and me standing in the middle of the festival with a bag full of Ella’s candy that we’re absolutely going to raid.

“Parent tax?” Jasper suggests, already opening the bag.

“Obviously.”

We sit down on a nearby bench and start sorting through the haul. Lots of chocolate bars, some gummy candies, a few lollipops that Ella definitely doesn’t need.

“This is the good stuff,” I say, pulling out a chocolate peanut butter cup.

“She doesn’t need all of this,” Jasper agrees, pocketing three more.

“We’re doing her a favor, really. Preventing cavities.”

“Exactly. We’re excellent parents.”

I unwrap a chocolate bar and take a bite, and Jasper immediately steals the other half out of my hand.

“Hey!”

“Sharing is caring,” he says with a grin.

I steal it back and eat it before he can retaliate.

“Bizzy! Jasper!” Miss Kitty appears out of the crowd like a very pink, very bubbly ghost.

She’s dressed as a pink witch. Everything is pink. The dress, the hat, the sparkly tights, even her broomstick is wrapped in pink ribbon. It’s very Miss Kitty to a pretty pink T.

“The two of you look darling,” she says, as she practically bounces the rest of the way over to us. “Oh my goodness, have you seen this place? I think the entire state of Maine showed up for candy.”

“Free chocolate has a way of bringing people together,” I say.

“And turning otherwise reasonable adults into animals,” Jasper adds.

He’s not wrong. I watched a grown man dressed as a taco elbow a mummy out of the way for a peanut butter cup ten minutes ago.

Miss Kitty laughs. “I’ve already been through the trick-or-treat booths twice.”

“As you should,” I tease.