Ethan
The ride over to the hotel was a bit tense between Calder and I, but I chalked it up to nerves mostly.
There was a lot going on with the monster and to add meeting my mother on top of it was probably not the greatest combination.
But there was no way out of it now. Besides, I could do with a single night pretending things were normal, that this was just introducing my boyfriend to my mother.
That sounded a lot better than being hunted by a monster on Halloween of all days.
Mom was already waiting in the lobby when we arrived, her face lighting up the moment she spotted me.
She looked just the same as always. She had her blonde hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, her smile wide and welcoming.
She wore a deep burgundy sweater that complemented her fair skin, and I could tell she'd put extra effort into her appearance to meet Calder.
I accepted her embrace, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume. It was something floral that she'd worn for as long as I could remember. It was comforting, a small piece of home in this increasingly dangerous world I'd found myself in.
"Hi, Mom," I said, pulling back to look at her. "You look great."
"Oh, stop," she laughed, waving off the compliment before her eyes locked onto Calder standing beside me.
Her expression shifted instantly to one of appraisal, taking in his tall frame and handsome features with unabashed interest. "And you must be Calder," she said, extending her hand. "I've heard so much about you."
"All good things, I hope," Calder replied, taking her hand in his. I could see him consciously softening his grip, trying not to appear as intimidating as he naturally was. "It's wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Murphy."
"Please, call me Laura," she insisted, her eyes sparkling with approval as she gave me a quick sideways glance that clearly said, 'Well done.'
The initial awkwardness dissolved almost immediately as Mom launched into stories about her drive up from New York, the beautiful fall foliage, and her first impressions of Portland.
Calder was attentive, asking all the right questions and smiling at all the right moments.
If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was completely at ease.
But I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes constantly scanned our surroundings as we walked to his car.
He was on high alert, even while making small talk with my mother.
Downtown Portland was alive with Halloween festivities.
Costumed revelers filled the sidewalks—witches and zombies, superheroes and movie characters.
Under normal circumstances, I would have enjoyed the atmosphere, maybe even joined in with a costume of my own.
But tonight, every masked face made me flinch, every unexpected movement had me looking over my shoulder.
"Oh, look at all the decorations!" Mom exclaimed as we drove past a particularly elaborate display of skeletons climbing up the side of a building. "Halloween was always your favorite holiday as a child, Ethan. Remember how you insisted on being a werewolf three years in a row?"
I felt Calder stiffen beside me in the driver's seat. "Yeah, I remember," I said, trying to keep my voice light. "Dad made me those fake claws out of cardboard."
“You were so cute,” she smiled, her gaze faraway as she visited those memories. “Those holidays were always so much fun. Your father really knew how to throw a party.”
I saw the sadness flicker across Mom's face at the mention of Dad, but it disappeared quickly behind her smile. She'd always been good at that—pushing through the pain for my sake. It was a skill I'd tried to learn from her over the years, with varying degrees of success.
"So, Calder," she said, smoothly changing the subject, "Ethan tells me you own a vehicle repair shop? That must be exciting work."
"It keeps me busy," he replied, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror for the third time in as many minutes. I wasn't sure if Mom noticed his vigilance, but I certainly did. "I've always been good with my hands."
Mom laughed, and I felt my face flush. "Well, I'd say that's an excellent quality in a man."
"Mom," I groaned, shooting her a warning look.
She just winked at me before turning back to Calder. "And how did you two meet? Ethan's been frustratingly vague on the details."
As Calder recounted a sanitized version of our first meeting while leaving out the part about me investigating murders and him showing up mysteriously outside my apartment, I watched the streets passing by outside the window.
The Halloween celebrations were in full swing now.
A group of children in elaborate costumes crossed in front of us at a stoplight, chaperoned by adults carrying flashlights and candy bags.
Then I saw it. Among the crowd of revelers, a tall figure stood perfectly still, wearing what looked like a wolf mask.
Not the cartoonish kind sold in costume shops, but something grotesquely realistic, with matted fur and gleaming yellow eyes that seemed to follow our car as we drove past.
My breath caught in my throat, my heart hammering against my ribs. Was it really there, or was my mind playing tricks on me? The figure remained motionless while everyone around it moved, laughed, and celebrated. Only those yellow eyes seemed to follow me as we passed by.
"Ethan? Are you okay?" Mom's voice broke through my panic. "You've gone white as a sheet."
"I'm fine," I lied, tearing my gaze away from the window. "Just hungry, I guess."
Calder's hand found mine, squeezing gently. When I looked at him, I could see in his eyes that he'd seen it too. He gave me an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Maybe it really was just someone in a costume.
"We're almost at the restaurant," he said, his voice steady despite the tension I could feel radiating from him. "Just a few more blocks."
The Italian place was packed, just as Calder had predicted.
The hostess led us to a table in the center of the dining room, surrounded by other diners in various states of Halloween dress.
A family at the next table had coordinated their costumes.
The parents were dressed as Gomez and Morticia Addams, their children as Wednesday and Pugsley.
Under different circumstances, I might have found it charming.
But now all I could do was scan the restaurant, hoping that monster wasn’t blending in with everyone else. I thought Halloween would make my mother safe. I never considered the fact that it might make the monster… invisible.
"Ethan, you should try the seafood linguine," Mom said, studying the menu. "The menu says they make it with fresh Maine lobster."
