CW: some spice

Sunday, 14th of Winter

Alma and Harvey both moaned when they heard the sound of the alarm coming off his watch. "Sorry," he mumbled as he lifted his arm from behind her head and turned off the alarm. She felt the brightness of the sun reflecting off the snow as it came in through the windows but also the cold air breezing through the window pane. She cuddled up closer to his chest, and he put his arm back around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"Happy Birthday," she mumbled in a sleepy sing-songy voice.

"Thank you," he said, taking his other hand and putting it on hers that rested on his chest. "I've already gotten my favorite present." He squeezed her a little tighter and moved his hand up her arm. "It's so nice to wake up with you next to me."

"Even if it's in a small bed."

"Maybe that makes it even nicer."

She sat up on her elbow and looked at him. He couldn't help but laugh at her unruly hair, and he tried to smooth it down for her, only for it to pop back up into physics-defying cow licks. "Speak for yourself," she laughed, pulling at his hair that went this way and that. He took her hand and kissed her palm, and as she felt the stubble along his jawline, she asked, "So, coffee, of course, and maybe … an omelet? With milk?"

"Sure, there's goat milk in the fridge."

"And do you have any fruit? Crystal fruit maybe?"

"Also in the fridge."

"Perfect. Then why don't you just relax, and I'll bring you your coffee, hm?" She kissed his cheek as she got out of bed, pulling his flannel shirt closer to her body. "Oh, it's Sunday - The Queen of Sauce is on! Want me to turn it on for you?"

"Sure, and can you hand me my glasses please?"

Alma grabbed his glasses from the bookshelf and handed them to him, then she got the remote and turned on the TV. "Chocolate cake!" the queen herself exclaimed. "What better way to spend these cold winter nights than digging your way through a rich chocolate mountain?"

"Well that's convenient!" Alma said as she handed Harvey the remote and went toward the kitchen.

Harvey put on his glasses, saying, "Eh, not my favorite, actually. I'd usually get a carrot cake from Joja. Chocolate cake is just … too sweet."

"That checks out," Alma said from the kitchen. "Well, feel free to change it to the history channel or something. It's your birthday after all!" She heated up water in the microwave for the coffee, and she heard the TV change to the sound of plane engines and gunfire.

"Here we go," Harvey said, sitting up in the bed. She looked at him with a smile as she crossed over to the fridge.

"What would you like in your omelet?"

"I'll leave it up to you, sweetheart. Help yourself to whatever you see in the fridge." Alma took out some eggs, the goat milk, and a few mushrooms. She whisked the eggs and milk together, pouring a separate cup for each of them before putting the milk back in the fridge. She chopped up the mushrooms, stirred them in, then put the bowls of the egg mixture in the microwave. While that cooked, she poured the hot water over the coffee grounds and carefully watched as the dark liquid filtered into the mugs. Then she carried one mug over to Harvey with a kiss. "Thank you so much," he said, carefully taking the mug and sipping it as he looked back to the TV. Alma took the now-cooked omelets out of the microwave, plated them, and dashed some salt and pepper on top. She picked the crystal fruits off the vines, washed them, and placed them on the plates next to the omelets. She got a fork, then carried one glass of milk and one plate over to Harvey, setting it on his lap before going to her own. She climbed back into the warm covers and pulled the sheets back over her before putting her dishes on top.

"Well, dig in!" she said.

Alma watched as Harvey took a bite of the omelet and nodded with a happy sound. "It's good! Thank you."

"Eggs cooked in the microwave are not nearly as good as they are on the stove, but we work with what we've got." She popped a bite in her mouth and nodded too. "Yeah, it's not bad." They watched the TV for a while, then she asked, "So when do you need to be downstairs?"

"I try to be there around 8:30, so I've got time. You?"

She shrugged. "I figure whenever you leave, I'll leave too. I'm not in any rush."

"You don't have any big plans today?"

"Just taking care of you." He looked over to her with a sweet smile and shook his head. "While you're working, I figure I'll take care of things at home and maybe take a trip to the mines."

"When should I be over for dinner?"

"How about I come pick you up on my way back home from the mines?"

"All right. I should be wrapping up here around 5:30 or 6. That work for you?"

"I'll make it work." They finished their breakfast together, watching the documentary about war planes. Alma asked lots of questions, not necessarily because she was very interested but because she loved to see him talk about what he thought was interesting. After the piece was over, Harvey tried to gather their dishes, but Alma pulled hers away from him. "No no, you stay here, birthday boy." She took his dishes and stacked them on top of hers, balancing them as she climbed out of bed and made her way to the kitchen.

