Chapter 51: Finding Independence
"Really? You mean it? You'll go for it? Fantastic! This is going to be great!" As they hung up, Link felt he was floating on air. He could barely believe that Harmony had agreed to move to Brindleton Bay with him. Finally, he felt like life was moving. Yes, he loved his job, and he loved the Ritters, they were fantastic, but at 25 he wanted a home of his own, a life of his own. Perhaps if he had a place of his own he could meet someone too. He would always have a soft spot for Daisy, but she had made her position clear, and it was time for him to start looking for someone to settle down with.
After work, he headed over to the gym across the street from the clinic for a work out, and after he and Daisy hung out in the gaming café, just chatting and playing some cards.
"I've even found the house that is for sale," he told her enthusiastically. "It's on the edge of town, and a bit run down, but then with the prices here... plumbob, I couldn't afford anything else. To be fair I can't afford this, even with Harmony we're kind of living on the hope that the Ritters wouldn't mind giving me an advance on my pay - like a few months advance on my pay. I might have to pick up fishing so we'll have something to eat during those months, at least until Harmony has a steady job."
"How big is the house?"
"Big, is there any other kind in this town?" Link laughed. "Four bedrooms, though one is rather on the small side, three bathrooms."
"So, you'd have room for one more?" Daisy said.
"Are you suggesting..."
"Just as friends," Daisy added quickly. "But you're not the only one who is tired of living in someone else's house. I mean you at least have your own entrance, and kitchen, I need to actually go through the house every time I come home. It's tiring, it feels like I'm still with my parents."
"You're sure?"
"If you don't mind. I have some money saved up that mom gave me when I moved from Tartosa. Maybe you wouldn't need that advance..."
Of course Link doesn't mind, and he knows Harmony won't either, she's always gotten on with Daisy! So with money settled, Link goes to the property agent and close the deal so the house won't get snapped up by anyone else.
For Harmony, this wasn't an easy decision. On the one hand, she really wants to explore the world, live in different places, write as she moves from one place to another. On the other, she's really not happy with being a freelance writer. Her last screw up means she's having trouble finding good gigs, and the ones she does get is mind numbingly dumb. Proof reading people's university essays. Coming up with stupid marketing ideas that someone else will take credit for. Writing blog posts for influencers who cannot write themselves but will happily pretend they can.
She's bored with it, she's barely making any money, and she still doesn't have time to write the things she wants to write. Brindleton Bay has an excellent publishing firm, specialising in children's books, and they have an opening. It would make sense, and it would hopefully be a way to open the door, to make her write better, to become well known and respected as a writer.
Looking out over the landscape, Harmony knows she's made the right decision. It's not a decision not to travel the world, she tells herself, but to postpone it, for when she's an established writer and can write wherever she wants to.
Things move fast once they have the money. Soon Link is standing in the Ritter's living room, saying goodbye to the people who has taken such good care of him. Lilly is emotional, while Miles keeps it more formal.
"Make sure you eat properly," Lilly says as she hugs him.
"We'll see you at work bright and early," Miles says as he pats his arm.
Max has hidden somewhere, angry that he's leaving.
He's the first to arrive at the house, which really is in worse condition than he thought. The roof is sound, but the plants are either dead, or overgrown and threaten to take over, and inside there is spider webs everywhere, along with pealed off wall paper and holes in the walls.
He might as well get started on the cleaning. Once the girls arrive, most of the loose trash is out of the house, and the broom is tucked away in a corner. He hasn't had the time to go over all the spider webs, but a fire is going in a house that has no other heating yet. There is water, and electricity, so that's a good thing.
As it's late in the day, the three decide that there isn't much they can do in the dying light anyway, and as they all have sleeping bags, they just sleep with their clothes on, close to the fire. "Like the sleep over parties we had as kids," Harmony says with a smile before falling asleep almost at once.
The next morning, the three of them get on with it. They've got a hold of a small table and three chairs online, for free, as they have next to no money to pay for things, but it's enough for the three of them as they have breakfast still in their winter's outfits.
Then it's time to begin. Link shovels some snow so that they can easily get in and out with their things without the risk of hurting themselves, and Harmony makes sure the heating is turned on.
While they do not have money for fancy wall paper or some major changes around the house, they do have enough money for some paint and putty for the cracks. They each start with their bedrooms, so they'll have somewhere to sleep.
