It's not unusual to get up before the sun, cook breakfast for my siblings, and crunch in as many of my assignments as possible just before heading off to my first part-time job of the week. The schedule is as follows: wake up, shower, wake up the kids, cook, eat, help them get ready, clean up, drive them to school, and then maybe do homework. I was used to this during my school days. Summer was usually more forgiving.

   "Aust, did you learn how to braid yet?"

   I glanced at the rearview mirror to meet eyes with my baby sister.

   "Tomorrow, Aria. I'll braid your hair tomorrow."

   "Remember to sign the permission slip, Aust."

   "I put it in your folder already, Al."

   “Okay. Thanks!”

   "Be sure to be home by 4. I'll bring dinner around 7. Al, be sure to help Aria with her homework."

   "Sandwiches again?" Al sighed.

   "What do you want then?"

   "Pizza?" Aria grinned.

   "And fried chicken."

   I nodded, "we'll see."

   The drive to Aria's grade school always came first. Al would help her get off while I crammed in more studying.

   "Can I have a 20, Aust?" Al asked as soon as he got back in the passenger seat.

   "For what?"

   "I wanna hangout with friends after school. Is that okay?"

   "Do the laundry this week and babysit Aria this weekend, and I'll give you the $20."

   He hesitated as I turned into the street of his school.

   "Fine," he dragged.

   "Grab the 20 from my bag."

   "Oh, also, Aust. Can I sleep over at my friend's place for Halloween?"

   Was it October already?

   "His mom is taking us trick or treating. I'm gonna need a costume too. Is that okay?"

   I parked the car and inhaled heavily as I tried to think of a way to kindly shut him down, but before I could speak, his friends rushed in.

   "Hey, Aust. Come on, Al."

   "The new girl is lined up at the student store. We're gonna check her out."

   "We can talk about Halloween later tonight!" I called after.

   I could see Al's face struggle to smile at me. It wasn't hard to see that we both already knew what my answer would be.

   There was no room to buy a costume or have him go out on one of the busiest times of the year for me. Who would care for Aria?

   I paused after turning the ignition on. Wait, I didn't have a part-time job lined up for Halloween. I grabbed my phone. September 15. I let out a relieved sigh. I still had time.

   "Looking for another part-time job?" Vera appeared beside me. "We get busy here the closer it gets to Halloween if you want to pick up shifts. I usually keep the cafe open until midnight."

   "Midnight?"

   "We do open-mic nights and murder mystery parties. It's kind of a thing. And if you're curious, I will pay extra during the holidays. I usually get a few volunteers rather than part-timers, but same difference."

   "Then, can I pick up extra shifts?"

   She smiled her usual smile.

   "Just know that on the day of Halloween, the cafe usually hosts part of the Daniel's annual Hallow Gala. And on the 1st and 2nd of November, we prepare snacks for the Dyer Nursery employees."

   I licked my lips and nodded, not really understanding the context of what she'd just said.

   "The Daniels used to own the cafe, so they hosted part of their Gala here. I kept up with it for tradition, plus I liked dressing up for it. While the Dyers provide us all of this." She gestured towards the entire room. "The plants."

   I figured.

   When I first stepped into the cafe, I was immediately brought into a forest. I didn't think a cafe could have as many plants as this place. All the sides of the ceiling-to-floor bookshelves were lined with vining plants. Even the raised center of the cafe is dripped in foliage while the outside is surrounded by all sorts of trees.

   The whole place is like another world. It's like stepping into a fairytale, which I guess would be the whole idea after all.

   Vera smiled her usual smile before leaving me to tend to the counter. I've come to realize over the past weeks how well she knew her customers and how often she took to reading during downtimes.

   Another thing I've come to learn since working here is how much Vera loves to read.

   I don't think she knows still, but I'm not much of a reader. She talks a lot about the books that cover much of her cafe. Yet, she hasn't caught on that I never really get what she's talking about.

   "Excuse me, could you recommend me a poet?"

   But I got questions like this all the time which made me very thankful Vera was a talker.

   "What sort of poetry are you looking for?"

   The boy, around my age, read through a piece of paper I could only assume is a syllabus for his class.

   "I don't really know poetry," he honestly murmured.

   "Alright." I nodded continuously, "we can start with, what class is it for?"

   "Poetry, dude." He flashed his syllabus before me.

   Again, I nodded. Taking a quick peek, I saw a list of books crossed out in red.

   "Do you mind?" I held out a hand as he retreated.

   Hesitant, he gave the paper to me.

   I read it as thoroughly and quickly as I could. All of them were unfamiliar to me. The only clue I had was the class name. Poetry 101. This guy did say he wasn't good with poetry.

   "Something easy to read and analyze would be good," I commented finally. "I'd stick to poets and poems that are pretty well-known so you can cross-reference easily– that is if this is the one and only poetry class you'll take."

   The guy recoiled at my insinuation but rallied with a comeback.

   "I actually just took this class cause it was the only one left that seemed easy to learn from."

   I didn't know what that meant.

   "Oh, for learning language analysis?" Vera popped in.

   The confused expression on his face disappeared which then appeared on me.

   "What do you recommend then, Aust?"

   I looked to the guy first then to Vera and then back to the guy again. Couldn't she recommend one now?

   I thought back to the poems she'd happily told me about.

   "Why don't you try looking up some of these poems." I pulled out a notepad and jotted down the names of poets and corresponding poems I vividly remembered, ones I was particularly taken in by.

   "3? Cool. Not too many, but enough to pick from. Thanks, dude." The guy nodded in approval.

   Vera smiled her usual smile, beaming. She tried to sneak a peek at the paper I handed over.

   "Daffodils by William Wordsworth," she recited with a smile.

   I really liked that one.