Chapter 17
“You almost ready to go, Soph?” Karen stood in the living room waiting on the little girl to come out in her full costume. Sophie wanted it to be like a fashion show, and wouldn’t let Karen see her in the dress until it was time to go.
She was so into her costume she made Karen braid her hair at least two hours before she had to start getting ready, and then she had to rebraid it right before she got in the dress because she had been touching it so much.
“Yeah, I’m coming out! Close your eyes..” She heard Sophie’s door open, so Karen dramatically put both of her hands in front of her face- ready for the big reveal.
“Tadaaaaaaa! I’m Rapunzel!!” She spun around in her little purple dress before belting out, “ Standing here it’s oh so clear- I’m where I’m meant to be!!! And at last I see the light! And it’s like the fog has lifted-” Sophie was singing her favorite song of the movie- as she called it the song with the braid- she was readying to recreate the whole song before Karen stopped her.
“Okay, okay little miss broadway. You ready to go? ” Before she could continue she knelt down in front of the little girl, and handed her the plastic tiara they bought at the dollar store- and gestured for her to put it on Karen's head.
Originally Karen bought two tiaras, one for each of them- but Sophie had refused to wear hers as ‘she didn't wear one in the movie so I can't wear one either, so instead Karen was the only one wearing it. “Yeah I'm ready. But we still have to dress Duck.”
They had bought him an outfit from this hipster-y dog place up the street, with ridiculously expensive costumes. The only reason she agreed to buy it was because of how little they spent on their own costumes, seeing as how they bought them at a thrift shop- she thought they might as well spend a little extra to make Sophie happy. So they bought a bright green chameleon for Duck, and he looked adorable. But they bought that back before Frank left.
“Soph, I don't think we can bring Duck tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I can't walk up to the doors with you, and bring Duck with us.”
“Why can't he come up to trick or treat with us?”
“Because some people are afraid of dogs that look like Duck, and will think he's bad.”
“But he's not. Duck’s a good boy!”
“I know that, you know that. But other people don't and might freak out if he's anywhere near their kids.”
“That's not fair- they don't even know Duck, and I need him- he's my sidekick. He's been looking forward to it- I know he has.”
“I'm sorry sweetie, sometimes stupid people, think stupid things because they're stupid. And unfortunately we can't change the way people think. And people think that dogs like Duck can be bad, so I think we're going to have to leave him behind because I can't watch both of you.”
Sophie bent down in front of the excited pooch, and pulled him in for a hug. Karen smiled at the little girl and her dog- because the more time Duck stayed with them, made him more and more hers. This dog no longer belonged to anyone other than Sophie- the obvious love that mirrored in both their eyes was easy to see.
“Okay. We’ll just have to take him on an extra long walk tomorrow. I hope he won't be too sad he doesn't get to go with us.” Sophie sighed in disappointment, and Karen joined her knowing this night was going to be a long one.
“He’ll be fine Soph, we’ll just have to pick up an extra special dog treat for him after the walk tomorrow.” The little girl nodded in agreement, and Karen took that as acknowledgment that it was time to go. So she slipped on the shiny cream flats, that she hoped would do Belle justice, and put a matching cream cardigan to help bite the chill.
They were just about out the door-keys in the lock, already a goodbye to Duck, when Karen remembered the one thing Soph would need for tonight. “Hey don't want to forget your pumpkin head, where would you put all the candy?”
Her eyes widened in horror of the thought that she could have forgotten the vessel that would carry all her loot, before rushing back in to grab it from her room.
They walked out the building, and the streets were already bustling with costumed kids- it was only six o'clock and the sun was set in New York. It was already getting crazy, overbearing yelling parents ran after unruly kids, which made Karen's hand tighten a little bit extra after already making it clear to Soph not to let go. And despite how insane it was already getting- it was completely worth it. As far as Karen could tell this was the first Halloween Sophie could remember enjoying- finally making a good memory that would trump the awful times that came before.
Her excitement was palpable, and she was adorable- the little girl got many compliments. Ones that usually were followed by a look at Karen behind her, and a ‘you and your daughter look so cute!’ Karen didn't really mind if people thought Soph was her daugher- because technically she was, but she didn't want to confuse Sophie. Luckily Sophie was so caught up in her enjoyment of the holiday, she wasn't really paying attention.
