Kiss the Flame

Fall in Oakland marched its way through the lives of the people living there. Suddenly it seemed that they all blinked and Halloween had arrived. As the children of Green Day clamored about what to wear, one still had no idea what was going on. The now nearly 5 month old son of Sabrina and Tre was now a mass of roly poly baby who was able to reach for things and make all sorts of sounds and was currently sitting leaned up against his boppy. The infant was playing with his hands while Sabrina sat next to him on the floor trying to get him dressed in his costume. The woman struggled with TJ was he wiggled and giggled. She wanted him in costume before everyone came over to visit before taking the kids out trick or treating.

Suddenly TJ’s face lit up and he reached out his arms to the person who appeared within the infant’s line of sight. Sabrina smiled to herself as she knew it was Tre because she could smell his cologne. She closed her eyes and allowed herself a deep inhale before turning around, “Tre… keep TJ occupied so I can finish dressing him.” She turned back to the infant and in a silly voice said, “Cause he is being just a wiggle worm right now.”

Tre looked down at the mother of his youngest son and smiled at her baby talk. He allowed his heart to catch and show on his sleeve for only a moment before plopping down on the floor next to Sabrina to get TJ’s attention. “Now son, you know your Mom wants to make you look cute so you have to let her. It’s something us Cool men have to allow from time to time.” The infant giggled at his father as he made silly faces at him. “Let Mommy dress you up.”

Sabrina thanked her lucky stars that Tre was being a daddy and she quickly was able to finish putting the costume on TJ. She sat back to look at the infant who was clothed in a cow costume complete with a hood that had hair and horns. She then glanced at Tre’s costume; a surfer dude look complete with a long fake blonde wig. “I need a picture of this,” she muttered as she groaned and got up to her feet. She got the camera from the end table and turned back to look at the man and his son still playing on the floor. They never heard the clicking of the camera as she got off a number of shots of the two of them. She just put the camera back on the table when the front door opened and in ran 6 year old Frankito along with his mother Claudia.

The little boy ran right to her, “Mombee look at me… I’m a pirate,” giggling when Sabrina picked him up to inspect his costume.

“Why yes you are Frankito. Are you a scary pirate or a happy one?” she asked of the little boy. She chuckled as she saw his face screw up in thought.

“I’m Jack Sparrow!” he decided on with a nod of his head. Indeed the boy had a long black wig on done up in braids and he even had guyliner ringing his big brown eyes.

“That you are,” Sabrina said as she put him back down on the floor. Immediately he ran toward TJ and their dad and with a plop sat down beside the two. Smiling at the 3 males she didn’t hear Claudia come up behind her.

“They make quite a threesome don’t they?”

Looking next to the woman who was next to her, Sabrina nodded her head in agreement. “I think that we’ll have to watch out for them when they get older.” Getting a good look at Claudia, “I see you’re in costume too.”

“Yes, I had to be Elizabeth Swann to Frankito’s Jack Sparrow.”

Before Sabrina had a chance to say anything the door swung open again and the two terrors that were called the Armstrong Boys came flying in with their mom and dad tagging behind. The boys were dressed as the superheroes Superman and Batman, the 2006 versions while Billie and Adie were done up as Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. “Aunt Beena, where is your costume?” Joey shouted as he and his brother came up to give her a hug.

“I don’t have one, I’m staying here to hand out candy with TJ,” she explained to the boys.

“Ohhhhhh, you aren’t coming with us?” Jake said trying not to pout and giving Sabrina a puppy dog look that rivaled his father’s.

“What do you mean you aren’t going out with us?” Billie inquired. “We all are wearing things so that all can go out and hopefully people won’t recognize us.”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow at the younger man, “Bullshit Armstrong, you just want the candy. You can’t fool me,” she said nudging him.

“You found me out, but that’s not the point. You’re going and that’s final. I called Toby and he’s going to come over to hand out candy. Back me up Mike,” he said to his friend as he walked in the door. Behind Mike, who was dressed in doctor’s scrubs was Beth dressed as Snow White; complete with apple and Stella in an angel costume.

The bass player nodded his head, “Yup. We all agreed,” he said before winking, “agreed for you.”

“That’s all well and good but I have no costume. I only got one fro TJ,” Sabrina insisted to the two men who were now circling her like hawks.

“That’s okay, we go find something for you,” Billie said as he grabbed Mike and pulled him up the stairs. They both disappeared in the master suite and Sabrina swore she heard them cackle.

