Thursday, 4th of Spring

When the rooster crowed on Thursday morning, Alma momentarily forgot where she was. She was expecting to be back in her apartment in the city, ready to face another grueling day at Joja. But instead, her nose filled with the musty, wet scent of the old cabin. She could hear the sound of soft rain tinkling on the tin roof - and drip in the corner. She opened her eyes and looked at the spring rain out the window. She was happy to remember where she was, but she was also so deeply tired. Did she have to get out of bed today? The plants would be watered, so that would be done. The thought of cutting grass, breaking up rocks, and chopping trees in the rain did not sound great. She took a minute to roll over and curl her thin blanket closer. But eventually, she knew she needed to get up. "A farmer's work is rain or shine, I guess," she told herself as she pushed to sit up.

She got dressed and stepped outside the door, and as the awning over the porch gave some protection, she looked up and saw she had something in the mailbox. She must have missed it before. She rushed into the rain, emptied the mailbox, and brought her mail with her back under the sagging awning, wiping her face. There was an ad from Pierre and an invitation from someone named Willy to pick up something from him on the beach. She made a note of it in her journal. As she folded up the letters and put them in the front pocket of her overalls, she looked out over the farm to assess the work for the day. She thought maybe she could get a bit of work done before heading to the beach, and maybe she might find some things around the farm to sell at the store for a bit of money. So that's what she did: she got her tools, cleared out some of the brush, and gathered forageables on her way, all while getting soaked in the warm rain.

After a few hours of wet and muddy work, she stood up to catch her breath and wipe water from her eyes. This was grueling, she thought. She was already exhausted. Would it be this hard every day? She checked the time and looked at her map of town; it was right around lunch time, so she had a good amount of time to get to Pierre's and the beach. She gathered her things on the porch, scraped her boots as best as she could on the stairs, grabbed her bag, and headed into town, holding her hand over her head in a futile effort to block out the rain.

As she approached the clinic, Alma wondered if she should go in. No doubt Dr. Harvey was a bit overwhelmed by her state yesterday. Maybe she should apologize? But she looked just as bad today as she did yesterday - probably worse, in fact - though her mind was in a better place. Maybe she should thank him? Or maybe she should just leave him alone. She went on to Pierre's.

"Come on in from the rain, Alma," Pierre called in with a wave. She wiped her boots on the rug and wiped her face with her hand. "You don't have an umbrella or a coat or anything, huh?"

"No," she answered, shaking out her hair as she walked to the counter, her boots squeaking with each step. "I didn't think that far ahead, I guess. Sorry for any mess. I'll try to be careful."

"I've got a mop and towels – don't worry about it. You got anything for me?"

"Just a few wildflowers and things like that," she said, putting her wet bag on the counter. "Probably not enough to buy anything today."

"Sometimes it's like that. But I'll still be happy to take what you've got!" So she showed him what she had, and he gave her some gold for it. "Maybe you'd be interested in an umbrella?"

"Oh, yes, if you have one!"

Pierre showed her where they were in the store, and he handed one to her. "On me."

"No, Pierre, let me pay for it!"

He shook his head. "I insist. You look like you could use it. Plus, most people stay indoors on a day like this …. It's not good for business. But I have a feeling you'll be bringing in a lot of business for me. You'll earn your keep for this umbrella. But for now, I know you're just getting on your feet," he said with a smile.

She hesitantly accepted it. "I must look pretty pitiful, huh?"

He laughed and patted her soggy shoulder. "I'll see you around, Alma!"

"Thank you very much, Pierre!" She opened up her umbrella as she stepped outside and welcomed the sound of the pelting above her. She made her way to the south of town, chatting with people on her way. When she got to the beach, she found several things (mostly shells) lying in the sand that she collected and put in her bag.

When she approached the pier, she saw a bearded older man standing at the end, watching the waves and smoking his pipe. "Excuse me," she called, "are you Willy?"

"Heard there was a newcomer in town. Good to finally meet ya."

"Yes, that would be me. I'm Alma. Word seems to travel fast, but I guess that's part of the charm of a small town."

He smiled. "I'm still tryin' to unwind from a month out on the salty seas. Shootin' the breeze and piddlin'. So you know people gab a lot."

"I can understand. Were you fishing on your journey then?"

"Aye, it was a big haul! I sold a lot of good fish. Finally saved enough to buy me a new rod."

"Oh, that's good then! Even more good fish coming."

