Alma's Paradise

a Stardew Valley fanfiction

*A note: This story includes some depictions and descriptions of rape, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, substance abuse, suicide, depression, and various means of gruesome death. It also covers topics about cancer, anxiety, toxic work situations, and strained family relations. Specific content and trigger warnings have been written in white at the beginning of each day. Underlined text is original to the game. Enjoy!

Alma woke with a start then slowly lifted her head, wincing from the pain of her neck being propped against the bus window. She caught her breath and calmed herself down a moment, wondering how long she had napped; outside looked very different than it did when she fell asleep. The tall buildings and busy traffic were replaced with mountains and trees. She scanned around the bus and saw all the other passengers were gone. She panicked for a moment and asked the driver, "Excuse me, ma'am, what's the next stop?"

"Stardew Valley, in about a mile." She felt some relief. "You didn't sleep through your stop, did you?" the driver asked, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

"No, ma'am, this is right. I'm going to Stardew Valley."

"You are, huh? What've you got planned there? Not a whole lot to do."

"Oh, I, uh … I'm moving there."

"To Zuzu City, I guess?"

"No, to, uh, to Pelican Town."

"Pelian Town?! You're moving - to Pelican Town?!"

"Uh … yes ma'am."

The driver laughed and shook her head in disbelief. "So you're the new farmer everyone's been talking about."

"Excuse me? 'Everyone?'" she asked, propping her arms on the seat in front of her.

"It's not often someone new comes to Pelican Town. Some people leave, but hardly anybody comes - especially to stay! Heck, I've lived there for about twenty years and have been around practically the same folks the whole time. So there's quite a bit of hubbub when a newcomer arrives." She put on the turn signal and took the next exit off the highway. "Lewis mentioned you're taking over the old farm on the west side of town, right?"

"Yes ma'am. It belonged to my grandfather."

"Well, I hope you're a good farmer 'cause that land is pretty rough. It's been left to grow and rot and whatever else all these years."

"I, uh … I've actually never farmed before."

"Hm, well," she said with a wagging finger in the air, "then you'd better hope it runs in your blood!" She made a couple of turns and said, "Y'know, you're the only one on here, and I don't have any other stops, so I'm just gonna take you right on to Pelican Town myself."

"Thank you," Alma answered, "that's very kind."

"I guess you got a lot of luggage in the undercarriage to unload?"

"No, actually, I didn't bring any luggage."

"No nothing?!"

"Just some money, a journal, and the clothes on my back - and even these I bought new for the trip. I got rid of everything. Starting totally fresh." Alma's eyes wandered back out the window.

The driver looked at her overalls and boots in the rearview mirror. She laughed. "Oh yeah, this is going to be fun." They drove through a tunnel, and then the bus hissed to a stop. Alma stood up and thanked the driver, who leaned over her steering wheel and looked her over. "Good luck, kid. Hope you don't die out there." Alma didn't know how to respond, so she just smiled, nodded, and turned to exit the bus. They both jumped as the engine suddenly sputtered, and the entire bus whined to quiet. "Ah, dammit!" the driver yelled, unbuckling her seatbelt and pushing past Alma to get off the bus. "Not again!" Alma followed after her and watched as she went back and forth to unlock the hood then pull it down from the front.

"Is there, uh … Is there anything I can do to help, ma'am?" she asked as she watched the woman inspect the engine.

"You?! The lady who thinks she's a farmer just 'cause she dresses like one?! No thanks, I got this." She got down and kicked the tire. "Dammit!" Then she walked off, cursing and mumbling as she left.

Alma watched as the driver passed a red-haired woman who then approached. She smiled a little and stuck her hand out. "Hello! You must be Alma. I'm Robin, the local carpenter."

"Yes, hello! Nice to meet you," she answered, shaking the woman's hand.

"Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you to your new home. He's there right now, tidying things up for your arrival."

"Oh, that's very kind! First, a personal drop-off, someone to meet me at the stop, and someone even cleaning the cabin for me? I wasn't expecting such a welcoming committee!"

Robin smirked and stuck her hands in the pockets of her work vest. "We're all a bit excited to have a new person in Pelican Town. Can I help you with any of your luggage?"

