Saturday, 20th of Fall

When Alma stepped outside into the autumn sun, she noticed something in her periphery. She turned to look and there, just north of the coop and the barn, was a greenhouse. "Harvey was right!" she gasped, rushing that way. Bisclavret followed her, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. She unlatched the front door and looked around in amazement. It was huge! There was a large area of ground in the middle for planting crops directly, but there was also space on the edges where Alma wondered if she could plant more. The flooring looked interesting, like it could be penetrable or would drain water. All along the inside of the greenhouse, too, there were potted plants of all kinds: ferns, lilies, succulents, even some saplings! There were a couple stacks of lumber and barrels too, and at the back was a large feeding trough full of water. The light shined through the glass walls and ceiling, and Alma could feel the warmth radiating inside. She wondered, with winter coming up, if she could plant some in here and continue harvesting through the winter. It would be worth asking about, and she knew just the person to ask. She made a note to go visit Evelyn as soon as possible.

Alma went back outside and did her rounds. Another ancient fruit was ripe on the vine, and she placed it in her chest with the other. The grape jelly in her preserves jar was also ready, but she didn't have anything today to refill it with. It would just have to wait. As she went through her chests, she realized that she now had enough money to make her final upgrade on her coop. She gathered the rest of her goods - including geodes from the time in the mines last night and enough wood and stone for the coop upgrade - and made her way into town.

When Alma left Pierre's, she wanted next to go see Evelyn and ask about the greenhouse. Just outside their house, Alex was leaning against the fence that encircled the mysterious dog's pen. He threw in a big piece of meat, and the dog came quickly out of his doghouse to eat it up. "That's a good boy, Dusty," Alex said quietly, putting his head on top of his folded hands that rested on the fence. He sighed. "You might be the only one around here who understands me. No one else has seen the kind of stuff you and I have." Alma slowly approached Alex. She hadn't seen him like this, and she wondered if maybe she should just leave him alone. But then he turned and saw her. "Alma!" he exclaimed. "Did you overhear me talking?"

"Oh, well, uh, not really. Why?"

Alex stuck his hands in the pockets of his letterman jacket. "Oh … I was talking to Dusty. He and I have a lot in common actually."

"How so?" she asked, coming next to him.

"I don't usually like to talk about it," he said, keeping his head down. "But we've been friends for a while now, and I think I can trust you."

"Of course you can, Alex. Whatever you want to divulge, it's safe with me." She placed a hand on her chest and smiled.

"Thanks," he chuckled. He looked back over the fence and watched Dusty, then he turned to face Alma. "Have you ever wondered why I live with my grandparents?"

"Well, no, not really. I just assumed … I don't know, that there were maybe some problems at home."

He huffed a little laugh and looked back toward Dusty. "Yeah. That's right." He leaned over the fence again, picking at the old wood. "My father wasn't a good guy. He … well, he ruined everything for me and my mom. Half the time he was gone …. The other half, he'd drink all night and tell me I'm worthless, that I'd never amount to anything." Alma's heart wrenched, knowing a bit of what that life was like, and she leaned on the fence next to Alex and looked down into the dog pen too. "I think he resented me for being young …. Bitter because he'd wasted his youth doing nothing and had gotten nowhere in life. Well," he said, flicking something into the pen, "that's my take on it, anyway. Who knows what was going on in his mind." He brought his hand back up and folded it into the other arm. "One day, he left, and soon after that, Mom got sick and passed away. I had no choice but to move in with my grandparents." He sighed and lowered his head to rest on his folded arms. "Dusty's the only thing I have left from home. He's always been a bit rough around the edges, but it's just because he's a scaredy cat. Once you earn his trust, he's a sweet dog. He's always been with me, and I sure do love him." Alma and Alex both watched as Dusty held the bone between his paws and licked it clean.

"I was really mad about it when I first had to move. My grandparents are old and set in their ways, and I wanted to be free and do my own thing – not be stuck in some boring, slow town. But … I've grown to like it okay. There are some cool people here, like Sam and Haley and you." Alma smiled a bit, glad to know that he thought so much of her. She didn't think they were particularly close, but maybe the ties her family had to his grandparents helped. "And I can still play ball and work toward being a pro, so that's cool. I do still feel angry about Dad, but he's not my problem, I guess. I just sometimes wonder if he thinks about how much he messed up our lives. If he feels bad about it." They were quiet for a minute, then Alex perked up with a deep breath and said, "You know what? There's no sense dwelling on this stuff." He stood up from the fence and pulled on his jacket. "I don't want sympathy from anyone. You have to look on the positive side of things." He looked at Alma and smiled, though Alma could still see the sadness behind his eyes. "My childhood wasn't great, but it did make me strong. I had to be."

