“You know, my mom should have been my teacher. But I’m glad it was you.”

Her eyes tear up, and she clears her throat. “Get the fuck outta here.”

Chapter nineSamhain

By Thursday, I’ve given up on meditating. I’ve tried countless crystal combinations, to no avail. I remind myself it’s only been a few days, and I just need a break. Instead, I focus on the Samhain-Halloween open house celebration, which I’m beyond excited for. With the lack of time due to schoolwork, my job, and the folklore research, I couldn’t pull together a new costume. So, I don my witch costume. I know. So original.

Halfway to the Pumpkin House, I remove my hooded black cape. Samhain weather is supposed to provide cool, crisp air for a mysterious ambiance. A near eighty-degree temp and high humidity hardly sets the tone for creepy. But the surge in warm temperatures will permit the open house to spill out onto the front porch and backyard, a blessing in disguise. We’re expecting the Victorian building to be busting with townies and their costumed little ones.

I scuttle across the street in my black high-heeled boots—the worst part about this costume. But Archie won’t complain. Elijah is carrying a large cooler up the steps when I arrive. He’s dressed as a superhero, and his blue cape gets caught on the screen door.

“Let me help you,” I say, grabbing the wooden edge. “You’re stuck.”

“Thank you, Gwyn. You are certainly ready for the Halloween part of tonight. Wait a minute. Haven’t you worn that costume before?”

“Yeah. At the first celebration, actually,” I say with a raise of my eyebrows.

He laughs, his bass voice filling the foyer as we enter. “I remember. That’s the night it all started for you. Any regrets now?”

“No. Except I wish I’d had time to create a different outfit for tonight. I had to make it slightly less sexy. We must give a good impression. Children are coming, and the city council, too. The kids will flock to you like a magnet, though.”

“That’s the plan.”

Elijah carries the cooler to the dining room where the young witches have set up the refreshment tables. They have on costumes for the occasion and are carrying on like little kids. Spence and Tanner wear pirates’ clothing. Tyler and Zoe came as condiments, ketchup and mustard. Skye and Zach are dressed as Frankenstein and his bride. I approach them, wobbling in my high heels.

“Blessed Samhain, everyone. And Happy Halloween. It appears you have everything ready for the open house. Anything I can do?”

“Happy Samhain,” they say at random.

I hug my son. “Thanks for showing up early.”

“Hi, Mom,” Tyler says. “Nah. Most of the food is on the table.”

“Except for the candy. I hope we don’t run out.” Tanner pours chocolate candy bars into a large plastic cauldron and grabs an enormous pumpkin to fill.

Spence turns up a corner of his mouth and adjusts his eye patch. “There better be some for me, matey.” He reaches into the cauldron.

“Keep your hands off these treats,” Zoe says, slapping his hand. “It’s for the kids when they come trick or treating.”

Sky snickers as she dumps ice into a cooler. “Don’t you feed him, Tanner?”

“His stomach is a bottomless pit,” he replies, nudging his partner. “It’s his endless fidgeting.”

“But you said you like it when I squirm.” Spence wiggles his eyebrows.

Zach laughs and shakes his head. “You’ll need to tone down the innuendos when the children arrive.”

Spence hugs Tanner. “I’m just messing around. I’ll be on my best behavior once this celebration gets going. We should have started these open houses after the Mitchells passed away. The town and campus missed their Halloween extravaganzas.” He raises his fingers, splaying them into fake fireworks.

“Dressing as a witch, Gwyn? Isn’t that kind of…redundant?” Zoe asks, chuckling. “Wait. Didn’t you wear that when…you know.”

Tyler squints at me. “Isn’t your witch costume new?”

My eyes flip back and forth between Spence and Zoe, pinching my lips together.

Spence guffaws. “I remember. That’s what you wore the night you cussed your husband out for cheating on you.”

I slap his arm. “Spence!” I peer at my son.

“You spoke with Dad?” he asks, his eyes narrowing. “In the Otherworld?”

I grimace. “Well, no. He crossed over here.”

Tanner glares at his partner. “Dude.”

“I’m sorry. You know I can’t control my mouth when I’m excited.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Mom?” Tyler asks, frowning at me.

My heart sinks, palpitations thumping loud enough to beat the band. “That was a stressful night. It’s how I discovered I was a witch. I’m sorry I didn’t explain what happened. Seeing your father was traumatic. We’ll chat about it later. I promise.”

He turns away from me and fills a platter with more cookies. The rest of the young witches go silent, creating a void as large as the Grand Canyon.

Spence shrugs and mouths, “Sorry, Gwyn.”

I gaze at my son, hoping he’ll forgive me once I explain. “Well, have fun tonight, everyone. If you need me, just shout. I’m going to help the others.”

I approach the parlor, where the older witches are setting up a few children’s games. Trinity, as usual, is dressed to the nines in a golden goddess dress with matching gold glitter eye shadow and lipstick, her jade-green eyes glowing like lasers. Shane has on a gnome costume complete with a pointed red hat. Ronnie and Derek have arrived, too. She’s wearing an enormous orange pumpkin costume, and her boyfriend has on a scarecrow outfit.

“You two are adorable,” I say. “How are you feeling, future mama?”

“Like a whale,” she replies. “I’ve never been this fat in my life. I don’t know how handsome here finds me attractive.”

Derek bends down and hugs her. “Stop, babe. You’re as gorgeous as ever.”

Archie chimes in. “He’s right. You are radiant.”

“You have less than two months left,” I say. “Enjoy the quiet time now. Once the baby arrives, the Otherworld will let loose.”

She grimaces. “That’s supposed to comfort me?”

I chuckle. “Sorry. Being realistic.”

“Well, you better be there to quell the chaos,” Ronnie says.

I hug her. “Of course I will.”

Archie is wearing all black. He’s slicked back his hair and applied super-white makeup to his pale skin and red lipstick to his lips. When he grins at me, false fangs appear—sexy. I chuckle and kiss his cheek.