Thank you,
Mel!
Here's the last part of this story. Thanks for reading, everyone!
Part 13
“Mommy, I want more candies.” Sophia pointed to the basket Stella was holding. Stella had given her a little basket with a few candies in it. William and Sophia were four years old. This was their first time to dress up and collect candies from the neighbors.
“Those are not for you, honey! You have to knock on our neighbors’ doors and said ‘trick or treat’, they will give you candies. When our neighbor’s babies come, I will give them candies.”
“Why?” William asked.
“It’s tradition. We do it every year on Halloween. Come on, let’s get dress and surprise Daddy when he comes home.”
Stella took their little hands and headed to her bedroom.
Laid on the bed were a set of white astronaut costume and a set of woodland fairy costume.
“Wow. I like this.” William took the astronaut costume. He started to take off his T-shirt. “Mom, help me please.”
Stella noticed her little girl was unhappy. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“I want this one.” Sophia pointed at the astronaut costume.
Stella picked up the fairy costume. “That’s for William. This is for you.”
“Why?” Sophia was still unhappy.
“Mom, I can wear my T-shirt.” William said. He couldn’t bear to see his little sister got upset.
Stella crouched in front of her daughter. “That one is too big for you, honey. And you would be a very beautiful girl in this dress. Like a butterfly.” Then she leaned forward to whisper in Sophia’s ear. “Daddy loves butterflies.”
Sophia chuckled and jumped. “I love butterflies too. William, do you love butterflies?”
William smiled. “Yes.”
“OK. Now get dress. Daddy will be home soon.”
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“Daddy’s home!” Sophia saw her father’s car through the windows. She went to join her mother and brother to crouch behind the couch.
“Don’t stick you head out, William.” Stella pulled her son back. “Shh…”
They jumped out from behind the couch when Mac opened the front door.
“What do a witch, a fairy and an astronaut doing in my house?” Mac laughed.
“Daddy, what am I?” Sophia turned in circles.
Stella wrapped her arms around Mac’s waist. She kissed him and gave him the answer in a whisper.
“A beautiful butterfly!” Mac picked up his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. He made a salute to his son and shook his little hand. “And this is our space hero.”
William felt so happy and proud.
“Alright. Let’s go get some candies.” Stella said.
“Dad doesn’t dress up?” William asked.
“I don’t need to. I’m a detective. This is what detectives look like.” Mac spread his arms and turned a circle. He took Stella’s hand and got out of the house with the kids walking in front of them.
Stella told the kids they have to say the magic words themselves if they wanted candies and never forgot to say thank you. Mac and Stella stayed a step behind them when they knocked on the neighbors’ doors.
They went home in about an hour later. Suddenly, someone in a gorilla costume blocked their road. Stella grabbed her babies to her sides. Mac stepped forward but the gorilla gave him an OK gesture. Mac stayed close to his family.
The gorilla crouched in front of Sophia and howled. Sophia looked at it quietly then bashed her little basket with candies onto its head. William joined his sister to attack the gorilla. Their parents watched them amusingly.
“Stop, stop, stop. It’s me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Mac and Stella stopped the twins. The gorilla pulled off his mask. It was Reed.
“Reed!” William and Sophia cried delightedly.
“Reed?” Stella laughed out loud. “You said you have plans when I asked you to have dinner with us tonight.”
Reed sat on the ground and laughed. “Yeah. I planned to surprise these two little guys.”
Mac chuckled. “It seems you are the one who was surprised. You’re lucky Stella didn’t kick you.” He gave Reed a hand to help him up.
“Yeah. I should’ve told you. I’m sorry.” Reed took the twins’ hands. “You two hit me really hard. You know that?”
“I can give you candies.” Sophia said. Then she realized her candies were gone. She licked her little lips. “Hmm. You said ‘trick or treat’, Mommy give you candies.”
“I have candies.” William took a few cadies out from his costume’s pocket and offered to Reed and Sophia.
“Alright. Let’s go home.” Mac said. He grabbed Stella by the waist and went home with the kids.