With everything wrapped up, the sky had gone completely dark.
Simon said goodbye to Ron McMillan and the others in the parking lot and was about to get in his car when Sandra Bullock came running over.
Sensing Simon's puzzled gaze, Sandra flushed a bit with embarrassment but still said, "Simon, there's a carnival in West Hollywood tonight. Want to come along?"
It being Halloween, the streets outside the lot were already teeming with all sorts of bizarrely dressed crowds, buzzing with energy. Actually, spots like Universal Studios or Disneyland would have even bigger celebrations tonight.
Though he had some memories, Simon really wanted to experience a North American Halloween firsthand.
But faced with Sandra's invite, he hesitated.
Janet had suggested they celebrate Halloween together a few days back. To prep for it, she hadn't even come to set today, and at lunch she'd called to drag Katherine over, saying she couldn't handle it alone.
Now both women were at his place.
Noticing Simon's pause, Sandra felt a pang of disappointment and was about to casually brush it off—like it was no big deal if he couldn't make it—when Simon said, "Sure, but Katherine and Janet might tag along. That okay?"
So he really did have something going with those two women.
But from how things looked these past days, it was pretty obvious.
The disappointment deepened, but Sandra smiled and nodded. "Of course— the more the merrier."
Simon gestured toward the street nearby. "So, where at?"
"It's on the Santa Monica Boulevard stretch in West Hollywood—you'll spot it right away coming from here. I'll, um, wait for you on Holloway Drive—that's the street branching west from the Santa Monica Boulevard turn. There's a big parking lot on Holloway. Nine o'clock, how's that?"
It was already past seven. Simon figured two hours was plenty for dinner, so he nodded in agreement.
They parted ways, and Simon drove his SUV through the increasingly crowded streets of downtown Santa Monica back to the Montana district. The houses lining the roads were all decked out with lights, each sporting prominent jack-o'-lanterns.
At his own front door, there were now two massive jack-o'-lanterns, each about a meter tall, like a pair of weird guardian beasts. From the roadside to the entrance, several strings of pretty smaller lanterns hung as well.
With the decorations in the way, he couldn't pull into the yard, so Simon parked the SUV curbside.
Getting out, he took a closer look and realized the two giant pumpkins were real.
Suddenly he worried.
Pumpkins that size—each probably a hundred pounds or more. How to eat them all? Can't just toss them, right?
Wasteful women!
Grumbling inwardly once more, Simon unlocked the door and stepped inside, where a faint aroma of food wafted through the air.
Hearing him, Janet dashed out from the kitchen. Katherine poked her head out to wave hello but ducked back in, probably busy with something.
"Simon, just a little longer—almost ready."
Janet took his messenger bag like a dutiful wife, nudged him onto the living room sofa, flipped on the TV with the remote, then scampered back to the kitchen.
Okay.
He'd just drink pumpkin soup for the next month.
Pumpkins keep pretty well, anyway.
Lounging on the sofa, Simon thought this, then couldn't help glancing around again.
The villa was no longer the empty shell it had been at first; furniture and appliances were basically all in place.
Simon hadn't had the energy to handle any of that, of course.
A month ago, after buying that first lounge chair, Janet had started hauling stuff in like an ant moving house, eventually getting a spare key set and boldly taking over as lady of the manor.
Not just the living room—the whole villa had gotten her touch.
And under the pretext of creating the 'butterfly effect' mural for Lola Run, she'd set up a studio for herself. Painting tires you out, so you need rest—thus, a bedroom. Learning Simon was doing the score himself, she'd even shipped over her piano from the Malibu mansion.
By now, the whole place reeked of Janet. Even Simon himself was—he owed her a string of IOUs she'd foisted on him, no idea how many, but at least a hundred grand or so.
Raised in wealth, Janet picked furniture and appliances that were both right and pricey. Simon definitely couldn't afford to fill a sixteen-room villa right now.
So for each purchase, Janet issued an IOU, then gleefully badgered him to fingerprint it. She had a thick stack now, often waving it triumphantly while eyeing him like he was some prize catch.
