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“Are you kidding me?” Chris said. “I love it! The people, I mean,” he clarified. “It’s connecting with people that’s fun.”
“I imagine it’s really good research as an actor.”
“Definitely,” he said. “I didn’t really get into acting until later in my life, so the more people I can get to know, the better.”
“Like character motivations that you can use in roles?”
“Well, sometimes,” he said, “but also just hearing that the work means something to someone, you know? That’s motivating, too.”
“I get that,” Maye said.
“Good evening, Estelle,” Maye said as she stepped up to the registration table. “Two for pumpkin decorating, please.”
“Hey, you look familiar,” Chris said, leaning against the table. “Where have I seen you before?”
“Oh, me?” Estelle patted her short, wavy salt-and-pepper hair.
“Estelle, are you blushing?” Maye joked. “She was one of the ladies who commandeered my meeting with you and Jayce. Do you remember that?”
“I do remember that!” Chris said. “That’s exactly where I know you from.”
“I actually suggested that Maye try the movie plots in real life,” Estelle added.
“Thanks again for that, Estelle,” Maye said.
“Anytime,” Estelle said as she placed a pumpkin on the table. “Here you go, you two.”
“Oh,” Maye paused, “we actually both want to decorate, so could we have one more?”
“Sorry, we only have one pumpkin available. Next, please,” she said, looking over Maye’s shoulder.
“But there’s a whole pile of undecorated pumpkins behind you. Can we have one of those?”
“Those are accounted for,” Estelle said without looking at her. “Next, please.”
Maye nodded. “I know what’s going on here, Estelle,” Maye grabbed the pumpkin off the table. “I’m going to report this to your supervisor.”
“It was my supervisor’s idea,” Estelle mumbled.
“So what’s this all about?” Chris asked as he and Maye settled into a decoration station. “Everyone else seems to have their own pumpkin.”
“This is the town conspiring to get us to fall in love,” Maye said.
“Ah, yes, of course!” He clapped his hands. “I should’ve recognized it a mile away. Well, you know what? Let’s give the people what they want.”
Chris extended a palm and Maye placed her hand in it. He kneeled on the ground and Maye giggled.
“Maye Hendrix Daniels,” he said. “Would you like to accompany me on a date to decorate one singular pumpkin?”
Maye curtseyed. “I would love to.”
They sat down side-by-side and both reached for the same paintbrush.
“Let me get that for you,” he said as he placed the brush in her hand and wrapped her fingers around it.
“Ooo, Mr. Walker…” she said in a sensual voice, only partially playing.
Maye gleefully spent the next thirty minutes bumping shoulders and brushing hands with Chris as they decorated their pumpkin with a spooky nighttime scene with a full moon, a black cat, bats, and a house on a hill and a “Bates Motel” sign that Chris swore would be a big deal. The two walked their decorated pumpkin back to enter it into the contest. By now Margery had joined Estelle at the pumpkin table.
