Thursday - 9/26
FAIRGROUNDS
Silver got up from the bench she was sitting on when she saw Sydney getting off of the tilt-a-whirl.
SILVER: Hey. How was the ride?
SYDNEY: So much fun!
SILVER: Great!
SYDNEY: Thanks for sitting with our stuff.
SILVER: I don’t mind, you know that. It’s better than the alternative.
Sydney nodded.
SYDNEY: So, what do you wanna do now? The hayride or get some food?
SILVER: Let’s do the hayride now, then get some food and apple cider after.
SYDNEY: I like the way you think!
Sydney and Silver headed in the direction of the hayride.
SAPPHY: So that’s it? The argument was because Great-Aunt Fannie married someone Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma didn’t like?
LIV: There’s a little more to it than that. There was also, apparently, some dispute about what should be done with the house, and Grandma Esther bought it so that none of the others could. She sure knows how to hold a grudge, my grandma.
SAPPHY: Got it. But, now we know about it. Maybe we can bring the family back together.
LIV: Yeah, maybe. But not tonight. Tonight, we’re gonna have some fun. Let’s go play some games while we wait for our turn on the hayride.
ARI: Sounds good.
Liv turned to Sapphy.
LIV: You can come too, if you want.
SAPPHY: Really?
LIV: Yeah. You’re here, we kind of became friends at camp. Plus you’re the closest cousin that I know now.
Sapphy smiled.
SAPPHY: Cool!
Sapphy followed Ari and Liv to the games area.
Jade stood watching Emmy on the carousel. The ride came to a stop, and all of the kids got off and ran to their parents.
JADE: Hey, did you have a good time!
EMMY: Yeah! That was so much fun!
JADE: Good!
Jade hugged Emmy.
EMMY: Mommy, can we get a hot dog now?
JADE: Sure we can. Let’s go.
Hand in hand, they walked to the food area. They were nearly there, when Emmy was distracted by someone who was walking nearby.
EMMY: Uncle Joey!
Emmy broke away from Jade and ran over to Joey and Alanis.
JADE: Emmy, don’t run, please!
Emmy threw her arms around Joey.
JOEY: Hey, kiddo! How are you?
EMMY: Good. How are you?
JOEY: I’m great! Are you and your Mom having fun at Fall Fest?
Emmy nodded.
EMMY: Are you and ‘lanis?
ALANIS: Actually, we just got here, but I’m sure it’s gonna be a lot of fun!
JOEY: Hey, Jade.
JADE: Hi. Good to see you guys.
ALANIS: You too. First time at Fall Fest?
JADE: Yeah. I figured since Emmy’s a big 7 year old girl now, she can ride some of the rides.
EMMY: I just went on the big merry-go-round for the first time!
JOEY: You did? That’s awesome! Which animal did you ride on?
EMMY: The unicorn.
ALANIS: Good choice, that’s my favorite.
JADE: I like what you’ve done with your hair, Alanis.
Alanis touched the tips of her hair, which were still pink and blue like they had been, but were a bit faded now.
ALANIS: Thanks. I got it done a while ago, and I’m thinking of having it done again.
JADE: It looks good. Anyway, we were just on our way to get some food.
JOEY: Oh, funnily enough, so were we.
EMMY: Can we have dinner with you, Uncle Joey?
JOEY: If it’s cool with your Mom, it’s cool with me.
EMMY: Mommy?
Jade looked at Joey and Alanis.
JADE: You’re sure you wouldn’t mind?
ALANIS: Of course we wouldn’t. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, it’ll be nice to hang out for a bit.
JADE: Okay, cool.
EMMY: Yay! Let’s go!
Emmy took Joey’s hand, and they, Alanis and Jade walked towards the food area.
Rex had been relieved from his position serving pies by another person, and was now walking around the festival with Noelle.
REX: So, what do you think?
NOELLE: I think this is awesome! Seriously, I wish I had come to Fall Fest the fall after I first moved here. This is so much fun!
REX: Good, I’m glad you like it. Honestly, this is the first one I’ve been to, too. And I agree, it’s pretty great.
NOELLE: And there’s nobody I’d rather share it with than you.
REX: Right back at ya.
Rex and Noelle kissed.
A little bit later, Tate and Holly stood in line with several others for the haunted hayride.
TATE: That funnel cake was so good!
HOLLY: Right? Thanks again for getting it.
TATE: Well, after beating you in skeeball, it was the least I could do.
HOLLY: I still say you were distracting me. I usually never lose at skeeball.
The tractor and cart pulled up and people started slowly getting off of the ride. At the back of the line waiting to get on were Ari, Liv and Sapphy.
SAPPHY: I’ve never done anything like this before! This is so exciting!
ARI: It’s great! Liv and I did it last year for the first time and had an amazing time!
Johnny, Meadow, Allie and Karina were among the people getting off of the ride. They walked past the three younger girls.
MEADOW: Hey, guys!
ARI: Hey! How was the hayride!
JOHNNY: That was awesome!
ALLIE: It was! You guys are gonna have the best time!
LIV: Cool!
Once everyone got off, the people in line started getting on. Tate and Holly took their seats on a bale of hay.
HOLLY: You ready for this?
TATE: So ready!
HOLLY: Want me to hold your hand in case you get scared?
Tate scoffed.
TATE: I am not the one who’s gonna get scared tonight.
HOLLY: We’ll see.
TATE: Maybe I should hold your hand either way, though. In case you get scared, I mean.
HOLLY: Please. I don’t scare easily.
TATE: Like you said, then, we’ll see.
Holly and Tate smiled at each other. As the tractor started up again after everyone got on, Holly slipped her hand into Tate’s.