Sally placed a slice of bread on top of Jack's sandwich. He
would be home soon for lunch. She looked at little Jack and
smiled. He was stretched out on a blanket in the hall, asleep
with his tarantula. Zero fluttered past and snuffled at the
child's skull for a moment. He then floated into the kitchen.

"When he wakes up he'll be aaaaall full of energy.", Sally
whispered playfully to Zero. "But then Daddy's gonna take him
for the afternoon." She pressed her finger to her lips and
scratched Zero's ears. The morning had been smooth and
uneventful. She finished her breakfast after Jack left and then
played with Jack jr. in the parlor for a while. Sally wondered
if he was going to try standing soon. He had begun pulling
his tiny skeleton body up against the furniture, testing his
shaky little legs. Nicholas had not yet attempted this. He
preferred to sit back and observe, uttering the occasional
comment. "It won't take you long, you'll walk better than me!",
Sally said to her little one as he leaned against her legs. He
grinned up at her and the rag doll felt a quick warm flutter
inside. When the babies laughed and grinned she saw Jack so very
clearly. It was almost spooky. Times like that she was reminded
of how grateful she felt for her life as it now was.

The front door closed downstairs.
"We're home!", Jack called. He appeared in the hallway and
laughed at the site of little Jack spread eagled before him.
"Hello Jack. Lunch is ready." Sally leaned in and kissed
him. Jack felt all the thoughts of a romantic holiday bubble to
the front of his mind. His wife gently reached into the baby
sling and extricated Nicholas. He was warm and groggy. His
little fingers twined around her hair and he melted into her chest to
continue his sleep.
"Ah. So he's been sleepy too? Hm, I supposed
neither of us will have it easy this afternoon. We're both
going to be entertaining wide awake babies." She laughed and sat
at the table. Jack held his namesake over his shoulder as he sat
down and began his lunch.
"He ate all of his pudding.", Jack said between bites of
roach salad and lettuce. "I sat down and fed him while visiting
with the werewolf and the demons. They commented on what
wonderful children we have. Everyone does." He kissed little
Jack's cheek and continued. "I was talking with the vampires
today and they brought up an idea. I rather liked it. I
thought perhaps you and I could discuss it."
"I'm listening. What's on your mind darling?", Sally
asked. Nicky surfaced from his slumber and cooed with happy
surprise to see his mother. Jack continued:
"Well... Our anniversary is coming up. I want to do
something very very special love. I want to really celebrate! I
was thinking perhaps, just maybe, we could take a trip. Just
for a weekend, just a couple days....just us. You and I. What
do you think?"
Sally looked up from their son.
"Oooh Jack. I would love to. It would be so wonderful. I
just don't think we can, that's all. The babies...
"Well that's naturally been the main issue in my mind too
Sally.," Jack interjected. "But I was thinking... They are six
months old now. They're starting to eat pudding and cereal and such
things. We live in a whole town full of people who love them and
love us and who would be more than happy to take care of them for
two days while we're away! Sally, I know they'd be safe. There
isn't a creature in Halloweentown who would do them harm."
Sally frowned. She pursed her lips in thought and Jack studied
how her lips rested slightly off center from one another. He
found it intensely attractive.
"Jack, I agree that no one, not a creature would harm
them. It's just that they're only tiny babies and it isn't
that easy to care for them. It's taken us six months to
learn. I'm not sure if anyone else would be able to do it...
We'd have to really teach them before we go, prepare them for
anything, anything that might possibly happen. I just don't
know..."
"Sally, you know my family is more important to me than
anything in this world or any other. I would never even consider
leaving unless I was certain the babies would be taken care of.
I want to give you a wonderful, magical anniversary. I want to
take you somewhere you've never seen. Leave the arranging
and preparing to me, don't worry. I'll begin this afternoon,
seeing what can be done."
With that, Jack rose from the table and wrapped Jack jr.
against him. He took a snack from the ice box, kissed Sally, and
headed back out to work. When he reached the foyer, Sally called
down to him.
"Jack? If we do this, where do you want to go?"
"The Bermuda Triangle!", Jack laughed. "You'll adore it!"
Sally heard the downstairs door shut after her husband. The
Bermuda Triangle? Jack had mentioned it before. She had no idea
what it would be like though. She had to admit the idea was
tempting. A full night's sleep without having to get up early to
feed babies... No holiday business to worry Jack... Just the
two of them together and relaxed. Two days wasn't THAT long.
Sally looked at her son. He sat on the floor tugging at
one of his little orange socks. Nicholas looked up at his mother
and grinned. He pointed and babbled something cheerfully, then
returned his attention to the sock.
"Would you be all right without us for just a couple
days?", Sally asked softly. "You and your brother would be good
for whoever looks after you wouldn't you?"