Theme Song: One Step At a Time - Jordin Sparks


I see you've been exploring the old mine. You've got the adventurer's spirit, that much I can tell. If you can slay 10 slimes, you'll have earned your place in my adventurer's guild. Be careful

- Marlon

She dropped the potato next to the list of items requested by the junimos and placed a hand against her pounding head. She didn't even know how she got home last night, but she had at least been productive. She'd been surprised to walk out and find a furnace with a copper bar sitting in it when she walked out onto her front porch.

It had helped her feel a little bit better. The sleep had helped as well. The last thing she remembered was an overwhelming sense of hopelessness after talking to Shane, who seemed to share her sentiments. He'd left and then… She must have found her way home and built the furnace.

The only thing she couldn't really account for was the plastic Joja water bottle that had been placed on her nightstand… But that had probably just been part of the groceries that Dr. Harvey had purchased for her…

She'd spent the early morning hours caring for her pets, crops, and creating a scarecrow to keep the crows from destroying her hard work. Now that she'd filled another item on the crops bundle, she could focus on the fishing bundle and the other business she had to take care of. It was Vincent's birthday, and since she wasn't sure what else to do, she'd resolved to find him a daffodil. They were plentiful, easy to find, and most everyone seemed to like them.

The farmer headed back into town, a daffodil in hand that she had found outside the Community Center. As she was walking by Pierre's, she noticed Abigail. She remembered that the grocer's daughter had mentioned something about liking adventures. Maybe Abigail would know about the monsters in the mines… After all, she still needed to gather more copper to upgrade her tools.

"Hey, Abigail! Good morning!"

"Hey," Abigail seemed less than enthused to see the farmer, though it wasn't terribly early anymore. "Sorry in advance if I say anything rude. I didn't get much sleep last night. What do you want?"

"Oh," the farmer paused, but resolved to push through the prickly exterior. "I just remembered that you'd mentioned that you liked going on adventures and whatnot, and I went into the mines yesterday and there were all these creatures…"

"You went into the mines?" Abigale perked up. "What did you think?"

"Um… It was dark. A little cold. Full of rocks and such… Anyway, there were these slimes, and I just… I don't know if it's my missing memories or what, but… Are those… Normal?"

"Of course!" Abigail smiled. "People around here raise slimes all the time! I keep trying to convince my dad, but he seems to think it isn't a proper hobby for a girl."

Abigail seemed particularly irritated by this fact, and the farmer had no desire to dig further into it. Not at the moment. She quickly changed the subject.

"I got a letter from Marlon this morning telling me that if I kill ten of them, he'll let me into some sort of Adventurer's Guild?"

"You got what!?" Abigail's jaw dropped. "Marlon invited you to join his guild!? How!?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I just went down there yesterday for the first time and when I got up this morning, it was in my mailbox…"

"Ugh!" Abigail groaned. "Now I really have to get my dad to let me go back in there! He's trying to keep me from going on adventures now. You'll help me convince him, right? Tell him it's not that dangerous!"

"Uh…"

"Great! If we both keep whittling at him, eventually he'll relent! You're the best!"

"But I-"

"Have a good day!" Abigail took off towards the southern end of town, a new determination in her eyes, leaving the farmer standing in the center of town, absolutely speechless.

I really hope that doesn't come back to haunt me later…

She heard a snicker and turned to find Alex standing nearby, gridball in hand.

"Laugh all you want," the farmer frowned and folded her arms. "At least she isn't afraid to go into the mine."

"It's not the mines you should be worried about," the jock chuckled. "It's her dad…"

"I'm not afraid of Pierre," the farmer rolled her eyes. "He might think I'm a bad influence, but he'll still buy my crops because it brings in the money…"

"True."

"Anyway," she sighed, stepping closer so she was no longer shouting across the walkway. "What are you up to?"

"Well, it looks like a good day to play catch, huh?" he turned and smiled at her. "If you weren't a girl, I'd ask you to play."

"Why would that matter?" she snorted. "I'd love to play catch with you."

"Really?" He looked a little taken aback. "I guess I underestimated you. My arm's a little sore, but maybe next time."

"Why is your arm sore?"

"Push-ups. Yesterday was a push-up day, and I think I may have done too many…"

"I see."

Alex opened his mouth to say something more, but their conversation was interrupted as Mayor Lewis walked by with a big yawn and a stretch, "Ah… There's nothing like a strong cup of tea in the morning!"