"I didn't bring any, actually. It's just me!"

"Oh! … Well, okay! Maybe there are some old tools or something in the cabin for you to use. You'll need them," she chuckled. This built on the nervousness Alma felt from the comments the driver made too. "The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me."

Though Alma was increasingly bracing herself to see how rough the farm was, she was also trying hard to contain her excitement. She had been waiting for this moment a long time. She had always dreamed of seeing this farm ever since she was a little girl. And now she wasn't just going to see it-she was going to be living on it! Alma followed Robin down a dirt path, and they passed a sign with one arrow pointing back to the bus stop and one arrow pointing ahead to "Paradise Farm." She slowed for a moment and could feel her chin begin to quiver.

Robin noticed she had stopped, and she turned around. When she saw Alma reach out to touch the old sign, she smiled and walked back to her. "It's a special day for you, isn't it?" Alma could only nod. She quickly wiped her tears and laughed a little. "C'mon, it's just down here."

Soon Alma could see a small house through the trees, and she knew that was it. It was an old wood cabin with a sagging, red tin roof. There were small windows with faded green shutters and a covered porch that had a storage space for firewood to the side. The mildewy wood was peeling at the corners of the house, and brush encroached all around. As they approached, Alma tried to imagine her grandfather here as a young man. Maybe he had a rocking chair on the front porch where he would read the newspaper and where her grandmother would lovingly bring him coffee. She imagined her father, just a baby, crawling on the porch, and her oldest uncle, playing with sticks and rocks as a toddler. "This is Paradise Farm," Robin said as they came up to the mailbox. She looked around at all the overgrowth and continued, "Kind of ironic, isn't it?"

Alma had been so focused on the cabin that she didn't look at the rest of the farmland, and when she turned around to see what Robin saw, she gasped in terror. "Oh wow. Wow wow wow."

"What's the matter?" Robin asked. "Sure, it's a bit overgrown, but there's some good soil underneath that mess." She patted her on the back and said, "With a little dedication, you'll have it cleaned up in no time."

Alma sighed, her eyes still wide and taking in the land. "Lucky for me, dedication is about all I've got!"

Robin smiled, and they walked up to the front steps of the cabin. "And here we are, your new home."

Alma felt her hands along the porch in front of her. She was overwhelmed with fear, doubt, but also deep joy. Again, she felt tears come to her eyes.

Just then, an older gentleman came out from the front door. He had gray hair and a mustache, but his eyes looked young and excited to see the two of them standing there. "Ah, the new farmer!" He trotted down the creaky steps and shook Alma's hand with both of his. "Welcome, welcome! I'm Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town. We spoke on the phone earlier."

"Yes, it's so nice to finally meet you in person, Mayor Lewis."

He took a moment to look at her. He smiled, nodding. "You have his eyes."

"I've been told that, yes," she said with a humble smile.

"You know, you told me that his letter said he wanted to tell me hello." He took a breath, sticking his thumbs in his suspenders, looking like he was trying to keep himself composed. "Your grandfather Phillip was a dear friend of mine, even when I was a boy. I was only ten when he and your grandmother moved back to the city - the Mullners were here too as newlyweds. But I felt like your grandfather was one of the only adults who … who really respected me. That meant a lot to me. I want you to know that."

Alma smiled and folded her hands in front of her. "Thank you, that is nice to know."

"Do you know he came by here when he was, uh … about to pass?"

Alma's eyes widened. "No! No, I didn't."

"Yes, yes," Mayor Lewis said, looking at the ground. "He called the city's listed telephone number and was really glad to hear me on the other end. I hadn't been mayor for even six months by that point! He told me he was planning to give the deed to someone in the family, and he asked if he could come see it one last time. We ate at the saloon, caught up, and walked around this farm together, reminiscing about old times." He looked up at her and chuckled, "I was expecting that relative to come to tend to the farm, well, a bit sooner than now!"

"Well, he gave me the deed when I was only eleven!" she laughed. "You weren't expecting to have a pre-teen do this kind of work, were you?"