"Alex," she said, turning to face him, "it's okay to mourn your past. It is good to try to stay positive, but you don't have to shove it down, you know? Though … I do know that sometimes that's all it feels like you can do. I know quite a bit about how you feel, actually."

"Yeah? You do?"

She nodded. "My dad was an alcoholic. He didn't treat me like how your dad treated you, but I know what it feels like to only see him drunk and to be scared of him coming home." Alex's face set again as he listened carefully to Alma. "My mom got sick and passed away too when I was about your age. I was seventeen when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, and then she died when I was twenty-two." Alex nodded slowly. "I have two brothers, and between them, my dad, and me, we all handled these problems in different ways. My older brother felt like he needed to step up and take control. The other brother got angry and tried to escape. My dad went back to the bottle and felt hopeless. And I …." She looked up in thought, trying to know how to say what was going on in her mind then. "I felt really alone. I gave up everything for any kind of relationship – friends, family, coworkers, partners – and I started to lose myself. My father was not abusive, but my ex-husband was. He was the last in a long string of abusive partners." Alex looked down, remembering the abuse he witnessed toward his mother. "Eventually, I came here to heal. And I'm still healing. It's been thirteen years since my mom passed away. Ten years since my dad's last drink. Eight years since I saw my brother, and … right around a year since my divorce was finalized. "

Alex nodded a little and sighed, his head still looking at his feet. Then he looked up at Alma and asked, "Does it get any easier?"

Alma paused, trying to think of an answer. "It gets … less. But it never goes away." They were quiet again for another moment, and Alma slowly said, "I once heard someone say that grief is like an avalanche of dirt at your doorway. You feel trapped, and it feels impossible to get out." Her voice started to wrench as she spoke. "The first few days, when you try to open the door, you get buried in the dirt. Some days, you find a teaspoon to start digging your way out. Some days, you find a shovel and make major progress. And some days, it comes crashing in on you again, and you lose all the progress you've made." He looked up at her when he heard her sniffing, and she looked at him and smiled through her tears. "But there are people on the outside who love you, and they have shovels. They work to help get you out. Without them, it'd be near impossible." She wiped her eyes and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for sharing with me because now I know to have my shovel ready."

"No problem," he said with a little smile. "Here," he said, turning back around toward the dog pen, "let me show you what Dusty will do for a barbecued steak." He pulled a tupperware container out of his pocket and held the steak up inside the pen. The old dog barked and emerged from his doghouse excitedly, pulling at the end of his chain as he jumped toward Alex. "Ha! Look at him slobbering," Alex laughed. "Sit, Dusty." The dog sat, his tongue still hanging and his eyes still intent on the steak in Alex's hand. "Good boy," and finally, Alex threw the steak to the dog, who took it back to the doghouse and started demolishing it. "I think he might like steak as much as I do," Alex chuckled, putting the tupperware back in his pocket. "Well, guess I'd better get back home. I'm going to do two hundred sit-ups tonight. I'm pretty dedicated, aren't I?"

"Wow, yes, that is impressive! Is it all right if I came with you? I need to talk to your grandmother about something."

"Sure, she's home. Come on."

Alex and Alma walked toward the Mullners' house, and when he opened the door, they both heard George shout rather gruffly, "Who is it?!"

"It's Alma, Grandpa!"

"I can't talk right now, miss," he called from the living room. "My favorite program is on."

"She's here for Grandma anyway, Gramps."

"Alma! Hello, dear!" Evelyn called. "I'm just in the kitchen! Come on in."

"Need anything else?" Alex asked Alma.

"No, thanks, Alex. Enjoy your sit-ups." He smirked and nodded to Alma as he walked down the hall to his bedroom. Alma went into the kitchen just as Evelyn closed the oven door and wiped her hands on her apron. "Today I'm baking cookies," she said with a smile.

"Ooh, what kind?"

"Fall cookies. Maybe my last batch of the season." She opened the oven door a little to show Alma. "See? They're shaped like little pumpkins."

