A/N: Jeez, I'm barely done my Pokemon story, I'm one chapter away from fishing my Zestiria fic, and I'm already starting another multi-chapter fic? And for Harvest Moon, no less? AND I'm actually stepping out of my Mineral Town comfort zone? Well, might as well get the idea out of my head and onto the internet! Although this isn't the first multichapter HM fic I wrote, it is the one I'm the most inspired and motivated to work on as of right now. The idea just wouldn't leave me alone! So I caved and decided to write it out. Anyway, I hope you like it!
Chapter 1: The Beginning of Her Dream
It was when she was six years old that Harper Leigh Maxwell decided she wanted to become a farmer.
All it took for that dream to come alive was her mother to take her to a farm. It was such an odd place. Her mother said it was a petting farm. It was out in the middle of nothing but a grassy field that went on for miles. No tall buildings, cities, or other houses in sight. The only buildings there were a big red brick house and a matching barn. Harper had never seen a lone house sitting all by itself in any place before. She couldn't help but think that maybe the house looked lonely in this sea of green. She had seen many pictures of farms and barns in picture books, but this was the first time she had seen one in person. The big barn was so big, it looked like it might swallow her whole. Of course, the fact that it was a beautiful day out only made it stand out all the more. The sky was as blue as can be, nary a cloud in sight, and an ocean of green grass spread out all around it for miles. But to little Harper, the sky was so big, bigger than she, and it looked like it would swallow her up if she left the car. Of course, she knew she couldn't stay in the car the whole day. That was a rule. Taking hold of her mother's hand, she trotted over to the barn.
"Moooo!" A harsh bleat assaulted Harper's tiny eardrums, frightening her. It sounded like a bullet going off in her head. The girl squeaked before hiding behind her mother's legs, clutching the fabric of her pants. Where did that awful noise come from? Said noise made her ears buzz, and it hurt.
"Don't be afraid, Harper," Her mother's soothing voice reassured. It didn't work, as Harper shut her eyes and trembled. "It was just a cow. See? Look at the baby cow."
Cow? A baby cow? Slowly, Harper peeled her eyes open. Standing just a couple feet away was a young calf, with glossy white fur dotted with big black spots, like giant ink stains. The calf was just a little taller than Harper was by just a few inches, and it had soft, gentle brown eyes. Its floppy ears hung about its long face, and its slender, spindly legs wobbled as it walked over to them, like they could barely hold it up. Harper stared at the strange specimen in complete awe. She had seen pictures of cows in picture books, but again, like with farms in general, this was the first time she had ever seen one in person, much less up close. She had to admit, the cow was very different from all the dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, and birds she saw back at home.
"Isn't it cute?" Her mother asked. "Go on. You can go and pet the nice cow."
She could pet the cow? Harper looked up at her mother, her trembling eyes requesting further permission, like she couldn't believe any of this was happening. Her mother gave a reassuring nod, affirming what she said earlier. Plucking her courage, little Harper trotted out from behind her mother's leg, silently tiptoeing toward the cow. The calf simply stood in silence, watching as this strange new person approached it. The more Harper approached, the more she relaxed. The calf didn't do anything like attack her, run suddenly, moo in that loud noise, and so on. A little hand reached out to stroke its head. Glossy fur rubbed against her palm, soft but prickly, and it didn't pick at her skin like needles. The calf's head suddenly nuzzled against her.
Harper let out a merry laugh. This cow wasn't scary or mean at all! "Moo-moo nice!" Harper squeaked, stroking the cow's head once more.
Her mother smiled. "See? I knew you'd like it."
Of course, cows weren't the only animals the petting farm had to offer. Big, round, fluffy rabbits called angoras hopped all over the premises, looking fluffier than all the stuffed animals Harper owned. They looked like giant fluff balls rolling all over the place. Harper was so enchanted by the big balls of fluff that she chased a bunch of them around, managing to hug a few of them successfully. They were so soft and cuddly! Harper would rub her head against their fur, reveling in its softness. Some of the rabbits did wriggle out of her arms, but some were used to being hugged and quietly put up with it. Unlike the cows, rabbits didn't make those annoying moo noises, so for Harper, they were absolutely perfect. The farm even had young goats, wooly sheep, roly-poly pigs, and mother chickens with their baby chicks. She even got to watch a few of them actually hatch from their eggs inside the incubator.
"What do you think, Harper?" Her mother asked.
"Chickies! Chickies hatch!" Harper squealed, jumping up and down, unable to contain her excitement. She had never seen a chicken hatch from an egg in real life before, though she had seen pictures in a book. Now she was actually seeing it, and though the chicks did look kinda wet and dirty when they came out all covered in some weird yellow stuff, it was still amazing. Well, amazing from a six-year-old's perspective.
The farm owner even let her pet a few chicks that were outside the incubator. Six chicks were kept in a small cardboard box. Two of them were a mix of orange and yellow, like little fluffy suns. One was pure black, like the night sky, and another was a mix of black and yellow. But they were all so cute, and their feathers were so soft and silky. Harper couldn't resist petting the little chicks and holding them in her arms, even if their twiggy feet did dig into her palms and hurt a bit. It wasn't so bad that she'd yelp and drop them, as she was told to be very careful when handling baby chicks. She dealt with it, and the chicks made their little peeping noises, huddling up to the awestruck girl.
"Cheep cheep! Baby chicks!" Harper put down the black one, pointing to one pure yellow chick. "Your name is Sunshine!" Then she pointed to the black one again. "You're gon' be Blackie!"
Her mother could barely hold back a chuckle, her heart warming at the sight of her little daughter fawning over the little birds. But she knew they couldn't stay here forever. It was almost time to go. She looked down at her watch. It was 4:24 PM. They needed to return home before dinner time.
"Alright, Harper. We have to say bye-bye to the chicks now," Her mother told her gently. "Let's go to the bathroom and wash our hands."
Realizing what this meant, Harper let out a shrill, disappointed cry. "No! I wanna stay! I love chickies!" Harper protested.
"I'm sorry, girl. We have to leave soon. It's almost 4:30," Her mother reminded her, keeping her voice gentle but still firm. "The farmer says we have to wash our hands before we leave, so let's go."