"No no - but I wasn't expecting you to wait over twenty years either!" he joked. He looked at Robin for feedback, and she pulled up a quick smile. "But now you are here, and the town is abuzz. You know," he said, straightening his newsboy cap, "everyone's been asking about you. It's not every day that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal!"

"So I've heard!" Alma laughed.

Lewis turned back to look at the cabin. "So," he said with reserve, "you're moving into your grandfather's old cottage."

"I heard you've been cleaning it up a bit, and I really appreciate it. How does it look on the inside?"

"It's a good house. Very … 'rustic.'"

"Rustic? That's one way to put it," Robin snickered. "'Crusty' might be a little more apt, though."

Lewis flashed her a look and shook his head. "Rude!" He put a hand on Alma's shoulder. "Don't listen to her, Alma. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades." Robin seemed aggravated by that comment and folded her arms with a snort. Alma couldn't tell if this back-and-forth was in good humor or not. She just stood there and awkwardly smiled through it. "Anyway," Mayor Lewis continued, "you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest."

"Yes, that does sound good. It's been quite a long and emotional day."

He nodded. "Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that."

"That's a great idea. I'm going to write that in my notebook so I don't forget," she said, pulling out her small journal. "I feel like my brain is so overwhelmed, I might forget to breathe sometimes."

Mayor Lewis smiled and nodded, sticking his thumbs back in his suspenders. "Well, I best get back into town and let you settle in. Take care now."

"Yes sir. Thank you again!"

He started to walk toward the path to go back into town, but then he turned around, saying, "Oh, I almost forgot!" He pointed to the storage bin next to the mailbox. "If you have anything to sell, just place it in this box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it."

"Okay. Thank you, sir." She thought it was a bit unusual to come pick things up in the middle of the night, but maybe she shouldn't question how the economy worked in town.

"Well ... good luck!" he said, tipping his hat. Robin started behind him and waved goodbye.

"Thank you both, really!" Alma called after them as they walked back to the road into Pelican Town. She looked back to the overgrown plot and sighed heavily. "Well, Grandpa," she said, "it looks like you made my work cut out for me, huh?" She tried to survey the property, but from where she stood on the front porch of the old cabin, she couldn't see past the tall grass, scraggly trees, and craggy rocks to see just how big the land was.

Alma wondered what the farm looked like when her grandfather tended to it. What did he grow on it? Was all of this land covered in crops? What animals did he have? Was there a barn somewhere here? Her grandmother probably had flowers and fruit bushes. She sat on the steps of the porch and took a moment to take it all in. She reached into her pocket and pulled out an old piece of paper. The creases had almost become torn, and the ink was smeared. But she could still read it clearly.

"Dear Alma,

If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change.

The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life … real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.

I've enclosed the deed to that place … my pride and joy: Paradise Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life.

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my dear. Good luck.

Love,

Grandpa

PS If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?"

She sighed and folded the note up again. She was close to her grandfather, and as his only granddaughter in a sea of grandsons, she knew he had a special attachment to her. But she admitted to herself she was shocked that she was the one to inherit his precious farm, the place he so lovingly called Paradise. And now that she was looking at it, she saw how big of a gift it really was - and how big of a responsibility. Doubts started to flood her mind, as they had been doing for the past several days. Was this a mistake? Was she really ready for this? She didn't know anything about farming; she could barely identify trees and flowers. Was it really a good idea to drop everything and come to a place where she knew no one and had no job, far away from anything close to a city? She was getting older - was her body going to be able to do all of this work by herself? Alma took a deep breath and reminded herself, "He would never have given you the deed if he didn't believe you could handle it."

In the back of her head, she could still hear his dry chuckle and his cracked voice: "That's my Almaroo."

A smile came to her face, and she felt a new sense of determination. "Yeah, all right, we're going to make this place look like paradise again!" She stood up and stretched, and a yawn escaped her mouth. "Tomorrow, I think."

She turned around and stared at the front door, a little scared to go inside. She unlocked it and pushed it open. Alma was surprised to see it was just a single room. "How did they - ? Did they all live in one room?!" She remembered her grandparents lived here when her father and oldest uncle were still very young, but still - it didn't even have a kitchen?! Where was the bathroom?! She shook her head, amazed. This was really going to be roughing it.

