At sixteen, I had better things to do on Halloween than babysit my six-year-old neighbor. But Ellie was determined to wear cartoon costumes, and she kept asking me to visit one street. I thought she had a surprise planned…
“Ellie, they’re not giving out candy. Let’s go.”
The six-year-old beside me wouldn’t move.
We’d spent nearly an hour trick-or-treating, and I was sweating inside a ridiculous Chase costume.
Ellie stared at the dark house.
“Ellie, they’re not giving out candy.”
Then she grabbed my hand.
“This is why I asked you to wear it.”
I looked down at her pink Skye costume.
“What are you talking about?”
Before she could answer, the porch light came on.
She grabbed my hand.
The front door opened.
A man appeared, holding a plate of cupcakes.
Behind him, people were laughing.
Then a little girl in a princess costume ran toward him.
Behind him, people were laughing.
“Can I have another one?”
He smiled at her.
Then he saw Ellie.
His smile disappeared.
“Daddy?” Ellie whispered.
“Can I have another one?”
I looked between them, and suddenly, I understood why she’d been checking house numbers all evening.
***
Two weeks earlier, Ellie and her mom, Laura, had moved in next door.
I’m Max, sixteen, and I’d planned to spend Halloween with my best friend, Jackson.
Instead, I’d somehow become a six-year-old’s favorite neighbor.
I understood why she’d been checking.
Ellie showed up on our porch most afternoons, usually when I was playing games.
“Max, do you know Skye?”
“Personally? No.”
“She’s from Paw Patrol!”
“Right. Obviously.”
Skye and Chase were characters from Paw Patrol, Ellie’s favorite cartoon about rescue dogs. She loved them so much that she wanted us to dress as the two characters for Halloween.
She’d sit beside me and explain entire episodes.
I didn’t understand half of them, but she seemed happy having someone listen.
Skye and Chase were characters.
Most kids nearby were older, and Laura, her mother, worked long shifts at the hospital.
Ellie didn’t have many friends yet.
So when Laura knocked on Halloween, I should’ve guessed what was coming.
“Max, I’m sorry to ask, but Ellie’s babysitter canceled. Could you take her trick-or-treating?”
I shook my head.
Ellie didn’t have many friends yet.
“Sorry. I’m meeting my friends.”
My mom, Tanya, appeared behind me.
“Take Ellie around first, then go to your party. Or you’re grounded for a week.”
“Seriously?”
“I’m meeting my friends.”
“Very serious.”
Laura looked embarrassed.
“I don’t want to ruin your plans.”
“Mom’s doing a pretty good job of that,” I muttered.
My mom gave me a look.
Laura looked embarrassed.
Then Ellie appeared with two costumes.
She was already wearing pink.
The blue one was for me.
“This is for you.”
I unfolded it.
Chase, complete with floppy ears.
She was already wearing pink.
“No way.”
“Please? Skye needs Chase.”
“Ellie, I’m sixteen! I can’t dress up as a cartoon character!”
She crossed her arms.
“I’m only going if you wear it. Otherwise, I’ll tell your mom, and she’ll ground you!”
“Please? Skye needs Chase.”
I stared at her.
“You two are working together, aren’t you?”
Ellie giggled.
***
Ten minutes later, I was Chase.
My mom took a picture.
Ten minutes later, I was Chase.
“Delete that.”
“You look great, honey.”
“I look like I lost a bet.”
She handed me my phone.
“Stay on the route we discussed. I’ll be home if you need anything.”
“You look great, honey.”
Laura thanked me before leaving for work.
She’d arranged for my mom to be Ellie’s backup adult while she was gone.
I checked Jackson’s message.
“Everyone’s meeting at seven.”
I typed back that I’d be late.
Laura thanked me.
Then I turned toward Ellie.
“Okay, Skye. Let’s get some candy.”
She took my hand.
“Chase is supposed to be happy.”
“Chase doesn’t have friends waiting for him.”
“Chase is supposed to be happy.”
***
We hadn’t reached the fourth house when Jackson spotted us.
He was walking toward the party with two guys from school.
“Dude. No way.”
