This was the first Halloween Kate’s daughter would celebrate without her father. Kate still hadn’t moved on from her husband’s disappearance. Seeing her daughter smile again made Kate forget everything.

But when she saw the same dress Carl used to make on a different girl, her heart skipped a beat.

It was almost Halloween, and the air was filled with the crispness of autumn. Leaves crunched underfoot outside, and the neighborhood was slowly transforming into a festive, spooky wonderland.

Outside her cozy home, Kate was busy decorating, determined to make everything perfect for her daughter, Holly.

The lawn was already filled with a jumble of decorations — plastic bats, fake cobwebs, and flickering pumpkins.

Kate stood on a stool, carefully stringing up the bats while Holly followed closely behind, bringing her own items to contribute.

Holly’s enthusiasm made Kate smile, but the little girl had her own unique ideas about Halloween. Holly didn’t quite understand the concept of “spooky.”

Instead of creepy decorations, she carried her favorite pink dolls and a fluffy teddy bear, arranging them carefully on the front porch, right next to the jack-o’-lanterns.

Kate watched with amusement as Holly placed her toys in a neat line. She admired her daughter’s creativity but knew it was time to explain, yet again, what Halloween was all about.

“Sweetheart,” Kate began, her voice soft, “Halloween is supposed to be spooky, not cute.”

She smiled gently, realizing she had explained this a thousand times, but Holly was only five — she had her own ideas.

Holly looked up at her mother with wide, curious eyes.

“But why, Mommy? Why does it have to be spooky?” she asked, her tiny hands clutching her beloved teddy bear.

Kate chuckled softly, stepping down from the stool.

“Well, that’s just how Halloween works,” she explained patiently.

“It’s a time when people dress up in costumes and pretend to be scary, just for fun. But it’s okay if we make it a little cute too.”

Holly still seemed unconvinced, her brows furrowed in thought.

But after a moment, she nodded and shrugged.

“Okay, Mommy.” Then, her face lit up. “Can I wear the costume that Daddy made me last year?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Kate’s heart clenched at the mention of Carl, her husband who had disappeared without a trace six months ago.