"Then I'm doing it too," Rob said decisively. He picked up the pink monstrosity and shuddered.
"You really don't have to," Julian told him.
"You want to be in this alone?" Rob challenged him.
"No," Julian admitted.
Rob smiled at him. "I know it's not a job requirement, but Rico is right. Danny will get a kick out of it."
"Are you sure we won't scare him," Julian asked as he had another look at the costumes.
Rob had to laugh at that. "Not a hundred percent sure."
Julian only had a little more work to do then they got into their ridiculous costumes. When the two of them went in to show off their costumes, Danny was buzzing around the library with Lenny. Catching sight of them, he stopped and gasped then turned to Lenny. "Look," he whispered like he didn't know what to make of what he was seeing and he wanted to consult the dog.
While he huddled with Lenny, Julian approached him cautiously.
"Hi, Danny. It's us," Julian told him, but Danny was still looking at them kind of funny though the headpieces didn't cover their faces all the way. He came over to them tentatively, and Julian asked, "You want to see me?"
When Danny nodded, he took off the Count Chocula head and that made him giggle. Now Danny shifted his gaze over to Rob.
"You want me to do it too?" Rob asked.
There was another giggle when Rob pulled off his Franken Berry head.
"You ready to go trick or treating?" Julian asked and offered Danny his hand.
Arriving in Peach Tree, they found parking on the outskirts of town. As they stepped out of the car and got the little super strong bee and his sidekick out, Danny stopped and pointed at their heads.
"I guess we have to put these back on now," Julian said with a wan smile.
Putting on his pink head with antennae sticking up, Rob turned to Julian with a deadly serious expression on his face. "I'm here for you. Stay strong."
Julian had to laugh. If Rob was right there with him, he knew he could get through this ordeal. So with their silly costumes on, they walked into town armed with candy. They joined the trick or treaters and their parents walking up and down Main Street.
Adults were carrying candy to give out. Kids were carrying bags and buckets for the candy they would be getting. Uneasy in the crowd, Danny held onto their hands tightly as he walked between them and Rob carried Lenny. They made sure to shield Danny from the more gruesome costumes, but at least Main Street was closed to cars.
"Just remember Julian is still under there and so am I," Rob told Danny.
Danny looked up at Julian. "You're under there, Julian?"
"Yes, I am," Julian assured him, though he wished he wasn't. He felt like an idiot in this costume. But the real crime was what Rico did to Rob.
Someone like Rob deserved to be dressed in an outfit that showed off that beautiful body and the way he moved. Not that hideous thing with antennae and an oversized head. Looking at him, Julian knew without a doubt that Rico was a truly evil being.
Danny was starting to get some candy and give some out too. Now he was a happy little guy, feeling more secure walking between them, holding Rob's and Julian's hands and smiling all around.
It didn't take them long to run into a group they knew. Lara and Noreen were dressed as the Good Witch of the North and Dorothy fromThe Wizard of Oz. Gloria was dressed as the Little Red Riding Hood. Their costumes looked really good. As they approached, Julian got ready to be a laughing stock and Rob groaned.
"Hang in there," Julian told him.
Right away, Gloria had a verdict. "You look funny." The little redheaded Red Riding Hood clapped and smiled as she said it, so she must have meant it in a good way. She liked Danny's and Lenny's costumes too.
"Lenny's cape turned out really well, thank you," Julian told Lara.
"It was no trouble," she said while shaking her head at what he and Rob looked like.
"You two are a sight," Noreen said to them.