Willy puffed on his pipe a bit more and walked over to the shop, picking up an old bamboo rod leaning against the side. "Here. I want you to have my old fishing rod." And he handed it to her.

"Me?!"

"It's important to me that the art o' fishing stays alive. Not many people in town are very fond of it. I'm hopin' you will be. And hey, maybe you'll buy something from the shop once in a while."

Alma took the bamboo pole, still shocked. "Well, I'd certainly love to support your business, but I've never fished a day in my life!"

He walked to the edge of the pier again, looking far into the sea. "There's good water here in the valley. All kinds o' fish. You shouldn't have any problem." He turned and pointed toward the shop. "Oh yeah. My shop's back open now, so come by if you need supplies. I'll also buy anything you catch. 'If it smells, it sells!'" he chuckled. "That's what my ol' Pappy used to say, anyway."

"That's very kind, sir. I'll do my best, and I'll definitely be coming by for help, I'm sure!"

"Would you like a little help now? I can get you started and show you how to cast a line."

"That would be very helpful, yes!"

Willy showed her how to stand, hold the rod, and throw it into the water. He held her umbrella for her as she tried it for herself. They both watched as the line flew into the ocean water. "See? You're a natural, lass! Now ye just wait." It didn't take long before she felt pulling, and Willy showed her how to reel it in without fighting too hard for it. She was ecstatic to reel in her very first fish: a tiny little anchovy!

"Wow! I already caught one?!"

Willy laughed at her excitement. "Ah, it's nice to be around a greenhorn again," he sighed, handing her back her umbrella. He crouched down over the pier to help her take the wriggling fish off the hook and place it in her bag. He groaned as he stood back up, saying, "These old bones need a drink. I'll be heading to the saloon, if you'd like to join me."

"Oh, sure! That sounds lovely. Care to share my umbrella?"

"Allow me, miss," Willy said, offering his arm and taking her umbrella. As they walked, she could smell the tobacco and salt on him. It was strangely comforting, and she was a bit surprised she didn't feel threatened by Willy. "So what brings ye to Pelican Town?"

"You mentioned you had a Pappy? The farm here belonged to my grandfather." As they walked, Alma told Willy about the letter, the deed, Joja, and her decision to leave it all.

Willy laughed and said, "Never fished, never farmed, up and comin' to a faraway place ye've never been to, not knowin' anybody …." He shook out her umbrella when they arrived at the Stardrop Saloon. "You've got a wild spirit, girl. I think you'll find you fit in quite nicely here," he said with a wink as he held the door open. This comment really hit her, and it brought a small but proud smile to her face.

There was a modest crowd inside the saloon: Gus and Emily tended the bar, where Pam was already looking pretty spent. Leah was enjoying a glass of wine and a salad by the window, Shane was downing a stein of beer by the fireplace, Sebastian and Sam were playing pool in the rec room, Clint was having some spaghetti at a table by himself, and right there at the entrance was Dr. Harvey, sitting at the bar and sipping a glass of red wine. "Gus, an ale for me and a wine for the newcomer!" Willy called, setting Alma's umbrella and fishing rod by the door. Dr. Harvey turned his head and nodded to Alma with a smile. She gave a little wave as she scraped her boots on the rug.

"Comin' up, Willy," Gus answered.

"Thank you again, sir," Alma said to Willy. She decided to take the seat right in front of her at the bar, next to Dr. Harvey. "Hello again, Doctor," she said.

"Good evening. Are y-you feeling better since yesterday?"

"Yes, about that," she started, trying to tame her frizzy hair behind her ear, "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to unload like that on you."

He shook his head and said, "No, don't apologize. I'm not a licensed therapist, but I know the importance of mental health. I'm glad you were able to process some of what's going on. It - It's a lot for you."

"It is," she said, and she thanked Gus for the glass he put in front of her. She lifted the glass slightly to Dr. Harvey, and he clinked his against hers. "Is Stardew wine good?" she asked before taking a sip.

"Quite good, I think. I enjoy a glass occasionally. It's rich in antioxidants."

"Mm, that is pretty good," she said, holding up the glass to get a better look, "especially after a long day in the rain."

"Be careful out there in this kind of weather. You wouldn't want to catch a cold." She nodded in agreement. A moment passed, and Dr. Harvey watched the wine swirl in his glass. "You know, Ms. Alma, I'm fairly new here as well - compared to most people, anyway."

"Oh yeah?"

