Pumpkins lined the pavements, illuminating the streets with flickering candlelight.
Monsters and ghouls were prowling the neighbourhood, but as I gripped my little boy’s hand, he looked up at me, beaming.
‘I’m not scared, Mum,’ said Aven, then 6.
It was 31 October 2023, and, dressed as Darth Vader and clutching his bright blue lightsaber, Aven was in his element.
We went from door to door, trick-or-treating, until his bucket was brimming with sweets.
‘Let’s get you to Grandma’s,’ I said around 8pm.
As a single mum, working as a waitress, my grandma Maria, then 70, often looked after Aven for me.
And tonight I had a rare night off, so Aven was having a sleepover while I visited a mate.
‘See you in the morning,’ I said, giving him…
