“I don’t think I’ve seen a more terrifying zombie,” I said, admiring Parker’s makeup and costume, and the physique behind it all.

Parker huffed his signature huff and rolled his eyes.

“I’m not supposed to be scary. I’m supposed to be funny,” he replied.

“Well, what can I tell ya, mister, you’re terrifying,” I said.

He shook his head and sighed.

“God, I’ll look like an idiot.”

“You’ll still be my idiot! That must count for something,” I told him and rubbed his arm.

Parker wrapped his hand around my waist and looked me in the eyes with his puppy dog eyes, smiling.

“It counts for everything,” he whispered and I felt goosebumps on the back of my neck that threatened to spill over the rest of my body if I didn’t tame it.

“I love you, Mr. Dorothy,” I said.

He grimaced.

“Hey, tonight I’m not Mr. Dorothy, boba,” he said. “Tonight I’m Billy Butcherson, wench!”

I laughed out loud before pushing him off me.

I didn’t expect him to start quoting Hocus Pocus all of a sudden, but I dug it.

“Get off me, you maggoty malfeasance. We’re going to be late,” I said in my highest, croakiest pitch. “Come on. Put some wiggle in it. Where’s my boo-ook?”

I looked around for the fake, leather-bound, book that was an exact replica of the one from Hocus Pocus and located it right on the kitchen counter but before I could get to it, Parker pulled me back into his arms and kissed me.

“Trollop,” he said before he let go of me.

“You know what? I hate showing you that movie. It’s turned you into a monster,” I told him as I picked up the book, that was also a purse, and we went out the door.

“Show me the movie? Do you think I didn’t know about it before? Don’t big up yourself, boba,” he said.

“Did you ever watch it before me?” I asked, lifting my big green dress trying to go down the stairs without tripping.

Parker shook his head and helped me as much as he could, but I knew even if I fell, he’d catch me in an instant. He wouldn’t let me get hurt. He’d never let me get hurt.

When we got to the bottom of the stairs, he opened the front door and came out after me.

“And how many times have you watched it since?”

We walked down the cul-de-sac and onto Main Street while Parker scratched his head, looking down, and avoiding my gaze with pursed lips that made the yarn glued to his face really look sewn in, just like Billy’s in the movie.

“Ermfluf-ifty,” he mumbled.

“Excuse me? What was that? I didn’t catch it.”

“Fifty. Two. Now shut up,” he replied. “We’re gonna be late.”

“Ah yes, late,” I laughed and hooked my arm on his as we made the short trip to Carson’s house.

He and his boyfriend, my employee Enzo, were throwing an extravagant Halloween party for the ages. Apparently it was going to be the new tradition so we had all been instructed to put it on our calendar as a repeat event.

“Wow, they weren’t kidding when they said they went all out,” I said as we came up to the big house that was covered top to bottom in cobwebs, pumpkins, flying witches, maniacal zombies, and floating ghosts.

“No, they were not,” Parker said and offered me his hand.

We made our way onto the porch, the music getting louder with each step, and through the front door.

There were cauldrons and creepy dolls blocking access to the first floor which weirdly enough was where all the bedrooms were located and signs pointing upstairs so that was exactly where we went.

The open floor was full of people dressed up for Halloween and only half of them were recognizable.

A giant skeleton dressed in black robes with a crown approached us with Enzo dressed in an elegant flowing see-through robe—that gave everyone a taste of his fit body—also wearing a crown.

“Welcome,” Enzo said.

“To my Kingdom,” Carson said behind the skeletal makeup.

“Who are you supposed to be?” Parker asked, blunt as usual.

“The King and King of the Underworld, of course,” Enzo replied with a spooky tone.

“Feel free to sin tonight! Bwahahaha,” Carson added only to get elbowed by Enzo.

“You’re not an evil witch. You’re Hades. Act like it,” Enzo told him and Parker and I exchanged a glance as we chuckled.

“Blood and bones are that way. Enjoy!” Enzo said and pointed to the spread of drinks and food at the end of the room.

“Well, I am hungry,” I said. “Hungry for a child! Shish-ka-baby!”

“Oh shut up you buck-toothed, mop-riding firefly from hell,” Parker replied and took me by the hand.

It shouldn’t surprise me that he was quoting the movie. After fifty two times it was to be expected, but it still managed to amaze me.

We stopped in front of the spread as we came up against a fake-stache-twirling Gomez and a long-haired emo-looking Morticia.

“Joey,” Parker said. “Santiago.”

“My name is Mortimer, you filthy zombie,” Santiago answered him.

His lips were black and his eyes were feline yellow. So he had been creative with his adaptation of Morticia Addams but he looked stunning none-the-less.

