"See, Dad? See? I told you there's a pumpkin party tonight!" Ten year old Adalia smiled up at her father as he stared up at the banner hanging over the entrance to the inn. "Come on!" She tugged on his hand, but when he didn't immediately move she let him go and darted inside.

Heaving a sigh as his daughter ran ahead, Bradley moved after her and caught the door before it closed. "It doesn't start until ten, babe. And I don't want you out so late, especially with that cough."

"But Dad! We can't leave now," she exclaimed, "because Miss Rena's here. Look!" Sure enough, there sat Rena in a booth having a drink. The little girl hopped excitedly, blonde hair in braided pigtails that had bright pieces of cloth woven into them. "Hello!" She said, bounding over to her friend. A deep, rumbling cough shook her tiny frame, but the moment it passed, a huge smile crossed her face. "Are you here for the pumpkins, too?"

Rena glanced around and finally noticed the pumpkins as she chuckled. ?Greetings, Ada. No, I'm not here for the pumpkins...I was talking to a friend but she went away for a minute or two.? A slight frown at the cough but nothing was said as Rena moved over and patted the seat next to her. ?How are you??

Brad watched from his place by the door, happy there was someone here that he'd be able to talk to while Ada carved her pumpkin. He smiled to himself and began unbuttoning his coat. "Make sure you're not interrupting, Ada." He chuckled, which was rare, and stood just a few feet away from the booth where Adalia was now sitting with Rena.

Rena offered a smile to Bradley before turning back to Ada, lifting her mug to drink from again.

"Who's your friend?" Ever the little busybody. Adalia grinned and shrugged off her coat. She was wearing a white, long-sleeved turtleneck with a plaid jumper overtop. She almost looked normal, if it weren't for the lime green tights, purple leg warmers and hot pink high tops. "I'm going to make a jack-o-lantern. Daddy's gonna help me some, but I'm gonna do most of it myself. I think I'm going to make a cat face!"

?Her name is Piper and she went out back for something...I didn't ask what for though,? whispering to Ada like it was a secret. ?She should be back soon though.?

His hands found their way into the pockets of his unbuttoned jacket as he listened to Adalia rattle on to Rena. Dark eyes were ever watchful and when Piper reappeared moments later looking a bit tired and worn, he smiled and moved out of the way so she could get back to the booth. "Evening ladies," he nodded. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Come on, Ada."

Rena gave another glance to Bradley. ?You aren't interrupting anything. Ada's fine so go have a drink.? smiling at the man.

His eyes narrowed playfully. "Alright, I can tell when a man's not wanted anymore." He pretended to be miffed, but winked to his daughter and wandered over to the bar to get himself a drink. The tender wasn't to arrive for another half-hour, so Bradley slipped behind the bar and prepared a mug of irish coffee and one full of hot cider. He decided to wait at the bar for a while and sip at his drink to give Ada a few minutes to herself. It wasn't often that she got out, so this was a treat.

Bradley grinned back at his daughter, then ducked behind the bar to find some newspaper. He carried it over to the table to help Rena spread it out.

Rena slid out of the booth and headed towards the bar only to find Bradley with an armload of paper. A chuckle again as a bucket of tools were grabbed from somewhere to place on the back of the bench as she spread out the paper.

"I've been teaching her about alliteration." He was smirking to himself.
?She's doing well with it, I see.? Smiling.

Misunderstanding the meaning behind Rena?s reply, he shrugged. "She always has. I know she's in pain--she says her chest hurts. But I couldn't keep her inside any longer. Once she started crying, I couldn't help but give in. Besides, she needed this. I'm glad the both of you are here. I'm afraid I'm not much fun."

Eyes fall on Bradley again as more paper was placed around the table. ?Yes you are...in your own way. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave soon but I shall return as quick as I can.? The bucket of tools was placed in the center, within easy reach, and an apron was found for Ada. She then sat back down and picked up her mug to drink from as she turned to watch Ada and Piper search.

"Oh? Well, I do hope you hurry back." He was busy smoothing out the papers to cover the table so they wouldn't make a mess. "I'm sure Adalia will want you to see her finished pumpkin." He glanced up, trying to see the progress Ada and Piper were making. In passing, he glanced to the rafters and immediately a wave of nausea washed over him. He dropped the stack of papers he'd been holding in his free arm and quickly sat on the booth seat.

She followed Brad's glance then eyes went back to him. A whisper as a hand went to his shoulder. ?You okay??

"Y-yes." he nodded. "Just.. it's nothing." He smiled weakly and realized he'd left his mugs at the bar. Not feeling he had the energy to move at the moment, Bradley stayed put and simply waited for the girls to return with the pumpkins. Something had drained him. Something.. Something awful. He glanced upwards again at the sound of soft chuckling, but then? he must be imagining it.

She knew it was not nothing but Rena was not one to push so she left it along. A wave to a server and the two mugs at the bar were brought over and set on the table. A coin was tossed to the server before he left.

