//------------------------------//
// Summer 
// Story: The Summer Writings 
// by ObCom 
//------------------------------//

PART 2: SUMMER
Colgate walked into her motel room and stood in the doorway with her eyes closed, letting the air conditioning dispel the heat in her bones. Once she was cooled off, she let muscle memory guide her past her bed, through her kitchen nook, and to her bathroom, casually discarding her work clothes as she went. 
She walked out after washing her face and walked to her closet. Figuring that she didn’t have anywhere to go that evening, she put on a baggy t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Then she went to her mini fridge and looked for a quick snack. There wasn’t much in the fridge outside of a bottle of milk, some sliced ham, and a few yogurt cups. Gonna have to go to the store soon, she thought with a frown and stood up to get the ice cream out of the freezer. Treat in hand, she collapsed onto her bed and sighed. 
Normally she wouldn’t have spent the extra money on the ice cream, and she didn’t have to spend a single gold bit on the one she was eating. Instead, Berry had bought it for her when they had been together a few nights ago. Colgate remembered her attempts to talk her friend down from buying anything for her, but she had learned not to turn down one of Berry’s gifts. 
She thought back to the first and only time where Berry had, more or less, learned the hard way that she did not really care for a gift. Colgate’s eyes drifted to the cabinet that still contained the old bottle of wine, where it had stayed ever since she had gotten it, unopened. Maybe I can use it to cook with, she thought with a chuckle. However, the boredom eventually came and her mind drifted back to what happened earlier. 
I need to clear my head. Colgate looked at her desk, no larger than her workbench, but saw nothing of interest. The deck of cards could lead to a rousing game of solitaire and leave her bored after 5 minutes. There were a few clock parts, but even she needed a break from work. That left only one option: jogging. She discarded her t-shirt, put on a tank top, and left. 

Earlier, Colgate had walked back to the clock store after eating with Berry to find the Doctor’s wife was there. “Hi, Mrs. Hooves,” she said with a smile.
“Hello, Colgate, always a pleasure to see you. How have you been? Keeping my husband out of trouble, I’m sure,” said Ditzy Hooves. 
“Yep. Although it’s not too hard, he always sends me out to deal with the customers.”
“That’s good. I still remember the times before you were hired here.” Colgate thought she heard Ditzy mutter, “Oh Celestia, what a nightmare that was.” 
“It couldn’t have been that bad. The shop was around for years before.” 
“True, but I’m sure you’ve noticed how… eccentric he can be.” 
Colgate thought back to spring, where the Doctor had worn a cape and moustache for, as far as she could tell, no reason. She had never asked him about that. “Yes, I think it’s hard to miss.” 
“Talking about me behind my back, I see. I am hurt, wife and trusted employee,” the Doctor said as he walked out from his office. 
“You deserve it for making your wife stand out here for no reason,” Ditzy said. 
“I suppose I do,” he said. Walking out from behind the counter, he gave his wife a hug and a kiss. Eventually their innocent kiss turned into a full out duel between tongues. Colgate stood there with a smile, suddenly feeling awkward. She coughed, just to remind them that they were not at home, or a dark alley, or wherever they made out so viciously. 
They broke off, praise be to Luna, and chuckled. “I guess I got carried away,” the Doctor said. 
“I don’t see what the big problem is,” Ditzy said to Colgate. “Surely you crazy kids do this all the time?” 
Colgate blushed. “I don’t, actually.” 
Ditzy raised an eyebrow. “A beautiful young woman like you isn’t seeing someone? I can let some men know about you if you want. I still have plenty of stops left on my route,” she said, patting her mail bag. 
“Now, now, dear, you’re embarrassing her,” the Doctor said. 
“Am I? I’m sorry, Colgate, I just don’t understand how you could have problems getting a boyfriend.” 
“It’s not really a problem; I don’t feel like dating right now.” 
Ditzy nodded sagely. “Ahh, I see. You want to stay free during your youth. I was the same way, until I got older and settled down with the first guy that proposed to me.” 
“Love you too, dear.”
“And I love you,” Ditzy said. They almost went back to their kiss war, Colgate could tell, but Ditzy looked at her watch first. “Damn it, I need to get back to work. I’ll see you later, Colgate,” she said as she walked to the door. She was halfway out when she turned to look at the Doctor. “And I’ll see more of you later,” she added seductively. Colgate spent the rest of her shift trying to ignore the Doctor’s increased efficiency. 

