jlm110108 (original) (raw)

Don & Charlie Eppes kidfic

Four year old Charlie Eppes stared wide eyed at his mother and shook his head. “Mommy, it’s scary. I don’t wanna go.”

Donnie Eppes, a very mature nine years old, put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Chuck, I’ll be with you.”

“Don’t call me Chuck,” Charlie said, pulling away from Donnie’s hand. “I don’t like tricky treatin’. You go ahead. I’ll stay home with mommy and hand out candy.”

“But you had fun last year,” Margaret said. “Remember all the candy you brought home? And you got to dress up as the Count. The costume was a little big last year, so it should fit you just fine tonight.”

Charlie shook his head again. “No. It’s gonna be scary.” His lip trembled as he met Donnie’s gaze. “You know. Like the movie.”

Donnie’s mouth dropped open. Busted.

“Donald Alan Eppes,” Margaret growled, “What do you know about this?”

Donnie took a deep breath and met his mother’s fierce gaze. “I didn’t do nothing.”

“Anything. You didn’t do anything,” Margaret corrected automatically. “So what did you do?”

Donnie bit back the smart aleck answer. He knew when Mom put on her lawyer face it wasn’t worth mouthing off to her. He heaved a long sigh. “I was watching a movie with some friends, and Charlie joined us.”

“What movie?” Margaret demanded.

“’Halloween’,” Don muttered as he gazed down at his feet. “Am I gonna be grounded?”

Margaret looked at her two boys and pondered her options. Finally, she said, “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to convince your brother that nothing in that movie was real, that you are going to stick with him like glue and that nothing, NOTHING will hurt him if he goes trick or treating with you tonight. If you don’t manage to do that, you will be grounded tonight.”

Charlie looked nervously at Donnie.

“And to make sure you don’t browbeat him into going with you tonight, I am going to witness the whole conversation. Sit, both of you.”

It took only half an hour and a lot of groveling and promises, but Donnie finally convinced Charlie that nothing was going to happen to him if he went trick or treating. Margaret hugged both boys. “Charlie, go get your costume. It’s in your closet in the blue bin. Donnie, we need to talk for a minute.”

After Charlie left, Donnie said, “I’m sorry, Mommy. I didn’t think a stupid movie would bother Charlie like that. I’m gonna be more careful from now on.”

Margaret smiled. “You’re not going to watch any more horror movies until you’re thirteen.”

“That’s four years! That’s forever!”

Margaret ruffled Donnie’s hair. “You’ll live. Now go get ready.”