Alright! So! The new update of Stardew Valley really enflamed my love for it again! And I don’t know, I felt inspired and wrote down a backstory for my farmer.
Word count: 6.000 (like what the hell???)
I posted it on AO3 too, it could be seen as a chapter one for a longer story but that is if I feel inspired again! Until then, please enjoy! ❤️
It was easy to lose all sense of orientation in the gray and heavy office room filled with several booths. The large windows that stretched above their heads, right beneath the ceiling, only offered a view of the higher floor reserved for supervisors. Dressed in dark suits, fitting their grim expressions, they stared down on their workers, targeting any sign of slacking.
Aria unknowingly let out a sigh. Her eyes burned from staring at her computer desktop. She was lumped forward in her chair and lifted up her gaze to the massive display on the furthest wall across the room. They had no clocks. Corporate once decided, that having the opportunity to check the time lead to an erratic workflow. So they removed all digital or manual clocks and only left them with a divided alert system, separated for the employees working on either the right or the left side of booths, depending on their shift. Under the bold written words WORK, REST and STOP lamps were installed, lighting in different colors. Green meant working, orange meant they could go take a break and red finally - for Yoba‘s sake finally - meant they could head home.
Aria couldn‘t remember if she already took a break today. She could have been here for years for all that she knew. Her fingers pressed down random keys at this point and she deleted the gibberish she fabricated just to write it down again.
„315?“ The young woman looked up at the mention of her booth number. A colleague from another booth stretched his head over the wall to stare daggers at her. „You‘re really irritating me. I counted 8 sighs in 3 Minutes just now. Could you drop it? Some of us are trying to do their job here.“ Aria blinked in confusion for a moment, before dropping her head with a deep, loud and conscious sigh and continued tapping mindlessly on her keyboard. „Sure. Sorry for disturbing y-…“
Arias head suddenly jerked up, startling the lanky man who was just about to sit down again. She jumped up to her feet herself. „You have a clock? How did you know it was three minutes?“ 316 lost all color from his face. „I-… I… No! I was counting the seconds and…“ Aria shook her head. „Come on man, I don‘t care. I won’t snitch. What time is it right now? How much longer until the shift ends?“, she whispered urgently. But before she got an answer the voice of their supervisors echoed through one of the speakers. „315 and 316, first warning.“
Immediately the two employees dropped their eye contact and sat down without another word, proceeding their work. Aria tapped her finger nervously on the desk, chewing on her bottom lip. The unknown was nerve wrecking. But the fact that someone else had such a precious knowledge was way worse.
Aria spent most of her time staring at the booth wall in front of her as if she tried to develop x-ray vision, until the light turned orange. Both she and the man in front jumped to their feet but he was quicker and hid himself between the masses of people trying to get away as fast as possible. „Shit!“, murmured Aria.
She quickly headed into the opposite direction and went up to booth number 312. „Grace, you won‘t believe what-…“ She stopped in her tracks as she was already about to report to her friend what she has witnessed when she noticed the booth was empty.
She checked the number again. It was the right one. But instead of her lovely red haired mess of a friend only an empty chair was placed inside. The desk was completely empty too and a banner was hanging on the desk stating that this workspace was terminated. What did that mean?
Aria looked all over the place, heading to the break room where her other colleagues were contemplating their life decisions. Grace and Aria were normally a pair easily spotted. The one was wearing her fire-y red strands in massive curls while Aria stood out with her dyed pastel pink hair put in all sorts of eccentric styles. They were the „colorful ones“ in their shift. But now Aria only stared into a mass of gray suits and nothing to catch her eye. Was Grace probably put into another shift? But why didn’t she tell her? The young woman was too occupied by the disappearance of her friend to care for the man somehow smuggling a clock to work. She looked in the women‘s bathroom and even headed to the women‘s changing room were rows of lockers were holding onto their assigned workers belongings. The locker with the number 312 was the only one open and emptied in their row.
