Chapter 6

"Fancy meeting you here," Haley grinned at her husband when he entered the café two hours after she'd dropped him off at Deb's. She was settled at a table with Lily in her lap, both of them snacking on a basket of French fries.

"And what are you lovely ladies up to?" he bent forward placing kisses on both their foreheads.

"Pwetty," Lily held up her hands for Nathan to see that they'd been painted bright pink, "Hayee," she admonished pulling her hand up onto the table, and Nathan could see the French tips on her nails.

"Very pretty," Nathan winked at Haley, "what about your toes? Those get painted too?"

"Yeah," she squealed lifting her white-sandaled feet so he could see they were also bright pink.

"Very pretty, Lily," he smiled, when she reached up to him, "and what are you and Haley doing the rest of the day?"

"I thought we'd wait for you…in case you need me…or whatever--" she shrugged.

"Twick or Tweat," Lily interrupted.

"Oh sweetie, not until after dinner," Karen laughed, overhearing her daughter as she passed.

"Afer dinna?" she asked incredulously, turning to look at Nathan's smile and putting on a full-on pout for him.

"Now see that's not going to work, munchkin," he laughed.

"I know what you guys can do," Keith appeared at Nathan's other elbow, "go find costumes."

"No," Nathan immediately replied, sighing when he saw pouts on both Haley and Lily's face, "I'm sorry, but you just can't expect me to dress up."

"It could be fun," Haley chimed, "we are missing the costume party being held at the basketball house."

"I know, wouldn't believe how relieved I was when I knew I wouldn't have to be there," he grinned, "c'mon guys," he whined when they all eyed him again, "we don't have money to rent costumes."

"We'll cover it," Karen spoke up, smacking Keith's arm when he didn't reach for his wallet.

"No, you guys we can't ask you to do that," Haley sighed, "he's right though…oh well, it was a fun idea."

"Go, have fun," Karen took the credit card from Keith's hand placing it in Nathan's empty hand wrapping his fingers around it, "don't even think about arguing."

"Just bring me a receipt," Keith chuckled giving Nathan a pat, before moving to follow his wife back to the kitchen.

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"No," Nathan's pout was firmly in place as he looked at himself in the mirror…Haley'd been trying to convince him to exit the fitting room for the last five minutes.

"Just let me peek?" she pleaded, he sighed finally opening the door a very small crack, "hi."

"It's tights," he spoke softly stepping away from the door, her head coming all the way in the door, "it's too tight," he gestured to his groin.

"Good point," she laughed, "although, you look…delectable," she licked her lips with a sexy little eyes-roll-back-in-head move.

"You pulled that off without blushing," he grinned, when his words caused her cheeks to turn pink, "maybe not."

"Okay Mr. Kent…Lily and I got another idea anyway," she changed the subject, "try this on."

"The Scarecrow? The Scarecrow didn't have a female counterpart," he sighed, taking the costume from her hand.

"Clearly I've got some educating to do," she sighed, "I've already got mine if this fits."

"Okay give me a minute," he grumbled shutting the door once again and quickly, stripping off the confining garment.

"No Superman for your cousin Nathan," Haley dropped onto the bench next to the stroller which held Lily, "but I definitely think we should go with the scarecrow, don't you?"

"Barney," she pointed to the bright purple dinosaur costume that was hanging on the rack next to her, with excitement.

"I don't think anyone could get him to put that one on," Haley laughed, turning when she heard the squeak of the wooden door to the fitting room, "I like this," she grinned, "we just need to get a make-up kit to work on your face."

"Then can we go now?" he huffed, already turning back to the fitting room, still unbelieving that he'd been talked into this.

"Yes," she laughed taking the costume draped over the handle of Lily's stroller up to the front pushing the toddler along.

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"So you never did tell me who the scarecrow's female counterpart was," Nathan stood in front of the mirror in Karen's old bedroom, glancing over the make-up job, Haley and Karen had done on his face.

"What do you think?" She asked appearing the doorway, every piece of available skin was green and a dark black wig covered her long honey locks.

"I think you look amazing," he replied, eyeing the way the long black dress hugged around her curves before flowing outward from her hips, "but I don't remember the Wicked Witch of the West and the Scarecrow hooking up, unless you've seen a different version of The Wizard of Oz than I have."

"There was a book prequel to the movie, which was later made into a Broadway play called Wicked, in which it is learned that the Scarecrow, who's real name is Fiyero, and the Wicked Witch, who's real name is Elphaba, were lovers and that she'd accidentally turned him into a scarecrow in order to save his life," she replied, "…well that's the Broadway version I never had enough time to read the book, I'm sure some things are different."

"Then why did she try to kill him in the movie?"

"She didn't she was just trying to get her sister's shoes back, and Dorothy really was too much of a goodie-goodie if you ask me," she rolled her eyes, "so let's go we've got an anxious toddler to make the rounds with and Karen mentioned something about a costume party at Tric that I thought we could hit up."

"Sure, there is a very small chance I'll see anybody we actually graduated with," he rolled his eyes, following her out into the living room, where Karen was trying unsuccessfully to get Lily to sit still for a picture.

"Wouldn't Dorothy and the Scarecrow, have been a better combination?" Keith asked, spotting the two.

"Just trust me, honey," Karen laughed, handing Haley the pointy, black, witch's hat, that matched her dress, "Okay a picture of you two and then the three of you, and you guys can go."

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"Only one awkward moment with Tim, that's impressive," Nathan laughed as they entered through the side door of Lucas's room, Haley already had wig and hat in hand.

"I ran into Skills when we got there," she reminded, "but he was on his way out, apparently Bevin had just dumped him."

"Really?" he sighed, "I really thought they were going to make the long haul," he dropped back onto the bed, "you're dripping."

"I know," she laughed, grabbing one of the old towels Karen had given her for getting rid of the makeup once they got back, "you aren't doing much better, I'm going to shower and get all of this gunk off…you're welcome to join me."

"Doing the nasty in Karen's shower?" he wiggled his eyebrows jumping up to follow her.

"Just don't tell Lucas."