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“Harvey is the town doctor. He’s a little old for a bachelor, but he has a kind heart and a respected position in the community. He lives in a small apartment above the medical clinic but spends most of his time working. You can sense a sadness about him as if there’s something he’s not telling you…”
There never was a plan for Harvey at this point in his life. Not anymore at least. Having found his place in Pelican Town, starting up his practice after medical school, and finding his way, everything seemed perfect for him. He had a good life. There was nothing else to chase. Why chase something when he had found near perfection?
Sure, he was an older bachelor in town who could try to put himself out there, but why would he? There were so many other bachelors in town, most if not all younger than him, and he felt as though they were all so much more interesting or attractive than he was. He was content, he didn’t need to pursue someone, did he?
No.
Well-
No.
I take my whiskey neat.
Harvey had been sitting at the Stardrop Saloon, a short amount of neat whiskey occupying the crystal glass Gus had set in front of him. The dim light of the saloon reflected off Harvey’s glasses as he sat around, watching his fellow townsfolk and his friends unwind after a hard day of work or a simple day of resting in their peaceful town. But something was different about today, as a group of people began to gather around Mayor Lewis.
A new farmer was coming to town, the granddaughter of the previous farmer, ready to take over her family’s legacy. It was admirable to Harvey, to drop everything from the life you had before to pick up your grandfather’s farm in a town you were unfamiliar with. And though he would never admit it out loud, a new patient would do him some good, sparing him from having to reach out to other towns to build up more business.
A week or so went by, and the idea of a new farmer, though buzzing around town, had seemingly fled Harvey’s mind as he focused on his patients and himself. Besides small chats with Maru as she worked the front desk, and small talk at the saloon with other community members, Harvey kept to himself, up in his apartment, relaxing or playing with his model planes. Some nights, he’d stay up until dawn, trying to contact pilots flying up above, looking for a small reach outside the norm he had unknowingly built for himself.
That wouldn’t last though.
All Harvey was doing was paperwork. Simple paperwork, something he did on a daily basis, just sitting at the front desk of his clinic, as Maru had the day off, and taking in the silence. But the silence didn’t last, and the door opened, and someone Harvey didn’t know walked in.
He stared at her. He stared at you, his eyes widening as he registered the new sight, squinting behind his glasses as if he were looking through a camera, trying desperately to get the clearest quality possible. There you were. The new farmer.
“Uh, hello,” You spoke softly, not too loud, but in a confident enough tone that could not be missed. “I’m the new farmer, right down the road. Mayor Lewis said I should walk around, introduce myself.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Harvey replied, extending his hand over the counter, his pulse quickening as your hand met his. Was he sick? Why was his heart beating so fast? Was he dying? Surely not. He was old, but not that old. He calmed himself down, continuing his introduction.
“I'm Harvey, the local doctor. I perform regular check-ups and medical procedures for all the residents of Pelican Town. It's rewarding work. I hope you'll find your own work equally rewarding, in time.”
“Here’s hoping so, my grandfather always seemed to enjoy what he did,” You replied, your infectious yet sheepish smile spreading from your face to Harvey’s. “He always had great things to say about this place.”
“Well, I’m sure it’ll live up to its expectations,” Harvey replied, pushing up his glasses, secretly taking his own pulse with his hand as he hid his hands behind the counter. “It certainly has for me.”
As you left, a smile on your face, a warmth was left behind in the clinic, which Harvey immediately drew the conclusion that it was due to the sun coming through the windows and nothing more. He also took a note to take his temperature, which was perfectly fine. Chalking up the quickened pulse to working too much, Harvey continued his paperwork, believing that nothing would change with your arrival.
That wasn’t the case though. His symptoms continued, leading to him giving up sugars and sweets, as he found his pulse quickening and his temperature feeling as if it rose almost every day now. It was almost always when you popped your head into his door, saying hello as you made your way into town.
It came to be that there wasn’t a morning where you didn’t pop in, say hello, or even meet him in his office sometimes if Maru was working the front desk instead of Harvey. She always let you in, giving Harvey a wink each time she swung open the door for you. Despite his confusion, he never approached the subject with Maru, assuming it was something that was a generation below him. After all, you and Maru were both so young compared to him, he was sure it was just something the young ones were doing. That’s all.
