Gideon was carving a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern when his father, Zeb Thornton came rushing in and threw his briefcase in a corner.
"Goddamn fucking traffic was insane today," he told his son. "I'm about to rip someone out of their car and beat them with a goddamn tire iron."
"Good day?" his son asked.
"The best. Hey, that's lookin' pretty good." Zeb took a look at the jack-o-lantern. "Too bad your mom couldn't see this, but she's too busy with her new boyfriend. Gee, I
hope those two have a happy life."
Gideon frowned and rolled his eyes over his dad's passive aggressive behavior.
"So get a girlfriend and get even with her," he told his father.
"Oh, look at you! You're tellin' me what to do now? I thought I was the father in this family."
"You are, but I'm getting older. I'm just saying, I'm glad I live with you, and not Mom. But, we can't do anything about Mom dating a new guy. She wants you to be happy, you know."
"My kid now Dr. Phil. Lucky me," his father came over and rubbed his son's hair. Zeb Thornton was a good looking man. He had dark blond hair and deep laugh lines in his face, even though he was only 34. He looked older, like he was in his mid-40s, mainly because he was an unapologetic cigar and pipe smoker. He had an average build, but he came from New Jersey and still carried a lot of the streets in him, even though he had risen in life to become a successful businessman. His son took after his mother in the looks department. Gideon had dark brown hair and was in need of a haircut. His hair was beginning to get long in the back to the point where it curled up. Zeb hated it, but his son begged him not to get a haircut yet.
"Thanks. I try. You ready to watch horror movies with me?"
"I still think you're too young for that stuff. How about Halloweentown? With Debbie Reynolds?"
"Daaaad! I'm not a little kid anymore! I'm practically a grownup! I'm mature enough to handle a scary movie."
"Yeah, well, if you get scared tonight, you can't crawl into bed with me like you did when you were 7. Remember that?"
"Dad! That was forever ago!"
"You got scared by Coraline. I thought that you wouldn't puss out so much."
"First of all, Coraline was actually some scary and fucked up."
"Hey. Language!"
"You say it!"
"Yeah, but I'm an adult. I get to curse because I own this fucking house." Gideon rolled his eyes again as his dad grabbed a beer from the fridge. "You watch your language," he told his son.
"Maybe I've seen scary movies before and didn't tell you," Gideon told him. He smiled mischievously. "I've seen lots."
"Which ones?"
"I was over at Ryan's and we watched this movie called Happy Death Day. I've also seen Friday the 13th, The Omen, and a couple of episodes of that Kim Kardashian show."
"Wow, you are a trooper, kiddo. Alright, we'll watch one scary movie and see how you do."
The doorbell rang.
"Hey!" Craig walked in and hugged his taller brother.
"You're just in time. We're gonna pop my son's horror movie cherry."
"I've seen scary movies before, Dad!" Both men laughed.
"It's so easy, so easy," Zeb said. "Hey, whattdya got there?"
"Pumpkin ale. Tis the season to get wasted with my brother!"
"That sounds delicious and fun!"
All three sat down on the couch to watch "Scream".
His uncle and dad drank beer, while Gideon drank a seltzer water. After the first movie was over, and they'd all bonded over the cleverness of the plot and the mix of horror and comedy, Gideon asked:
"So can I have one?"
"Can you have one what?" his father asked blankly.
"A beer?"
"Uh, no? You're only 12. You gotta be a little bit older."
"How old were you and Uncle Craig when you guys started drinking beer?"
"Sixteen. Kelly Whalen's birthday bash. Oh my god, do you remember?"
"I remember you came home plastered and I had to cover for you and say you were sick. You asshole," Zeb told him.
"How about you, Dad?"
"I was 21, like the law requires," Zeb said as innocently as he could.
"Yeah, right," said Gideon. Craig burst out laughing.
"Yeah, is that your final answer?"
"No one should drink before they're 21. Would I lie to you?" Zeb asked. "Okay, look. I drank beer when I was teenager sometimes but it wasn't often. I had a job I had to work. I went through school. Your uncle and me, we worked hard to get ahead. You should, too. So no drinking until I decide you can drink, and it ain't tonight."
"Spoilsport," Craig chided.
"You could give me some backup here."
"Your father is right. You shouldn't drink until he says you can," Craig agreed.
The second movie was Jeepers Creepers, which actually did scare Gideon, but he tried not to show it. He jumped a couple times but learned to laugh it off. They had some popcorn and pizza. It was a regular guy's night.
