Halloween on Oak Hills Drive: Chapter 1 1984
October 24, 1984
Tony was busying himself in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the kids while multitasking packing their lunches. They had only been residents of Oak Hills Drive for a little over a month now, but he was slowly getting into a routine. He had finally once and for all cleaned out the kitchen cupboards of all sugary cereals and stocked the refrigerator with plenty of eggs, bread, vegetables and fruits. The toughest sell he knew would be his boss. Her routine of coffee and juice would be the hardest to break but he was determined to eventually get something more nutritious in her to start the day.
"Mornin' Dad! What's for breakfast?" asked Samantha as she took a seat at the table. Jonathan was right behind her, sitting in the seat directly next to hers. Tony thought it was adorable how Jonathan had become her shadow over the past few weeks. He wondered how long it would take for either one of them to get sick of one another.
"Hi Tony! Is it pancakes? It smells like pancakes!" he said with a big grin.
"You're right pal o'mine! Pancakes plus some fresh fruit and freshly squeezed orange juice!" he said as he plated the kids' food. Soon, Angela was down to join them for breakfast.
"Morning everyone! How did you sleep sweetheart?" she asked Jonathan as she came over and gave him a kiss on the head.
"Great Mom! Wilbur didn't keep me up at all!" he said.
"How can a snake keep you up?" asked Samantha as she continued to stuff her mouth with pancakes.
"He's pretty loud when he wants to be!" said Jonathan as he finished his breakfast.
"How did you sleep Samantha? Getting used to the quiet Connecticut nights?" she asked as she took a sip of her coffee Tony placed down in front of her empty plate. She knew what he was trying to do. Ever since he moved in, Tony had been trying to get her to eat breakfast. While she was over the moon about Jonathan's change of diet, she wasn't so keen on making the changes herself.
"I slept like a baby! I played basketball for three hours yesterday after school! I was so tired the quiet didn't even bother me!" she said through a mouth full of pancakes, causing Angela to laugh.
"No talkin' with your mouth full missy!" scolded Tony as Samantha rolled her eyes.
"Alright you two! Off to school! Remember, be ready right after because we are going shopping for Halloween costumes right after school! We wanna get the best ones!" he practically shouted.
"You just want that Dracula costume you've seen on the tv!" laughed Samantha as she kissed Tony goodbye. He kissed her back, handing her lunch to her as she headed out the back door. Angela kissed Jonathan again as Tony handed him his lunch as he ran off to try and catch up to Samantha.
"Oh Angela… this letter came for you yesterday. It fell behind the desk but I found it this morning…" he said as he handed her the envelope. She quickly opened it up.
"It's an invitation from my friend Wendy for a costume party on Halloween at the Starlight Lounge!" she said.
"Oh sounds like fun! We used to do costume parties back in Brooklyn! Some people wouldn't go home til' Thanksgiving!" he chuckled.
"Well this doesn't sound like that kind of a party but… it still might be fun… why not? If Mother can go to her prom, I can go to a Halloween party! Would you mind if I came with you all today to get a costume?" she asked.
"Sure Angela! I'll pick you up at the train and then we can get the kids. Speaking of… if I don't get you to the train now, you ain't gonna make it to work at all…" he said as she looked down at her watch.
"Oh my gosh! You're right! Okay let's go!" she said as she headed into the living room to get her coat and briefcase. Tony was right behind her, grabbing his wallet and the van keys as they headed out the door.
Tony was parked and waiting outside his van as Angela's train pulled up. He already knew which train car she preferred and had his eyes glued to the door as it opened. Since it wasn't quite rush hour yet, she was the first one off the train. She immediately spotted Tony and his hideous blue van.
"Hi Tony! Thanks for picking me up! I'm hoping we can find some good costumes!" she said as he yanked open the passenger side door and helped her inside before getting into the driver's seat.
"You know Tony… since you are driving me to the train more and more as well as picking up the kids, I think it's time I offered you the Jaguar or the station wagon to drive. Both are more… family friendly…" she said as she looked around the beaten down interior of the van.
