Prologue Pt. 4
He knew he shouldn't have coffee in the middle of the night. Caffeine was a stimulant and it would keep him up, rather than allowing him to return to sleep, but Harvey wasn't entirely sure he wanted to sleep. The events of his nightmare played out over and over again in his mind…
The girl had been placed under his care.
She was so fragile, but she had been getting better!
And then, a turn for the worse. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't save her. There was so much blood and his heart was pounding in his ears… And the beeping that was getting slower and slower with every passing second…
The microwave pinged, jarring him from his thoughts and letting him know his water was heated. Without much of a kitchen, he had become quite adept at making coffee using his microwave. Adding the coffee grounds to a coffee filter and allowing it to steep in the water… It was a little like making tea.
Once he had finished that, made sure the puppy was still settled in before slipping out to check on his guest in the clinic. She was probably asleep, so he'd just peek in to make sure she was resting and then return to his apartment.
When she wasn't there, he flew into a panic.
He walked quickly through the entire clinic just to be sure she really wasn't there before throwing his jacket on and quickly heading outside. What if she got hurt again? What if she got lost and couldn't find her way back? What if she lost more memories?
What if she remembered and left without saying goodbye?
Oddly, that thought hurt more than the others. His panic was short lived, however. He found her as soon as he stepped outside the clinic, sitting on the stairs, which startled both of them. Her, probably because he came bursting through the door, and him because he wasn't expecting her to be right there.
"I'm so sorry!" he breathed, trying to calm his heart. "I didn't know you were out here!"
"It's okay! I'm sorry if I worried you. I didn't think you'd be awake and I just wanted to get some fresh air," she had a hand over her heart, but a good-natured smile on her face.
"You couldn't sleep?" he fidgeted awkwardly.
"I- There's just a lot on my mind. The farm and all…"
"Right."
"Sorry, again. I didn't mean to cause any anxiety."
He noted that she was wearing the pants and sweater that he had left for her, "It's okay. Do… Do the clothes fit alright? I just grabbed what I could find that was the same size as what you were wearing before. Sorry that I had to… Destroy them."
Her grin widened as she waved a dismissive hand, "I don't even remember what they looked like, so I'm sure it's not a great loss. These are fine. Thank you for taking the time to go out and buy something. I'll have to pay you back once I've got the farming stuff under control…"
"There's no need for that," he stared out across the pavement, the last bit of adrenaline finally ebbing away.
"Do you want to sit down, too?" she moved over and patted the stair next to her. Harvey hesitated, but she looked so genuinely welcoming.
He stooped down to take a seat, stretching his legs down the steps, coffee mug warming his hands. He looked down at it, and then over at her, "Sorry, I'm being rude. Would you like a cup of coffee as well? It's made in the microwave, so it isn't anything special…"
"Oh, thanks," she shook her head. "But I can't drink coffee."
Harvey's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but not because she was rejecting the coffee. It took her a couple of seconds, but when she saw his expression, it seemed to dawn on her as well.
"Oh. Well… Isn't that interesting?" she gave a soft, surprised chuckle. "I wonder why?"
"There are a few reasons," the doctor shrugged. "You might be allergic to something in it. Perhaps you have a caffeine sensitivity? The important thing is that you remembered something about yourself. Patients with dissociative amnesia usually recover their memories after a period of time, so this is a good sign."
"I'm guessing it's probably not a good idea to give it a try anyway?" she gestured to the cup.
"If you remembered it, it's probably because that was important information about you. It's probably not worth the risk… But it is good to know that you are capable of knowing what you can safely consume. It helps me feel a little more at ease, as your current doctor," he couldn't help putting on his professional tone.
"My doctor. Right," she looked at the slip on shoes that he'd purchased, an unreadable expression crossing her face. "Thank you again, for taking care of me."
"It's what I'd do for any of my patients."
"You're a good doctor."
"Well, I don't know about that," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I really think it's what any decent human being would do."
There were a few moments of silence, and then she let out a soft laugh, "Look at us. We're a couple of bums sitting here on this porch late at night just apologizing over and over again to one another for trying to be thoughtful and then musing over the very poetic topic of what makes someone a good human being over a cup of coffee… I think we might be depressed hipsters."
He couldn't help but smile. She couldn't remember much about herself, but from what he could tell… She was a warm, loving, genuine individual. She had certainly taken the shock of forgetting who she was better than expected. For goodness sake, she didn't even have a name… He just kept referring to her in his head as "the patient".
"Have you… given any thought to what you want everyone to call you?" he asked, secretly hoping it might jog her memory like it had when he offered her a cup of coffee.
She was quiet for a moment. He wasn't sure if she was just thinking or if he really had triggered some sort of memory, until she spoke, "No. It feels wrong to just make up a new name, ya know? But then again, what if I have a horrible name. Like, what if my name is Bertha? Wouldn't that be terrible?"
Harvey chuckled, a little surprised at her humorous approach, "I don't think Bertha is that bad!"
"What if it's Agnes?"