Although it wounded her little heart to leave, Harper knew she couldn't disobey her mother. Those were the rules. If they had to be home before five, they had to get home no matter what. That was important. "Okay," Conceding defeat, Harper said a last goodbye to the chicks. "Bye-bye, chickies!" She waved at them like they were people. The chicks didn't pay much attention to her, not that Harper noticed nor cared.
Mother and daughter washed their hands in the bathroom before leaving, as that was the rule at the farm. The farmer said that sometimes animals could get dirty and pass on germs that could make people sick. Harper didn't want to get sick, but she didn't like washing her hands. Using those weird soaps in other bathrooms always made her feel weird. They just weren't the nice soap she would use at home. It wasn't the same. Still, she washed her hands as asked and then they left. But before they got to the car, Harper's mother began talking.
"Well, Harper? Did you have fun at the farm?"
Harper nodded. Of course she did! She loved everything. The cows, the chicks, all the other animals...it was super fun! She then made an unexpected announcement. "Gon' live here! Forever and ever and ever and ever!"
Once again, her mother laughed. "Oh, you want to live there now, don't you?"
"Yep! Yep! Yep!" Harper chirruped, throwing one arm out into the air.
"I see. You must have really enjoyed yourself," Her mother opened the side door so Harper could crawl into the backseat. "Well, we can't live there. But maybe we can go back again another time since you love it so much," She suggested.
Loving the farm didn't even begin to describe little Harper's feelings at that moment. Understatement of the millennium. Harper didn't want to come back again. She wanted to live there all the time, so she could play with all the cows, chicks, rabbits, pigs, and all the other animals. It was like her personal heaven, the place she always dreamed of going to, the place in her imagination. She could picture it now: Harper all grown up, frolicking in a field of flowers right near a farm. All the animals she loved dearly loved her back, and would run around and frolic right alongside her. She would plant lots of pretty flowers, especially her favorites like lilies, sunflowers, and morning glories. Particularly blue ones. The blue ones were always the best.
That's it! A light bulb flashed in Harper's brain. Actually, it didn't flash. It blared, blinking on and off at warp speed. Harper could become a farmer! She could get her own farm when she grew up and get her own animals! It would be absolutely perfect.
"...arper?"
Another voice called her. But it wasn't her mother's voice. This one was much younger, higher pitched, like her own.
"...Harper?"
There it was again. Suddenly, everything went white.
"Hello? Harper! Wake up already!"
"Huh? Wha?" Harper, now 21 years old, suddenly sat upright, the high pitched voice that kept calling out to her still ringing in her hypersensitive ears. Her chin-length, deep chocolate brown hair was only slightly disheveled from resting on one of the many pillows on her bed, with some strands sticking upward, defying gravity. Her round glasses still stayed on her face, though one of the lenses dug into the bottom of her eye socket a little bit, obscuring her dark green eyes. Sunlight streamed through her window, meaning it was still daylight out as far as her weary mind could comprehend.
She was, however, able to process the appearance of a little girl younger than she standing next to her bed. The little girl was about ten, with long, dark, golden brown hair cascading down past her shoulders and blue eyes. In her hair were tiny, baby blue flower hair clips putting pieces of her hair into little pigtails, with the rest of it being let down.
"Jeez, Lynn. Seriously?" Harper grumbled, pushing a hand through her disheveled hair. "You just haaaad to wake me up from a nice dream, didn't you?"
Lynn narrowed her eyes at her big sister. "Why were you even sleeping at 3:30 in the afternoon anyway?" She asked, her high pitched voice adopting an authoritative tone, like that of a police officer interrogating a criminal. "You never take naps. Mom and Dad usually do that."
"What? A girl can't have a little rest after hours of picking berries from the blueberry farm down in Reedsburg?" Harper retorted, putting her glasses back to their regular position. Immediately, her vision returned to normal. "Then again, I should be asking what you're doing in my room to begin with."
It wasn't as though Lynn was unwelcome in her room. To be fair, Lynn was always careful about not touching Harper's things and messing things up. Lynn was raised better than that. Besides, Harper did love Lynn's company. After all, she was her little sister, and her favorite sister. Well, her only sister, but still her favorite sister nonetheless.
"I just wanted to ask if you've seen my toy camera," Lynn explained. "Y'know, the one where you push a button and the pictures scroll around in a circle like a kaleidoscope?"
Immediately, Harper straightened herself up, picturing the toy camera in her mind in question. It was a little pink trinket Lynn had bought on a recent trip to a store in their local mall called Party Town. It wasn't worth much, and it was just a silly little thing. But Lynn kept looking through it non-stop since she had gotten it. It was kind of cute to see her little sister so obsessed over a one dollar toy.
"Didn't you leave it on Dad's desk yesterday?" Harper suggested, removing herself from her bed and walking over to her own desk.
Lynn's blue eyes shrunk, the realization striking her like a lightning bolt. "Ohhhh! I'll go check!" Just like that, Lynn sprinted out of the room. She came back just as quickly, tiny pink camera toy in hand, beaming. "Found it! Thanks, sis! You're the best!" With a joyful squeal, Lynn leaped onto her older sister, wrapping her arms around her in a big hug.
Touched by the gesture, Harper reached a hand down and stroke her sister's hair with it. "Jeez. Excited much? Well, you're welcome," Harper told her.
Nodding gratefully, Lynn released her older sister from her grip, stuffing her toy camera in her baby blue cardigan pocket. But she didn't leave her sister's room. She just crawled onto Harper's bed and sat next to her, looking all around. Salmon-colored walls with large pink and purple flowers painted on them surrounded her, looking permanently cheery and serene. Stuffed animals such as cows, rabbits, chicks, and sheep completely dominated the top of a tall white bookcase, filled to bursting with everything from books, DVDs, mini figures, and other odds and ends. The top of her white dresser mostly had little boxes and picture frames sitting on it, all depicting Harper and Lynn with their parents. But she couldn't help but notice something was missing.
"How come all your pictures with Leah are missing?" Lynn asked, swinging her legs thoughtfully. She had thought about asking her sister this question for a while now. A couple weeks, to be specific. Why not ask now?