As she began to wash the dishes, he moaned as he stretched and got out of bed. He came up behind her and massaged her shoulders then kissed her cheek before reaching over her for his cup and toothbrush just above the sink. As she finished the dishes and put them away, he brushed his teeth, washed his face, and took out a small mirror so he could shave. Alma leaned against the counter and watched as she dried her hands. She took some toothpaste and used her finger to brush her teeth. It wasn't as good, but it was better than nothing, she thought. And as Harvey dried off his face and splashed on aftershave, Alma took the opportunity to wash her face in the sink too. He handed the towel to her, and she used it to dry her face. When she looked up from the towel, she saw Harvey smiling there in front of her. He held his hand out to her, and she smiled and put her hand in his. He pulled her into an embrace, and she took a deep breath of the smell of his aftershave. "Thank you, Alma," he whispered.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"No, I mean for being who you are. And for seeing s-something in me."

She looked at Harvey's still-sleepy face and saw that familiar mix of happiness and sadness. She put her hand to his cheek. "Ooh, so smooth!" she couldn't help but giggle.

He chuckled then looked serious again. He held her hand on his cheek. "I mean it. I … I just appreciate being around you. I'm so honored to be in your life. It's hard to believe that this time last year, I - I had no idea you existed. And now, here you are. In my apartment. In my arms. Wearing m-my shirt."

"It's comfy, and it smells good."

He let out another little chuckle from his nose. "I love you, Alma," he whispered. She tilted her chin up to him, and he kissed her. He moved his arms around her waist inside his flannel, rubbing his hands inside her shirt that lifted off her back as she reached her arms around his neck. She leaned into him, pushing him against the counter. "Do you, uh, want to go back to the bed, where it's m-more warm and comfortable?" She moved her arms down his and took his hands, leading him back out of the kitchen. He sat on the bed, and she stood over him with one leg between his and the other next to him on the bed. He put one arm on her leg, feeling her wintered-dry skin up to his shorts that she was wearing. She put her hands in his hair and kissed him, and he wrapped one arm around her waist, moving her to lie down on the bed. He moved over her and pulled the covers over them, trying to keep her warm. "Let me ask you," he said, pulling her face away a moment. "I know what … zones I should stay away from. But is there anything in particular that y-you like? Anything you – you want me to do for you? You said you want to treat me special, but I want to know what I can do for you too."

She laughed a little. "Well, that right there is the best. Just knowing that you respect my boundaries and want to know how to make me happy, Harvey, that - that is the best thing." She quickly gave him another kiss then propped up on her elbow to think a moment. He put one arm behind her and scanned her face as she answered, "The thing I honestly love the most is just you holding me. Your arms around me is the best. But, uh," she moved her finger down her neck, "I do also like this." So he used his arm to pull her a little closer, moved her collar away, and started kissing down her neck. Alma wiggled a little and gripped his shirt. She whispered in his ear, "What about you? What can I do for you?"

He pulled away and looked up in thought. "I - I think I like it best when you have your hands in my hair. There are a lot of nerve endings on the scalp, you know, so …." Alma reached her hand up and began scratching the back of his head. He gasped and held her tighter, moving his mouth down her neck and over her shoulder.

"Keep an eye on the time," Alma reminded him. "We don't want to get too carried away."

"Yoba, you're right," he said, rolling over and holding up his watch to check the time. Then he plopped his arm down on the bed and sighed. "I don't want to go. I don't want you to go." She rolled over and snuggled on his chest.

"I'm going, but I'm not leaving," she said, patting his chest. "Plus, you'll see me tonight for your birthday dinner."

He turned his head, smiled, and kissed her. "A few more minutes," he said, putting his hand on her arm. She moved up on her elbow again so she was above him and moved her arm to the back of his head again, giving him another long and passionate kiss. After a little while, she pulled away and rested on his chest. They lay there together quietly for a few moments, then Harvey sighed and said, "I should get dressed." He gave Alma another quick kiss before pushing off the bed and going toward his dresser. She got up too and grabbed her overalls from the floor, turning her back to him as they both changed. She finished first, since all she did was take off his shorts and pull on her overalls. When she turned around, she saw him shrugging his button-up shirt over his T-shirt and tucking it into his khaki pants. She went to the door, picked up her boots and his shoes, and carried them with her to the couch. "Oh, thank you," he said as he noticed her putting his shoes on the floor in front of the couch. He finished buttoning up his shirt and sat next to her, wrapping his tie around his neck. She watched him tie his tie for a moment. It was obvious he had done it for decades at this point; he didn't even need a mirror. "Is it straight?" he asked, turning to her.