When the light switched to green again Aria felt more depressed than ever. Her initial excitement was long forgotten. The following worry too. Now only disappointment and emptiness was left behind. She somehow finished her shift and turned off her computer the second their light finally turned red. She quickly got changed into her private clothes and checked the time on her smartphone. Half past six. She took a deep breath of relief and stepped outside the Yoba forsaken concrete building. Just like the reception, this place also swallowed all hope and creativity when it gave their employees back into the smog filled Zuzu City. The sun was about to set and wrapped Aria in the last rays of the day. She shivered slightly as a cold breeze danced around her naked legs. No one spoke on their way out, only firm marches followed her to the iron gates.
When she finally was off the Jojas property she took out her phone once more and immediately dialed Grace‘s number. Now others too started little conversations here and there. It was always a hard switch going from a corporate zombie to a private individual. Aria herself felt as if she was in trance and unknowingly changed her step to follow the connecting beeping noices through her phone.
„Hey there peach pie!“, suddenly Grace‘s voice answered and Aria stopped for a second in relief. She sounded happy and uplifted. A stark contrast to Arias current mood and she hummed irritatedly. „You sound awfully relaxed for someone owing me an apology!“, she nagged. „I was looking for you everywhere! I had something super cool to share and your desk was… terminated? What does that mean? Are you working another shift now? And-…“ Aria was interrupted from loud confusing sounds coming from the other end of the call. A loud voice was announcing a flight through a speaker.
Aria was flabbergasted. „Are you… at an airport?“
Grace chuckled nervously. „Yeah uh… well I… I will say I am sorry right away, since I am owing you and all. And uh… well I kind of quit the job yesterday… And my apartment.“ Aria had stopped walking, unable to comprehend what she just heard. „Come again?“
Her friend let out a loud sigh. „Look, I am sorry I didn’t tell you, alright? But I really didn’t want to get all the bullshit everyone would spout. Look, I am heading to Ginger Island. To stay there! I took a loan and bought a beautiful little cottage. I am fed up with everything! I thought if I stayed even a minute longer at Joja’s in fucking Zuzu I will totally end up jumping from a bridge or something.“ Arias head was spinning. „You… I am sorry I can‘t really wrap my head around it. You quit? And you‘re moving permanently to Ginger Island? Isn‘t that like the super deserted Island in the Gem Sea? What… What will you do there?“
Grace sighed again. „Living, my sweet. I will finally have a life. It is not super populated - as of right now! That‘s why it was super cheap. But I want to open up a little shop for tourists or a bar. Something where I will definitely be my own boss and work only for myself.“ Aria was sure to make out the wide grin her friend had while proceeding. „Can you imagine? Me, seductively tanned from the hot sun, serving drinks with a massive flower in my hair flirting my way into a big tip just to close the shop at dawn and sit in the sand, watching the world move slowly and gently, hearing the waves hit the shore, looking up into an endless display of stars…“
Following her words the young woman couldn’t help her eyes from wandering around and looking up into the black, lightless void of the night that‘s been covering her at this point. The stars being drowned in the light pollution of the city. Aria felt a sting in her chest. A deep pang through her heart. She hasn’t been able to proceed her walk home and by now she stood alone leaning against a streetlamp in front of the Joja office building. „That sounds… amazing“, she whispered. Her bottom lip trembled and with all the strength she could muster Aria cleared her throat to sound cheerful. „It suits you. I am sure you will get the biggest tips.“ Aria took a deep breath. Suddenly she was shaking. „I would have been happy to… get a notice though. And I would have wanted to…“, she sniffled quietly. „I wish I could have you know… said a proper goodbye and waved at you like a lunatic when you head to your terminal… Something sentimental like that.“
Silence stretched over the call. Grace too was heard sniffling. „Nah man“, her voice broke. „I wanted to do that alone. You know… what if I chickened out seeing you and the others? It was… easier this way.“ So it wasn’t just her, Aria concluded. Probably no one knew. Of course Aria would notice right away since they worked together. Sure, her friends from university didn’t connect so frequently. But what about her family? Her grandmother? Her brother? Aria didn’t dare to ask.
