Patrick's Story Pt. 02

"How in the hell did you get Pat's face all gross like that?" Chuck kisses his wife's cheek.

"Trade secrets." Kris winks at her husband. "And about a gallon of latex."

Both husband and wife smile at each other. It's then that there's a knock at the door. Ollie dog, in his ridiculous lady bug costume, letting everyone know there were guests.

"That'll be the guys!" Pat grins and lurches to the front doors, throwing both open to about 8 boys, all in Hallowe'en costumes. Shawn's is the most extensive. An entire fur suit.

"What the hell....Shawn?" Kris can't stop laughing at all the costumes.

"I'm the abominable snow man!" Shawn grins, face covered in white fur.

"Ya you are!" Chuck laughs and laughs, taking Shawn's bags. Soren Lindesson will be out of town for the next 7 days, and it was customary that Shawn would be staying with the Jaxton's.

After that is a flurry of boys voices as the kids all get shoes on, ready to begin trick or treating.

"We'll be back at 8 Mom!" Pat shouts, taking Feline with one hand and their dog, Ollie's leash in the other marching everyone out the door with the rest of the boys.

"Good cuz everyone will be here by then!" Kris smiles, chuckling at her children, and their dog, in their costumes as she snaps pictures. "Including the new family down the street."

Husband and wife watch the troupe get into several cars with other parents where they will head into town, to scare all the locals and come back with pillowcases filled to the brim with candy.

The first of the guests start to arrive just as Kristine is putting on her devil horns, red glossy lipstick shining.

"CHUCK! Al and Nancy are here!" she calls, opening the door to their friends. Alistair O'Connor is dressed in a 1700's costume, as is his wife Nancy. Huge billowing dress making it almost hard for her to navigate around the large, sprawling rancher.

"Damn, you guys look amazing!" Kris smiles. "Wow."

"Shit Kris...Now that's a devil I wouldn't mind selling my soul to." Alistair grins as his wife elbows him in the stomach. "Oof." he affects.

Kristine is in a skin tight, fishtail hem, red vinyl dress. Black fishnet stockings, red pointed devil's tail and red devil's horns attached to a headband that lights up. Her makeup is no less impressive. Gorgeous, deep smokey eyes and red lacquered lips.

"Thanks Al." Kristine kisses Nancy's cheeks and Alistair's as her husband comes out of the bedroom dressed only in gold gladiator sandals, laced up to his knees, a white loincloth and huge, white feather wings.

"O wow Chuck! Those wings!" Nancy giggles.

"Not bad eh? Feline helped." Chuck nods, gold halo in his hands. "Honey?" he hands the halo over and his wife lays it on his head, adjusting the wire, so it sits straight.

"You made those?" Alistair's low whistle. "That must've taken ages!"

"God ya. You should see the garage." Chuck laughs. "Looks like 100 chickens met their doom in there."

All four have a laugh as the doorbell rings again.

"I'll get it, honey." Kris dashes over to the door in stiletto high heels.

"O HI! Chuck! It's the Simmon's! Come on in, make yourself at home. My goodness, your costumes!" Kris gushes as the new neighbors from down the road usher in their son ahead of themselves.

"Thanks, Kristine, for inviting us." Naomi Simmons, a beautiful brunette now dressed to the 9's as a Poison Ivy kisses her new friend's cheek. "It's hard for Chad to meet people, being new and all."

"No problem Nome's." Kris smiles, and shuts the door behind the trio.

"Well, Troy, what the hell are you supposed to be?" Kris' smirk is obvious as she is puzzling over Naomi's husband's ensemble.

"Why, I'm Rumplestiltskin!" Troy bellows.

"O, I get it! The straw." Kris smiles, motioning to Troy Simmon's pockets filled with straw in one side, and gold strands of rope in the other.

"You going to trade me your firstborn?" Troy chuckles.

"Nah. I kinda like him." Kristine grins. And all three have a laugh.

"Hi Chad." Kristine greets the lanky 12-year-old in front of her, hardly recognizable in his Joker costume. "You look great! The kids will be back soon."

Chad grins. He hasn't met his new neighbors yet, but he was excited to.

"Not trick or treating with all the kids?" Charles strolls into the foyer, taking the coats of his new neighbors.

"Went out earlier." Chad mutters, "Thanks Mr. J."

