Finding Love in the Valley

Part Nineteen

"Jessie, let's go! We're gonna miss the whole thing," Haley calls out as she sprints past the bus stop ahead of me.

It's been about two weeks since Emily's party. More importantly, it's been two weeks since Emily dumped Clint and revealed to Haley and me that she slept with Shane that night. It took a day or two for the shock to wear off, but now things are back to normal.

Haley and I got the reminder for the Stardew Valley Fair about a week later, and have been diligently preparing ever since.

Dear Jessie and Haley,

One week from today, we are holding the annual Stardew Valley Fair in the town square! It's the biggest event of the year, drawing people from all across the country to our humble town.

If you'd like, you can set up a grange display for the event. Just bring up to 9 items that best showcase your talent. You'll be judged on the quality and diversity of your display.

The fair starts at 9 AM... don't miss it!

-Mayor Lewis

I follow behind Haley, carrying a box of things we had decided to put in the grange display. Well, actually... they were things that I decided on. There was corn and a pumpkin that I'd grown on the farm, some blackberries that I foraged from bushes behind the farmhouse, hardwood from a mahogany tree that I chopped down earlier in the season, and a chicken statue that I dug up from my first week at the farmhouse. Haley tried to talk me out of the hardwood and the statue, but I brought them anyway. I think they both represent me pretty well, and that's what the display is all about, right?

As we reach town, it's apparent that Mayor Lewis already has his hands full. In the middle of the square stands a life-size golden statue of himself. As if that isn't odd enough, the statue appears to be wearing a pair of purple boxers. Lewis' face is beet red, and he looks like he's about to explode any second. Haley and I stop and watch as Clint and Willy turn the statue on its side and carry it inside the mayor's house.

"What in the world?" I ask in disbelief. "Seeing a golden statue of Lewis wearing a pair of bright purple boxers in the middle of town was not on my bingo card for the year."

"That's my guess," Haley says, pointing toward the river where Sam, Abigail and Sebastian are standing. Sam is bent over, howling with laughter, while Abigail stands with her hand covering her mouth and giggling. Sebastian just shakes his head and takes a puff from a cigarette, walking along the river bank.

Mayor Lewis calls for everyone's attention, takes a breath, and begins to address the town.

"Whoever did this... this sick prank - those are my private items! In the future I would greatly appreciate it if you would REFRAIN from taking them and placing them in town for all to see! I am very displeased. When I find out who did it, there will be consequences!"

The entire square was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Even Sam had stopped laughing.

"Now," Lewis begins again, "this is the final call for anyone wanting to set up a grange display. Judging will begin in 20 minutes!"

"Damn," Haley mutters under her breath. "Let's hurry and get our display ready."

After setting everything up, I take a step back to admire my work and see what everyone else brought. Marnie brought goat's milk, cow's milk, different varieties of cheese, eggs, homemade mayonnaise, truffles, wool, and what looked to be homemade cloth. Willy had brought his homemade fish bait and several kinds of fish, including crab, which Gus was eyeballing.