She could see that even though Lewis had swept and dusted, it was still quite musty. There was a brick fireplace in the corner, a small table with one chair, a TV, and a bed. There had been a few aesthetic touches, including a potted plant in the corner, a small rug, a tiny picture on the wall, and a decorative bowl in the middle of the table. But other than that, the entire room was bare - except for a neatly-wrapped package in the middle of the room. A card was attached to it:

"A little something to get you started. Welcome to the neighborhood! - Mayor Lewis"

Alma opened the package and found a packet of parsnip seeds. She smirked, but the smirk quickly went away; had she ever even eaten parsnips before? "Well, I will soon!" she laughed to herself. She put the seeds on the table and pulled out her journal: "Cultivate and harvest a parsnip."

She turned on the TV and saw there were only four channels. The weather channel said tomorrow would be sunny - good for working on the farm. Another channel had some sort of psychic, and she said the spirits were in good humor today, whatever that meant. The food channel showed "the queen of sauce" cooking stir fry. The final channel was airing a program called "Livin' Off the Land," which gave farming advice. Alma was keen to watch, so she took off her boots, unbuckled her overalls, and sat on the bed to watch - though the creaking of the old bed drowned out the TV for a minute. As she watched, she sank lower and lower into her bed. After a while, she lay down. Soon she covered herself with the scratchy blanket, then she put her head on the pillow, and eventually, she fell asleep.

*CW: offensive language, eyes exploding

*TW: verbal abuse, toxic work situation, death threats

The phone rang, and Alma directed it to her headset. "Joja IT Department, this is Alma speaking, and your call is being monitored."

"My Joja computer won't work. It hasn't worked for days. I try to turn it on, and it won't do anything."

"Have you tried unplugging it and plugging it back in?"

"Give me a minute …. Okay, it's working now. Thanks."

Again, the phone rang, this time a little louder. "Joja IT Department, this is Alma speaking, and your call is being monitored."

"Hi, I ordered a Joja microwave that blew up, and when you all sent me a replacement, the box came all banged up! Can I get an exchange for the exchange?!"

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry that happened. Let me redirect you to Customer Service. Thank you for your business." She transferred the call and picked up another line that was louder still. "Joja IT Department, this is Alma speaking, and your call is being monitored."

"My Joja phone is sparking! It's going to cause a fire!"

"What?! Hang up and call 9-1-1!" The line died, and another call rang loudly in Alma's ears. "Joja IT Department, this is Alma speaking, and your call is being monitored.

"Monitored? By who?"

"It's for training purposes, sir. We will not disclose any of your personal information that may be recorded."

"Who's recording my personal information? We haven't even started the call yet!"

"No, sir, I know, but just in case something gets - "

"Leaked?!"

"No, I meant - "

"Who is your manager? I need to talk to someone who actually gives a fuck."

"I'm here to help you, sir. What can I do for you today?"

"I'd like to fuck you up for selling me this piece of shit!"

"Sir, I'm sorry, but if you'd like to file a complaint, you'll have to contact Customer Service."

"I fucking contacted Customer Service, you damn whore! They put me on fucking hold for the whole fucking day!" As the voice on the phone grew louder, Alma's cubicle walls grew taller.

"Sir, I will not tolerate verbal abuse on this phone call."

"How much are they paying you, huh? You piece of fucking trash." The room became darker and darker, and the man's screaming voice peaked in her ears. "Do you get off on making us miserable, huh? Piece of shit!"

Alma felt smaller and smaller, and the headset started to coil around her head and neck. "Sir, this verbal abuse is unacce - "

"I hope you kill yourself, you cunt!" The headset started to squeeze her head, and she felt pressure build behind her eyes. "Die, you idiot, die and put us all out of our misery!" She felt her eyes begin to burst -

Monday, 1st of Spring

- Alma woke up.

