Owen considered that.
“Even Grandpa?”
“Even Grandpa.”
He lay down, but I stayed until he fell asleep.
Then I went downstairs and called Michael.
He answered from his parents’ driveway.
“Everything okay?”
“Owen just asked whether Grandpa would stop taking them places because Ethan complained.”
Michael was silent.
“I thought you should know,” I continued. “This is bigger than chocolate.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “I’ll call you afterward.”
At his parents’ house, Richard opened the door and immediately noticed the pumpkin bucket.
“What’s that for?”
Michael walked into the kitchen.
“I came to talk about Halloween.”
Richard chuckled.
“Your wife sent you to complain about a few chocolates?”
“No. Lauren told me what happened. I’m here because I remember it happening to me.”
Richard’s smile faded.
Michael placed the empty bucket on the table.
“Dad, do you remember taking the best candy from us every Halloween when we were kids?”
