After lunch, Madison gathered the empty dishes and carried them to the kitchen.
Once she placed them in the sink, she turned around and looked directly at Henry, who was leaning comfortably against his chair.
"Well, Henry, since you're all healed up, you can mow the lawn."
Henry looked at her as though she had just suggested hunting a vampire with a spoon. "Madison, you don't make a patient do chores. Besides, I almost died a couple of days ago."
Madison simply folded her arms. "Bela told me your wounds have already healed. Since you're healthy enough to eat, you're healthy enough to be useful."
Henry immediately turned toward Bela.
Bela calmly took another sip of her drink before setting the glass down. "I only told her your injuries had healed. What she does with that information isn't my problem."
Madison pointed toward the front yard. "So be a good dear and mow the lawn."
Henry looked toward the window where the overgrown grass was clearly visible. He couldn't help but wonder how his life had reached the point where surviving demons, ghosts, and even an angel had somehow earned him yard work instead of sympathy.
"I fight monsters for a living," he muttered. "I don't fight grass."
Madison didn't look the least bit convinced. "You can argue with the lawn all you want after you've finished mowing it."
Henry reluctantly dragged the lawn mower out of the shed, started the engine, and began pushing it across the overgrown lawn with a resigned sigh.
A few minutes later, Bela stepped onto the front porch and watched him work with an amused expression. "You know, I think you're much better suited to yard work than hunting."
Henry stopped the mower and looked at her. "Bela, I'm honestly confused. If you were never under that witch's love spell — if none of that nonsense ever affected you — then why are you acting like this?"
Bela's lips curved into a faint smile. "I thought you were supposed to be intelligent." She turned toward the front door. "Figure it out yourself."
With that, she walked back inside, leaving Henry standing there with the lawn mower.
Henry scratched the back of his head. "Yep... there's definitely something wrong with that woman's brain." He stood there for another moment before shaking his head. "Or maybe she's just messing with me."
For the briefest second, the ridiculous thought crossed his mind that maybe she actually liked him. He dismissed it immediately. Impossible. This was Bela Talbot. Whatever was going on inside her head was her business, and he had no intention of trying to figure it out.
***
A short while later, the three of them arrived at the local mall. Henry stood at the entrance staring at the building before looking at Madison, who was already pushing a shopping cart.
"So... tell me again why we're shopping?"
Madison didn't slow down. "Halloween is in a week, so we're buying decorations, candy, and costumes."
Henry scratched his head. Life on the road had never left much room for holidays — Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, it was all the same to him. He frowned. "Wait a minute... didn't we just celebrate Christmas? How is it Halloween already?"
Madison laughed. "You've been asleep, hunting, or recovering for most of the year. Time tends to fly when you're doing that."
Bela bumped his shoulder with hers as they walked inside. "Don't tell me you don't even know what Halloween is, golden boy."
Henry rolled his eyes. "I know what Halloween is."
"Good," Madison replied. "Then stop acting confused. That's exactly why we're here."
Henry sighed in surrender and followed the two women deeper into the mall.
They eventually reached the seasonal section, where shelves were filled with pumpkins, fake cobwebs, plastic skeletons, masks, and every kind of Halloween decoration imaginable. Bela wandered toward the costume rack while Madison started tossing bags of candy into the cart.
After a few moments, Bela pulled out a revealing witch costume and held it up against herself. "So, how do you think I'd look in this?"
Henry glanced at the outfit for barely a second before shaking his head. "Halloween is supposed to be for kids to dress up and have fun. That isn't a Halloween costume."
Bela raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what is it?"
"It belongs in a nightclub, not at a Halloween party."
Madison burst into laughter. "You know... he's actually right."
Bela looked down at the outfit before clicking her tongue. "You're both hopeless." Even so, she quietly hung it back on the rack and continued down the aisle in search of another costume.
Madison looked over the racks before turning to Henry. "So, what are you going to wear?"
Henry glanced around at the rows of costumes and let out a small sigh. "Hmm... that's actually harder than you think. Most of these costumes are based on the things I hunt. Wearing one would feel... weird."
Madison picked up two outfits from a nearby rack — a devil with horns and a tail, and a classic vampire costume complete with a black cape. "How about these? A devil or a vampire?"
Henry gave both a long look before shaking his head. "I'd look ridiculous in either of them."
Madison smirked. "You don't know that until you try."
Before Henry could protest, Madison shoved both costumes into his arms while Bela stepped behind him with an innocent smile. "I think she's right. Go on, golden boy. Humor us."
Henry looked from Madison to Bela and immediately sensed they had already formed an alliance. "...I don't like where this is going."
"You don't get a vote," Madison replied.
Together they grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him toward the changing rooms. Henry tried digging his heels into the floor, but it made little difference against two determined women.
The curtain closed behind him.
Outside, Madison and Bela exchanged amused smiles as they waited.
A few minutes later, the curtain slid open. Henry stepped out wearing the vampire costume. He looked down at the black suit, long cape, and fake medallion hanging around his neck before spreading his arms in surrender.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I look ridiculous. What the hell is this? A cape, a fancy suit...?"
Madison couldn't hold it in any longer — she burst into laughter, clutching the shopping cart for support.
Even Bela let out a quiet laugh. "I have to admit, it suits you better than I expected."
Henry gave her a deadpan look. "That's because your expectations were underground." He tugged at the cape with obvious annoyance.
Madison wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still laughing. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad."
"It is," Henry replied without hesitation. "If a vampire saw me dressed like this, it'd probably die laughing before I got the chance to stab it."
*****
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