I was in the bathroom just starting to brush my teeth before going to bed when Mom leaned against the doorjamb. She looked at me and frowned. “Okay, I get it. You don’t want me to get married to Oliver. You told me why and I kinda get that. Why do you keep embarrassing me with temper tantrums?”

I looked at Mom and said, “Mmrphumph mff.”

Mom poked my shoulder. “Spit first, silly.”

I took the toothbrush from my mouth and did a rinse. I scowled at Mom. “You don’t give me credit for anything. I’m not coming up to being a ten year old. I’m coming down!. You keep acting like I don’t have any history. Nothing personal against Oliver, but I don’t want him bossing me around. And why do you suddenly have this bug up your butt about anime? It never bothered you before.”

Mom folded her arms and said, “When you were a boy, you were older and I didn’t care what crap you watched. But now that you’re my daughter there are certain things that I don’t think are appropriate for you.”

I rolled my eyes when she said “appropriate”. I laughed. “Really? It’s not like I’m your typical sweet and innocent ten year old. Just three years ago I was twenty-five year old man. Don’t forget that!”

Mom sighed. “But you’re not that anymore. And you’ll never be that again. Why make things hard on yourself and fight the change? Just enjoy being a little girl.”

I glared at Mom and said with a bit of acid dripping in my voice, “You don’t want me to be a little girl. You want me to be you. But I’m not you. I’m me.”

Shaking her head, Mom said, “You need to get in bed.”

“You girls ready?”

I nodded, embarrassed all to hell. Maybe if I’d grown up as a little girl, I’d be excited to wear a blue princess dress including a plastic tiara and wearing make-up with pink lipstick. Or maybe by ten I’d already outgrown it. I have no way of knowing. I just know I felt silly dressed as I was, holding a plastic jack-o-latern. When I was a kid before, I’d outgrown trick or treating by age twelve. My sister Dede and now Mom, never outgrew it. She decorated the house even after I became an old man and always dresses in some costume at work on Halloween.

Mom had decided I should go trick or treating with April in her neighborhood because it’s wealthier and Claire, April’s mother said April always got a good haul. April, while claiming to be dressed as a pop star, managed I thought, to look more like a prostitute in her super short skirt and too much make-up. At fourteen, she didn’t seem as bored with the world that I thought she would. But she’s approaching, if not already there, the stage where she wants to be as far from her parents as she can get.

Mom had braided my hair into pigtails. She grinned at me as we stood on April’s porch. “You look adorable!” Mom had declined an invitation from Oliver to attend a Halloween party with him. It was an adult party with booze so I wouldn’t have been able to go. Plus, Mom wanted to be with me for my first Halloween as a girl. She didn’t say it like that as Oliver thinks I was born this way.

April looked down at her feet and frowned. “Maybe I shouldn’t have worn heels.”

Claire chuckled. “Too late! Let’s get going.” We all stepped off the porch and walked to the sidewalk.

While being dark, it was also a bit chilly, but neither April or me appeared to be uncomfortable. Still, I’d rather be at home. Looking down the street, I knew it would be a long evening of collecting candy as most houses had their porch lights on signaling they were ready for visitors.

At the first house we came to, it was just April and me at the door. At Mom’s prompting, I shouted, “Trick or treat!” and I held out my plastic jack-o-lantern.

An elderly woman opened the door and smiled at me and said, “Don’t you look adorable!” There were a couple of hollow thunks as she dropped some candy into my empty candy bucket. As she dropped some candy into a bored looking April’s bucket, she asked, “What are you dressed as, April?” She looked disapprovingly at April.

April struck a pose and grinned, “I’m a pop star, Mrs. Golightly.”

Mrs. Golightly looked down at me and said, “Well, I hope you girls have fun tonight.” We then trodded across her lawn to the next house, April’s heels sinking into the soft earth.

Three more houses down, it was re-affirmed I was adorable. I might actually start believing it myself. As we ventured down the street, the number of kids out roaming started to increase. I saw another girl in a princess dress, but no way was she as adorable as I was.

As we approached one house, a girl dressed as a gypsy was outside handing out candy. She looked about the same age as April. When she saw us, she waved. “Hey April!”

April grinned and said, “Hey Vicky! Not going out tonight?”

Vicky shrugged. “I might in a minute. I thought I’d help out with the candy.” She pointed at me. “Is that your cousin?”

April shook her head. “Nah. This is Chrystal. She’s one of the little girls I baby sit for.” Well hey. Thanks for putting me in my place.

