.Chapter Three: The Townspeople
The next morning, it was raining again. (By the way, it was the fifth of Spring.) Dawn got up sleepily at 6 o'clock ("Why the heck do I keep waking up at six o'clock exactly?!") and ate breakfast. She stopped the dog from peeing on the rug in her room. She dressed and went outside in a rain jacket to check on her two plants. They had both sprouted and were doing well.
"At least they aren't drowning, like how I feel."
Dawn decided to get to know the townspeople more. So she went to the Florist's.
Inside was Lillia and another girl that looked like her, with pink hair.
"Hello," Dawn said, smiling at her.
"Hello. Are you new here? I haven't seen you before."
"Oh, yeah. My name's Dawn. I just moved in at the Lone Star Farm."
"Oh, hi. My name's Popuri. I...help my mom and dad work. My dad travels around the world looking for new plants while my mom sells the seeds. I guess you'll be a customer! Nice to meet you!"
"Yeah, you too," said Dawn, grinning. "Hey, can you...give me a little history on the town?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. What do you want to know about?"
"Oh, I dunno, just how the town came to be and why there's so many Festival's that I've heard of."
Popuri smiled. "Well, Flowerbud Village was founded around fifty years ago by eight people. That's all. At first it was just going to be a little mining camp-there's a mine up in the mountains-but they loved it a lot here, so they brought their families and started the town. Since then, people have moved here and the town has grown. As for the Festivals...Well, this town is a pretty boring town isn't it?" For a moment Popuri got a sad look in her eyes. But it disappeared as she continued talking. "So they hold lots of Festivals. Is that all you need to know?"
"Yeah, I guess," replied Dawn. "I'll see you around, kay?"
"Sure. Bye!"
Dawn left the store. She went over to the Bakery.
When Dawn got inside, she saw a brown-haired girl she had not met. The granny was in her rocking chair in the corner of the room, and Jeff was behind the counter.
Dawn walked up to the girl. "Hi," Dawn said.
"Howdy. You new here?"
"Yeah, I'm taking over the Lone Star Farm."
"I'm Elli. Nice to meetcha." Elli stuck out her hand and shook Dawn's hand as Dawn said, "I'm Dawn."
Dawn walked up to the counter and looked at all the cakes. She felt very tantalized, since she couldn't eat them. Then Dawn chatted a bit with Ellen, mostly about the town and what it was like just watching things happen. (Obviously Dawn really wanted to know lots about FBV. Hehe, sorry for interrupting, go on!) Then Dawn was about to leave when Jack came in the bakery.
He looked hot, even though it was raining outside. He saw Dawn and said, "Oh-hi, Dawn."
"Oh..." Dawn thought she might have blushed, but didn't really notice much. "Hi, Jack."
They looked awkwardly at each other for a moment; then Dawn said, "So, what's up?"
"Oh, I was working on the farm, and came to eat something," he said offhandedly. He took some money out of his pocket, then said, "Hey, do you want something to eat? It's on me." He smiled slightly.
"Oh-" Dawn's stomach screamed, Yes! Yes! But she felt bad about using Jack's money.
Her stomach won the battle. "Sure," she said, grinning. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elli watching them closely.
Jack bought her some cookies while he himself had some cake. They chatted a bit about their passed-away grandfathers, even though both were extremely saddened by the losses they had. Then Dawn threw away her trash and said, "Well, I better be going-lots to do."
"Yeah, me too." Jack grinned at Dawn, and it made Dawn's heart thump rapidly, and she felt weak in the knees again...
"Bye!" Dawn said cheerily, and turned towards the door-and her face smacked right into the wall next to the door.
Dawn took a step backwards, rubbed her nose, and walked through the doorway extremely quickly.
Oh my GOD how embarrassing! She thought, her face red with shame and pain. I can't believe I walked right into the wall!
Dawn entered Rick's tool shop.
"Hi," Dawn said, walking in.
"Hey," said the man behind the counter, Rick. "Can I help you?"
"Well, I'm just checking out the shops. I'm new in town, I just took over the Lone Star Farm. My name's Dawn." Dawn shook Rick's hand.
"Hi. We don't have much to sell, but feel free to look around..."
Dawn looked around then left.
Dawn went into the church, and found three kids being taught by the pastor. They were just finishing, though, because the pastor let them leave just as Dawn entered.
The kids, two boys and one girl, noticed Dawn and ran over to her.
"Hi! Who are you?" asked the brown haired boy. "I'm Kent."
"I'm Stu," said the other, black-haired little boy.
"I'm May," said the black-haired little girl.
"My name's Dawn," said Dawn, smiling. "I just took over the farm."
"How cool! Do you have any animals?" asked Kent.
"Not yet-"
"I really like flowers." Said Stu.
"Are you going to grow any?" asked May.
"Probably-"
"We gotta go!" exclaimed Kent, and he led the other two kids out of the church.
Dawn blinked, and she heard the Pastor chucking as he walked up next to her.
