The Haunted House

It just seems right to tell this story so close to Halloween. At 37 and recently widowed (2020) and having gotten a promotion and so I move back to my hometown where the new job was. My 2 children 7 and 5 could be looked after by my parents while I worked. My wife had died in a car accident that also took her parents and she had no siblings. But not able to live with my parents as they had downsized to a 2-bed cottage. I bought a house online and it picture online showed a nice-looking house. But it had been photo shopped and was as descripted just the yard was overgrown and vines growing up the front. Just cosmetic and nothing a good landscaper could fix and a repaint for the front. Which was to be done the week after we moved in, my eldest thought the house looked haunted and so he loved it straight away, my youngest she was a little frightened at first. But she loved the room she picked; the house was built in the 1880's. It had been well maintained and the only problems were the ones I previously mentioned. It had been modernized in early 2000's and was fit for purpose. As We moved in in October 2022 and with the vines and overgrown garden, we didn't have to do much to make it look spooky for Halloween. Halloween night was great my parents took the children trick or treating, and I was catching up on my work. Of course, I had candy for the children that came to my door. That was how I met Cathy 32 also widowed and a had a daughter 5 and they came and got candy. I hadn't taken up my new job yet and the work I was doing was familiarizing myself with the new job requirements. The following Monday I was to take up my new job and when I started one of the first people, I met was Cathy she was office supervisor and had run late that morning due to hassles with getting her daughter to school. Been there done that, she was a bit worried as the new manager was starting and he had a reputation as a strict person. I'd such a reputation, but I'm not stupid I realized things go wrong from time to time and let it pass. But if it was a daily occurrents, then I would do something about it. I recognized her straight away; she didn't recognize me without the scary makeup. She said sorry for being late and I said I know I've had similar problems and left at that. Cathy's main problem was lack of childcare for after school and places were like diamonds very rare locally and so very expensive. I didn't have that problem, I'd Granny care and as the days passed and I got to know Cathy more and like her more. I wanted to ask her out and the main problem was lack of child minding. I mentioned the problem to my mother, and she suggested a play date. Which I duly arranged; mother knows best I was brought up to believe. Our daughters got on very well and everything went very well. After some such dates, my mother told Cathy she would watch her daughter after school with my children and it wouldn't cost her anything. They went to the same school, and it made it a lot easier for Cathy after that. So, I started dating Cathy and a relationship started and in July I asked her to marry me she accepted, and we married in September. All now living together in the haunted house as my daughter still calls it, she isn't scared of it and loves living here. Our second Halloween is planned to be bigger than the first, fake tombstones for the front yard and scary doorbell. We're going all out as they say, Cathy has a dress and black wig and plans to dress up as Morticia Addams and I'm to be Lurch due to my Height not my looks. The children all 3 are going out with my parents, Cathy is also pregnant, and my parents have decided to sell up and move. The house right behind us was up for sale and they bought it, and it is being renovated to suit them and already a gateway (no gate) has been installed between the yards. Again, my mother's idea as her new daughter-in-law is expecting and will need help with the children and anything else had come up. My son has asked for a dog, and I've said our yard was too small and since his grandparents have bought the rear neighbor's house our yard is twice the size at least and my argument has been dismissed. My father is taking the children to the animal refuge this weekend and I fear us having 3 dogs as the children always get their way with him. My wife and mother are going shopping and won't be going along, so I expect 3 maybe 2 dogs on my return from a work trip. Lucky Haunted House is my belief as it has been for me.