Another week had gone by and it was Halloween again. On the ninth anniversary of Spencer's birth, Diane checked herself into the hospital to get her tubes tied. Their baby-welcoming journey began on a Halloween night and it was going to end on a Halloween night. They had planned this ever since before Elizabeth's birth.
"I'm ready to be done," Diane had told Sam. He could only comply with his wife's wishes. Having four babies so relatively close in age couldn't have been easy on Diane. Though their was question after Maria's death if maybe Diane would change her mind. Nope, she was ready for this to be over.
She thought it stunk that she had to be in the hospital for Spencer's birthday and trick-or-treating. Though it had been a Friday so Diane decided to make the boys play hookie for the day. They had his birthday cake and ice cream for a most unconventional breakfast and they had them dressed in their Halloween costumes all day.
"Best birthday ever, Mom!" Spencer exclaimed as he hugged his mother goodbye.
"Even though I won't be here for trick-or-treating?" Diane asks, hugging him back.
"Who cares? I didn't have to go to school and I had cake for breakfast!"
Diane laughed and smiled all the way to the car. He was such a good boy and couldn't have made her parting more easier. Ernie, on the other hand was nervous, he didn't want to let his mother go.
"It's okay, honey, I'll be back," Diane reassured him with a kiss.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Good luck," Kelly Boyd, the babysitter, had said while hugging Diane.
"Thanks for everything," Diane replied, grateful for all of Kelly's help.
Sam and Diane had driven to the hospital in relative silence. A chapter in their live's was coming to an end and they were bracing themselves. October that had once been the month of wedded bliss and the birth of their firstborn had turned into the month of sorrow over Maria and now surgery.
Sam had kissed Diane as she was wheeled into the operating room and told her he loved her. She told him she loved him too and took a deep breath. Before she knew it she plunged into a deep sleep that seemed to end all too quickly. Sleep was hard to come by for her between the kids and her husband's late nights at work. She was rather quickly wheeled into a recovery room as she listened to the sound of kids outside trick-or-treating. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes. The moment was ruined by a knock on the door.
"The Malone Monster's are here!" Sam exclaimed.
"Oh, no!" Diane exclaimed back in mock horror as the door flung open. Peter Pan (Spencer) and Captain Hook (Ernie) came running up into their mother's bed in total excitement.
"Hey, be careful!" Sam scolds as he walks in with baby Tinkerbell (Elizabeth) in his arms.
"Oh, my beautiful children," she says taking Elizabeth from Sam with one arm and scooping up her boys in the other. Sam and Diane had truly come full circle.