Chapter 50: 50. Chapter 50
Dashiell glances up at his parents, but they are still talking in the very long line for the haunted maze. Ellery wriggles down out of Daddy's arms to be with Dash on the ground; she is too little to see much, but she saw some up there with Daddy.
"Long."
Dash sighs. He needs to see for himself, but there are all these people around, like it is in the city where they live, all these people who keep him from seeing what he needs to see.
Dash takes a single sideways step, edging away, being cautious, little steps, and then - a jerk - Mommy's hand is snagging his suspenders, holding him back. He wrinkles his nose but Ellery takes his other hand and does it for him, leaning, her head peering out past the legs of people in line.
She leans back in and nods. "Close, Dashy. Long but close."
He sighs and stays very still next to Mommy until she forgets and lets him go. He has to be good a little longer, so that she doesn't see him move again. Dashiell is more careful this time, sneaky like James Bond (Daddy reads him James Bond and also Harry Potter and Flat Stanley - Mommy got upset one time until Daddy said I edit heavily which Dash doesn't know what that means only that Mommy thinks heavy edits are good things).
This time, being more patient, he is sneaky enough to creep past Mommy and Daddy and around the people.
When Dash finally sees the beginning of the maze, he gets excited. He's kept it tight in his chest, a ball, until he knew for sure that they're really going to make it - sometimes if he's too disappointed, it's hard to not cry and throw a fit, but there it is ahead of them. Lighted up by big round lights that should have the bat signal for Batman, but don't. And then the hay is really tall, way over his head, and the line of people goes in a few at a time, and still further in - just darkness and more hay and shrieks.
He likes shrieks.
The haunted maze is made of hay bales (Mommy taught him that word this morning), and two people in costumes are posted there at the start. It's not a maze like you have on kids' menus in the restaurant, but a big maze that you can't see from above. You can actually get lost (but Mommy says not with a Mommy and Daddy there with you. Still). Dash glances to his sister and she lifts her eyebrows.
"I see it," he says softly to her, trying not to interrupt Mommy and Daddy's quiet fight behind them. A quiet fight is the kind where Mommy wants to do things that are right, and Daddy wants to have fun. And it's not really a fight, because they're not mad and yelling - they really don't do a lot of yelling - but he thinks it's about the scary stuff.
Dashiell looks up at them, but no. They're not mad. That's good. It means Daddy will probably win. So they get to still go through the haunted maze.
He and Ellery are a few steps away from Mommy and Daddy; they are careful to keep in sight, but they are out of the people. Dash doesn't like to have people around too close, and it's better like this. He lets that ball of excitement go wherever it wants now; he bounces on his toes and pats his holster where his gun is - the toy gun which Daddy called a phaser because it's a space gun.
It's getting late because the line is so very long, but first it took awhile to get their costumes together. (He *told* Daddy not to get the pink toy gun for Ellery. He told him it was a bad idea, dude. But Daddy laughed at him and said Ellery liked pink, but even when Dash said that Mommy didn't wear pink, so Ellery wouldn't want to either, Daddy still didn't listen. So it's Daddy's fault that they had to run to the surfing store and get the water pistols for Ellery instead when she pitched a holy terror of a fit). So they got here late and now Mommy is worried because the darker it gets, the scarier the maze gets. That's what it says. Someone told them that this morning when they came by.
"It's gonna be scary, Ellie," he warns, glancing over at his sister again. She likes the water pistol in her holster much better than the pink gun. She keeps patting it.
"I know it scary," she says back, lifting her chin at him.
He and Ellie are used to scary stuff. For Halloween, Daddy always makes these cool spider webs to hang over his bed and they put bugs and spiders in them, and then Daddy always makes some gross peeled eyeballs or rotting brains for breakfast for his birthday. For Ellie's room, Daddy has a cauldron (which is like a black pot for witches) and then a broom that's not at all like the broom Daddy sweeps with. So Ellie gets witch stuff and he gets the gross stuff, and they have red-blood juice and the brains and eyeballs for breakfast. Daddy is really good at Halloween.
"There might be guys with chainsaws," he tells Ellie.
"What's chains?"
"It's a thing with a blade that goes round and round and makes a really loud noise. It can cut off your arms and legs and your head-"
"Dashiell!" Mommy takes him by the arm, turns him around, brings him back to where they are standing in line.
"It's true. You told me so this morning," he says, frowning at her.
