Chapter 16
Sixteen
Halloween. Very fitting for a cottage full of witches.
However, it’s far from the scary stories you tell children to keep them from being naughty.
I loved Halloween as a child, but my mother would never let me partake in traditions, calling it complete nonsense.
Which I guess I can understand now. But today I am about to have my childhood wish.
Sam and I are planning to take Lola trick or treating then finish with the rest of the village at Gloria’s Halloween party she hosts in the cafe.
Obviously, as per Lola’s instructions, I must dress as a witch. This makes Granny and Aradia giggle with the irony of it all. Aradia dresses as Cleopatra and Granny as… Granny.
It has been a week since Greg turned up at the cottage and he has not been in contact since.
Aradia has been trying to find any links to Greg and witch hunters that are known in the witch community in London.
To my surprise there are a fair number of witches living in the city, settling for a metropolitan lifestyle rather than the laid-back country.
My dreams have been hazy as well. The same one over and over of me in the apartment married to Greg.
I wake up with cold sweats and feeling sick.
From what I have read from my own research of dream telling that, until something alters the future, dreams can stay the same.
So, unless Aradia finds something out soon, it looks like I will be marrying Greg.
But that isn’t a problem I want to worry about today.
All week Sam has taken me to and from work.
We have spent the evenings in Gloria’s cafe with Lola and other customers coming in for their late-night treats.
We talk more and more about our likes and dislikes.
I feel like I know him inside out by now, even in such a short amount of time.
He is just the perfect man. Sweet, gentle, funny and kind, but the wicked side hides behind his eyes.
I see it in the moments we say goodbye at the door. The tension between us builds each time but always interrupted by Granny or Aradia. I am trying my best not to fall for him, for my sake and for his. But he makes it near impossible.
Jim pops into the shop to see how I am doing.
He brings Fi with him who is wrapped up in her fur coat and looking good for someone who is quite poorly.
She is so kind and sweet to me, thanking me for allowing Jim to have some time off.
He boxes up the last few pumpkins that have not sold and tells me to close early and take the box to Gloria and go and enjoy the celebrations.
Due to the history of the village, the villagers love to celebrate its spooky past of witches and ghouls who lived in the forest around us. The green is decorated with cobwebs and tombstones. Some of the surrounding villagers are out ready for Gloria’s famous Halloween bash.
I make my way to Gloria’s with the box of pumpkins wobbling within my arms. A small zombie flies past my legs followed by an apologetic mother nearly sending me flying with the array of squashes.
Someone catches me as I start to tumble.
“Careful there.” Sam smiles, appearing from behind me. In one swift scoop he has the box under his arm and me on his other.
“Jim boxed these up for Gloria. I saw Fi. She looked really well today.”
He beams. “Amazing news! Probably down to you giving them both a rest.”
“Maybe. I like doing it though. It’s nice meeting new people.”
“Well, you have been the village talk of the town this month, so you must be doing something well.” He smiles, his dimples set in his cheeks, his stubble just peeking through, and his dark hair swept back.
He is so handsome. Annoyingly handsome. His plaid shirt is rolled up showing his huge forearms.
“So, what’s your costume?” I tease. “Lumberjack? Not very scary.”
“Actually, I’m going for more of a pre-werewolf vibe.” He flexes his muscles and pulls down the V of his white shirt exposing the dark hair on his chest.
“Lazy.” I shake my head, laughing, but my God, yes to that. He looks like he could be a wild beast under his soft exterior.
He gestures to my dress, raising his eyebrow. “You have just put on a black dress and a hat, and you’re calling me lazy?”
“Actually, it took a lot of trawling through the internet to find this dress!”
And I had taken a long time to find the perfect dress.
Not in a must have the best dress, but more, I wanted to look good.
I know that mine and Sam’s days are numbered together but there is no harm in feeling good about myself, right?
My dark hair tussles down my back. The black fishtail dress hugging my body showing my curves.
The black crooked witch’s hat sits just to the side.
I look good, not that I don’t look good in a jumper and leggings, but I look especially good tonight. Hopefully, Sam thinks so too.
“Well…” He rubs his neck, looking down at the dress. “Lazy or not, you look great.” He licks his lips, eyeing me up and down slowly. Mission accomplished.