„It‘s your decision. And… I mean… do your thing. You‘re not leaving the planet or anything. We… We can visit. And make sure you have wifi over there. So we still can keep in touch and…“ Aria was desperately trying to lift up the mood. „You-… you basically have to live there. I mean, you‘re moving to fucking Ginger Island. You will be their queen!“ Grace let out a raspy laugh. „You‘re right. I will be their mascot.“, she chuckled and Aria tried to do it too. „I want to have a plush toy that looks like you please. And a cheap shirt.“
Grace‘s voice turned soft. „I will send you all the merchandise… Ah shit, my plane is calling for departure. I have to go, peach pie. Stay safe and wreck havoc in my place! Love you!“ Aria hummed. „You got it. Love you too. Take care!“
And just like that the call ended and Grace was gone.
Aria headed home, keeping it together until her apartment door fell into the frame behind her. She slid down to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees. Somehow she‘s been able to refrain from crying until now and yet when she finally was alone and ready to let the tears wash over her, she could only shiver. All her muscles were shaking, her chest tightened and simply being inside herself was uncomfortable.
Her breath started to become erratic. „Shit…“, she muttered, weeping, trying to calm down. Her hands moved around without any goal. She slightly pulled her hair, scratched over her arms, buried her face in her legs just to gasp for air a second later, her head fell behind onto the door just to roll around from one shoulder to the other.
Aria waited and waited but the tears she had felt so close to the surface moments ago simply didn’t come. Everything was wrong. Her one room apartment laid untouched before her; No sound came from the inside and yet it was not quiet. No light was on and yet it was not dark. There was no way to escape Zuzu City, no matter what she did or where she tried to hide…
I am fed up with everything.
Grace’s words echoed through Arias mind. She was too. She hated this. She hated her job, her flat, her life. Her closest friend was gone just like that, she only saw her boyfriend once a week and she‘s always anxious the current week was the last one. Everything was fleeting, just a spur of the moment. She could have tried to catch some water with her hands in the stream of a river.
Now finally her vision blurred and the tears started flowing. And they never seemed to stop. She couldn’t stand it anymore. When was the last time she hasn’t been afraid of losing what she held dear? When was the last time she felt like holding something in her hands, without it being torn away from her grasp? When was the last time she…
The gentle crackle of fire suddenly appeared somewhere in the back of her consciousness. Aria looked up, sniffling, and frantically searched her surroundings. A strange tickling sensation wandered all over her body, roamed over her skin and ended in her stomach. What… What was that? The confusion put her tears at hold and she slowly let her limbs relax, stretching out her legs carefully and placing her hands in her lap. She heard her own heard pound and her breath pant. In her head she counted to three before holding the air in her lungs, listening for the unusual ambience, trying to make out what happened. The crackling got louder and the goosebumps heavier.
Somehow she followed an instinct and closed her eyes, just concentrating on normalizing her breath again. A heavy but gentle scent hit her nose and warmth spread over her face. She felt the slight tug on her hand and immediately opened her eyes, witnessing how she followed the feeling and stretched out her arm until she was in the position of someone holding her hand.
The noises of the city fell further and further into the background until they were gone completely and the room was filled with only the gentle crackle in the fireplace and heavy breaths from a tired man. Aria gasped quietly when she finally remembered this scene and quickly drew her hand back, holding onto her wrist in shock. It was a memory, right? Yes, just a memory. And yet somehow it felt… strangely real. As if she was reliving the last day of her grandfather‘s life. When her mother still held her hand, trying to be strong and kept tugging on her accidentally. „What the fuck…?“, she heard her own voice muffled in the distance. It sounded hollow and empty, while something else echoed through her mind.
„Now, listen close…“, had her grandpa said gently on his deathbed. Aria was feeling as if she had a fever dream. Like Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by the ghosts of his life. She didn’t dare to move or look away.
