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"Milo. Can you say trick or treat?" Kate sat in front of their 3 year old son as he giggled at the mask she was moving in front of her face. "You can do it! Say 'trick or treat' baby."
"Tick or Teat!" He shouted, trying his best to mimick the actions of his mother, basking in the over enthusiastic cheers he got in return for his efforts. Jo stood in the kitchen watching them both with a resigned but happy expression. She had made her feelings on trick or treating very clear to her wife, and had been repeatedly reassured that they would not be knocking on the doors of strangers whilst she was at work tonight.
"I can't wait to get you dressed up in your little costume later." Kate kissed the cheek of their son and held him tight against her as he squirmed.
"Kate we agreed.." Jo felt awful, but not every anxiety from her past had disappated yet and the thought of him being out there and exposed on one of the scariest nights of the year filled her with a dread that even the OCG hadn't.
Kate stood from her spot on the lounge floor, leaving their son to play with his toys. "We agreed. I promise you that we will not be going out a knocking on the doors of strangers. We will however be dressing up and having a halloween experience, okay?" She had a hand either side of Jo's face as she leant in to kiss her.
Jo hated that she had to work on days like these. Kate's new role gave her a lot more freedom and Jo felt like she was missing out on so much of Milo's little life but Kate never kept her out of the loop and she knew that she would have an endless stream of whatsapp videos and pictures throughout the evening. She also knew that Kate adored being able to give Milo everything she hadn't been able to give Josh when he was a child.
Josh had been round yesterday and showered his baby brother with Halloween treats which had melted both women to watch. Kate had cried last night, wishing she had given him more when he was a kid but the young lad held no resentment and loved his ever-growing bond with his mother. He especially loved having a sibling, and Jo thought she would never get used to him openly referring to her as his bonus mum, or just mum when milo was within earshot. He really was an amazing kid. She wouldn't take that for granted.
They spent a couple more uninterrupted hours as a 3 before Jo got in the car for work, allowing herself to resent the job for just a few moments. Kate had promised her she wouldn't let her miss a moment and Jo found herself praying for a slow day in the office so she would have time to facetime them for a while later in the day. Little did she know that the second she had left their little bubble, Kate was setting the wheels in motion for her grand plan.
Chris had only been too happy to help, never seeming to let go of his own boyish nature and being one of the biggest advocates for Kate and Jo over the years. He had gone in to the office early and thrown up some decorations, left some kid friendly Halloween masks on each workers' desks and put some sweets in some plastic pumpkin buckets and cauldrons around the room. As collegues started filing in he reminded them of the plans for the day and a new excitement washed over MIT.
"Kate may not work here anymore, but she is certainly good for this place." One of the detectives commented, trying to slyly swipe one of the jelly eyeballs from the desk next to him.
"That she is, but lets try to keep it as normal as possible until 5 when everyo- hey boss, Happy Halloween!" Chris cut himself short as Jo entered the room and stood shell shocked at the transformation of the room around her.
"Chris. Have I been mistaken this whole time and I actually work in a preschool?" Jo commented with a mood he had been expecting. Kate had at least prepared him for that. He understood, he hated being away from his 7 year old girls on days like today. He shook her attitude off with ease, however.
"Ah ma'am, I just thought that it would make the endless paperwork a tad mote enjoyable. It's just for the day, and we can forget it ever happened tomorrow!" His joy was infectios, and despite the eye roll she gave him he saw the smirk on his boss' face as she entered her office, and he positively fell apart when he heard her screech as she reached her desk.
"That is not funny, Lomax!" She yelled as she launched the prop spider out the door towards the offending male.
"Oh it was worth it though!" He managed through his laughter, and opted to get to work before he pushed his luck too far.
-
At home a couple of hours later, Kate had finally managed to coax their toddler in to the cute pumpkin costume that her and Jo had found the week before. She painted his face orange and finished the look off with his cute little hat. "You look amazing, pumpkin!" She told him, tickling his padded tummy as he laughed at her.
"Not really a pum-kim mummy!" He told her firmly, a pout to match his other parent firmly on his face.
"I know that really baby. You ready to go and see mama and Uncle Chris? I think Lexi and Lily are going to be there too." She knew that would get her a smile as her son squealed excitedly.
She shot Chris a message to let them know she was on her way and he replied with a thumbs up and a 'my lovely lot are too, they will meet you in the car park'.
She hoped that Jo would like it and be okay with it, and she wouldn't have to wait too much longer to find out.
-
She greeted Chris' wife Helen in the car park and the girls in their matching witch costumes immediately doted on Milo which he adored. They spoke to him in the softest voices and he lapped up the attention of the older kids and played his part of the cute younger 'cousin' with ease. Kate couldn't help but snap a cute picture of the trio, as Milo had a witch either side of him holding his hands as they all entered the building. She shot a copy of it off to Chris before she put her phone away and followed them in.
They walked the halls with ease, stopping every now and again as people greeted them and complimented the kids on their costumes. Some of the office staff even dropped some sweets in to the children's trick or treating bags which made them buzz with excitement.
Chris greeted them outside the double doors and briefed the kids. "Okay, when you go in you have to shout 'Trick or Treat!' as loud as you can, okay? Mummy is over by the window Milo." He said as he opened the door up and snuck them inside.
"TRICK OR TREAT!" The 3 year old shouted along with the girls and Kate laughed as Jo jumped out of her skin but then her eyes welled with tears as what was happening sunk in. Jo looked up at her briefly as she walked over with a watery smile and Kate shot her a wink in return. Lexi and Lily went straight over to their dads desk to look at the collection of sweets while Jo picked her son up and balanced him on her hip despite the difficulties the costume caused.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked, kissing the small part of his forehead that didn't have orange paint smeared over it.
"For sweets mummy!" Milo replied cheekily, making both women chuckle at their son.
"That, and to make sure you don't miss a moment. Chris and I have been conspiring for over a week now." Kate admitted.
"Thank you." Jo leaned in to place a kiss on her wife's waiting lips and heard the telltale shutter sound of an iphone camera. "CHRISTOPHER!" She yelled at her subordinate in good nature.
"It's cute, ma'm!" He argued his point, pulling his own wife in to his side as he kept an eye on his own children who were in their element.
Jo set Milo down to give him the freedom to go and play before pulling an unsuspecting Chris in to a short but tight embrace. "I think when nobody else is paying attention you've more than earned the right to call me Jo. Thank you, Chris".
Despite his slightly reddened cheeks he gave her a final squeeze before letting go. "Then you are very welcome, Jo." His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Right, kids, who wants to trick or treat around the desks!" Chris yelled and got the desired reaction of the 3 children in front of him.
Jo looked on in awe as she recognised not for the first time at just how much life had changed. Kate snuck an arm around her and held her close. "I love you." She muttered in to her hair.
"I love you too. I also love that bed time is your problem tonight!" She giggled, watching as their son dug in to some Haribo. Kate's groan only caused the giggles to get worse.
"Are you two coming to join in or are you going to stand there laughing like school girls?" Chris teased.
"We're coming, we're coming, chill!" Kate replied, poking her tongue out at him childishly.
"You will be later." Jo commented as she slipped past her wife to go over to the group. Not before she heard her wife reply with a 'god I hope so' behind her.
Life for Jo Davidson was certainly a lot different than she would ever have imagined but as she allowed herself to get swept up in to the atmosphere she knew she wouldn't change it for the world.