The farmer looked down at her watch, then up at Alex. It was almost noon. They both burst into laughter at the same time as Alex shook his head.

"Someone's feeling a little lazy today…"

"But I'm not. I've still got to deliver a birthday present for Vincent, so I should get going. Let me know when your arm stops hurting. We'll play some catch," she gave him her best friendly smile.

"Sounds like a plan."

It was only after she walked away that she realized the pounding head pain had begun to subside. She'd easily made the decision to take Dr. Harvey's advice and stay away from the foods she felt were off limits once again. She didn't care to repeat that experience at all.

Speaking of Dr. Harvey…

Her heart dropped and she was caught off-guard when she had to blink back tears. Something had clearly gone wrong there, and since he had been the literal first person she had consciously met here… It wasn't a friendship she was ready to let go of. Maybe if she stopped by to talk to him during business hours at the clinic… He might be busy, but if he wasn't, then…

I'll bring a cup of coffee with me. Then I'll have an excuse. Just tell him you noticed something off and wanted to check on him. That's what friends do.

She entered the Stardrop Saloon and was surprised to see she wasn't the only one in there. Hadn't it just opened? But sure enough, Pam was leaning against the counter, chatting it up with Gus while he busied himself with some sort of cooking.

"Hello!" the bar owner called. "What can I do for you this afternoon?"

"Um…" she approached the counter, aware of Pam's gaze, which always made her slightly uncomfortable. "I'd like a cup of coffee, please. To go."

"Alrighty, how do you take it?"

"Er…" She grimaced slightly. "I'm not entirely sure. It's not for me, actually. It's for Dr. Harvey, and Emily made the last one I bought for him, so-"

"Ah, say no more!" Gus' face broke into a huge, bright smile. "I'm very familiar with how the good doc likes his beverages. I'll make it up just the way he likes it. So kind of you to check on him. He has seemed a little squirrely lately, jumping at shadows and the like…"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I noticed it as well. Figured I may as well, since I have the time. Farm is mostly taken care of for the day, so I don't have much to do. Other than clear weeds and boulders but that… That gets tedious after a few days."

Pam let out a huge sigh, signaling that she was also about to join the conversation, "Times have been tough lately. I got laid off of my job as a bus driver. If I got that job back, I could drive you to Calico Desert."

"Calico Desert?"

"It's just north west of here," Gus nodded, pulling together her order. "Never rains there, but there's this little oasis stop that's got a few interesting items. Emily's always bringing stuff back and talking about her friend Sandy who works there…"

"I thought the bus was just broken down?"

"It is," Pam sighed again. "But no one in town knows how to fix it, and Lewis says there isn't enough budget to hire someone out of Zuzu City… So I lost the job and no one can go anywhere unless they have their own vehicle or catch one of the rare buses that comes in from the city."

"Here ya are," Gus handed a paper coffee cup over the counter to her. "Just how he likes it. Tell him to stop being a stranger and hiding up in his clinic all the time. We have a karaoke night coming up, and we'd love to hear him sing!"

The farmer giggled, "I'll do my best to mention it."

She waved farewell and headed back towards the clinic, her gift held close. She looked up at the community center, sitting on the hill above the rest of the town, "Does that say 12:20? I can't believe the morning is gone already…"

"What did you say? It's 12:20 pm already?" Jodi stopped nearby, also peering at the giant clock. My goodness! I still have tons of work to do! Sam, I have to run and pick up Vincent's cake. Do me a favor and take these home!"

The frazzled mom turned and pushed a bunch of groceries into Sam's arms before taking off, leaving the young adult standing on the sidewalk.

"Let me help you," The farmer smiled, taking a few of the bags. "So it's your brother's birthday?"

"Yeh," Sam shrugged. "Mom always makes a big deal about our birthdays. Honestly, I think Vincent just wants to go to the beach. Did you watch the game last night? Or wait, do you even have a TV set….?"

"I do," she nodded. "But to be honest, I've been too tired to really watch. I don't even remember walking home last night."

"Did you have a letter from Joja in your mailbox this morning?"

"Uh… No. Why?"

"Oh, sometimes they find people who have passed out and take them home. I'm pretty sure it happens to Shane almost every week, at least once. If he weren't an employee at Joja Mart, he'd have to pay them. I guess since he doesn't pay, he just doesn't care," Sam shrugged.