Your daily visits soon became known to more than just Harvey and Maru and whoever had an appointment with them that day. Sometimes Caroline and Pierre would ask Harvey how you were doing, assuming you had stepped into the clinic already that day. And Abigail seemed to stare at Harvey once and a while, as if observing, or taking notes, before running off, where Harvey would see her speaking to you later that day somewhere in town. You were making friends, that was good. You seemed nice. You deserved good friends in his opinion. Good friends from around town that were your age.
He believed that truly.
So he couldn’t believe it when one day, a few weeks after you had originally moved to town, when he sat down at the Stardrop Saloon, and you sat down right next to him.
Surely you hadn’t meant to? Maybe there were just no open seats left so you were stuck sitting next to the quiet, timid doctor of the town?
But there were several chairs open, at nearly every table. And yet, you sat next to him.
You smiled brightly at him, and then there it was again. That quickening pulse, that growing warmth. Like you were a walking piece of sunshine. Harvey was nearly entranced, though he didn’t know it then, or he just didn't want to admit it. He found you to be as bright as the morning with a voice as soft as the rain.
“Evening Harvey,” You said, that infectious smile once more spread across your face as you leaned on the bar, your eyes locking with those of the local doctor.
“Good evening,” He replied, gulping as it set in that you were truly there to talk to him. Were you ill? Did you need medicine? Why were you talking to him? “I hope that you’re enjoying Pelican Town now that you’ve had time to settle into the farm and cabin?”
A small chuckle escaped your lips, and Harvey’s breath caught in his throat. The sound replayed in his head over and over again. As much as he didn’t understand what was happening, he couldn’t stop himself from enjoying it.
“It’s been great so far, yeah,” You said, looking at him, then to everyone else in the saloon briefly, before your eyes returned to his. “I have to say, I think if it keeps going the way it has been, it may just be one of the greatest decisions of my life.”
“That's good to hear, truly,” Harvey replied, softly, enjoying the view of you before him, and your eyes, looking into his, lit up by the dim saloon lighting. “I’m glad you see the same appeal as I did. 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.”
“I didn’t know you weren’t from town, I would’ve assumed you were a native with how much everyone respects you,” You replied, your hand seeming to inch closer to his. Were you getting closer? No, surely not. He was imagining it. Yet… did he want you to move closer to him? No, no. You were a young, beautiful girl. He was an older, timid doctor. Surely not. This was just a friendly conversation.
“The community is great, and they have treated me well, I will say,” Harvey smiled, before it fell a bit, his eyes going out and scanning the people around you two as his voice dropped slightly. “Though I must say, I feel responsible for the health of this whole community... it's kind of stressful. It's a pretty small community, and I'm fortunate to be able to build a good relationship with my patients.”
Before you could respond, Gus came over, his cheery smile plastered on his face, hands on his hips, and a hearty chuckle that clearly originated in his belly filling the room. “Nice to see two of the people that make this town function so well getting to know each other,” Gus laughed, looking at you both kindly. “So, what am I getting you two this evening?”
You ordered a drink, but Harvey was unable to catch the name. When Gus poured it though, it looked colorful, sweet, and almost… innocent. It was as if your personality had been put into a drink, and as much as it intrigued Harvey, his intrigue also terrified him.
“What about you Harv?” Gus boasted, pulling Harvey’s attention away from you. “What can I get you this evening? The usual?”
“Mhmm, thanks, Gus. Whiskey, neat.”
My coffee black...
It had been a week, maybe a week and a half, since you and Harvey spent a good chunk of a night sitting at the Stardrop, just talking. He could’ve sat there all night, just spending time with you, if Gus hadn’t had to shut the place down so that he could go to bed.
Ever since, those little moments where you would pop your head in to say hello grew into longer conversations, sitting down, normally in the back. Every single fiber in Harvey’s body told him this was just another friendship, a good business rapport, and yet, something in his brain told him otherwise.
But he pushed it down, as far down as he could.
It didn’t do much good though.