Harmony has gone for a rather warm tone on her walls, but she paints the wood work white to balance it out, to match the seating bench in the window. She even paints her built in wardrobes white, though the paint look a bit different on those than on the panel. Close enough, she decides. And much better than before. She's convinced Sandy to lend her the inflatable bed she slept on there, to save money, and an empty apple crate will work well for a nightstand for now. More important is to get as many of her collectables and books up as possible, and the one and only painting she's made that she actually likes.
As her first order of business she plants a dragon fruit in a pot she's bought. So they can start making some money fast. It's a trick her mother and grandmother taught her. Dragon fruit thrives as house plants.
Daisy in turn has opted for a yellow wall color. Hardly surprising as it's her favourite. Going in with the least amount of money, she herself insisted on one of the smaller bedrooms. She's gotten hold of a worn dresser and beautiful old headboard, and while she has every intention of fixing up both, the paint only manages to cover the headboard for now. "I'll fix you up later," she tells the dresser.
Link on the other hand, barely knows what to make with his room. Unlike the girls he doesn't care too much about the space per say. He has less big holes, just a little wear in the wall paper, which granted, is hideous, but nothing he can't live with. He brings in furniture to sleep, spend all his remaining money on an old computer so he can study and work, and then leaves it basically as it is.
"You're going to keep it like that?" Harmony asks.
"It's not that important. It was more important that we got a sofa," he says.
"Which I got, remember," Harmony answers. "Because I managed to collect so many valuables."*
"What will you focus on next then."
"Being a bestselling author of course."
"We might have a sofa, but no lights, and no TV." Daisy points out.
"But a stereo." Link answers.
"If you want to call it that."
"You can dance to it."
Being short on money means working hard, for all of them. As a barista, Daisy starts work at 5 am, and is out the door before light breaks every morning.
Harmony, in turn, started working at the publishing house in Brindleton Bay, ironically as a freelance article writer. In the tough working environment that seems to be Brindleton Bay, she is fairy sure she only got the job because of her father's good reputation. But she's fine with that. She dresses the part, shows up at the office, and before long she is promoted to advice columnist. A far cry from the children's author she wants to be, but at least she's making more money than before, and can contribute to their house.
Link on his end works long hours at the clinic. He is now a trusted member of staff, and appreciated vet by the various pet owners in town. With every patient, he's getting a reputation of being both fast and accurate, and never causes more discomfort than necessary for the animal.
But experienced or not, it is quite a shock when a Mrs Fisher, a patient's owner, goes into labour during the examination.
"You're sure you want me to continue, you seem like you should be elsewhere." A dog giving birth he could probably deal with, but a human? He'd actually rather not.
"Yes! I need- to find out - what's wrong with - Allie."
Link hurries up his examination, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with Allie. He pets her and gives her a treat, and then a vaccination.
"All fixed," he says, figuring it's better than to argue with a pregnant woman in labour. "Do you want me to call you a cab to take you to the hospital."
"Perhaps - yes - ow - yes, that would be good."
He later learns through Lilly that Mrs Fisher had a healthy baby girl, born minutes after she got to the hospital.
"It's a good thing that dog didn't need actual care," she tells him. Link thinks so too.
The job has its perks too. Quite a few of his patients has very beautiful owners. Anne, in particular seems to be quite into the new young vet in town.
And when he hasn't gotten the hint the first few times, she simply decided it was easier to just ask him out than wait for him to get wiser.
Of course he does! Anne is beautiful, loves animals, and unlike Daisy interested. Why wouldn't he go and find out what this could bring? They meet up at the bar down by the peer. Only once he arrives does he realise that tonight is Love Day. Good thing he thought to bring a flower.
After work, he headed over to the gym across the street from the clinic for a work out, and after he and Daisy hung out in the gaming café, just chatting and playing some cards.
"I've even found the house that is for sale," he told her enthusiastically. "It's on the edge of town, and a bit run down, but then with the prices here... plumbob, I couldn't afford anything else. To be fair I can't afford this, even with Harmony we're kind of living on the hope that the Ritters wouldn't mind giving me an advance on my pay - like a few months advance on my pay. I might have to pick up fishing so we'll have something to eat during those months, at least until Harmony has a steady job."
"How big is the house?"
