Halloween in Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries Book 6) (3 page)

Every year Tj vowed to get an earlier start on holiday planning and preparation, but every year she found herself running around trying to get things done at the last minute. She’d hoped that fulfilling the mother role for her sisters would get easier as time went by, but so far it was as hard as it ever had been to fit so many pieces into her totally overloaded life.

“I thought we were going to study hall after school because you had a meeting,” redheaded, green-eyed Ashley greeted as Tj hurried toward her.

“Change of plan. Grab your stuff and let’s hurry to see if we can catch Gracie before she leaves her classroom.”

“She’s always the last one out,” Ashley reminded her. “I don’t think you have to worry. Can we go to a movie tonight?”

“
The Great Pumpkin
is on television tonight.”

“
The Great Pumpkin
is for babies.”

“No it’s not. I love
The Great Pumpkin
,” Tj countered, “and I’m a long way from being a baby.”

“Me and Kristi want to go to the Halloween movie marathon over at the fourplex,” Ashley announced.

“The Halloween marathon is playing horror movies,” Tj pointed out as she transferred the pile of tests she’d brought home to grade from one arm to the other. “I’m not sure the movies they’re featuring are appropriate for your age group.”

“I’m in the fifth grade. I’m not afraid of scary movies and I’m not a baby,” Ashley argued. “If we can’t go tonight can I go this weekend? Everyone in my class is going to be there.”

“I doubt everyone in your class is going.”

“You are so overprotective.” Ashley groaned. “Mom would have let me go.”

“We’ve talked about this before,” Tj reminded her sister as they hurried through the crowded hallway. “I’m not Mom and I’m not going to make every decision the way she would have. Still, the movie marathon does sound exactly like something I would have been dying to go to when I was your age, so how about if I check out the lineup and talk to Jenna and then let you know?”

“Okay, but do it soon. You always say you’re going to do things, but then you get busy and forget to do them.”

“No, I don’t. I’m very good about following through.”

“No, you’re not. You think you are, but you’re not.”

Tj sighed. She knew it would do her no good to argue with her sister. At times Tj found it hard to walk the line between being a mother and a sister. If Ashley was actually her daughter she’d never let her sass her the way she tended to do. On the other hand, Tj knew sisters argued and sassed one another all the time.

“I’ll talk to Jenna this afternoon,” Tj assured Ashley as they rounded the corner to the hallway where the second-grade classes were held. “I promise.”

“Tj,” Gracie squealed as she ran into her arms. “Did you get off early?”

“I did.”

Gracie gave Tj a kiss on her cheek after wrapping her arms around her neck.

“Go grab your stuff,” Tj instructed. “We have a busy afternoon.”

“Okay.” Gracie ran back toward the cubbies where the students kept their personal belongings. After Tj confirmed that she had everything she needed, the trio headed down the hall to the parking lot shared by both the elementary and the high school.

It was a beautiful autumn afternoon. The trees lining the front walk of the school were a brilliant gold and a gentle breeze created a melody that reminded Tj why the trees were called quaking aspens. Ashley kicked at the leaves as they walked while Gracie chatted about this and that as she clung to Tj’s hand.

When they arrived at the 4Runner, Tj set the paperwork she’d been holding on the passenger seat of the vehicle before walking around to the opposite side. She slid into the driver’s seat after confirming that both of her sisters were buckled in securely. She said a silent prayer that her ancient vehicle would start and then turned the key. When the engine roared right away, she let out a long breath of relief. She really did need to get a new vehicle, but she found she was attached to the one she’d had since she’d first learned to drive.

“How was school?” Tj asked as a generic conversation starter.

“Boring,” Ashley answered.

“I thought you liked school.”

“I did. But now it’s boring. The teacher keeps going over stuff we already learned.”

Ashley was an exceptionally bright student who really should be in gifted classes, but so far Tj had been unsuccessful in getting her to agree to take the placement test. Ashley insisted she wanted to be in the normal class with her friends and not the special one, with all the geeky kids. Tj understood that a stable social environment was important for Ashley so she didn’t force the issue, but she was concerned that she’d become
so
bored that she’d stop trying.

“Did you ask your teacher about doing extra credit work during those times she feels the need to review for the other students?” Tj asked.

“No. Extra credit is just extra work.”

Tj supposed Ashley had a point.

“Maybe you can bring a book and keep it in your desk,” Tj suggested. “That way if you get bored you can read quietly so you aren’t disturbing the other students.”

“Maybe. It still sounds like extra work, though.”

“I made the finals for the spelling bee,” Gracie announced. “That’s extra work, but it’s also fun.”

“Congratulations. That’s wonderful,” Tj praised. “When are the finals?”

“The school finals are on Thursday, and then the winner of that round in each group goes on to the regional finals, which are in Carson City. I’m going to study really hard ’cause I think it would be fun to go to Carson City.”

“That
would
be fun,” Tj agreed. “I’ll help you study. I’m sure Grandpa and Papa will as well.”

“I have a list of words to learn. I already know most of them because they’re from the list I’ve been studying, but they added some for the final round and there are a few I get mixed up on.”

Tj turned onto the highway toward town rather than the resort, as she normally would.

“Aren’t we going the wrong way?” Ashley interrupted.

“We’re going into town to get your costumes.”

“Finally,” Ashley murmured, as if she were the most persecuted person on earth.

“Can I be a princess for Halloween?” Gracie asked.

“Haven't you been a princess the last two years?” Tj reminded her.

“Yes, but I really like being a princess. This year I want to be Cinderella.”

“Being a princess is dumb,” Ashley teased her sister. “I’m going to be a zombie. Or maybe a vampire.”