"Again, that's not really that bad of a name."
"Gertrude."
"It could be something fairly generic. What about Sarah?"
"Or it could be something like Hortensia!"
"Maybe Rose?"
"Nope. Wait. I remember my true name now. It's King Hortentot of the Pickle Breath Kingdom."
"Now you're just being ridiculous!" Harvey had to remind himself to breathe through his laughter.
She watched him with a warm expression, but he could tell the moment the reality hit her once more. She really didn't know her own name, and there was a touch of sadness underneath her mask of jokes and smiles.
"I don't know. I could just pick a new name, but it doesn't feel right. I guess people can just call me 'Hey, you' until I get my crap together and remember," she looked at the ground. "Or maybe something will just stick naturally. I don't know. I don't really want to think about it."
"That's okay," Harvey tried to sound comforting. "There's no rush, really. You remembered one thing about yourself today. That's progress. And if you pay attention to those little bits and pieces of information, I'm sure you'll start puzzling things together in no time."
"I don't even know how old I am," she raised an eyebrow. "Am I old enough to drink alcoholic beverages? Do I know how to drive a car? Do I have a family? Are the animals you found really mine?"
"I know that when you start listing the questions out like that, it starts to feel frustrating," he looked at her sympathetically. "But I truly believe the best way to recover your memories is to let it happen naturally. It seems the more you force it, the more firmly your brain wants to forget it…"
A pause.
"Yeah. You're right."
Another pause.
"But how old would you say I am?" she turned to look at him. "Just your best guess."
"Ah, well…" Harvey felt his face burn red once more. "I wouldn't presume to assume any woman's age."
"It's alright. I'm literally asking you to. You're a doctor. You'd be able to give a fairly accurate guess, right?" she looked at him eagerly.
"I- Well…" he sighed, looking over her face while avoiding eye contact as much as possible. "You have a very young looking face. Honestly, I'd think you were somewhere in the high school age range. Sixteen or seventeen…"
"But?"
"But I noticed while I was taking your vitals and checking you over when you first came in that you no longer have your wisdom teeth. At least, it seems like you don't. Some people just don't have them at all, so take this with a grain of salt… But you're most likely over the age of eighteen, at the very least," he pondered his own observation for a moment. "Really, you could be anywhere from twenty to thirty, but I have no way of telling exactly how old you are. We'll just have to hope you remember soon…"
"So, stay away from alcohol?"
"Do you feel like you need to?"
"Honestly," she shrugged. "I'm not really sure. But maybe I should until I do know for sure. I wouldn't want to do anything illegal."
"There ya go. There's another thing you've learned about yourself today."
"What?"
"You aren't a rebel. Or a felon."
"I don't know," she turned to him with a slightly devious smile. "For all we know, I'm a murderer who got lost in the woods after burying a body."
Harvey laughed, "I highly doubt that."
"I guess we'll find out with time… But don't say I didn't warn you."
Once the conversation naturally ended, Harvey was suddenly aware of how cold it was. He realized his mistake of not buying some sort of jacket for her, though spring was only a day away. Still, she had to be cold. Should he take his jacket off and offer it to her? Would that be weird? Would it cross a line?
Just when he was about to take it off and hand it over, she beat him to it.
"It's getting colder. We should probably go inside. I really didn't mean to worry you, and I'm sure it's not very comforting that I'm out here again without a coat."
He nodded slowly and led her back inside without much conversation. He reminded her that Sebastian would be by in the morning to introduce her to his mother, Robin… And that they would make sure her cat and dog made it back to her safely.
"I'd let your puppy stay down here with you, but I worry about all the medical supplies," he had explained.
"I just hope she hasn't been too much of a nuisance," she responded apologetically. "You really are doing more than you need to."
"Nonsense. We'd do the same for anyone in Stardew Valley."
And it was true, to some extent. But Harvey was also aware that deep down, there was something more to his desire to help her out as much as possible… He had even elected to waive her medical bills (by paying them out of his own pocket, for the sake of keeping the clinic running), but she had refused. She assured him she would pay him back before summer.
It was only once he was back up in his apartment, stroking the pup's soft ears that he realized in the short time he had spent with her, he had completely forgotten his nightmare. Slipping into a comfortable, peaceful sleep was easier than it had been in a very long time.
Sebastian was visibly depressed by the warm clinic air as he walked through the door. Winter was over. Tomorrow it would be spring, and all the snow would melt away. On one hand, he was excited for rainy days. On the other hand, he liked the cold of winter because it was consistent. The sun… He wasn't entirely thrilled with seeing again.
Harvey was busy in the back rooms when he arrived, but he was pleased to see the stranger already sitting in the waiting room, ready to leave. He took a breath and then walked forward into her line of sight, causing her to look up.
"Oh, hello," she stood up quickly. "Is it time to go?"
He nodded, "Yeah, my mom is waiting just outside of the town limits. The farm isn't much further. It's within walking distance."
"Great," she hesitated, then took a deep breath. "So I'm really going to go live on a farm, huh?"