“Keep walking, Jackson.”
He was walking toward the party.
“Are you seriously Chase? For that kid cartoon?”
“Apparently. She loves the show, so…”
He pulled out his phone.
“I’m getting a picture.”
He pulled out his phone.
“Do that and I’m blocking you.”
Ellie stepped forward.
“He’s taking me trick-or-treating!”
Jackson grinned.
“That’s actually pretty cool.”
Ellie stepped forward.
“Don’t encourage her.”
“See you later, man.”
As he walked away, I pulled my hood lower.
“If anyone from school sees me, I’m moving.”
Ellie laughed.
Then she dragged me toward another house.
“Don’t encourage her.”
***
Ellie collected candy, thanked people, and occasionally made me do Chase’s ridiculous salute.
I even started enjoying myself.
Then we reached a house with huge pumpkins and full-size chocolate bars.
“Jackpot,” I said.
Ellie shook her head.
I even started enjoying myself.
“Not this one.”
I stopped.
“Are you kidding? They have the good stuff.”
“We can come back.”
“Ellie, that’s not how this works.”
“We can come back.”
She was staring at the street sign.
“How many houses are left?”
“Depends where we’re going.”
She didn’t answer.
At the next corner, she checked two mailboxes.
She didn’t answer.
I frowned.
“Are you looking for someone?”
“No.”
She answered too quickly.
***
At another house, a woman complimented our costumes.
“Are you looking for someone?”
“Skye and Chase! What a lovely pair!”
Ellie beamed.
“He’s my friend Max.”
The woman smiled at me.
“That was kind of you.”
“What a lovely pair!”
I gave her a salute.
“Just doing my job, ma’am.”
Ellie laughed so hard she nearly dropped her candy.
For a minute, I forgot about the party.
Then my phone rang.
I forgot about the party.
Jackson.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Still trick-or-treating.”
“Everyone’s here already.”
“I’m coming soon.”
“You said that twenty minutes ago.”
“Everyone’s here already.”
I checked the time.
“Give me fifteen more.”
When I hung up, Ellie was studying another house number.
“Okay, kid. We’ve been out long enough.”
“But we’re not finished, Max!”
“You’ve got enough candy to last until Christmas.”
“Give me fifteen more.”
“We have to go farther.”
I stopped walking.
“Ellie, I’ve got plans too.”
She looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
That shut me up.
“I’m sorry.”
I’d sounded like a jerk.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to snap.”
She nodded.
I crouched beside her.
“Is there somewhere specific you wanna go?”
She pointed toward the end of the street.
I crouched beside her.
“Just one more house.”
I checked the route that my mother had approved. The house was on our final block.
“Fine. One more. Then we’re going home.”
Ellie smiled.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Promise?”
***
On the way, she asked me something strange.
“Max, can someone have two families?”
I glanced at her.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“At different houses?”
She asked me something strange.
“Sure. Lots of people do.”
She kicked a leaf.
“What if they like one family better?”
I slowed down.
“What do you mean?”
“Sure. Lots of people do.”
She shrugged.
“Nothing.”
We reached a dark house at the end of the street: no decorations, no pumpkins, not even a bowl of candy.
“Ellie, they’re not giving out candy. Come on.”
She stopped.
We reached a dark house.
Then she looked up at my costume.
“This is why I asked you to wear it.”
Before I could ask what she meant, the porch light came on, and a man opened the door.
***
I recognized him from a photograph Ellie had shown me.
It was her father, Steven.
I recognized him from a photograph.
“Ellie? What are you doing here?”
She pointed toward the living room.
“Daddy, you said you had to work.”
Steven glanced behind him.
The little girl in the princess costume was still standing there.
“What are you doing here?”
Then a woman approached.
“Everything okay?”
She looked at Ellie.
“Oh, you must be Ellie.”
Ellie stared at her.
“You know me?”
“Everything okay?”
“Your dad’s told me about you.”
Ellie looked at Steven.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
Steven nodded.
“Yeah. And that’s her daughter.”
Then he stepped outside.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“Max, right? You’re the neighbor?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you bring her here?”