"I did not say they cut off your limbs," she growls at him. "Ellery, there won't be any chainsaws. That's for the adults."
"I not a baby," Ellie says back, crossing her arms over her chest.
"No, neither of you are babies. But some Halloween stuff is too scary for kids. Even big kids," Mommy says, squatting down in line to reach for Ellie. "Even sometimes adults."
Dashiell huffs and glances to Daddy - he should've won. So it should be fun. "Daddy. I need to go in the maze."
"We are. You will," Daddy says, reaching out and messing his hair up.
Dashiell ducks and smooths his hair back down. "Not funny. We have to do the maze! You promised! It's *my* birthday."
"Dashiell, what did I say?"
He turns away from Daddy, because he can sense that it's very close to not happening. And that will make him mad, but he doesn't want to be mad, he wants to go in the haunted maze, but they are being very unfair, and it's Daddy's *fault* anyway they are late and if he had just listened-
Mommy curls her hand around his neck and nudges him out of line; he tries to look back for everyone else, but he sees Daddy has Ellery - it's just him and Mommy.
He sighs, feels Mommy push him to the side. Out past the people, he gets a faceful of sky where the sun has started to set, orange and pink, and it hurts his eyes. He squints and looks away, finds Mommy's still and calm face.
He blinks away spots, watches Mommy. She kneels down next to him, pushes her hands down on his shoulders. Good pushes to keep him on the ground. His whole body checks in, one part at a time, like Ms. Julie said it would when he gets deep pressure. There's his feet, his knees, his waist; there's his shoulders and chest, and if he concentrates, there are his fingers in fists. He lets out a long sigh, uncurls his fingers. Mommy always makes him okay; Mommy does it just right.
"Hey, buddy," she says, using her quiet Dash voice. "Daddy and I are trying to keep you and Ellery from having nightmares."
He feels his chest tighten again because this sounds like a no. "Mommy-"
"Look at me, baby. Let's put the backtalk on pause. Just wait a second. Listen."
Mommy never has too much on her face. She's still and calm, and she makes him still and calm. Daddy's got things all over his face, his eyes are saying things and his mouth and his cheeks and his forehead - even his chin talks too much. Ms. Julie says it's body language. But Dashiell has no trouble with bodies saying things, just faces.
Mommy's face is calm. She says things with her mouth and it's what she means. She says things with her eyes and usually it is not any more than what she tells him all the time anyway.
"Dashiell," she says quietly. "If it gets too dark, then the maze has scary stuff in it. Me or Daddy will take you through without Ellery, though."
The tightness eases in his chest. "Really?"
"Yes. Your choice."
"My choice who takes me?"
She nods once and brushes her fingers through his hair. "Yes, baby. Either me or Daddy. We promised, and it's your birthday promise."
Dashiell leans in and wraps his arms around her neck, taking a deep breath. Mommy always smells good. He likes to stay right here.
She kisses him and her words are soft against his ear. The same thing, every time; she tells him the same things, even if the words are her words and not his, even if the words aren't the ones she's taught him before (dušo, volim te, srce moje):
I love you, I love you; Nothing you can do will ever make me stop loving you.
She whispers them over and over against his ear, her voice like the ocean when it picks him up in a wave and carries him.
Dashiell lets Mommy take him back to the line, carrying him even though he's a big kid, and even though he's still excited in that funny, nervous way about the haunted maze, he can be excited without the angry part, a way that isn't going to make him have a tantrum.
Dash sees an old lady watching him, her face with too much on it, so he stops hugging Mommy's neck and turns to look at Daddy instead, leaning back against Mommy's arm.
Daddy raises his eyebrows at him, but Dashiell smiles. "I'm good now, Daddy. I didn't mean to yell at you. I can be good again."
Mommy rubs his back and gives him a tight squeeze. "You are always good, Dashiell. Don't worry. Even when you're not obeying, or when you're being disrespectful, you are still good."
Dash looks at Ellery, waits for her to nod, and then he pats Mommy's shoulder. "Ellie is gonna be fine too. With the scary stuff. I promise, you guys."
"I not scared of chains," she says, pushing her hair back with both hands. Her shoes and striped pants and her button up shirt make her look like Mommy, but really tiny and without that mommy look. "I can take it."
Daddy laughs and lets Ellery down, holding her hand. Dashiell squirms so he can get down too, stands next to Ellie so that he can look up at Mommy. The old lady is watching him again, her and another lady. Dash stares at them for a moment, then remembers what he wants to tell his mom. "I won't have to pick, Mommy, because Ellie won't be scared."