„There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life…“
She flinched at the weight of those words whispered over 15 years ago. They suddenly hit her. Mattered to her. As if it took a long echo through time and space for her to truly understand them. Aria pressed her lips together, feeling the emotions bubbling up again. She nodded slightly.
„… and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness.“
The trembling began again. Heavier than before. She shook uncontrollably, pressing her hands on her lips. She had difficulties breathing. It took her all her willpower not to hyperventilate. She never thought about those words after they were muttered to her 7 year old, blissfully ignorant self. And suddenly they felt like the answer for a puzzle she‘s been unable to finish. Although it was there all along.
„When that happens, my dear, you‘ll be ready for this gift.“
Heavily her chest was raising and falling again. Her eyes immediately were drawn to her wardrobe. The gift. She remembered now. Her Grandpa has given her an envelope. Something heavy, nice and fancy with a purple wax seal. Before her mother died she frequently spoke of her gut feeling. When it was better to cross the road right before a potted plant fell from a balcony. When it just felt right to drive an extra mile to another supermarket and suddenly stepping into a massive sale event. When she knew her diagnosis before any doctor was able to see it… And when her father was about to die.
Aria never really understood what it meant. But now she couldn’t help to assume it must have been something like this…
Already feeling as if her life would change irreversibly, she took out the old shoe box, sitting in the back of her wardrobe and pulled out the envelope from underneath her mother‘s precious belongings.
It was just as she remembered; Fancy and heavy. Similarly to the way she has felt all those years ago when her father explained to her she had to break that pretty seal, she took in a moment to admire and pity it. „What a shame…“, she sighed and folded it in half so it would crack open. Aria took several deep breaths and still cowering on the floor she opened the envelope. She had to take several deep breaths while trying to calm down her heart that won every race at this point. It was alright. This was definitely the right time. There has never been a better moment to honor her grandfathers wish and open it.
So she slowly exposed a letter first and finally she stretched out her arm to turn on the lamp on her nightstand, regretting this decision for a second while her swollen, red eyes were getting used to the difference in brightness. One last deep breath.
A sad smile appeared on the woman‘s lips. Nostalgia hit her at seeing the hasty handwriting of her grandpa. She loved when he sent letters back then and although she couldn’t read them at the time, Aria loved just staring at them pages and trying to recreate this mess. In her eyes it has always been beautiful. Like an artwork of sorts…
if you‘re reading this, you must be in dire need of a change.“
Aria gulped down past the lump that formed in her throat.
„The same thing happened to me, long ago. I‘d lost sight of what mattered most in life… real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.“
Aria held her breath in anticipation, somehow sensing where this was leading.
„I’ve enclosed the deed to that place… my pride and joy: Naturesworth Farm.“
The woman gasped and her eyes turned wide. She hurriedly looked through the other papers, holding an official document in her hands. It was a deed for the farm and it‘s property. A hasty written signature from her grandfather officiated the transfer of it to his granddaughter. Tears filled up her eyes again. „No fucking way…“, she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. She quickly returned to the letter.
„It‘s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It‘s the perfect place to start your new life. This was my most precious gift of all, and now it‘s yours. I know you‘ll honor the family name, my dear. Good luck. Love, Grandpa.“
Her new life. After all those years something so valuable was in her possession. Just like that. She actually could start over…
Instinctively she turned the page around again and so a post scriptum in the back. „P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?“ Aria smiled and shook her head lovingly. „Sure, gramps. You got it…“, she chuckled still wiping away the never ending tears.
She had stared at this massive present for hours. Aria has been a poor girl with nothing to her name, living from one month to the next, suffering under Joja to afford her little doghouse of a flat. And yet suddenly she was the righteous owner of a farm in the south coast of Ferngill Republic, close to the… Close to the Gem Sea. No way!