"Looks good to me."

He then began to put on his socks and shoes, and she went to get her hat, coat, and bag. She picked up his lab coat and carried it over to him, so when he stood up, she had it ready for him. "Thanks." He shrugged his coat on and suddenly looked like the town doctor again. "You ready?" She nodded, putting her hat on her head, and he walked toward the door, opening it for her. She made her way downstairs, and he turned off the lights and closed the apartment door behind them.

Harvey turned on the lights as they made their way into the clinic, but as he reached for the door to the waiting room, she took his arm. He turned and looked at her, and she came close to draw him in for one more kiss. "Happy birthday," she said. He smiled then opened the door for her. She walked through, and he turned on the lights and unlocked the front door. "So I'll come see you around six or so, right?"

"If that's all right with you. I'll be here."

"See you then." He nodded and opened the front door for her. They both felt the frigid winter air blow over them, and Alma immediately squeezed her bomber jacket closer to her body. She turned and waved, and he waved back, watching her go down the road toward her farm. "Good grief, it's cold!" she said to herself as she approached the bus stop. She looked up and saw her cabin past the fence line, though, and that already warmed her up.

Bisclavret came running to Alma as she approached the farm. She knelt down to pet him and hug him, and he happily licked all over her face. "Oh, Biz, I missed you too, bud! Everything okay here while I was gone?" She looked up and saw some mail in her mailbox. She pulled out the first letter, which read,

"Dear Alma,

I'd like to share an ole cooking recipe my pappy used to make. It's important the fish is FRESH.

- Willy"

Enclosed was a recipe for escargot! "So by 'fish,' you mean 'snails?'" Alma chuckled. Another letter was from Lewis:

"Starting tomorrow, a traveling merchant fleet will dock at Pelican Town for the yearly night market. The market starts at 5 pm, and will be in port for the next three days. Please visit the beach after 5 pm to join the festivities. There's free coffee!"

"Ooh, that sounds fun!" Alma said. She folded both letters up and put them in her pocket, then she headed toward the coop to check on the chickens, ducks, and rabbit. To her surprise, in addition to the normal eggs and mayonnaise that were ready to gather, the loom had also finished spinning Beatrix's wool so that now she had some cloth! "That's enough for the mill!" she exclaimed, hugging the cloth to her chest. "But … I don't think I have enough wood now. And … I might be getting pretty close to the next barn upgrade." She looked to the chickens as if she were talking to them. "I'll have to talk to Robin to see." She stuck the cloth in her bag and made her way out.

When she stepped out of the coop to check the barn, she also saw that her pine tap was full, meaning that she had tar ready to sell. She bottled it, put it in her bag, and continued on her rounds.

When she had gathered everything and put what she didn't need in her chests, she went inside the cabin for a quick check there. Her fire had gone out, and it was chilly in the cabin; so she got some wood and started a new fire. Once it caught, she went to the fridge to make sure the two Super Meals were still in there. They were, along with a bottle of wine, so that was ready to go. She was planning to also get Harvey some cake, but now that she knew he didn't like chocolate cake …. Could she get carrot cake from anywhere besides Joja? She had never seen it in the saloon or in the store. What other dessert might he like? More fruit? Maybe just the wine was best, she thought. She looked over at the kitchen table. Maybe it was also time to get another chair. She'd be passing right by Robin's, so it wouldn't be a problem to stop and see how much one would cost. "Then let's head that way," she told herself, grabbing her bag.

Alma left the cabin and headed north into the mountains. She opened up the door to Robin's shop and felt instant relief from the cold. "Good morning, Robin!"

"Hi Alma! It's cold out there, huh?"

"No kidding," she shivered, "but at least it's still a pretty walk."

"Yes, our house is in such a beautiful area, don't you think? Everything looks so still after a fresh snow."

"That is very true. Idyllic!"

"So what can I do for you? Ready for another house upgrade? Or a farm structure perhaps?"

"No, I actually wondered if I could look at your furniture catalog."

"Oh, sure," Robin answered, reaching under her counter for the big book. She lifted it onto the counter and opened it up for Alma. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"

"A dining room chair is all."