"Leah?" Harper raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Yeah! Y'know, your girlfriend!" Lynn clarified. "She doesn't come over anymore. Why is that? Did you guys fight or something? Or did something bad happen?"
She could see her older sister's face darken at the mention of Leah's name. Lynn's eyebrows shot up. She only saw that look when something was really, really bothering her, deep within the deepest depths of her soul. Something serious must have happened if Harper made that kind of face. Harper reached over to the top of her bed, grabbing a small, white sheep doll, holding it close and tight, like she wanted something to hold on to.
"Leah Salinger's not my girlfriend anymore," Harper explained, her voice uncharacteristically low, almost bordering on angry. "We broke up a few weeks ago."
"Whaaaat?" Lynn's mouth fell wide open in surprise. Then her shock turned into sadness and disappointment. "Awww. That stinks."
"Sorry, Lynn," Once again, Harper ran a hand through her sister's hair. "I know you liked her a lot."
"What happened?" Lynn asked. She had always been told to keep her nose out of other peoples' affairs, especially when it came to serious stuff like this. But Lynn wasn't asking these questions to be mean or tease her big sister. The two usually talked about everything together, even though Lynn was ten years younger than Harper. Being a naturally curious girl, Lynn always wanted to know pretty much everything. It helped that Harper didn't mind telling Lynn about things like this. "Why did you guys break up?"
With a bitter groan, Harper plopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling with dark eyes, green with anger that was dying to come out. "Ugh! It was awful, Lynn! Just plain awful!" Harper exclaimed. Lynn scooched sideways a bit to give her sister some space, readying herself to hear more. "Remember how I told Mom and Dad that something seemed off about Leah? How she suddenly kept showing me off to her friends and then suddenly acting like I didn't exist afterward? Well, Tiffany heard Leah say that she was only using me to make herself look good, saying that befriending an autistic girl like me was a great way to earn brownie points with her new friends!"
Again, Lynn's mouth fell open again. This time, she looked more confused than anything. Why would Leah do that? The last time Lynn had seen her, she had been so nice and friendly, towards both her and Harper. So friendly, in fact, that whenever Lynn saw Harper and Leah together, whether it was kissing, hugging, or just saying a bunch of mushy lovey-dovey stuff to each other, she wanted to vomit from the excessive saccharine-ness of it all. Leah still kept in contact with them even after Harper and the rest of the family had to move away, and it helped that Leah could drive, so they could still see each other and go on dates. The person Harper was describing didn't sound like Leah at all as far as Lynn could tell.
"So the day after that, I confront her about it, and...God!" Harper buried her face in her sheep doll, voice muffled. "She kept telling me she loved me all throughout our relationship...and then I demand answers from her and she's suddenly all, 'Oh, guess what, Harper? I never loved you at all. I only used you to make my former friends like me again, and I've decided you're nothing but an inconvenience! I don't want a crazy, farm-loving retard for a girlfriend, so go away forever and leave me alone!' Can you believe it?! She freaking threw me away like garbage!" At this point, Harper's voice rose an octave, bordering on screaming.
There was a brief silence. Lynn had no idea what to say. Eventually, she did manage to get one thing out. "Whoa. She actually did that?"
"YES!" Harper bellowed, pounding her fist into her comforter. "But you wanna know what really killed me? She just went on and on and on about how I was cramping her style by not being like everyone else, how she hated this about me, how she hated that about me, how I was embarrassing her every time she was seen with me, how I needed to be normal and like everyone else, how she always felt she had to put up with me and acting like I'm some kid who throws tantrums over every little thing, acting like the whole thing is somehow my fault for not being good enough and how I've been nothing but a burden on her...good lord, I could go on for hours! And I already told Mom and Dad everything last week, so...uuuuugh!" Harper groaned loudly.
"Ouch," That was all Lynn could think to say.
"Ouch doesn't even BEGIN to cover it," Harper sat right up like a jack-in-a-box, blinking away any tears that dared to try and spill out from her eyes. "Well, you know what? I'm not down for that crap, so I gave her a piece of my mind!"
"What'd you do?" Lynn asked, curious to know more.
"I gave her the biggest verbal smackdown ever and told her some things that you're better off not hearing," Harper explained, pushing some hair out of her face. She didn't think Lynn needed to hear any of the details. Lynn was only eleven, and there were some things in life that Harper didn't want her to see, hear, or know, even though the logical side of her told her that when she grew up, Lynn was likely going to learn about them anyway. "And then Tiffany outed her to her friends and told them all about her little scheme, because she's awesome like that. Honestly, as far as I'm concerned, I hope stupid, shallow, empty-headed Leah lives a dark, lonely, friendless life. She can suck it!"
As dismissive as her tone was, Lynn could hear the pain in her voice. Harper could feel it in every fiber of her being. Hearing Leah's true feelings about Harper was like having a million knives cutting through her heart, slicing it into a million pieces. They had been going out for about a year and a half, and all throughout that time, Lynn saw that Harper was happy. Much happier than she had ever been. It wasn't like Harper wasn't happy before dating Leah, but her older sister did sometimes dream of being with a special someone. It was like Harper had turned into a set of Christmas lights that glowed all throughout that year and a half, without ever turning off. But that radiance had since died.
"...I don't know what I even saw in her to begin with…" Harper looked down at her sheep doll, clutching it tightly, her voice trembling.
It was then that Lynn wrapped her arms around her sister once more. She wished she could do more for her. But what could she do? Lynn was just a little girl who didn't know much about the adult world and dating. Anger at Leah bubbled up inside her heart, though there was more room in her heart to prioritize comforting Harper over that. Her sister needed someone to be there for her. Sure, Lynn knew just hugging her wouldn't fix everything, but she wished hugs could. As far as she was concerned, Harper didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve it at all.
"I'm sorry, big sis," Lynn whimpered.
"What are you sorry for?" Harper asked, stroking her sister's hair, grateful for the consoling gesture.
"I wish I could help somehow…Leah shouldn't have done that to you!"
