The first thing she was aware of was her head. It throbbed like it had been thrown against a wall, which it may have very well been for all she knew.
The next thing she saw was him. Standing over her, his gaze steady, his green eyes full of love and concern for her. It was a gaze she couldn't meet, so she closed her eyes again. But then she was aware of the pain in her head.
She couldn't decide what was worse: the pounding in her head, or the aching in her heart.
She started to sob, and instantly he was on the bed at her side. And he just held her. He was always there. Always holding her, always loving, always faithful. And she had failed him, betrayed him.
"I'm s-s-so s-sorry," she whispered, finally lifting her head as the tears subsided.
For a long time, neither one said anything. The clock ticked and a bird sang outside the window, as if to poke fun at her misery. Hooves on tiled floors could be heard outside the small room. It felt like hours passed.
Cherry broke the silence. "Our secret is out."
No, no, it's not our secret. It's my secret.
"Your parents weren't even angry at me, Berry."
Of course they aren't. Why would they be? It's not your fault.
"You had a panic attack, Berry. Would you mind telling me what you're panicking about?"
Go ahead. Tell him. Get it over with.
"I'm sorry," she managed again. "I was certain. I was so certain that you- that you were…" Her voice broke. She tried again. "A unicorn, Cherry. It's a unicorn. And we've only ever been earth ponies. I must have been drunk out of my mind. I can't even think of who it might- I can't even think. I can't even think straight…"
Cherry Cola jumped up in alarm when one of the beepers on the wall above her picked up speed. The next thing he knew, a green nurse with a yellow mane had barged into the room.
"What are you doing?" she demanded. Cherry was stunned speechless by the iciness in her voice.
"I, I was - talking. We were talking," he stammered.
"Out! Out, get out of this room. Wait in the corridor!"
Cherry inched towards the curtain behind him and slid his way along it towards the door, keeping his gaze fixed on Berry Punch until he reached the corridor. He slumped miserably against the wall and waited for the nurse to exit, which she did in a matter of minutes.
"What were you talking about?" she asked angrily. Cherry didn't reply straight away, so the nurse's voice rose. "Answer me, soldier!"
"I- I just wanted to know what upset her!" he replied, standing up straight. Strangely he felt the urge to salute her.
"Are you stupid? If you want to give a pregnant mare a panic attack after she's just had a panic attack, ask her why she had a panic attack. Good god, soldier, are you out of your mind?"
Cherry opened his mouth to speak, but the nurse continued.
"You are not, I repeat, are not going back into that room until I or one of the other chief nurses give you explicit permission. Do I make myself clear?"
Cherry felt two inches tall under the mare's glowering stare, but somehow he managed a small "Yes, ma'am."
"Good, now if you'll excuse me, there is a mare and there is a foal in that room who I am trying to protect. It is in your best interest, and theirs it seems, to stay out from underfoot. Now run along quickly, soldier, no sense in lollygagging around here."
Stunned, Cherry started to move away as he watched the mare go back into the hospital room from which he had been banished.
"Don't worry," said a familiar voice. "Maregaret Hooligan's bark is much worse than her bite."
The brown earth pony turned around to find himself face to face with a familiar pink-maned white mare. He smiled, in spite of everything.
"Redheart! Boy, am I ever glad to see a familiar face," he exclaimed. "Have you finished nursing college already?"
"Not quite," the young mare replied, "I have a couple of weeks left in my prac, but Ponyville General has already offered me a position." She lowered her gaze modestly. "What about you? What have you been up to?"
"Oh, not too much. I've been working for Berry's father at the bar when he needs me, and I'm also trying to get into construction. While I have plenty of experience from working on my aunt's farm, it's obvious that's not my special talent so they're hesitant to hire me," he sighed, dejectedly. "I'm just not sure how I'm going to support a family with the little money I've got."
Redheart gave him a sympathetic smile, "I'm sure everything will work out in the end, Cherry Cola. A pony with your charm will always get what he needs."
Cherry laughed, "I'm not so sure about that. Berry seems to have completely lost the plot and all I seem to be doing is making it worse."
Redheart was quiet for a moment, as if mulling over some of her thoughts.
"Say," she said, finally, "you seem like you need somepony to talk to right now. I'm no counselor, but I'm due for a fifteen. Let me talk to the Major and I'll see if I can sit and chat for a while."
Cherry was taken aback by this offer, but she was right - he wanted nothing more to get a load off his chest. "I could really use it, if you're sure it wouldn't be too much trouble," he said with a weak smile.
"You're damn cute when you look helpless Cherry Cola. It's no trouble at all," the white mare headed back to the nurse's station near Berry Punch's room.
She returned moments later with two cups of coffee and led Cherry Cola to a small sitting area.
"Did you really just have a decent conversation with that Hooligan character?" he asked.