She rolled over in the dim light and pinched her eyelids. She was hoping the stress dreams would have gone away after moving here, but maybe it would take some time. She sat up and looked out the window. The sun was just starting to come up. She flopped back down on her bed, feeling like she hadn't even slept. The bed was noisy and uncomfortable, the cabin was drafty, and she could hear all the noises outside through the night - added on top of her usual nightmares that never gave her a peaceful sleep. It was going to be a rough day. But, she reminded herself, at least she wasn't waking up to go back to Joja. "You've got a new life now. That's not going to happen to you ever again." She got up, got dressed, and got to work.

Alma opened her bag and examined the tools she had available: an ax, a scythe, a pickaxe, a hoe, and a watering can, plus the seeds she had gotten from the mayor's package. She knew she'd need the hoe to prepare the ground, but what else? She looked over her shoulder at the wild grass blowing in the spring breeze and said, "Yeah, I'm just gonna take all this." She rolled up her sleeves and reached back to pull her hair up - only to remember that it was all gone. "Right," she said. "That's going to take getting used to."

Alma started just in front of the house, chopping down trees, cutting down grass, and getting rid of stone and debris in her way before she tilled the ground, planted the parsnip seeds, and watered them. It didn't take long before she was covered in sweat and dirt and felt exhausted. Her bag was full, and when she looked at the materials she had gathered from clearing out the brush, she thought she might have enough to fashion a chest for storage. She gathered the wood, got her tools, and built the rickety chest, placing it by the front stairs. It didn't look the best, but it got the job done; she unloaded the resources she'd gathered into the chest: some wood, stone, coal, fiber, sap, nuts, and seeds. It already made her feel better to not carry that around. She checked the time: it wasn't even noon yet?! It felt like the day was done. "Well, for me, it is," she panted, going into the cabin. She kicked off her dirt-covered boots and collapsed on the bed, the old mattress springs again loudly revealing their age. She thought that was enough work for the first day of her new life.

She lay on the bed for a few moments and closed her eyes, imagining what her life might lead to here in Stardew Valley. New purpose, serenity, inspiration, freedom, friends …. She tried to picture what the farm would look like when it was cleared, filled with healthy crops and livestock. She'd hug her cows every morning before harvesting vegetables and fruit trees, and maybe she'd go into town to deliver freshly made blueberry pies to all her friends and neighbors. "That's what I can do," Alma whispered, opening her eyes. She took out her journal and saw her first entry: "Introduce yourself around town."

Alma cleaned herself up (as best as she could without a sink) and looked herself over in the reflection of the front window. She curled her dark, cropped hair behind her ear. It was the first she had seen herself since being here, and she was still getting used to her short, colored hair. She'd always wanted it to be cropped like this, with a bit of purple highlight. She cut and dyed it herself, just a day or so before coming. Alma could tell she looked tired, but she was happy with who she saw in the window - she thought, anyway. She slowly smiled to herself before leaving the cabin and going into town.

Walking down the dirt road, Alma felt like she was in a dream. She took a deep breath of the warm spring air and couldn't believe she had made it here. She passed the bus stop on her left, the bus still broken down and sitting on the street. To her right were tall, beautiful trees full of songbirds and squirrels. Blossoms floated around her and made the air fragrant, and she could feel the heat of the warm sun on her skin. She ran her hand along the old wooden fences, feeling the roughness of the wood grain under the smoothness of the aged finish. She took another deep breath and smiled, feeling like she was walking along the road with her grandparents.

As she entered town, the road changed to cobblestone, and lampposts started to line the way. She saw to her left a path going up a cliff into what appeared to be a park and to her right an entrance to another small wooded park area. But the heart of town appeared to be straight ahead. She walked forward and looked at the buildings, wondering where she should go first. The closest building appeared to be a clinic of some kind, so she took a sharp inhale and started for the door with a big exhale. Just as she reached for the handle, the door swung open, and both she and the exiting man jumped with a shout. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry!" Alma said, placing her hand on her chest.

"No, excuse me, it's my fault. Were you - coming in?" the man asked with a puzzled tone, probably confused by seeing a new face. He was a tall man in a green lab coat, a button-up shirt, and red tie, with glasses and a mustache. He was well-built and kind-looking, albeit obviously flustered.