Out of nowhere she started laughing uncontrollably and fiddled for her phone. She looked up Stardew Valley on the map and quickly spotted the Gem Sea down below and her heart skipped a beat when she found the Fern Islands, knowing one of them being Ginger Island. She shook her head, over and over again, switching from staring at the map to her deed. And after a while she began crying again and hugged the envelope close to her chest.
„Thank you grandpa… You‘re actually the best…“, she whispered into nothingness.
The next day finally came after a restless night. And yet Aria felt too busy to be tired when she jumped out of bed and checking for her grandfathers letter and the deed again. After everything that happened it wouldn’t have surprised her if the past nights events were simply just a dream. And yet, no matter how many times she checked, the documents were always in place.
Feeling as if she had awoken into a new version of herself she stepped out to work. The people around her quickly melted into the background and she‘s been heading out with a sense of being alone. Safe. Covered in a fantasy that protected her from the outside world.
Real connections with other people… Aria recited her grandpas words in her mind. While passing the faceless crowd she tried to remember a face and maybe sort a name to them. But it was pointless. She knew no one and no one knew her.
When she entered Joja‘s massive gray concrete building and passed booth number 312 Aria wasn’t met with the terminated sign. Instead someone new was already sitting there. It took them one day to replace Grace. Aria quickly headed to her own booth and stood there for a second. It took them one day to replace 312. It would probably take them the same time to replace 315. Aria couldn’t think of any reason why she‘d be something special in her supervisors eyes. They did not see individuals. No one wondered about Grace‘s absence. No one would wonder about hers.
Aria slowly sank into her chair.
Real connections with real people and nature…
Her gaze jumped up to the only windows in the room. Nature has become a foreign concept for her in a way. The thought of actually seeing and feeling the day progress seemed… unrealistic. But she yearned for it. She wanted to see what it felt like working under the sun. When she thought back on the few times she has visited her grandfather she remembered the gentle buzzing of bees. Eating ice cream on his veranda and letting her feet hang in a little bucket with cold water. Oh right, he had all sorts of farm animals. There was a duckling once claiming her little bucket as it‘s new pond and they shared the cool water.
Aria smiled. She hasn’t even turned the computer yet while everyone around her has already started the clacking symphony of keyboards. But her fingers didn’t follow suit. Without a word she stood up again. „315, first warning“, echoed through the speakers, as she headed towards the exit. She didn’t stop. It was over. She was not 315 anymore. She was Aria Galbreath. And she was fed up with this life. Once and for all.
A resignation didn’t have to be too formal, right? Aria wrote down hers on a sheet of paper printed all over with the Joja‘s logo and threw it in her supervisors mailbox together with her identification card. When she was on her way back home her whole body started vibrating. She laughed and cried, shook her head in disbelief. People were passing her, avoiding the lunatic but she couldn’t care less. She has done it. She will do it.
What kinds of preparations did she have to make? Since the deed was already hers there was no need to go to the bank. But she should maybe somehow contact someone in Stardew Valley. Although… it was her farm! Did she really have to announce herself? Well maybe the cabin wasn’t ready to actually live in. In that case she‘d need a hotel or something to stay at… For that she would actually need money. Her heart pounded like crazy. Daniel will probably know what to do. He was smart and today was Wednesday. She will ask him for his opinion on how to proceed!
In the meantime Aria had to somehow spent her day now. While waiting for her boyfriend she began by tidying up and throwing everything away she wouldn’t need anymore. Then she typed her resignation for her apartment. And since the time simply didn’t seem to move at all she started researching on the internet the basics of agriculture.
It took Daniel ages today. But then he finally rang the door. Aria threw her laptop on her dining table and jumped out of bed, stumbling over to the door opener.