"Cute! And they smell delicious too," she said with a big huff.

"Hopefully they'll keep their shape!" Evelyn closed the door again and patted Alma's arm. "Maybe I'll tell you my recipe one of these days," she said with a wink. "Now, come sit with me and tell me what's on your mind."

"Well," Alma started, taking a seat at the table, "I've gotten a greenhouse on my farm, and I'm not entirely sure how to best use it. I thought maybe you might have some guidance for me."

"Oh, a greenhouse! Well, that is a blessing for sure. That will allow you to grow plants during any season! You could even grow cactus in the winter, if you had the seeds for it!"

"Wow, really?!"

Evelyn nodded. "And," she added, "you can plant tree saplings inside too, and they'll produce fruit all year long."

"Oh, wow. That is very handy!"

"But," Evelyn asked, "how does one get a greenhouse? Didn't you build it? Or did Robin construct it for you?"

"Uh, well …." Alma wasn't sure how to answer without being too revealing about the Junimo and everything. "It was … originally on the farm but has been dilapidated this whole time. With some help, I've been able to have it restored - good as new!"

"Oh, I see! Well, it must really be something. I'll have to come see it sometime."

"You are welcome to come over anytime, Mrs. Mullner," Alma said, patting her arm.

Just then, the oven beeped, and Evelyn exclaimed and got up from her seat. She peeked inside the oven. "Yes, they're ready! And they're beautiful!" She put on a mitt and pulled out the cookie sheet. After scraping the cookies onto a cooling rack, she handed one to Alma. "Here, take one for the road. You need the extra energy for all that work you do on the farm!"

Alma happily accepted the gooey, warm, pumpkin-shaped cookie. She took a bite and smiled wide. "Delicious, as always, Granny!" she said, wrapping an arm around the giggling woman. "Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome, dear. Anytime!"

Alma said goodbye to George on her way out then hurried to Clint's smithy. She got there just before he closed. "Good afternoon, Clint! I have some geodes for you to process please."

She placed the geodes on the anvil, and as he was smashing them, he said, "So how are your tools holding up?"

"Pretty good, though I do for sure need some upgrades." He handed her the first gem from the geode. "I have some other big investments to take care of first, though." Then he handed her the other one. "I think this winter will be the right time to upgrade my tools. You can expect me a lot then."

"Good," he said, "because winter is typically a slow time for me. And it feels good to get up close to the furnace in the cold."

She handed him the gold and smiled. "Good to know. You'll be seeing me around a lot then!" She saluted him on her way out, then went south to the museum. "Hey there, Gunther! I've got some minerals for you!"

"Let's take a look then," he said, setting aside the book he was reading. She placed the two stones on the counter, and he looked them over. "Looks like lunarite and … a frozen tear. Very nice."

Alma remembered that a frozen tear was something she needed for the community center and said, "Oh, actually, sorry, but I need to hold on to that frozen tear. I need it for something else."

"Oh do you now?" he asked, handing it back.

"Yes, sorry. You can keep the other, and when I find another frozen tear, I'll be sure to bring it." She put the stone back in her bag.

"Well, no worries," Gunther said, "it's still worth a small reward." He pulled out a packet full of pumpkin seeds and placed them for her on the counter. "It may be a bit late to plant these for this season, I'm afraid, but at least you can hold on to them for next season."

"Actually," she said, taking them off the counter, "I am now the proud owner of a greenhouse, so I can plant them any time I want!"

"There you go then!" he said with a smile. "Your, uh … your Schatz is here."

"My what?!"

"Your spasimante. Your habib, your amasiuncula. Your erastís?" He pointed toward the book stacks.

"Ohh, okay. Thanks," she said quietly back with a wink. She walked into the stacks and saw Harvey looking through the shelves in the history section. "You were right," she said as she came closer to him.

Harvey turned and smiled when he saw her. "I thought I heard your voice," he said, holding his arms out to her. He kissed her cheek then perked up, startled. "Wait - right about what?"

"Guess who now has a greenhouse on her property?"

"Oh really?!"

"Yes! They must have built it up overnight because when I woke up, there it was!"

"Wow! Well, congratulations! So, what, you'll be able to produce higher quality crops now that you can maintain optimum sunlight and temperature?"

"Well, I guess, but the main benefit is that I'll be able to plant all year round!"