"Well, you're in luck!" she said as she flipped some pages. "I typically only have chairs ready on Mondays, but today I have one leftover!" She pointed to a plain oak chair that matched the one already in Alma's cabin.

"That's perfect! I'll take it." She reached in her pocket for her coin purse and counted out the money for Robin, who went to go retrieve the chair.

"Here you go!" she said, putting it on the floor in front of the counter. "Need anything else today?"

"Well, actually, I do want to take a look at some farm structures, if that's all right."

"Sure. Here you go," she said, spinning the catalog to her.

Alma looked at the difference between the final barn upgrade and the mill. Yes, she had enough money, stone, and cloth for a mill but not enough wood. And she had enough stone and almost enough money for the barn. "How long does it take to build a mill?"

"Two days."

"And how long to do the upgrade on the barn?"

"Three days."

Alma twisted her mouth, thinking it over. Either way, she'd have to get more wood, and maybe it'd be worth it to get the barn upgrade first so she could get the next animal to bring in some income. But being able to mill would also increase profit on goods like flour, sugar, and rice. She'd have to think about it. "No, I think that's it. I'm getting one of those next, but I don't have the wood for it right now."

"Well you know you could always buy wood from me."

"Nice try," Alma said with a chuckle as she picked up the chair to put in her bag. Miraculously, the chair fit in Alma's bag with room to spare. "You and I both know I can chop my own wood."

"Yeah, you're right. Some days you might just be too tired for it though!" Robin said with a smile and a shrug.

"Sure, that's true. I'll see you around!"

"Bye! Stay warm!"

When Alma stepped back out into the snow, she wondered if there was anything else she needed to do before she went to the mines. She remembered the secret notes she had discovered before and pulled out her notebook to look at them again. One of them had an X marking a spot close to the railroad tracks just north of the bath house. Now was as good a time as any to go see what might be hiding under there, so Alma went north. She crossed over the railroad tracks and went to the northwest corner of the area, looking just to the side of a boulder, as the note seemed to suggest. There was no sign of anything there, but Alma took out her hoe and began digging in the snow. Soon, she felt something hard. She positioned her hoe underneath it and began to wedge it out. "No way!" She had seen this once before: a treasure chest! "I wonder if it's worth another five thousand gold! That will definitely put me closer to the barn upgrade!" She happily put it and her hoe back in her bag and walked south again.

As she was walking, Alma happened to see another something peeking up out of the snow just south of the bath house. "Another note?" She took her hoe out again and dug it out. Sure enough, it was another secret note, frozen solid like a rock. It looked like it was in Penny's beautiful cursive handwriting:

"I want to get everyone something they love!

Mom: Parsnip, Glazed Yams, NO BEER!

Jas: Fairy Rose, Plum Pudding

Vincent: Pink Cake, Grape

Mr. Mullner: Leek, Fried Mushroom

Granny Mullner: Beet, Tulip"

Alma wondered if maybe this was Penny's list of gift ideas for the upcoming Feast of the Winter Star. She stuck it in her bib pocket and continued to the mines.

Coming into the warm protection of the cave felt good after walking in the snow. She got her sword and snacks out of the chest by the elevator door then rode the elevator down to the eighty-fifth floor. The ride was getting quite long now, and it gave her time to clear her head and prepare for the adventures in the mines. She felt the air changing from the musty, cold air of the surface to the damp clay of the caves, from the frigid murky smell of the frozen levels, and then to the sulfuric smell of the molten rock in the levels she had recently discovered. The elevator dinged, and the door opened to the eighty-fifth floor.

Her work was fairly uneventful; she mined and cleared paths to find ladders while fighting her way through bats, crabs, and various monsters and gathering resources on the go. Though there were some new monsters she had not yet encountered, the work was fairly easy. She was surprised how quickly she made it to the ninetieth level, where a chest waited for her. She approached it, curious what was inside. When she opened up the lid, she gasped. It was a beautiful new sword! It was a shining black metal with almost a purple sheen, and though it was lighter than her claymore, it felt much more formidable. "This will do nicely," she said, strapping the scabbard to her waist.

