Page 15 of His Loving Wife

“I don’t want to go there. We always go trick or treating around the neighborhood, then we come back here for the party.”

Andrew rustled his son’s hair. “Things are a little different this year. That’s all.” None of them needed him to elaborate as to why. “Would you like me to walk you around the neighborhood?”

Even beneath the globs of black and white makeup, Kate could see her son’s enthusiasm.

“Would you?”

“I’m already wearing my coat. Let’s get going before the spooks come out.”

“Andrew, I think we should finish our conversation.”

“Another time,” Andrew said gently, putting his hand on Noah’s shoulder. “We’ll be back later. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Relax.”

Even with his gentle tone, the words sounded like an order. Worse, they sounded like the only response she’d gotten for the past month: he wasn’t ready to talk about what had happened. Or what she’d done.

She followed them to the door. As she watched them descend the porch steps, Dana was walking up. She was wearing an orange and black Lululemon ensemble and carrying one of those recyclable shopping bags from TJ Maxx.

“You two have fun,” she said, as she passed them. She stood in front of Kate, holding out the bag. “I’ve brought alcohol. Tell me that’s enough to get me in.”

Kate nodded for Dana to follow her. “Don’t have plans with the girls tonight?”

“Their dad has them this year. I get them for Christmas. Besides, my Halloween plans have always been to come here. Even if you’ve canceled the party, I don’t see why that should change.”

As they were walking into the living room, Willow came storming past. She was wearing the same fishnets but had a black tunic top on that draped just above her knees.

“Heading out?” Kate asked.

Willow didn’t say anything. She stood at the kitchen counter, grabbing her wallet and phone.

“What are you supposed to be?” Dana asked.

“A non-slutty witch.”

Willow strode to the front door. Kate managed to holler out, “Curfew is eleven,” before the door slammed shut.

Dana whistled. “Is that what I have to look forward to in four years?”

“Pity me now. You’ll havetwoteenage daughters to deal with.”

“Do you think we were ever that bad?”

“I’m sure we were. But I don’t remember my mother being this exhausted.”

“It’s been a hell of a year.” Dana poured two glasses of wine and shoved one in Kate’s direction. “I figured neither one of us needed to be alone tonight.”

Dana and her husband had finalized their divorce a few months back, even though it had been in the works much longer. She knew her friend was happy to put an end to her marriage but regretted the time she now spent away from her daughters.

“Normally, we take all year getting ready for tonight. It’s something we can look forward to together. Now, it’s like we’re all off doing our own thing. Willow’s trying to be an adult. Noah’s trying to stay a child. Andrew is ignoring me altogether.”

“Why is he ignoring you?”

“He’s been mad at me ever since the police found out my ex invaded our home. Andrew won’t say it, but I know he blames me.”

“Didn’t you say you all went to college together?”

“Yeah, but he’s mad because I ran into him six months ago and never told him about it.”

Kate went into the story of her chance encounter with Paul at Andale’s. She explained how she walked away from dinner that night with pleasant thoughts about their impromptu reunion; she wasn’t expecting to run into him again a week later, at the very same restaurant.

---