Alma's Paradise

by ValleyWriter

The SVT reads, "'I kept looking at the envelope, thinking things would get better. I could hold on.' The family all thought Grandpa Phillip had sold the farm, but in fact, he had been saving it for his only granddaughter, Alma. And though she knew nothing about farming, fishing, or foraging, the decision was an easy one: it was time to honor his wishes and move to Paradise Farm."

66. Wednesday, 10th of Fall (10 heart event)

Thursday, 10th of Fall

Alma watched The Queen of Sauce from her bed, jotting down the recipe for stir fry as the queen herself detailed how to make it. Cave carrot, kale, mushroom, and oil. Seemed simple enough. "Now breathe deeply." She watched as the queen lifted chopsticks full of vegetables up to her nose then took a bite. "Oh, that's good!"

Alma turned off the TV and hopped out of bed, ready to start the day. She snapped her overall straps on as she stepped outside, and she looked to see she had some mail in her mailbox. "I swear, if a million people mail me again today …." But she had one simple letter, not even in an envelope. It was just a note folded in half:

"Alma,

I have a surprise for you. Meet me by the railroad tracks.

- Harvey"

She smiled when she read it and wondered what it could be. He didn't give a time. It was Wednesday, so Maru would be able to help in the office from about nine to five. Or maybe he just asked her to take the day off? No, he would never just close the clinic or take a personal day. The letter wasn't mailed; it seemed like maybe he popped it in her mailbox early this morning. Maybe he was expecting her this morning? She looked out at the farm. There was work to be done. She folded up the note so she could get to work quickly then head to the railroad tracks to meet him.

She made her usual rounds and kept wondering what the surprise might be. She harvested the corn and sunflowers, watered the other crops, gave Bisclavret water and pats, picked the mushrooms, gathered eggs, emptied and refilled the mayonnaise machines, cuddled the chickens and duck, milked the cows and the goat, emptied and refilled the cheese presses, and did a quick walkthrough to see if anything needed cleaning or repair. When she was done, she organized her things in the chests, dropped things to sell in the shipping bin, took a deep breath, and made her way north to the mountain pass.

When Alma came up the stone stairs toward the bath house and looked ahead to the railroad tracks, she could see Harvey pacing back and forth, facing the tree line on the far north side. "Hey," she called.

He turned as soon as he heard her voice and smiled, his face pink with nervousness. "There you are." He greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"I hope you haven't been waiting on me long."

"No no, you're - you're just in time," he said, looking up in the sky past the mountains to the north. "It should be here any minute."

"So what is this surprise? You look pretty nervous."

"I am - but also really excited. I hope you like it." Harvey gave her another hug and squeezed her tight. He looked over her shoulder and gasped. "Look!" he exclaimed, keeping an arm tight around her. "Here it comes!"

"Here what - ?" She looked and could see a bright blue ball rising over the trees. As it moved, it became more clear what it was: a hot air balloon, coming to land right in front of them. "Harvey, you - you didn't!"

"We'd better step back," he said with a big smile, pulling her out of the way with him.

The balloon started to lower in front of them, and the closer the balloon got, Alma and Harvey both noticed that it was not in the best shape. The envelope had several patches and looked well-worn. It made both of them a bit more nervous. The basket had a decorative letter M on it, and the pilot inside was an older gentleman dressed in a purple suit and purple top hat. Alma thought he looked more like a clown than a pilot. "Marcello's Balloon Rentals at your service!" he called from the basket, doffing his hat. The balloon touched down, and he hopped out, staking the balloon to the ground. He turned and looked at Harvey and Alma with open arms. "It's all yours for two hours."

"Wait," Harvey gasped, "you mean - you're not c-coming with us?! But you're - you're the pilot! Who's going to fly this?!"

"Oh, you can!" he encouraged with a dismissive wave.

"But I - I don't have a license! I've never even been in a balloon - or any aircraft!"

"Look, it's a perfect day for flying. You're starting early in the day, so the winds are slow and predictable. This is a low pollution area, so you're not going to hit any inversion. Humidity is low, and you're already at a high altitude. Half the work's already done for ya!"

"I'm sorry, but n-no! You - You can't!" Harvey continued to protest.

"All the tools and emergency equipment are inside. It's easy: You release a flame from the burner to lift off, let out more propane to make it rise faster, gradually open the cruise on the propane tank to stay at altitude, steer by catching crosswinds, and pull the rip line to vent the air and lower the balloon, using the blast valve like a brake if you need it. It's easy peasy."