Alma looked at the time; it was about four o'clock. There wouldn't be a lot more time to explore before meeting up with Harvey, but maybe she could take a peek at the next level to see what it might entail. She climbed down the ladder and looked around from her perch on the metal rungs. There were some new monsters she had never seen before, like a severed head that appeared to be floating? It looked dangerous, but Alma also noticed a bright red stone that she had also never seen before. It looked like quartz, but - "The fire quartz?" she wondered. It was the last thing she needed for the final bundle in the boiler room of the community center. She glanced over at the floating head again. It was facing the other way. If she hurried, maybe she could grab it and get right back to the ladder. And without much thought, that's what she did: she jumped off the bottom of the ladder, ran for the quartz, picked it up, and ran back to the ladder, climbing up just in time to see a fireball flying at her from the disfigured face. "Woo, that was close!" she said, getting back to her feet on the ninetieth floor. She went back to the previous ladder to make her way back to the surface.

Alma put both the claymore and the new sword in the chest for now, but she figured she would probably sell the claymore later. She traded out other supplies, pulled her coat closer, and went to the exit of the cave and back out into the frigid winter air.

She went to the community center and pulled the old door open, feeling the warmer but still drafty air around her. "Hello, Junimo!" she called as she made her way down the hall toward the boiler room. "I have something for you!" She pulled out the fire quartz from her bag and placed it in the bundle on the floor. The bundle vanished, and a present appeared in its place. Alma opened it up and found five beautifully colored geodes unlike she had seen before. "Wow, I'll have to show these to Clint!" Then she heard the junimos popping out around her, and soon the room turned to its dreamlike, cloudy state.

The one junimo appeared in front of her, bouncing happily and squeaking to her in its language, "When we're done here, we'll return to the other world."

"'Other world?' What do you - ?" But in a flash, the junimo was gone. Alma looked around her and saw the boiler room restored. The bricks in the floor and walls were new, and the pipes and boiler were all repaired, looking in tip-top shape. The boiler was already emitting heat, and Alma could see the glow of embers inside. There were new wall sconces that shed warm light into the room, and instead of an old barrel, there were now three easy-to-maintain containers for storing coal, complete with a shovel propped against the wall in the corner. One junimo carried the completed package out of the room, and Alma followed it up the stairs, down the hall, and into the main room, where it brought the bundle into the Junimo hut and came out with another star for the collection on the mantle. When the junimo threw the star to be with the others, it began happily bouncing around Alma's ankles. "What other world? The spirit world? Somewhere else? Where will you go when this is done?" But of course, there was no answer. Not this time. "Oh well," Alma sighed. "I guess I'll find out later. I hope." She checked the time again and saw that she needed to start heading to the clinic. "Well, see you all later!" she waved as she left the building.

Alma went south into town and looked into the clinic. The lights were off, but Harvey's light was on upstairs. He must have been doing some reading. She pulled out her slingshot and shot a small rock up to his window. After a moment, he came to the window, waved, and left. The lights turned off, and Alma stood to wait for him by the door. In a moment, she could hear him unlocking the door. "Hi," he said, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. He closed the door behind him, locked it, and turned to her with an exhale. "Let's go," he said, holding his arm out to escort her. Alma smiled, took his arm, and they were on their way out of town.

"So how was today? Anything special or exciting happen?"

"No, actually, i-it was a bit slow. I just had a few people come in for a few things, but it was a relatively quiet day. I got some filing and research done, so that was good." As they passed the bus stop, Alma thought she heard a Junimo squeak. She turned her head that way but didn't see anything. "How about you? How were the, uh … the mines?"

"Good," she answered, looking back to the road ahead of them. "Not a whole lot to report there either. Made it to the ninetieth level, got a new sword, and I was able to finish another room at the community center."

"Oh, excellent! Which one?"

"The boiler room. So now the building has heat."

"Good timing then," Harvey said.

"I also got some really cool-looking geodes from the Junimo that I've never seen before. I'm wondering if they have something special inside them. I'm anxious to get them to Clint." They came up to the cabin, and Harvey started gathering wood from the wood pile to put on the fire as Alma dropped some things off in the chests.

"H-HI there, boy," Alma could hear Harvey say as he pushed his way through the front door. She followed close behind him and gave Bisclavret some cuddles and scratches. He put the wood on the floor in front of the fireplace, took off his coat, and began to tend to the fire. Alma smiled as she watched and took off her own coat, hat, and boots. He was so thoughtful; she didn't even have to ask him to do it. He just did.

Alma put her bag on the kitchen counter and first turned on the oven to heat up their dinner. She took the Super Meals out of the fridge and put them in the oven on a low heat. Then she pulled out the chair she bought from Robin and set it at the table. "Check out what I got for you," she said, pushing it in to the table.

