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My son, Ethan, and his wife, Blythe, live just a few blocks down. Therefore, I make a habit of visiting on Sundays for dinner.<\/p>\n
I stopped in front of their house, expecting a quiet evening like any other. But there were life-sized witches all over the yard: witches that looked disturbingly like me.The clothes, the gray hair, the glasses. And there, right by the front door, a sign that read, \u201cBeware of the real evil down the street!\u201d<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t know whether to laugh or cry. It was so crazy, so petty, but it stung in a way that words couldn\u2019t describe. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.<\/p>\n
Blythe answered, smiling like nothing was out of the ordinary. \u201cEdwina, you made it! Come in, dinner\u2019s almost ready.\u201dI forced a smile and stepped inside. \u201cLovely decorations you\u2019ve got out there,\u201d I said, trying to keep my voice steady.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, you noticed?\u201d she replied, her eyes twinkling with mischief. \u201cJust a little something for Halloween. The kids love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\nBut what really hurt wasn\u2019t the decorations or the sign. It was what happened the next day. I was in my garden, tending to my roses, when I overheard two kids walking by.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s her,\u201d one whispered, glancing my way.\u201cThe witch,\u201d the other added, their voices low but loud enough for me to hear. \u201cMom says she\u2019s real mean. We should cross the street.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the next week, it got worse.
\nChildren who used to wave and say hello now avoided me altogether. Some would even run to the other side of the street when they saw me coming.<\/p>\n
Halloween had always been my favorite time of year. I loved handing out candy and seeing the little ones in their costumes. But this year, thanks to Blythe, the joy had been replaced by a deep sadness. I didn\u2019t recognize my own neighborhood anymore.<\/p>\n
I spent the entire afternoon making little goodie bags filled with candy, stickers, and small toys. All decked out in my glittery gown when I looked in the mirror, , I couldn\u2019t help but smile. \u201cThis will do,\u201d I said to myself.<\/p>\n
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Image for illustrative purpose only.
\nThe kids glanced at each other, unsure. I could see them weighing their options. Finally, one brave little girl, dressed as a princess, approached cautiously. Her wide eyes flickered from me to the candy and back again. I knelt down, smiling as warmly as I could.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi there, princess,\u201d I said, holding out a sparkly wand from my goodie bag. \u201cWould you like a wand to go with your costume?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face lit up, eyes wide with excitement. \u201cYou\u2019re not a witch?\u201d she asked, her small voice full of wonder.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t help but laugh. \u201cNope, just a fairy godmother for the night,\u201d I said, waving my wand playfully. \u201cWant to help me make some pumpkin magic?\u201d<\/p>\n
She giggled, and just like that, the ice was broken. More kids started to come over, their curiosity outweighing their fear. Before I knew it, my little pumpkin-painting station was packed with children, their faces glowing with joy as they painted and snacked on cookies.By the time the sun fully set, my yard was buzzing with excitement. Children were running around with their painted pumpkins, munching on cookies, and showing off their goodie bags. It was the perfect evening.<\/p>\n
But the best part? I didn\u2019t even notice about Blythe\u2019s house, just a few doors down, was eerily quiet.<\/p>\n
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Image for illustrative purpose only.
\nShe had set up her spooky witch-themed party, but all that was left were a couple of stragglers, glancing over at the buzz happening in my yard.<\/p>\n
I caught sight of her standing on her porch, arms crossed. She was watching me, her lips pressed together in a tight line.<\/p>\n
The last few kids ran up to grab their final handful of candy at night. One little girl, dressed as a cat, stopped and looked up at me. \u201cThis was the best Halloween ever,\u201d she said, her voice filled with genuine happiness. \u201cThank you, fairy godmother.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My son, Ethan, and his wife, Blythe, live just a few blocks down. Therefore, I make a habit of visiting on Sundays for dinner. I stopped in… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n