"That doesn't sound very easy," Alma said quietly.

"But you - you can't - I don't know if - "

"It's just two hours. You'll be fine." He turned sharply and said to himself, "Now … I was told there's a saloon somewhere around here?" and before Harvey or Alma could protest any more, he was gone.

Alma looked at Harvey, but he was frozen with fear. "Do you think he leaves all the customers to fly it on their own? Or did you tell him you're an aspiring pilot?" She looked at the balloon and saw the stakes pulling as the basket bounced slightly off the ground. Harvey was still motionless. "Harvey?"

He gulped and looked up at the balloon. The pilot left the cruise on, so it was still releasing enough hot air to keep the envelope open. "I saw an ad for these balloon rides in the paper, and I knew I had to surprise you with one."

"But," she asked, putting her arm in his, "aren't you afraid of heights?"

"I am … yeah," he gulped.

"Well," she said, "I'm very flattered, and I'd love to do this with you ... but you'd be terrified! How would you even enjoy it?"

He shook his head, not sure what he was thinking either. "I thought it would be a great first flight for me - to be in one of the safest aircrafts with one of the bravest people." He turned and put his hand on top of hers, smiling with his eyes still darting back and forth with uncertainty. "This was a surprise for you … but also be-because of you. You conquer your fears all the time, and you inspired me to face one of mine, with you next to me to give me some courage." He looked back to the balloon and shook his head, running his hands through his hair. "When I called to make the reservation, I didn't realize it was this - this dubious," he said, gesturing up to the patched balloon and slapping his thigh. "I at least thought the pilot was going to fly it! Silly me!" he scoffed.

Alma knew Harvey wouldn't take a risk if he thought it was dangerous. But she was surprised that he wasn't backing away. "I'm sure they'll give you your money back."

Harvey's eyes stayed on the balloon, and he was quiet for a moment. "I can read a topographic map. An altimeter. An aviation map." She looked at him closely as he spoke. His eyes lost focus as he started to think through everything. "I know about the effects of meteorology on LTA aircraft - how temperature, altitude, and humidity interact. I know how to stay out of turbulence and thermals."

Alma backed up a little. "You're not - You're not actually thinking of flying this?"

He looked at her. "In preparation for this trip, I … did learn all about how to fly a hot air balloon." He turned and looked back up at the balloon. "I wanted to make sure I knew what the pilot was doing."

She stood in front of him, trying to catch his eye. "Harvey, it's not safe! … right?"

He walked around her, closer to the balloon. "Maybe I'm so scared that my brain isn't thinking straight, but … I want to fly it." Now he looked at her, and she was shocked at how calm he seemed. "I mean … it's been my dream. It's been what I've always wanted. Right? And it's right here." He put his hand on the edge of the basket. "And I … I think I can?" Alma wasn't sure how to answer. He was so calm, she now seemed more scared than he was. Was he that confident in his abilities? "I am terrified, like you said," he said, coming back to her. "But I'm determined to not let that stop me from doing what I want anymore," he took her hands, "and experiencing this with you. I wouldn't - I couldn't do it with anyone else."

"Harvey - "

"A wise woman once told me she needed to run away from a lot in her past life and was now running toward a lot in this new one." She pursed her lips, immediately remembering that day in early spring. "It was the first thing you said to me that made me see your bravery - the way you took your life into your own hands. And I've been watching you get stronger and stronger, more and more courageous." He took her shoulders and stroked them gently. "I want to live like you do, think like you think, see like you see. I want to run toward more in my life."

"But can you …." She lowered her eyebrows and looked into his eyes with all seriousness. "Can you do this?"

He looked at the balloon and balled up his fists. "I'll try not to get scared. You're here with me." He reached down and held her hand, lacing his fingers in hers.

She scanned his face and took a deep breath. "Okay, well …." She stepped toward the balloon. "If you're that confident, I trust you." She stepped into the basket and gave him a little smile. "Time's ticking, I guess." He took a deep breath and climbed in the basket too.

"Okay, I need - yes, here, gloves and goggles." He quickly put them on, his hands shaking, and examined the basket for other materials. "There's the extinguisher, first aid kit …. And, yes, here are the tools: altimeter, maps, compass, okay, here's the flight log, and - Oh, wow!"

"What is it?"