Two lives in, Simon wasn't short on ambition to build wealth and could pinch pennies when needed. But deep down, money didn't matter much to him, so he let Janet run wild.
As for her intentions, Simon wasn't some clueless newbie—he knew full well. Though not ready to commit to a relationship, he wouldn't shut out a woman who genuinely cared for him.
Simon always figured that in life, beyond blood family, finding even a few people who truly had your back was rare.
When you did, cherish them.
After resting on the sofa a bit, Simon got up and headed to the kitchen.
Passing the dining room, he was surprised to see a prominent roast turkey in the table's center. In the kitchen, he washed his hands, smoothly took the knife from Katherine to chop carrots, and said, "Isn't this mixed up? It's not Thanksgiving—why the turkey?"
Katherine handed off the chopping, checked a soup pot nearby, stirred gently with a spoon, and laughed. "I don't know—must be a mix-up."
Janet, in oven mitts, pulled an apple pie from the oven and shot Simon a sideways glance. "I like turkey. Got a problem?"
"Of course not," Simon nodded quickly. "Oh, and do you like pumpkin? Those two giants outside—take 'em with you later."
Janet shook her head firmly. "Nope, those are for you to winter on."
"Forget it—I'll hibernate."
"I'll wake you up."
"I've got serious bedhead rage. Wake me and I'll eat people."
"No worries—I'll bring Kate."
Katherine, smiling at their banter, chimed in. "Why drag me? Wouldn't a shotgun work?"
"Oh right—Kate's the smart one."
Simon put on a wounded look and blurted in Chinese: "Women's hearts are the most venomous."
Janet looked amazed. "Whoa, what language is that?"
"Hebrew, maybe?" Katherine guessed. "I remember Simon saying he knows Hebrew."
"Hebrew doesn't sound like that," Janet shook her head, tilting it in thought. "I remember now—it's Chinese. A few years back, when Dad was doing business deals, I overheard some."
Katherine looked to Simon for confirmation.
He nodded affirmatively.
Janet glanced at him again, telling Katherine, "Kate, the kid's head is full of who knows what fun stuff—maybe we can dig some out sometime."
"No need to dig—actually, as a kid I got abducted by aliens..."
"Pfft."
"Hehe."
"Okay, no jokes," Simon said with a laugh. "Let's eat quick—later we're heading to West Hollywood for the carnival."
Janet pouted. "But I wanted Universal Studios."
"Too far, and it's getting late. If you want, we can go early tomorrow afternoon," Simon coaxed. "Plus, I promised Sandy—she'll be waiting there."
Janet huffed even more at that, grumbling twice. "Damn man—Kate and I slave over dinner at home, and you go flirting with other women."
Despite the complaint, after a lively dinner, Janet didn't refuse West Hollywood.
But the three Halloween costumes she'd prepped got switched up.
Originally: knight armor, princess gown, witch outfit—who for whom was obvious.
Now Katherine was the knight, Janet still princess. Simon donned a black robe, becoming a wizard—er, warlock.
Santa Monica Boulevard started in Hollywood, snaking through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica city to the beach—over twenty kilometers long. Aerial view of LA, it was like a straw, with a sharp bend only at the West Hollywood to Beverly Hills stretch.
The trio geared up, drove north from Montana via Sunset Boulevard to West Hollywood, easily finding the agreed-upon Holloway Drive.
Sandra was already waiting outside a parking lot on Holloway. She wore her daytime Lola Run costume: red hair, blue tank, green pants, big clunky boots—perfect Halloween getup without trying.
The night's festivities were underway; after quick greetings, they walked to nearby Santa Monica Boulevard and soon merged into the dense crowd.
Simon had no idea how many packed West Hollywood tonight—looking out, the street teemed with all manner of 'monsters and demons', sidewalks jammed with un-costumed onlookers too, the vibe electric.
Before rebirth, holidays had grown bland—either mobbed tourist traps or rote social obligations.
Now, amid tens or hundreds of thousands celebrating, lights, crowds, cheers, laughter... unknowingly, Simon rediscovered a long-lost, pure holiday spirit.