The books we read can say a great deal about us, but since August didn't really like reading, it seemed, I had to be creative about it. Instead, I put his good listening skills to use. I constantly introduced him to writers and their writing. I was adamant to know, which of them would stick.

   Finding out he really liked Daffodils was quite easy to see. Maybe he doesn't notice it for himself, but August has these slight changes to his expressions whenever he tries to hide anything.

   I only noticed because I always stepped on a landmine that he has had to keep from blowing up.

   October was soon approaching, and I honestly have gotten way too curious to back down this past month.

   August placed the boxes I instructed to be carried out of the storage room.

   "Is this the last one?" He asked.

   I counted them. "Yes, all twelve boxes!"

   "What are they for?"

   "Halloween, of course. The Dyer Nursery will be sending in some people this week to decorate."

   "We don't do it ourselves?"

   "Oh no." I glanced around the entire store. "It's much too big."

   August looked visibly confused. She could practically guess the questions running through his overthinking mind.

   "You'll see," I responded, letting a grin out.

   The last week of September, as expected, was busy with staff members I hadn't seen since last year's holidays. They disrupted the peace and quiet embodied by Uri Story though my regulars were not as bothered. However, our rhythms fell into place smoothly.

   August alone felt out of place.

   "Ver," a familiar face leaned on the counter. "What are you dressing up as this year?"

   "Tell me your costume first, Alexander."

   "Dear Ver, Alexander was my father. I'm Alex."

   He was certainly more an Alex than an Alexander, but I preferred people's full names.

   I nodded nevertheless.

   After a moment, he replied, "Seb won't reveal what he is due to the contest, so can't really try to pair with him."

   "Oh, he'll be continuing the tradition? He hadn't done that last year."

   "Well, you know what happened."

   "Yes. Well, as per usual, I will be dressed as a witch."

   "Then I'll be a-"

   "Why not a fairy, Alex?"

   August and Alex both looked at me strangely. Obviously, the first fairies to grace their imaginations were the mainstream kind. Though I was sure Alex could pull off the classical look, my thoughts were more in line with dryads of the high fantasy genre, elf-like ears, and mossy bodies.

   Perusing the aisle with the pictures of such faeries, I pulled a random one out and flipped to a page for them to see.

   "That was my second guess," Alex joked.

   "What about you, Aust?"