"Oh, no - well, yes, I - " She chuckled a little, still catching her breath. "Sorry, let me try this again." She held out her hand. "My name is Alma. I've just moved into the old farmhouse outside of town, on the west side." His grip was more gentle than she anticipated, and his face settled into a warm smile. "I'm just taking some time to get out and say hi to everyone here on my first day, and this was the first building on my way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Alma," he said, pushing up his glasses. "I'm sorry again if I startled you. I was just stepping out for some fresh air. I'm Harvey, the local doctor."

"So this is your clinic?"

"That's right, yes. I perform regular check-ups and medical procedures for all the residents of Pelican Town." He turned around and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, looking up to the little balcony on the second floor. "And I live above the clinic, so I spend practically all my time in this building." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. But he turned back to her and flashed that small, warm smile, saying, "It's rewarding work. I hope you'll find your own work equally rewarding, in time."

"I hope so too," she agreed with a smile. "It's going to be hard, but I think it will be worth it. Infinitely better than sitting in a cubicle all day feeding the corporate beast, at least."

"Yes, I - I'm sure!"

"Well," she said with a sigh, "I'd like to say 'See you around,' but since you're the doctor, maybe not so much? Heheh …"

Dr. Harvey chuckled a bit too. "Yes, right. Farming is hard work, like you said. Take care of yourself."

"You too." And as he walked away, she rolled her eyes and scoffed for that embarrassing amount of awkwardness. She facepalmed and peeked behind her to see if he saw her. Dr. Harvey continued walking and turned into the little park just to the left of town, looking up into the sky above him. She hoped that maybe that introduction might be the worst one since it was the first one. She'd get better with practice. Hopefully.

Alma went on throughout the town, knocking on doors and shaking lots of hands. There was one family she was especially excited to meet. Mayor Lewis had mentioned yesterday that the Mullners were in Pelican Town when her grandparents still lived here, so she was anxious to meet them. And it didn't take long; they were only a few doors down from the clinic. She knocked on the door, and a sweet old woman answered the door. "Why, hello and welcome to our little community, dear! I was wondering when I'd get to finally see you!"

An older man's voice called, "Who is it?! Tell 'em my show is on!"

She smiled and called back to him, "It's the new farmer, honey! Phillip's granddaughter!" She wrapped her shawl a bit tighter around her shoulders. "Oh … my dear. You have your grandfather's eyes."

"Yes, ma'am, I know. I'm proud of them."

"You should be, sweetheart." She sighed, and her own eyes wandered a moment. "Yes … Yes, I knew him very well. Such a sweet man, bless his soul. Well, now, where are my manners?" she giggled, snapping back to. "My name is Evelyn. You can call me 'Granny,' if you like."

"Ms. Mullner, it's a pleasure. I'm Alma."

"Alma. What a beautiful name. Well, come in, come in, please!" She waved for her to enter, and she closed the door behind her. "You just make yourself at home, Alma. I'm going to get us some munchies." She shuffled into the kitchen. Alma could see Mr. Mullner sitting in a wheelchair in front of the TV. The volume was quite loud. "Now when did you get in, Alma?"

"Just yesterday, ma'am," she answered, coming to stand next to the dining room table.

Evelyn craned her neck and called, "George! Why don't you turn down that TV and come say hi to our guest?" He grumbled something and turned the volume down a few notches.

"Mayor Lewis suggested I get around town today and meet people," Alma continued, "and you all were some of the main ones I wanted to meet."

"Well, that's so sweet of you, honey."

"Hmmph. It's irritating to have to meet all these new people, huh?" He rolled his chair to face them, but still stayed in the other room. "Name's George, by the way. Now buzz off!" And he turned back to the TV again. "Hmmph."

"Oh goodness, George," Evelyn said, bringing a plate of cookies to the table. "Don't pay him any mind, Alma. He's sweet when you get to know him, but he has a pretty rough exterior. Here, have a seat."

"Actually, that's very kind, and I do want to talk with you all more, but I'd like to explore the town a bit more, if that's all right."

"Of course, honey. Here, take a cookie with you. We will have lots of time to talk and get to know each other, I'm sure." Just then, a door slammed from another part of the house. Alma looked over her shoulder and saw a young man in a letterman jacket coming down the hall and spinning a football in the air. "Alex, dear, we have company. Say hello to Alma."

