Page 67 of Stained Hearts
Oh, fuck off.
Chapter Sixteen
HAVING AIDENwith me constantly opened up new avenues of emotions for me. I would wake up early in the morning, make a pot of coffee, then go back into the bedroom and sit in my chair so I could watch him until he opened his eyes. There was something about him waking up that I couldn’t explain. The sleepy smile he gave when he saw me sitting in the chair across from the bed started the day in the best of ways.
“How long have you been sitting there this time?”
“Just a few minutes. Does it bother you?”
He shook his head. “Nope. You might not believe this, but seeing you makes waking up worthwhile.”
I peered out the window. The leaves had started falling, and a scent of frost was in the air. Halloween was only two weeks away, and it would be the first time in years that the house was decorated. Aiden wanted pumpkins and ghosts and ghoulies—but not witches, which he said was stereotypical and offensive to his friend Elise, who was a practicing Wiccan.
Olivia had warned me that Halloween was Aiden’s second-favorite holiday, behind Christmas. I asked if that was because of the limitless candy bowl, and she chuckled and said I was learning. I’d gone out and bought double the amount I thought we’d give away, just so he’d have something to snack on.
“What are you going as for Halloween?”
He blinked twice. “Nothing. I was going to stay here and hand out candy.”
“You mean, eat candy.”
“Tomato, tomahto.” He stuck out his tongue. “Why would I need to go as anything?”
“You have the house done up likeTheNightmare Before Christmas, so why would you wear plain clothes?” I went to him and lay down beside him. “Think big. You said you were planning on being in the chair to hand things out, right? So let’s look up costumes that will work for someone using a mobility device.”
His eyes sparkled. “Really?”
“Sure. And I’ll get something for me, so the two of us can sit out on the porch together and hand out whatever you don’t eat.”
“Well, there was something I saw that I thought would be perfect for me.”
“All right, tell me.”
He grinned. “It makes me look like a prisoner in an electric chair. We could get me a prisoner outfit, and I could sit there with an aluminum foil helmet on, hooked up to look like electrodes.”
“That’s brilliant!”
He snickered. “Glad you think so. I wanted to do it last year, but Livvy said it was morbid.”
“Nah, morbid would be if we got you made up to look like the whole after-electrocution thing. It’s going to be hard to top that.”
“You could go as the warden. Big bushy mustache, dark sunglasses, and the sexy cop uniform. Then when people come, you can pretend to throw a switch and I could yell and writhe.”
I shook my head. “So you’re saying you’re trying to traumatize the kids.”
“No!” He rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to see if they’re worthy of the candy.”
“You want them to run away so you can have more.”
He busted out laughing. “See?Nowyou’re getting it!” He calmed down and put a hand on my side. “You’re really okay with this?”
“Hell yes!” I reached out and put my hand atop his. “It makes you happy, so I want that for you.”
“You know, I still haven’t finished your window.”
“Yeah, I’m aware.” It didn’t matter. I’d rather have Aiden than the window anyway. “It’s fine.”
“Uh-uh. It’s a sucky thing to do.”