„Finally!“, Aria exclaimed as she opened her door and heard his heavy steps approaching her in the hallway. „I was waiting! I have to tell you some-… hmpf“ The tall dark haired man slumped up the stairs and immediately crashed his lips against hers the second he arrived at her doorstep. The stench of cigarettes lingered on him. Aria stumbled behind as he pushed her carefully inside and closed the door behind him. She stared wide-eyed into his tired face while he threw his bag to the side. „I had a really rough week“, he finally said in a raspy voice. He wasn’t shaved and his shirt was wrinkly. „Let‘s talk later.“
Aria gasped as he lifted her into his arms and once again sealed her lips in a rough kiss before she could answer in any way. She sighed defeated into his lips but let him be, ignoring the knot inside her stomach. He‘d be in a better mood and more patient after sex. And maybe it would help her to clear her head off too. After all they both seemed to have had a rough time. So she let herself be thrown onto the bed and helped him out of his clothes as he crawled on top of her.
Daniel always came onto her rather strongly. So it was nothing new for her being pushed, pulled and held into place. Although today seemed… rougher than usual.
It took them several rounds until the couple laid in bed, completely out of breath. Aria felt her throat being sore and her makeup smudged all over her face. Her body ached and his fingers have marked red streaks over her arms and thighs.
With a deep relieved sigh Daniel took out his cigarettes and lit one in bed while also grabbing his laptop from his bag. „Can you imagine? My script was denied. Again!“, he immediately started complaining, taking a deep puff of his cig, filling the room with heavy smoke. Aria forced herself up on trembling legs and opened the window before falling back into her bed. „That‘s a shame“, she muttered dryly, wetting her lips, looking for something to drink.
He turned around looking at her with an angry hum. „It‘s not a shame! It‘s disastrous! This idiots can‘t even comprehend my genius. How are they supposed to rate it? You just have to have fucking luck that one of them actually uses their brain and happens to be the one to read my script.“ The brunet man started typing, still shaking his head.
„But you know, that‘s how it is with artists! We don‘t get recognized by these slobs until finally someone decides to publish the book and boom. Suddenly my name will be everywhere, on all the best selling lists! And these goons will feel incredibly stupid for denying me.“ It was not the first time Aria listened to this very same monologue. But she waited for Daniel to finish it before she wanted to bring up her own life. Somehow she was nervous all of the sudden. Doubt filled her up and left a bitter taste in her mouth. Did she really want to talk to him about it?
„I am sure next time will be the one…“, she whispered before clearing her throat. „I wanted to tell you something.“ Daniel led his cigarette back to his lips, before looking over to her. „Hm? Oh, right. What‘s up?“ Aria sat up a little and fished for a oversized shirt on the ground. For this conversation she didn’t want to be naked.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself emotionally. „Grace quit the job this week.“, she started while hugging her knees and leaning her head to the side, looking at him. She stretched out her hand, making a grabbing motion and asking nonverbally for a puff. Daniel clicked his tongue.
„You know how ugly it is for a woman to smoke. What about Grace now? What is she going to do? Did she find something else?“ He finally put away his Laptop and instead took the ashtray and held it over the bed, dropping the ash into it. Aria was sure she‘d find other burning holes in her sheets but she didn’t care right now. „She bought a cottage on Ginger Island and wants to start over there in self-employment. She‘s thinking of…“ Daniel interrupted her with a loud and throaty laugh. He let his fingers run through his hair and shook his head, grinning mockingly. „Holy shit, you‘re joking! No offense in your choice of friends but that‘s the most stupid and hilarious shit I heard all week.“ Arias mouth shut immediately and she eyed her boyfriend for a while.
So that‘s the kind of bullshit Grace tried to escape by not telling anyone. Her heart began pounding heavily and she felt her hands getting sweaty. She cleared her throat again and stopped to get up for a second, fill up a cup of water and gulping it down.
