Walking sometimes beside her, but mostly behind her on the sidewalk, Sherry and Madison tried to ignore Mrs. Burlinski’s homophobic antics.

The woman kept at least ten feet between her and them, as if homosexuality were contagious.

Madison winked at Sherry.

“We just moved here a few weeks back and are glad to go out for a change,” Sherry said. “Besides, I like to keep an eye on Jake.” Never would Sherry tell her that it was Jake’s first real Halloween and that she didn’t want to miss it, or Mrs. Burlinski might start asking questions about where they had lived before.

Mrs. Burlinski looked over her shoulder and opened her mouth as if wanting to say something when her gaze landed on Sherry’s and Madison’s intertwined hands. She just nodded and spun away again.

“Hey,” Madison whispered in her ear. “You okay?”

Madison’s warm breath caused goose bumps to erupt all over her body. “Um, sure. Why?”

“You’re looking so serious.” Barely audibly, she added, “Ignore the scarecrow and her antics.”

Sherry had to grin. The nickname for Mrs. Burlinski fit. “Thank you for coming along today.” She’d wanted to decline at first when Madison offered to come along, but now she was glad she had agreed. It was nice having support against Mrs. Burlinski, and Madison’s presence also seemed to be important for Jake.

Madison squeezed her hand.

Jake and Tony came back carrying their huge candy bags.

“Mom, can you take these for me? They’re so heavy.”

Sherry let go of Madison’s hand to take them. She immediately missed the warmth, which wasn’t surprising considering how cold it was tonight. “Baby, don’t overdo it.”

Madison stared into the bags. “When are you planning to eat all this candy? There’s enough to feed your whole class for a week.”

“Madison’s right,” Sherry said. “I’m sorry, Jake, but I think you’ve got enough.”

Jake looked at them as if she’d told him he would have to spend the next week eating broccoli. “D-does that mean we have to go home already?”

“Already?” Sherry asked. “You and Tony have been trick-or-treating for more than two hours.”

“But, Mom!” Jake turned to Madison. “Please! Just five more minutes.”

Madison raised her hands in defeat. “Sorry, grasshopper, but I can’t help you with this.”

Jake stomped his feet. “It’s not fair!”

“Tony also has enough,” Mrs. Burlinski said and took the bags from her son.

“Why do I have to go home just because Jake’s moms say—?”

“Madison isn’t my mom.”

Sherry saw Madison’s face tense. She probably would have preferred Jake to tell everybody that she was his second mother. But even though she couldn’t prevent them from getting closer over time, Sherry never forgot that in truth they weren’t really a family.