Chapter 30

It wasn’t long into Fall before the kids begged us to attend the Fall Festival.

Greta ran right for the Haunted House when we arrived at the Festival.

 

As Gil, Gabby and I were heading to catch up with her, Gavin ran into the Haunted House after her to keep an eye on her. I was so thankful that Gavin took such an interest in younger sisters.

 

Gabby finally went inside the Haunted House a few minutes later. Gil and I waited outside the Haunted House for them. The twins said the Haunted House was spooky and that they wished Scooby Doo had been inside. I wished that as well.

 

Later on that evening while the twins were helping Gil and I pick some pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, I spotted Gavin chatting with Cassandra Goth. I once asked Gavin if he had any males friends and he said yes, but that he’s closer with his female friends. While I think that’s sweet, I’m wondering when one of those friendships will turn into something more.

 

The next morning we all got up early and carved our pumpkins for Halloween/Spooky Day.

 

Gabby and I went with cats for our designs. Gavin and Great did silly and Gil stuck with the traditional look. Misty had to come out and investigate all the pumpkins once we placed them where we wanted them.

 

Even though it was getting a bit chiller outside, Gavin still insisted on swimming in our pool. I was a bit worried about him getting a cold from it, but Gil talked me into not saying anything. As long as he doesn’t think he’s going to be joining the polar bear club with the crazy people down at the beach during the Winter.  Gavin also told us that he wanted to start working out, so Gil was helping with him a work out schedule. We made sure that this wasn’t because he felt pressured or anything from his peers. Gavin assured us that it wasn’t that. Gavin was considering his future occupations and that’s why he wanted to start working out as a teenager. While I was happy it was fully his choice, Gavin speaking out his future career choices just reminded me even more that my babies were growing up.

 

One night Greta and Gabby begged Gil and I to read them both to sleep, at the same time.  It was nice spending that time with our twins.

 

Greta fell asleep first. Gil kissed her goodnight and headed to bed.

 

 

Gabby fell asleep about five minutes later. I kissed her goodnight, shut off the lights and joined Gil in bed.

 

We weren’t done with the Fall Festival yet though. Gil and I took the kids back the next weekend. Gil and I took part in a pie eating contest with Mortimer Goth and Rosemarie Bloom. Mortimer won the contest.

 

We also went bobbing for apples with Gavin. Gavin ended up catching the most apples.

 

When we got home that evening Greta and Gabby went to their room to play pretend as Princesses. I checked in on them a few times and it was really cute to watch them prance around the room together.

 

The next morning Gil and I discovered that our beloved Garfield had passed away in his sleep during the night. Both of us were heartbroken. I remembered when he wondered in my yard all those years ago and watching he and Duke run around the house together. I was really going to miss  him. And I had Gil move him so the kids wouldn’t wake up to find him like we had.

 

Once the kids were up we told them. Gil took to comforting Gabby and I was talking to Greta as I noticed Gavin head off into his room by himself. He didn’t show any emotion over the news, but I knew better. He was feeling it on the inside.

 

I gave Gretaa  hug and could tell Misty was a bit sad too. Now she was our only pet left. We would have to work to make sure she don’t feel lonely.

 

It took me most of the day, but I finally got Gavin to let out his feelings over the passing of Garfield. I held my first-born as he cried not only over Garfield, but Duke and Jer too. It had been hard loosing all of them within a year.

Later on that day Gil and I took a trip to the Bunch Family Graveyard and laid Garfield to rest along side his pals, Duke and Jer.

 

Gil suggested we all get out of the house the next day and we went to the Market. Gabby baked up some goodies in her toy oven and set up a bake stand.

 

Greta purchased some lemons at the market and opened a lemonade stand for the day. I was first in line, while Gil and Agnes Crumplebottom waited in line behind me to purchase some of Greta’s lemonade. She did pretty good on it, though it could have used a teeny bit more sugar.

 

Spooky Day/Halloween arrived quickly. Gavin dressed up as a clown, Gabby dressed up as an alien and Greta went as a comic book character. I wasn’t really sure which one to be honest, I just was focused on them all having a good time.

 

Gil talked me into throwing a costume party. He told me I couldn’t hold onto Spooky Day/Halloween forever as the day Lane kidnapped me. He was right. So I did throw the party. I dressed as a fighter pilot to honor Jack. It was quiet funny when both Gil and Mortimer Goth ended up dressed as hot dogs. Lisa also came, along with Agnes Crumplebottom, Jeremy, Queenie’s husband, and their kids, JR and Melissa. Queenie had to work late.

 

Gavin was in charge of taking the twins around the neighborhood, close to our house, for trick or treating. I went out to check on them once and saw Gabby getting some goodies, while Gavin spent his time talking to Cassandra and Jessica.

 

Once everyone left and the kids were snug in bed, I embraced my favorite hot dog.

“I love you.” I told Gil, staring into his eyes.

“I love you too…now can you help me get out of this thing?”  Gil asked, laughing. It took us a good half hour to get him out of that hot dog costume. He vowed to never wear it again.

 

Gil had been working on raking up the yard for a few days. He wanted all the leaves in one big pile so he could burn them. Well, one evening I went out to the garden and spotted the twins playing on their Dad’s leaf pile. I didn’t have the heart to stop them, because they were giggling up a storm and having so much fun. I did end up telling Gil what happened and he wasn’t mad, nor did he try to redo his pile. He just left it for nature to take care of.

 

“Mooooom. I have an idea for Thanksgiving.” Greta said to me one evening after the twins, Gil and I had finished off some of Gabby’s baked goods. Gavin was in his room doing homework.

“What is it?” I questioned her.

“We should dress up for the party! As Pilgrims and Native Americans!” Greta exclaimed.

“That might take a lot of work to get all the outfits in a short amount of time.” Gil told her.

“Pleeeeeeeeeeease! We learned all about the first Thanksgiving at school and I think this would be fun. Pleeeeeeeeeeease?” Greta begged.

 

“Your Dad does have a point about their not being a lot of time before the party.” I said.

Greta pouted a bit.

“The school just did a play. We could ask to borrow their costumes.” Gabby said, before stuffing a muffin in her mouth.

“I’ll call the school tomorrow and see what I can do.” I told Greta.

And I did just that the next morning. We got outfits for us all, except Gavin. He had to be a bit creative with his outfit. Gavin and Greta all painted hand turkeys on our faces to add with the theme.

 

Everyone else was allowed to come dressed as normal. Kelly had grown since we had last seen her and Gavin noticed right away. He spent a lot of time speaking with her.

 

The Bunch’s were invited, as usual. We also invited Blair and Boyd Jr. Cyclone had recently passed away and I didn’t want them to be alone in their first Holiday without him.

 

Judy showed up as well. It was really nice having her in the house again, even if only for a while. This year’s seating seemed to go a little bit better as well since we didn’t invite as many people.

 

Later on that evening as people started leaving, Gil and the kids set down to play video games. Misty seemed to be entranced by the TV as well. I was busy cleaning up so I didn’t join them. But I did watch them every once in a while. Especially when the sounds of them smashing the buttons became really loud. I’m not sure who won to be honest. Just that they all seemed to have fun with it.