Zeb went to the bathroom. Craig thought it was the perfect time to begin his first assignment.
"You know, if I was to decide, I'd give you a beer. I think you're old enough," Craig told his 12 year old nephew.
"Thank you! But Dad would kill me and you. He'd kill both of us."
"What if I were to tell you that I have a little trick we could play tonight? A Halloween trick up my sleeve, if you will."
"Like what, get him drunk until he agrees to give me a beer?"
"More like, you want to be treated like an adult, so...let's make that happen. I'm going to grant you a wish tonight. I'll make it so that your father treats you like a grown man tonight. How does that sound?"
"I'd say that sounds great. But how? Are you just messing with me?"
"No, but I want you to go along with whatever happens next. I promise you that you'll enjoy it..."
"Hello, boys!" Zeb returned. His deep voice and New Jersey accent had always been one of his sexier qualities, in combination with his rugged, long face, and slicked back straw-colored hair. Zeb looked like the more masculine of the two brothers. He was slightly taller, and he acted like a man's man. He took cues from his father and grandfather. He was "old school" and believed a man was king of his castle, and that a son should obey his father.
"So...Zeb," Craig began innocently. "Think he's ready?" Craig pointed over at his nephew, who smiled nervously.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Gideon thought. Dad could get angry and explode at us both.
"For what?"
"A beer." Craig told him, nonchalantly. Gideon gulped. Here it comes, Gideon thought. He braced for impact.
"Sure!" his dad replied. "Time for you to become one of us guys! Of course you're old enough for a beer, goddamit. Get my son a beer already! He's 12 years old!"
"He's a man now, isn't he?"
"Sure he is. Time for him to earn his keep around here, too. You're getting a job, son. Don't worry about a thing, I'm gonna set you up!"
Gideon gulped. He couldn't believe this was happening. Maybe Uncle Craig and Dad were in on this together. Maybe it was just going to be water they gave him. But then Uncle Craig twisted off a bottlecap and handed him the pumpkin brew. It foamed up.
"Drink it! Drink it, quick!" both men told the young lad. He obeyed them and drank the fizz down, and got a big gulp of alcohol for the first time in his life.
"Oooh. That tastes great!" Gideon drank more.
"That's my son! Chip off the old block! Pretty soon, you'll be bangin' chicks in no time. Oh, fuck. You ever seen this movie, son? Elvira, Mistress of the Dark?" Zeb pointed to the screen. He had been going through possible Halloween movies.
"No," Gideon said, drinking his beer with a huge smile on his face.
"She's this broad who was really stacked back in the day. I used to jerk off to her all the time. Huge boobies! Fuck yeah. Let's watch this one!" His father found the right streaming service and pressed play. The men and boy loudly laughed throughout the entire sex comedy. Gideon couldn't believe his father and he were laughing over boob jokes and sex jokes together! Craig handed him another beer with a knowing nod. This was the best night ever! Gideon thought.
Zeb fell asleep and started snoring on the couch. It was almost midnight. Craig got up. He motioned for his nephew to follow him to another room, the guest bedroom. He shut the door behind him so they could talk privately.
"How'd you like being treated like one of the guys?"
"Well, I definitely enjoy beer! I can't believe this! This is so awesome! Hey. Why was my Dad talking about me getting a job?"
"Well, he just wants what's best for you. And I sort of placed a magic spell on him."
Gideon waited for the punchline or laugh. None came.
"Very funny."
"I'm serious. Why do you think he was treating you like a bro all of a sudden? He was treating you like you were much older. Don't you want to know why?"
"Why?"
"Magic. I can do pretty much any kind of mind control now. Bark like a dog," he commanded his nephew. Gideon did so without even blinking twice. "Now stop."
"How'd you do that?"
"You are going to believe every word I tell you. I can do magic. I can transform other men mentally and physically, and I can change reality around a little bit, though I'm still learning that part." He arched an eyebrow. "What is your heart's desire, nephew of mine? You want to be a grown up? I can make you 18, 21, 30, 40...any age you want. I can make you look like any man alive. I can make you big and tall and muscular. I can make you blond or Asian or Native American or Indian. I can make you the father. I can change your dad into your son. I can make him do whatever you want him to. I can change him around, too. So tell me...what would you like? You wanna be in charge of this house?"
"I believe you! This is awesome! I can really do any of those things??"
"You can, tiger. Sort of a homework assignment for me. You can look like anything. So...what'll it be?"
"I want..." Gideon began.