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After buying a new pack of seeds from Miranda and saying hello to Noel, Dawn was on her way back to their farm. It hadn't been very long since her farm life began, so she had been spending most of her time with her uncle, the one person she already knew. As it was her first time out on her own, she desperately wanted to cling to the things she knew, but she was also determined to keep from proving her father right. She could do this!
Approaching the winding steps, Dawn made herself a goal. Starting today , Dawn thought to themself, I'm gonna make an effort to talk to more of the Westown folks! I'm gonna--
--miss a step. Not paying attention, the farmer lost her footing and began to fall forward. It happened so fast, Dawn lifted her arms towards her face to brace for the fall, only for it to be cut short.
"Whoa, there! Y'alright?"
They weren't entirely sure what had just happened until they finally moved their face from Wayne's chest. They looked around to see that they hadn't just fallen... well, not on the ground, but in the postman's arms. She looked him straight in the face for a moment before getting flustered.
"OH! Um! Thank you very much, Wayne," she said, scrambling to explain herself. "I-I wasn't looking where I was going..."
"I'm just glad yer alright," Wayne answered with his trademark smile. "I'm glad I was here, too, but please watch yer step, okay? We haven't had anyone take a spill in a while, and I'd sure hate for ya t'get hurt."
"Of course," Dawn assured, beginning to calm down. "Thank you again..."
Wayne nodded and gently removed his hands from the farmer's shoulders. "I haven't been able to talk t'ya that often. How've ya been getting along with the townsfolk, Dawn ?"
Dawn smiled at him. "Ah, it's been nice. Everyone is very kind to me."
"That's great!" he grinned. " I've expected as much, though. Yer a very good person, after all. " Dawn felt warm at the thought.
" Everyone's probably trippin' over themselves to help ya out, yeah? I suppose myself included," Wayne added with a laugh. " And thanks t' you coming here, Westown's gotten a lot more rowdy. I'm really grateful for that ." He smiled at the farmer. "I know I already said it, but everyone is eager t' help if ya need it. I know farm work's tough, but best of luck. I'm rootin' fer ya ."
"Thank you!" Dawn beamed. After this, Wayne had to return to making deliveries, so the two waved goodbye as the postman started down the next set of stairs. Somehow, Dawn felt at ease once more. She didn't really know him very well, but Wayne was a very refreshing person; even as she began to get flustered, somehow his company managed to calm her down quickly. He's someone you feel as though you've known for a long time, even if you'd just met them a day ago.
Following behind was Dawn's uncle, Frank. "Dawn! Are ya just gonna stand there on the steps?" Once again, Dawn jumped, but managed to regain her footing as she walked with her uncle down the stairs.
"Quite the popular guy, huh?" Frank asked with a chuckle. Dawn hadn't a clue what he meant until they reached the bottom of the first set of steps. Looking ahead, Wayne hadn't even reached the bottom of the staircase, now instead surrounded by several young women who crowded around him.
Over here, Wayne! No no, over here! they giggled, before the situation turned sour. Hey! You were linking arms with him earlier, right?! one demanded. Give someone else a turn!!
Wayne, with a chuckle, responded in his usual tone, " Haha, there's no need to fight. I'm happy to see all of you, but I'm happiest when you smile." The women all screeched in excitement by his response.
Meanwhile, Dawn turned to her uncle in confusion. "Wait a second... I've never seen those girls around before."
Frank nodded. " They're probably fans who came all this way to see lover boy over here ."
Dawn squinted. "Is he a celebrity...? And just very humble about it?"
Frank bellowed in laughter. "Not a celebrity, no, this just happens every so often. He's crazy popular with the ladies. I can get why, though. He's handsome an' has this refreshin' aura about 'im. " He crossed his arms and nodded again. " But most of all, he can talk the talk better than anyone else out there ."
"Talk the talk?"
"Yup," he replied. " It's no wonder the regulars at the post office are almost all women. Now, if he were some kinda jerk, I'm sure some folks would be resentful, but he's a good guy through an' through. An' that's on top of being smart an' a hard worker. Hell, if he were a lady, I'd be lookin to make 'im my wife, m'self ."
" Uncle Frank ...."
"C'mon, Dawn, I was just kidding ," he chortled. " Mostly ."
Dawn might not consider herself a smart one, but she certainly wasn't stupid. It was easy to see how a charming man could make anyone question their sexuality, after all... not that she'd want to ever have a conversation like that with her uncle.
After a minute or so, Wayne apologized to his fans that he had to continue delivering letters, and Dawn was surprised to see how quickly they accepted this response with a sea of giggles and goodbyes. She watched the giddy group walk away and Wayne finally reach the last set of stairs. Though, after giving it thought, Dawn felt.. well, that isn't surprising at all. He's very calming and kind, after all, they thought . I'm sure he could avoid any sort of conflict just by talking.
" Although..... " Frank began, out of concern, and Dawn turned to him again. " He's so handsome an' kind that occasionally a girl comes along who gets the wrong idea. "
"The wrong idea...?"
"Sure. I suppose there're pros AN' cons t' being so popular. It might not be apparent t' us, but I'm sure he's got his own problems to deal with. "
Somehow, the thought had never occurred to Dawn. Perhaps it was because they were struggling enough with their own farm that it made everyone seem as though they had it all together: Frank and his farm, Miranda, Lisette, and Brad with their successful businesses, and Wayne and Ford pursuing their beloved careers. Was she wrong?