"Kids," he said. "They're so adorable...and yet, they can ruin anything. My name is Pastor Brown. I teach the kids on weekdays and on Sundays I hold the church ceremonies."
"I'm Dawn," said Dawn.
Dawn left later and went back to her house. To her surprise, she found Cliff there.
"Oh...hi," said Cliff, looking embarrassed. One hand was behind his back.
"Hi," said Dawn, smiling at him. Dawn was getting cold, and wet.
"Uh...I picked these for you," and Cliff handed her a bunch of wildflowers. "Consider it as repayment for the berries."
"Thanks, Cliff," Dawn said sweetly, smelling the flowers. "They're beautiful. Do you want to come inside for some hot chocolate?"
Cliff seemed like he was about to say No, so Dawn grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. (God, he's so shy.)
Dawn fixed up some hot cocoa and gave Cliff a mug of it. She sat down at the table and sipped hers.
They were silent for a little while. Then Dawn asked, "So how are you managing?"
"Oh, I'm living in the cave for awhile," Cliff said. "When I'm hungry I hunt. When I'm tired, I sleep...I just live from day to day."
"Mmm," Dawn said, drinking more cocoa.
"How are you adjusting?"
"I'm...doing okay," said Dawn. "I haven't really made any money yet, my crops haven't harvested yet, and I have no animals..."
"You'll do well once you get on your feet," Cliff said reassuringly as he set the cocoa mug down. "I really better be going..."
Cliff got up hastily and walked to the door.
"See you later," Dawn said, and watched Cliff leave. Then she took a shower.
When she got out and dressed into drier clothes, she heard a knock on the door. When Dawn opened it, she found Harris there, with a piece of paper in his hand.
"I've got a letter for you," he said. He handed it to her, then left.
Dawn curiously opened the letter. It read:
Dawn
How are you doing, sweetie? I hope you're doing well. And I hope your father didn't give you a bad time when you went to work on the farm. I'm sorry for Jake's passing away, and I'm sorry I couldn't be at his funeral. I hope to visit you with your father in about three years. I hope to see you then!
We love you
Mom
Dawn folded up the letter, half angry, half happy. She loved her mom. But why couldn't she have been at her father-in-law's funeral? And why did she send her letters asking how she was doing? She was grown up now. She didn't need looking after.
Dawn went to bed early that night. Her thought and feelings circled around, first to the letter, then to the flowers from Cliff, then the cake and face-slamming with Jack. Oh, Dawn felt extremely embarrassed whenever she through about that. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for a better day tomorrow.
The next morning, it was raining again. (By the way, it was the fifth of Spring.) Dawn got up sleepily at 6 o'clock ("Why the heck do I keep waking up at six o'clock exactly?!") and ate breakfast. She stopped the dog from peeing on the rug in her room. She dressed and went outside in a rain jacket to check on her two plants. They had both sprouted and were doing well.
"At least they aren't drowning, like how I feel."
Dawn decided to get to know the townspeople more. So she went to the Florist's.
Inside was Lillia and another girl that looked like her, with pink hair.
"Hello," Dawn said, smiling at her.
"Hello. Are you new here? I haven't seen you before."
"Oh, yeah. My name's Dawn. I just moved in at the Lone Star Farm."
"Oh, hi. My name's Popuri. I...help my mom and dad work. My dad travels around the world looking for new plants while my mom sells the seeds. I guess you'll be a customer! Nice to meet you!"
"Yeah, you too," said Dawn, grinning. "Hey, can you...give me a little history on the town?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. What do you want to know about?"
"Oh, I dunno, just how the town came to be and why there's so many Festival's that I've heard of."
Popuri smiled. "Well, Flowerbud Village was founded around fifty years ago by eight people. That's all. At first it was just going to be a little mining camp-there's a mine up in the mountains-but they loved it a lot here, so they brought their families and started the town. Since then, people have moved here and the town has grown. As for the Festivals...Well, this town is a pretty boring town isn't it?" For a moment Popuri got a sad look in her eyes. But it disappeared as she continued talking. "So they hold lots of Festivals. Is that all you need to know?"
"Yeah, I guess," replied Dawn. "I'll see you around, kay?"
"Sure. Bye!"
Dawn left the store. She went over to the Bakery.
When Dawn got inside, she saw a brown-haired girl she had not met. The granny was in her rocking chair in the corner of the room, and Jeff was behind the counter.
Dawn walked up to the girl. "Hi," Dawn said.
"Howdy. You new here?"
"Yeah, I'm taking over the Lone Star Farm."
"I'm Elli. Nice to meetcha." Elli stuck out her hand and shook Dawn's hand as Dawn said, "I'm Dawn."
Dawn walked up to the counter and looked at all the cakes. She felt very tantalized, since she couldn't eat them. Then Dawn chatted a bit with Ellen, mostly about the town and what it was like just watching things happen. (Obviously Dawn really wanted to know lots about FBV. Hehe, sorry for interrupting, go on!) Then Dawn was about to leave when Jack came in the bakery.
