Even the simplest chores were torturous in the summer heat. Milking and brushing Bess the cow was impossible to do outdoors; and watering her crops was just as tedious. Angela hated the heat.
Why she thought it was a good idea to chop wood for another house upgrade was beyond her. She couldn't even afford the labour right now anyway.
Maybe she could sweet talk Luke into lowering the price? It was an interesting prospect; he was nice really, but about as sharp as a door handle, or a Harvest Sprite. Needless to say, both entities meant well; they were just tragically lacking certain cognitive functions.
On the bright side, at least her crops were getting plenty of sunlight; as was Angela as a matter of fact. Where had she put that water bottle anyway? She was starting to get a little dizzy.
Angela couldn't help but take a few more swings at the tree though; it hadn't toppled over yet. Slowly, her vision began to blur and her next step almost caused her to stagger backwards.
She knew her touch of obsessive compulsive disorder would come back with a vengeance someday.
"Hey, Angela! Hey!"
At this point in time, Angela could only make out a blue blob as she tried desperately to stay upright.
"Nnngh." was about all she could manage for a response.
"Wow, you really don't look very good! Is something wrong?"
It must have been Luke; no one else even came close to being that oblivious. Angela struggled to remain upright and attempted to gain enough control to speak.
"N-No."
"Whoa. Do I need to, like, take you to the clinic or something?" If the farmer could have discerned facial features, she probably would have found a worried expression plastered on his face.
Unfortunately, her unstable body was already on the fast track to kissing the dirt.
Angela really hated summer.
The first thing Angela noticed when she woke up was Doctor Jin. Actually, to be perfectly honest, the first thing she noticed was a nicely shaped rear from her vantage point in the hospital bed; which she later found out belonged to said doctor.
Suffice to say, things were a little awkward until he turned back around.
"You regained consciousness? Try not to overdo it next time." he didn't sound terribly concerned.
"Angela! Geez, you had me worried for a minute there!" Luke's voice, on the other hand, made up for Dr. Jin's carelessness three fold.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where she was or why. What perturbed Angela more was how or who exactly brought her here.
"H-How did I get here?" Angela croaked; her throat unexpectedly dry.
"I brought you here! Don't you remember? ...Oh, right, you were unconscious! I couldn't just leave you there so I lugged you back here! Oh, don't worry, it wasn't a problem or anything, you're pretty skinny."
Eloquence was lost on Luke, completely.
"You, uh, didn't have to. You hardly even know me." Angela didn't even notice how stupid the words must have been before they passed her lips.
"Man! What are you talking about? I told you I wouldn't just leave you there! Besides, we're like, buds now, right? Remember? You bought me blueberry cocktails at the Inn the other day!"
It took Angela a few seconds of contemplation before she even managed a vague recollection of the event. It had something to with her first good crops in the spring and wanting to spread the wealth like the good little socialist she was (deep down inside); or something like that. Things all blur together after four cocktails and counting. It was really no wonder she was broke.
Dr. Nice Ass coughed. "You're free to leave now. Be sure to stay hydrated and eat plenty if you're going to be working outdoors. Make sure to get plenty of rest today."
Angela nodded and tentatively threw her feet over the side of the bed and made a few cautious steps towards the stairs, an anxious Luke trailing behind her.
Why was everyone in this town so concerned about her well-being anyway?
By the time Angela actually made it out the clinic's doors, Luke had gone over two minutes without saying a word. So, naturally, she waited for him to say something; she was getting worried.
"So, want me to walk you home or something? I need to get back to work over there anyway. Bo is probably wondering where I am."
Obviously, a quiet Luke was a fleeting entity.
"...Yeah." Angela figured there wouldn't be any use in turning him down and, to be honest, she still felt rather light-headed.
She spent the next half hour listening to Luke chatter about anything he could think of; which, for him, had a surprisingly broad reach. He talked about the weather, something about Goddess spanking and some festival tomorrow (and the wardrobe malfunctions that followed said festival).
Regardless of the topics, his boisterous chatter made the walk home seem faster and she soon found herself in front of her tiny house on the hill.
"...So, think you'll go to the Ocean Festival tomorrow? We have a pool going. Owen says the Mayor will wear a nut hugger this year; my bets are on a Speedo. Kathy is going for the long shot that he won't wear anything."
