Tuesday, Alyssa hurried home. She slipped into her Dorothy outfit then hurried to grab the bag of candy and Molly’s costume. The air was brisk and the shadows were already lengthening on the sidewalks as she walked down the block to the street where Jericho lived. A minivan was parked in front of his house as she walked up.

“Miss Alyssa!” Tate’s voice echoed across the lawn.

“Hi, Tate!” She shifted the bag in her arms and waved. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. Do I look scary?”

She gazed down at the dark circles his mother painted around his eyes and the strips of gauze that covered him from head to toe. “Yikes!” She jumped back and placed a hand near her heart. “You did scare me!”

Tate beamed. He pointed to the bag she held. “Is that Molly’s costume?”

“It is. Let me go get him fitted.”

“Can I come?” Tate asked.

Alyssa shook her head. “No, not even Uncle Jericho can see him until he’s ready.” Taking his hand, they both moved toward the house.

“We’re here!” Tate announced as they walked in.

Jericho peeked around the entrance to the kitchen. His face painted white. A streak of red marked his chin. “Hey you!” Stepping around, he moved toward her dressed in a white tuxedo shirt, with a dark cape.

“Who are you supposed to be?” Tate asked, stepping closer to Alyssa.

“Wait.” Jericho turned away and slid something into his mouth. Grabbing the edge of his cape, he drew it up toward his chin and in a mock voice replied, “I’m a vampire. I want to drink your blood!”

With a shriek, Tate ran past calling for his mother.

“You are in such trouble, Count Drac.” Alyssa sighed.

Jericho spit out the fake fangs.“I didn’t mean to scare him.”

“Boys,” Wallis remarked stepping into the hallway with Tate latched around her neck. “See, that’s Uncle Jericho being foolish.”

Tate’s eyes were huge.

Jericho stepped forward. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean to scare you. We still friends?”

Tate nodded.

“Love the costume.” Alyssa nodded toward Wallis.

“I loved the Adams Family as a child.” Wallis grinned. “I always wanted to be Morticia.”

“And I, Gomez!” Chandler shouted as he leaped from the kitchen into the hallway. “Ah, Morticia.” He grabbed her arm and began to kiss toward her shoulder.

Everyone laughed, including Tate and the scare was forgotten. “Miss Alyssa is going to get Molly ready.”

“You are so right.” She turned to Jericho. “Here’s candy and the bowl to put it in.”

“Got it. Molly is in the kitchen.” Jericho took the things she offered.

“Okay. You guys wait here.” Leading Molly into the powder room, Alyssa knelt down. “This will be fun, Molly. You’ll see.”

The dog sat down and waited.

Alyssa pulled the dog coat out and fastened it around her. She’d taken four pairs of striped tube socks and stuffed them with padding before sewing them to the coat and using pipe cleaners to bend them in the shapes of legs.

“Only one more thing.”

Alyssa pulled a hat out and put it on his head making sure that the dog’s ears were through the holes she’s provided. Pulling out glow sticks, she broke them and stuffed them in the small practice golf balls she’d hot glued to look like eyes.

“Molly, you are the best spider on the block.”

Molly barked her agreement.

Standing, she led her out of the bathroom and down the hall. “Cut out the lights,” she told them.

The lights in the living room dimmed.

Alyssa unhooked the leash. “Go find Jericho.”

Molly obediently trotted out.

Alyssa stood smiling as Tate and his family clapped in delight.

“Absolutely perfect!” Wallis replied as she hurried in the hallway to find her.

“I think she’s beautiful.” Tate sighed.

“Me too.”

* * *

Jericho held the bucket out to Molly who took it in her mouth and crossed the living room to the door.

Outside, the festivities had begun. Mom’s and Dad’s were herding their children slowly down the sidewalk with the use of flashlights.

“You go on,” Jericho urged. “Alyssa and I will greet our guests.”

“Let Molly hand out the candy,” Tate yelled back.

“Will do,” Jericho replied.

Standing together, they watched Chandler and Wallis walk Tate into the throng.

“Shall we sit?”

Moving back to the porch, Jericho waited until Alyssa sat down, then joined her.

“Trick or treat,” two small children sang out.

Molly trotted out with the candy then wagged her tail as they giggled and snatched a handful.

“Happy Halloween,” Alyssa called to the parents as they took their children’s hand and led them down the street.