"That's crazy!" The farmer's eyes widened. "Can you imagine having a stranger have to take you home and put you to bed? How awful…"

By then, they had reached Sam's house. He opened the door and they set the groceries on the kitchen counter. Sam opened the fridge and pulled out a can of Joja Cola, offering another to her.

"I'm good, but thank you," she remembered the last time she drank something from a can and shuddered.

"Don't tell me you're one of those people who just hates on Joja Cola," Sam cracked his open.

"Well, since I lost my memory," she teasingly reminded him. "I can't really answer that, now can I?"

"Fair enough," he smiled. "It's actually one of my favorite drinks. But I think I'm the only person in town who likes it."

"Oh, you're one of those people…"

"Hey!"

"Sorry Sam, sounds like you're in the minority," she giggled. "If it's really that bad, I'd have to guess that I probably side with everyone else."

"Nah. I bet you love it. Try it!"

She wrinkled her nose, "Maybe some other time. Soda isn't really great when you're trying to keep your energy and endurance up, and I still have a lot to do today. Speaking of which, do you happen to know where I might find your brother? I have a gift for him."

"He's probably at the library with Jas and Penny," Sam leaned against the counter. "Penny's trying to teach them so that they don't get behind in school while the bus is out of commission. I think she feels it's partially her responsibility, since it's her mom who wrecked the bus in the first place."

"Oh… That's…"

"Terrible? Yeah… Pam isn't really one to take responsibility for her actions, so Penny does it for her… A lot," he made a pained face. "She's so busy, I think I might be one of the few friends she has that are our age. Anyway… Say hi to her for me, if you see her."

"Will do. Thanks for the help."

"No, thank you! I could have carried all the groceries myself, of course, but the company was really nice," Sam walked her to the door and bid her a cheerful farewell, handing her the coffee cup that she had almost forgotten.

Right. Dr. Harvey first, then Vincent.


Harvey saw her approaching before she noticed him standing in the small park, so when she did see him, he was able to keep a smile on his face, though his heart was pounding in his chest. He'd had nightmares all night about being kidnapped and taken to Gotoro for torture… But he kept reminding himself that she was either an amazing actress, or she really had lost some of her memories. He had a few questions to solidify in his mind which it was…

"How's the town farmer doing this afternoon?" came the polite greeting he had planned in advance.

"Better," she gave a soft smile. Gosh, that smile could stop a heart… "Yesterday was a little rough, but… I'm okay now." She looked down, then held out a cup of coffee from the Saloon. "You seemed to be having a rough day as well, so I thought I'd bring you something today to help make up for it…"

"O-oh, t-that?" Harvey swallowed the lump in his throat as he took her thoughtful gift. He'd really been hoping she hadn't noticed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude, I just… Had read something and I wasn't ready to tell you and I panicked…"

She perked up, "Something that could help?"

"I- Well… No. It was about the Gotoro Empire, actually."

The farmer's face took on a peculiar expression, "Gotoro?"

"So you can understand my reluctance to really talk about it without being totally sure…"

"Why would you be reluctant?" she seemed confused.

"W-well… We're at war with the Empire. Do you… Not remember? I thought you would because you seem to remember basic facts and knowledge, so long as they aren't personal…" now he was confused. Did she not remember because it was personal?

"I can't say I've ever heard of it," she did her best to smile, but clearly she was struggling. "But that doesn't really mean anything, coming from someone with amnesia. And when you say we, you mean?"

"The Ferngill Republic?"

"The what now?"

"I-it's where we are. Stardew Valley… It's located in the Ferngill Republic…"

There was panic on her face now.

"Wait… Did you… Remember something? Something about where you're from?"

"I mean," she had a hand held to her chest now, like she was having trouble breathing. "I never forgot it. I couldn't give you an exact city or location, but… I remember what country I'm from, at least. I assumed since we speak the same language that I was at least still… And we don't have anything called the Ferngill Republic or the Gotoro Empire, if I remember correctly. Just how far away from home am I!?"

"Well… Where is that you're from? Surely we can look it up on a map?"

He'd never heard of the place before she said it. In fact, he almost laughed because it sounded so ridiculous… Like she'd made it up. One look at her face though told him everything. She was dead serious. She really thought she was from a place that he was almost positive did not exist.

"I've never heard of it," he picked his words carefully. "But hey… That doesn't mean anything. I'm a doctor, not a geographical scientist. I'll do some research tonight. Stop by the clinic tomorrow and I'll let you know what I find…"

"Sure…" her expression broke his heart. She looked so defeated.