Harvey looked over his shoulder from the fireplace. "Well, look at that! You're moving up."

"I thought it was about time," she said, going back to the kitchen. She quickly made another torch from sap and a piece of wood and placed it in the decorative bowl on the table to provide a little romantic lighting. She poured them each a glass of wine and set them on the table.

"That should do it," Harvey said, pushing off his knees to stand. He dusted off his hands and knees and went to wash his hands in the kitchen. "Mm, what is cooking? It smells delicious!"

"I'm heating up your birthday dinner," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"A birthday gift?"

"A couple, yes. I got together a lot of your favorite foods to make one complete Harvey-centered meal."

He dried off his hands and turned to hug her. "That's very kind of you! What, uh … kinds of foods did you get?"

"You'll see," she said, smiling up to him. "Why don't you go have a seat and sip on your first gift?"

"The wine, you mean?"

She nodded. "The rest will be ready soon."

"There's nothing I can do to help?"

"Well," she said with a smile, "I guess you could look in the fridge and pick out what pickles you'd like to snack on."

His eyebrows shot up, and a smile grew on his face. "You don't have to tell me twice!" He went to the fridge and perused inside. "Pickled … parsnips, I believe?" he guessed, holding up one jar to look inside.

"It's yours then," Alma said with a smile, filling a pot with water to heat over the stove for coffee. Harvey smiled, cracked open the lid, and took a bite on his way to the table, letting out a happy moan after tasting the crunchy, briny parsnip. "They're good?"

"So good," he said, sinking into the chair with his eyes closed. Bisclavret came and sat next to him, putting his head in his lap. As the water was heating, Alma peeked inside the oven. The food was heating nicely too, so she took the plates out and brought them to the table. Harvey gasped. "Is this - ?"

"Two Super Meals. I still don't know the recipe myself, but I bought some from Gus."

Harvey's mouth began to water just looking at the plate. He loosened his tie and took a big whiff of the plate in front of him. "It smells amazing. And there's more?"

Alma heard the water boiling and went back to the kitchen. "There is!" She poured the water over his coffee, watching carefully to not overfill the mug. Then she brought it to him at the table, placed it in front of him, sat down across from him, and lifted up her wine glass. "Happy Birthday, Harvey. Cheers to a world that's better with you in it."

Harvey smiled a sweet, genuine smile, and Alma thought for a moment his lip was actually quivering. He stood up and came across the table to her, holding out his hand to help her up. He kissed and embraced her tightly. "I love it. Thank you so much." He gave her another quick kiss before going back to his chair to sit. He lifted up his glass. "Cheers to my first time around the sun with you." They tipped their glasses and each took a sip. "Oh, that's - that's good wine."

"Mm hmm," Alma agreed. She watched him as he took a bite of some of the artichoke and cranberries on his plate. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He began to slowly shake his head with a smile. "It's delicious, Alma."

"Good, I'm glad! Thank Gus next time you see him." She took a bite too, and her eyes opened wide. "Wow, this is good!"

Harvey chuckled and nodded with a mouthful, as if saying, "I told you so!"

"So," Alma said, sipping her wine, "do you feel any older?"

Harvey wiped his mouth with his napkin and sighed. "Yes, I'm starting to feel kind of old. I find more grey hairs, I get more aches and pains, I get tired more easily …." Alma nodded in agreement. She could relate to all of that. "And you know, the older you get, the more memories you're burdened with. It can be overwhelming."

"You're right about that."

Harvey looked at her thoughtfully. "What do you do about it?"

Alma took a moment to think while she chewed her food. "I'm still learning. It's not easy. But I try to identify the things that bring me joy and cling to those."

"Things like what?"

She shrugged a little. "Taking care of the animals. Tending to the farm. Exploring and learning new things. Helping people in town and getting to know them. Reading a good book. Spending time with you, of course." Harvey nodded and looked at the food on the table. Wine, pickles, coffee, a Super Meal … she had really put thought into it to help make him feel special and relaxed. He looked up at her again as he took another bite of bok choy in cranberry sauce. He saw the burden in Alma's eyes, but he saw the joy too. She was beautiful. She looked up at him as she chewed and nervously smiled. "What?" she chuckled.

He put down his fork and reached across the table to hold her hand. She put her hand in his, and he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I think I'll stay younger with you around."