I nodded distractedly, my eyes still sweeping the restaurant. A couple wearing matching werewolf masks entered, and I nearly knocked over my water glass. Calder's hand immediately covered mine, steady and warm.
"Maybe I'll try that," I managed, forcing myself to look at the menu instead of the door. "What are you having, Calder?"
"The steak," he replied, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my wrist. “Rare."
Mom beamed at us from across the table. "You two are adorable together. How long has it been now?"
"Not long," I admitted, feeling a blush creep up my neck. "But it feels like longer."
"When you know, you know," she said wisely, her eyes twinkling. "That's how it was with your father and me. One date and I just knew he was the one."
Calder's grip tightened almost imperceptibly on my hand. "It was similar for us," he said, his voice soft but certain.
A waitress dressed as a zombie with surprisingly realistic makeup took our orders, and I found myself relaxing slightly as the wine Mom insisted on ordering began to take effect.
The restaurant's noise level provided a comforting blanket of anonymity, and Calder's steady presence beside me was like an anchor.
"So tell me about your job," Mom said to Calder after our appetizers arrived. "How is the car repair business?"
As Calder talked about his shop, I watched my mother's face. She was genuinely interested in him, asking thoughtful questions and laughing at his jokes. She liked him. The realization made my chest ache with unexpected emotion.
"And what about you, Laura?" Calder asked. "Ethan tells me you're quite the gardener."
Mom lit up, launching into a detailed description of her latest landscaping project.
I felt a surge of gratitude toward Calder for remembering that small detail I'd mentioned weeks ago.
The evening progressed with surprising normalcy.
For stretches of time, I almost forgot about the danger lurking outside.
We ate excellent food, shared stories, and laughed together.
Mom told embarrassing tales from my childhood despite my protests, and Calder soaked up every word like precious information.
"He was always so curious," Mom said, sipping her wine. "Always asking questions nobody could answer. Drove his teachers crazy."
"He’s definitely still curious," Calder replied with a fond smile in my direction. “Sometimes too much for his own good.”
"I'm a reporter," I defended myself. "Asking questions is literally my job."
Mom's expression softened. "Your father was the same way. Always needed to understand how things worked, why things happened the way they did."
The mention of my father brought another momentary heaviness to the table. I glanced at Calder who gave me a sympathetic look. “So what are your plans while you’re in town, Laura?” he asked, shifting the conversation. “Anything you want to see or do while you’re here?”
“Now that you mention it,” she nodded. “I’ve heard there are some beautiful parks just outside of town. I might go on a hike or two, see if I can find something interesting to bring back for my garden.”
“No!” I nearly shouted, my hands hitting the table. “You can’t do that!”
Several nearby diners turned to look at me, startled by my outburst. Mom's eyes widened, and I could see the concern spreading across her face.
"I mean," I stammered, lowering my voice, "there have been some... animal attacks in the woods lately. It's not safe to go hiking alone right now."
Calder nodded quickly. "Ethan's right. There's been a... mountain lion spotted in the area. The rangers are tracking it, but until they catch it, hiking trails aren't recommended."
Mom looked between us, her brow furrowed. "A mountain lion? In Maine? That seems unusual."
"It escaped from a private collection," Calder improvised smoothly. "Some rich guy thought having exotic pets was cool until one got loose. The police are keeping it quiet to avoid panic during the holiday."
I shot him a grateful look, impressed by how quickly he'd come up with that lie. It was almost uncanny.
"Well, that's disappointing," Mom sighed. "But I suppose I'll have to find something else to do. Maybe some shopping instead?"
"Shopping sounds perfect," I agreed, relief washing over me. "Downtown has some great little boutiques."
As we continued with dinner, I couldn't help noticing a tall figure enter the restaurant. They were wearing what looked like a high-quality werewolf costume, with realistic fur and an elongated snout. My fork clattered against my plate as I stared.
"Ethan?" Mom's voice seemed distant. "What's wrong, honey?"
Calder's hand found my knee under the table, squeezing firmly. "Just another costume," he murmured, his voice low and steady. "Look closer."
I forced myself to take a deep breath and really look. The person was laughing with friends, the mask shifting awkwardly as they spoke. Just a costume. Just Halloween. I exhaled slowly.
"Sorry," I said, forcing a smile. "Some of these costumes are so realistic. It's creepy."
Mom laughed. "You used to love being scared! Remember when you and your father would watch horror movies and I'd find you both hiding behind the couch?"
The memory hit me unexpectedly. I remembered Dad with a bowl of popcorn, both of us shrieking at some cheesy monster movie, Mom pretending to be annoyed but secretly amused by our antics. For a moment, the pain of missing him was so acute I couldn't breathe.
"Yeah," I managed. "I remember."
Calder's hand remained on my knee, anchoring me to the present.
"I don’t know about you two,” Calder said, changing the subject again. “But I am so full I can barely move.” He glanced over at me. “Maybe we should be getting back.”
I was surprised to hear him cutting the evening short, but my mother just gave him a knowing nod.
“Uh-huh. Yep.” She gave me a wink. “I’m sure you’re eager to get back and get some rest.”
“Mom…” I whined, embarrassed by her insinuation.
She swatted at my shoulder. “Oh, honey. Don’t worry about it.
I know how this works.” She waved to the waitress, calling her over before turning to Calder.
“Dinner’s on me. But you better be good to my boy.
” She tipped her head, her gaze getting intense.
“This is a mother’s warning. Don’t you dare hurt him. ”
Calder tensed beside me before nodding. “Yes ma’am.”