Lori Wick Short Stories, Vol. 2 by Lori Wick

Author:Lori Wick
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736968416
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Halloween fell on a Tuesday. Although Nikki had seen advertisements for candy in the market’s newspaper ad, the day almost passed before she remembered what day it was. Living on such a quiet, dead-end street on the outskirts of town gave her little reason to plan. However, there were still Theo and Petra. She could not and would not want to forget them.

It was coming onto four o’clock when she put together a plate of cookies and headed down the street. Darkness was falling fast. The days were shorter now, and the very air smelled of winter. Nikki’s mittened hand knocked on the door, and even though she could see lights inside, she had to knock a second time before the door was answered.

“Hi, Theo,” Nikki began enthusiastically but cut off when she saw his face. “Everything okay?”

“No,” he said softly.

“Can I do anything?”

The little boy shrugged, looking miserable. Nikki peeked around the door and saw the cause of the problem. Petra was standing in the middle of the coffee table, her costume on but not in place. Obviously a hand-me-down of some sort, it hung from one shoulder and drooped at the waist. The little girl in question was just barely holding her tears.

“May I come in, Theo?”

He nodded and stepped back, closing the door behind her.

Nikki slipped the cookie plate onto the first available surface and approached the little girl. Huge tears seemed to do the impossible as they filled Petra’s lower lids but did not spill. Her chin quivered uncontrollably.

“Well, now.” Nikki’s voice was gentle. “It looks as if you could use a pin here and there.”

Petra made no reply.

“Mrs. Butram gone already?” Nikki asked, but the little girl remained mute. Nikki looked behind her to see Theo nod. It was only then that she realized he was already in his own costume; she thought he might be Zorro or Robin Hood but was afraid to ask. She turned back to the little girl. Dilapidated as the costume was, Nikki was quite certain she was supposed to be a princess.

“I think what we need here are a few tucks.” Nikki’s voice became suddenly businesslike. She glanced down to see a sewing basket lying on the sofa and began to go through it. She found thread and needle and a few large pins.

Nikki gently turned Petra until her back was to her and began to gather the excess material. It wouldn’t look all that great in the back, but at least the front would fit. Nikki was vaguely aware of Theo taking a chair to watch, but she said nothing to either child until she turned Petra to the front again and began working on the waist.

“I was a princess one year for Halloween,” Nikki mentioned conversationally, her eyes still on her hands. “I decided to do my own costume and made a horrible mess of it. My mother had offered to help, but I wanted to do it. When it was all over, she ended up making

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