Nature's Medicine

Snogging & Eggnogging

Later that evening, the doctor and Farmer huddle together under and umbrella dreading the arrival of the bus. Adella didn't want him leave again but she didn't have a choice on the matter. She sighs audibly enough for Harvey to notice. He grabs her hand and gently squeezes it reassuring her.

"I don't wanna leave either," he sighs remorseful, "But I can guarantee you I'll be back before the spring." Harvey smiles at her.

Adella turns to him and senses sincerity radiate from his promise. "You better not keep me waiting then." She teased.

"You have my word." He smiles pulling her hand up to his lips to kiss her knuckles, "And we'll celebrate my return by taking you out for our first date."

"It's about time considering how our morning started." She softly smiles feeling her cheeks turn pink.

"Y-yeah it was definitely... something..." Harvey blushes bashfully, "That's actually a poor choice of words um... It was definitely something I don't normally do but I did enjoyed every minute of it— Now I'm making myself sound like a 30 year old virgin, which obviously not—"

"Harvey." Adella states sweetly at an attempt to get his attention.

"But that's not the point. Normally I would take the time to get to know someone, heck I don't even kiss on the first date cause I don't want to come across pushy." He rambles on.

"Harvey." She chimes as he continues to spew word vomit.

"But in this situation I guess we just had chemistry while we were friends so it was inevitable that would happen without being 'official'—" He gets cut off by Adella pulling in his tie panting a kiss on his lips.

Adella felt his tension wash away as he relaxed into the kiss. Few moments later he pulls away for air and his face is bright red.

"That was the nicest way to tell me to shut up." He softly pants and bashfully bites his lip.

A muffled roar approached them from down the street letting them know their time is being cut short. They spot a pair of yellow headlight creep closer to the bus stop. Harvey looks back at the farmer with remorse filling in his eyes.

"One more kiss before you go?" Adella pleaded.

Without hesitation the doctor oblige placing his hand on her cheek and giving her the most heartfelt kiss he could within a limited amount of time. They part ways hearing the bus hiss to a stop.

"I'll be back before spring, my dear." Harvey sadly smiles and places a kiss on her forehead.

He grabs his suitcase and leaves the shelter of the umbrella to hop onto the bus. She waved at him a last farewell as the bus quickly leaves like it came leaving the farmer alone in the rain with the doctor's promise.

-<~***~>-

The fall soon changed to winter and there is still no sign of Harvey's return. For the first few weeks Adella would carry on her normal routine tending to her farm and stocking up on supplies to get through her first winter, but as the temperature got colder she grew more restless waiting for him.

Throughout his absence, Adella made sure to keep in touch with Harvey through texts, phone calls, and video chats. Whenever she would ask when he would be back the doctor responses with an "I don't know" or "soon hopefully." As The Festival of the Winter Star creeps closer she asked the doctor again with very similar results, "I don't know sweetheart, honestly."

Before anyone knows it, the festival came and still no sign of Harvey arrival, Shane offered to walk his best friend home after the traditional gift exchange.