Sitting beside Alyssa, Jericho felt complete. He looked over at her smiling face. “Having fun?”

“I am.”

“Alyssa?”

“Yes?”

“Do, do you feel anything for Professor Crane?”

Her head jerked in his direction. “Professor Crane? No. He’s my boss.”

“Yeah, but you could still feel something for him.”

Alyssa took a breath. “He’s nice. Even asked me to the staff holiday get together.”

Jericho’s heart plummeted toward his toes. “What did you say?”

“No.”

“Trick or Treat!” a small replica of Frankenstein called out.

“Take him candy, Molly.” Alyssa whispered.

“You said, no.”

She turned her head toward him. “You seem surprised.”

“Yeah.”

“Trick or Treat.” A flurry of Disney Princesses came running up the driveway.

Their conversation paused, as they made sure all of them received candy.

“So, you’re not going to the party with Allen?”

“No.”

Jericho’s smile grew.

“Jericho, are you all right?”

“I never felt better,” he told her.

* * *

It seemed all too soon that November turned cool and damp. Jericho and Alyssa spent time together when they could. Dean Stockwell had given the organizational activities to Alyssa and Irene Davidson.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Jericho ran into Alyssa in the office waiting for Irene.

“Hey.” She grinned.

“Hey yourself.” He stepped up and placed his folder on Irene’s desk then pulled her into his arms. Alyssa’s arms encircled his middle and he whispered into her hair, “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too.”

He looked around to make sure no one was watching and gave her a quick light kiss. “I can’t wait until someone hangs up mistletoe.”

“You are so bad.” She chuckled. “So, are you ready for the Tour Through Time?”

“Almost. I’ve gave my students a research paper to do so they’d be familiar with the music, historical figures, and ideas. I think many are excited.”

“Oh, good. We start the first weekend in December. I hear the music department has been practicing. It should be fun.”

“Yes.”

The conversation lagged.

“Alyssa, I was wondering…”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering, if you’d join my family for Thanksgiving?”

“Jericho, I’d love to. To tell you the truth, I’ve been kind of dreading it. You know the being alone through the holidays.”

“Good. We eat around two in the afternoon.”

“Can I bring something?”

He shrugged. “Wallis usually makes way to many things, but you can call her and ask.”

“Great. I’ll do that.”

“Hello, Alyssa,” Irene Davidson called out as she walked into the office. “What brings you by today?” She gave Jericho a knowing look before smiling at the woman standing next to him.

“The list of students working the vineyards. I thought I’d drop it by. Maybe this Saturday, we can make lists for the vineyards so they will know who is expected. Oh, I have the boxes covered with Christmas paper for the deposit of the tickets and each vineyard will get a different hole punch.”

“Great idea, that way it lessens those that might try to cheat their way through,” Irene agreed.

Jericho watched Alyssa hand over the folder.

“Okay, I’ll see you Saturday.” With a wave, she was gone.

“Again,” Mrs. Davidson murmured. “You better snatch that prize up before someone else runs off with her.”

“I’m working on it.” Jericho laughed. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Davidson.”

With that, he retreated to his office and shut the door. Moving to his desk, Jericho sat down and reached for the phone. He dialed a familiar number and within seconds, Wallis’ voice drifted over the line.

“Hey, sis.”

“Jericho? Is something wrong?”

“No. No,” he told her. “I um, I called to ask something.”

“Okay.” Wallis sounded hesitant.

“It’s nothing big.” Then, he thought. “Well, maybe it is.”

“Jericho Brown stop talking riddles and tell me what’s going on,” she demanded.

“I want to bring Alyssa for Thanksgiving.”

The line grew silent.

Jericho’s heart inched to his throat and stopped beating. “Wallis? You still there?”

“Oh, Jericho, I’m so thrilled! Yes, yes by all means bring Alyssa here. Mom’s coming and it will be a perfect time for them to meet.”

“Yeah, I thought about that. You think Mom will like her?”

The sound of his sister smacking her lips in frustration filled his ears.

“Of course, she will.” Then, Wallis paused. “Jericho. Is this an important meeting?”

He stared at the phone and raked his hands through his hair. He’d thought about nothing else since Halloween. “Yeah, sis, it’s that important meeting.” In his mind ’s eye, he could see her doing a happy dance in the middle of her kitchen floor.

