It was October the 31st and Chris Shah had passed out in bed, purely because he really didn't want to do the trick or treat round with Sophia, so he left it to his wife, his wife who was so gullible she would believe he had a hard day at work and let him sleep. Well hard was one way of putting it he thought to himself with a smile, his secretary certainly had a knack of fixing that though...

Sahira was getting little 5 year old Sophia ready for trick or treating, she'd been bouncing off the walls since the end of September in preparation for the one night when it was okay to go and beg for sweets. Sahira stood back and admired her work, little Sophia looked like the dearest little corpse bride she had ever seen, with fake cobwebs on her long dark hair, white face powder making her look pale as anything and black eyeliner slicked on so thick she looked like a panda. Her dress looked great as well, a knee length netted affair with a fake corset top, purple and black with an orange pumpkin sweet holder from the local supermarket.

"Chris!" she called up the stairs "Come on, it's time to go!" she elaborated. Basically telling him to come down with a, hopefully wrapped up, Indie and come with her. When there was no answer she trudged up the stairs and threw open the bedroom door to find him changed into his pyjama's and wrapped up in bed. Her face softened a little and she texted Greg

Feel like trick or treating with me? X

Sure, what costume are you gonna wear? ;) XXX

Behave! And I'm not dressing up, Chris fell asleep and I don't want to go by myself X

Happy to be a help, I'll be there in 5 minutes XXX

Sahira smiled to herself, Sophia was eager to leave and Sahira told her she had to wait five minutes, she nodded with a sigh and went into the lounge to loll on the sofa until they could go. Greg polled up a few minutes later, and Sahira nearly collapsed in laughter, he had painted his face white and had fake blood coming out the corner of his mouth. He immediately attacked Sahira with a makeup pad until she looked similar and she gave him a withering look.

"Sophia! Come on, we can go now!" she called into the living room and her little girl bounded out, exited, bright eyed, and bushy tailed. She dashed down the path, not even asking who Greg was. She had harassed 3 households by the time Greg and Sahira caught up with her, and was nearly always ahead of them, only slowing to cross the dead roads in the maze of cul de sacs they lived in.

The threesome was on the home stretch when a group of yelling boys ran past them, throwing eggs at Sahira and Greg. One landed on Greg's jacket with a splat, but Sahira caught the brunt of the attack, three were running gloopily down her hair and two had splattered all over her green hoodie. She sighed and carried on walking, picking pieces of egg shell out of her hair, giving up when her hands were covered and she had just succeeded in driving them further into her mess of hair.

Sophia reached home long before they did, and was in the kitchen putting her sweets in the fridge before heading to the downstairs bathroom to scrub her face and comb her hair. Sahira grabbed a hair brush and started running water in the kitchen sink, she dragged the brush through the tangles mess of hair, egg white and yolk mixing together and running out of her hair in an orange mixture, and being washed down the sink. Greg came in and started picking pieces of egg shell out of her hair.

"You don't have to do this..." she started to tell him but he cut her off

"No, I don't, but I want to" he replied and Sahira's heart just about melted

She heard Sophia run upstairs to bed, stopping to say goodnight to her dad as she went, Sahira let Greg carry on picking the debris from her hair.

"Mum!" Sophia called down the stairs in a panicked and confused voice, Sahira's brow wrinkled and she dashed up the stairs closely followed by a curious Greg, she went into her bedroom to find her husband. In bed. With his secretary.

She jumped up, still in her bra and pants, gathering her clothes as she went, and left in a hurry. Chris leapt out of bed after she had gone

"Get out." Sahira told him simply

"But..." he started to say

"Just go." She spat back at him

"But where am I meant to go?" he asked helplessly

"I don't know? How about with your whore?" he gathered his clothes and left meekly

"Sophia, go to bed." The little girl obeyed, walking into her room and falling to sleep confused and horror struck.

Sahira had a shower whilst Greg waited downstairs. She joined him wearing an old pair of pyjama shorts, a tank top and a hoodie, her face was scrubbed clean of the makeup that had been light heartedly put on at the beginning of the night and it looked as though she had been crying her eyes out. Greg stood immediately, enveloping her in a massive hug. She let a great shuddering sob wrack her body and then she started to cry again. She cried and cried and cried and cried. It had been 9 when they had arrived home, and it was only midnight when the tears stopped, they sat down and Sahira rest her head on Greg's chest, she cried some more and he stroked her hair until she fell asleep, Greg carried her into the spare room, guessing she wouldn't want to sleep in her own bed tonight, and curled up on the armchair in the corner of the room as she slept soundly.