“Caro mio, are you unhappy?” Joey/Gomez asked beside him, taking Santiago/Mortimer’s hand and kissing it from fingers all the way up to his shoulder.

“Extremely, mon amour,” Santiago answered with a grim smile. “Let’s go make love!”

Santiago winked at me as he walked away and Joey admired his boyfriend for a moment before he turned to Parker.

“Are you ready?” he asked him and slapped his back.

Parker growled at him and Joey bit his lip.

“Sorry. Sorry,” Joey rushed to say and followed his boyfriend with his hands in the air as if he’d been caught.

“Ready for what?” I asked Parker.

Parker stared at the back of Joey’s head and shook his head.

“Ready for the party, I guess,” he replied half-heartedly.

I didn’t really believe him, but with all the food and drinks on offer in front of me and the dancefloor calling out to me, I didn’t have time to prod.

Whatever it was, could wait after the party.

We bumped into many old friends and new and I was surprised with how creative and detailed everyone had been with their costumes. If this was the amount of attention these people put into their Halloween dress-up for Carson and Enzo’s first party, I couldn’t even imagine what was going to follow the year after.

All the guests went crazy when Monster Mash came on and we all broke into dance.

As tough as my Parker looked in his Billy Butcherson costume, even he couldn’t resist the vibe in the room—or maybe it was me and my eagerness to have fun tonight—and dance with me. He even managed to crack a smile or two, which made the entire evening a success in my book.

I noticed Elliot in a skeleton onesie next to Mad Doctor Wyatt standing on the side and watching everyone. Asher and Maddox, dressed up as Shaggy and Scooby, danced next to us. Daphne-Autumn was with them. So many more people that had all become part of my life in the past year. So many that had found their very own beautiful people to share life with.

“Wait, is that Halmeoni?” I asked, noticing an older Asian woman in a red wig and green attire that resembled Poison Ivy sitting on the couch.

As if she heard me, Halmeoni waved at me and smiled.

“What is Halmeoni doing here?” I asked when the music changed from Ghostbusters to a familiar tune that had been embedded to my very DNA after so many years and hundreds of rewatches.

The theme song to only my favorite show in the world, the Golden Girls, played and at once the dancefloor cleared.

“What—” I started but then noticed my giant Parker down on his knees. “What are you doing?”

Parker glanced at the guests surrounding us and pursed his lips.

“I’ve been trying to find a way to do this for ages and, well, this felt right.”

“Do what?” I asked even though it was abundantly clear.

Especially when he took the little box out of his pocket and held it up to me.

Shit. Is this really happening?

“I wanted to do this in front of all our family and friends. I hope you don’t mind…” he said and opened the box.

The box held a black tungsten ring with a pink line running down the middle and a small pink stone on the top.

“Oh cheese and crust!” I exclaimed.

“Specially made for you,” Parker said.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, picking it up.

“Halmeoni and Autumn helped me choose,” Parker said as I put it on.

It fit perfectly of course.

And the moment it was on my finger it felt like it had been missing from my hand all my life.

I knew we’d discussed marriage and family and all that since we got together and I knew it was going to happen eventually, but I never expected it to happen so soon. And yet I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Besides, our entire relationship had unraveled in a matter of weeks. Why wouldn’t we get engaged a year after we met?

“Do you really like it?” he asked me and I put my hands around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

“I love it,” I said.

Someone coughed and just before our lips touched I turned to look at Autumn.

“You haven’t asked him yet, you big doofus,” she said.

“Oh,” Parker said and stepped back. “Shit. I screwed this up, didn’t I?”

“Just a tad,” Joey answered from behind him.

Parker rolled his eyes. A year ago, the act would have meant one thing and one thing only. That he hated Joey’s guts and wished he would shut up.

A year later, it meant something completely different. It meant “shut up, best friend.” Not that either of them would ever admit it.

“Right. I guess I’ve got to ask you,” Parker said, scratching his head. He then took my hand in both of his and lifted it between us. “Hwan, boba, my sunshine, will you…erm, will you marry me?”

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as if it was trying to escape and my toes curled.

This was surreal. Even more surreal because none of us looked like our normal selves. But I guess it made for quite a story to tell the kids.

“Well, duh,” I said. “I’m already wearing the ring, aren’t I?”

Before I could look around the dance floor and laugh at the silliness, my lips were attacked by his.

My Parker’s.

My Mr. Dorothy’s.

My fiancé’s.

“I love you, wench,” he whispered when he let go.

“I love you more, my maggot museum.” I whispered back.

Want to read another bonus epilogue? 

Check out "That's What Dads Do" taking place 1.5 year after Parker proposes (and 2.5 years after the ending of "Mother Parker")