4

Halloween!

They day itself, an ancient pagan holiday, one celebrated by Druids and more, cleverly becoming the night before All Saint's Day, and maybe, in the United States, the most wonderful commercial holiday next to Christmas.

Angela had always loved Halloween, especially because their children loved Halloween.

And returning home with just two days to spare, she was delighted that Mary Tiger, while watching the children in their absence, had given them a few great costumes.

Little Victoria Sophia dressed as a princess.

Corbin was Batman.

And though it was really hard to get together so quickly . . .

They managed to have a "Princess and Superhero" party for Halloween.

No ghouls.

No goblins.

No zombies.

Just carving pumpkins and playing with makeup and games and . . .

They watched the kids have fun.

Angela felt Jackson behind her, slipping his arms around her.

"Happy Halloween!" he whispered. "To my princess, of course."

She turned into his arms. Victoria was Sleeping Beauty. She had decided that she'd dress up as Rapunzel.

And Jackson . . .

"And to the man who is always my superhero!" she assured him. Because, of course, he had dressed as Superman.

Others could have ghoulish fun that Halloween. When it wasn't real, it could be fun.

But for them . . .

Well, they'd had enough of the ghastly and grim . . . when it had been real.

And there was nothing at all like children for a holiday, a beautiful little princess and a wonderful young superhero!