As the rain poured down outside, not a soul walked into the clinic. The weather was so stormy, as it got closer to summer, that Harvey didn’t expect many people to stop by, and he had even given Maru the day off. Still, he kept the clinic open, just in case of emergencies.
Sitting behind the front desk, as the rain poured down against the window, Harvey couldn’t help but drop his head down, his eyelids fluttering, a wave of serene tiredness taking over. As he closed his eyes, half asleep, he saw you. He dreamt about you. You didn’t speak, you didn’t even seem to be doing anything. You were just standing before him, staring, smiling, just as you had been the other night. The dream seemed real, almost lifelike, as Harvey dozed.
Then, he began to hear your voice, and a soft, appreciative hum emerged from his lips as he relaxed. As your voice got louder, Harvey’s voice grew, before eventually, he was awoken by:
“Harvey?” You called, your head tilted as you stood before the stirring doctor, who seemed startled by your sudden appearance. No longer were you just in his head. There you were. Pretty as a vine, as sweet as a grape,
You stood in his practice, soaking wet from the rain, smiling on your face as you sniffled slightly. Chuckling, you set down a paper coffee cup on the counter, one that matched another in your hands still, piping hot, with steam escaping the lid.
“I guess it’s a good thing I stopped to get these, aye?” You laughed, watching as Harvey timidly grabbed the cup, nodding in appreciation as he took a sip, his face showing his enjoyment. “Is it good? Gus said coffee black was your favorite so I had to go out on a limb and trust him. He hasn’t seemed to steer me wrong thus far.”
“It’s… perfect, thank you,” Harvey smiled, his voice soft before becoming a bit firmer as he took notice of your sniffle. “Have you been out in the rain long? You’ll catch a cold in this sort of weather.”
“Oh no, not too long,” You replied, shaking your head, putting your hands up in a very reassuring way. Taking a sip of your coffee, you just looked out at the rain, before back at Harvey. “All I did was get up, walk to my coop, walk to the Stardrop, and walk here. Haven’t been out in the cold rain any longer than I’ve had to.”
“Oh, well, you really didn’t have to make such a trip to bring me coffee, you could’ve stayed dry on the farm. Thank you,” Harvey muttered, his voice softer as he looked away, sheepishly. “Feel free to stop by my office if you're ever feeling ill. You're young, though. You'll probably stay healthy without trying.”
Watching you laugh at Harvey’s remark about your age, assumingly in comparison to his, had to have been the highlight of his day. He watched as you leaned against the counter, nodding. “That’s appreciated, Harvey. I will definitely let you know. I’ve been trying to take care of myself as I get used to working on a farm. I find that I snack on more produce than I actually sell or trade.”
Harvey laughed, a dusty pink color coming across his cheeks as he took another sip of his coffee, his eyes lightening as he seemed to think of something. “Nutrition is important, so make sure and eat well. Try to increase your vegetable intake! Though, it seems like you do that already. Home-cooked meals are best. Do you cook?”
There was your laugh again, as you extended your arm, your hand resting on his lower arm. Was he funny? He had just been excited to talk to you and talk about medicine and being healthy. He wouldn’t complain about hearing you happy though.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Doc,” You smiled, nodding. “I guess you could say I kinda cook. I’m not the best but I make do. Do you cook?”
“I do, I take pride in the dishes I make, always making sure it’s something worth putting in my body,” Harvey replied, his pride in his answer beaming through his words. “Nutrition is important, as I said. I pride myself on my pasta with clams. I don’t make it too often, but despite that, I enjoy cooking for others. If you want to hang out in my apartment, that's okay with me. I live above the clinic. I could, uh, make you something?”
Wait.
What did he just do?
Did he just do that?
Oh God.
Way to go, Harvey.
There’s no way you’ll react well to what he-
“That sounds great, Harvey,” You said, breaking his thoughts, causing a look of surprise to take over his whole face. His eyes went wide and a half smile appeared on his face as he seemed unable to speak, just staring at you, which you noticed. “What is it?”
“Oh, nothing,” Harvey said, sighing with a smile. “It's just… It’s nice to have a friend in town.”
And my bed at 3...
Harvey didn’t know how it happened.
He had no clue.
That’s a lie.
He had some clue.