"Oh, hey, you're the new girl, huh?" He looked her over and smiled. "I think we're going to get along great. I'm Alex." He reached over her and grabbed a cookie. "See you around!"

"Alex, don't forget to - " But he was out the door. Evelyn snickered and shook her head. "I promise manners are usually a priority in this house."

"It's quite all right, Ms. Mullner."

"Granny," she corrected, handing her two cookies. "Now you run along and meet everyone, and don't be a stranger, okay?"

"Yes ma'am, thank you!"

They said their goodbyes, and Alma went on throughout the neighborhood. Most everyone seemed nice and excited to have a newcomer in town. On her way home that night, she took out her journal and scratched off the first entry. She thought maybe if she continued the effort to intentionally reach out, she could make friends more quickly. Gifts were her first thought, but she reminded herself she had practically nothing! What would she give people? She didn't know for now, but she thought gifts were still a good idea. "They'll turn up," she told herself as she wrote a new entry at the bottom of her journal: "Give anyone a gift."

CW: some offensive language, end-of-life requests, strained family relations

Alma came into her childhood bedroom and found her oldest cousin going through her desk drawer. "Hey! That's my stuff! Leave it alone, Philly!" Though she was still in her adult body, she sounded like an eleven-year-old. He held up the letter from Grandpa and had a strange look on his face, like a look of a hard-fought victory. "Put it back."

"No. It should've been mine to begin with."

"I … I know."

"You should have given it to one of us - to your dad, my dad, or even one of your brothers! We could have taken care of it."

"How would you have taken care of it?"

"We could have sold it then! When it was in its prime! The land was worth so much more then than it is now. The cabin's in shambles, the land is useless, and all of Pelican Town itself has gone down in value. The deed's worth nothing now."

"So you would have just turned around and sold it?"

"And used the money to help the family! Pay off debts, put it in college accounts for the next generation - pay for Grandma's hospice care. But, no, you waited until it was convenient for you and decided to have fun with it and play farmer instead!"

"If the land is useless and worthless then, yes, let me use it to bring some joy to my life! You know I have nothing else to do that!"

"This is our farm, our land, our family! But did you consult any of us in the decision? No, it was all about Princess Alma, Grandpa's special little girl - the girl, by the way, who doesn't know shit about farming! You're just going to destroy the land and kill yourself in the process! At least let us use it for something!"

"Look, I'm sorry! I'm sorry he chose me! All right? But I had no choice in this. I didn't want this! But he did - he chose me. And he asked me to wait and open that letter when I thought the time was right. How was I supposed to know it was the deed to Paradise?! And, what, you want me to not respect his wishes?!" A lump formed in her throat. "I saw … when he was in the hospital, asking to go home. We all knew that if he went home, it meant he would die. But that's what he wanted. It was his wish to go home and be with his family. And we respected that, knowing what would happen. How could I watch that happen and then open the letter before he wanted me to? How could you have expected me to do that?"

He was silent for a moment. "I hope the land serves you well. Because it won't be doing anything for any of the rest of us."

She rushed in front of him and managed to grab the letter from his hands. She opened the envelope and read over the familiar words again, though her mind could only really see certain phrases clearly: "dire need," "lost sight," "what mattered most: real connections with people and nature," "dropped everything," "I truly belong," "perfect place to start your new life," "most precious gift of all." The very end of the letter was clear, though, and in large letters:

"I know you'll honor the family name, my dear. Good luck.

Love,

Grandpa.

PS If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?"

She realized something. She remembered Lewis saying that when her grandfather came to see him before he died, he was a brand new mayor. He must have been young then. Why did Grandpa assume he might be dead and call him an old guy?

"He knew I would wait," she said quietly.

"What's that?" Philly asked sharply, taking the letter from her again and stomping off.

She sighed and watched him stop to read it. "Listen, you're right. It should have been you. It makes sense for it to have been you." She slowly stepped closer as she spoke. "You have his name; you should have also had his farm. It should have been you. It should have …." She stood right in front of him, toe to toe. "But it wasn't. It was me." She grabbed the letter from his hands, and he disappeared.