"Big, is there any other kind in this town?" Link laughed. "Four bedrooms, though one is rather on the small side, three bathrooms."
"So, you'd have room for one more?" Daisy said.
"Are you suggesting..."
"Just as friends," Daisy added quickly. "But you're not the only one who is tired of living in someone else's house. I mean you at least have your own entrance, and kitchen, I need to actually go through the house every time I come home. It's tiring, it feels like I'm still with my parents."
"You're sure?"
"If you don't mind. I have some money saved up that mom gave me when I moved from Tartosa. Maybe you wouldn't need that advance..."
Of course Link doesn't mind, and he knows Harmony won't either, she's always gotten on with Daisy! So with money settled, Link goes to the property agent and close the deal so the house won't get snapped up by anyone else.
For Harmony, this wasn't an easy decision. On the one hand, she really wants to explore the world, live in different places, write as she moves from one place to another. On the other, she's really not happy with being a freelance writer. Her last screw up means she's having trouble finding good gigs, and the ones she does get is mind numbingly dumb. Proof reading people's university essays. Coming up with stupid marketing ideas that someone else will take credit for. Writing blog posts for influencers who cannot write themselves but will happily pretend they can.
She's bored with it, she's barely making any money, and she still doesn't have time to write the things she wants to write. Brindleton Bay has an excellent publishing firm, specialising in children's books, and they have an opening. It would make sense, and it would hopefully be a way to open the door, to make her write better, to become well known and respected as a writer.
Looking out over the landscape, Harmony knows she's made the right decision. It's not a decision not to travel the world, she tells herself, but to postpone it, for when she's an established writer and can write wherever she wants to.
Things move fast once they have the money. Soon Link is standing in the Ritter's living room, saying goodbye to the people who has taken such good care of him. Lilly is emotional, while Miles keeps it more formal.
"Make sure you eat properly," Lilly says as she hugs him.
"We'll see you at work bright and early," Miles says as he pats his arm.
Max has hidden somewhere, angry that he's leaving.
He's the first to arrive at the house, which really is in worse condition than he thought. The roof is sound, but the plants are either dead, or overgrown and threaten to take over, and inside there is spider webs everywhere, along with pealed off wall paper and holes in the walls.
He might as well get started on the cleaning. Once the girls arrive, most of the loose trash is out of the house, and the broom is tucked away in a corner. He hasn't had the time to go over all the spider webs, but a fire is going in a house that has no other heating yet. There is water, and electricity, so that's a good thing.
As it's late in the day, the three decide that there isn't much they can do in the dying light anyway, and as they all have sleeping bags, they just sleep with their clothes on, close to the fire. "Like the sleep over parties we had as kids," Harmony says with a smile before falling asleep almost at once.
The next morning, the three of them get on with it. They've got a hold of a small table and three chairs online, for free, as they have next to no money to pay for things, but it's enough for the three of them as they have breakfast still in their winter's outfits.
Then it's time to begin. Link shovels some snow so that they can easily get in and out with their things without the risk of hurting themselves, and Harmony makes sure the heating is turned on.
While they do not have money for fancy wall paper or some major changes around the house, they do have enough money for some paint and putty for the cracks. They each start with their bedrooms, so they'll have somewhere to sleep.
Harmony has gone for a rather warm tone on her walls, but she paints the wood work white to balance it out, to match the seating bench in the window. She even paints her built in wardrobes white, though the paint look a bit different on those than on the panel. Close enough, she decides. And much better than before. She's convinced Sandy to lend her the inflatable bed she slept on there, to save money, and an empty apple crate will work well for a nightstand for now. More important is to get as many of her collectables and books up as possible, and the one and only painting she's made that she actually likes.
As her first order of business she plants a dragon fruit in a pot she's bought. So they can start making some money fast. It's a trick her mother and grandmother taught her. Dragon fruit thrives as house plants.
Daisy in turn has opted for a yellow wall color. Hardly surprising as it's her favourite. Going in with the least amount of money, she herself insisted on one of the smaller bedrooms. She's gotten hold of a worn dresser and beautiful old headboard, and while she has every intention of fixing up both, the paint only manages to cover the headboard for now. "I'll fix you up later," she tells the dresser.
Link on the other hand, barely knows what to make with his room. Unlike the girls he doesn't care too much about the space per say. He has less big holes, just a little wear in the wall paper, which granted, is hideous, but nothing he can't live with. He brings in furniture to sleep, spend all his remaining money on an old computer so he can study and work, and then leaves it basically as it is.
