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“Eat your cookies and drink your cider and work on those last two pages, and I will talk to your dad,” I said, feeling defeated.

The moment I bent down to pull her spelling book back in front of her, she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged tight.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

I hugged her tightly against me. “You are welcome, Soph.”

I was still going over what I’d planned to say to Everett tonight as I pulled the roasted chicken from the oven and carefully took enough off for each one of us. I plated Sophie’s dinner first, then Everett’s, and then my own and carried two of the plates to the table.

“Did you ask him while I was watching my shows?” Sophie whispered, as I set her plate down in front of her.

“Not yet. He was working. I will let you know once I have. Now eat your dinner,” I said, as Everett walked into the kitchen.

Sophie let out a sigh and looked up at me with an angry face as she stuck her fork into a potato while I placed a plate in front of Everett.

“Looks great. I’m starved, thank you.”

“Thank you,” I said as Sophie let out another sigh.

“What’s that sigh for, Soph?” Everett questioned, sitting down beside her.

Sophie looked up at me, and then turned to Everett.

“Daddy,” she said, putting her fork down for a moment, her expression growing serious. “I have a question.”

“Okay, what is it?” He asked winking in my direction.

I watched Sophie for a moment as she looked up at me and then turned back to her father.

“Ember was supposed to ask you, but she hasn’t yet,” she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “It can’t wait.”

“Sophie, I told you I’d talk to him later tonight, after he finished work,” I said, looking over at her, feeling a little angry that she hadn’t done as I’d asked.

Sophie acted as if I had said nothing, and Everett looked at me, reassurance in his eyes.

“Alright, well, why don’t you tell me what is so important.”

“Daddy, can we have a Halloween party? Like Mommy used to do?”

I stilled as Everett looked at me with glaring intensity from where he sat. I could feel my face heating, and I forced myself to look at Sophie.

“Sophie…” I whispered.

“No,” she said, crossing her arms. “I know you’re sad about Mommy, Daddy. I’m sad too. Mommy loved the party, and I think she’d still want us to have it. Ember can help plan it. She’s great at Halloween things, like Mommy used to be. Look at all she’s done around the house, the paper bats, everything.”

As much as I wanted to look away, I couldn’t. Everett glared at me, his expression unreadable.

“It could be a small one,” I said carefully. “Just family, something low-key.”

“Please, Daddy,” Sophie cried. “Maybe we could go trick or treating too.”

Everett looked at me and then at Sophie.

“Let me think about it.”

Sophie beamed, she had learned recently that “let me think about it” was far closer to a yes than a no.

The tension at the dinner table had been unbearable. It took me back to my first few days here. The only break I’d had was putting Sophie into bed. Once I’d read her a story and she was asleep, I went downstairs planning to get my computer and return to my room, but I cleaned up the pantry from all the baking we’d been doing. Plus, keeping busy was better for me right now. I knew Everett was angry. I’d been pushing it with all the Halloween stuff and decorations. I hated the thought of Everett being angry with me, even though I hadn’t really done anything. I was standing on my toes to reach the top shelf when I felt his hand close around my wrist.