that time of year

Ellie and Lon brought over dinner to Syd and Eric's. Syd kept saying how she'd wanted to go apple picking back in late September. Finally, Ellie had gotten around to making a carmel apple pie. They had brought beef stew too, along with homemade biscuits. It was Eric's birthday.

"Its like a harvest feast." Syd decided. It was her idea for the carmel apple pie, but she'd planned on buying one at the apple place only the season was now closed and no more carmel apple pies. Eric loved their carmel apple pie.

"I should have brought something with pumpkin." Ellie winced as she set out the meal.

"No. No. Don't mention pumpkins." Lon shook his head, no as he held on to Charlie.

"Why is that?" Syd looked at Lon then Charlie. "I'm sure there's a story here." She put her hands on her hips and waited.

"Lon and Charlie made a jack-o-lantern." Ellie started.

"Did it scare him?" Eric wanted to know as he put out the glasses and a jug of milk.

"Not really." Lon winced a smile. "He wanted horns. I took out the triangles for the eyes and he puts them up on his head and says, why can't he have horns.  He says he wants to be horny."

Syd held in a laugh. Eric chuckled.

"I don't want him saying that at daycare." Ellie scrunched a face.

"So she tells him, he has to say he wants to be corny, not horny." Lon laughed.

"We're in the middle of Wal-mart and he's singing and dancing around with his hands over his head, about how he's corny." Ellie told them.

"Ellie, you really are depriving him, you know." Eric smiled, he soon laughed as he touched the top of Charlie's dark curls. Charlie looked at him as if he knew they were talking about him.

Ellie watched them both then. It felt so long ago now, but she remembered times with Eric. She guessed it was best not to bring that up right now, but to just enjoy each others company. It almost felt like a full circle, or was this being friends with a family, just a new circle for them?

Carmel Apple Pie Recipe