Ashley shrugged, not even caring to answer. we hopped into the car and we sped off into night, suddenly the car came to a searching halt, my dad turned to us and exclaimed.
"We're here! Everybody out"
"Okay Dad"
"Okay Mr. Horton, sir" Ashley replied as she hopped out.
Horton stepped out of the car and was excited about Halloween for the first time ever sense his wife died, but when he noticed that his daughter looked very white already and was still sitting in the car, looking very tensed up and just staring straight ahead he turned to Ashley.
"Why don't you go on Ashley I need to talk to my daughter"
"Oh okay" she replied, walking towards the entrance.
"Gracie..." He whispered in a soothing voice.
"Yeah"
"What's wrong, I thought you were excited about this?"
"I am, it's just-"
"What sweetie?"
"I haven't been in here sense mom died, and just the thought of trick or treating without her here; is... kinda-"
"Scary?"
"Yeah" she looked away from her father.
"It's okay" he soothed, beginning to masseuse her beck and shoulder gently. "I'll go in with you, Ashley's already inside"
"Okay" She hopped up out of her seat and almost leapt out of the car, she walked with her father across the street and into the store.
"Why hello there and welcome to Party City!" one of the employees said once her and her father walked in the door. "... and just how may I be of assistance to you today?"
"Well, my daughter here and her friend are looking for some costumes, do you know where we can find some?"
"Sure do, right this way" she lead us to a side wall that was filled with nothing but costumes still fresh in their packaging. "Well, there's all the available costumes, I'm Sandy by the way, Sandy the golden retriever; if you need anything, anything at all don't hesitate to ask"
"Thanks Sandy" Horton replied, he and his daughter quickly found Ashley who was very busy scanning over the different colored costumes; looking quite distraught and feeling quite disturbed.
"Hey Ashley, something wrong?"
"Well, I just can't find our costumes"
"Oh... I'll see if my dad can help us" she turned and run up to her father.
"What's up buttercup?" he rhymed his words making her giggle,
"Hey dad, can you help us? We can't find the costumes we need"
"I'll do you one better, I'll go got Sandy" he replied
"Thanks, wait! Who's Sandy?" She asked, no answer instead he ran over to someone.
Gracie shrugged and walked back to were her best friend was.
"Where's your father, I thought he was going to help us?" She frowned,
"He said he's going to get someone to help us"
"Oh..." she shrugged, just then Gracie's father came back with someone else following behind him.
"Girls, I'd like for you two to meet Sandy; she's agreed to help us find your costumes"
"Hi" Ashley said, shaking her hand gratefully.
"Hi, why you're an enthusiastic girl aren't you; so, what do you want to be?"
"Do you have any horse costumes?" She almost scream.
"Yes" Sandy replied, walking over to the costume rack; pick it out and handed it to her. "Here ya go"
"Thanks, it's beautiful" she held in her hands a beautiful horse costume which resembled that of a Kiger Mustang.
"You're so welcome, I was happy to help you" the employee smiled, then turned to Gracie's dad.
"Didn't you say that there were two children here?"
"Yes, yes I did"
"So where is the other one?"
"Well she's..." he looked around.
"Umm... hi" Gracie whispered shyly and waved a bit, coming out of hiding behind her father.
"Oh Gracie, there you are- I'd like you to meet Sandy and she's going to help you pick out your veterinarian costume"
"Okay" she whispered, narrowing her eyes.
"Hi sweetie, so you like animals?"
"Umm-hmm"
"Well, lets see what we can do about this veterinarian costume your looking for" Sandy smiled down it her.
"Okay" Gracie whispered, still very shy and nervous like.
"Gracie, honey I'm trying to help you here- now, please allow me to do my job"
"Umm, hold on- I need to talk to my father" she said hurriedly.
"Okay, deary" she replied, I watched as Gracie turned back to her father.
"Dad, I- I can't do Halloween right now. I can't without mommy here"
Horton sighed. "I know, I know sweetie- how about this: when we get home we can put your toys that your mom gave you in a plastic bag maybe we can find some way to clip it onto your candy bag so that way you'll have you mother with you when your out"
"Thanks dad" Gracie rapped her arms around her fathers neck.
"You're welcome sweetie" she turned back to the employee and said that she was ready to pick out her costume.
"Okay, here ya go" she handed her a beautiful veterinarian costume with a white lab coat, a real metal looking stethoscope and a little stuffed dog.
"Umm, thanks" she replied.
As they went to the check out to go pay Gracie's thoughts went back to Halloween night, and then it finally hit her; tomorrow was "the day to end all days" as she called it. it was the 31 of October. She wondered how she was going to handle all the in coming changes.
She shrugged it off once she got home, said good-bye to Ashley once they dropped her friend off at her house.
"Bye Ashley, see you tomorrow"
"See you Gracie, you better not bail out of this like before" she warmed.
"I won't" Gracie reassured her friend.
That was the end of the conversation, we drove home- the last thought that crossed her mind before turning out the light and calling it a day was this:
"I am 13 almost 14 yrs. old for crying out loud! I shouldn't be scared of the dark, I should just suck it up and whatever happens tomorrow happens"