He lifted up a small handheld device, and a huge grin covered his face. "It's a portable aviation radio!" Alma smiled, and he turned back to look at the equipment more. "Okay, okay, fuel gauge … is at ninety gallons, and at thirty gallons an hour, that's more than enough, perfect. Okay, this is the burner system ... rip line … the liquid burner and the main burner … the propane release … turning vents, and the ground ties.

"Okay, so, flight plan - we need a flight plan. Uh … wind is traveling … southeast on the ground, which means the closest obstacles will be … the bath house and those trees. But then once past those, we should be clear since we're in the mountains. So in two hours, ten miles an hour at most, we'll probably go twenty miles southwest, west, depending on wind directions - which will change the closer we get to the water and the higher up we go. Gotta try to stay on westward winds to stay away from the Gem Sea." He pulled out the topography map. "Twenty miles west-southwest of here ... Yeah, there's some flat land. We'll find somewhere there to land." He looked at Alma and smiled with determination. "We're ready."

She smiled and nodded, trying to project confidence. "Let's go!"

Harvey fumbled with the radio and flipped in the log book. "Uh, ground? Uh … T-Tango Marcello nine zero six alpha, uh, fifty-three north, forty-four east, estimating uh … twenty miles west-southwest at," he looked at his watch, "ten-thirty. Requesting permission for takeoff. Oh, uh - and student pilot. Over." He listened for a moment, but the radio was quiet. "Okay, well, I'll have to try again later. Will you, uh, will you help me - "

"For crying out loud!" a voice said over the radio, and Harvey and Alma both jumped and grabbed each other. It was Marcello. "Just let me know when you're on your way back, okay?"

They exchanged glances and laughed a little, nervously. Harvey raised the radio to his mouth. "C-Copy that. Over." He put the radio down and asked again, "Will you help me pull the ground tie on that side, on three?"

"Sure, yeah," she said, grabbing the line.

"All right, one … two … three!" They both pulled the lines, and the balloon began moving over the ground. "Burner, burner, burner," Harvey chanted as he turned the valve to let out a steady stream of hot air into the envelope, and the balloon quickly started rising. They cleared the bath house, though it was close. "Yoba …. We're in the air." He looked at Alma, the color gone from his face. "We're - We're in the air!"

"We're in the air!" Alma laughed.

Harvey stared for a moment, a smile growing then fading away. "Okay, there - the first breeze, yes, southwest - so now I need the closest obstacle - those trees." He released the propane gradually, allowing the balloon to lift off faster. "Four hundred feet a minute, yes, that's the right climb. I'm switching to the liquid burner." He closed the valve on the main burner and opened the one on the liquid burner, giving it bursts rather than a continuous blast. "Alma?" he called, not taking his eyes off the altimeter. "Am I … am I flying a hot air balloon?!"

"You are!" she laughed. She could see his eyes darting, his chest heaving up and down, and his hands moving quickly. She saw his eyes move down to the ground several times then clench closed. He would blink his eyes tightly and often and exhale sharply through a tense, rounded mouth. He looked really pale. "Harvey. Breathe." She put her hand on his back and started rubbing it gently. She tried breathing deeply for him, and he listened to her breath move in and out. He glanced at her quickly and let out a little nervous laugh, trying to match his breathing with hers as he looked over everything. "You're doing great. Just remember to keep breathing."

He tried to breathe with her, but his eyes kept looking over the edge of the basket and onto the altimeter. He would shut them and keep them closed more often than open. It was difficult for him to control his breath. "We're at s-seven hundred feet. One - One thousand a-and we should be stable. I can turn on the cruise then and relax a bit. But, Yoba, we'll be one thousand feet above the ground, Alma!"

"Don't think about where you are," she said, staying close to him and still rubbing his back. "It's just like your medical work. Breathe and focus on what you have to do. You're doing so good." His eyes were closed, then open quickly to release the valve, then closed again. "You've got this, Harvey."

He clenched his eyes tight and shook his head, releasing the valve again. "We … We're up so high, Alma," he gulped. "And it's - it's under my control. If I do something wrong, we - "

"But you haven't done anything wrong. You've gotten us this far. You're doing an amazing job."

"Alma, I - " he screeched, then he turned and squeezed her tight, burying his head in her shoulder. His whole body was shaking. "I can't do this!"

"Yes you can - you are doing this! You thought you could, and you are doing it, Harvey!"