Redheart gave a lighthearted laugh. "I told you, her bark is worse than her bite. She's actually a very sensible pony and a wonderful nurse. She's ex-military, you know, and to be honest, I really look up to her."
"Do you mean to tell me that you treat ponies the same way she just treated me?" asked Cherry, dumbfoundedly.
"When necessary, absolutely," the white mare nodded, "and, to be honest, it was pretty stupid of you to go in there and start talking to her about whatever it was that set her off."
"So why didn't you yell at me like she did?" Cherry asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Because," Redheart murmured, inching closer to him, "you're a special stallion, Cherry Cola."
Suddenly, Cherry felt hot and uncomfortable. "Um, Redheart. I'm beginning to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea," he stammered. "I- I mean, I'm engaged and off limits, thanks."
Redheart let out a sigh. "Yes, of course. Silly me. I suppose I never did really get over you."
"Redheart, I'm really not comfortable with where this is going. Is there, um, somepony else I could talk to?"
The young nurse sat back with a pout. "Look, I'm sorry. I, I promise I'll behave myself. I just...the Major says I need to work on my bedside manner and I'd really like to help an old friend - nothing more than a friend - with his troubles."
Cherry Cola raised an eyebrow, trying to decide whether or not he should trust her, or worse, whether or not he should trust himself. It had been a long time ago - as far as he was concerned, anypony before Berry Punch was ancient history - and he had been a teenager high on hormones to boot. It had lasted what, three months? Maybe four?
"I don't know, Redheart. I just - I don't like talking about it. It hurts too much. That's why I haven't even told Berry."
Redheart averted her gaze from his face and concentrated on a small speck on the hospital floor. "Often times the things that hurt us are the things that need to be told. Sort of like pulling out a splinter."
Cherry nodded. "And because of my stupidity, Berry gave herself a panic attack. Oh, I feel like I've so deeply wronged her, Redheart."
"Wounds heal faster with help, Cherry Cola. Trust me, and let me help you," said the white mare gently.
Finally the other earth pony nodded. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."
*************************
"Your blood pressure is back to normal, dear. You won't have to spend the night here."
Berry turned towards the strange voice and found herself looking at yet another nurse. She sighed, and got up from the bed slowly.
"Wait. Before you get up, I've been told to get you to read this."
The Pegasus placed a folded piece of note paper on the bed in front of her. When she unfolded it, Berry recognized Cherry Cola's hoofwriting immediately. She almost didn't read it, but curiosity got the best of her, so she picked it up and read it through.
When she finished, she could scarcely believe what it said. She pinched herself, then picked it up again to read a second time, this time much more slowly.
To my dear Berry Punch.
I love you, and I will always love you, for now and forever, and never once have I doubted your kindness, your courage, and your devotion. Your heart is, and always has been in the right place. You are beautiful, caring, kind and compassionate, but sometimes you worry too much about what others might think of you, and especially about what I might think about you.
So here's what I think. I think that you are a wonderful mare, a wonderful sister, and a wonderful daughter. I also think that you will be a wonderful mother and a wonderful wife - the most wonderful lover of, and carer for, our daughter.
It is not you who is at fault - not in the least. Rather, I am the one to blame for your misadventure, because I am a coward. It is not you I did not trust, so don't believe that. It's quite simply a matter of me not wanting to talk about it. To talk about her. Because it hurts too much to think that I was never good enough for her.
My mother left when I was seven. She went back to Canterlot, so she could live the high society life that she felt like she truly deserved. She decided she didn't need me anymore, so I decided I didn't need her. I haven't seen her in eight years, and I know it's a dreadful thing to say, but I'd like to keep it that way. She remarried and apparently she has a daughter now - the Unicorn foal she wanted from the start.
You see, I know that the filly you're carrying inside you is my daughter, because I know that in the three years we've been together, you've never once cheated on me. And also because my mother, Lonsdaleite Stone, is a unicorn.
Oh, how stupid I feel now, knowing I put the life our child at risk all because I was afraid to talk about my own mother.
I only hope that you will forgive me for my foolishness.
Yours forever,
Cherry Cola
Berry Punch wiped the tears from her own eyes, suddenly feeling silly about the entire ordeal herself. She folded the note carefully and vowed never to lose it, then left the small hospital room.
To her great delight, Cherry Cola was waiting outside, half asleep curled up against the wall. But at the sound of Berry Punch's laughter, he shot up. Seeing her standing there, her juicy mane gently tousled and her purple eyes teasing him like only she could, put his frazzled nerves at ease.
"Come on, Berry Punch. It's been a long day - let's go home," he said quietly, reaching out a forehoof.
Berry hesitated.
"It's not that I don't agree with you, but I really think I should go back over to maternity and give Piña Colada a proper big-sister welcome before we go home. That is, if that's alright with you."
Cherry placed his foreleg over her shoulder, squeezing her gently.
"Of course," he replied, "that's more than alright with me."