Vicky gave me a dismissive glance and said, “Yeah. I hate babysitting people’s brats. But hey, my next door neighbor actually pays pretty well so I guess it’s worth it.”

April shrugged. “I don’t mind babysitting. At least with Chrystal, she’s old enough for us to talk about who’s cute in the boy bands we like. And she loves to play with dolls.” I frowned at April. You know I’m standing right here, right?

“Hey. You mind if I join you guys?” asked Vicky with a grin.

April grinned back. “That’s fine with me. The more the merrier.”

After clearing it with her parents, Vicky joined our search for candy. I didn’t really care. April was mostly ignoring me anyway. I was surprised at how April joined Vicky in being a catty little bitch when talking about people they knew at school. Just to get away from them, I started running ahead which caused Mom to chase after me which cut down on her talk-time with Claire.

The second time she had to chase me, Mom said, “Honey, I know you’re excited, but those homes aren’t going anywhere. We don’t have to rush.”

As April and Vicky caught up to us, Vicky poked April in the arm and said, “Hey. You want to hear something freaky?”

April frowned. “You already told me about Jonathan Miller. That was disgusting!”

Frowning, Vicky said, “No, no. This is different. You remember when that switcher stuff was going on a couple of years ago? Remember Allison’s kid brother got switched with a thirty year old gay dude?”

April nodded. “What about it?”

Laughing, Vicky said, “Now her little brother has changed into a little girl about Chrystal’s age. Isn’t that insane?”

April looked thoughtful for a moment. “That is crazy. How could that even happen? Just think. You could be standing next to some little girl who used to be some creepy old dude.”

My heart stopped when they both turned to look at me. April leaned down to look at me as she said, “Chrystal, you’re not some creepy old dude are you?” She and Vicky laughed.

I just said quietly, “No.” They don’t know I’m lying.

April said, “Chrystal’s too girly to ever been a dude. Hey, I’m getting tired. How about a couple more houses and then call it quits?”

I held my pumpkin up and protested, “My pumpkin’s not full yet!”

April said, “You and your mom can keep going if you want. But I’m getting tired of going to houses.”

Vicky looked at her phone. She said, “Hey. Oscar’s asking why we’re not at his party.” She held her phone up to show the text.

April asked, “Want to go?”

Vicky shrugged. “Why not? Let’s ask my mom if she’ll drive us over.”

“I don’t want to go,” I said with a slight whine.

April laughed and ruffled my hair. “Sorry squirt. I doubt Oscar wants any fifth graders at his party.”

We walked over to where Mom and Claire were chatting on the sidewalk. April said, “I think we’re gonna bail. Mom, is it okay if I go to a Halloween party with Vicky?”

Claire frowned. “I guess so, honey. Just be back home by ten. You have school tomorrow.”

April shoved her candy bucket at Claire and grinned. “Thanks, Mom. See ya!” She then turned and she and Vicky ran off down the sidewalk.

Claire looked at the candy bucket and chuckled slightly. “Why yes, honey. I’ll hold your candy for you. I swear. These kids.”

Mom looked down at me. “How about you, honey? Ready to call it a night?”

I held up my pumpkin and exclaimed, “My pumpkin isn’t full yet!”

“Here.” Claire reached into April’s candy bucket and pulled out a big handful of candy. She dumped it into my pumpkin. “April doesn’t need all this candy anyway.”

Mom patted my shoulders. “There. Now your pumpkin is full.”

Claire asked Mom, “Would you like coffee when we get back? I have some new flavors you might like. Chrystal can entertain herself with April’s dolls.”

Mom smiled at Claire. “Sounds great.” To me she said, “Come on honey.”

“Looks like you guys got quite a haul last night!” said Oliver from the kitchen counter as he dipped his grimy mitts into my pumpkin for some more candy. I swear. This guy is over all the time now. Shouldn’t he wait until he marries Mom before he’s over every day?

Mom chuckled. “That was a great neighborhood. We’ll have to go back there next year.” Mom exited the kitchen and walked to her room.

As soon as Mom left, Oliver looked over at me playing on the floor with Mr. Bunny and my Barbie. He said, “Hey sport!” When I looked up, he tossed me my thumb drive back. I missed and it bounced on the floor. “Thanks kiddo. That movie still confused me. I added some anime from my collection to your drive.” He turned away from me when Mom came back into the room.

I picked up my thumb drive from the floor. I looked at the drive and then back to Oliver who turned and winked at me. Oliver’s an asshole, but maybe he’s not such a bad asshole.

To be continued…