"What was I thinking?! I - I should have listened to you! We shouldn't be up here! I don't have a l-license! My vision isn't anywhere near good enough to fly! I'm - I'm mentally compromised! What have I done?! I've put us in serious danger!" She could feel him still shaking, and his trembling breath made her think he might start crying. "I wanted to impress you with this," he whimpered quietly, "but look at me. I'm a trembling coward."

In response, she held his waist gently and began to just breathe. He felt her lungs inflate and deflate, and relaxed his eyes and tried his hardest to focus on her. He placed his forehead on hers and listened to the air going in … and out. He felt her body against his expand … and release. Inhale ... and exhale. Soon, his own body stopped shaking, and his grip loosened. "I'm so impressed," she whispered. "Nobody else can do what you're doing."

He exhaled sharply again, his breath still a little unsteady. "How do you stay so calm?" He reached up to release the valve again, taking a quick look at the altimeter too. "Almost to a thousand feet!" he squealed, putting his hands over his eyes.

She wrapped one hand around his neck, gently pulling his head to hers again. "I know it's hard," she said. "You're in the thick of it, but I know you can pull yourself out. The panic only lasts a few minutes. Just focus on me. I'm here. Breathe with me." She continued her deep breaths, stroking the back of his neck gently. He put his hands down and wrapped them around her, clinging to her overalls. They both closed their eyes and focused on their breath. In … and out. Inhale … and exhale. Again, his body became less rigid, and his grip loosened. "Tell me five things you can see," Alma said.

Harvey let out a half-chuckle, half-scoff. "I know this strategy. Grounding to help a–a panic attack."

"Then tell me," Alma said, trying to keep her voice calm and gentle. "Five things you can see."

Harvey opened his eyes and looked over Alma. "The b-brass buckles on your overalls, they're catching the sunlight."

"Yeah, great, what else?"

"The straps of your backpack, already starting to fray. Your, uh, your clavicle. Your toes … right in front of mine. And, uh, the shoelaces on your boots."

"Great, now four things you can feel."

He closed his eyes again and swallowed a tight lump in his throat. "My hands on your waist. Your hand on my neck."

"Mm-hm. And?"

"My forehead on yours. Your hair moving in the wind."

"Now three things you can hear."

"Your voice."

"Okay."

"The wind. And … b-birds."

"Two things you can smell."

"Propane. And hay."

"Not manure? I'm surprised," Alma chuckled. She paused for a moment then said, "One thing you can taste." She opened up her eyes and looked up at him, and they both knew what the other was thinking.

Harvey let out a nervous laugh and pulled away a bit. "Well," he said with a long exhale, "you've got more than enough courage to make up for me, Alma." He peeked down at her with one eye and saw her smiling up at him. "That's … That's part of why I like you." He ran one hand down her arm and tried to hold her hand with the heat-resistant gloves on. She chuckled at the bulkiness of his hand in hers. He listened to her laugh and looked at her smile. "One of many reasons." He opened the valve to lift them more, then he looked behind her at the altimeter. "We're at," he gulped, "a-a thousand now." He slowly opened the valve so that it let out a gradual release of hot air and kept it open. "Okay," he said, closing his eyes again, "I've set the cruise so that the propane sh-should release just enough to keep us level. Now we just have to w-watch for crosswinds that might move us around."

"All right. Feeling better?"

"A b-bit, yes. Thank you."

"If there's anything I can do to help, let me know," she said, patting his hand that was in hers.

"Okay," he said, "I'm going to open my eyes and look down."

"Okay, I've got you."

"Don't let go of my hand."

"You got it."

He stepped away from her and faced the side of the basket. When he opened his eyes, he felt his jaw clench and air escape his lungs. His legs felt weak, and he squeezed Alma's hand tighter. He started pulling in quick breaths, but Alma put her other hand on his and breathed deeply, reminding him to do the same. He closed his eyes gently and breathed, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw her face intently looking at him and felt more at peace. He could see the horizon behind her, and he shifted his glance to look down again, taking a deep breath. The ground felt less like it was pulsating and spinning and more like it was drifting and floating. He looked down at the ground and up at Alma, shocked. "I … I think I can do it now."

"Do what?" she asked with a smile.

"Be … in the air. And not be terrified!"

"And fly a hot air balloon!" she cheered, pulling his gloved hand to her chest and clapping on it happily with her other hand.

They both heard a fluttering sound, and when Harvey saw movement in his periphery, he jumped. "What is that?!"

"No, Harvey, look!" They both heard honking too, and he realized it was a flock of white geese flying in formation toward them.