"You're going to keep it like that?" Harmony asks.
"It's not that important. It was more important that we got a sofa," he says.
"Which I got, remember," Harmony answers. "Because I managed to collect so many valuables."*
"What will you focus on next then."
"Being a bestselling author of course."
"We might have a sofa, but no lights, and no TV." Daisy points out.
"But a stereo." Link answers.
"If you want to call it that."
"You can dance to it."
Being short on money means working hard, for all of them. As a barista, Daisy starts work at 5 am, and is out the door before light breaks every morning.
Harmony, in turn, started working at the publishing house in Brindleton Bay, ironically as a freelance article writer. In the tough working environment that seems to be Brindleton Bay, she is fairy sure she only got the job because of her father's good reputation. But she's fine with that. She dresses the part, shows up at the office, and before long she is promoted to advice columnist. A far cry from the children's author she wants to be, but at least she's making more money than before, and can contribute to their house.
Link on his end works long hours at the clinic. He is now a trusted member of staff, and appreciated vet by the various pet owners in town. With every patient, he's getting a reputation of being both fast and accurate, and never causes more discomfort than necessary for the animal.
But experienced or not, it is quite a shock when a Mrs Fisher, a patient's owner, goes into labour during the examination.
"You're sure you want me to continue, you seem like you should be elsewhere." A dog giving birth he could probably deal with, but a human? He'd actually rather not.
"Yes! I need- to find out - what's wrong with - Allie."
Link hurries up his examination, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with Allie. He pets her and gives her a treat, and then a vaccination.
"All fixed," he says, figuring it's better than to argue with a pregnant woman in labour. "Do you want me to call you a cab to take you to the hospital."
"Perhaps - yes - ow - yes, that would be good."
He later learns through Lilly that Mrs Fisher had a healthy baby girl, born minutes after she got to the hospital.
"It's a good thing that dog didn't need actual care," she tells him. Link thinks so too.
The job has its perks too. Quite a few of his patients has very beautiful owners. Anne, in particular seems to be quite into the new young vet in town.
And when he hasn't gotten the hint the first few times, she simply decided it was easier to just ask him out than wait for him to get wiser.
Of course he does! Anne is beautiful, loves animals, and unlike Daisy interested. Why wouldn't he go and find out what this could bring? They meet up at the bar down by the peer. Only once he arrives does he realise that tonight is Love Day. Good thing he thought to bring a flower.
Once inside they sit at the bar, and Link orders them a drink. It starts off well enough, with a lot of flirting, and a lot of getting to know one another, but then Link - inexperienced as he is in these matters - goes and make things weird.
There is little recovery after that, as they are both too embarrassed by the situation. Maybe this wasn't a good idea at all?
"Do you want to just... call it a night?" Link then asks. "I can walk you home." To that Anne agrees, and as this is no longer a date, pull on a not a warm but comfy sweater over her dress.
No longer trying to impress each other, the conversation flows easier, and they even have a few laughs at the failure at the bar, and soon they are talking - actually talking, not flirting, not trying to talk but actually talking, and everything seems so much easier.
Link isn't sure how it goes from him walking her home after a failed date to them stopping at the pier and Anne taking his hands, or to the first kiss, or the second or third. He does know he's not complaining.
He does know that this might just be the best Love Day of his life, and as he returns home after dropping Anne off at her place, he realises something else. He think he just might be a romantic.
* Finishing the Curator Aspiration unlocked the Basement Treasure Kit
"Do you want to just... call it a night?" Link then asks. "I can walk you home." To that Anne agrees, and as this is no longer a date, pull on a not a warm but comfy sweater over her dress.
No longer trying to impress each other, the conversation flows easier, and they even have a few laughs at the failure at the bar, and soon they are talking - actually talking, not flirting, not trying to talk but actually talking, and everything seems so much easier.
Link isn't sure how it goes from him walking her home after a failed date to them stopping at the pier and Anne taking his hands, or to the first kiss, or the second or third. He does know he's not complaining.
He does know that this might just be the best Love Day of his life, and as he returns home after dropping Anne off at her place, he realises something else. He think he just might be a romantic.
* Finishing the Curator Aspiration unlocked the Basement Treasure Kit
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