Purveyors

“I’m doing it this year! I’m egging that old house!”

“Are you crazy?” The mansion was off limits. There was no reason to play tricks on a house you didn’t even ask for treats. “Come on, Parker. Let’s just go. Miz Harriet gives whole candy bars.” This was probably our last year on the Halloween streets. Our neighbors frowned upon 13-year-olds taking candy from babies.

Parker was resolute. “I have a whole carton!”

It was too cold and windy for shenanigans. I just wanted to visit as many houses as I could and get out of the air. But Parker was never denied and tonight would be no exception.

We crept through the rusty, creaky gate and positioned ourselves in the front yard, the oppressive mansion glaring down at us. Through the flickering lights we could see shadows moving behind the windows.

“There are people,” Ava said quietly.

“Even better,” Parker said. She’d opened her egg carton and readied herself to pitch one. I squeezed my eyes shut until I heard Ava’s squeal. When I opened them, Parker was gone.

After some contentious debate, Ava and I approached the front door. Ava wanted to leave but I insisted we had to look for Parker. I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want to be a bad friend either. I knocked.

No answer. Ava turned to leave but I grabbed her and knocked again. I held my breath as the heavy ornate door slowly opened. The woman peeking out was surprisingly quite pleasant looking.

“Yes?”

Ava stood frozen in the cold breeze.

“Our friend. We were…trick or treating…did she maybe come here?” Saying Parker vanished into thin air in the front yard seemed like a bad idea.

The woman’s smile was nice. “Maybe. We’re having a party. I’m not sure who’s here. Come in.” Her British accent and goofy hat made me trust her. She was oddly comforting.

We stepped into the house and it wasn’t creepy at all. It was light and fresh inside. Music wafted from a distant room and the smells indicated a delicious feast was nearby. As if on cue, my stomach growled.

“Oh dear, you must be hungry. Come.”

We followed the woman past a little man polishing what looked like a spinning wheel.

“That’s just Rumple, polishing the loom,” the woman told us.

My tummy rumbled again as we entered the dining room. The large table covered with food was surrounded by costumed guests laughing, eating, drinking, and obviously having a great time. It felt so inviting.

“Welcome, my dears!” The host grinned at us. He looked somewhat like the old man we sometimes saw. The son, maybe? “Please help yourself and enjoy!”

Ava found her voice and apparently her appetite because she exclaimed “it’s so nice here!” She reached for a plate.

“I neglect the exterior in an effort to deter guests.”

“We’re looking for our friend, Parker.” I shot Ava an admonishing look. Did she forget why we were here? It might be nice inside but the man just told us he didn’t want guests and here we were, being guests. “We didn’t mean to intrude.” I eyed the table. Everything looked so yummy.

“Have a bite, Drew.”

Ava and I both stopped cold and looked at the fresh-faced woman who knew my name. Parker! But she was older than 12. Much older.

“I know. You weren’t supposed to try to find me. Merlin told me pretending to egg the house was a bad idea.”

“I did,” the young-looking old man agreed.

“Who are you people?” I asked.

The young old man waved his arm. “Please, enjoy the party.”

Ava was already enjoying the party. She didn’t seem to realize how bizarre this whole thing was. She was hungry and I had to agree the spread was terribly enticing. I slowly picked up a plate and thought about Parker as I forked some prime rib. We’d never been invited to her house. We’d never met her parents. She said they were always traveling, and she had some sort of caretaker. We didn’t know anything about her, really.

I sat next to Ava. “Who is Parker? We don’t know anything about her.” Ava shrugged and stuffed her mouth. I ate tentatively, hoping we weren’t being poisoned. I chewed and considered that I didn’t know much about Ava either.

The costumes were impressive. I realized the lady with the funny hat was dressed as Mary Poppins. Something nibbled around the edges of my memory. A spinning wheel, a little man, Rumple.

Parker joined us. She eyed me specifically. “We are…purveyors of magic.” A lot of us find refuge here on this night. It can be overwhelming.”

Purveyor’s of magic? Magicians?

Merlin.

“Who are you, Parker?”

She smiled. “I’m assigned to help certain people. Ever heard of the glass slipper?”

“You’re the Fairy Godmother?”

“I’m one fairy G. Not the only one.”

“Are you ours?” I looked at Ava excitedly. We have a fairy godmother!

“No.”

Well, that was a bummer.

They were a fun bunch and as much as I wanted to stay, I knew we couldn’t be there too late without someone looking for us.

“Come on, Ava.” I stood to go. She didn’t. “Ava?”

“I’m not going.” I blinked. She seemed to be changing before my eyes.

“Ava, wha…”

“Go on, Drew,” she told me. “I’ll be watching over you.”