As Colgate ran down the familiar streets, she failed to find the clarity she had been searching for. She kept thinking about Ditzy’s offer about finding her a man. Not that she was going to take it up, but she wondered if she should suggest it to Berry. Her friend was a single mother; surely she would be looking for a partner. However, the more she thought of it, the more confused she became. 
Berry was a single mother, that was a fact, but she never seemed to care about dating. Did that mean she was content with raising Ruby on her own? If so, why was she so quick to drink a glass of wine? Did she like the taste? She knew there were people who did drink because of that, but there were plenty more who only had alcohol to get drunk. Colgate had yet to see Berry completely drunk, so that seemed unlikely. Alternatively, if Berry was happy, would she drink? Colgate shook her head. She was implying that Berry was not happy, which suggested that her friend was sad. I might be thinking about this too much, she concluded. 
All of the thought she had put on dating that day led Colgate to think about her own relationship with Berry. Ever since they had met, they had done countless things together, everything from shopping to sitting at Berry’s house to the occasional jog. Surely some of those activities were something Berry would want to do with a boyfriend instead of a normal friend, but Berry didn’t seem interested in looking. Once again, she was implying something without any facts. She had been thinking that Berry had only seen her as a normal friend. 
Colgate paused and put a hand to her temple. Where had that thought come from? Berry has a daughter, surely she wouldn’t see me like that! Do I see her like that? I mean, I don’t think I’d argue against it or anything… She thought back to their first dinner together, specifically when she had given Berry a back rub. She had told her friend to find someone else to give her backrubs, more or less, and had received the response of, “Who needs that when I have you?” 
Who needs that when I have you? Colgate closed her eyes. Either I am looking too far into this, or I have the thickest head in Equestria. 
“Colgate? Is something wrong?” Berry asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. Colgate looked around. Somehow her feet had taken her to Berry’s house. Her friend was looking at her, concern written across her face. 
“Uhh,” Colgate managed. “Nope, nothing wrong, just out for a jog!” she quickly added with a slightly forced smile. 
“Oh. Say, have you eaten yet?” 
“Yep,” Colgate said. Technically, she wasn’t lying. 
“Really? What did you have?” Berry asked, raising an eyebrow. 
“Uhh. Do you remember that ice cream you got me?” 
Berry frowned and pointed at the door. “Inside. Now.” 
“I don’t know, this is pretty short notice,” Colgate said. She had a feeling her feeble excuse wasn’t going to work, and the determined glint in her friend’s eye was all the confirmation she needed. “I mean… I would love to!” I’m already whipped. 

Berry sat back in her chair, looking at the wine glass, but her mind was in a different place. Colgate, what is going on in that thick head of yours? She had seen a change in her friend lately, ever since she had, more or less, forced her to eat dinner a few nights ago. Since then, Berry had barely seen her. Colgate had not been around for lunch, and always had some sort of excuse to not be around her. Even her smile, which had always been radiant and natural, was now slightly forced. Berry frowned. Was there something wrong with her friend that she needed help with? Maybe she finally picked up on my hints, she thought with a chuckle. Although I doubt it. She could dream, though, and after finishing her glass of wine, dreaming sounded like a good idea. 
Dreaming would have to wait. As she stood up, she saw Ruby standing in the hall. “Ruby? Is something wrong?” she asked. 
Ruby looked at her feet and Berry noticed a slight blush. “Mama, what’s love?”
It was Berry’s turn to flush. “Well, dear, that’s a very difficult question.” And where did you find out about it, anyway? You’re going to be in the 3rd grade, you’re not ready to be in love! If some little snot nosed brat thinks he can take you away from me, his family will pay! “Love is, basically, a feeling that you have when a certain someone makes you very happy.” 
“Does that mean you love Ms. Colgate?” Ruby tried to keep eye contact, but looked away. When Berry didn’t respond, mostly out of shock, Ruby added, “It’s just that you always seem so happy with each other.”
Berry finally managed to speak. “Uh, well, if you look at it that way, uh…” She shook her head and decided to start over. “Let me ask you this, would it bother you if your mother was with another woman?” 
“No, I just want you to be happy,” Ruby immediately responded. 
“Then yes, Ruby, I suppose I do love her.” That felt so good to say. But what does it say about you, Colgate, when a child picks up on my feelings before you?