"You betcha. And it's Chuck, ok? Or Charles. Whichever." Chuck shrugs.

After that it's a steady stream of parents, some carrying young children, everyone in Halloween costumes.

Kristine and Charles start serving up drinks, and soon the whole house and deck are filled with party goers laughing and having a great time.

Several hours later is when the troupe of kids, and dog, arrive back at the Jaxton's. Bags filled to the top with candy that will rot the teeth right out of their heads.

Shawn zeros right in on the lone boy on the couch, playing video games and looking very much awkward.

"Hey." he plunks himself down, hand extended. "I'm Shawn."

"Uh Hi." Chad shakes Shawn's hand. "Chad Simmons. I live..."

"O, you're the new neighbor!" Pat bounds over and slams himself down next to Chad. "Nice to meet ya, dude!"

All three boys smile at one another and then begin asking about their costumes.

"BABY BEAR!" Chuck scoops his little vampire up and lays a big kiss on her cheek.

"DAD!" Feline laughs. "STOP!"

"No way. My costume's a big hit thanks to you." Father lays several more kisses on his child. He's been drinking, and is feeling no pain.

Feline giggles and hugs her dad, eyes shining.

"So did you kids score or what?" Chuck peruses his children's pillow cases. Each of them must weigh 20 pounds. "God, how did you guys tow all this back here?"

"She didn't." Shawn laughs. "She made us carry it!"

Pat rolls his eyes and smiles. "Little sisters, am I right?'

The party is fantastic. Chad is fully integrated into the group now and is elated to find out he fell in with surfers. Having left his hometown of San Jose, he'd been surfing his whole life, and wasn't going to give it up any time soon. The living room is a hive of energy as the boys talk excitedly about the sick sessions they had planned for tomorrow.

And then Kristine turns the music down, tapping a fork against a partially filled wine glass.

"We have a birthday here, tonight!" she announces. And Shawn's face turns deep red, fully visible even under all the fur, now coming off in patches as the night wears on.

"Shawn?" Kris turns to the boy in the yeti costume seated between Chad and Patrick. Little Feline perched on his knee munching candy from her bag.

Shawn is flustered. He wasn't expecting this at all. The surprise is heart-warming as Chuck Jaxton pulls a long box from under the stairs out into the living room.

All of a sudden, Alistair and Nancy come out of the kitchen, a giant cake in their hands with 12 candles lit and glowing on top.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!" the room begins, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

Pat elbows his best friend and grins as everyone sings the rest of the song properly, and he adds in his two cents:

"YOU LOOK LIKE A DONKEY AND YOU SMELL LIKE ONE TOO!!!!"

The room erupts in cheers. And Shawn has the biggest grin on his face.

When he blows out the candles, only one is left. It takes Shawn two more times to blow it out, and all his friends razz him about the girlfriend that means he has.

After that, it's cake. Shawn's favorite. Chocolate fudge with white icing. And when Chuck makes him open that giant present in front of everyone, he's nervous, rubbing his shoulder with a hand that lets everyone know he's suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

The paper is beautiful. Black with foil balloons all over it. He almost doesn't want to rip it open, as everyone encourages him.

Inside is a Santa Cruz longboard. Same brand as his best friend Pat's. A street cruiser! One he had been asking his dad for, for a year. His dad, who left tonight and would be out of town for a week, who handed him a check for his birthday and not even a card.

Shawn weeps, and doesn't even try to hide it as Kristine and Chuck embrace him. Followed by Pat and Feline.

"You guys are amazing. THANK YOU!" Shawn's visibly crying now, and so is Kristine.

"Outdid yourself Dad. Mom." Pat smiles, rubbing the back of his very best friend, consoling him.

"Why is he crying?" Feline asks her mother. "He doesn't like the present?" she asks, troubled.

"No, Baby Bear, those are happy tears." Kris tells her daughter.

Satisfied with that, Feline hugs Shawn and tells him he's the best big brother in the world. Him and Pat. And with that Shawn sheds fresh tears, weeping for the family he always wished he had, and now does. Squeezing Pat and smiling.

"Can we have more cake now?" Shawn asks, dashing tears away.

The room laughs. Ollie dog barking his fool head off happily. And by the end of the night, not one crumb of that cake is left.

~to be continued~