It was Kate’s first Halloween without her husband, and she wanted to make it special for her daughter, Holly, hoping it would lift both their spirits. In the cool autumn air, Kate decorated their yard with spooky Halloween decorations—plastic bats, flickering pumpkins, and fake cobwebs—while Holly, who was too young to fully understand the theme, carefully placed her favorite pink dolls and fluffy teddy bear next to the jack-o’-lanterns.
“Honey,” Kate said gently, smiling, “Halloween’s supposed to be a little spooky, not so cute.” Holly, only five, tilted her head, clutching her teddy bear. “But why, Mommy?” she asked innocently. Kate chuckled softly and knelt down beside her. “It’s just how Halloween is. We pretend to be a little scary for fun. But a bit of cute won’t hurt,” she added, giving Holly a reassuring hug.
Holly’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Mommy, can I wear the costume Daddy made me last year?” she asked. Kate’s smile faded briefly as memories of Carl came flooding back, but she composed herself quickly. “Not this year, sweetheart. Let’s make a new one together, okay?” Holly nodded, a little disappointed but understanding.
Later, Kate helped Holly into her new costume, adjusting the hood as her daughter beamed with excitement, ready to join her friends for trick-or-treating. “Have fun, and stay safe, okay?” Kate called after her, her heart lifting at Holly’s laughter as she ran off to join the other kids.
As the evening unfolded, Kate handed out candy to trick-or-treaters, smiling at each costume. But then, one child’s outfit stopped her in her tracks—the design, the fabric, the details were just like the costumes Carl used to make. Her heart skipped a beat as she asked, “Where did you get your costume, sweetie?”
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