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“That’s perfect then. You both can hand out candy while we head out.” Ally set Laurie down and she immediately ran to her Uncle, wrapping her arms around his legs. He crouched to return her hug, but she’d already moved on to Sage, offering her the same treatment.
Oliver frowned. “I hardly think it takes two.”
“Oh, everything is better with two.” I patted Ally’s ass while my daughter was distracted with Sage’s feathers, and Ally elbowed me none too gently.
“Trick or treat!” A bunch of kids called out from behind Sage and Oliver.
Oliver dusted off his knees and rose, dipping back his head. “I didn’t have time to prepare.”
Sage spun around to face the cluster of children and clapped her hands. “Look at all of you! Well, let me see who we have here. I see a witch, a baseball player, another Wonder Woman—”
“Uh oh,” I said under my breath as Ally and I exchanged a look.
Laurie charged toward the little brunette who’d dared to wear the same costume. “I’m Wonder Woman,” Laurie announced.
The brunette wasn’t backing down. “No, I am.”
“I had mine first.”
“No, you didn’t.”
Laurie crossed her arms. “You can’t have candy.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” I said, moving forward at the same time Ally did, causing us to briefly become wedged in the doorway. I let my wife go first then hung back as she went to mediate the dispute between the two girls.
The official mommy role was new to her, and I wanted her to feel comfortable disciplining Laurie or whatever the situation needed. So I deliberately motioned to Oliver and Sage and led them inside. Right before I shut the door softly behind us, Ally’s light laughter rang out.
“You’re just letting her handle it?” Oliver’s brow rose. “When did you get so Zen?”
“She’s her mother.” It didn’t matter that Ally wasn’t Laurie’s parent biologically. She was her mom in every way that mattered.
“Aww, that’s so sweet.” Sage gave me a smile. “You guys are so cute together now that you’re not a dick anymore.”
“That’s called damning with faint praise.” Oliver undid the button on his jacket and moved into the living room. “And if I’m going to be stuck handing out sugar to squabbling toddlers, then I do believe I’m going to have a whiskey.”
“Ally should’ve warned me he would be here.”
“Considering she just said she didn’t know—”
“Yes, but she should have. She has to know that where you are, your nefarious twin is sure to follow.”
Unable to resist a grin, I glanced down at the bowl of candy I still held. Whoops. Ally would need that.
I held up a finger. “One sec.”
As soon as I turned toward the door, it opened and Ally’s long, slim arm extended inside. From the porch, children’s laughter and excited talking offset the deeper tones of the adults in the group. Laurie’s giggles rose over the voices.
“Good job, Hamilton.” I passed her the bowl and she leaned inside long enough to stick out her tongue at me just as she’d done when we were kids.
So I responded in kind, just as I might have when we were teens.
“Don’t stick that out at me unless you intend to use it.”
“Ugh, so adorably gross.” Sage clutched her fluffy belly. “I can’t stand it.”
Ally shut the door behind her again, trapping me with Sage and her dislike of my brother.
“What are you anyway?” I asked.