"You'd let me drive your cars? You'd trust me with them?" he asked as he took a quick glance over at her before putting the van in gear and heading out on the road.
"Well I trust you with the most important thing in my life, my son… so it would make sense I would trust you with my cars" she said. He looked over at her and gave her one of his smiles that she found made her all warm and fuzzy inside. They drove to the kids' school, chatting about her new accounts and some neighborhood gossip he was let into on the lines at the grocery store. By the time they got to the school, they were chatting like old friends.
"C'mon! Let's go before all the good costumes are taken!" shouted Samantha as she shut the van door.
"Put a lid on it would ya? We will get there in time!" shouted Tony.
"So Samantha… what costume do you have in mind?" she asked, hoping to shift the mood in the van back to the pleasantness from a few moments earlier.
"I wanna be the Karate Kid! I've already been practicing my moves!" she said as she made karate type moves in the backseat. Tony just smiled as he looked as back at his daughter in the rear view mirror. He looked over at Jonathan and saw he was uncharacteristically quiet, with a sad expression on his face.
"How about you Jonathan? What are you gonna be?" he asked.
"I don't know…" he said as he kicked the back of the seat.
"Well I'm sure there are plenty of costumes to choose from! Any of your friends going as something fun?" asked Angela.
"I don't know…" he said again as he looked out the window.
"Well… we will find something! Won't leave the place until we do!" said Tony enthusiastically. Soon, they arrived at the Halloween store, everyone piling out of the car. Samantha made a mad dash inside and headed for the section with the karate and martial arts costumes. Tony darted off to the vampire section. He looked for a few minutes until he found a Dracula costume in his size. He nearly jumped for joy when he found it plus the accessories.
Angela and Jonathan walked down each aisle, Angela pointing out costume after costume, getting barely a word or two out of Jonathan as he refused each one. Tony came up behind them, sensing he would need to intervene with the struggling mother/son duo.
"Any luck guys?" he asked as he made eye contact with Angela.
"No not yet… I've tried almost every costume in this place but it's nothing he wants…" she said with a defeated voice.
"How about you go find a costume for your party and let us men survey the place! And if you see Sam, let her know she has a budget and not to go over!" he said as he gave Angela a wink and nod. She smiled at him and gave him a thankful nod back as she walked away to find her own costume.
"So what's the matter kid? Lay it on me!" he said as he bent down to Jonathan's level.
"What does it matter what I wear… I don't have any friends to go trick or treating with…" he whispered as he looked down at his feet, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
"Eh oh, oh eh! Well let's start with the costume first! And besides… you've got me and Sam to go with you this year! I'm sure she's already figured out the best houses to hit for the best candy! So what sounds good to you for a costume?" he asked.
"I don't know… something that will make me look cool…" he said. Tony looked up at some of the costumes until he found one that sparked an idea.
"Jonathan! I've got it!" he said as he picked up the costume and explained his idea to the boy. Jonathan's eyes lit up once Tony explained his idea. He grabbed some more accessories and headed to the front of the store.
Meanwhile, Angela was at a loss as to what she wanted to be. She was just as bad as Jonathan when it came to finding something she wanted to wear. A saleswomen saw Angela's frustration and walked over to her.
"Excuse me miss? May I help you?" she asked. Angela silently thanked the woman for using miss and not ma'am as she was finding was becoming a more and more common greeting for her these days.
"Yes… I guess… I just can't seem to find the right costume. My friend invited me to a costume party and she's kind of a wild one at times! Needless to say I'm more… conservative but I was thinking…" she started to say when the saleswoman cut her off.
"Maybe it's time for a change? I think I have the perfect costume for you! We just got it in today and haven't even put them out! I'll check to see if they have your size but I'm sure we do! With your legs and figure… this will be the perfect costume!" she said as she ran into the back room, coming back shortly with the costume.
"Perfect! This most definitely will fit you! If it doesn't, you can always return it within thirty days of purchase" she said.
"It's not too… revealing?" asked Angela as she looked at the picture on the costume bag.
