Chapter Text
Harvey stared at the computer screen in front of him. God he hated dealing with insurance claims. Apparently this time the insurance had decided that the medication his patient had been taking for five years wasn’t covered anymore at the local pharmacy, the only pharmacy within 20 miles of pelican town, because heaven forbid insurance cover anything ever.
He groaned and took another sip from the coffee on his desk, it was cold by now but he was too exhausted to care. He also took a stick of Nicorette out of his pocket and started chewing on it, he hated the taste but he told himself he’d be an absolute hypocrite if he kept trying to get Shane to quit without being able to kick the habit himself.
“Mayor’s here!” Maru yelled from the front desk.
He stood up and straightened his shirt, wincing a little at the pain in his back from sitting so long, I am too young for my body to be falling apart like this, he thought as he made his way to the front desk.
Standing in the lobby was Mayor Lewis, and a woman he had never seen before. She looked about 30, average height, and had a cherry red bob divided into two pigtails.
“Harvey, come meet the newest citizen of Pelican town,” Mr. Lewis called, “This is Ava, she’s Wilson’s granddaughter, she’ll be taking over that old farm just west of here”
“Oh, Uh…lovely to meet you miss” He adjusted his glasses
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she smiled at him
Harvey felt heat rise in his cheeks, is it warm in here? “Well, uh, this is the Pelican Town Clinic” He gestured to the doors behind him, “Once you’re settled feel free to come by and we’ll get you set up as a new patient”
“Well, I’ll see you then” Ava waved,
The next minute seemed to happen in slow motion, Ava turned to leave, slipped on one of the toys in the waiting room, and fell backwards directly into a side table, the table toppled over and along with it the coffee machine which made a loud crash as it hit the floor.
He rushed over to her “Are you alright?” His eyes scanned her for injuries,
“Yeah, I’m fine, just a scratch”
“Why don’t you sit down for a second, that was quite the fall.”
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry about your machine”
Harvey looked down and finally say the coffee machine lying broken on the ground
"Don’t worry about it, I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Once I’m settled i can pay you back”
“No, it’s really not an issue, I'll just ask Maru to order a new one. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
“I promise I’m fine,”
“Well alright then, you don’t have any concussion symptoms but take it easy for the rest of the day and if you have any questions or something changes, feel free to call,” he scribbled the clinic’s phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to her.
“Thank you” She smiled and took the paper from him.
“Oh and call in sometime tomorrow to schedule your new patient appointment” he said as she was walking out the door.
“I hardly knew her, she was taken too soon,” Maru said, standing over the remains of the broken coffee machine holding a hand over her heart.
“Oh, it’ll be fine, we’ll survive,” Harvey chuckled.
It was not fine. Harvey had quickly learned that going through caffeine and nicotine withdrawal at the same time was a hell he would not wish on his worst enemy. He’d had such bad brain fog all day he’d tried to autoclave a pen and almost put his lunch in the lab specimens fridge.
It was about 11 am when the door squeaked open, he really needed to remember to oil those hinges, and in walked Ava carrying a small paper cup.
“I know you said I don’t owe you anything, but I figured the least I could do was bring you this while you wait for your machine to be fixed” she handed him the cup.
“You don’t have to…” he started as he took the cup from her a little too quickly. He turned it over in his hand and noticed “so sorry :(“ written in purple sharpie on the side.
“If you won’t take it as an apology, take it as a new neighbor gift,” she chuckled,
It might have just been his exhaustion but as she smiled at him while he took his first sip he could swear this was the best cup of coffee he’d ever had.
It happened the next day, and the next, and the next. The cups started to stack up on the corner of his desk. Each day another little note written in that same purple script, “Have a good day”, “Good luck”, “Hope you enjoy”. Some small voice in his head tells him not to throw them away, as if he’ll ever have a use for 17 takeaway coffee cups.
Sometimes she’d stay and chat for a few minutes, she tells him about her old corporate job that she hated, the antics of her great dane Turnip, her favorite TV show, really whatever was on her mind on that particular day, one time he’d briefly mentioned he liked pickles and the next day she’d come in with an armful of jars from her most recent harvest.
Today was no different, as she leaned over the desk as he recounted a story from med-school.
“The door was locked?” she looked at him horrified,
“Yep,”
“How long were you stuck in there?”
“Like 2 hours until the Janitor let me out. He told me I’d scared him half to death, banging on the door from inside the cadaver lab”
“You know, I think I’m glad I didn’t go to med school,”
“What? Do marketing majors not get stuck in rooms full of dead bodies?” Harvey chuckled,
“No, not really,” she laughed, “I have to get going, I have some errands to finish, I’ll stop by tomorrow,”
“See ya” He waved as she walked out the clinic doors. He smiled fondly as he finished the last sip of coffee and added it to the pile, 18 takeaway coffee cups.