While she?d never actually come out and told her, when Adalia noticed the look Rena gave her after the coughing, she finally realized that Rena knew. Frowning faintly, she knelt on the booth seat, placed her hand on the table and leaned over to look at the two women across from her. "Now listen here. Maybe Miss Piper, you don't know yet, but I can tell, Miss Rena. You look at me like my gran does. I still got some time left, and I want to have fun carving pumpkins. No more looks, 'kay?"

The words coming from his frail, precious daughter cut him deep--but at the same time, they strengthened him. "See why I can't argue with her," he said, bemused to the two women in the booth.

Rena noddes to the little one. ?No more looks...and we will have fun making a mess.? Slight grin. ?But for now I have to leave but will return shortly!? sliding out of the booth before Piper got comfy.

"Aww." She only pouted for a second, then smiled and shouted after Rena. "Hurry back!"

?I will do my best,? tugging gently on a braid before leaving.

Piper blinked in surprise at the lass' declaration then looked toward Rena. If she'd only guessed before, she knew know the extent of the illness. Hustled out of the booth so that Rena might tend to other issues, she glanced back to Ada with a wink. "Godsteeth, you are one for the books. I like your spunk, lass. Lets cut up some pumpkins, aye?"

"Yes!" She liked Piper a lot, now, too. It wasn't often that Ada shared her secret with anyone. In fact, she hadn't told anyone but Pippi in the entire time she'd lived here. "What kind of jack' are you going to make? I'm gonna make a cat face and show Miss Maeve when she comes to visit. I think she'll like it."

"I am sure Maeve will love that!" She reached for the indented pumpkin with a smirk. "I was thinking of carving an old man with a caved in face. Rotted teeth and all." Piper glanced to Bradley as she withdrew the small dagger from her boot. "And what about you, Mister Bradley?"

Brad nodded as Rena left, then reached for a scoring pen out of the bucket of tools Rena had brought over. "I'm going to let you do this, peach.. but you've got to be careful. You know what will happen if you cut yourself." He reached for her pumpkin and began scoring a cat's face into the pumpkin's edge. "After I finish this, we'll cut the top open and you can scoop out the inside."

"Yeah, the guts!"

Laughing at Ada's words, she had a thought...."We can use the guts to spill out of the old man's mouth. That's pretty gruesome, right?"

He finished scoring the pumpkin and reached for a large knife to cut out the top, answering Piper as he did so. "Oh, me?" Surprised, he glanced over at Piper. "I'm not going to carve. I'll just help Ada," then quickly adding 'when she needs it' after she made a face at him. He chuckled. "I'd much rather watch you all make yours."

"Chicken." Calling Bradley out with a good natured grin. "I might lose a finger in this madness...." She hadn't carved a pumpkin in years. Staring at the blank canvas of orange, her brow creased with a frown. She glanced at Ada with a conspiratorial wink, "If you find mine finger in the guts, save it for me, aye?"

"Okay!" she chirped happily, now bouncing on the booth seat. "Hurry up, Dad! I wanna beat Miss Piper." A victorious cry came from the ten year old as the pumpkin top was set aside. Ada pushed up her sleeves and dove right in. Girlish squeals could be heard, as well as the sticky squishing of pumpkin innards.

Blasted. Apparently she had quite forgotten that she had to actually sink her hands into pumpkin guts! Wincing as she cut a hole in the top, she set the 'lid' aside and rolled up her sleeves. "You might accomplish that faster than ye think, darlin."

Bradley sat back and watched the two females set about cleaning their pumpkins. It amused him to see that Piper looked a little uneasy and Ada was playing in the 'guts' more than trying to clean them out of the pumpkin.

"This is so ..." What was the word Ada had used? "...gross." She swiped the back of her hand across her cheek, leaving a slime of orange pulp there as she delivered another handful of pumpkin guts to the table top with a 'plop' "Very gross." She checked on Ada's progress with a quick lift of her eyes, only to laugh aloud. ?You are going to end up covered from head to toe in that stuff, darlin'.?

Ada looked up and pointed with a slime-covered hand. "So are you," she chirped amusedly. Extremely happy, she went back to cleaning out the pumpkin and began humming a quiet little tune.

Ada was content to ignore the signs of her impending death, but when her father left, she glanced at the towel. Trying to be inconspicuous, she pushed it over and away so that the blood wasn't showing any longer. There were no sounds coming from the table except the scraping of the knives in the pumpkin flesh. After several silent moments, Ada cleared her throat. "It makes my Daddy sad."

Whispering to Ada as she worked feverishly on her creation. "Being sad is good. It allows us to accept what we cannot change. It's when you don't accept the inevitable...that is what can lead to trouble. We are all going to die someday. Some sooner than others. Some before they should. Some that linger on long after they should be dust. Life is not fair. But, we were never promised a cherry life, were we." She glanced upward, calculating her next words carefully. "And what about you? Are you sad??

She'd fallen silent, so very grateful that Piper was talking to her like an adult and not babying her. She'd had to deal with thing most adults couldn't fathom. Adalia was so much older than her ten years. "I'm sad to leave people behind, but I'm very tired." It was stated so matter-of-factly that there could be no arguing. "It hurts and I'm just......tired. But when I die, I get to see my mom again! She's waiting for me. So I guess I'm not all that sad."