This time, Harper wrapped an arm around Lynn and pulled her close. Her wool cardigan was particularly warm and soft on the exposed skin of her arm. She liked how it felt, especially since the air was frosty with frigid December air. Still, her heart warmed at her sister's understanding and support.
"Just you being here is helping a lot," Harper reassured. "You know what? Screw Leah! I have better things to do than be her chew toy! Or anyone's chew toy for that matter!"
Lynn couldn't agree more. "Yeah! You deserve someone way better, who likes you for you!" She exclaimed, pumping her fists in the air. "Even if you can be kind of a meathead sometimes."
Meathead? Harper shot a glare at her younger sister. "What was that?!"
Lynn squeaked, "Eeeek!" and sprinted off the bed, knowing what was coming. With a mock battle cry, Harper gave chase, running around the room and making fake growls like she was a lion about to pounce on her prey. Lynn screamed playfully, running up and down the halls as her big sister was on her tail.
"Come here, you little she-demon!" Harper roared.
Suddenly, before Lynn could react, the older girl leaped right on top of her, and before long, the sisters were laughing and wrestling on the floor. Harper wrapped one arm around Lynn's neck, trapping her in a headlock, and rubbed her sister's head with her other hand, giving her a noogie. Lynn could only laugh in defeat as her carefully done hair was being messed up and ruined by her beastly big sister.
"Harpeeeeeer! Quit it!" Lynn laughed in mock indignation, feeling the static in her hair as Harper rubbed her head faster than the speed of light. She kicked her legs on the floor and struggled to crawl out of Harper's grasp. Too bad it didn't work, what with Lynn being a little girl of eleven.
Unbeknownst to them, a woman stood by the entrance to Harper's room, watching the joyful scene play out before her. Her golden blonde hair reached down to her chin, curling at the ends, and her deep blue eyes watched as Harper continued to subject Lynn to her specialized noogie. She wore a white and red coat over an orange blouse with a big ribbon on the front, a long, darker yellow gingham skirt with orange lines all over it, and black high heels. She smiled as Lynn protested further, conceding defeat.
"Okay, okay! I give, I give!" Lynn cried.
"Alright, girls, settle down," The woman told them.
Upon hearing her voice, Harper finally released Lynn. "Hi, Mom!" Both girls suddenly sputtered in unison, hoping she didn't see the entire brouhaha.
Their mother could only chuckle. "Goodness, I can hear you two all the way from downstairs," She explained, her voice low but soft like the chime of a silver bell. "Your father's going to be home in a few more hours, so would you mind unloading the dishwasher, please?" She asked politely, wrapping her finger around the yellow ribbon on her blouse. "I'd really appreciate it."
Harper stood right up. "Sure! We can do that," She gently tapped Lynn on her shoulder. "You handle all the spoons, forks, and knives, and I'll put the cups and dishes away."
"Okay!" With that, both girls headed right downstairs, passing their mother as they traversed through the corridor. She simply laughed as she heard the girls get right back to talking as soon as they got to the kitchen. But when she got downstairs, they were at work putting the dishes away, so that was alright. After that, she decided to get some of her laundry done.
Harper and Lynn were in the living room, with the light brown coffee table covered with textbooks and papers. Lynn sat hunched over on the table, her blue eyes focusing intently on the English worksheet before her. Harper sat on the floor next to her, with a book in her hand, only it wasn't a textbook, but a book Lynn had to read for her English class. A small book, but it had a lot of pages, and the cover showed a young girl draped in a black, tattered dress, holding a pretty little porcelain doll, and who had a sorrowful expression on her face. But Lynn kept tapping the end of her pencil against the table, making a repetitive, monotonous cacophony that did pass the time.
"I don't get this question," Lynn groaned. Harper leaned over to look at the question that had her sister so stumped. It was question #12, and it read: 'The little boy Donald gives Sara a sixpence, and although she accepts it, Sara isn't happy with the gesture. Why is that?' "Why wouldn't she be happy with someone giving her money?"
"Well," Having read the book many times for fun, Harper knew how to help with this one. "You have to remember, Lynn, Sara imagines that she's a princess all the time, even though she's a servant now. Even though she's poor, she doesn't want to be perceived as such. She doesn't want people to feel sorry for her and doesn't want people to just give her money."
Lynn looked up at the ceiling, pondering Harper's explanation.
"Let me put it this way," Harper continued on. "How about, for example-"
Suddenly, the door creaked wide open, and in came a tall, well dressed man with smooth dark blonde hair and tired blue eyes that were the same color as Lynn's. The girls immediately turned around, taking in the man's presence with wide eyes. The man used his arm to wipe some sweat off his brow, admittedly leaving some wet marks on the dark sleeve of his black suit.
"Hey Dad!" Both girls exclaimed in unison.
"Hello, girls," Their father returned the greeting, his deep voice adopting a tiredness to it as he let out a sigh.
"Welcome home, Daryl," The girls' mother immediately walked into the living room. "Dinner's about to be ready soon, so-"
Daryl held a hand out, preventing her from talking further. "Thanks, Marlena. But you all might want to sit down," He addressed all the girls in the house. "Family meeting."
Both Harper and Lynn exchanged confused glances. A family meeting? Right when he just got home from work? This was both rare and sudden, as he usually held family meetings for when something was very important that needed to be discussed right now. Daryl sat right down on the second couch, and Marlena sat next to him soon after. Lynn and Harper sat parallel to them, on the other couch, so they all sat parallel to the little coffee table covered with Lynn's school papers. Homework and dinner were immediately put on hold.
"What's this all about, Dad?" Harper was the first to ask once everyone settled down. "It's rare for you to hold a family meeting right as you come home from work. Aren't you tired?" She could tell from the way her father kept shrugging his shoulders and sighing that work must have been tiresome. Some strands of his hair had come loose, and he always took care to smooth his hair down every morning.
Daryl cleared his throat. "Yes, about that...I know this is sudden," He began. "But we're going to be moving at the end of this February."
Moving? "Again?!" Harper was the first to protest. "We literally just moved here not even a year ago, right after my college graduation!" She exclaimed, her voice louder than all the rest.
