Happy Halloween

I look up when Joey walks into the living room. "Are you almost ready to go to my friend Phoebe's Halloween party?"

I smile. "You mean the one that threw the mascaraed ball last year?"

Joey nods and if it's possible, my smile grows wider.

"What's going on?" Joey asks.

"Jo, last year at the party, I met a woman. She was really amazing. We started talking and when I asked her to dance, she surprisingly didn't laugh at me and walk away. She was a really good dancer and we had some things in common. She had to go soon after that. Once she was gone, I realized that I had forgotten to ask her for her number." It was strange that I had such a fast connection with her. I doubt that she would feel the same way about me.

Joey nods. "Do you know her name?"

I shake my head and sigh. "And she had a mask on. Who even knows if I will recognize her when I see her? What if she doesn't remember me? What if our meeting didn't mean as much to her?"

Joey pats me on the back. "Dude you need to calm down. I've never seen you this wrapped on a girl before."

He's right. I do need to calm down. It's crazy that after a year, this woman is still on my mind and I really hope that tonight we are able to reconnect. I don't think that the chances of that are high, but it would be nice.

Our costumes were Joey's idea. I'm batman and he's robin. I am sure we might look ridiculous but he's my best friend and I couldn't tell him no.

We walk into phoebe's house. And although the chances are slim to none, I search the room for the woman I met last year. Just hoping that I will see her once again. And this time I will actually remember to ask her for her name and for her phone number. There is no way that I will let her slip through my fingers again.

After saying hi to Phoebe, I go to the snack table and grab some punch. But when I grab the spoon to get myself some, someone else grabs it at the same time.

We both laugh and say sorry at the same time.

We both look up at each other. I recognize her voice and her medium length raven colored hair. This time though, no mask.

She looks at me for a moment before she says anything to me. "You look familiar."

I nod. "I think we met last year. At the mascaraed ball. We talked, danced."

She nods, looking like she is remembering. "Oh yeah. You had on a white tux. Am I right?"

I smile. "Yes."

"Well I was hoping I would see you here." Was that the wrong thing for me to say to her? I don't want to seem needy.

She puts her hand on my forearm and leans in to whisper to me. "You know what? I was too."

What? She actually agrees with me? This is huge.

I put my hand out for her to take it. "Do you care to dance?"

She puts her hand in mine. "Gladly."

I lead her out onto the dance floor. When the song finishes, a slow song comes on. I still want to dance but am not so sure that she wants to. But she keeps one hand in mine and puts her other on my shoulder. That's my cue. I pull her close and we begin to dance.

We dance for so long that people start clearing out to mingle. But we still dance.

"What's your name?" I ask her when the song ends. We danced for so long that my feet ache.

"Monica."

I shake her hand. "That's a beautiful name. Mine is Chandler."

This is where women usually laugh at my name.

"Chandler. I like that."

When she doesn't laugh, I am taken completely off guard. "You do?"

When I look at her, she is smiling at me. "Yes I do."

I didn't even talk to anyone else. I had no desire too. I just wanted to be with Monica.

But it got later and later. People were starting to leave. I look at my phone and realize that it's a little after 11.

"Wow time sure did fly by." I swallow hard, a little nervous to ask her what I had been wanting to ask for a few hours now. "Do you think it would be ok if I got your phone number?"

"And I thought you would never ask."

I give her my phone and she puts her phone number in it.

She grabs her jacket. "I should get going. It's late."

I put my hand on her back. "Can I walk you to your car?"

She accepts and I walk her out. Funny thing is, we are parked right next to each other.

I open her car door for her and she gets in. "Have a good night Chandler."

"You do the same Monica."

I shut the car door and watch her drive away.

"And then what happened daddy?" My 5 year old daughter, Aria asks me. She looks so cute in her ballerina Halloween costume.

"Well, I called her a few days later and we had our first date. We went out to dinner and then we went ice skating. We had a great time.

Aria smiles and claps her hands. "That was a good story daddy."

"Are you ready to go trick or treating?" Monica asks as she walks into the room with our son in her arms. He's 6 months old and this is his first Halloween. He is the cutest puppy dog that I have ever seen.

I stand up and take the baby from her. "You are adorable baby Wade." He likes his costume much more than Aria did on her first Halloween. But she was younger than him. Only 3 months old.

Aria is so excited to be trick or treating this year. She walks over to her mother and hugs her legs.

"Daddy told me the story or how you started dating."

I wink at Monica and she smiles at me.

"Oh yes. Phoebe's Halloween party 8 years ago. That's a good story."

I walk over and put my forehead against hers. "My favorite one.