“I’ve been waiting two years for you to say that, Halleluiah!”

“Do me a favor?”

“Sure?”

“Tell Chandler, he was right.”

“Okay, will do.”

“See you next week, sis.”

“Bye, Jericho.”

He put the receiver down. Jericho stared at the folder and the papers that needed corrections, but his heart was too giddy to concentrate. Stuffing it into his bag, Jericho headed to the door.“Mrs. Davidson, I’m leaving for the day. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a good day, Professor Brown.”

* * *

Alyssa changed her outfit twice before deciding on a soft grey blue sweater and pair of jeans. She carefully placed the bowl of sweet potato pudding in the passenger side of the car before hurrying around to the driver’s seat. Yes, she could have walked, but it seemed better to drive and not have to worry about burning her hands on a hot dish.

She pulled to the curb behind Jericho’s sedan. Opening the door, she’d made it to the passenger’s side when she heard his voice.

“Hey, you made it.”

She brushed her hair back and turned around. “Of course, I did. Did you think I’d forget?”

“No.” He grinned.

She opened the door and the scent of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla rose from the inside of the car.

“Oh, wow, that smells magnificent.” Jericho reached for the dish. Bringing it to his face, he inhaled deeply. “A smell close to heaven.”

“It’s sweet potatoes.” Alyssa laughed and shut the door. She followed him into the house.

“Hey Wallis, you’ve got to smell this.”

Still laughing, Alyssa followed Jericho into the kitchen.

“Oh wow, what’s this?” Chandler asked as he tried to lift the end of the aluminum paper that covered the dish.

His effort earned him a swat from his wife. “Leave that alone,” she warned. “Alyssa has already told me it’s a classic southern sweet potato pudding and you can’t taste it until dinner.” Grabbing the kitchen towels, she took the bowl from Jericho’s hands and placed it in the over to keep warm with the other dishes. “Now, you men vacate the kitchen and go watch television.”

Chandler and Jericho looked at Wallis.

“Do we have to?” Jericho asked.

Wallis pointed her finger at the living room. “Go.” Her voice was stern.

With the greatest reluctance, the two men slunk out of the kitchen.

Alyssa hid her laughter behind her hand until the door swung shut. “Oh my, that was priceless.”

“Some boys never bother to grow up.” Wallis sighed.

When the laughter died, Alyssa asked, “What can I do?”

“Do you mind helping to cut up these pickles?”

“Not at all.” Alyssa pushed her sleeves up and walked to the sink to wash her hands. “So, I hear I get to meet your mother tonight.”

Wallis turned toward her. Her eyes shining. “Yes you do. I’m so excited. I know Mom will just love you.”

“I hope so. I’m not dressed too casual am I?”

“Oh, heavens no,” Wallis assured her.

They stood side by side. Jericho’s sister placed slices of turkey on a platter. “I must admit, I was surprised and pleased when Jericho asked you to come.”

“Oh?”

“He hasn’t brought a girl to dinner in a very long time.”

Alyssa placed the pickle she’d sliced into strips on the tray.

“How long ago was it?”

Wallis glanced at her. “Two years ago, there was a girl Jericho thought he was in love with.”

“He wasn’t?”

Wallis shrugged. “Oh, he might have been in love, but she wasn’t.”

Alyssa grew still and listened.

“He brought her here to meet us and clearly, she wasn’t a family person. She didn’t like little children or animals at all.”

“And for Jericho, I can see where that would be a deal breaker.”

“Yes,” Wallis agreed. “Shortly thereafter, she and Jericho parted ways.”

“Poor Jericho,” Alyssa murmured.

Wallis gave a grunt. “Poor Jericho, my rear end. I’m glad she walked away. She wasn’t good enough for him. You, on the other hand, are just perfect.”

Alyssa smiled. “Thanks.”

They worked on in silence. Alyssa moved from the pickles to the dressing. Thank heavens, Wallis had a double oven.

“Once you put the dressing in the oven, we’ll slip into the living room to see what the game is doing. Are you a football fan?”

Alyssa shook her head. “I haven’t followed it.”

“Jericho will fill you in, come on.” Wallis held the door open as Alyssa slid the long baking pan into the warm oven.

They had just walked into the living room, when the doorbell rang again.

