Another Charge by Alexa Padgett

Author:Alexa Padgett [Padgett, Alexa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sidecar Press, Inc.

The season sped through October, and Paloma brought Trixie and her friends up to the team offices after school for a small Halloween party. A few of the guys had young kids, as did more of our staff, and I enjoyed their squeals and laughter as they ran through the impromptu “haunted house” the marketing and PR department had created out of chairs, printer paper, sweaters, and other odds and ends.

“Good call on this one,” I said, arms crossed and feet braced as I watched Trix, Melanie, and Cordelia help some of the toddlers through the “tunnel” of conference room chairs.

Paloma smiled up at me. “Brody and Hastings loved to visit their parents’ company, though that didn’t happen very often. When it did, it was always a big treat—like Halloween.”

Her face fell after a moment, but she held tight to the smile.

“Haven’t heard from them?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Brody’s enjoying his year in Europe—he met a girl—and Hastings is busy with his classes.”

Too busy to contact the woman who’d raised them? I frowned, not liking how lost she seemed.

I cleared my throat. “So, let’s go over the schedule for tomorrow. I’ll be home at four thirty so we can hit the school’s party by six.”

“After dinner,” Paloma said.

She’d been firm on this, explaining that if Beatrix didn’t eat before she loaded up on sugar, she’d be sick the next day.

“And we’re really not going door to door?” I asked.

Paloma arched an eyebrow. “Between the houses in your neighborhood? How many of your neighbors have kids? And we’d work off any candy we got between the locked gates.”

I grumbled but had to admit she had a point. Still, that was one piece of my childhood I’d enjoyed, and I disliked Trix missing out.

Until I got to the school’s party. The next evening my eyes bugged at the decorations and the multitude of costumes. Each classroom was its own “house” where the teacher or a parent handed the kids candy. The gym was a haunted mansion, and the auditorium was filled with kids and parents enjoying something called a cakewalk and other games.

“There are bouncy houses outside,” Paloma said.

“Jesus. It’s every kid’s dream,” I muttered.

Paloma laughed, even as Trixie tugged her hand, eyes alight, and barreled toward the first “house.”

My heart melted when Paloma bent down and whispered in her ear, making Trix glance back. Her happy grin and bright eyes made the next move sweeter: she grabbed my hand and asked me to walk her down the hallway. I did so with great pride, a deep swelling in my chest as Trixie or Paloma introduced me to other families and staff.

By the end of the night, I was sure Paloma had been right. This was the way to do Halloween.

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