"No way! Throw a pair of black spandex shorts on and you'll be fine! Just need to show off those legs! Your handsome husband I saw you walk in with will be more than pleased I'm sure!" she chuckled as she walked to the front of the store to ring her up, not waiting for Angela to be able to correct her error.
'Tony as my husband? Really? We are so different! How could she even think someone as good looking as Tony would be with someone like me? It's absurd!' she thought to herself. She didn't realize it, but a smile started to form on her face as her thoughts continued to wander about her and Tony as a couple.
"Alright are we all set?" asked Tony as he rounded up the family at the cashier.
"Got my costume right here!" said Samantha as she threw everything on the counter. Tony added his and Jonathan's costumes while Angela held onto hers.
"You got something Jonathan?" she asked, hopeful his beaming smile was a good indication of a successful trip.
"I did! It's a secret though! Tony is going to help me!" shouted Jonathan, his energy barely being contained in his small body.
"That's great! As an early treat, how about I'll get these for everyone?" asked Angela, already handing the saleswoman her credit card and her own costume.
"That's really nice of ya Angela but I couldn't allow you to pay for ours too…" he said, the saleswoman giving them a weird look.
"It's really no big deal! Besides… I think I owe you one…" she said as she side eyed Jonathan, who was busy playing with a plastic toy snake.
"Thanks Angela!" he said as he looked into her eyes a few moments longer than he had ever done before, only realizing the length of time when the saleswoman let out a soft cough to get their attention.
"Thank you for shopping with us! Please come again!" she said as she made her way back onto the floor. The family headed back into the van and headed home.
October 31, 1984
Tony spent the morning and early afternoon putting the final Halloween decorations up around the house. He had purchased two large bags of candy- one to hand out and the other one to leave out when he took the kids trick-or-treating. By the time the kids were close to being home from school, Tony had changed into his Dracula costume with the matching makeup and fangs.
"Dad! We're home! C'mon! I want to get a head start in the neighborhood! I betcha I even get some full sized candy bars!" shouted Samantha. She was dressed in her Karate Kid costume and had an oversized bag for her candy. Tony came down the stairs in full costume.
"Saaaaamaaaanthaaa! I've come to suck your blood!" he shouted as he chased her around the living room, squeals of laughter coming from his daughter.
"Wait where is Jonathan?" asked Tony. Just then, Jonathan ran through the front door, another young boy right behind him.
"See! I told you! This is Tony our new housekeeper! He played for Cards! That's who I am!" shouted Jonathan. He was dressed in a white and red baseball uniform with Tony's old baseball cap and glove. Tony had spent the week sewing on his jersey number twelve along with a red cardinal and the name 'Micelli' on the back. When he finished the night before, Jonathan was so excited he almost refused to go to bed. He knew tonight he'd probably refuse to take it off and end up wearing it as pajamas.
"Wow! A real life professional baseball player! You're alright Bower! Can I get your autograph Mr. Micelli?" asked the boy.
"Sure pal! Let me get you a paper! Who should I make it out to?" he asked.
"My name is Steven!" he said as he watched Tony sign his autograph.
"Here you go! Next time, bring a baseball and I'll sign that! Alright kids! Let's hit it, let's move it, let's do it!" he shouted as all three kids headed out the door with Dracula following close behind.
By late afternoon, Angela arrived home from work, leaving a few hours early to get ready for the party. She headed upstairs to get changed and into her costume. Once she was dressed, she took a look at herself in the mirror. The party wasn't for another few hours, giving herself time to spend with the kids and Tony. As if her thoughts conjured up their presence, she heard the voices of two hyped up children and one tired sounding adult walk through the front door. She grabbed her belongings, took one final look at herself and headed downstairs.
"Alright kids! The drill is you leave all your candy in the bags until either Angela or I inspect it. They you can have a few pieces tonight. After that, it's for the weekends only! Alright, go wash up for dinner" he said as the kids dropped their bags by the door and started to head up the stairs, only to come to a halt when Angela walked down.
"Wow Mrs. Bower! Nice costume!" said Samantha.
"Aren't you going to be cold Mom? You're only wearing shorts!" said Jonathan innocently.