“Grandma!” Tate hopped up and rushed to the door. Flinging the door open, he rushed into the woman waiting on the other side.

Sandra Brown stood stylishly dressed in a turtle neck and slacks.

Gazing at her, Alyssa could see where Jericho got his dark hair and intense brown eyes. She was slender with only a hint of silver at her temples. Like Wallis, she was tall and slender.

Alyssa watched as Jericho and Chandler stood. A long embrace later, Tate pulled his grandmother inside the house and shut the door.

“Mother Brown.” Chandler stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

“My dear boy,” Jericho’s mother crooned and kissed him back. “So good to see you.”

“Mom.” Jericho embraced her.

“How are you, Jericho?” She gave him a strong gaze. “Not getting enough sleep I see. There are circles under your eyes.”

“Exam season.”

His mother nodded. Her gaze settled on Alyssa and her smile broadened.“You must be the answer to my prayers. Alyssa?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She stepped forward.

Sandra grabbed her and held on tight. “Don’t let him scare you away,” she whispered.

Alyssa stepped back and smiled. “I don’t plan to.”

“Good.” Introductions done, she turned to the TV. “So, who’s winning?”

* * *

At half time, Wallis stood up. “Alyssa, Mom, want to help me set the table?”

“Sure.”

“Love to.” Sandra Brown rose and followed the two younger girls into the kitchen. “Dishes in the same place?”

“Yep,” Wallis replied as she went to count the silverware.

“Come on, Alyssa, you can help me.”

Following behind Jericho’s mother, they moved to the cabinet next to the sink. Sandra opened the cabinet and rose on her toes to retrieve the plates. “I’m glad we have this time together,” she admitted. “How many are there?”

“Chandler, Wallis, Jericho, you, Tate, and myself, so six,” Alyssa answered.

“Six.” Sandra pulled down six plates and handed them to Alyssa. “You know, you’re the first girl Jericho has brought to a family dinner in about three years.”

Alyssa shifted the plates against her body for safe keeping. “So, Wallis was telling me. I’m honored.”

“You should be.” Sandra winked. “Follow me.”

They moved into the dining room where Wallis had placed a beautiful cream table cloth over a large cherry table.

Sandra took three plates and pointed to the other side. “You do that side.”

Alyssa followed her directions placing a plate at each seat.

“He hasn’t spoken of the events has he?”

“No ma’am.”

“It was quite painful for him. Jericho was so sure she was the one.”

“I heard she didn’t like animals or children.”

“No.” Sandra pressed her lips together. “That was a surprise she managed to spring on us during one dinner.” His mother sighed. “I think her exact words were, ‘I don’t plan on dividing any eggs to create another human being to ruin this planet.’ ”

Alyssa paused. “Wow.” She shook her head. “I guess each to their own, but I just can’t imagine being so rude in front of someone’s family.”

“One would think. Needless to say, they left before dessert and Jericho never spoke of her since.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too. It’s taken a long time for his heart to heal, Alyssa, so I’ll play devil’s advocate and ask, how do you feel about children and dogs.”

“I adore Molly and as for children, I haven’t given a thought to how many, but I want them. I love Tatum. He’s an absolute sweetheart.”

Sandra smiled. “I think so too. Let’s get the glasses.”

With the table set, Wallis called the men folks to eat.

“We’ve got to hurry, one quarter left and UCLA is leading,” Chandler announced.

“Really,” Wallis huffed. With a shake of her head, she turned to her mother. “Mom, would you say grace?”

“Of course. Shall we all take hands?”

One by one, everyone at the table was linked; Wallis with her mother and Tate, Tate with his father, Alyssa with Chandler and Jericho, Jericho with her and his mother. His fingers squeezed Alyssa’s and she caught his smile and grinned back.

“Please bow your heads.”

Alyssa did so and closed her eyes.

“Dear Lord, we are so blessed to have all these faces at our table this year. We are honored to welcome Alyssa into our friendship and we hope this will be the first of many more times. Dear Lord, with so much strife going on in the world, please keep our family safe, our hearts humble, and our laughter strong. We pray for the safety of our service men and women around the world and at home. We ask your blessing this day and all the days to come, Amen.”

“Amen,” each voice answered.

“Can we eat?” Tate questioned.

“We can eat.” Sandra Brown laughed.