#FlashFictionMagic: Masks

“Hurry up, Dad! Nobody will know who I am without you.” Grace climbed Fern’s front steps in the white dress and curly wig meant to turn her into Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dave, dressed as the Phantom, struggled with the too-large mask that kept slipping over his eye. By the time he caught up, Grace was ringing the bell. 

Fern answered the door clad in her witch’s costume. Dave felt a surge of warmth. After his break-up with Laura, holiday traditions like this were a balm. He was looking forward to tonight, when Grace’s candy bag was full and he and Fern could eat Snickers and chat.

Fern gave Grace a little hug, and Dave was about to reach for one, when a man appeared at Fern’s side, and offered him a handshake. 

“Oh!” Dave said. “Um, hi.” He shook the man’s hand. 

Fern’s cheeks were unusually pink. “This is Jake,” she said.   

“Michael, right?” Jake said. 

“No, Dave.”

Jake pointed to his own face. “The mask, I mean.” 

Dave didn’t understand, but when he tried to raise his eyebrows at Fern, his mask fell again. As he readjusted, Grace, sifting through the candy bowl for her favorites, piped up. “Dad’s the Phantom.” 

“Oh!” Jake said. “The musical. I’m thinking of the Halloween movies.” 

“The Phantom’s name is Raoul,” Dave said. “Right?”  

Grace sighed. “No, Dad, Raoul is the guy who gets the girl.”

Jake chuckled, and Dave didn’t look away soon enough to miss him kissing Fern’s cheek.  “I think I’m Raoul,” he said. 

Dave could understand why a guy might want to live on a lake beneath an opera house. 

“Time to go, Grace,” he said, and, without making eye contact with Fern, he grabbed a Snickers for the road knowing he wouldn’t be back tonight.