"Oh wow!" he gasped. The geese flew right around the balloon, and they could hear their beating wings all around. Alma turned and watched them go, but Harvey's gaze stayed on her. She really was calm, and her steady energy just made her more poised and beautiful. His eyes moved down to the ground again. It was amazing to see Pelican Town from this angle. His nervous energy and adrenaline quickly turned to excitement and astonishment. He realized: this was a dream come true. He was in the air, in an aircraft, looking at the world from above. And he glanced over at Alma happily looking over the side of the basket. The icing on the cake was that she was with him. He took off the safety goggles so he could see the details on the ground more clearly. He saw his little apartment above the clinic, and then - Wait, what was that? "Hey, this is incredible!"

"What is it?" Alma said, turning back to face the same way as him.

He pointed over the edge of the basket. "I think I can see Mayor Lewis standing in the town square!"

Alma looked down and saw a small green and brown figure standing in Mayor Lewis's typical spot. "Well, look at that! Good eyesight, mister!"

"Ha! A sentence I never thought I'd ever hear!" He put an arm around her.

"This is amazing, isn't it?"

"It is! You can see the whole horizon, all the way over the sea!"

"Look at how the water moves …."

"And the way the light bends at the water's edge. It makes the sky look pink over there - just like a grapefruit! Oh, and the way it fades over the sky! Wow, the whole sky looks - so big!" Harvey laughed. "And the clouds …. We're in the clouds, Alma! I'm in the clouds!"

"You are! Can you believe it?!" She loved seeing his fear fade away and reveal more childlike excitement.

"Did you see all the autumn colors in the trees of the mountains?"

"Yes! Gorgeous! This was a perfect time of year for this!"

"Look, there's Paradise!" Harvey laughed. "I think I can see your crops, your barn, your coop - "

"And all my little animals roaming around!" He laughed; she was right! He could see the cows for sure, and maybe the goat too. And even Bisclavret running around. "Amazing. Simply amazing." As they moved across the sky, they pointed out more and more sights, and Alma loved to see Harvey's reaction. In the middle of it, Harvey couldn't believe that just a while ago, he was shaking and hyperventilating and having a panic attack. He looked at Alma. It was thanks to her, he knew. She had calmed him down, just by being there. She always made him feel calm.

She looked over at him and smiled. She was so proud of him - for him - and the way he took his fear into his own hands and used his knowledge alone to do something she felt was impossible. She came close to him and put her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, and she put her hands around his waist. His heart melted, and he remembered what he came up here to do. He looked at his watch. "Oh dear … our time's almost up."

"Aw no!" she whined. "Can't we just get lost somewhere? This is so great."

He smiled, thinking that did sound really nice. He took his gloves off and took one of her hands. "Um … Alma?" She looked up at him, and he felt another wave of anxiety for a whole different reason. "We, uh … We've known each other for a while now, and I've really enjoyed g-getting to know you more, uh, m-more closely. And I feel I need to … t-to be more honest with my ..." She scanned his face and stroked his knuckles with her thumbs, trying to comfort him.

He took a deep breath and tried again. "I know you are overcoming immense hurt from past romances, and you have trust and commitment difficulties because of those - and I first want you to know I completely understand that and in no way want you to feel like I'm pushing you. But I … er … I need to tell you how I … how I …." He looked at her eyes, how the pink light from the ocean horizon was reflecting on her face. The land was in the background, and the ocean met the clouds behind her, with the golden hues from the autumn trees warming the scene. "Wow."

"Harvey?"

He felt his mouth was open, but no more words were coming out. He pushed up his glasses and blinked himself back. "One thing I can taste." He looked at her and gave a sweet, pitiful smile. "May I … kiss you?"

Alma smiled softly and reached a hand to his neck. He reached to move a curl from her cheek and pressed his lips against hers. Another hand moved around her waist, pulling her close to him. Her hand was in his hair, surprisingly soft, and another hand was pressed gently against his chest. She felt his tie and wrapped her fingers around it. His kiss was just like him: strong and simultaneously tender, and she could feel the depth and sincerity he exuded. The way he held her was different, she thought; he was gentle and guiding, like he wanted to support her in his arms and not close her in them. He felt one hand along her cheek, neck, and shoulder, loving the curve of her body there. She felt the warmth inside his coat and pushed her hand around his waist on the inside, hooking her finger into a belt loop. They both thought it felt so good to be held and kissed again, but they both also felt something was different about this time. They had a similarity, a completion, an empathy in their embrace that neither of them had felt before. It made them pull on each other's lips a bit more and tug at their clothes a little harder.