“She wanted to visit this house. I didn’t know it was yours.”
Ellie tugged my sleeve.
“I’ve been here before.”
“Yeah.”
Steven rubbed his forehead.
“Sweetheart, this isn’t a good time.”
Ellie looked past him.
“Are you having Halloween with them?”
Ellie looked past him.
He hesitated.
“We’re just having some people over.”
“But you told me you were working.”
“Things changed.”
He hesitated.
“Then why didn’t you call me?”
“I was going to call tomorrow,” Steven said. “I had to change my plans at the last minute.”
The woman frowned.
“Steven, you said Ellie was spending Halloween with Laura.”
“Then why didn’t you call me?”
“She was supposed to.”
I stepped closer to Ellie.
She’d known exactly where to find him.
***
Steven crouched beside her.
“She was supposed to.”
“Sweetheart, I know you’re disappointed. But Halloween’s just one night. We can do something next weekend.”
Ellie shook her head.
“But you promised.”
“Ellie, plans change sometimes.”
“You bought me Skye.”
“But you promised.”
Steven stopped talking.
I looked at her.
“What promise?”
She touched the pink wings on her costume.
“Daddy gave me Skye on Sunday. And he left Chase behind because he said he’d come change.”
Steven stopped talking.
Steven closed his eyes briefly.
“He said we’d go trick-or-treating together.”
I looked at his empty hands.
Ellie continued.
“And he said he’d be Chase.”
Ellie continued.
My stomach dropped.
Steven had bought her the costume.
He’d promised to wear the matching one.
Then he’d canceled and claimed he had to work.
Ellie looked up at me.
Steven had bought her the costume.
“I thought if Daddy saw Chase, he’d remember.”
For the first time all night, I couldn’t think of anything to say.
Steven reached toward her.
“Ellie, honey, I’m sorry.”
She stepped back.
I couldn’t think of anything to say.
“You could’ve told me.”
He lowered his hand.
“I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“But you did,” I said.
Steven looked at me.
“You could’ve told me.”
“Excuse me? What do you know, kid?”
I swallowed.
I wasn’t exactly comfortable arguing with adults.
But I’d spent the last hour watching Ellie search for this house.
I swallowed.
“You told her you were working.”
“Max, this is a family matter.”
“Okay. But she’s standing right here. She’s your family!”
Steven straightened.
“She’s your family!”
“You’re sixteen, Max. You don’t understand what her mother and I are dealing with.”
“Then explain it to Ellie.”
“Stop making this harder.”
I glanced at Ellie.
“She’s your daughter. She deserves an answer.”
“You’re sixteen, Max.”
He glanced toward the open door.
The woman had taken the other little girl inside.
Steven lowered his voice.
“Laura and I have been separated for months. Things aren’t simple.”
“I get that.”
Steven lowered his voice.
“Then please don’t turn this into something bigger.”
***
Steven stepped closer.
“Look, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t go home and tell Laura some exaggerated version of tonight.”
I glanced at Ellie.
Steven stepped closer.
She was holding her candy bucket against her chest.
“I’m not going to make anything up.”
“Good.”
“But I’m not lying either.”
He turned toward Ellie.
“Good.”
“Why don’t you come inside for a little while? We can have some cupcakes.”
Ellie looked toward the house.
Then she looked at me.
I crouched beside her.
“Do you wanna stay?”
Then she looked at me.
She shook her head.
“I wanna go home.”
I stood.
“Okay. I’ll call my mom.”
Steven frowned.
“I’m her father, Max.”
“I wanna go home.”
“I understand. But Laura asked me to take her trick-or-treating, and my mom’s expecting us.”
“I can bring her home.”
Ellie grabbed my hand.
“Please, Max.”
I looked at Steven.
“She wants to leave. I’ll get her home.”
“Please, Max.”
His face changed.
“You’re making me seem like a terrible father.”
I didn’t answer that.
Instead, I took out my phone.
Steven sighed.
His face changed.
“Ellie, sweetheart, I love you.”
She looked at him.
“Will you tell Mommy why you didn’t come?”
He hesitated.