"That's part of the costume silly! She's that lady from Flashdance!" said Samantha.
"Oh what a feeling…" said Tony as he got lost in the sight of her legs. This was the first time, with clothing on, he was shown a glimpse of her legs. She wore mostly long dresses or pants suits, even the occasional jeans or sweats on the weekends. He never saw more than a hint of her calf before now and he couldn't for the life of him think why she'd keep legs like hers hidden from the world.
His eyes finally made their way up her body- from the black spandex biker shorts up to the grey off the one shoulder oversized sweatshirt to the pink hair ribbon tied in her hair. His eyes made their way back down her body once more to the hot pink leg warmers and matching high heels. His focus was so caught up in her beauty, it took his brain a good ten seconds to realize the words that just came out of his mouth were said out loud and to his boss.
"I… I… I mean that's a great costume Angela! It umm… it accentuates your… shoulders! It will be a big hit at the party!" he sputtered, trying to get his foot out of his mouth. Angela, on the other hand, was enjoying seeing Tony squirm. This was not the attention she was used to getting. This was more of her mother's domain, but she was enjoying it nonetheless, even if it was from her newly hired housekeeper.
"Thank you Tony! It's not my normal… attire but the saleswoman convinced me it would look good on me so…" she said as she looked herself over.
"Oh she was right… I mean yes it looks good! It was a good choice! She was right! Uhhh… kids upstairs and get cleaned up for dinner!" he shouted, the costume cape now feeling like it was tightening around his neck. Both kids knew better than to disobey Tony when his voice sounded like that, so they both hightailed it upstairs. Just then, Mona walked in through the front door, dressed as a cheerleader, her pom poms in full display.
"Whoa Mona! Nice costume!" said Tony as he looked at Mona. His thoughts, however, were still consumed with the images of Angela's never ending legs.
"Mother! That skirt is a little short don't you think?" asked Angela.
"Says the one showing off more leg than the lamp in 'A Christmas Story'… relax Angela! I don't think the patrons of the Starlight Lounge will mind if the Robinsons show off a little leg…" she said as she took a spin around. Angela gave up and just rolled her eyes.
"Alright ladies! It's taco night! It should be ready in a few minutes!" he said as he turned to head into the kitchen, taking one final look at Angela's legs. Mona caught Tony's look, a satisfied smile coming to her face as she sat down on the sofa.
"So how have things been going with Dracula?" she asked, testing out the waters.
"Surprisingly pretty good, after the awkwardness of the bathtub incident subsided. Would you believe that today the saleswoman thought we were married! Imagine that!" she said, thinking back to her thoughts about them being married. Mona noticed the same satisfied look on Angela's face that was just plastered all over Tony's face.
"What's so surprising about that? The four of you walk in together… you look like the All-American family! You all practically look like Norman Rockwell's models for heavens sake!" said Mona.
"I guess I could see how she would confuse us for a married couple and family. Anyway… a guy like Tony would never be with someone like me…" she said.
"And why not? If he's put up with you being an uptight stick in the mud for the past month, once you add attraction and romance, it would be a match made in heaven! You'd be the poster children for opposites attract!" she laughed. Just then, Tony came in and called them all for dinner. The kids came running down and headed into the kitchen. Angela gave her mother a quick look to signal the end of the conversation as she followed the kids into the kitchen.
They spent the next hour or so eating dinner, followed by dessert of parental approved Halloween candy. Tony got up every once in a while to answer the doorbell for trick-or-treaters. By seven-thirty, the kids were coming down from their brief sugar high and ready to wind down for the night. Angela kissed them both goodnight as they headed off to bed.
"Alright Tony… thanks for watching the kids tonight. I don't plan on being too late tonight as I do have work in the morning…" she said as he helped her into her coat.
"Speak for yourself Angela… I'm hoping to see the sunrise with a lucky football player… rah, rah!" she said as she shook her pom poms and walked out the door.
"Not a problem Angela! Just be careful out there! Don't do anything I wouldn't do…" he said with a wink. She smiled back at him, their gaze holding for a few extra moments until she turned and headed out the door.