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Jen’s mother was never one for festivals so whenever there is one in town Jen always goes to it. Even if it’s a tiny little thing. The fall festival is one of her favorites because it’s based around her favorite season. It’s just; the pumpkins and the falling leaves, how when you jump in leaf piles they sometimes go crunch and it’s just so fun. She can understand how some people wouldn’t like the cold weather but for Jen that just makes it all the better. What makes this festival even better is all the pumpkin spice themed foods.
Jen likes to help the bakers in town by bringing them pumpkin guts and seeds. She always carves out so many pumpkins that most of the time her front yard is covered in them. She loves to go to the shop and buy candles of all different scents, shapes, and colors. She puts some of them in her house but most of the time they go into the pumpkins that surround her house like vultures surrounding a dead carcass.
Today was the third day of festival preparation and she had some more pumpkin stuff with her to take to the bakers. While walking around town heading towards the bakery Jen saw a café being set up in an empty stall a few paces from the bakery. She stepped a few paces to the side so that she doesn’t block the people behind her from moving forward and stopped to look at the café. She saw a white tail flick from underneath the counter and stepped up to the stall.
“Hello? I didn’t know a café was opening this close to the bakery.” Jen said. She heard a clatter and winced a bit at the breaking sound she heard after it. “Ah, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare you. But uh…” She stopped for a bit trying to figure out her question. “Do you need some help?” She asked. The person popped up from behind the cabinet that they were working behind to address Jen. The person that was working looked at Jen with a hopeful look. Before seeing the pumpkins in her arms and practically speed walking to the employs exit, slipping a bit before righting herself and rushing over.
“Hi!” They said as soon as they got out and in front of Jen. “My names Ash and I use they/them pronouns. I’d love to have some help. This- “They stop and point at their tail that Jen in slowly realized is dripping goo. “makes it hard to not slip and fall while working on drinks.”
Jen smiled and set down the pumpkin she was holding into her wagon. One of the bakers wanted some pumpkins that were hollow so that they could make edible bowls and plates. She also had the guts and seeds that were with these pumpkins, they were just sitting in a plastic bag. She might have to start selling the rest of her pumpkins. She needs some money for the rest of her plants ya know? The pumpkins rolled a bit and hit the bag but nothing fell so Jen counted that as a win.
“I can help you when I get back from taking this stuff to the bakery. Also, why are you setting up a café now? Wouldn’t it have been better to set it up earlier?” Jen asked, making sure that the wheels on her wagon wouldn’t break. It happened before when she was taking some fresh peppermint and cauliflower to the shop to sell, and it wasn’t even that heavy.
“Ah. Well, I just got here from one of the lake towns. I heard that being near an ocean was amazing compared to the lakes so I’m staying here for a while. Might move here to be honest. The salt in the water is higher than it was in the lake I lived next to so it helps clean up the ooze faster.” They said. Ash sighed and walked to the other side of the counter to finish up their preparations. “I hope you have a wonderful evening and for you to come again!” Ash waved as Jen started walking away.
Jen smiled and waved back calling out ‘I’ll come back to help in a bit’ as the sun started falling from where it was in the middle of the sky. The fall festival is nice.