I pull his T-shirt towards me and place my hands on his beating chest, our mouths just a moment away. “Come on, I promised Lola we’d take her trick or treating before!” I push him away and laugh.
He grabs my wrist and pulls me back into him, pulling his face down to my ear.
“Careful teasing me like that, You don’t know how much I want you.
” He kisses me gently on the side of my ear making a gasp leave my lips.
“But you’re right.” He lets go of my wrist. “We’ve got stuff to do first.” Touché to the big gorgeous idiot.
We drop the box off at Gloria’s and find a very hyped-up Lola, dressed in a sparkly glittery dress and a little purple witch’s hat with a fake nose and plastic fingers, running around with Hannah and Lois’s boys.
We see Hannah and Lois in the corner.
“Harri! Sam!” Hannah squeals and runs towards us arms open nearly tripping on a table leg, her giant pumpkin costume serving as a giant cushion around her.
“Please be careful, Hannah! Not just you, remember?” Lois calls after her.
“You told her then,” I whisper.
“Oh yeah, she’s now wrapping me up in cotton wool. As you can tell with the costume, she’s protective.” She giggles. “But we’re so excited!” I turn to look at Lois who is dressed as a policewoman. It makes me chuckle.
“Have I missed something?” questions Sam.
She leans into his ear and tells him the news quietly.
“Whoa! Amazing news!” He wraps his arms around her.
“Sh! It’s still early, so just shush.” She giggles again and adjusts her little pumpkin stalk hat.
Sam throws a thumbs up to Lois who blows him a kiss back in acceptance of his congratulations.
“Right, I’ll get the kids, and we can go?” Hannah wanders off to round up the three kids ready to take them around the village.
Sam looks at me. “You knew before me?”
“I can’t help it if they like me more.” I nudge into him cheekily.
“You obviously bewitched them with your beauty,” he remarks, making us both blush.
We round up the kids and all bundle outside leaving Gloria, Aradia and Pete to decorate the cafe and put out the warm apple cider and the cinnamon buns that Gloria made fresh that morning.
Even with a coat, I start to shiver as we stroll round the other houses looking at the decorations and waiting for the kids to knock on the doors.
Sam slings his arm around me bringing a warmth and safety to my body.
Hannah looks and makes a kissy face at me which I quickly bat away.
He is just looking out for me. He is being kind. It’s who he is.
The houses in the village are all done up with decorations, children from different villages joining together and playing.
Buckets of sweets line each door, but the children still knock, and the occupants are more than happy to join in the fun.
The community spirit here is just everything you could want out of a Hallmark movie.
You can see how people never leave, and generations grow up here decade after decade.
With bags full of treats we make our way back towards the cafe where “Thriller” is playing out through the door.
Outside the front of the door is a table with a large catering container and cups so people can help themselves to Gloria’s hot non-alcoholic cider.
Pete is stood at the side with a bottle of Glenn’s topping up any of the adults who need something a little warmer.
People stand inside and out, chatting and laughing.
Aradia is manning the apple bobbing for the children outside. She waves as we make our way inside.
It’s full to the brim with bodies. The log burner isn’t needed.
Children are playing together and loading their bodies with sweets, the adults laughing and chatting amongst themselves.
Gloria is dressed as a Ghostbuster walking around serving cinnamon buns.
We find a table at the back so we can rest our feet.
Traipsing after excited kids is demanding work!
Granny comes over hurriedly waving and smiling, holding a cup that is overspilling as she walks.
“Someone has been on Pete’s whiskey.” Sam chuckles slyly before she gets to us. Hannah sniggers.
“Darlings! Look at you all!” she coos. “Beautiful couples.”
“Granny! We’re not…”
“Couple of friends.” She winks. It is awkward. Sam and I have seen each other every day, and we haven’t mentioned the Greg incident once. I think we both prefer to live in this fairytale we have built ourselves in the last few weeks.
Sam is stifling his laughter at my tipsy granny digging herself a hole.
“Oh, and Hannah, you’re glowing, my dear.”
“Thanks, Cerci.” She smiles, staring at me, trying to work out if I have told her the news.
“Anyway, you kids have fun! I am going to get one of you nana’s delicious cinnamon buns.” She saunters off into the crowd.
“Your granny is hilarious.” Lois chuckles.