13.
The next few days, Redheart went to work without complaint and fell back almost into her usual routine. She tended to overnight patients, keeping track of their vital signs and medicine intakes, and sorted records until late at night when Luna’s moon was high in the sky. She answered some phone calls and cleaned the staff break room when there was little to do.
As for Twilight, there was little Redheart could actually do that hadn’t been done already. Doctor Stable noted she had made a successful recovery from surgery and that it would be possible to put her wings back into position without fuss or risk of problems if anesthesia was administered, though even he still was hesitant.
Caramel called once or twice during the week to talk to Redheart about when she would be off. Redheart hated those conversations; they always reminded her of the fact she had nearly broke things off with Caramel just for the sake of her job and made her feel lonely, a pain that never left her when she returned home. At home, she would lay awake at night and stare either out the window or out the ceiling, thinking of what she had told Caramel about buying a new house and painting the walls yellow. If the room was so bright, maybe she wouldn’t feel lonely.
On Saturday evening when she didn’t have work, Redheart was feeling worse than before. Twilight’s condition still hadn’t improved and she hadn’t thought of any new ways to make her better. When she called Caramel and asked her where she wanted to go…
“Berry Punch’s place,” Redheart said without hesitation.
“That’s not quite what I thought,” Caramel said. “What’s with the change?”
“I need a change of pace,” Redheart said. “And a stiff drink.”
Redheart could almost see Caramel shrugging over the phone. “Whatever works.”
He came around close to five in the evening and they were at Berry Punch’s bar a few minutes later. Unlike the restaurant they had attended, the bar was much more laid-back and filled with louder music, the thumping of bass and pulsing electronic administered by a white unicorn DJ at the controls and felt throughout Redheart’s whole body. The food was simple and cheap; celery stalks with ranch dressing, mini sandwiches called “sliders” with sauce, hay fries with extra spice, and a myriad of other plates.
In addition to ordering the food, Redheart and Caramel each ordered a drink. Caramel had a simple alcoholic cider that was sharp and spicy with a slight taste of honey. Redheart ordered the same thing plus a shot of whiskey on the side.
“You really meant it when you said you needed a drink, didn’t you?” Caramel asked.
Redheart downed the whiskey in one go. “The change did not work as well as I thought.”
“Twilight’s condition is still bothering you, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Redheart admitted. “I thought I’d be able to think of something new to try, but nothing seems to work. No changes medicine, no changes to her parenteral nutrition, and no talking to her and mentioning her letters or Celestia or the library seems to work.”
“You would think something moved out of place would wake her up,” Caramel thought aloud.
“With how strong the impact was, she’s probably still knocked out,” Redheart said. “Even if we did move something out of place, it wouldn’t be enough to jolt her awake.”
Caramel took a sip of his drink. “What is it about Twilight that makes you worry about her so much? I mean, you two hardly knew each other.”
Redheart finished chewing a slider and swallowed, following it with a sip of her cider. “I don’t really know. The best I can assume is that Twilight wanting to make friends with me was something of a push that made me realize I’d been shutting myself away from others for so long. When Twilight wanted to try and be friends with me, I felt like I’d been missing out on something.”
“You’re back together with me,” Caramel said.
“Twilight was the push,” Redheart said. “If Twilight hadn’t spoken to me before I met you in Sugarcube Corner that one afternoon, I don’t think I would have come to you at the bookstore afterwards.”
“So… Twilight has a hoof in bringing back our relationship?” Caramel laughed good-naturedly. “I ought to thank her when she wakes up.”
Redheart smiled at him.
“Caramel!” came a voice from across the room.
“Oh no…” Caramel put a hoof to his face.
“What is it?” Redheart asked.
“…Lyra’s here.”
Redheart turned around and looked around the room. Sure enough, there was the aquamarine unicorn with a group of a few mares and a few stallions that Redheart recognized as employees from Caramel’s bookstore. Lyra had broken away from the group and was heading over to Redheart and Caramel’s table.
“Caramel!” Lyra called again. “I didn’t think I’d see you here! I thought you were unavailable.”