"Most of the people in Pelican Town have a history here. Their family was here, they've got roots here. There are some exceptions, like Leah over there, for example. But for the most part, people don't come to Pelican Town; they grow in it."

"Oh, I see. That makes me kind of a transplant, I guess."

"I guess so. A repotting," he chuckled.

"So how long have you been here?"

Dr. Harvey looked up in thought. "Oh about … six years now, I suppose."

"And that's still considered being a newcomer?"

"Relatively speaking, yes. I came here fresh out of my residency. I wanted to find a small town that needed a doctor because I wanted to get connected to the patients, really get to know them, and make a real difference in their lives. And I – I didn't want the rush and stress of a big city hospital or something like that. Even with just being in a clinic for a place as small as this, there's still a lot of stress." He took another sip of wine. "I came here because I liked the small-town atmosphere and the potential for a holistic approach to patient care. I've grown to really love it."

"A holistic approach? As in …?"

"As in … well, that - that horseradish you gave me on Tuesday. Most institutions would not really consider that a reputable medicine. But I firmly believe in care besides just pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments, and I'm thankful that the people here are open to that too. Even though I may have the freedom to treat with a more holistic approach, sometimes the people - maybe especially in a more rural area like this - are not always as interested."

From the times talking with Dr. Harvey, Alma got the impression that he was actually quite timid. Yes, he was very knowledgeable, friendly, and confident in his work as a physician, but he often stuttered at the beginning of his thoughts, made concessions for his opinions, and looked down when he spoke. And though maybe it was the wine loosening him up a bit, she noticed that when he talked about the people of Pelican Town, he was more sure in his words.

"So they welcomed you pretty quickly?"

"Oh yes. Well," he nodded his head toward Shane in the corner, "most everyone." He tipped his glass to Alma. "I'm sure they'll quickly be welcoming of you too." She clinked her glass to his, and they both took a sip.

CW: car crash

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."

Alma knew that voice, and she looked carefully at the back of the driver's head. "Grandma?" She got out of her seat and raced to the front of the bus. Sure enough, driving the bus was her grandmother, her gray hair braided down one shoulder and her eyes still bright.

"Have a seat, Alma. It's not safe to stand there while the bus is moving."

Alma sat, her gaze still fixed. "What are you - What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Well … I'm following Grandpa's wishes. I'm taking over Paradise Farm in Stardew Valley."

"And I'm so proud of you for doing that," she said with a heartfelt smile. "But … what are you really doing?"

Alma stopped and tried to think about what she was talking about. "I'm … trying to find myself. I thought I knew my life, but … it fell apart so quickly. And now I don't know where I am in it anymore. So I'm starting a new one."

"Mm, that sounds more like it." She looked at Alma in the rearview mirror. "Alma, my dear, I have known you for your whole life. One of the many things I know about you is that you love people. You've always had scores of friends, you always want to trust others, you are always looking for ways to help …. You're very much like your grandpa in this way. But I know from you and him - you all don't take very good care of yourselves." Alma looked out the window and knew she was right. "So much of the hurt you have experienced in your life is because you put others before yourself, which - I want you to hear me - is a good thing. But putting others first does not mean putting yourself last."

"So how do I … not do that?"

"Well, you've taken a very good first step – and I think your grandfather helped you with that. He saw so much of himself in you, and he knew you might need this down the line. You listened to him and his wisdom, even after his death."

"But now that I'm here, where can I find myself? What can he – what can you tell me about that?"

She turned on the blinker and took the exit off the highway. "There are things here that you don't know about yet - forces more than you can imagine. Keep your eyes and your mind open - and your heart too. You have a lot of love to give, and I know you want to spread it to everyone and everything around you, but I understand that you just can't right now. And that's okay. I know with what you've been through, it will be hard to open your heart to trust others, but when you're ready, you should. Help the town – help the people, and they will help you. Love others and love yourself more than you ever have before, and I promise you, Alma," she said definitively, looking at her again in the rearview mirror, "you will not be disappointed. You will find yourself again, and you will be happier than ever with the person you've discovered."

They were turning on the off ramp, and Alma noticed her grandmother's hands stopped moving on the wheel. "Grandma?" She looked at her face in the mirror and saw it was blank - not emotionless but actually blank; she became like a mannequin, dressed like her grandmother, with her grandmother's hair, but she was faceless and just gripping the wheel - not driving anymore. Just as Alma realized the bus was out of control and reached for the steering wheel, the bus jumped off the road and crashed into the cliff wall.