All in Due Time

What does it mean to be a Farmer

Harvey didn't know why he cared so much about Farmer. The man was an A-1 asshole in all respects. Maybe it was the frequency of his visits, maybe it was those little moments where he saw Farmer's soft side.

"No mom, really I'm fine. You don't need to visit- no really, I'm perfectly fine. Yes everything is handled on the farm. Yea, I'll say hi to Robin for you later. I love you mom. Bye." Farmer said with a forced smile on his face.

Harvey stood silently on the doorway, watching Farmer stare at the phone in his hands. He couldn't help to wonder what went through Farmer's mind, he wanted to have all the answers.

"Good morning Farmer." Harvey spoke out softly.

"Mornin' Harv." Farmer replied, turning to greet Harvey with a cocky smile.

"How's your pain level today?" Harvey questioned as he began to short out Farmer's daily medicines.

"It's alright... the pain meds helped a lot." Farmer looked away as if admitting Harvey was being helpful irritated him.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Harv." Farmer said, his eyes connecting with Harvey's.

The usage of his nickname ticked him slightly, but Harvey didn't want to ruin Farmer's calmed behavior, "Yes of course, ask ahead."

"Who's taking care of the farm right now? I might have to hire a farmhand and I'm not sure I have the funds.."

The doctor raised an eyebrow, Farmer had just confirmed to his mother that the Farmer was fine, however there was no way he could have known previously.

However, recalling his visit to the farmland, Harvey smiled widely, "Oh Marnie volunteered to do it, I wouldn't worry at all. Besides I've stopped by the farm and it looks to be running quite well-"

"You stopped by my farm?" Farmer interrupted.

Harvey paused in fear, did he cross a boundary? For once Farmer and him weren't bickering, leave it to him to mess that up...

"I- uh- my apologies if that was going too far. It's just Marlon mentioned that you have a dog. I was worried about her being locked inside the house so I stopped by, only to find Marnie and Jas working on the farm. My worries were for nothing-"

Farmer's voice softened, "So my dog is ok?"

Harvey passed a few pills and a cup of water to Farmer as he chuckled, "Yea, she tackled me to the ground."

"Good, I trained her to attack unwanted guests."

"Well maybe I should get my own guard dog for unwanted guests like you-" Harvey replied with his arms crossed and a smirk.

Farmer began to laugh, a real laugh that Harvey had never heard before. A deep, warm laugh that filled the room like song. Harvey felt his face warm and he adverted his gaze away.

"Man, I miss my dog. She might be my best friend in the whole world." Farmer said retrospectively.

"She's quite the sweetheart, after tackling me she licked me all over."

"That's odd- she hates strangers." Farmer said with a bewildered expression.

Harvey shrugged. The dog he approached on the farm was quite sociable and loved scratches on the head. He would have never assumed she was violent, outside of her initial pouncing.

"No really, I mean I was with Abigail for months, and my dog never got used to her. She was always growling and-" Farmer began before he was interrupted by the ringing of the clinic door.

"Oh- seems like you have a new visitor." Harvey said with a knowing smile.

"Oh my Yoba, Harv I told you I don't want anymore guests. The whole disaster with Seb was enough visitation to last me-" Farmer began to complain, until a strange woman appeared at the door of his room.

"Farmer, I'd like you to meet Doctor Q, she's an old friend of mine." Harvey said as he brought in the older woman.

The lady wore small purple-tinted glasses low on her nose, and a wide hat shadowed most of her face. Something familiar about her gave Farmer a strange sense of deja-vu.

"Why is she here? Do I need more surgeries?! Harv at this rate it's extortion-" Farmer panicked.

Dr. Q laughed calmly to herself and pat Harvey on the shoulder, "You were right, he is quite lively." She turned to face Farmer, "I'm not that type of doctor, I'm a therapist." Dr. Q corrected, a thin smile spreading on her face.

Farmer sighed deeply to himself. He found therapy pointless, especially for a guy like himself. He enjoyed life, he didn't have anything to sit down and talk about with someone.

Dr. Q nodded to Harvey, signaling he could go. Hesitantly, Harvey walked away and closed the door.

"So I hear you are quite the defiant patient, Farmer." Dr. Q began, making herself comfortable on the visitor chair next to Farmer's bed.

"Most patients that are labeled as difficult in hospitals have distrust in medical professionals. Whether it is because of religious beliefs, or because they have been failed in some retrospect by a medical professional in the past." Dr. Q stated.

Farmer rolled his eyes, "Well I'm not religious."

Dr. Q nodded, "I figured. So why are you so tough with Harvey?"

"If you were stuck with Harvey for twenty-four hours of the day, you would be too." Farmer groaned.

"Interesting. Has Harvey ever proven to you that he cannot give you adequate care?" She pondered.

Farmer paused, "Well, no. It's not about Harvey. He's a fine doctor."

"Has anyone close to you been failed by a medical professional?"

Farmer went quiet. The loneliness he tried to constantly push back was now loud in his mind, and he went back to the once place he desperately wanted to leave behind.

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Grandpa wasn't the kind of guy that relied on others. It was one of the reasons he went into the country side. He would live off the land, and eventually the community around him thrived because of his work.

As a kid, Farmer admired his grandfather more than anything. He would visit the farm over the summers, and he idealized Grandpa as a strong, resilient man. The cornerstone of his community. Farmer would have given anything to be just like him.

What Farmer didn't know, was how much he was exactly like Grandpa. Beyond the filter of nostalgia was the truth, Grandpa was a stubborn man. His stubbornness brought Pelican town much success, but it also made him very lonely in life.

Grandpa ran way from the mundane reality of city life to find himself in the countryside of Stardew Valley. He worked to the bone to create the foundation for his life, but once everything was done, he didn't find that fulfillment. It wasn't until he met the love of his life that he truly felt fulfilled. And then there was the children, and grandchildren, who gave him new adventures and goals.

And eventually, his life neared the end. He refused to go to the hospital, even after many decades, his stubbornness persisted. It was the kind of man he was. Grandpa was happy to lay on his deathbed, knowing he would soon meet his wife again.

But his choice broke Farmer to his core. Grandpa refused to go to a city hospital, and Farmer was simply too far to visit frequently. So the last time he saw his grandfather, he was lying in his deathbed. He had given Farmer an envelope, and told him to open it when the time was right.

It was a few days later that Farmer got the call, and a year later that Farmer finally read what the envelope contained. Farmer had never felt fulfilled with his empty city job at Joja Co. so he hoped for new opportunity in Pelican town, the same ones his grandfather chanced decades ago.

Once Farmer moved into Stardew Valley, he settled on the man he would be. A great man, just like Grandpa.

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Author's notes:

:D idk what to say lol