Colgate was concerned for the Doctor. He had been acting strangely, even for him, but he refused to talk about it. She had caught him looking at her, not with a smile, but with a face full of sadness. After seeing it for the whole day, she was nervous. “By Celestia, Doctor, what is wrong?” she finally asked. 
The Doctor looked away. “Nothing, my dear, my mind was just elsewhere.” He read off the time on his watch and said, reluctantly, “I suppose I will go home early today. I’m not feeling too well. If… if you would like to take tomorrow off… you may.” 
“Doc, you aren’t making any sense right now,” Colgate said. He made for the door but she blocked the way. “What is going on? Is something bad going to happen?” 
“Colgate, I would tell you if I could.” She raised an eyebrow at that. “I have always thought of you as a daughter, and you have no idea how much I would like to stay…” 
“Then… stay?” Colgate could feel her nerves tightening. Part of her wondered if that was how Berry always felt. Berry… I haven’t seen her for two weeks. She must be worried about me.
“I can’t, and I was not lying about not feeling well.” He shoved the store’s key into her hand. “Be sure to lock it up when you’re done.” With that, he walked past her before she could say anything. 
“What… just happened?” Colgate asked herself. She closed her hand around the key, felt it dig into her flesh. Nervous, she considered locking the store at that moment. Maybe there’s something in his office. I do hate seeing him like that, she thought and headed into the back of the store. 

Berry hated the sound of bars. They were always so loud, so obnoxious. If Lyra hadn’t invited her for a couple of drinks, she would have been home drinking her wine. Instead she was drinking a bottle of cheap beer while Lyra recounted a story about how she stopped a riot through the power of song. Is she getting drunk so I have to stay here? She wondered and took another drink.
“So what’s up with you and Colgate?” Lyra asked. 
“What do you mean?” 
“What I mean is, why aren’t you two together yet? I mean, it’s not like it’s any of my business, but Bon Bon was like, ‘They look miserable, Lyra, why don’t you find out what’s wrong with them?’ and I just said that it’s not our business, but then Bon Bon said she wouldn’t use the hot wax until I do.” Lyra mumbled something that sounded like, “Stupid, sexy Bon Bon.” 
“I haven’t seen her in a while,” Berry said. “She’s been avoiding me. I think she finally caught on to my feelings and she doesn’t want to see me anymore.” The thought of never seeing Colgate again was enough to make her drain the bottle. 
Lyra tilted her head back and laughed. The people sitting next to her moved down a couple of seats. “You think Colgate got it? The same, thick headed Colgate we both know?” Lyra’s face was red, whether from the alcohol or the laughter, Berry wasn’t sure. “Oh, Celestia, that is a good joke,” she added after catching her breath. 
“Then why else would she avoid me, huh?” 
“I don’t know. Maybe because you smell weird? I do know that no amount of hints will get through to that girl. Hell, you’d probably have to go right up to her and tell her that you love her.”
“Sounds like you’ve had some experience there.” 
Lyra’s cheeks reddened. “Yeah, well, I might’ve had a bit of a crush on Colgate. Before I got serious with Bon Bon, anyway. I was basically in the same boat as you are in now. Y’know, I doubt Colgate even thinks about me now, like she just put aside all of those months of blatant flirting off as me being a good friend.” 
“So what, you think I should just… come clean to her?” 
“YES!” Lyra shouted. “You’ve been at it for months, Berry! You have to be a little forceful!” 
Berry smiled. How did she not think of that before? Or maybe I was just too scared to do it. She looked at the empty bottle in her hand. Well, I guess there’s no time like the present.