He looked hot, even though it was raining outside. He saw Dawn and said, "Oh-hi, Dawn."
"Oh..." Dawn thought she might have blushed, but didn't really notice much. "Hi, Jack."
They looked awkwardly at each other for a moment; then Dawn said, "So, what's up?"
"Oh, I was working on the farm, and came to eat something," he said offhandedly. He took some money out of his pocket, then said, "Hey, do you want something to eat? It's on me." He smiled slightly.
"Oh-" Dawn's stomach screamed, Yes! Yes! But she felt bad about using Jack's money.
Her stomach won the battle. "Sure," she said, grinning. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elli watching them closely.
Jack bought her some cookies while he himself had some cake. They chatted a bit about their passed-away grandfathers, even though both were extremely saddened by the losses they had. Then Dawn threw away her trash and said, "Well, I better be going-lots to do."
"Yeah, me too." Jack grinned at Dawn, and it made Dawn's heart thump rapidly, and she felt weak in the knees again...
"Bye!" Dawn said cheerily, and turned towards the door-and her face smacked right into the wall next to the door.
Dawn took a step backwards, rubbed her nose, and walked through the doorway extremely quickly.
Oh my GOD how embarrassing! She thought, her face red with shame and pain. I can't believe I walked right into the wall!
Dawn entered Rick's tool shop.
"Hi," Dawn said, walking in.
"Hey," said the man behind the counter, Rick. "Can I help you?"
"Well, I'm just checking out the shops. I'm new in town, I just took over the Lone Star Farm. My name's Dawn." Dawn shook Rick's hand.
"Hi. We don't have much to sell, but feel free to look around..."
Dawn looked around then left.
Dawn went into the church, and found three kids being taught by the pastor. They were just finishing, though, because the pastor let them leave just as Dawn entered.
The kids, two boys and one girl, noticed Dawn and ran over to her.
"Hi! Who are you?" asked the brown haired boy. "I'm Kent."
"I'm Stu," said the other, black-haired little boy.
"I'm May," said the black-haired little girl.
"My name's Dawn," said Dawn, smiling. "I just took over the farm."
"How cool! Do you have any animals?" asked Kent.
"Not yet-"
"I really like flowers." Said Stu.
"Are you going to grow any?" asked May.
"Probably-"
"We gotta go!" exclaimed Kent, and he led the other two kids out of the church.
Dawn blinked, and she heard the Pastor chucking as he walked up next to her.
"Kids," he said. "They're so adorable...and yet, they can ruin anything. My name is Pastor Brown. I teach the kids on weekdays and on Sundays I hold the church ceremonies."
"I'm Dawn," said Dawn.
Dawn left later and went back to her house. To her surprise, she found Cliff there.
"Oh...hi," said Cliff, looking embarrassed. One hand was behind his back.
"Hi," said Dawn, smiling at him. Dawn was getting cold, and wet.
"Uh...I picked these for you," and Cliff handed her a bunch of wildflowers. "Consider it as repayment for the berries."
"Thanks, Cliff," Dawn said sweetly, smelling the flowers. "They're beautiful. Do you want to come inside for some hot chocolate?"
Cliff seemed like he was about to say No, so Dawn grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. (God, he's so shy.)
Dawn fixed up some hot cocoa and gave Cliff a mug of it. She sat down at the table and sipped hers.
They were silent for a little while. Then Dawn asked, "So how are you managing?"
"Oh, I'm living in the cave for awhile," Cliff said. "When I'm hungry I hunt. When I'm tired, I sleep...I just live from day to day."
"Mmm," Dawn said, drinking more cocoa.
"How are you adjusting?"
"I'm...doing okay," said Dawn. "I haven't really made any money yet, my crops haven't harvested yet, and I have no animals..."
"You'll do well once you get on your feet," Cliff said reassuringly as he set the cocoa mug down. "I really better be going..."
Cliff got up hastily and walked to the door.
"See you later," Dawn said, and watched Cliff leave. Then she took a shower.
When she got out and dressed into drier clothes, she heard a knock on the door. When Dawn opened it, she found Harris there, with a piece of paper in his hand.
"I've got a letter for you," he said. He handed it to her, then left.
Dawn curiously opened the letter. It read:
Dawn
How are you doing, sweetie? I hope you're doing well. And I hope your father didn't give you a bad time when you went to work on the farm. I'm sorry for Jake's passing away, and I'm sorry I couldn't be at his funeral. I hope to visit you with your father in about three years. I hope to see you then!
We love you
Mom
Dawn folded up the letter, half angry, half happy. She loved her mom. But why couldn't she have been at her father-in-law's funeral? And why did she send her letters asking how she was doing? She was grown up now. She didn't need looking after.
Dawn went to bed early that night. Her thought and feelings circled around, first to the letter, then to the flowers from Cliff, then the cake and face-slamming with Jack. Oh, Dawn felt extremely embarrassed whenever she through about that. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for a better day tomorrow.