After all, he was the one that crossed the line he said he wasn’t planning on crossing. You were much too young, he said. He was much too old, he said. You had so much to live for, he said. You deserved one of the young bachelors in town who had plans, and dreams, he said.
But he didn't say any of that to you.
No.
To you, he said: “I'd like to get to know you better. Let's put aside our doctor-patient relationship.”
And now here he was, laying in his bed, in shorts and his white button-down shirt, only the middle button done, with his glasses on his face, angeled down at you. There you were, laying next to him, his green jacket draped around your arms, your head on his upper arm, your hair sprawling from your sleeping face to his bed.
What could he do but look at you? Getting lost in your peacefulness, wondering what would happen when you woke up? What would happen the next time you two spoke? He had never meant to take it this far, never wanting to risk anything.
Part of him wanted to just let you sleep, take in this moment, let it last as long as he possibly could. After all, who knows what would happen when you wake up in the arms of the older town doctor?
That other part of him, however, the part of him that was so happy that all the events that had transpired did so, well, that part wanted you to wake up. He wanted you to wake up so he could hear your voice, see your eyes, and take in every inch of you next to him like this.
And that second part of him would soon have the wish granted, as your eyes fluttered open, despite it being three in the morning. It was as if you knew he was awake, just looking at you. And so, you looked up at him, smiling. “You stare a lot, did you know that?”
Harvey chuckled, tones of nervousness unable to hide as he shook his head, looking down at you. “No, I can’t say that I have,” He replied. “But I am a doctor, so observing my patients is my job. You have a really healthy glow. That's good.”
Stretching, you moved up, getting closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. This close, you could see some wrinkles along his mouth and near his eyes, and some gray coming in at the roots and sides of his brown hair. It made him look distinguished and even more attractive than you thought he was the first time you stepped into the clinic.
Smiling, you raised your hand, running it through his hair, looking at his brown locks mixed with the salt and pepper strands coming in. “You know that you don’t need to mix in medical factors to compliment me? You can just compliment me, Harvey.”
Harvey sighed, his eyes looking across his room, shaking his head. “I know, I know, I’m sure there’s a few things I need to dust up on when it comes to… well… this.” Harvey sighed again, intertwining one of his hands with one of yours. “... I'm starting to feel kind of old... The older you get the more memories you're burdened with. It can be overwhelming. I think I'll stay younger with you around.”
You smiled, leaning your head up, and pressing your lips against his, enveloped in a soft kiss between the two of you. Keeping his one hand intertwined with yours, his free hand came up to rest behind your bed, pulling you closer. His lips tasted of coffee and whiskey, two things you had enjoyed together earlier in the day.
As you slowly pulled away, a smile shrouded your face, stay close to his, reaching up to press your forehead against the taller doctor’s forehead. “Maybe there’s not so much you need to dust up on after all,” You smirked. “And you’re not that old, Harvey, I promise.”
“You’re just saying that,” Harvey smiled, running his free hand through your hair, and shaking his head. “You should hear all my bones crack as I work throughout the day. You’d swear they were all about to break. I feel a hundred years old, love.”
There it was. The term of endearment he had been longing to call you.
And based on the smile on your face, it seemed as though you had been waiting for it as well.
“Well, darling,” You began, giving him his own term of endearment in return. “Perhaps you should give Maru more hours, and take some more time to yourself. You could work on your models, or walk around town, or spend time with your favorite farmer, on her farm, at her cabin? Hmm?”
“You may have a point, love,” Harvey laughed, taking the hand that was holding yours, beginning to kiss your hand, then your wrist, and down your arm as he continued speaking, planting kissing between each sentence. “It's a lot of work, being a doctor. I don't eat as well as I should. If I didn't live alone I think it would be easier.”
As small giggles escaped your lips, laying in the older man’s arms, a warmth encased you too, a sense of belonging, and the beginnings of a plan began to form in Harvey’s head.
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t live alone then?” You chuckled, winking at him as you smirked, watching him kiss your arm and worship seemed to be every aspect of you both inside and out, just as you would do for him. “How do you feel about living with a young farmer who is just as in love with you as you are with her?”
All Harvey could do was chuckle and smile, staring into the eyes he loved to get lost in.
You’re too sweet for me.