“Zombies and vampires are scary,” Gracie commented. “I don't want to be scary; I want to be something pretty.”

“You were Cinderella when you were a baby. You can’t be Cinderella again,” Ashley insisted.

“Can so.”

“Cannot.”

“You can be whatever you want,” Tj told her youngest sibling. “And Ashley can be whatever she wants, as long as we can find costumes.”

“I don’t need a costume. I just need face paint,” Ashley informed her. “Only babies wear packaged costumes.”

“I’m not a baby,” Gracie whined.

“Are so.”

“Okay, that’s enough arguing. The town is really beginning to look like a Halloween wonderland,” Tj commented in an attempt to change the subject.

“Look at all the lights.” Gracie gasped.

The entire downtown section of the lakefront community was decorated for the upcoming Halloween festivities. Bright yellow aspen trees lining the sidewalks were draped with orange and white twinkle lights, while hundreds of scarecrows and huge orange pumpkins were displayed in front of brightly lit shops, inviting the casual passerby in from the crisp fall air.

“It seems like the town really has pulled out all the stops,” Tj agreed. “It will be fun to come down here on Halloween night and look at all the decorations. Maybe on our way back from trick-or-treating.”

“Aspen Maplewood is having a Halloween party this year,” Ashley informed Tj. “Me and Kristi want to go to the party instead of trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating is for toddlers.”

“Is not,” Gracie countered.

“Is so.”

“I think a party sounds like fun,” TJ interrupted the argument. “I’ll talk to Aspen’s mom and work out the details.”

“Please don’t say anything to embarrass me when you talk to Aspen’s mom,” Ashley requested.

“Why would you think I would embarrass you?”

“It’s a coed party, so there’ll be boys there. I can just picture you going on and on about how little Ashley is growing up and how the years simply fly by. You’ll get all choked up and say something about my becoming a woman right before your eyes.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Tj defended herself.

“You said that in pretty much those exact words when Jimmy’s mom called to see if it was okay if I went to the movies with him.”

“I guess I did do that,” Tj admitted.

“It was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me.” Ashley groaned.

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t say anything embarrassing when I speak to Aspen’s mom.”

“Maybe Papa can talk to her. Or Aunt Jenna.”

“I said I wouldn’t embarrass you, and I won’t.”

Tj looked at Ashley in the rearview mirror. She had a look on her face that seemed to indicate her life was over. Maybe she
was
becoming overly sentimental when it came to the girls. Ashley was right; she did tend to go on and on at times.

“Do you think Tiz the Season will have the Halloween village in the window?” Gracie thankfully changed the subject.

“I’m sure they will. They do every year,” Tj assured Gracie.

“My favorite is the carnival and the trick-or-treating kids.”

“I like the spooky graveyard,” Ashley countered. “Last year they even had zombies in the graveyard. Zombies are the bomb.”

“Zombies are dumb,” Gracie said.

“Can we have pizza for dinner?” Ashley asked, choosing to ignore her sister.

“If Grandpa hasn’t already made something,” Tj answered. “I seem to remember him mentioning lasagna.”

“If Grandpa already made lasagna can we have pizza tomorrow?”

“I guess we could pick one up on our way home. I’m sure Grandpa would like a day off from cooking.”

Pulling up in front of the seasonal store where they planned to get their costumes, Tj parked and turned off the engine. She reminded the girls to exit the vehicle on the sidewalk side. As soon as she climbed out of the SUV, Gracie ran over to check out the display that had been set up in the front window.

“Okay, we’re in, we’re out,” Tj declared as she ushered her sisters into the building, which was packed with kids running up and down the aisles looking for the perfect costume and parents chasing them in an attempt to keep up.

“You always say that,” Ashley reminded her.

“We’re always in a hurry.”

“We wouldn’t always be in a hurry if you were better organized,” Ashley pointed out.

Tj loved Ashley more than life itself, but she could be a real handful at times. It seemed like her attitude had gotten even worse since she’d entered the fifth grade. Ashley had made a couple of new friends, which was good because she’d had a hard time adjusting after the death of her mother, but in Tj’s opinion it was most likely those new friends who were responsible for the teen ’tude she’d begun to display as of late.

“Let’s start by looking for Gracie’s Cinderella costume and then we can look for your spooky one after that,” Tj suggested to Ashley.

“Aspen and a couple of my other friends are in the back of the store near the masks. I’ll go hang out with them while you help Gracie,” Ashley offered.

“Okay, but don’t leave the store and please stay out of trouble. I’ll come find you in a few minutes.”

Ashley called out to Aspen and then hurried away. When she’d first moved to Paradise Lake Ashley had been so angry over the death of her mother that she’d lashed out at everyone she came into contact with. The end result was that she’d had a difficult time making friends. Luckily, Kristi had not only befriended her but been patient with her mood swings. Eventually, Ashley had learned what it meant to be a friend and had developed a nice network of relationships.

“How come Ashley is nice to her friends but so mean to me?” Gracie asked.

“She’s just getting to the age when she’s trying to act cooler than she really is, so she compensates by making everyone crazy.” Tj looked down at the adorable second grader beside her. “You aren’t going to stop being my sweet little cupcake, are you?”

Gracie shook her head. “I’m never going to be mean like Ashley.”

“Good.” Tj took Gracie’s hand in hers. “Let’s go find you the best princess costume the store has left at a reasonable price.”

Gracie skipped along beside her as she made her way to the princess aisle. Tj’s life had changed dramatically since she’d been thrust into instant motherhood. During those first difficult months she hadn’t known how she’d ever be able to settle into her new role, and now she couldn’t imagine a life without the sisters she’d barely known before they’d come to live with her.