But just because it was a bit of a crazy night didn't mean Karen didn't enjoy it as well, she loved how happy Soph was- and seeing all the kids costumes were actually really fun. Her favorites so far was a middle schooler dressed as the girl from Juno, with the fake belly and big gulp soda to go along with it- her other favorite was a baby dressed as Jon Snow, and she couldn't stop laughing at that one.
“Is that…” Sophie stopped talking as she looked behind Karen, before a grin that had nothing to do with all the sugar spread across her face.
That's when she turned around to take in the person Sophie was talking about- thinking it would be a person dressed a movie or tv character she knew, was instead someone she thought might never come back.
It was Frank Castle, standing in the clothes they bought him and a dressed up dog at his side- with a single red rose to complete the look. Sophie’s hand pulled from her own as she ran towards Frank and Duck, but all Karen could do was stare.
Stare at him because she thought he might never be back.
Stare because Sophie welcomed him back with open arms.
Stare because Soph acted like nothing had happened.
And maybe nothing had happened for her- all Soph knew was that he chose not to live with them and then couldn't make it to movie night because he had work.
What she wasn't remembering was how there were no calls.
What she was forgetting was all the tears she shed when he left.
But Karen wouldn't forget- she couldn't. Karen couldn't allow herself to forget. She would make herself remember this, when she would try to convince herself it would be different. But until Frank accepted who he was- the life he was creating despite trying his very best not to- until then it would never be different. So she would always have to be vigilant, and careful.
Karen calmly walked towards the other half of her costume, slowly marched towards the Beast to her Beauty- and stood in front of the man she had kissed not to long ago. A kiss she had dreamt about happening for many months before.
When she first had that dream with him of all people- she had been shocked, and then disgusted with herself for thinking such a thing. Then she thought who was she to deny herself her fantasies- she could think about it, doesn't mean she had to act on it. So when it finally happened it was nothing like she dreamed of- yet so much more.
And all he said was, “Hey.”
Frank could clearly see the anger simmering in her eyes, and knew this could be bad- but then he saw her eyes glance down to the little girl between them. And he knew she wouldn't blow up, Karen wouldn't want to ruin Soph’s night, he wasn't sure what his punishment from the woman in yellow would be- but he knew it would be a long time before he was done making up for his absence, if not from her than from himself.
He had moped around his apartment for at least three days, thinking about how he might approach Sophie and Karen- what he might say when them met face to face. Then he got a call from David, “Where the hell you been?”
“I don't know, I had things that needed sorting.”
There was a pause before David responded, knowing what needed sorting wasn't a thing or person, but himself- his brain. “And is it? Sorted?”
“Might be…”
“I went and saw Karen, is that what this is about?”
The silence said it all, words weren't needed to answer Davids question.
“You gotta talk to her man- it's only right she gets to know what it is your sorting about.”
Frank’s dry laugh was what he got in response, “Says the man who let his wife think he was dead for a year before sayin anything.”
“Ahh but she was my wife- that's what being married is. Waiting for the other person to say the wrong thing- do the wrong thing. Byt Karen ain't gonna wait forever.”
David could hear Frank getting heated over the phone- his voice escalating, “So what am I supposed to do? Just show up at the house?”
“Well maybe wait a few days, it's about to be Halloween, and you don't want it to be wrapped up in that craziness- trust me findin a costume sucks.” That's when it hit him, he already had a costume- something both Karen and Sophie wanted him to wear. So he made the decision to show up on halloween, he even stopped by the florist to complete the costume with a single red rose- before showing up at their place.
And when they didn't answer, he’d be lying if he said his heart rate picked up, worried at where they might be. Then he figured they must already be trick or treating- but he decided he should chen in anyway, so he used his key to get in. And was greeted by a very enthusiastic dog, his duck was beautful and had a large green fabric in his mouth. What looked like a costume- so he put the dog in it, and took him out- deciding to walk off his nerves and hope to find them along the way. And found them he did.
“Nice accessory, both of them.” She gestured towards the rose then the leash in his hand.
“Yeah well I needed the rose, but I figured Duck would complete the look- how’d I do?” He did a tiny spin to show her the whole outfit.
“Nice. Very Disney-chic…” Yes this would be terribly awkward- until he could fix it.