Chapter 28
Halloween was finally here. Harmione wanted to go as a witch. She thought it matched her the best when we bought her the costume. She wasn't wrong, and she did look cute in it. It was a simple black dress, with tattered sleeves. The length of the costume came down to her feet.
"No boy is going to be looking at my little girl."
"Ben...she's 5..." Hope said as she helped Harmione into the costume.
"I want them to look at me Mommy!" Harmione shouted.
"What?" Hope said flabbergasted.
"No you don't baby." I retorted.
"But how can I get candy if they can't see me?"
Hope just laughed. Hope had curled the ends of Harmione's hair, and for the first time ever, let her wear make-up. Though Harmione only wanted lipstick, and it was a very vibrant red. Another touch to Harmione's ensemble was a witch's hat and Hope's bag latched to a belt around Harmione's waist. Harmione's teeth and fingers were already stained with chocolate we'd given her.
Hope and I decided to dress up as well. We were all invited to an Autumn Festival at Harmione's school. There would be food, dancing, games, a cakewalk, and a costume contest. Secretly hoping little Harmione wins.
Hope and I are going as vampires. Hope found this black lace corseted mid-calf length dress. It was sleeveless and had a bow at the neck. She also had on a pair of black heels, and fish net hoes. Her hair as shiny as ever, tossled into a beautiful up-do with small curls framing her face. Make-up of course, diamond studs in her ears and a helix ring piercing in the upper part of her right ear. She was stunning. God I love her. Beautiful as the day I married her. She was hot then, she's hot now. She made me sweat then, she makes me squirt now, and I really can't get enough of her. I kept all the thoughts to myself as Harmione was right there next to us. But God, Hope was a looker. I blushed like an idiot every time she looked at me. Oh me? I found a simple vampire costume you can find anywhere. Cheap with a cape. I guess cheesy at best. Our favorite touches to both of our costumes were the fake vampire teeth, that came out of a make-up kit.
"Can we go now?!" Harmione cried and ran for the door in excitement. "Mommy, Daddy, come on!" She ordered.
Hope scrunched her nose up at me and smiled.
"In a minute baby, you don't even have your shoes." Hope told her.
Harmione sighed and ran to her room. She came back with a pair of black high-top converse.
"Okay, put them on...hurry up." Hope said softly. I stared long and hard at her. She smiled, showing me her vampire teeth.
"Please bite me..." I said with a tremble. She grabbed my chin and pulled me close and kissed me. It was a strange feeling to feel her tongue on the tips of my fangs, as it probably was for her to feel mine on hers. The sensation aroused me. Abruptly, I felt a hand on my knee and it pressed as hard as it could. It was Harmione. She scooted between us trying to pry us apart.
"You guys are gross!" She said squeamishly. "Don't do that!"
"I just wanted to kiss your Daddy, is that wrong?" Hope asked.
"No, but Daddy's my date tonight so don't be doing that!" Harmione demanded and pointed her finger at Hope "scolding" her.
"I'm sorry...I didn't know." Hope said timidly.
"That's okay Mommy, you didn't know just don't do it again, okay?"
"Okay..."
"Okay what?" Harmione insisted.
"Okay mam?"
"Thank you!" Harmione shouted brightly. We taught her, her manners well. We laughed as Harmione skipped toward the door, her curls bouncing. We finally got to the school and the party was in the gymnasim. Once there, it was only then did I realize Harmione had her shoes on the wrong feet. The music played over the loud speaker, kids in costumes ran amok over the gym floor. I picked up Harmione and sat her on the bleachers. She could hardly contain her excitement. She was beyond giddy, and it was a little difficult to get her shoes situated respectively.
"Har...will you calm down." I ordered.
"Look Daddy!" She shouted and pointed. Hope and I looked across the floor, as Harmione's teacher Mrs. Brunner made her way over to us. She has on a bright pink ball gown, with huge puffy sleeves.
"You look just like a Princess!" Harmione exclaimed.
"Well, thank you Harmione that's because I am." Mrs. Brunner responded cheerfully. "I came to tell you I made goodie bags for all the children, would you like one Harmione?"
Harmione turned to us and we nodded in approval; we watched as Mrs. Brunner led Harmione by the hand to a table of bags. Hope looked around.
"Hope?"
"Hm?"
"It's gonna be awful hard to put her to bed tonight."
"Yeah, I know."
"You hungry?"
"Yeah."
I took her by the hand over to a table. The school set up a small feast of mini corn dogs, mini pizzas, mini burgers, peanut butter and jelly kabobs, mini meatballs, chicken fingers, and chips and dip. The candy and dessert table looked even more appetizing. The school really went all out.