As the women and Tre cooed over TJ in his cute cow costume, the kids went to watch TV until the adults were ready to take them trick or treating. Beth came up along side of Sabrina and tickled TJ’s chin making the baby giggle and squeal. Smiling she held out her hands and TJ went willingly into his godmother’s arms. Beth smiled at the young infant who was enjoying all the attention he was getting while he also enjoyed being cuddled along with being played with. ‘He’s such a happy baby,’ Beth thought to herself.

A shout of glee filtered through the air from the second floor which resulted in all the heads swiveling toward the door of the master suite. “Jackpot,” Billie shouted. “This is too good to be true.”

“Wow, I never knew she had this,” as Mike’s voice joined Billie’s.

Rolling her eyes Sabrina shook her head. “You assholes better not be into my bobs. I’ll not be happy if that’s the case.”

“Bobs?” Tre said looking confused.

The older woman sighed but was rescued by Adie, “Bob… boyfriend on batteries.”

“Ohhhh,” Tre said stealing a glance at Sabrina who was standing there with an annoyed look on her face. Suddenly Billie appeared at the railing and hung a black garment over the railing.

“Lookie at what we found. At the back of the closet in a bag just waiting for us to see it,” Billie said triumphantly. “Where would you ever wear this?”

Sabrina looked up at what Billie was hanging over the railing and a slight smile played over her lips. “Oh my god, that must have been packed up and sent up with the other clothes from my place in LA.” Sabrina looked up again and motioned for Billie to let go. Nodding, he did and the fabric floated down to her awaiting arms. “This was to be my wedding dress when Nikki and I were to get married.”

Claudia looked at the gown with a confused look, “Black? You were going to wear a black wedding dress?”

Adie came up and touched the fabric, “Leather. Black leather, and do I see studs on it too?”

“Yup. I really loved this design. Remember this was the late 80’s and this was what was in style. We didn’t want to be traditional, we wanted our own styles to shine through and for whatever reason I wanted a black gown. Nikki was the one to suggest it be leather, with a black lace veil. I really loved that dress and when Nikki and I went our separate ways I couldn’t part with it so I just stuck it in the bag in the back of my closet in LA. Toby just sent someone down there to pack up my clothes to bring them up here and they must have placed the gown in the back of the closet. I honestly didn’t know it was there.”

Mike appeared by Billie’s side, “Well get your ass up here and get it on. It will be perfect to go out in.”

“Jesus, I don’t even know if I’ll fit in it. I am slightly bigger now,” Sabrina mused while turning the dress over to view that back. “Well maybe it’ll fit, it has a corset back.” She walked up the stairs, pausing to give Billie a shove before grabbing Mike by the arm. “I need help,” she said simply.

“Wait,” Tre said loudly. “Why does Mike get to help you and not me? Wouldn’t be awkward for Beth if Mike helps you?”

Beth looked from Tre to Mike to Sabrina as what Sabrina was asking Mike to do sunk in. That kernel of doubt flared up and threatened to take over her thoughts. She looked at Sabrina again to hear her reasons on why she chose Mike.

Sabrina looked down to Tre with an annoyed expression on her face. “Because since you choose Jill and I’m not good enough for you then that means I’m not good enough for you to look at or anything.” She glanced over to Mike as he shifted his weigh from one foot to the other. “Michael has helped me before with a dress I wore so it’s old hat to him.” Sabrina ignored the stares and walked into the bedroom closing the door behind her and Mike.

Tre’s mouth fell open at the sound of Sabrina’s angry voice explaining her choice. Shame crept into his body as he understood her tones. She drew the proverbial line in the sand and she dared him to cross it. The only problem with crossing that line was that it would mean the end of his relationship with Jill and he couldn’t throw the towel in on that. He had vowed to himself that he was going to make it right with Jill and come hell or high water he meant to stay true to that even if it meant letting the love of his life walk away.

About 15 minutes later the doors opened up and Mike came out alone. He walked down the stairs to rejoin the others. Nodding to everyone he made his way over to Beth who was strangely quiet. “You okay?” he asked as he nudged her arm.

She turned to look at him and cocked her head to the side. “No. I’m not okay. You just helped your former fuck buddy get into a wedding dress. Now you tell me if I’m okay with that.”

Mike sighed as Beth anger bubbled to the surface. He never expected to have his relationship or whatever t was with Sabrina to be thrown up in his face. “Beth, what Sab and I had was long before I met you. Sab is just my friend and she means nothing more to me past that.” Mike paused and inwardly cringed with what he was going to say next cause he knew that if Sabrina overheard it, it would devastate her. “Why would I want her when I have you?”