“I am still unavailable,” Caramel said; Redheart could hear him trying to be polite but barely holding back irritation. “I would have been going out to dinner, but my marefriend wanted to go somewhere else.”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. But you said you were unavailable to come out with us tonight. You could have at least called us and told us you were coming here and we’d all be able to hang out together.”
“I don’t think you get the point,” Caramel said. “I came here because Redheart wanted to come here and not because you wanted me to. It would have been somewhere else, but this just so happened to be the place she chose.”
“Oh, come on, Caramel!” Lyra asked. “This place is where ponies go to relax, not to be so stuck up like you’re acting! We can just have one little dance on the dance floor and kick back a few shots and everything will be fine.”
Redheart couldn’t take it anymore. Her hoof descended roughly on Lyra’s shoulder and she spun the mare around to face her; Redheart could smell the faintest traces of alcohol on Lyra’s breath. “What do you want, lady?”
“I am Caramel’s marefriend,” Redheart nearly growled at her. “As such, I would appreciate it if you stopped acting like I wasn’t here and actually attempt to include me in these things. I would also appreciate it if you had some common decency to realize you’re flirting with the stallion I’m on a date with, which I’m sure you wouldn’t like if I intruded on one of your dates, wouldn’t you?”
Lyra’s face scrunched. “Geez, calm down. I’m sorry I didn’t include you. Better?”
“No.”
Lyra “hmph”ed. “You’re not the boss of me, lady,” she said, pushing Redheart’s hoof off her shoulder. “Caramel’s a friend of mine and I can have a talk with a friend if I want to, can I?”
Redheart didn’t say anything.
“It’s okay, Redheart,” Caramel said. “We can still go out and listen to some music when we’re done here.”
“Yeah,” Lyra said, turning back towards Caramel. “Octavia’s playing tonight in the park. I’ve always loved her playing style.”
“Lyra, I’m not having a drink with you.”
Lyra seemed unable to comprehend what Caramel said. “Wait… wha…? I don’t… what do you mean?”
“I came here with Redheart. When we’re done eating, I’m leaving here with Redheart to go to the park to listen to music.”
“We could all go…” Lyra whined.
“Missy,” Redheart said, “you’re current blood alcohol percentage is about point zero-seven-five based on what I’ve been smelling from you. If you have one more drink, the guards will be able to fine you for being drunk in public. Besides your breath stinking, your manners also seem to be a little on the bad side, so please leave us alone.”
Lyra turned back to Redheart. “You have a problem with friends hanging out?”
“If you really wanted to be helpful towards Caramel, you’d be listening to him and realizing you’re intruding.”
Lyra scoffed. “Lady, you really need to take some friendship lessons from Twilight Sparkle. I’m sure she could—”
Lyra didn’t finish her sentence. In a split second, she was flying across the room and into a nearby chair. The chair was knocked over and clattered on the floor, causing ponies nearby to scatter and jump out of the way. One of Redheart’s forehooves was extended in the direction that Lyra flew, still pointing at the aquamarine unicorn now sprawled out and having difficulty getting up from the floor.
“Don’t you dare mention the name of Twilight Sparkle to me!” Redheart growled.
If she wasn’t dizzy before, Lyra certainly was now; the alcohol and Redheart’s punch to the side of her face was causing her to stumble and she could hardly lift herself up from the ground. Caramel hastily called for a waiter to bring the bill and paid for it before quickly ushering Redheart out of the bar and into the moonlit streets heading for the park.
“I’m sorry for making a scene back there,” Redheart said sorrowfully.
But Caramel wasn’t angry at all. “How did you know she was that drunk?” he asked. “I could smell it on her breath, but I don’t think I could make that accurate a reading just off her breath.”
“Have to learn about it in nursing school,” Redheart said. “Alcohol counts as a drug.”
Caramel put a hoof around Redheart’s back. “Come on, let’s head for the park. Maybe the music will be nice and soothing from the orchestra rather than that pounding mess back in the bar.”