"I'm glad to be here...we didn't have this when I was Harmione's age." Hope said as she made herself a plate.
"I'm just glad you're here with me." I replied and reached over her for a meatball.
Hope and I sat on the bleachers to eat. We watched Harmione from afar. She found a couple of her schoolmates and danced with them. Harmione danced just like her mother whenever she heard music. I smiled widely at Harmione, and ate some of my chip and dip. Harmione seemed to be having a good time. I was ecstatic for her. She needed this. I wiped my mouth off on a Halloween themed napkin and took a bite of a brownie I found on the dessert table. Abruptly, Hope gasped and her punch fell from her hand. I wasn't aware of what happened until her cup hit the floor. I jumped up.
"Ah geez!" I shouted. "I'll get some napkins."
"Ben..." She mumbled.
I leaned toward her closely.
"What is it?" I asked. "What's the matter?
"I...I feel really weak...it's weird...and I'm...I'm cold..."
I took my cape off and draped it around her.
"Is that better?"
"I...I think I just need to get some air."
"O...okay, come on Angel."
I helped her off the bleachers. I took one look back at Harmione. She was alright, eating candy with her class. I thought she'd be okay for a few minutes.
As Hope and I entered the parking lot, she trembled and rubbed her hands together.
"Hope, what's going on?"
"Ben...it's nothing I just...needed some air that's all."
She started to turn from me and I grabbed her forearm, turning her back toward me. Our faces came close. Our lips almost at a kiss, until she rapidly turned her face away.
"Don't shut me out...Hope talk to me."
I started to say something else when a woman's voice interrupted me.
"She probably doesn't want to talk because she's trying to protect you."
We both turned as we heard the voice. A woman with silver hair in a bob, wearing a long trench coat, black slacks, and a white dress blouse approached us. Her heels clacked against the concrete.
She seemed like a threat so I stood in front of Hope.
"Protect me from what exactly?"
Out of nowhere the woman pulled her hands from her pockets. She was wearing dark magenta gloves, and she carried a pistol in one hand. Before we had time to act upon the sight of her, she fired the gun. Hope screamed as it hit me right in the shoulder. I fell flat on the concrete, blood oozing out of a wound underneath my costume.
"Ben!" Hope screamed. She got on her knees next to me and pressed my shoulder.
"Leave him."
The woman pulled Hope up by the wrist. I grunted in pain unable to move.
"Take me inside, show me which one is Harmione."
"How do you know her name?"
Another gunshot as the woman shot my knee. Hope screamed and jumped.
"He'll get one between the eyes unless you show her to me!"
Hope began to tear up. Her true weakness shown through. Her love for me was stronger than anything.
The woman fired near me but didn't hit me. Hope jumped and whimpered.
"I'll show you...I'll show you...I'll show you...just please stop..." Hope cried.
"That's 3 shots the school should have heard and taken notice by now...they'll be hiding in there...you will find your daughter and show her to me."
"Just don't hurt Ben or Harmione...please...they're the only family I have."
The woman just smirked. Suddenly she took the pistol and struck Hope across the face with it. Hope grunted a scream as blood flew from her lip. Her head and mouth began to bleed.
"Not the only family you have...Angel." The woman replied and mocked the pet name I had given her. My fists clenched tightly drawing blood. I began to try to sit up, when the woman pressed her heel into my wound. I screamed loudly.
"I'd stay down there if I was you."
She moved her foot and I huffed and grunted furiously. The woman dropped to her knees and spread her legs as she sat on my chest and leaned toward my face. Her bobbed hair fell foward.
"Such a fine husband...you gonna cry now?"
I whimpered.
"Does it upset you, if someone hurts her...hits her...beats her?"
I was fuming but I was too weak to move. I looked up at Hope. She stared hard and tears streamed down her face; and blood ran down her chin from her head.
"Or touch her..." The woman continued. "You men are all alike...all you think we're good for is to clean, to cook, and to screw."
She held my wrists down tightly.
"Or...to use, to screw, and to beat...We're just objects to you people...you think you can knock us up...just like you did Hope...and not even bother to tell anyone about it...and you don't even know how to parent...you don't have any idea what Harmione is...or what she could become...and you don't care...See...the fact of the matter is, you're shit and you know it...think about that while we're gone."
The woman kissed her hand and pressed her hand to my cheek she quickly pulled Hope inside the building, holding a gun to her side. I lied there bleeding and helpless.
