Page 67 of Haunted By the Storm
"All the kids are coming to the clubhouse," Storm reminds me. "Everyone’s excited for trick-or-treating."
"What about you?" I ask, curious. "Are you dressing up?"
A slow smile spreads across his face, mischievous in a way that makes my heart skip. "Maybe. I might have something planned." He shifts, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at me. "What about you? Butterfly to match Emily?"
I laugh, picturing myself with glittery wings. "I hadn't thought about it. I’ve been a little preoccupied with, you know, confronting my traumatic past and all that."
His expression softens, fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Fair enough. But maybe it would be good to celebrate tonight, embrace the holiday spirit. A way of marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another."
"You're right," I agree. "And I think I know just what to dress as."
"Care to share?"
I shake my head, smiling mysteriously. "You'll have to wait and see."
He growls playfully, rolling us so I'm pinned beneath him. "I have ways of making you talk, you know."
"Oh?" I challenge, breathless as his weight settles comfortably on me. "I'd like to see you try."
His mouth finds mine, and for a while, conversation is forgotten entirely.
Emily twirls in front of the mirror, her princess dress flowing as she twirls. The costume is even more elaborate than I'd planned originally, thanks to Effie's expert sewing skills and Storm's surprising talent for detail work. She’s got a tiara, and jewelry to match.
"I'm the prettiest princess ever!" she declares, face alight with joy.
"The most beautiful," I agree, adjusting the tiara on her head. "Without a doubt the most beautiful," Storm says from the doorway, watching us with a soft expression I'm still getting used to, the look he reserves solely for Emily and me.
He's dressed as a pirate again, complete with a billowing white shirt, leather vest, and red bandana tied around his head. The costume should look ridiculous on a man his size, with his intimidating presence, but somehow he makes it work. The fake sword at his hip doesn't hurt either.
"Storm!" Emily exclaims, running to him, wings bobbing. "You look like a real pirate!"
He scoops her up, careful not to damage her costume. "And you look like a real princess, squirt.”
She giggles again, delighted by his attention. In just a few weeks, he's become such an integral part of her world, filling spaces I hadn't realized were empty. The ease between them, the natural way they interact, still amazes me.
"Where's your costume, Mom?" Emily asks, suddenly noticing I'm still in my regular clothes.
"It's a surprise," I tell her. "I'll change while you and Storm start trick-or-treating. I'll catch up with you in a little bit."
"Promise?" she asks, suddenly anxious at the thought of separation. Despite her resilience, despite the joy of recent days, there's still that underlying fear of abandonment, of loss, that I suspect will take longer to fade than my own trauma.
"I promise," I assure her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll find you before you get to the third block. Save some candy for me."
This satisfies her, and she wriggles to be put down, eager to begin the night's adventures.
"You sure you don't want us to wait?" Storm asks quietly as Emily collects her trick-or-treat bag.
"I'm sure. This is your first Halloween together. I want you to have some time just the two of you." I reach up to straighten his bandana. "Besides, my costume is a surprise for both of you."
Curiosity flashes in his eyes, but he doesn't press. "Alright then. But if you're not with us by the Henderson house, I'm coming back to find you."
I smile, touched by his protectiveness even now, when the threats have been neutralized. "I'll be there."
After they leave, the room feels suddenly quiet. I take a moment to absorb the stillness, to appreciate how different the quality of the silence is now. No longer tense with fear and watchfulness, but peaceful. Safe.
Then I turn to the costume laid out on the bed, my heart quickening with anticipation.
I find them halfway down the street, Emily's princess dress visible from a block away as she darts from house to house, Storm a watchful shadow behind her. The neighborhood is alive with children in costumes, parents chatting on sidewalks, and jack-o'-lanterns glowing from porches.
