All Hallows Eve

This effort was inspired by SleeperyJim's story Conversations 11. His is an excellent story and I hope that I have done as well. Happy Halloween, everybody! Oh, and there's no sex in this story, so if that's what you want you may as well look elsewhere.

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The old couple had spent a quiet day in the house, her preparing for the monsters and ghouls that would come to their door at sundown and later, and him keeping her entertained with stories and his proclamations of love. I suppose that to call them old is unfair. They had adult children and young grandchildren, but they say you are only as old as you feel; and on this day, they felt young. They had awoken together, lying side-by-side in the bed they shared for almost four decades. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; and in her eyes, he was the young man she married so many years ago.

They passed the day in quiet pleasure. She fixed a lunch and he told her how she was the finest cook in all the land. "I made you fat." she said. "You made me happy." he said.

They took a walk together in the late morning sun. They were unhurried and she greeted neighbors as they passed. He had always enjoyed the company of friends and neighbors, but it was enough just to be in their company. Nothing needed to be said. For her, it was different. There were social obligations, niceties that needed to be observed. The children would stop and greet them both. Somehow, he always remembered their names and she would remind them to stop at their door when they went out for Trick-or-Treat that night. They loved the little children that came to their door and wished it could be so every night of the year. If pushed, they would admit that they had a special fondness for all the little princesses and ballerinas that were too shy to speak, but who simply gave a shy and quiet "Trick or Treat" and held out their bags in anticipation with their parents standing behind them smiling. They would gush and compliment the children on their costumes and tell them to be careful in the dark. Excited children find it impossible to be careful, but they would remind them anyway.

On any other autumn day, she would rake the lawn or pull the last of the weeds as she put the garden to bed for the winter. On this day, she wanted only to spend the day with her husband. They sat on their back porch enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and talked about their life together, the friends they shared, the children they raised, and the grandchildren they wanted to spoil.

"David started school this year."

"Is he enjoying it?"

"He loves it! His mother says he races out the front door every morning, afraid he might miss the school bus."

"How is Margaret doing? I worry about her with those two young children. That's so much responsibility."

"She excels at motherhood. You should see her organizing those two kids, getting them up, fed, and out the door. She helps them both with their homework when they get home. Then there are the baths and bedtime stories. The next day she's up and does it all over again without complaint. George is working late most nights, trying to grow the business. I wish he'd take more time for the family, but they know he's doing it for them."

"I am so proud of that girl! We really did raise her right."

On any other day there were limitations and obligations, but on this day anything was possible. In their minds they saw their children growing old with their spouses, watched their grandchildren marry and have children of their own, and they spoke of the endless possibilities the future held for the family. These were happy thoughts of the life they shared and the lives they made. On this day there could be no sadness, no problems, and no loneliness.

Evening fell and the old couple made their way indoors before the cold air could penetrate their jackets. As night approached, the old woman warmed some stew from the fridge and put some apple cider on the stove. The cold winds of winter came earlier each year and tonight they would be standing by an open door for hours distributing candy to all the princesses and ballerinas, goblins and ghouls that came to their door. She, especially, would need something warm inside to keep out the chill.

In between the doorbell's chimes and the cries of "Trick or Treat!", the old couple sat on the sofa and talked. At times, they just sat in silence keeping their own thoughts and enjoying the time they had together. The doorbell chimed and when the old lady went to the door, she saw that it was her grandchildren and her daughter. The old man walked up behind her, touched her back, and smiled.

The children looked from her to him and back to her, back and forth with smiles on their faces as she heaped compliments on their costumes and admired their bags full of candy. The family visited for a few minutes, but their daughter knew there was only so much time in the evening.

The children said goodbye to the old couple, turned and started back to the car. Their mother hugged the old woman, "I love you, mom!" and then very quietly as if looking about the room at nothing in particular, "I miss you, dad." With sadness in her eyes she walked her children back to the car.

"Mommy, who was that man with grand mom?"

"That's a long story, sweetie. I'll tell you about it sometime."

"He seems nice, but he didn't talk to us at all."

"He can't, dear. I'm sure he wants to, but he can't." There were tears in her eyes and she fought to put on a brave face for the kids.

"He was all dressed up like he was going to church or something. How come?"

"That's also a long story, sweetie, that I can tell you when you are older."

"Did you like the way he was dressed, mom?"

"I couldn't see him, baby. I used to see him, but I got too old and now I can't anymore."

The last of the princesses and ballerinas had left their door just in time. They were very nearly out of candy. Young families were moving into the community and there were more children than in past years. It had been an especially busy night and the old woman made a mental note to buy more next year. The couple turned out the front porch light and settled in for the last hours of evening. They put music on the stereo and they danced together, taking their time, enjoying the moment for as long as it would last. They knew their day was ending soon and they both took one last moment to tell the other that they loved them and to share one last kiss. As the church bells struck midnight, and their lips parted, she watched him slowly fade into the ether. Her last sensation was of his hand on hers until even that was gone.

"Goodbye my love until next year." was all there was time to say.