“That’s something your mom and I need to discuss.”
“Ellie, sweetheart, I love you.”
“Then please talk to her,” I said. “Don’t make Ellie explain it.”
Steven stared at me.
I waited.
Finally, he nodded.
“I’ll talk to Laura.”
I took Ellie’s hand.
“Come on, Skye.”
I waited.
***
We’d barely reached the corner when I called my mom.
She answered immediately.
“Everything okay?”
“Not really.”
I told her where we were and what had happened.
“Everything okay?”
She listened without interrupting.
“Is Ellie with you?”
“Of course she is. We’re heading home.”
“Good. I’ll meet you near our street. I’ll speak to Laura, Max. Don’t worry about it.”
I glanced down at Ellie.
“Don’t worry about it.”
She was walking slowly.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Can you bring a jacket? She’s getting cold.”
“Of course.”
“Mom?”
After I hung up, Ellie stopped beside a mailbox.
“Is Daddy going to be mad at me?”
“Why would he be?”
“Because I went to his house. I only went there once with Mommy. Now Daddy picks me up or visits us.”
I crouched beside her.
Ellie stopped beside a mailbox.
“Ellie, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then why was he upset?”
I didn’t know how to answer that.
“That’s something he needs to explain, okay? You can talk to your mom about it.”
She nodded and took my hand again.
Then my phone buzzed.
I didn’t know.
Jackson.
I answered.
“Dude, you’re missing everything.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
“Where are you?”
“Heading home.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
“Home? What about the party?”
I looked at Ellie.
She’d stopped checking house numbers.
Now she was staring at the sidewalk.
“Something happened.”
“What about the party?”
Jackson went quiet.
“Everything okay?”
“Not really.”
“Do you need anything?”
I hadn’t expected that.
“Not really.”
“Nah. Thanks, though.”
“You coming later?”
I could still make it.
Mom would be there soon, and Ellie would be safe with her.
But I didn’t feel much like celebrating.
“Thanks, though.”
“Not tonight.”
“Okay, man. Text me tomorrow.”
I put my phone away.
***
Ellie looked up.
“Are you missing your party?”
“Not tonight.”
“I am.”
“Because of me?”
I shook my head.
“No. I just don’t wanna go anymore.”
She looked at my costume.
“I am.”
“Are you mad I made you wear Chase?”
I thought about Jackson laughing at me.
Then I remembered Steven standing in his doorway.
“Honestly? I was pretty annoyed at first.”
“Are you mad?”
Ellie lowered her eyes.
“But I’m not mad now.”
“Why?”
I shrugged.
“Turns out it’s not the worst costume.”
“Why?”
She smiled a little.
Then she asked, “Do you think Daddy will wear Chase next year?”
I looked at her.
“I don’t know, Ellie.”
She nodded.
She smiled a little.
I wasn’t going to promise something I couldn’t control.
But there was one thing I could still do.
“Hey, remember that house with the giant pumpkins?”
She looked up.
“The one with the big chocolate bars?”
I wasn’t going to promise.
“Yeah. It’s on our way back.”
Her face brightened.
“Can we go?”
I checked the time.
“Can we go?”
“We’ve got a few minutes before Mom gets here.”
We walked over together.
The woman at the door smiled.
“Skye and Chase! Look at those costumes!”
We walked over.
Ellie held out her bucket.
“Trick or treat!”
I stood beside her while she carefully chose a chocolate bar.
Then she looked at me.
“Chase gets one too.”
I stood beside her.
The woman laughed and handed me a bar.
I slipped it into my pocket.
When we reached our street, Mom was waiting with Ellie’s jacket.
She helped Ellie put it on, then took her hand.
“Your mommy knows you’re with us, sweetheart,” she said gently. “You’ll be staying at our house until she gets home.”
The woman laughed.
Ellie nodded.
Then she turned toward me.
“Max?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for coming with me.”
“Max?”
I looked down at my ridiculous blue costume.
“Anytime, Skye.”
She smiled and walked toward home with my mom.
I followed them, still wearing the floppy ears.
“Max, do you know Skye?”