She wiped her mouth with her sleeve. The knot in her stomach tightened. „Uh… I think it could work. And uh… Do you remember what I told you about my grandfather?“ She very slowly moved back to the bed and said down on her knees in an arm length distance to the man. Daniel raised his brow, suspicious of where this was going. „I think you as her friend should have definitely given her a reality check and advice her against such a reckless and stupid decision. And what about your grandfather? I tought he died some time ago?“
The young woman took a deep breath and tried combing her fingers through the mess of her light pink hair to soothe herself. „Yeah. Yeah, that‘s true. But he was a farmer over in Stardew Valley and uh… turns out he passed on the deed of his property to me. I… uh… I have a farm.“ She shrugged anxiously, looking at him through her lashes.
The man stared at her and very slowly put off his cigarette into the ashtray before putting it aside on the nightstand. Aria watched him intently as he faced her completely now, crossing his arms in front of his chest. „So?“
„So… I thought of maybe… I mean! I don‘t have to get a loan and the farm is just sitting there without anyone living there and… I think it would be nice to… connect to my roots. My grandfather loved it there and… and mom grew up in the valley. And eh there is this Lewis that knew my grandfather.“
Why did she suddenly have to justify herself? It was her decision. And she already made it… She only wanted some advice.
Daniel seemed unimpressed. „You are not seriously thinking of moving to a farm? You have no clue of how to manage agriculture!“
Aria pointed at a potted plant that stood by the window. „I can keep plants alive! And I could learn the rest. I-… I already searched a bit around on the web.“ The man clicked his tongue again. „You must be joking! While we are at war with Gotoro and Joja as a mass producer in the back of every farmers neck right now you would have to work the farm to the bones for it to cut even!“ Aria blinked in shock by his raised voice before slightly pouting. „I know that!“, she muttered protectively. „But I think I can do it… I remember the farm. It‘s soil was very good and when Grandpa still managed it it made great profit! And he was alone too and simply dropped out of his city life without any expertise before that!“ Daniel groaned and hid his face in the palms of his hands.
„You… ugh don‘t be so difficult now, Aria! You‘re comparing yourself with a sturdy man. I am sure you can‘t even properly hold an axe. Let alone cut a whole tree on your own. Can‘t you sell the farm? There is so much you could do with the money! Something realistic.“
Aria gasped. „N-no! No, I can‘t sell it! Grandpa loved that farm with all his heart! It‘s the family‘s treasure.“
„Fine!“, the man sighed. „Give it to your Dad then!“ The pink-haired woman stared at him for half a minute before even considering taking this suggestion seriously. „You want me to send my sickly Dad, who‘s barely managing to stand up straight to work on a farm?“
Daniel brandished his hands around. „Yes! Thank you for seeing the ridiculousness in this ordeal! It‘s the very same thing with you working on a farm.“
„No it‘s not!“ The couple got hotter and louder the further their argument proceeded and before escalating completely it was Daniel taking a deep breath and softening his tone finally.
„Look, I see that you are very passionate about this all. But please think about it again.“ He snaked an arm around her and grabbed her suddenly just to pull her on his lap. „But if you really want to play cowgirl, I can definitely help with that.“ A wide grin was now presenting on his face and Aria felt all air being sucked out from underneath her wings. How was he in the mood now of all times? „Now you must be joking!“, she huffed, crossing her arms, turning away her face. Her boyfriend though only curled his lips into a sulking pout. „Come on. Let‘s stop arguing. This leads nowhere and you know it. It‘s just a fun little fantasy. And that‘s alright.“ He let his hands slip under the shirt she threw on to cover herself and pressed her body against his.
„We only see each other once a week. Let me enjoy you some more before I have to leave for work again. And if your life dissatisfies you right now maybe I wasn’t performing good enough. And in that case I insist on getting another chance.“
Aria was pissed. She felt trapped in his arms. This went worse than any outcome that she could have imagined. And suddenly she felt strongly sympathetic and connected towards Grace‘s decision. She wished to have left without a word too. But at least now she was more eager than ever. Any sign of doubt has left her.
With a sigh she let Daniel have his way and the second he left her apartment she took a shower, started packing and signed her resignation. Come Tuesday the following week she sat in a bus, crossing the Calico desert, heading towards Stardew Valley.