As much as Harper hated the announcement, she did see it coming in a way. Her father's job involved foreign trade, and sometimes his company would make him and his family move to various places around the country. The absolute specific details were lost on her, and Daryl did try to explain it to her once, but it was too complicated for her to comprehend. Stuff about trade regulations, international politics, and so on. Subjects far outside her realm of understanding. Although they didn't move often, it had become a little more frequent in the last few years. Harper had to transfer colleges after she completed her second year because they had to move, and they moved again after she graduated from her second college. Harper was lucky they didn't move too far away from where her friends lived, that way she could still see them every now and again. She was honestly surprised that she didn't move so far away that she couldn't go on dates with Leah whenever possible, so that was a plus...before she found out the truth.
Lynn's protest was a bit more subdued. "Awww. I really liked this town, too," Lynn bemoaned this new development.
Marlena's eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at her younger daughter with sympathy. "I know, girls. This is hard on all of us. Moving is a part of your father's job. I wish it wasn't, but try not to be too hard on him."
"I know," Harper said. Of course, she knew her father wasn't deliberately trying to jerk them around, so she understood that. Still, she wished she could just stay in one place and not have to worry about all the new stuff. New places, new people, new things to do, so many new things that Harper would have to learn. Just when she'd gotten used to the new place, they would have to move again, and it would throw everything out of alignment, especially everything in her mind, body, and soul. There had to be a limit to all of this.
As Harper was lost in her mind, Marlena turned to her husband. "So where are we going next, darling?" Marlena asked.
"Well, we're moving west, to a town called Beldingsville," Daryl explained, crossing his arms, one of which accidentally pushed his blue handkerchief out of his suit pocket just a little bit. He flashed a friendly, coy smile at his wife. "It's right near the beach, so you'll be able to go whenever you'd like."
Immediately, Marlena's eyes sparkled at the new information. "Ooh! That sounds wonderful!" Her hands flew to her cheeks. "Maybe I'll finally be able to work on my tan."
"The beach?" Lynn was already curious, and a big smile spread across her face. "I wanna go to the beach!" She was already kicking her legs, so much so that her light blue shoes threatened to fly right off, and her red checkered dress moved in time with her kicks.
In contrast, Harper shivered. Just the thought of a large body of water anywhere near her made her wince. She averted her eyes from her father, focusing instead on Lynn's homework. Her younger sister's handwriting was neat and tidy, with lots of round corners on everything, even the L's and N's. Lynn even added a flower on top of the first letter of her name. Harper wondered if Lynn thought about adding some leaves and roots to make it look more realistic.
"I regret having to put you all through this so often," Daryl told them, his voice low but somewhat wistful. "Unfortunately, it's out of my hands, so try to understand. Besides, the new house is much nicer and bigger than this one," He continued on. "There's a beautiful nature park we can take walks through, and I hear there's a lot of wildlife, too, especially deer."
"Wow, really? Now I'm curious!"
At this point, the voices around Harper began to morph into white noise. Everything was starting to build up inside of her, piling on like someone was making a big pile of rocks that was ready to topple at any moment. She did try to understand. She understood this was the nature of her father's job for years now. Of course she understood. But that didn't mean she had to accept it, much less like it. She knew he was only doing it to support them financially, and times were admittedly tough. This was important to him and the rest of the family. Still, Harper couldn't help but think enough was enough. If all this moving was going to go on forever, she couldn't afford to wait anymore.
The time to act was now.
"You'll like the school, Lynn," Daryl told her. "They have creative writing classes."
"They do?! Awesome!" Lynn squealed with delight, throwing her hands in the air. "I've always wanted to take creative writing!"
Harper raised her hand, catching everyone's attention. All eyes were on her now, and it made her skin crawl, even if they were her family. "Can I...say something, too?"
"What is it Harper? You haven't said a word for the past couple of minutes," Marlena asked, concerned.
At first, there was a brief pause. Harper shuddered. Where would she even start? She hadn't prepared for this at all. Then again, she only heard of Daryl's announcement just now, so she had no idea she'd have to say all of this so soon. Well, it was best to get it out in the open right now. 'Here goes everything,' She thought, before she finally said, "Mom. Dad. I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past few months, and...I've decided that I...I want to move out!"
Everyone's mouths fell agape, and their eyes shrunk in shock. Harper expected as much. It took a short while, but Marlena finally found her voice.
"What?! You want to move out on your own?" Marlena's voice was oddly high, and she normally wasn't one to raise her voice. But it wasn't so loud as to make Harper's ears hurt, so that was good. "Well, no wonder you've been so quiet. You must have been giving that some serious thought."
"I have," Harper replied. This time, she knew what to say. "For the past six months, actually," She knew it was redundant to add that, since she mentioned that earlier, but it came out before she could stop herself.
On the other hand, Daryl held a hand to his chin, flashing a pleased grin. "Moving out, hm? Well, you are a grown adult now, so it is your decision to make," He complimented, his voice not as tight or stern this time around. "And coordinating that with our move at the same time is wise."
Harper balled her hands into fists, tightening them right up. She knew what he was going to say next.
"However," His smile faded, and he crossed his arms again, raising a quizzical eyebrow. "Am I right in assuming you've thought everything through?"
"Yes, Dad. I've done a ton of research over the past few months and I have an idea of how I want to go about it."
"What will you be doing to support yourself?"
She could feel her legs shaking. But there was no going back now. "What I've always wanted to do since I was a kid," She stood up from the couch, looking her father straight in the eyes, even though doing so made her feel exposed. So exposed that she felt like she was naked. "I'm going to become a farmer."
Again, silence. This time, it was shorter than the last one. Not only that, Lynn was the first to speak. "What, really?! Why? That's seriously hard work."
Marlena could only smile. "You always did have a fondness for animals and plants since you were little, so I'm honestly not surprised you'd want to become a farmer."
Harper barely paid attention to her mother and sister at the moment. Her focus was solely on her father. "I know what you're going to say, Dad. That I'm not ready to be a farmer, that it's hard work, that it's not something I can just impulsively jump right into on a whim and hope to succeed. Like I said, I did my research," She made sure to keep herself calm and collected, voice low and clear. On the inside, her organs were doing backflips, and she wanted to just run. Her entire being was screaming at her to give up and run. But she wasn't going to give in. Not when she worked so hard to strengthen her resolve just for this moment. "Animal care, raising crops, preparing for harvests."