Finally, Harvey opened his eyes and remembered - he was flying this balloon! "I'm so sorry," he said. He checked the altimeter; they had descended a bit, so he opened the valve again and checked the topography map to make sure they weren't coming up on any obstacles.

Alma stayed close to him, and when he came back, this time, she went in for the kiss. She wrapped both arms around his neck, and he placed his at her waist, feeling the curves around her waist and hips. Another wave of geese flew by, and they both could feel the breeze from their wings. Alma pushed off of Harvey and turned to watch the birds fly away. She leaned against his chest as he laced his fingers in hers and folded their arms across her chest. "Alma," he whispered in her ear, "I love you. That's what I'm trying to say." She turned her head over her shoulder, and they embraced again for another kiss.

After a while, Harvey had to pull away to man the balloon again when he looked at his watch. "Whoops," he chuckled, his face flushed, "our time was up half an hour ago."

Alma smiled and straightened his tie. "Whoops indeed."

"We'd better touch down." He put back on his goggles and gloves and picked up the radio. "Marcello, this is Dr. H. in the air, coming in for a landing at approximately fifty north, forty east, at eight hundred feet and descending, over." As he slowly started to vent the air with the rip line, he kept his eyes fixed again on the tallest trees in the area, watching to make sure the wind didn't blow them in a different direction.

"About time!" Marcello answered over the radio. "I've got the balloon pinged, so I'll be there with my crew to meet you soon!"

"Copy that, apologies, over." Harvey put the radio back down and looked at Alma. "It may be a bumpy landing. Hold on to the cables attaching the basket to the mouth." She held onto the cables and set her stance wide. Harvey vented with one hand and held on with the other. "Okay, two hundred feet a minute descending, but I know I can go as fast as six hundred a minute …." He aimed for a slow and smooth glide down, but he was concerned the ground was coming too quickly. He used the burner like brakes, releasing the valve when he wanted to slow down. "There should be a field past that tree line," he said, "but we might have to use the tops of the trees as a buffer."

"Is that safe?!"

"I - I'm not sure," he said, "but I saw someone suggested it online, and it may be our only option!"

"You doing okay?"

"Yes, surprisingly well!" He continued venting, keeping an eye between the altimeter and the tree line. "Watch out!" They approached the trees, and the basket roughly caught the tops of some of the pine trees, wobbling a bit as it skidded over them. Then Harvey pulled the rip line hard, and the balloon dropped quickly. They first hit the ground, skidded, and bounced, then landed, still sliding a little, and eventually came to a stop. "Are you all right?" he asked Alma, rushing to her side. "Can you move your neck okay?"

"Yes, Harvey, I'm fine," she answered with a chuckle, patting his arm. "How about you?"

He threw the gloves off and lifted off his goggles. "I don't think I've ever been better." He gave her another quick kiss before jumping out of the basket and lifting his hand to help her out. When she got out, he kept his hands on the edge of the basket and saw Marcello and a crew of three helpers arrive in a van and trailer.

"I'll take it from here, thank you very much!" Marcello said, rushing out of the van. "You all stick around, and we'll give you a ride back to Pelican Town when we finish with the balloon."

"Harvey!" Alma cried, grabbing his shoulders. "You did it! That was amazing! How many people can say that their first flight was one that they piloted?!"

He was ecstatic and energized, feeling like he could do anything. He lifted Alma off the ground and spun her around. When he put her down, he said, "Well, I'll admit, it feels good to have two feet on solid ground again. However," he said, placing a hand on her cheek, "it may have been me controlling the balloon, but you were the one who kept me under control." He gave her another kiss. "Thank you. This was unforgettable."

"It was," she said. "I don't know how I'm supposed to get along with the rest of my day now."

Harvey laughed. "Me either. I asked Maru to come in early today and told her I didn't know when I'd be back." He looked at his watch and gasped. "It's not even noon yet! I feel like I've lived a lifetime just today! Soon, all this adrenaline is going to leave, and I will be good for nothing. But for now," he said, squeezing her shoulders close to him, "I'll enjoy riding this high."

She kissed his cheek and said, "Well, we definitely can't go anywhere until they take us back. So let's just enjoy our time."