Colgate sat behind the counter, bored. She was too nervous to work on any clocks, but she also didn’t want to close up the shop and head home. Her quick search through the Doctor’s office yielded no answers about his behavior. No customers had come in since the Doctor left, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Sure, anyone who came in could be the reason why the Doctor felt bad, but at the same time it would give her something to do. She looked around the store one more time and said, “Forget it, I’m going home.” 
She pushed herself up and stretched. Her eyes were closed when she heard the door open. Colgate jumped and almost ran to the back of the store, but stopped herself when she saw who it was. “Berry? Gah, you scared me!” 
“Oh, uh, sorry?” Berry said with a giggle. Colgate noticed that Berry’s cheeks were already flushed. Was she ill? 
“It’s alright. What can I do for you?” Colgate’s heart ceased its rapid beating.
Berry looked around the store through half-lidded eyes. “Y’know? I think I need another clock. You’ve been to the house a couple of times, what do you think would be a good one?” 
“A clock for which room?” Colgate asked, stepping out from behind the counter to stand by her friend. The familiar face was enough to make her forget about her nerves. 
Berry ran a hand over her face and, after a few moments, exhaled loudly. “How about one for my bedroom?” she asked. Colgate felt herself blushing and Berry must have noticed, if her large grin was any indication. “On second thought, you’ve never seen it. How about we go fix that right now?” she asked. 
“Um, no, no that’s alright. I’m sure you can find—“ she was interrupted by Berry putting a finger on her lips. 
“Heh, you’re so cute when you’re flustered. Do you remember our first dinner together? How you said that if I wanted a hug, all I had to do was ask?” Colgate nodded. She felt like her whole body on fire. “I would really like a hug right now.” 
“Oh, is that all?” Colgate asked, trying, and undoubtedly failing, to keep her voice from wavering. 
Berry’s grin widened, which Colgate didn’t know was possible. “Well, since you’re offering,” she said and wrapped her arms around Colgate, “I’d also like a kiss, and for you to move in with me, and to stay with me forever.” Berry pressed her forehead against Colgate’s. Both of their faces were red, but for different reasons. 
As Berry got closer, Colgate noticed the scent of alcohol on her friend’s breath. She’s drunk? Then she’s not in her right mind, surely she wouldn’t be doing this otherwise, she thought. “Berry, how much have you been drinking?” 
“That doesn’t matter,” Berry slurred and pushed Colgate against a wall, thankfully not the one covered in clocks. “The point is that I love you.” Before Colgate could say anything, Berry pressed her lips shut with hers. If she wasn’t pressed between the wall and her friend, Colgate was sure she would have collapsed. 
Berry pulled back and they looked into each other’s eyes, both gasping for breath. Berry rested her chin on Colgate’s shoulder and whispered “I love you,” over and over. Colgate’s mind was a blank. This isn’t right, she thought. Her body replied by arching into Berry’s touch, by matching the ferocity of her kisses. She isn’t sober. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. Colgate closed her eyes and summoned the willpower to push Berry away. 
“What’s wrong?” Berry asked. “Don’t you want me?” 
“N-nothing is wrong. I-I… Let’s just get you home,” Colgate said after catching her breath. 
“Home for what?” 
“So you can go to bed and sleep this off.” 
“Bed, eh?” Berry asked and raised an eyebrow. 
“Yes. For you. Now let’s go.” 
“For both of us, you mean? It’s awfully late,” Berry drawled and licked her lips. Colgate put a shaking hand to her temple. This is going to take a while.

The sun poked through the curtains and gradually found its way to Berry’s closed eyes. She moaned and turned to her side, trying to keep her dream intact. She had almost succeeded in falling back asleep, but the neighbor’s landscaping service decided to start their loudest machines. Irritated, Berry opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She didn’t have to look at herself to know that she hadn’t changed into pajamas, or that her bed sheets were tossed around the foot of the bed. She also knew that she went to bed alone, despite her best efforts. At least I still have my memories; she thought and closed her eyes. 
However, try as she might to lose herself, her stomach rumbled. Groaning, Berry got out of bed. On her way to the kitchen, she noticed that it was already noon and that there was a pillow on the couch. Did she stay here? Berry wondered. As if in response, her eyes soon focused on a single blue hair left on the pillow. That was all she needed to know before she fell on the couch, giggling while she inhaled the scent of Colgate’s shampoo. It was minty. 
After having enough of rolling around the couch with the pillow, Berry remembered that she had been hungry. Leaving the pillow behind, she went to the kitchen and found a note on the countertop. 
Good morning, Berry! 
Hope you slept well and didn’t use that bucket I left by your bed. I made Ruby some breakfast and she ran off with some friends. She’s such a nice kid. Have to go to work, talk to you later. 
-Colgate
Berry read the letter a few more times, unsure of what to do. She remembered almost all of what she had done to Colgate the previous night. She had only had one beer, after all. It had just given her the courage, and a guise, to tell Colgate how she felt. More or less. Now she wondered if Colgate would even want to see her after she had been so forward. If I didn’t want to tell her how I felt, I wouldn’t have gone to her last night. Now go to that clock store, Berry!

It was easier said than done. Berry stood on the corner of the block, looking at the clock store and had never felt as thirsty as she did then. 




A/N: I just realized that I ended this before any sort of formal confession. Oh well :3