"That's excellent! So you'll be able to keep bringing in profit even during the winter?"

"Right!"

Harvey squeezed her tight. "That's so great! Just don't overwork yourself, Alma. Doctor's orders. Your health is important to me, darling."

"I know, I won't." She looked up at him with raised eyebrows and a growing smile. "Darling?'"

He shrugged and smiled too. "It just - slipped out. Is it … okay?"

"Yeah. I like it. Just don't call me 'baby.' I've always hated 'baby' and 'babe.'"

"No, I, uh … I don't think we're quite the 'babe' type."

"You strike me as a … 'honey,' maybe?"

He nodded, though she could see his face turning increasingly red. "I-I could live with 'honey.' 'Dear' seems good too. And 'sweetheart' is a classic."

"Those all sound great to me. We'll try them out and see how they feel."

"All right," he said, curling her hair out of her face. He looked at her for a moment and asked, "Up to anything else today?"

"Actually," she said, taking his hand, "I'm on my way next to Robin's to buy the upgrade for the deluxe coop!"

"Deluxe coop?"

"That's right!"

"So your chickens and ducks will be living in - in style?" he laughed.

"I guess so! And I think it will allow me to have sheep, so I can have wool and be able to make cloth!"

"That all sounds great. You're doing such a good job."

"Thanks," she said, feeling really proud of herself too. "What about you? Pleasure reading today?"

"Yes, just some, uh, fun today. I've read most of these history books now, but I'm seeing if I can find something new."

"There's always the Lost Books collection. It's been interesting to me, at least."

"You know, you're right. I haven't really checked those out yet. I'm curious about what you told me about - M. Jasper, was it?"

"Yes, that's the one! Come with me, and I'll show you where it is." She led him to the back of the stacks where the most recent lost books were. She scanned the titles with her finger then stopped. "Here, this one." She pulled out A Study on Diamond Yields and handed it to him. "Read it and tell me what you think."

"I will," he said, taking the book. He looked at his watch then showed it to her. "We're going to have to get out of here soon, though. The library's about to close, and you need to get to Robin's too."

"Yeah, you're right. But, hey, one more thing." She reached for his hand and brought it to her chest. "I was talking to some people today, and I …. Well, I really just want to thank you for how supportive and helpful you are. It really, really means a lot to me. Your love, of course, is so valuable; but beyond that, just the way you get excited about the things I do, the way you listen, how you respect me …. I'm just so appreciative of you."

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "It's my honor, sweetheart."

She slowly nodded, looking up in thought. "Yeah, I like that one too."

"All right, you'd better go get that, uh, luxury coop!"

"Yes, you're right!" She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss then rushed out. "Bye, love you!"

"Love you too!" Gunther called as she left, and she gave him a look as she closed the door behind her.

Alma rushed north into the mountains and got into Robin's shop just before five. "I made it!" she exclaimed when she came through the door.

"Hi Alma! Here on business or just a friendly visit?"

"I'm ready for a deluxe coop, please," she said, a little breathless, as she came up to the counter.

"Okay, great! Got the wood and stone?"

Alma opened up her bag and lifted out stacks and stacks and stacks of materials. Seriously, she was amazed at what this bag could hold. "Great! I'll start working on your coop upgrade first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Thanks so much, Robin. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"And, hey," Robin said as she gathered up Alma's supplies, "you're always welcome to come visit us, even if you aren't in the market for a building upgrade! It can get pretty lonely up here in the mountains."

"Aw, Robin, of course! I'll try to pop by more often when I'm in the area. Thanks again!" She opened the door and wondered what she should do next. The sun was starting to set, but there was still enough time in the day to get some work done if she needed to. She knew for sure she would donate the frozen tear to the community center, but was there anything else? It was probably too late to go to the mines, and there would only be about an hour or so to try to catch a catfish in the river. So maybe tonight would be just a good night to relax at home. It sounded good to her.

Alma went south toward town and stopped inside the community center. She went to the boiler room to drop off the frozen tear in the geologist's bundle and saw that all she had left there was a fire quartz. It made her wonder if maybe there would be fiery levels of the mines the deeper she went. Time would tell, she thought with a shrug. "Bye, little junimo!" she called as she went through the front door again. Then Alma went through town, saw Harvey's light on in his apartment, and went on by down the road to the farm.