"Chin up!" he chirped. "It may not feel like it, but we've learned some important information today. And I'm here with you, all the way."

"Right," she sniffed. "On that note… Since you know it probably won't upset me now… What was it you read about the Gotoro Empire?"

"O-oh," he had really been hoping she'd forgotten about that. Knowing now that she had no idea what it even was… He felt silly for even thinking she might be a spy. "You were mentioning the other day about a disease that I wasn't familiar with, but the Empire is known for… Obscure sicknesses. I thought maybe… You were from there. Perhaps you'd been in a shipwreck and washed up on shore somehow. It's just… not a great place. Brutal environment and even worse government…"

"Oh," she gave a smile, completely unaware of what he had been thinking. "Well, I don't think I'm from there, so it's okay. And don't worry about upsetting me… I mean, it's better to have information, any information, than it is to remain in the dark. I really thought you'd just decided to not associate with me anymore…"

He felt like a monster, "What? No! Of course not! W-why would I do that? Y-you're… You're honestly one of the few people in town that I actually feel comfortable around. Plus, no one ever brings me coffee while I'm working. I mean, Maru does if I ask her to pick something up, but I pay for that and-"

He stopped abruptly when she leaned in close, holding her right hand out with the pinky sticking up, "Pinky promise. No more secrets, alright?"

"O-of course!" he wrapped his own pinky around hers. "No more secrets. Sorry if I hurt you…"

"It's okay," she smiled. "I just got drunk and blacked out over it. No biggie."

"Wait… What?"

"Well we did say no more secrets. Don't worry. I learned my lesson. No more alcohol for me ever again. Thanks for your help! See you tomorrow!" She hurried away before he could respond.

He stood there, bewildered for a long time after she'd left. She'd gotten drunk? Blacked out? Now he really felt terrible…

But underneath the guilt and the anxiety, he felt something else for the farmer. A warm fondness that was growing by the day.

She really was something special.


"You remembered my birthday! Thank you! This is great!" Vincent beamed up at the farmer, clutching the daffodil tight in his hands.

"Make sure you get it in some water when you get home," she instructed. "Otherwise it'll wilt by tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am!"

Jas was staring at her from behind Penny's leg. The farmer had already said hi, but it seemed the young girl was too shy today to talk with her.

"So," the farmer turned her attention to Penny. "Sam says you're trying to teach these two while the bus is down…"

"Yes. We don't have a school here but I'm doing my best to give Vincent and Jas a proper education. Every child deserves a chance to be successful. Jas is very good at math and reading. Vincent is good at… well, he has an active imagination!" the ginger looked at the children fondly.

"So, what about Alex? He mentioned he was part of a sports team in school to me… Was that before the accident?"

Penny nodded, "Those of us who grew up here used to ride the bus into another town nearby that has a school. I had already graduated by then, but it was Alex and Haley riding the bus when Mom… wrecked it. The school year wasn't quite over yet, so it actually ended Alex's sports career. Shattered his arm, so he can't really… Anyway, he's been training and working with a physical therapist in Zuzu to see if there isn't a chance he can recover fully and work towards going pro. He really was a phenomenal player…"

The farmer felt her face turn pale, "His arm is hurt because of an accident?"

Penny nodded sadly, "I hope you haven't been too annoyed with his bragging and sports talk. I know he gets pretty loud and abrasive about it, but we all know it's his way of coping with the fact that he might not actually… Get the chance to live his dream."

"I had no idea…"

"Oh, I hope I didn't make you feel bad! His arm functions fine for everyday things. I even hear he's been working on lifting weights and getting the strength back into it, so I'm sure he'll recover! You couldn't have known unless someone told you…"

"Ms. Penny!" Vincent came rushing over. "Is it time to go yet? My mom said she'd have a great big surprise for me after school!"

Penny looked down at a watch around her wrist before turning to the farmer, "I suppose it is. Please excuse me for cutting our conversation short. I really would like the chance to get to know you as well as help you get to know the rest of the town… But I have to get the birthday boy home to his mom."

"It's not a problem," the farmer smiled. "That daffodil needs water, anyway. Don't let me keep you a moment longer, lest Vincent explode from excitement!"

She made an explosion noise, causing Vincent to giggle. Even Jas cracked a smile as they said their final farewells and went their separate ways.

