//------------------------------// // Chapter 40: Mixed Relations // Story: Pandemic: What you are Meant to Be // by Halira //------------------------------// The newly engaged couple ate their dinner in peace and quiet. Activity was winding down at the church for the day, and despite being delegated temporary authority it seemed that Amber and Number Crunch didn't have much to do, and soon joined the couple in their meal. "I hope Sunset has herself pulled back together by tomorrow. Those reps from the small towns are supposed to be showing up and the gas stations are all supposed to be opening. I know the Wal Mart is really pushing to try to be open in two days along with a few other businesses. I can deal with the numbers and data, obviously, but I can't organize ponies," Number Crunch said said as she sat the laptop down in order to eat. "Same with Tonya, she takes care of organizing all the pegasi teams. The other ponies listen to her, but I have to argue about every little detail. Oh, where's Tonya? Where's Sunset? I just want to clarify with them. It's not like I question you know what your doing. I don't want to have a full day of that," Amber moaned. "Did you two know about the two of them being a serious thing together?" Rosetta asked the Pegasus and unicorn. "Not a clue," Amber said with an annoyed flip of her tail. "I suspected, but wasn't sure until they went and traded saliva in front of everypony," Number Crunched said with a chuckle. "So it wasn't something that only we were in the dark about then?" Remedy asked. "What just happened a few minutes ago was the only confirmation of it. Caught me by surprise even with me suspecting; I knew your mother back in high school and college, and would never have suspected her barn door swung that way," Number Crunch said with a smirk. "Well, I'm kind of glad I am not the only one taken by surprise," Remedy said with a strange sense of relief. "She wasn't always so much of a Bible thumper you know. She got that way in college. The college was run by the Southern Baptist Convention and they really push evangelical indoctrination. She went in as a business major, like me, but finished as a religion major. Place really changed a lot of her world views," Number Crunch explained. "I knew she has a religion degree from college, but didn't know she started off as a business major," Remedy said with suprise. "She was a bit of an radical feminist in high school. Wanted to show herself as a strong independent woman and all that. She intended on getting into corporate management and assert herself over a male dominated field," the blue unicorn mare said as she levitated up some hay to her mouth. "How'd she change so much?" Remedy asked, still amazed at what she was hearing. "Don't know what happened to all that. Maybe it was just the peer pressure of all that ultra conservativeness around her. She lived on campus and you could get ostracized by a lot of the students and professors for not walking the line right," Number Crunch said with a shrug. "So not the first time she has gone through a massive re-branding of herself," Rosetta observed. "Nope, definitely not," Number Crunch agreed and then laughed. "We're getting version three of her now, I wonder if there'll be a version four." Remedy definitely hoped not. "Time to face your parents with the double whammy news," Remedy said to her marefriend. "Triple whammy, still going to try to convince them to let Cathy come here, but compared to the other two things that seems kind of small," Rosetta said mournfully. "I'll be right there with you," Remedy said as she kissed Rosetta on the lips. "Am I behind the curve? Am I supposed to be a lesbian now? Because I'm still staring at stallion's flanks," Amber said as she watched them. "Don't think it works like that. Stare at those flanks and don't feel guilty about it. That one stallion that Sunset has in charge of the earth ponies has a nice one. If I weren't married I would want a piece of that," Number Crunch said with a happy hum. "Okay, time for us to get going before these two devolve into comparing every stallion's flanks," Rosetta said as she quickly spread her wings. Remedy nodded in agreement as she spread her wings as well, and was in the air before Rosetta. It was a quicker flight this time around than the last time they flew out to see Rosetta's family. They came in for an easy landing at the apartment and Rosetta didn't hesitate nearly as much knocking this time, though she looked just as worried. The door was opened by Miguel who gave an excited whoop at seeing