"Hold on now, Harper," Daryl held both hands out, beckoning her to slow down. He had to admit, the intensity in his older daughter's eyes caught him way off guard. Daryl could hear the conviction in her voice, and Harper could see he was tapping his foot, probably in an attempt to take back control. "I'm glad you're so resolute about this. Really, I am, but-"
"I know you're going to disapprove, and I don't blame you for doing so," Harper continued on, not even giving him a chance to talk. "But I'm going to fulfill my dream of being a farmer, and I don't want to wait and move around so much anymore. Whether you like it or not, I've made my decision and I'm sticking with it."
There. She said it all. Immediately, Harper could feel a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. But it didn't alleviate the crawly, exposed feeling she felt from everyone's eyes staring right into her. Marlena and Daryl could only exchanged confused looks, silently asking each other if they were going to say something. Lynn simply started putting her worksheets into a neat pile, unsure of what else to do in this awkward silence. Suddenly, the oven in the kitchen made a soft ding.
Dinner went by quickly, and all throughout, the subject of Harper's unexpected announcement never came up. Daryl simply kept telling his family about Beldingsville and all that it had to offer. Harper didn't say much on the matter, even as dinner consisted of her favorite foods: potato au gratin, roasted chicken, and vegetables with white rice. Everything was tense. Harper was tense. Everything inside her now felt tight, like she was being bound with ropes. Once she finished, she went back to her room and got straight on the internet. She pulled up Instachat and found two users online, both of whom she knew very well.
HarperTheFarmGirl: Hey Tiffany. Orson. Got some news.
In an instant, the two usernames shot back replies.
Ladybird888: News? What is it, girl? Give us the 411!
Cyberbeast0303: What's up?
Harper explained everything from the beginning, typing out a pretty long paragraph. On the other hand, her friends' replies were, once again, instant.
Ladybird888: Get out! You finally told them?
Cyberbeast0303: About time you said something! What'd your dad say?
HarperTheFarmGirl: ...Nothing, really. I have to admit, I'm kinda surprised. I thought he'd completely explode and yell about it and be super pissed.
A memory flashed through her mind. A young Harper had overheard her parents talking in the kitchen. She hid behind one of the couches but could still hear what they were talking about. Marlena told him about their visit to the petting farm and about how Harper wanted to be a farmer right afterward. She remembered seeing Daryl cross his arms and say a loud, firm, stone hard no. "Out of the question. Harper can't be a farmer! I will NOT allow it!" He had yelled. Harper heard it loud and clear, and she ran to her room crying right afterward, even after she heard Marlena trying to dissuade him from thinking that way.
She hadn't forgotten it, not even for a second. It had burned into her mind like a brand on skin.
Cyberbeast0303: You think? Daryl's a pretty nice guy from what I've seen. Why would he be pissed about you being a farmer? His brother's a farmer, right?
HarperTheFarmGirl: He said once when I was six that he doesn't want me to be a farmer, but I never knew why. I never asked, and just didn't bother him about it.
Ladybird888: Honestly, I'm more surprised that you're gonna move out! Congrats, girl! I wish I could move out!
Cyberbeast0303: Yeah, congrats.
Harper's lips curled upward. At least they approved of her choice. She wasn't sure who or where she'd be if she didn't have them.
HarperTheFarmGirl: Thanks guys. You're the best friends I could ever have. I miss you both so much.
Cyberbeast0303: We do, too. Tiffany and I are always thinking of you.
Ladybird888: Hey! Quit getting sappy on me, Orson! That's my job!
Harper couldn't hold back a chuckle. "These two…" Still, she liked reading their friendly banter. No matter what, she knew they'd always be there for her, even if they were far away.
Cyberbeast0303: But I do agree with your dad on one thing. Being a farmer isn't an easy job. Storms can completely ruin crops if you're not careful, and you have to make sure no bugs or mice or rats eat them, too. My uncle's father ran a farm back in his day, and they had a really bad storm that totally destroyed everything.
HarperTheFarmGirl: You're right, Orson. But I've done my research, and Uncle Frank's taught me a lot about that. Hopefully those don't happen, but I'll make sure I'm prepared if they do.
As much as she hated to admit it, Harper did know her father's concerns were valid. Farming definitely wasn't something one took up on a whim. If one can't succeed as a farmer, they'd have no money, no livelihood, and no real means of support. Anything could happen, from a mouse infestation to a hurricane ripping through farmlands. Those things did happen. But Harper didn't want to give up solely based on the fear of those things happening. She couldn't just avoid something unless she tried it. That was what her family always taught her.
Before she could think too long, some subtle raps at the door caught her ears.
"Harper? Can I come in?"
It was Daryl.
"Just a minute!" Harper exclaimed before typing a goodbye to her friends.
HarperTheFarmGirl: Sorry. G2g.
Cyberbeast0303: Ok! TTYL!
Ladybird888: See u l8tr! Byeeeeeee
With that, Harper closed Instachat. "Alright, you can come in, Dad," She told him. Now that he had permission, Daryl opened the door and ambled inside. Admittedly, a pang of irritation shot through her. She wanted to use this time to both talk to her friends online and maybe gallop a little in her room. Galloping like a pretend horse helped her to get all the knots and complicated thoughts and feelings out of her system. But she really didn't want to do it in front of her father, even if he did know the reasons why she liked to gallop. Daryl simply scanned her room, eyes darting all around, with a pensive look on his face.
Harper didn't leave her seat at the computer. She simply stared down at the keyboard, trying to focus her mind on something other than her father being here right now. "If you're here to dissuade me, don't count on it. Like I said before, I made my decision and I'm sticking with it," She told him tersely, before he could even speak. She could picture vividly in her mind what he was going to say, that she was in no way prepared for what farming entailed, that she should-
"I wasn't going to."
What? Harper turned around, finally locking her confused gaze on her father. To be more specific, his maroon sweater, thinking he must have changed clothes after dinner. He always changed his clothes after dinner.