Everybody was paying attention to the scene playing out before them with Beth and Mike and nobody realized that Sabrina has come out of the bedroom and was standing at the top of the stairs. She listened to Beth accuse Mike of something that wasn’t happening and his rebuttal. She agreed with him in everything he said until she heard the last thing fall from his lips. ‘Why would I want her when I have you?’ Sabrina stopped dead in her tracks and flinched as if she had been physically hit. Closing her eyes her mind wrapped itself around those words as they bounced around her skull like a pinball.

She didn’t know why it affected her so much but she felt hurt and betrayed even though she and Mike never had a relationship, they were more of fuck buddies. She knew why Mike said that but it still didn’t stop the hurt that it caused. Biting her lip she plastered a smile on her face as she began her descent down the stairs.

Billie was the first one to see Sabrina and he watched her recoil when Mike said that line. He saw a myriad of emotions flit across Sabrina’s face until she settled a smile onto her lips. Shaking his own head he wondered what was going on inside her head. Deciding to break silence that descended upon the adults he glanced at the woman in the black wedding dress, choosing his words carefully. Clearing his voice he began to warble off key, “Here comes the dead bride. All dressed in black. I’d sing this song better but I’m just a hack.”

Sabrina smiled in earnest as she heard Billie’s voice and she shook her head at what was either his immense stupidity or his uncanny sense of knowing what really was going on. Gliding down the rest of the stairs she joined the adults. Her black gown fitted her curves perfectly and her bosoms which were slightly larger due to having a child and breastfeeding swelled over the corset bodice. White makeup covered her exposed skin and dark eye shadow deepened her eye sockets so she indeed appeared to be a dead bride. The black veil swept over her dark air and set the outfit off to a tee.

Determined to have a good time she reached over to Tre and plucked TJ from his arms just as Toby strolled the door. “I’m here to do the candy thing so you overgrown kids,” he fake coughed for a moment before continuing. “I mean responsible parents can take the kidlets trick or treating.” Walking over to where TJ and Sabrina stood he chucked as he took in the sight of what the woman was wearing. “God damn Sabrina, that outfit is a blast from the past. Did you get a picture taken of it yet? I’m sure Nikki would love to see it.” He pulled out his phone quickly snapping a pic before Sabrina could object. Looking down at his keypad he quickly tapped in a number and within what seemed like seconds the pic was gone through cyber space and ending up on Nikki’s phone for him to retrieve when he got the message.

“Asshole,” the woman muttered as she moved TJ to a move comfortable spot on her hip. When what seemed like seconds went by suddenly a familiar song filled the room.

Falling in and out of love, I’m falling in and out of love. Slip inside my dream and dream away me. I’m falling in love.

Rolling her eyes Sabrina walked over to the table where her cell phone sat and with that practiced motion she opened her phone placing it to her ear, “What?” she asked in a curt manner to the person on the other end of the line.

“Is that any way to treat your former husband to be?” the familiar voice replied with a chuckle.

“Dammit Nikki you’re an ass,” Sabrina muttered. “You and Toby that is.”

Laughter filled her ear as Nikki let loose upon hearing the grumbling of the woman he was talking to. “Oh chill Breathe, it’s not bad that you’re wearing our wedding gown for Halloween. Actually it’s pretty cool. Besides you look amazing in that dress. I almost wish I would have been able to see you wear it for real.”

Shaking her head Sabrina sighed at Nikki’s comment and the use of her nickname. “Sticky, hush up. We would have killed each other if we had gotten married. My lord man I would have beaten you senseless when you got back into the back shit you did.”

“Yea… well… That doesn’t change that you look beautiful and you make one hell of a dead bride.” The man chuckled again, “I’ll let you go, I just had to tell you what I thought about the pic Toby sent. Give TJ a hug and kiss from Uncle Nick and I’ll talk to you later Breathe. Bye.” As quick as he intruded, Nikki disappeared.

Hanging up her phone she grabbed the bucket she was going to use for giving out candy and dumped the contents into a large bowl on the counter. She walked back to the others who were just standing there listening in not saying a word. Rolling her eyes Sabrina said, “You all got me dressed now let’s go trick or treating dammit before I change my mind.” With that she walked to the front door and passed through leaving a wake of people scrambling to get around calling the kids to catch up.