"I guess," he shrugged. "It's more like a jungle right now, to be honest."
"I'm confident I can handle it!" she said with very fake bravado. "I'll have that place in tip-top shape by the end of the week."
They hadn't gone very far outside before Sebastian noticed her shivering slightly. She hadn't said anything about being cold, but it was fairly obvious. It was still winter, and after an experience like hers…
Sebastian looked down at his hoodie.
It was his favorite one.
"Here," he slipped it off and handed it to her.
"Won't you be cold?" she asked, bewildered.
"Nah," he shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked. "I like the cold. Besides, I have at least five other black hoodies at home. I'll be okay without one of them."
"I'll return it as soon as I have my own."
"It's fine. I'm not worried about it."
They shuffled through the snow, and he noted that he hadn't lied at all. The cold wasn't bothering him at all. In fact, he was feeling rather warm.
After walking for a few more minutes, Sebastian could finally see his mom standing along the dirt path that led to the old farm. She was scanning the horizon and waved when she saw them.
"Hello! You must be the new farmer!" his mom smiled. "I'm Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis asked me to meet you and show you the way to your new home. He's there right now, tidying things for your arrival."
"Nice to meet you," the girl responded politely.
"The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me," Robin gestured for them to follow, and Sebastian trailed behind as his mom prattled on about the land and the previous owner. She told the stranger that the farm had previously been known as Allen's Acres, but that if she felt like renaming it, that could easily be arranged.
Sebastian could see the girl's anxiety levels rising as they approached the cabin. He couldn't blame her. The landscaping took a dramatic turn for the worse, and he could only imagine how overwhelmed she was feeling.
"This is it!" Robin gestured to the area once they had reached the cabin. She seemed to immediately pick up on the girl's distress, because she smiled, "Sure, it's a bit overgrown, but there's some good soil underneath that mess! With a little dedication, you'll have it cleaned up in no time."
The girl didn't seem to share Robin's enthusiasm as they approached the porch, but she didn't protest or say anything either. Sebastian was beginning to wonder if maybe they hadn't made a mistake. Not everyone was cut out for farming. He certainly wasn't.
"And here we are! Your new home!" Robin gestured to the old building. It was looking a little better than it had the night he had first run into the stranger. At least it was livable now.
The door opened and Mayor Lewis stepped out, beaming, "Ah, the new farmer! Welcome! You know, everyone's been asking about you!"
Of course they had… Sebastian rolled his eyes. It was a wonder her presence had stayed under wraps for the few hours that it had, before Harvey went to speak with Lewis about his plan. No doubt Robin had called all of her friends with the news as well. Things like that didn't stay secret long in Pelican Town.
"It's not every day someone drops in the way you did! It's quite a big deal," the mayor continued, oblivious to the girl's discomfort. "So you'll be moving into this old cottage. It's a good house. Very… Rustic."
"Rustic? That's one way to put it," Robin laughed. "Crusty might be a bit more apt though."
Mayor Lewis shot a glare at Robin before retorting, "Rude! Don't listen to her, farmer! She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades."
It was Robin's turn to shoot a death stare, "Hmmph!"
"Anyway," the Mayor grinned, trying to show the banter was all in good fun… Though he probably wasn't too far off the mark with Sebastian's mom. She'd been dying to get her hands on that cabin for months. She probably saw it as some sort of challenge to undertake. "You must be tired. You've had a long couple of days, and Dr. Harvey said you'd need to take it easy for a while. You should get some rest. Tomorrow, you can explore the town a little and introduce yourself… However you see fit to do so."
She looked at the ground, "I'll have to think about the best way to go about it."
"The townspeople would appreciate that," the mayor gave a nod of encouragement. He started to walk away, and then paused when he saw the wooden box off to the side, "Oh, I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place it in the box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it."
The newly christened farmer gave a thumbs up to let him know she understood, but even Sebastian could see she was already stressing out.
"Well… Good luck!" The mayor took off without giving her a chance to say anything else. Obviously he could sense the trepidation, and wanted a quick escape.
"You'll be alright," Robin said soothingly. "Just take it a day at a time."
Sebastian could see the girl internally shove aside her doubts as she nodded with determination, "I'll do my best."
Robin gave a supporting grin and also started to walk away. Sebastian moved to follow after her, but turned around before leaving, words exiting his mouth before he could think…
"Hey, stop by if you need any help or anything, okay?"
"Okay," she nodded.
"Stay warm."
"I will. Thanks again for the hoodie."
Sebastian felt his face turning red, so he quickly turned away, putting his hand in the air to let her know he had heard her and was accepting her thanks. To his annoyance, his mom was waiting for him as he trudged through the snow to join her on the walk home.
"Aren't you going to miss your favorite hoodie?"
"Not really," he shrugged.
Robin just gave him a knowing smile, "Alright. I won't pry. Just know I won't be surprised if we're planning a wedding around this time next year."
The blush on Sebastian's face deepened. A wedding? "Yeah, right…"
Like that would ever happen.