Satisfied with the finished product, she dropped her dagger to the table and reached for the towel to clean her hands. Studying the old face, eyes squeezed shut and full open mouth; she couldn't help but grin to herself. It was truly disgusting. Inspired by a dying child with a want to carve up pumpkins and be happy. It was perfect. With Ada's words reverberating in her ears, she leaned forward, arms crossed against the table. ?That will be something, aye? To see your mom again? To be--? her words faltered then she fell silent as Bradley rejoined them. She smiled at his words than nodded in agreement. ?Best cat ever. I like cats. Even if they are a bit aloof and overbearing.?

Bradley came upon the scene just as his daughter was finishing her little speech. His adams apple bobbed in his attempt to keep his emotions under control. Hearing her share her feelings with someone other than family was heartbreaking. Taking a moment to procure a smile, he slid back into the booth. "Wow, baby. Look at that! It's a pretty good cat, if you ask me."

Ada nodded to Piper, then smiled up at her dad as he joined them. "Right Dad?" She didn't wait for him to answer before grabbing the pumpkin lid. "Can we go show it to that lady, now, dad? I'm tired and--" there was another cough. When she'd finished, Ada didn't complete her sentence. The cough had said it all.

"Don't forget the candle..." A warm smile for Ada before she glanced to Bradley with a wink. "You two have a grand evening. Thank you for letting me be a part of the fun."

"Yeah, it was fun. Thanks for doing this with me, Miss Piper. Maybe you can come over next time with Miss Rena when she visits me. Sometimes I'm too tired to get out of bed and she comes over to play games. You should come, too. " Oh, the wiles and tricks of dying little girls. Who could deny her?! Ada bounced out of the booth as her father exited, then darted over to the display table.

Bradley remained behind to scoop up the pumpkin. "Piper," he said quietly. But then... what? He didn't know what to say to her. Standing there with a pumpkin in his arms, he looked unsure. Finally, he said, "Thanks. You made her night very special."

"It will be mine privilege to visit you. Thank you." Laughing as the precocious child darted off, she drew in a deep breath then turned her gaze to the window to blink rapidly. "Thank you, Mister Bradley, for sharing her with me this evening. She is delightful." Forcing unshed tears from her eyes, she smiled up at him with encouragement. <ws> "Delightful."

Bradley would have hugged her, but with the pumpkin being in the way, he just smiled and nodded.

Rena, who?d just returned, looked to Piper. ?What?d I miss??

Piper glanced at Rena, then across the room to where Bradley stood near the bar and his daughter. "A lot of mess. You wretched woman." Laughing as she scooted out of the booth, she man-handled the pumpkin into her arms and started toward the far end of the bar where they were to be placed and she could gain a candle to insert within the beast.

Rena gave a slight shrug. ?Sorry,? then watching Piper wander off to put her pumpkin on the display table. The bench was reclaimed for herself.

Bradley urged Ada to say her goodbye?s quickly. "You ready, peach? It's late and you should be in bed. Give hugs and then it?s time to go."

"Bye Miss Piper!" calling out to her with a wave. Piper looked back over her shoulder to blow a kiss to the child that had so unselfishly allowed her into a child's world once more. Then, Ada gave a tackling sort of hug for Rena. Bracing herself for the incoming, Rena hugged the little one back, picking her up gently. "We have to go now because I'm tired, but I finished my pumpkin, see? Miss Sid said it was the best."

A peer at the pumpkin then back to her ?It will win, for sure.?

"I don't think it'll win, because Miss Piper's is pretty dern cool. It's got guts spillin' out of it's mouth!" Then she held up her bag of seeds. "And I got some roasted seeds. I've never had any, but I think they'll be good. Will you bring Miss Piper next time you visit?" Going a mile a minute, this one. Trying to get in everything she wanted to say before her Dad made her leave.

? I will try to drag her along,? placing Ada back onto her feet now. ?Roasted pumpkin seeds are good, I hear.?

"Awesome. Ok, and maybe you could come over for dinner. Or something!" She wiggled free from Rena's arms and hurried back to Bradley's side. "Daddy, don't let her say no."

Chuckling, he squeezed Ada's hand in his own. "Well, Rena. You heard her. You're not allowed to say no. Maybe we'll make a little party out of it and invite Ethan and Maeve, too." He knew that would excite his daughter, so why not?

She gave a soft chuckle. ?Let's do lunch first.? Then glancing to Bradley, ?that will work. Just let me know when. And I wouldn't say no to such a lovely invite,? glancing to Ada.

"Hah! Too late. Dad said you can't say no. Now you have to come!!" She was tugging her father towards the door before Rena could say anything else. "Goodbye, Miss Rena! See you later!"

? I'll see you in the morning, little one,? waving to the retreating pair.

The dreariness he'd experienced earlier in the evening seemed to have vanished and was now replaced with playfulness. "'Night, Rena." Winking at her, he waited for Ada to pull the door open and the two of them exited cheerfully.

Rena wink back then she retook her seat, watching the two leave.