them. "Haley and Haley's girlfriend are here!" The boy shouted eagerly, though Remedy could see that at least half the family could easily see them from where they were. "It's Rosetta now twerp," Rosetta said as she ran a wing over her brother's hair, ruffling it. "And watch the volume Miguel!" Cathy could be heard fussing. "Expect some mistakes along the way, you are still my dust bunny," Rosetta's dad, Roger, called out. "Papa!" Rosetta said in a mock offended tone. "Don't keep standing at the door, come in, come in," Rosetta's mother, Jean, said with a gesture. The two walked in and instantly Jean could be seen on alert. "What's wrong? I have had enough experience with Catherine now to tell when a pony has something on their mind," Jean asked with concern. "Um, can you have the boys go play in their room or something for a little bit? I want to deal with adults first. Where's Abuelita?" Rosetta asked as she looked around. "She's sleeping, turned in early for the night. Do you want me to leave too?" Cathy asked. The young mare was laying on an over-sized pillow on the floor. "No, you definitely count as an adult. Plus I have some stuff I wanted to talk to you specifically about too," Rosetta said as she glanced at her little sister. "Do we have to go to our rooms? It's not fair if Cathy gets to stay out here," Jose whined. "Cathy is seventeen and your sister says she has things to say to her. Go to your room and no complaining," Jean said sternly to them while pointing down the hall. The two boys got up and went down the hall, with Jose doing melodramatic stomping. Jean visibly listened for a moment and relaxed her posture only after the sounds of a video game unit could be heard. "Thank you, Mama," Rosetta said as she walked towards the unoccupied couch. "Of course, now what is bothering you?" Jean said as she sat down in a rocking chair. Roger took a seat in an overstuffed armed chair. Rosetta hopped up on the couch and Remedy quickly joined her. The blue night pony took a deep breath and then spoke. "I'm pregnant." Jean instant got up from her chair and rushed over to her eldest and grabbed her up in a comforting hug. "Oh, my baby, it'll be okay," Jean assured and she gripped Rosetta tightly. "How long?" Roger asked in a serious tone as Jean released Rosetta. "I think I got pregnant right after my full transformation, it was the only time I had unprotected sex with John. I don't know how long pregnancy lasts for ponies," Rosetta said. "Are you going to get back with John?" Cathy asked in full ignorance. "Cathy, John was abusive. He hit me and degraded me regularly. I know that was kept from you, and I want to keep it still from the boys, but I'm not letting him anywhere near my foal," Rosetta said in a firm whisper to her sister. "He what?!" Cathy said in confusion. "Even after turning into a pony too?" "Even after turning into a pony too," Rosetta nodded. "I don't understand...ponies are kind, ponies are loyal," Cathy said the mantra in shock. "Not all ponies, Cathy," Rosetta said sadly. "So how are you going to take care of this baby?" Roger asked in a still serious tone. "The term is foal, Papa, I'm a pony and I'm having a foal; either a filly or a colt. Remedy is going to help me," Rosetta said with a sigh. "Who's Remedy?" Roger asked. "I'm Remedy, Phobia Remedy. I had a name change since I was last here," Remedy spoke up. "She told us that in her messages, Papa," Cathy reminded him. "Sorry, just a little out of sorts with this," To her said as he gripped his hands together in front of his lap. "Which brings us to the next matter. I asked Remedy to be my wife, mate, spouse, whatever you want to call it. She accepted," Rosetta said in a hesitant voice. Rosetta's family members all stared in even greater shock at this announcement than the last. "Haley...Rosetta," Jean began carefully. "I understand you are under a lot of stress right now. I am sure your friend is a wonderful person, but it might be too soon for that kind of commitment." Rosetta rested a wing on Remedy's shoulder to pause Remedy from speaking up. She then looked her mother in the eyes and spoke. "I know it is quick, but I'm sure I love her and she loves me, and this foal is going to have two loving parents when they're born to take care of them. The matter isn't up for debate any more than we can debate that a foal is coming," Rosetta said in a firm tone the allowed no argument. "What if it isn't a night pony?" Cathy asked. "I have two options in that case, as I'm not capable of properly taking care of a day pony," Rosetta said in a low voice. "I