Page 74 of The King of Halloween
“And sure, the Terror Barn up by Round Lake has fog, actors, chainsaws, things that shove you into walls and grab your ankles. Oh, and authentic props from classic horror movies like The Raven’s Revenge, but does it have heart? And a bowl of grapes that feel like eyeballs?”
All three of the kids in that awkward, new-teenage stage stared at each other, then him.
“Sounds freakin’ awesome.”
“Freakin? Really?”
“I don’t want my grandma to hear. She’ll tear my ears off if I curse.”
Adam did his best to not linger on their little tête-à-tête. When they looked up, he suddenly had to sweep the leaves off the lamppost base.
“Forget this shit, man. Let’s go to a real haunt.”
“Yeah.” The other boys agreed with onion. They took off for their bikes as if they wouldn’t be begging their moms to drive them to the haunt and probably spot them a twenty.
“Wait. Don’t you want to see my mummy made out of toilet paper?” Adam called to the retreating kids.
One paused, dug a pinecone out of his pocket, and tossed it at his window. The vandalism was noted and ignored. Certain they just outsmarted an adult, the kids tore off. No doubt they’d be telling everyone at school about this awesome haunt that’ll scare their pants off.
Adam couldn’t stop the smile if he wanted to. His insides felt all gooey at his good deed. Or maybe it was the thought of what he was going to do to Raj tonight back at his place. Candles, romantic music, rich food—all pointless. He had everything he needed right…
“Honey.”
“Hey, ma.” Adam jerked his brain right back to innocent thoughts of kids screaming so hard they shit themselves. “Visiting Gloria’s for the day?”
His mother touched her freshly trimmed and curled hair that shimmered with a silver dye job. “What do you think?”
“It’s lovely. Makes you look thirty years younger.”
“Stop.” She blushed at the easy compliment. His mother had been dying her hair silver since the first white hair came in. She’d said that, this way, people would think she was older than she really was, so when she fully turned gray, they’d all think she aged gracefully. It was a convoluted kind of logic that Adam could almost understand.
He wouldn’t turn down a silver fox for certain.
Ooh, Raj with gray at his temples. Damn…
“What are you doing tonight?”
Adam knew how to dodge that trap instantly. “Sorry, Mom. I can’t join you for spades.”
“Why not? Joyce cheats.” His mother harrumphed. She’d been attending spades night every Thursday for as long as he could remember. And, for as long as he and his sister were able to, they always had plans on Thursday. It was why he joined the city council in the first place.
“Sorry. Halloween meeting tonight,” Adam said.
“But those end by seven. You can still get in one game,” his mother cajoled. She must be steamed about last week’s game. She never pushed this hard.
Lucky for Adam, he had other plans. Ones he couldn’t break. “I’ve got something else going on after that, Mom.”
“Really? What is it?” She pressed her lips together in thought, then snapped her fingers. “A date?”
“What?” Adam recoiled, dooming himself.
“Oh my goodness, it is? I was only guessing. With who? Please tell me it’s the nice man from the apple festival.”
“Ma.”
“He was so kind to buy up all of those apples after we had a little oopsie. And he’s easy on the eyes. Reminds me a bit of your father when he was young.”
“Oh my god, Mom. I do not need to hear this.” Adam slammed his hands over his ears, but his mother had slipped right past needling to planning Adam’s wedding.
