Work Text:
“Thanks again for helping Dawn and me out at the pumpkin patch. We never could have gotten all of the pumpkins in my car,” Claudia said to Charlie Thomas. “Mary Anne will be coming down for the weekend to help out. If you want to come by later to say hi, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. I’ll let Mr. Brewer know when his pumpkins are ready to pick up.”
Claudia waved goodbye and made her way to the Schafer-Spier’s barn where Dawn was beginning the pumpkin carving process. Mary Anne was coming home later in the afternoon to help with the prep and was bringing along her roommates.
Pumpkin carving wasn’t something Claudia thought could be a business when she was younger when all that was involved was carving a face. Then more fancy designs started to pop up. Once Claudia realized that people were willing to pay her to do the work for them, she decided to make a business of it during October. It was a good way to make some extra money for the holidays and it hardly interfered with her studies which made her parents happy. She really wanted to get something special for Dawn this year. Her girlfriend could have went back to California for college instead of going to Stoneybrook University while Claudia got her general requirements complete so she could transfer to a school with a good art program.
“I found a recipe online for cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds,” Claudia said as she watched Dawn remove the guts on the pumpkin she was prepping for her. “I know you won’t eat them yourself because of the sugar, but I’m sure Mary Anne and the others will like them. Plain roasted ones get boring. It’s the least we can do since they’ll be helping us with the prep. I wasn’t expecting as many orders as I got this year.”
Dawn grinned. “I’m glad you did get so many this year,” she said. “It’s a very green Halloween decoration. Once people are done with them for the season, the pumpkins can be put in the compost pile. Almost no waste involved.”
Claudia grinned and took the pumpkin Dawn was finished prepping and put it on the carving table. “We have some time before Mary Anne and her roommates get here,” she said, taking Dawn’s hand. “Who knows when we’ll have alone time like this again this weekend?”
Dawn squeezed Claudia’s hand. “I think we should take advantage of the situation,” she said as she pulled Claudia in for a long kiss.
“Let’s go to your room,” Claudia suggested, once the kiss ended. At Dawn’s nod, she took her girlfriend’s hand and led her inside.