"I won't be scared. Promise, Mommy." Ellie says it in a soft voice so that Mommy looks soft too - like she's eaten chocolate or like when Daddy sneaks up and kisses her cheek.
"We'll see, guys."
Mommy nudges him with her knee; Dash turns around and walks forward, closing the gap in the line. He peers around the people in front of them and sees they are even closer. Very close. With two guards that have long-face masks on. "Oh, Daddy - look! There are guys from that movie."
Mommy and Daddy both look, and Mommy hits Daddy in the chest. "Castle."
"I didn't let him *watch* the movie, jeez." Daddy puts a hand on his head and steers Dashiell back into line. "Tell Mommy."
"I didn't watch the movie," he sighs. "I just sawed the mask at the Halloween store. What's the movie called?"
"Scream."
"Yeah. It's a Scream."
Daddy snickers, but Mommy is giving him a look.
"I not scared 'a Scream," Ellery says with a sneer. "Not scary. Mommy not scared, so I not scared."
"All right, all right," Mommy says with a sigh. "Fine. We'll all go. But you-" She points at Ellery first, and then Dash. "If either of you get too scared - and I will know when you're too scared - we are heading right out."
The woman behind them in line - the one Dash has seen watching him all this time - sniffs and turns to the other old lady she's with, saying something he can't hear. Daddy rolls his eyes and grabs Mommy's elbow even as Mommy is about to turn around. Mommy has angry eyes.
"Mommy?" Dash asks.
Ellery leans in close to him and whispers, "That lady said Mommy was being bad."
"Bad?"
Ellie nods solemnly. "She used a word. I don't know the word. It sounded bad."
"Mommy, what did that old lady say?" Dashiell asks loudly, trying to get his parents' attention.
Daddy grins and turns to him. "The old lady said we're bad parents. For letting you two go in the maze."
He knew it was close, knew that Mommy and Daddy were arguing over the fun stuff. And this stupid old lady with her bad smell is gonna ruin everything. Dash puffs out his chest and starts to stalk back to the old lady and her old lady friend. "You take that back! Mommy is the best Mommy-"
Daddy grabs him by the suspenders with a fist, tugs on him. Dash stumbles back into Mommy, she catches him, but he's still feeling. . .feeling. . .growly. Growly. He wants to be a bear at them.
"Don't talk about my mommy and daddy. They let me do this for my birthday. And they're better than your mommy and daddy *any* day."
The old lady who said the bad thing has both hands on her hips. She narrows her eyes at him, but the other lady is red in the face. Not the angry red, but the red where people try to laugh but no one else is laughing.
"Dashiell," Mommy murmurs, puts her hand up to the side of his face, cupped around his cheek, so he can't see the two old ladies any longer. She steers him back, but he thinks this isn't the right thing.
"Make them say they're sorry," he says loudly. "They should apologize. You always make *me* apologize when I'm mean and being rude."
"Well, you're very close to rude right now, kiddo. So cool it." Daddy looks down at him with his stern look. "They're adults. They get to say what they like."
"It's not fair."
Dashiell crosses his arms, and Ellery mimics him, shooting one of her mean-eyes looks at the two ladies over their shoulders. Mommy is blocking his view, but he knows they're still there.
"Life isn't fair," Mommy says. "Tough cookies." Mommy is trying to make him laugh, and it almost works, but then-
A voice speaks up. "Let me apologize for both of us." The old lady's friend steps closer to Mommy and holds up her hands. "I'm sorry for that. It's not our place. And your little guy is right to call us out on it. Even if it is embarrassing."
Dashiell smiles at her, feeling better already. "It's embarrassing to apologize, isn't it? I hate apologizing."
"Dashiell," Mommy hushes him.
"It is - Dashiell, is it? It's terribly mortifying."
"I know that word!" Dash pipes up. "It's like real bad embarrass. Right, Daddy?"
"Yeah, buddy. So why don't you say you're sorry for being angry and embarrassing them?"
He sighs and his shoulders slump. This isn't what he wanted to do. "Sorry."
"We're even," the old lady says. "I'm Maggie, and this is my sister Melinda. It does get pretty scary in that haunted maze, you know. We were worried. But you guys seem really brave. Standing up for your Mommy and Daddy. You have to have a lot of courage to do that."
