John made his way next to her out the door. “Richard told me yesterday that he would be here, and he wasn’t at the bar last night.”

“Is he at the bar most evenings?” Evelyn asked, her mind working over possible first steps to attempt with this couple.

“Yes,” John said while leaning forward to look out at the rain. “I hope all this rain doesn’t dampen the flower festival. Everyone’s been talking about how all the farms bring in seeds and plants to sell, and every building is decorated with flowers.”

John wouldn’t have been to a flower festival in the town before. “It’s Tevington’s biggest festival all year. As the town of flowers, people come in from all over to buy, sell, and appreciate flowers. Performers come and fill the square as well as performances outside the town wall. Along with performances into the evening, there is jousting and sword fighting for the knights outside the town walls. Lady Elizabeth used to drag me to the tournaments to cheer for Lord Daniel. Food vendors appear along every street and there are tables with silly little games for the children.”

“It’s crazy to think that amount of ruckus will start the day after tomorrow when it's quite quiet right now,” he stared out into the sheets of rain.

Evelyn laughed. “Tomorrow it will be sunny, and the townspeople will be decorating and erecting structures. The first day of the festival will see people from all over Asala and other countries arriving, and once the rest houses and inns are full, people will set up camps in the pasture land outside Tevington. The knights will sign up for tournaments and the farmers will enter competitions for the best flowers.”

“Are you planning to enter into the competitions?” John asked as he stepped back from the door. 

Evelyn closed the door as the damp from the rain was starting to splatter into the entry.

“Not really, I expect we’ll be too busy on day one to sign up,” Evelyn sighed looking back at the counter with a beautiful potted purple tulip on it. She would love to enter the competition. It would be good for the shop, but she really wouldn’t have time.

“What’s the least busiest part of the first day?” John asked, his eyes glancing at the greenhouse door.

“The morning is the busiest, the afternoon and evening are less busy,” Evelyn easily answered that question. The afternoon and evening didn’t have as many pre-scheduled people, but she was certain people from out of town would be coming in almost non-stop to buy flowers. 

“What if we sign up in the afternoon or evening then? One of us can manage the shop, and one can run out to sign one of our exotic flowers up for the competition. It would probably be best if you went since you can move faster than I can.” He tapped his slightly twisted leg with the cane. 

Evelyn made her way to the counter as she thought about this, and pulled out the day’s popcorn. It didn’t feel like there would be much use for popcorn today, so might as well snack some. She held it out to John. “Hmm, I’ll let you pick a plant, but make sure it isn’t one scheduled to have flowers cut off of. If we have a moment that isn’t crazy busy on the first day, I’ll run it over to sign it up. I don’t know exactly when the signups close, but we can attempt to enter after closing as well.”

He nodded. “Let me go talk to the flowers and I’ll figure out what we’ll enter and then come make sure it’s not scheduled for use.”

As soon as he left through the door, Evelyn collapsed back in a chair. The room felt so empty after he left. In fact, she was looking forward to having him there for breakfast the first day. It was too bad that unmarried men and women couldn’t live in the same house without a lot of stigma. It would be less lonely to have him living here. 

The door opened and two drenched human sized brown mushrooms tumbled into the shop. 

“We have coat hooks next to the door,” Evelyn pointed out to the two people working on pulling off their oilskins. 

One got theirs off and she could see it was a partially wet Richard. The blonde woman putting up her coat must be his wife then. 

Looked like it was time for her to try her hand at marriage counseling.