"Yes! I would love to see how they pack up the balloon!" He turned to face the workers and the balloon. Marcello and his crew had already gotten the basket on its side and the envelope on the ground and were working to fold it up into a long, straight line, pushing the air out of it as they went. Every now and then as they watched, Harvey would sigh and say something like, "I flew that," or "We were just in that," as if it still hadn't sunk in yet.

Alma would just laugh and reassure him with sounds like, "Mm-hm," "We sure were," or "You did great," and then Harvey would laugh a little bit, squeeze her a bit harder, or give her a little kiss. He was on top of the world, and it made Alma so happy to see him this proud of himself. They watched as the crew detached all the cables and ties from the basket, tied off sections of the balloon, and rolled it up back toward the basket like a big piece of pulled taffy, folding it over itself into a dumpster-looking cart that rolled into the trailer. Some of the crew went back to the basket and detached the burner system, lowering the entire frame into the basket itself. Then they pushed the basket onto a sort of dolly trailer and loaded that onto the ramp into the big trailer right along with the cart that housed the envelope.

"Amazing," Harvey said, looking at his watch. "That only took about twenty minutes! And it's gone - just like that."

They locked up the trailer, and Marcello wiped his hands and approached them, saying, "Okay, let's load up the people next!" The crew got into the van, then Alma and Harvey followed.

It was a short drive back to Pelican Town, but Harvey and Alma both felt exhausted. "I'm starting to feel that adrenaline crash," Alma said, putting her head on Harvey's shoulder.

"Me too," he said, resting his head on hers. "Do you have much else to do today?"

She thought through her day. "I'm hoping to see Clint about breaking open some geodes I got in the mines, and I have an eggplant to deliver to Sam. Other than that, no."

"Okay, well, try to take it easy today," he said, patting her shoulder.

"What about you? Will you be able to rest at all?"

"Yeah, today's a slow day. No scheduled appointments, so as long as there weren't any walk-ins while we were gone, I'll just have some administrative work to do. I can handle that."

The van pulled into the bus stop. "All right, lovebirds, here's your stop!"

Harvey paid Marcello but also gave him some stern words: "Next time, maybe make it more clear that the rides are without a pilot. I'm not entirely sure that what you've done is legal, and as a medical professional, I must advise that it is very dangerous. I was lucky that I was prepared in LTA aircraft and aviation know-how. A layman may not be so fortunate, and it's your liability as the professional and provider of the equipment!"

"Yeah, yeah," Marcello said, putting the gold in his coat pocket. "That's what they all say. But you all survive in the end!"

Harvey shook his head and helped Alma out of the van. As the van drove off, Alma couldn't help but laugh. "That was exhilarating, but next time … let's leave it to the professionals."

"Yes, it was a dream come true - but I don't think I'll be doing it again," Harvey chuckled. He looked at Alma, still smiling, and embraced her. "Thank you for joining me," he said in her ear.

"Of course. I had a wonderful time."

He put a hand on her cheek and looked over her face. "I meant what I said," he said quietly. "I do love you. But I want you to know … I understand that you may not be there. I know many people feel like they have to respond in kind, but I'm okay if you don't. I know it might take you some time - or that it may never happen. I just … needed to be honest with my feelings and let you know how I feel."

"I appreciate that more than you know," she said, putting a hand on his arm. "But I … I think I love you too."

Harvey's eyes widened, and a breathless smile crossed his face. "R-Really?"

She nodded and smiled. "You're so different from other men who have loved me - or have said they loved me, and I … I think this may be the first time I - I've ever actually felt … this kind of love."

Harvey's face seemed to drop into an expression of relief, happiness, pain, and pity, and Alma almost thought she could see tears in his eyes. "I wish so badly I could go back and meet you before you were hurt so you didn't have to experience such pain for so long."

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, and she leaned into his palm. "You're here now," she said quietly, looking up at him. He held her face and kissed her deeply, wishing he could make up for lost time. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him tighter, and his hands stretched around her neck and shoulders. They were back on the ground, but he still felt like they were thousands of feet in the air, with no one around and nothing holding them down. It was just him and her.

When he eventually pulled his lips away, he stayed close to her face and said, "I haven't had such a wonderful day for as long as I can remember."

"It's not over yet," she said, patting his chest. "We both have things to do back in reality."

"We do, you're right." Harvey pressed his forehead against hers and let out a long sigh. "One more? And then I'll walk you into town." Alma raised her head to find his mouth and kissed him, pulling him down by his tie. He laughed a little through the kiss and pulled her close. When they separated, he held out his arm to escort her. "I think that adrenaline is coming back to give me a second wind." She put her arm in his, and they began walking toward town. Harvey looked at his watch as they went. "It's about two now, so you should have just enough time to get to Clint's."