Feeling much better and rejuvenated, the farmer decided to head to the beach. She'd seen some shellfish there before, and she was pretty sure they were all on the bundle list the junimos had given her. She could even do a little fishing…

Elliot was standing on the bridge between town and the beach, so she decided to set up there. He'd been okay speaking with her last time, so perhaps he'd be alright with keeping her company this time as well. She found fishing a lot less frustrating when she had someone around to converse with.

"The last few hours of sunlight begin to dwindle, but she continues to glow with a radiance and light that isn't tangible to the human eye, but can be felt with the soul…" Elliot turned and smiled as she approached. "Hello there, Farmer."

"Working on your novel?" she asked politely.

Elliot's face turned slightly pink, but he gave a gentle smile, "Not at all. You simply inspired me as you approached with sunbeams falling gently around you. You put the sunset to shame."

"O-oh…" she stuttered, caught off-guard as she fumbled to get her fishing line in the water. "I-I… Well… Thank you! I mean… I doubt that's actually true, but you have a beautiful way with words and-"

Elliot chuckled, "The forest is a wonderful place. Have you been there?"

"Er…" she thought about the few times she'd gone foraging around in Cindersap Forest, as well as her meeting with the wizard who resided there. "A few times, actually. Yes."

"You're much like the forest, Farmer. There are parts of you that we've all seen and enjoyed… Beautiful quirks and aspects of your personality… But then there's a deeper part of you, hidden from view. Something that not even yourself can quite reach… Layers that contain the answers to the question that we're all asking…" his green eyes sparkled.

"W-what's that?"

"Who is our farmer, really?"

"I wish I could tell you," she chuckled nervously. "I'm trying to seek out the answer myself…"

"I doubt, when you do find it, it will be anything less than marvelous."

"I hope so…"

She was about to say something else, but she was cut off when her fishing line went tight. She reeled in a nice sunfish, but when she turned to show it proudly to Elliott, he was gone.

"Oh… Okay…" she looked at the fish. "He didn't even say goodbye."

She found two different shellfish on the beach. Those, coupled with her sunfish, meant that she had fulfilled three separate item orders on the junimo's list. Looking it over, she found that she was starting to feel satisfied. All she had to do was take it one step at a time and not worry too much about what she wasn't accomplishing yet. While she did her best to fill the bundles to get answers, Dr. Harvey would help her seek them out in other areas, too. Plus, she was starting to get closer with the people in town now, and… Even without her memories, she was beginning to settle into her quaint little farming life. She even found herself looking at the farm cabin with a sort of familiar fondness as she approached it that evening. It truly had become home.

She had a few other fish she'd caught, some potatoes, an extra oyster, and various flowers that she had harvested throughout her day to ship. She found she was no longer stressing about making money as much as she had before and attempted to relax by turning the television on. Unfortunately, she still only got three channels… But was happy to note that the weather had been clear, and her day had reflected the fortune teller… It had been a good luck day. She even learned a little bit about making stir fry before she finally turned the TV off and looked at the time.

It was too early to go to bed… But too late to really start something. She opted to take a walk, just to enjoy herself. The forest, despite Elliott's lovely description, still gave her anxiety to think about. She also wasn't really wanting to run into all those people in town… She'd done so much socializing already… So the mountain pass was her only comfortable option.

She had been hoping to run into Linus, as she had a growing fondness for him and his odd lifestyle… But she reached the lake without running into him. There was, however, someone else standing on the bank.

"Well if it isn't the infamous bedroom dweller, Sebastian!" she teased, hoping he'd take it well. "Coming out once the sun has gone down and all other mortals are safe in their homes…"

"So you've already figured out my secret," he turned and smiled at her.

"I know what you are…" she seemed to recall some sort of reference from her past, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"Oh?"

"Vampire."

Sebastian laughed, shaking his head, "I hope you're kidding."

"Of course," she snorted, stepping next to him. "It's a reference to… Well… Something. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me, but it seems you don't know either."

"No, it doesn't sound even slightly familiar," he shook his head. "But it was still funny."

"So… You're not a vampire…" The farmer turned her head to look at him. "What are you doing out here, alone… after dark?"

"Hm… Wondering about… what am I going to do today? Probably nothing," he shrugged.

"It's 9pm," she raised an eyebrow.

"That's my most productive time of day!" he said with a grin.

