Love Is The Best Medicine (Stardew Valley - Harvey)

Chapter 43 - Check Up

The sun had risen on the farm once more, another day had begun. The heat was intoxicating in these peak days of the season, but it was almost a comforting intensity. You loved the feeling of the sun reflecting off the glass onto your skin, it made you feel alive.

"So much to do Milo, such little time." You tutted, gazing down at your pooch who was happily wagging his tail and panting.

Your life had become consumed by your social life and relationships, to the point where you had forgotten about how much you enjoyed the rural farming you had come to love. Ever since you had upgraded your sprinklers, you hadn't done much maintenance apart from harvesting and replanting.

Setting to work, you began to work on some of the broken fences littered around the farm. Armed with a hammer, a variety of nails and spare pieces of wood, you approached the first neglected fence. The wooden posts were weathered and worn, evidence of the seasons taking their toll.

Taking a deep breath, you assessed the damage and began to work. With each swing of the hammer, you drove the nails into place, securing the loose pieces of wood and reinforcing the structure. It was a slow and methodical process, but you found a strange comfort in knowing you were fixing what was broken. You had Robin to thank for your knowledge of carpentry.

You had never been a hands on person, preferring to keep your hands clean and 'sophisticated,' allowing someone else to do the physical tasks. However, life in the valley had drastically changed that perspective for the better, making you want to get your hands dirty. Keeping them clean ruined the fun after all...

With your newfound identity, you had even started relearning old hobbies such as playing the guitar, a past time you gave up at University, feeling as if it was childish. But if you had learnt anything from the wonderful people you had met, having fun and enjoying yourself was never childish. It was instead reminiscent of your childhood days.

As you gazed over the farm, you couldn't help but feel more in tune with your natural and calm side, something you were embracing keenly.

The valley had a way of stripping away your facade and revealing the core of who you truly were. It was a place where authenticity felt valued above all else, where you could unapologetically be yourself without fear of judgment.

Stepping back and admiring the couple of fences you had fixed within the short two hours you had started, you felt a sigh of relief wash over you. It was a job you knew had to be done, you just hadn't managed to find the time.

You gazed back towards the farmhouse, barely able to make out the hands on the outdoor clock from the distance.

The past couple of days had been hectic. Harvey had been busy with his routine check ups, something he did every two seasons, both summer and winter. You were somewhere on his list of people to be seen, but the longer you could put it off, the better you thought.

You knew you were somewhere on his list but you had been silently grateful for the delays that had kept your appointment at bay. The longer you could put off facing the poking and prodding around by Dr. Harvey, the better.

Your appointment had finally rolled around, at exactly four o'clock, the last check up of the day, and the last one out of all of the townsfolk. You could finally read the clock as you got closer, the hands displaying the time 3:45, a short 15 minutes before your appointment.

With a sigh and an uneasy feeling, you began to walk to the clinic, your feet dragging behind you like a child. You knew your health was fine and it felt unnecessary to have that reaffirmed pointlessly. Plus, you knew Harvey too well. The slightest discrepancy would send him wild, into a frenzy of panic.