" Wayne babyyyyy~~~! "
Startled by the sound, Frank and Dawn ventured a bit further to see that Wayne had just barely left the staircase when a woman approached him with... a diamond ring.
"That's a fuckin’ DIAM--" Dawn whispered, before Frank cupped a hand over her mouth.
The woman approached Wayne with uncomfortable intensity. " Wayne, my darling~! Today's the day you're going to accept this ring !"
As she drew closer, Wayne drew back, nearly backing into the mining area. " N-now now ," he said with his refreshing smile, " Maybe you should take a moment to calm down and think things through...? After all--"
" N-O WAY ~! You're going to accept all my passionate feelings right now! "
Though Wayne maintained a smile, Dawn couldn't help but notice he lost the pigment in his skin. "I-I'm very sorry, miss, but do we know each other...? I feel as though we've never talked."
" Oh, Wayne, you kidder !" she continued. " We talk every day! In my head ."
Wayne only laughed, a little nervously. " Ahaha... Oh, boy ."
I was wrong , Dawn thought to themself. Not even him trying to talk can get him out of this one…
" I guess I spoke too soon ," Frank lamented. " Seems he's gotten 'imself into a real pinch. "
Something in Dawn ignited. She rolled up her sleeves and briefly looked at Frank. "I'm gonna help him," she said with conviction.
"What?! How?!"
"I don't know! But he says everyone helps each other here or something, and I'm part of that something now!!" And with that, she felt as though she were in a rush, opting to leap over the last set of stairs instead of walking them.
"DAWN, WAIT!!!"
But Dawn waits for no one. She unintentionally somersaulted as she landed, almost like in a cartoon. Wayne and his mystery admirer both stopped and turned to look.
"D-Dawn! Are you alright?!" he asked, about to run to her, when the woman put an arm in front of him.
" Wh- Who are you? Where'd you come from?! " she demanded.
Dawn, mostly unharmed, stood herself up, dusting her skirt off with her free hand, the other grasping several packs of seeds. "Uh, that's not important," she answered, losing some of that sudden confidence upon hearing the woman's angered tone. "Um... I think you have the wrong idea here, lady... Wayne doesn't know you and you need to listen to him... You, uh... you're making him uncomfortable..."
" Shut up, you!!! " she yelled. " I'm in the middle of a very important conversation, so scram! "
Being yelled at, to Dawn's own embarrassment, immediately made them tear up. Wayne attempted to reach for them again as the woman stood in front of him instead. "You get it now?" she asked in a condescending tone.
Once again, something ignited within Dawn, though perhaps less helpful; the frazzled farmer threw the packs of seeds at the woman instead." You don't get it!!!" they retorted, as the now confused woman backed away.
Finally, Wayne stepped in once more. "Alright, I think that's enough, here..." He then turned to his admirer. " Miss, I'm awfully sorry, but I can't accept this ring . After all, I've never met ya before... I don't even know yer name ."
"W-Wayne... what do you mean...?"
"Ya can't just force things like this," he added. "I'm very sorry if ya got the wrong impression by me." With those sympathetic blue eyes of his, it seemed as though the woman was finally swayed. "But please don't worry. I want ya to talk to me directly from now on, alright? Instead of watchin' from afar. "
" Oh, I will, I will !" she cheered. " I don't want my Wayne baby to feel lonely !" With a big smile, she skipped away cheerfully.
It was then that Wayne finally released a long breath he had been holding, and he bent down to help pick up the tossed packets of seeds. For a moment, it was silent, as he handed them to the farmer. Then, looking a little tired, he said, "I sure wasn't expecting ya to do something like that."
"I-I'm sorry... I don't like getting yelled at, I just..."
"No no, yer fine," he reassured. " I'm so sorry ya had to get involved in that, Dawn. But I was happy ya came fer my rescue... "
"I- of course!!" Dawn replied with unexpected fervor, almost startling Wayne. "A-after all... you said everyone's tripping over themselves to help me out... I want to return the favor. I don't know a lot like Ford, but if there's anything I can help with, please ask."
Wayne smiled, finally looking refreshed once more. "I really appreciate that, Dawn. Thank ya."
Following close behind was Frank as he made it down the stairs. " Man, ya really surprised me leapin' off those stairs ," he said, catching his breath. "I'm glad yer alright, but maybe don't do those kinda stunts any time soon, okay?"
"Of course," Dawn lied.
"And Wayne, that was incredible! That lady was totally satisfied with what ya had t' say an' left without a fuss . "
"Well, I wouldn't give myself much credit," Wayne added. "I think Dawn gave me a push this time around."
"M-me?"
"Of course. My granddad always stressed how important it is t' be kind to women. He said all women were beautiful, and us men should treat them with respect and kindness. Though sometimes, I think I forget..." he trailed off for a moment. "The last thing I'd wanna do is make a lady cry, so I think I sometimes forget that being honest is the most important kindness y' can give."
He turned to Dawn. "Y'may not be a lady, Dawn, but ya ARE my friend now... and my heart hurt when I saw ya cry. I think it reminded me of what I had to do... so thank you, Dawn." He then faltered, almost dropping one of the seed packets. "Though I'm sorry I made ya cry in the first place..."
"It's all good," Dawn added, taking the last packet of seeds from him.
" Wow ," Frank laughed, " it's become more and more clear why the post office has nothin' but female customers! Ahahaha! "
Wayne smiled again, but a little weakly. "C'mon, now..."