"I guess I have to be grateful for that, too," she turned her gaze on the smooth surface of the lake, reflecting the many stars in the sky. There was barely any light pollution in Pelican Town, so there were thousands of them, glittering magnificently above them. "Otherwise, I'd probably be dead."

"But you aren't. You're here, settling in. Any word on Zuzu City?"

"Oh," she felt embarrassed, having once again blown off Sebastian's advice. "I uh… Dr. Harvey and I were making some headway and I forgot to mention it. I promise I'm not trying to avoid it… It's just… I feel bad because the bus is down and I don't want to bother anyone with driving me…"

"What if I fix my motorcycle?"

"Huh?"

"Would you let me come along if I fixed my motorcycle?"

"Come along? You'd have to be the one driving!" she chuckled.

"Sure, but it would be your journey to self-discovery… So would you allow me to tag along?"

"Of course!" she nodded enthusiastically. "But only if it wouldn't be a bother…"

"I love Zuzu City," Sebastian quickly assured her. "It would be as much a service to me as it would to you. My mom hates it when I talk about visiting there and this would give me an excuse to go without upsetting her."

"Why does she hate it? Is she worried about you leaving home?" the farmer questioned.

"Nah," Sebastian put his hands behind his head with a sigh. "She's worried about me meeting up with my dad."

Right. Sam had mentioned that before, a few days ago.

"Your dad?"

"They got a divorce, years and years ago," Sebastian's gaze became unfocused as he fell into memories that were too private for her to ask about. "I was just a baby. I hardly remember it. Anyway… I did some research and found out that he lives somewhere in Zuzu City now. We've written a few letters and he sometimes sends gifts. Mom doesn't want me to go…"

"Do you know why they got a divorce?"

"She won't tell me," Sebastian sighed. "But I can't imagine he'd be worse than my stepfather. Demetrius is always in my business and nothing I do is ever good enough for him."

"I'm so sorry to hear that…" the farmer frowned. "Families… Families can be hard sometimes."

"It's all good. I guess if he really is worse, at least I'll know, right?"

"Sure."

"Anyway," Sebastian turned towards his house as the porch light popped on and Robin started calling for him. "It's getting late. Sorry to bore you with talk of my messed up family."

"It wasn't boring at all."

"Well, now I have a reason to focus on fixing my motorcycle… So you ask Harvey for a referral on a good psychologist and I'll get us a ride there."

"Sounds like a plan…" She paused for a moment, then went in for a hug. "Thank you!"

Sebastian immediately tensed up, but he didn't push her away. In fact, a few seconds later he had visibly relaxed and patted her awkwardly on the head before she let go, "Careful going back down the mountain pass."

"I will. Don't worry. See you around!"

"See ya…"

She only realized once she was almost home that she had forgotten to try and return his jacket again… But somehow she had a feeling it was probably alright… If it was important… If he really wanted it back, he'd ask.

Right?


"Was that the farmer?"

"She was just taking a walk," Sebastian walked directly into the house, tracking mud everywhere.

"Sebastian!"

"Sorry," he removed his boots, a little too late.

"It's a little late for her to be hiking up here without a reason, isn't it?"

"Not really my business, so… No?" Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"Was she coming to see you?"

"No."

"Do you want her to traipse up here in the middle of the night to see you?"

Sebastian didn't miss the sly smile on his mother's face.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop. It's not like that at all. I just happened to be outside while she was passing by, and we were talking about taking a trip into Zuzu-"

Robin's smile faltered.

"So she can see a specialist about her memory loss!" he hurriedly explained. "Since the bus is out of order and it gives me some motivation to work on my bike…"

"Ugh," Robin rubbed her temples. "That infernal bike…"

"You know it's cool."

"You're going to crash and die on it one day!"

"I'm very careful when I ride," he assured her. "I wear my big boy helmet and everything."

"Alright," she sighed. "I still don't like it, but you're an adult. I can't stop you, even if I wanted to."

He knew she was talking about more than just riding his motorcycle…

"Good night, Mom."

"Night, kiddo."

As he descended the stairs to the basement, he paused to think about it. It was amazing how the farmer's appearance had slowly started to change things around town. Everyone was so invested in helping her, had anyone really stopped to consider how much she was really helping them?

All he knew was that since she had shown up, slowly… but surely… his problems were beginning to solve themselves one by one.

It was like an angel had fallen from heaven to bless them… But there was a deeper, darker part of him that couldn't help but wonder…

Did he really deserve it?