am assuming you have some other pony adopt the foal is one option, but what is the other?" Jean asked as she sat down on the couch next to the two night ponies. "See if someone or somepony in the family is willing to take guardianship of them," Rosetta said with her head hung low. "I don't know, we don't know what to do for your sister most of the time as it is," Roger said with a shake of his head. "Cathy is an option herself," Rosetta suggested as she stared down at the floor. The suggestion caught all present by surprise, including Remedy. "What?! I'm seventeen. I can't be responsible for a foal," Cathy declared with shocked outrage. "I would honestly rather have a seventeen year old pony taking care of my foal than a human. No offense to Mama and Papa. They just don't have whatever instincts to know what the foal needs. You probably would have more clue than them what the foal needs," Rosetta explained. "The fact remains your sister is seventeen and barely knows what to do with herself as a pony. It isn't an option. I'm shocked you even suggested such a thing," Jean scolded. "It's a ninety percent chance this will be a night pony foal, but I'm looking at all options if it isn't. Even if they don't seem realistic. Do you want your first grandfoal raised by strangers or family?" Rosetta said in a tired voice, close to tears. Silence was the only answer. For several minutes no pony or human spoke. Remedy cuddled up close to Rosetta and wrapped a protective wing around her. Cathy stared at her hooves like they contained some secret knowledge as did her parents stare at their hands. "We'll...we'll talk more about what to do as you get closer to term and maybe can be sure what type of pony you've got growing in you. Your right, that is my grandchild pony or not, and we need to find an option to keep them with family," Jean finally said. "Maybe if I knew more about even being a pony," Cathy said as she lowered her ears. "Catherine, you are seventeen, you are not raising your sister's baby," Roger asserted. "Foal Papa," Cathy corrected with her ears laid back. "And I'll be eighteen by the time it's born. But even if I don't help take care of it I need a chance to learn to be more of a pony than I do sitting here in the apartment all day." "This isn't the time for this again Catherine," Roger said with a sigh that said this was not a new discussion and was indeed a frequent argument. "That's actually the final thing I wanted to talk to you about tonight. It was actually the thing I wanted to come talk about before I realized for sure that I was pregnant," Rosetta said as she looked over at Cathy. "You think they are keeping me too pent up too?" Cathy said as she glared at her parents. "We are looking out for your safety," Jean said in the same tired voice as Roger. "You're penning me up like a pet," Cathy said with barely contained anger. "Cathy, please control your temper. I'm here to offer help with that," Rosetta pleaded. "What kind of help?" Roger asked apprehensively. "The gas stations are opening back up tomorrow. The ponies all around the region have been working really hard to help all you humans up and running again," Rosetta said. Then she paused and took a thoughtful look. "I know it sounds bad with me referring to all you humans, but me, Remedy, and Cathy are not human anymore or think of ourselves in any way as human. Cathy needs to be around other ponies and I think she should come to our shelter." "We keep telling you both, she's seventeen," Roger asserted. "Yes she is, and soon will be eighteen. Physically she is already a mare instead of a filly. She isn't a little human child, she can take care of herself as much as any other grown pony trying to figure out their place," Rosetta said calmly. "Let me go there, please. I need to get out of here. I spend all day either laying in my bed, laying on the couch, or laying on this pillow. I can't even help out around here because it's like everything is made of glass," Cathy said pleadingly. Jean gave Cathy a mournful look and then turned her gaze to her husband. Roger held it for a moment before slumping his shoulders. "Okay, how about a compromise. We take you out there each morning and pick you up each evening. Provided the gas stations are indeed up and running tomorrow," Roger conceded. Cathy jumped up from her pillow and ran over to her father. She was about to grab him in a hug then stopped herself, instead very carefully propping herself up on his lap and carefully reaching around him with her forelegs. "Thank you, Papa," Cathy said with a quiet joy.