Preview of the Next Chapter of All-American Girl · 8:48pm Jul 29th, 2013
Chapter 18, at long last!
For the second time that day, DJ stood before the entrance of the Royal Infirmary. However, this visit was a little different from the earlier one. For starters, the number was different: her parents had opted to watch the boys back at Twilight’s place, Spike had some business to attend to at his office, and Cinnamon had offered to join Mike, DJ and Elusive at the hospital. DJ was glad to have the younger mare as company, if only so she could have a fellow female perspective on what was occurring.
But now, looking at the hospital in the late afternoon sun, she had to wonder if she was making the right decision. The initial plan was to go check out the new home that Twilight had given her and Mike then come to the Infirmary, but then Elusive pointed out that the hospital was actually closer, so it’d be easier to just reverse the route instead. DJ suspected that he wanted her to go first before she would chicken out of anything…and he was probably right, she admitted to herself. “I’m a little nervous about this,” DJ said for what had to have been the thousandth time as they stood before the doors.
“DJ…I understand this is going to be hard for you,” Cinnamon began.
“Hard, nothing – I just went through hell earlier today, Cinnamon,” the humanized pony drawled, “and already I’m here again. Elusive, I want you to know that I wouldn’t be doing this for anypony other than you, you know that?” A look of mild worry crossed the sienna-hued pony’s face and DJ flashed her a disarming grin. “Thanks, Cinnamon. It’s just that…I don’t know what he thinks of me.” She caught Elusive just about to say something and she shook her head at him. “Look, Elusive, I know what you’re going to say, but the truth is, you don’t really know, do you? You think you do, and I appreciate that, but at the end of the day…he never talked about me, I’m guessing.”
Elusive looked at the ground while pawing it a bit with his hoof, a nervous shuffle of a foot that DJ found no different than if she’d been shuffling her own feet. He finally looked up at her and admitted, “No, you’re right. He never spoke about you at all. But to be honest…nopony did. When mother decided you were out of our lives, it was pretty much the only way to continue. I can’t answer how Father felt about that, and you already know Minty and I felt about it. But Father hasn’t been very open about his feelings on the matter.
“But I want you to understand something, DJ: our father is a big-hearted stallion, as earnest and caring as any of our uncles. I realize you’re only really familiar with Uncle Spike, but the others care about you just as much – they were always there for Minty and I when we needed them. And Father’s that way as well. I’m going to go on my instinct when I say that he regrets what’s happened and wishes that things would be different. Because I know my father and I can’t see him not saying anything like that.”
Cinnamon moved to his side and nodded. “Uncle Silversteel is a great stallion, DJ. I can’t remember the number of times he’s been there for me when I needed advice or comfort. I think he’ll love you as you are – as you – and I can only hope you’ll love him as much as I do.”
DJ brushed the hair out of her eyes, then put her hands in her hoodie pocket, swaying back and forth. She looked at Mike, who looked down at her with an even glance. “I’m not going to say anything, hon,” he told her. “This is your move and your call, and ultimately you’re the one who has to make that choice.”
“I see….” she said, quietly. She shifted back and forth on her feet, swaying like a blade of grass in a gentle breeze, bending just enough to shift her balance, then reversing as she did so. Her mind, ego and soul had taken numerous hits today, and despite what she’d said earlier, she was still nervous about everything. The person she was railed against everything she was doing now, but at the same time, if she was going to be honest with herself, she had to see this through. She owed it to her sons, in the end.
Looking at everyone, she finally said, “Uh, think we can grab something to eat in the café first? I kinda skipped lunch and I’m jonesing for a bacon double cheeseburger right now.”
“I really doubt they have anything like that,” Mike pointed out.
“We can always check, right?” DJ said with a nervous smile as the four decided to make their way into the building.
Sweet. I can't wait to read it!
Meeting her birth father for the first time in years. I wonder how he feels? Even though he's comatose if I remember correctly, supposedly you can still hear to some extent.
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There were hints that he was aware, at least to some degree, and at least intermittently.
Hey, under the circumstances, that's boundless optimism.
NOOOOO... Every time you eat something people around you die! You'd think they'd have noticed the pattern by now. I still remember that "there was much to do before the plan would be executed. And execute it would." Oh, I have a real bad feeling about this café...
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So you're saying that DJ's the Rachel Ray of Grim Reapers?
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