Dash gives her a grin, looks at his Mommy once to make sure it's okay. "Yup. I'm a space cowboy and Ellery is a smoking hot-" Daddy clamps a hand over his mouth, cutting off his words. He rolls his eyes up to look at Daddy, but Daddy is watching Mommy carefully and trying not to laugh.
"I a Mommy!" Ellery says, pulling the sheriff's badge off her belt (it was all they could find, but Dashiell isn't allowed to tell her it's not a detective's shield. It's their little secret). "Pow, pow. I catch bad people. I wear shoes."
"Oh, you're a police man - or well, woman." The old lady laughs and glances to Mommy. "So, I guess you are too."
Mommy presses her lips together, turns away from Daddy to give the old lady a nod. "I am."
Dashiell yanks Daddy's hand away. "She's a detective. She detects murder!"
Mommy's head whips back around to him, looking shocked. Not the good kind, where it's just surprise. Uh-oh.
"Ca - Rick," she says in that low, not-good voice.
Daddy sighs, shrugs his shoulders at Mommy. "Later."
"Mommy is a detective who investigates murders, huh?" The old lady shivers but she's smiling. But this now doesn't look like the nice smile of before, but like the fake smiles that always make Dash mad. Because if you say one thing and make your mouth all funny to say something else, they should go together. They shouldn't say opposite things.
Her friend - her sister - is still behind them in line, and she hasn't said anything yet, but she does now. "That must be such an exciting job. Does Mommy tell you all about it? All the fun details?"
He's not sure why, but Daddy steps in closer to Mommy and takes her hand; Dashiell sees his mommy glance between them - the old lady and his daddy - and then she says nothing. But it looks like she has a lot to say.
Dashiell thinks maybe he's not supposed to answer. He's not sure. Sometimes they play a game where they don't say everything. Like when Mommy just now called Daddy by his first name instead of his special name. She calls him Rick when they are with people they don't know very well.
When he's on the playground or at school, and talking to friends, he can say whatever he likes. No rules. But no talking to strangers, and no sharing lots of the fun things with people who talk to Mommy and Daddy who aren't already friends. If it's Tio or Tia, or Uncle Kevin or Aunt Jenny, then Dash can say stuff and it's no problemo (Tio taught him that).
There are also people who take pictures of him and Ellie too much. They sometimes talk to Mommy and Daddy, but Dash isn't supposed to talk back to them. Even to be polite. Daddy says you don't have to be polite to people who take your picture on the street.
Then, last, there are people who are fans. It's not the kind of fans that blow a breeze, but Dashiell likes to think of Daddy's fans as being fans like this - people who spin fast and create a wind that blows away all his coloring pages and his Daddy's writing pages, people who can wreak havoc (Daddy taught him that one). But people fans really aren't that kind. Mommy says they are people who like Daddy's books and want to talk to Daddy all about them. And if there is a fan, then Dashiell and Ellery should run away and find an adult they trust.
He glances back and forth between Mommy and Daddy, but it's been a long silence now and sometimes after someone asks a question and the silence goes too long, you don't have to answer. He's learned that rule too.
Dash glances down to Ellery, because she usually knows. Ellie shrugs at him. "Mommy mad."
He nods at her and glances back to the old lady and her sister, but they are back in line behind them and Mommy is staring straight ahead. Yes, she's really mad.
Dash slips away from Daddy's hand and reaches up to Mommy's belt, tucking his fingers in like he used to do all the time when he was Ellery's age. She likes that sometimes. It can make her still and calm again, sometimes, just like she makes him still and calm.
"Mommy?"
"Yeah, baby?" She looks down at him, blows out a breath, smiles at him. "Yeah."
"Are they big fans?"
Mommy laughs, a loud and happy laugh, and leans over to kiss him. "No, baby. They are definitely not fans. Now look, we're nearly there."
She turns him around, and he can see the maze right in front of them. No people ahead of them. It's so dark, but there are some of those bright, bat-signal spotlights shining in places. The two Scream guys have their arms crossed and are shaking their heads, so it means they have to wait.
He bounces up and down and takes Ellery's hand. "Don't get scared, baby girl."
"I NOT a BABY!" Ellie yells at him.
"Fine, fine," he grumbles, but he can't help giggling at her. "You're not a baby."
Mommy takes his hand, Daddy takes Ellie's, and then the two big Scream guys are letting them inside the maze.
This is going to be the best Halloween birthday ever.
Even if he does get scared.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone