Melody walked through the door of Sweet Apple Acres after a long day at school. She made her way through the living room to the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table.
“Mama, are ya here?” Melody called out.
“She ain't here, Ah don’t think that she’s coming back for a while,” Melody heard Big Mac’s voice come from the back door, as he came in the house.
“Uncle Big Mac, Ah’m glad you’re here. I need your help, so there’s this boy who sits behind me in class. And he ain’t all that nice to me, but Ah think that he likes me,” Melody explained, as she heard her uncle sit down across from her.
“Well, Ah ain’t much for romance, but Ah know that if a bully likes you, he’s usually mean to you because he doesn’t understand his feelings,” Big Mac said.
“Well, yeah, but how do I get him to stop?” Melody asked.
“Did he say he likes you, 'cause if he didn’t you can’t just assume that he likes you,” Big Mac asked.
Melody rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, grinning sheepishly. “Well, it ain’t entirely true that he likes me.”
“Ya know, that reminds me of the time your mother came to me in tears after a particularly bad argument with your dad. Ah didn’t know what to say. Ah told them that they should go to counseling,” Big Mac got up and walked to his niece’s side of the table and placed a hoof around her neck.
“Now, listen if you ever get married to a nice stallion, but his friend says that the stallion doesn't love you, for pony’s sake, don’t do what your mama did. And don’t go marry him just because he said that his friend was lying, because your uncle Ray lied so that your mama and daddy could be together. But the truth is your daddy doesn’t love your Mama,” Old Granny Smith hobbled into the room.
“Eeyup," Big Mac nodded in agreement, his broad chest heaving with each breath.
"But I'm only 12, Granny," Melody's voice quivered with uncertainty, her young eyes wide with innocence, "why in the wide world of Equestria would I need datin' advice?"
The old wooden floorboard, worn by the passage of time and countless hooves, groaned under Granny's weight as she ambled closer to Melody, her steps deliberate and measured.
"Now there ain't nothin' wrong with gettin' a little datin' advice now and then," Granny's voice, weathered and wise, enveloped the room like a warm blanket on a chilly Hearth's Warming Eve.
Melody shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her ears flicking back and forth in contemplation. With a gentle sigh, she rose from her perch, her hooves grazing against the wooden floor as she mulled over Granny's words.
"I'm worried about Mom; she seemed upset at the party," Melody fretted.
"I understand, but I don't reckon there's much we can do about it," Big Mac replied, striding over to his niece.
“Just give them time, Ah know that they're gonna get over it,” Granny added.
Melody’s eyes moved under her glasses as she thought about what Granny said then she walked to the door, and turned to her grandmother and Uncle, taking her glasses off, for her grandmother and Uncle to see her cry before she ran out of the front door.
Inside, Granny and Big Mac looked at each other in concern.
Melody hurried through town, her tears streaming down her face, though she couldn't see the curious gazes of passersby hidden behind her black glasses. Despite the attention from the ponies around her, she remained indifferent, consumed by her turmoil.
She made her way to Sugarcube Corner, she was hoping that Pinkie Pie could help her.
Arriving at Sugarcube Corner, she headed into the store.
“Aunt Pinkie, Ah need your help,” Melody called out, sobbing behind her thick glasses.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart but Pinkie and Cheese left for the hospital, so Pinkie could have her baby,” Pumpkin Cake said, coming out from the kitchen.
Pumpkin Cake and her brother Pound Cake had taken over the bakery from their parents, Pinkie moved out and she and her husband had their own place.
“But maybe I can help you, what’s wrong?” Pumpkin asked, sitting down on the floor next to the 12-year-old.
“Well, it all started when,” Melody began as she recounted the story about what happened at the party. “And that’s how it happened.” She finished.
“Oh my, sorry. I hope your Mom and Dad can resolve their issues,” Pumpkin said when Melody had finished telling the story.
“Yeah, I hope so too, but Ah’m kinda scared that dad is goin’ leave for good, Ah don’t want that to happen,” Melody started sobbing uncontrollably.
“I’m sure he won’t, I know your dad and I also know he would never do that,” Pumpkin soothingly whispered.
“You don’t know the half of it, he already left, then came back, what says that he ain’t gonna do it again,” Melody cried even harder.
“How about some cupcakes?” Pound, who came to see what was going on, asked.
Melody wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.
“Come on, I’ll show you to a table,” Melody heard Pumpkin get up.
Getting up from the floor, Melody allowed herself to be guided to a table, while Pumpkin guided her.
She listened to the many ponies that were in the bakery, she could hear laughter, and she could hear children begging for sweets from their parents.
But two particular voices stood out to her the most, as they walked past.
“Hey, look over there, there’s that blind earth pony I was telling you about from school, apparently her father is a musician or something,” One of the voices snickered, the voice was distinctly male.
“Yeah, I remember you telling me about her, wow I mean look at her, what a snob.” The female voice laughed.
Melody felt her eyes stinging with tears once again at the words that they spoke, but she didn’t let them or Pumpkin see her cry.
“Hey, Melody, what’s wrong crybaby?” The distinctly male voice asked.
“Leave me alone, Chance, and what I assume is Diamond Tiara?” Melody fumed.
“So what, you do realize that your precious daddy is not coming back, right, he never wanted you, and he never even wanted to marry your mama, but he was forced to,” Diamond called, her voice laced with the same venom that Chance used every time he bullied Melody.
“Don’t listen to them, they are just full of hot air,” Pumpkin said, as they reached the table.
“Thanks, Pumpkin, but they are right about one thing, Daddy never did love Mommy,” Melody said, sitting down at the table.
“You’re welcome, you shouldn’t worry about them, very often bullies just don’t know when to stop,” Pumpkin said softly as her brother came out of the kitchen with a tray of cupcakes.
“Here are your cupcakes,” Pound said before he and his sister disappeared into the kitchen.
As the cupcakes were placed in front of her Melody smiled.
Applejack sat in Twilight’s castle in the throne room, explaining her troubles to Twilight who was listening attentively to her friend's rant.
“And Ah don’t think that Melody is gonna forgive me,” Applejack cried, slamming her hooves on the table. “HE’S GONE, HOW DO I TELL HER THAT HER DAD IS NOT COMING BACK?”
“Applejack, Melody’s a smart girl, I’m sure she’ll figure it out,” the purple princess calmly said.
Twilight yawned and looked at the clock which read half past midnight. “It’s time for me to go to bed, tomorrow I have a meeting with the delegates from Western Equestria.”
“Twilight, Ah miss him,” Applejack cried.
“I know Aj, tell you what, I’ll let you sleep here,” Twilight replied, hugging her friend tightly.
“Thank ya Twilight,” Applejack said.
Applejack's heart weighed heavy as she trudged towards the guest room Twilight had so kindly prepared for her. Each step felt like a trek through treacherous terrain, navigating the tangled mess of emotions within her.
"Oh, Melody, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," she whispered inwardly, the words echoing like a mournful lament in the depths of her soul.
Applejack trotted into her room and gently closed the door behind her. Taking a moment, she made her way over to the bed and settled down upon it.
"Ah reckon it's time to clear my head," Applejack murmured, her voice soft yet determined.
The cowgirl let out a heavy sigh as she flopped on the bed, feeling the weariness of the day settling over her. With a gentle click, she turned out the lights in her room, casting shadows that danced along the walls.
Outside, in the quiet darkness of Ponyville's night, the stars twinkled softly, painting the sky with their gentle glow.