As Halloween got closer, Kate was busy getting her house ready for the party, but she wasn’t really into it. Carl, her husband, had disappeared six months before, leaving her and their five-year-old daughter Holly to spend the holiday without him.
Kate couldn’t help but smile as her daughter put her favourite pink toys and teddy bear on the porch next to the pumpkins. Holly’s excitement was contagious. Things started to go wrong for Kate when Holly asked to wear the outfit Carl had made for her last year.
As the night went on, Kate let trick-or-treaters come to her door, but one kid’s costume caught her off edge. A young girl dressed in an outfit that looked just like the ones Carl used to make gave them hope. Could Carl have been nearby?
When Kate asked about the outfit, she learnt something she didn’t expect: the girl’s father made it. Kate followed the girl’s directions to her house, her heart beating with each step. She felt both worried and hopeful.
When Kate got close to the house, her breath got stuck in her throat. Carl, the man she thought she had lost forever, was waiting outside the door giving candy to kids who came to the door. When they saw each other again, there was shock, quiet, and feelings that weren’t said.
Kate’s dreams were dashed when Carl told her that he had left to start a new life with someone else. She had to be strong to tell him the truth and wish him happiness because she knew she and Holly deserved better. Kate came home with a sad heart. She hugged her daughter and knew that their future would be without Carl.
Holly’s beautiful smile made the night more enjoyable for Kate, who knew she had found her ideal daughter. It was time to move on, by myself and with strength.