She didn't see the patient, understanding smile on his face. "I actually wanted to talk to you a bit more. Want to come over here?"
It was surreal. There was absolutely no trace of anger or disapproval in his deep voice at all. She didn't even feel any anger coming from his whole being, and she was sure she would. If anyone was mad, she could just feel it. Harper was sure this had to be some kind of trick. Regardless, she walked over to her bed and sat down next to him. Daryl tugged at the collar on his sweater with his index finger, like he was trying to cool himself down from heat, even though it was February. Harper was just glad he sat about a foot away from her, keeping out of her personal space.
"I figured we could discuss this just between us, and didn't bring it up further at dinner," Daryl explained cooly, his voice calm and collected. Harper's posture stiffened once more. "Anyway...if you truly want to become a farmer, then you have my blessing."
If Harper had heard that her father was telling her he was actually an alien from another planet, she wouldn't have been nearly as surprised as she was now. Daryl actually accepted her decision and was telling her to go through with it? Harper's eyes were wide as saucers as she whipped her head around to look up at him. "Wait, seriously?!"
"I'm quite serious, dear."
"But...but I thought...I thought you'd be pissed."
Her father's cheeks burned. "Who, me? I'm not mad at all. Why would you think I'd be angry with you being a farmer?"
Harper couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he serious? Had he really forgotten? "When I was six, I overheard you telling Mom that you didn't want me to be a farmer ever. You were practically screaming at the top of your lungs."
"Oh. That…" Daryl's face turned pink as he rubbed the back of his hair with one hand, trailing off for a second. "I admit, I had a hard day at work that day and was in a really bad mood. Practically everything set me off. But I assure you, I honestly didn't mean it back then."
'Then why'd you even say it to begin with?!' Harper thought in disbelief, narrowing her eyes into slits, staring right into her flustered father. Daryl could tell she didn't believe a word he said, and he didn't blame her. "You sure sounded like you meant it to six-year-old me," Harper scoffed, crossing her arms. "That was the whole reason I never told you anything about my dream to be a farmer! I was sure you'd react the same way you did back then!"
Oddly enough, Daryl didn't deny it. Instead, he simply looked down at his hands. "I see. I'm sorry. I must have traumatized you pretty badly, given what you went through before we adopted you," Daryl murmured, hanging his head down ruefully. Just as quickly, he held it right back up. "Even so, Harper...if you want to become a farmer, I have no objections. You deserve to make your own decisions and fulfill your own dreams," This time, he wrapped his arm around Harper and pulled her close.
Usually, when someone would try to hug her, Harper would tense up, wince, or free herself from the gesture, especially if she didn't want it or was from someone she didn't know. This time, she allowed it. This was her father, and she knew he loved her. His hands were strong and protective, and the scratchy texture of his maroon sweater was warm against her skin. She let herself rest her head on her father's shoulder, allowing his love to envelop her completely. Yes, this was what she wanted all along. Her father's approval. At this point, Harper was happy to just be here with him right now.
"Can I tell you something, Harper?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Back in my day, long before I met your mother and had you and Lynn...I took a brief stint in farming."
Farming? Her own father, a farmer? Daryl, the ever stoic, serious, and hardworking, high ranking employee in a well known trading company, a farmer? Harper couldn't prevent the ungraceful dropping of her jaw. "You? A farmer? I...find that REALLY hard to believe."
"I know. I don't blame you for being surprised," Daryl said, clearing his throat to continue on. He had expected this reaction. "My father-your grandfather-had gotten into the trading business when I started working as a farmer, right after I graduated from college. Your Uncle Frank and I had been working together on it for a while…" His voice lowered to a more somber tone. "Suddenly, my father suddenly collapsed. He had a bad stroke. It happened right after he had finally gotten his own trading business up and running."
Daryl went on to explain that it had never occurred to him to give up farming. He had wanted to do it for a while, and he loved the work he and his brother Frank put into their farm. But when Daryl had spoken to his father, he noticed that he always looked so sad when he discussed the possibility of having to give up his business, especially because of his condition. Eventually, Daryl began to think his father would feel somewhat better if he offered to take over the business for him. Slowly, but surely, his father began to recover thanks to lots of rehab, and once he was well enough, father and son began working together. Several years after that, he married Marlena, adopted Harper, and later had Lynn.
"Oh wow…" Harper found herself deep in thought after having listened to her father's tale. "I had no idea...I guess I'm learning a lot about you today."
"I must admit, you really surprised me earlier this evening," Daryl found himself hesitating just a moment, but continued speaking. "Because I'd done it myself, I knew all too well just how exhausting and backbreaking a job it could be, and I know you don't like to expend too much energy into things, especially subjects that are of no interest to you. In some way, a part of me does oppose the idea, because I've seen you break down under pressure lots of times, and it hurts my heart whenever I see you cry or have a meltdown because you can't handle something. I don't want to subject you to that kind of pain," Daryl's hand gently squeezed Harper's shoulder just a little tighter. "Not when you went through so much of it already."
Good points. Harper nodded in agreement. Everything he said was indeed true.
"Personally, I think farming is a noble profession, and I have nothing but the highest respect for it."
Any disbelief Harper held against her father began to melt away layer by layer. Regret began to spring forth in her heart. All this time, she was convinced her father would vehemently oppose of farming, all because of something he said in a bad mood when she was six years old. But here he was, telling Harper that he himself used to be a farmer and not only warning her of its downsides, but supporting her decision in spite of that. That was what a good father did. How could she have doubted him? A small hand glided over her father's her spindly fingers wrapping around his bigger, bulkier ones.
"I'm sorry, Dad."
"Don't be. I had no idea something I said during a bad mood would impact you so much. Anyway…" His smile returned, and Harper could tell even without looking that it was one of contentment and approval. "Harper. If you want to be a farmer, go for it. Your mother, and sister and I will support you all the way."
Harper beamed, no longer being able to contain her joy. "Oh, Dad!" She threw her arms right around his neck, resting her chin on his big shoulder. Daryl simply smiled bigger as he wrapped his own arms protectively around her. At this moment, he was a proud, proud father, and Harper, in turn, was on cloud nine.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"But let's not rush into this just yet, Harper," Daryl advised. "There's still a lot you need to learn before you can officially move out. If you don't mind, I'd like to help you make arrangement, if that's alright. There's still time before we move, so let's plan this out accordingly."