Angela was sold, right then and there.
"And you say this happens every year?" Angela grinned.
"Well, most years. Sometimes it rains and there was that one year when there was that rock skipping accident before he got out there..." Luke's expression was oddly contemplative.
"Save me a spectator's seat then. Thanks for everything, Luke."
"Oh, yeah! No prob! You know it isn't a pretty sight though, right? Well, whatever, I'll see you tomorrow Angela!" Luke yelled as he sauntered down the path to Ganache Mine district.
Angela sighed and walked into her house; not even bothering to remove any of her clothing before she collapsed on the bed.
Tomorrow was going to kick ass.
Two hours and he still hadn't shown up; clothed or otherwise.
"Maybe he got sick or something?" Luke, complete with flaming trunks, chimed in from his designated seat in the sand.
Angela was very disappointed. She didn't mind blowing a day here, but so far the only things that had shown up on the beach were vendor stalls that unsurprisingly sold fish and fruit she could find for free on Toucan Island. It was also hot and she was sorely lacking a margarita.
"Nah, he'll get here. He shows up fashionably late to everything." Kathy plunked down and began to draw patterns in the sand with her finger.
Owen looked unimpressed. "I don't get what's so exciting about seeing the Mayor's junk. It happens every year."
Kathy's sand shapes appeared to morph into something phallic and Luke cringed. Angela contemplated joining her.
"You thought it was a great idea when we brought up the betting pool a few nights back." Kathy was too enamored in her drawing to even glace at him.
"Yeah, well, nobody takes home the cash if he doesn't show." Owen scratched his muscle-bound stomach, apparently bored.
Angela couldn't blame him. With the exception of the stalls, and a game of rock skipping that had not resulted in a trip to the clinic, nothing was happening. The boozing apparently didn't even begin until the hour in between stall closures and the fireworks show.
"Maybe we just got here too early?" Luke piped in.
It was plausible. The clock tower had just sounded noon and people were slowly trickling onto the beach.
"...Oh dear, I do hope he doesn't decide to bend over." Angela heard Elli mutter to Yolanda as they made their way behind her and over to the stalls.
Apparently this was a Waffle Town tradition just as deeply rooted and highly anticipated as the fireworks. Angela still couldn't fathom the small town mentality.
The farmer squinted as she attempted to swivel her head in the direction of the clock tower and caught a glimpse of something stout waddling down the cobblestone path to the beach. Since Yolanda was already tottering around near the stalls, that left one entity.
"...Isn't that him over there?" Angela remarked, causing Luke and Owen to turn and Kathy to look up from her detailed sand masterpiece.
As soon as he set foot on the beach, all eyes were on the mayor's...swim trunks. They were stretched, but shorts nonetheless. Gill, stationed at Hamilton's side, looked entirely too pleased with himself.
The beach resounded in a collective sigh and Hamilton, oddly oblivious, strode up to the pier to make some announcement nobody cared about.
"What do we do with the money?" Owen asked.
"Margaritas?" Angela figured that the day might as well not be a total loss.
"You didn't even bet." Kathy retorted, and went back to her work of art in the sand, adding some details that were far too revealing for Angela's eyes.
Luke merely sighed, apparently too distraught for words.
"...fireworks show! Enjoy the festivities everyone!" Hamilton hid a chuckle with his hand and proceeded to walk back from the pier.
Unfortunately, the flighty little mayor didn't get far before snagging his shorts on a conveniently placed loose nail after brushing up just a little too close to a wooden rail. Trying to spare himself the embarrassment, Hamilton backed up slightly and attempted a more forceful step hoping to free himself in the process. Obviously, he failed miserably.
Angela couldn't help but stifle a laugh, as much as she adored Waffle Town's little mayor. Luke had already hit full-blown hysterics.
Frustrated, Hamilton backed up once again and gave the garment a hard tug as he attempted to walk. Apparently said tug was just a bit too forceful and in a disastrous miscalculation of force combined with an already struggling pair of trunks, Hamilton was free to walk...sans clothing.
Gill, who had watched the entire scene from the entrance of On the Hook, looked absolutely mortified.
In the awkward silence that followed, only two sole cheers from Kathy and Angela resounded across the beach.