"The soup is terrific!" Daniel was an appreciative eater. Sitting to eat was one of the few times Larkin saw him still. Together for a midday meal the three of them slurped the thick and savory chicken soup.
"There's still time to join the kids for Trunk and Treat, Larkin. Ready to go into town?" The Catholic church cleverly matched up the first of the Holiday Bazaars with the dress your car and treat kids to the booty of lots of sugar in bowls and sacks filling your truck; and a place to dress-up in costumes plain or fancy.
"Yup!" The girl had been in costume all day. The embroidered spider webs and bouncy spider tiare might become an everyday costume, it would make no never mind. Larkin was not without lots of friends, if she wanted them. Two at a time was plenty, and a gaggle like would be at the church this afternoon was a once in awhile deal for the mostly solitary November-born.
Larkin and Daniel made sure every last bit of the soup was relished. "There's apple pie for later," Calypso reminded. "If there's room after all that candy." She eyed Daniel with that comment. They both knew the girl had a sweet tooth. "And those needles will be wanting to be tied and colored with thread tonight. Just waiting for your strong little fingers to fiddle with their bellies and give them their dancin' boots." Luckily, the rain had stopped. Larkin kept her rubber boots on. They looked great under the threads stitched into Lanalana's great webs. The tiare bounced on her bare head.
"We'll be back before dark," Daniel promised. He knew the importance of making the Pine Needle Dancers. And, he wouldn't mind sitting for a few sips of Calypso's apple brandy tonight. Four years. He missed her just as much tonight, as that first night. Fixing, helped. But then ... not everything could be fixed. Calypso puckered up for kisses from both of them. Then shooed them like flies too long buzzing around good food.
Left to herself, Calypso washed up the soup bowls, and reset them on the table for later. They'd made an extra big patch. Everyone would enjoy one more bowl tonight. The chicken's needed feeding and watering, and then she'd pull out the bundles of colorful threads. The box of Pine Needles gathered earlier in the season had cured and were nice and dry. That's all it took to make the simple dancers made from the fallen hair of Pines.
"Simple magic, my darling daughter. How I miss you most on this day," Halloween had always been their favorite time. It seemed wrong to her father, good traditional Catholic he frowned on the ghoulishness of all those skeletons and the reminders of death. But his ill-humor was rubbed smooth over the years of marriage. "Life and death Chaco. One and the other." Chaco was her nickname for Charlie Ornellas. Weighing life and death in each palm, she turned the would be argument into a dance. Seducing him with her beauty and her joy for life, Calypso Sr. her mother poured life rich and plenty into her family.
They were ... all very close on Halloween Night. More were still coming, and it should prove to be an interesting time. After the chickens she reminded herself. She meant, the frozen apple pies could sit out till after the chickens were fed.
But really, she knew there were other things to do to prepare for tonight. At least four visitors would need a handful of needles and lengths of colorful thread.
What's next?
Find out here.
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