"You bet we will!"
Just like that, everything was back in perfect alignment. Earlier, Harper felt like the world was going to fall apart all around her. Now, she felt like she was in heaven.
Over the course of the next three weeks, the Maxwell family helped Harper prepare for her eventual move near the end of February. Daryl decided that since Harper still didn't know much about owning an actual house and all of the complications it entailed, such as mortgage and insurance, he made arrangements for her to live with her Uncle Frank for the time being. That way, she could not only help him out on his farm, Frank would be able to help her with whatever she needed in return, since he was an actual farmer and spent years working among nature. He had an extra room in his house to spare for her, so space was no problem. It helped that Frank lived in a little village called Westown, which was only about twenty miles away from Avonlea, the town they were in right now, so it wasn't too far away. Beldingsville was about three and a half hours away from both, so while the family could stop by and visit once in a while, it would still be far enough that they wouldn't be able to come often.
For now, they settled on one plan. Harper would work on Frank's farm and receive payment every week, like a real job. Since both Daryl and Marlena worked well-paying jobs, they agreed to send Harper some extra money every month, and encouraged her to save it so she could eventually buy her own house and have enough to pay some bills. Not one that would be extremely expensive, because that would be a bit too much. Harper didn't want to bite off more than she could chew, so she hoped there would be some small houses in Westown that she could look at once she saved up enough. She would also be expected to learn the concepts of paying bills, and Frank was more than willing to help with that.
About a week before the family's scheduled move, the day of Harper's official move finally arrived. Daryl had his black Mercedez Benz out in the driveway, and Harper pushed the last of her suitcases into the back seat. Marlena and Lynn had followed them outside, both with wistful looks on their faces.
"I'm gonna miss you, Harper," Lynn's small voice trembled as she gave her older sister a hug. "I wish you could come to Beldingsville with us."
Touched by her sister's gesture, Harper smiled and stroke her younger sister's hair gently. "I know, Lynn. I'll miss you too. But I'll be alright. Uncle Frank will be there, and Reese is coming with me, too," She turned to the backseat. "Right, Reese?"
Situated on the left back seat was a relatively small, pink and black animal carrier, and inside it was a small, deep brown cat, with lighter brown, almost yellow markings all over it. One striking feature was a strip of light brown fur that went down from her eyebrows, ending at her nose, making her face look like a Yin-Yang symbol. Reese the cat simply looked up at the silver bars in front of her, wondering what was going on.
Marlena put a hand on Harper's shoulder. "Call us or text us as soon as you get there. If you need anything at all-anything-don't hesitate to let us know," Marlena reminded her. Harper could hear a touch of sadness in her mother's voice.
"I will. I'll miss you, Mom."
"I know. But we know you'll be okay. No matter what, we're always here for you, and you'll always have a home with us no matter how far away we are," At this point, it was Marlena's turn to pull her daughter into a hug. Harper rested her chin on her mother's shoulder and stroke her back with both hands. Her mother's warm, loving arms were better than any winter coat she ever wore in her life. She couldn't hold back any sniffs any longer.
"Oh! By the way!" Lynn suddenly exclaimed. "If I ever see Leah, I'll kick her butt for you!" She announced, eyes shining. Harper burst into a laugh, and some tears escaped from her eyes.
"I'm sure she'd really appreciate that!" Harper laughed, having let go of Marlena and was holding her stomach. The thought of her little sister giving Leah some extra comeuppance was indeed an appealing image. Even so, she reminded herself that she didn't need Leah. Harper could do just fine without her. She was perfectly fine without her before. Maybe Leah had been the one dragging her down, rather than the other way around.
Daryl closed the trunk with a great heave. "Alright, I think that's everything. Ready to go, Harper?"
"You bet! Bye, everyone!" Harper showered her mother and sister with hugs and kisses-and they in turn did the same. They hugged her so tight they didn't want to let her go. But they knew they had to.
Not wanting to waste any time, Harper got in the car and watched as Daryl pulled the car out of the driveway. She waved at her mother and sister, who in turn waved right back at her, growing smaller and smaller until her father made a turn, and they were suddenly out of sight. With a wistful sigh, Harper leaned against the glass window, watching the scenery roll right by her without a care in the world. But already, her heart ached not only with longing for her family, but at the notion of an uncertain future unfolding before her. More tears trickled down her cheeks.
"I know you miss them already. But everything will be alright," Daryl reassured, keeping his eyes on the road. "I'll definitely miss you, too."
"Yeah, and it's not even like I'm going away forever. It's not like I'll never see you guys again...but...still…"
"Goodbyes are always hard, even short ones, even if you know it's not permanent."
Harper couldn't have said it better herself. She could feel her hand flapping against the backpack she squeezed tight against her chest, the tapping noises making a soothing rhythm for her ears. In her heart, she hoped she hadn't made a terrible mistake.
A/N: Okay, so Fire And Dew is a go! It was fighting to come out of my head, so why not let it see the light of day? In case you're wondering where the title comes from, it actually is going to refer to the main pairing in the fic...though it mostly comes from one of those new Anne of Green Gables movies that have been airing on PBS, the first two of which came out in the past couple of years. Don't bother watching them. They're really bad.
In case you guys are also wondering, the storyline will be drastically different from the game, if my depiction of Daryl is anything to go by. No Mr. D, no competitions, no working hard to win Daryl's approval, etc. Also, none of the Lulukoko citizens will be in the story. Two reasons. One: I don't really care too much about them, so I don't think I'd be able to do writing them justice, and two: I want to keep this fic short, so I thought I'd keep the cast as small as possible, limited to only Westown, Tsuyukusa, and a couple of OCs sprinkled about. I figured cutting out the Lulukoko cast would prevent me from biting off more than I can chew. Plus, there will be an in-story reason for why Harper will never go to Lulukoko. Ever. It's actually subtly referenced a bit in this very chapter, in fact! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it!