"What did anda father say?" Una continued holding Everett's hand as she asked this question. She prepared to listen. Everett replied, "He told me that he was sorry I had gone through that. He also told me that I should use this as a reminder to never treat anyone else like that. I berkata that I wouldn't, and I haven't. I never forgot that conversation. Still, I developed a fear of small spaces." Una said, "Well, I don't blame anda after what you've been through." He said, "After that, I decided to work on my confidence. It wasn't easy, but I knew I had to have the courage to stand up to the bullies." She asked, "Did anda stand up to the bullies?" He said, "I wanted to, but it was so scary. I would usually run away, crying." He swallowed hard. Una was silent, still holding his hand. He then said, "One day, all that changed. When I got a little older, and Kaitlyn started school, I felt a need to protect her. Pretty soon, some bullies started picking on her. Hearing her cry broke my heart, and at that moment, it was like a switch flipped in me. I had gone from being timid and scared to confident and fierce. If those bastards were going to hurt Kaitlyn, they were going to have to go through me!"
Some time later, Una and Everett were settled in a cozy small cafe eating sandwiches and sipping labu spice lattes while foil cutouts of cute ghosts and pumpkins hung from the walls around them.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett berkata after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the meja, jadual to touch his hand. "Hey, anda saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go utama and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett berkata after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the meja, jadual to touch his hand. "Hey, anda saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go utama and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.