"You can just take me to the clinic, and I can go the rest of the way."

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"Poor Maru has been there by herself all day. You should get there when you can. Send her my thanks and apologies."

"All right, I will. I'll probably send her home soon to even out her hours." They came to the clinic and stopped in front of the door. "Good luck with your errands today. Feel free to drop by if you need anything. Or … if you just want to say hi."

"Will do. Enjoy your paperwork. Maybe you can listen to some jazz or something to make it more pleasant."

He nodded. "Not a bad idea." They hugged, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek before saying goodbye. He went inside the clinic, and she headed west to Clint's smithy.

"Hey," he said as she came in. "What do you need?"

"Just a geode please," she said, placing the stone on his anvil. He broke it open, and she was a bit disappointed to see some lumps of coal fall out.

"Sorry," Clint said. "They're not all winners."

"That's okay," she said as she handed him the gold and picked up the coal. "Have a great day!"

As she came into town, she ran into Alex outside of his house. "Hey, Alma, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Alex. What's up?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and asked, "What do you think of my haircut?"

"Uh …" It was obvious the young man was fishing for compliments, so she smiled and said, "It looks very fashionable, Alex."

"Yeah. I know," he answered, flipping his hair (though it was too short to need flipping). "That's why I have it like this."

"Well … good choice then. See you around! Tell your grandparents I said hi!"

"Will do, farm girl!" he called after her.

She continued on through town and made her way to Sam's house. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She could hear through the door that there was music coming from inside. Maybe anyone inside couldn't hear her knocking. She peeked her head in the door. "Hello?" The music was louder and seemed to be coming from Sam's room. She let herself in and knocked on his bedroom door. "Sam?" The music stopped, and she knocked again. "It's Alma! Can I come in?"

Sam opened the door and smiled, a guitar hanging from his shoulder strap. "Oh hi, Alma! Sebastian and I were just having a little 'jam session.'"

"Oh okay. I don't mean to interrupt. I was just coming to deliver the eggplant you asked for on Pierre's board." She pulled out the eggplant from her backpack and handed it to him.

"Hey, thanks a million, Alma!" he said, accepting it. "I should've known you'd be the one to take this job. Come on in." He opened the door wider for her, and she came in. Sebastian was there at a keyboard, and her gave her a little wave without a smile while Sam put the eggplant on his desk. "We're trying to start a band," he sighed, "but we still don't know what kind of music to make. There's too many possibilities." Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"Hm, yeah, I can understand that. It's a tough decision, I'm sure."

Sam snapped his fingers as if he had a bright idea. "Say, Alma," he said, looking at her, "what kind of music do you like?"

"Oh, uh …" Alma thought through different genres: cheerful pop music, experimental noise rock, honky-tonk country …. "Well, I like pretty much all kinds of music. But I guess I gravitate most to high-energy dance music. That's what gets my blood pumping."

"Hey!" He laughed and clapped his hands together. "You know what? That's exactly the kind of style I've been thinking about … for the band."

"Well," she said, gesturing to their instruments, "guitar and keyboard certainly lend themselves to that music pretty easily. And your sound is pretty energetic!"

Sam turned to Sebastian. "What do you say, Sebastian? Should we do this?"

Sebastian shrugged and rolled his eyes again. "... Okay."

"All right!" Sam did a fist bump in the air. "Thanks for the help, Alma. With my guitar skills and Sebastian's wizardry on the synthesizer, we're gonna be a screaming success. I'm convinced of it!"

"Keep practicing and listening to each other, and I'm sure you all will come up with a great sound."

Sam looked at the drum kit in the corner. "Now I just need to find someone to play drums …."

Alma chuckled and said, "Well, I can't help you out there, unfortunately. But I hope you find someone soon. I've got to pop back to the farm, so I'm going to let you all get back to it. Tell your mom and Vincent I said hello - and your family too, Sebastian."

"You got it, Alma. Here's the money for that eggplant too. Thanks again." Sam led her to the door, and she let herself out of the house.

Alma continued west toward Marnie and Leah's houses, and on the path, she dug up a prehistoric vertebrae! She knew Gunther would be interested in that for his collection! The sun was going down, and Alma was feeling the energy of the day wearing down on her. She put her things away and went to her cabin for an early night's sleep.