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"What does that mean?" asked Maria, eyes wide

I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly Okay, Gas right I shouldn’t be scaring the kids with tales of --actually taking thelared at Gwen

"It doesn’ta strand of Maria’s blonde hair behind her ear "I just got carried away I don’t like doctors" I wrinkled my nose to show my distaste

"Me either!" proclaimed Zack " ’Specially not the kind with needles"

"She just drew some blood samples, Vicky That’s all she needed I doubt we’ll ever hear froreedy and ambitious She didn’t care if her research caused har her kids If Gravett would stoop that low, she was capable of anything Gwen had cooperated this far, and I’d bet she’d have trouble getting rid of Gravett in the future We’d have to talk about it, but not now

Searching for a topic that would get the kids’else, I asked about their Halloween plans

"Mom won’t let us watch the parade!" Zack’s brow furroith the injustice of it all

"Don’t you want to go hoet better loot that way"

"Trick-or-treat was last night Tonight’s some stupid Halloween party at church It’ll prob’ly be like Sunday school with costumes"

"Don’t say ‘stupid,’ " Gwen admonished

"They’ll have a haunted house," Maria said

"So what? Bobby told onna have real zombies"

"Not this year, Zack," I said "Zombies aren’t allowed in the parade They have to stay in their own part of town Anyway, zoular people"

"Yeah, except their skin is rotting and their noses are falling off and they got blood in their eyeballs!"

Not much I could say to that It was a pretty accurate description

Maria pointed outside at the plaza "Look!" she said

Zack turned so fast he uy selling Halloween balloons?"

"No, I saw--"

"Look, look!" Zack shouted "Soo watch, Mom? Pleeeeeease?"

"Shh Indoor voice, Zack" She turned to look outside "If he’s still there after we’ve finished eating, we can go"

"No, noant to go now"

Justin, bouncing up and down in his seat, echoed, "No!"

No indoor voices froh the meal Let them have some fun "We’re pretty et the bill and co "Bathrooot sticky faces to wash" With all three of them in tow, she disappeared in the back of the restaurant<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>