//------------------------------//
// Sunday 
// Story: Life Is like a Cookie Jar 
// by TheReaderAndWriter 
//------------------------------//

Raindrop was sitting alone on her bed. She was reading a history book, making the pages wet with tears and hurrying to turn the page whenever a date of death was mentioned.
"I don't want to go!" yelled Raindrop at the locked door. Tripper had tried to get her to come along to the hospital, but she had locked herself inside her room, refusing to come with them. Her mother had tried to talk to her, but Raindrop didn't listen, she didn't want to. She didn't want to be there again, not again, not crying again, not knowing, being filled with uncertainty and fear. She couldn't do it again, she had done it once, she shouldn't have to do it one more time, nopony should have to. 
"Rainy! Everyone is at the hospital, you should be there too!" said Billy from the other side of the door. It was past midnight, and Raindrop had never felt so tired in her entire life. His voice was so much calmed than hers.
"Everyone is just too stupid to get that he'll be fine. He'll come back tomorrow, and he'll be fine. You'll see!"
"Raindrop, this has to be super hard for you, I know that... but he's sure he's going to die, so you should-"
"My dad's not a doctor! He doesn't know anything! So shut up!"
"But-"
"Shut up!"
"You have to-"
"Shut up, I don't have to anything!"
"Listen-"
"I told you to shut-"
"RAINDROP! ACTUALLY LISTEN!" shouted Billy so loud Raindrop just stopped talking. He had never used a voice like that, not in school, not with her, not anywhere, ever. "I'm sorry that I shouted at you." There was a slight thud on the wooden door. Billy was leaning his head on it on the other side. "Raindrop, this is important. I don't know what's going to happen, but I do know this: your father could die."
"I know, but I don't want him to!"
"Nopony does. He's a great stallion. He's kind, and nice, and sweet, and... good. He's super."
"Then why him? He doesn't deserve this to happen to him! He doesn't deserve being on a table and being cut up, he shouldn't have to be fixed by strangers!"
"What he deserves and what's happening to him are two different things! If you keep... Listen, he is in a hospital right now, and he could die. That's all there is to it. That's that. Raindrop, he could only have a short while left to live, he could already be dead. Maybe you should be there for him if he does die. If my dad would die, and I got the choice, then I think I would rather be there to say goodbye, instead of being locked up in my room, never getting to see him again," said Billy. Raindrop didn't say anything, she just closed her eyes and held her book really tight up against her. "I'll be going there now. I'll see you in school sooner or later. Bye," said Billy. She heard him slowly walk away, and before long she heard the distant sound of the front door closing. Just an hour ago the house had been so filled with life, there had been so many ponies. Now it was almost dead, and she was the only one there. She sat there for a few minutes with her eyes closed.


You'll be the prettiest girl in school today.

I hope you will have a great day today, Raindrop.

Sweetie, I'm so proud that you would actually risk so much for someone else!

Did today go well?

Hey there, sleepyhead. Are you alright?

If it happens, will you promise me to be strong? All I need to know is that you will be strong, whatever happens, alright?


Raindrop dried her tears with a blanket and then tossed it aside. She jumped off her bed and hurried over to the door. She unlocked it and rushed through the hallway to the stairs. She quickly went down them and into the kitchen. She had to fetch something. She found what she was looking for and walked up to the front door. She opened it and ran out into the clear, cold night. The moon was very bright this night, making it easier for her to find her way in the darkness. As she ran, she kept seeing her father's face in her mind. No matter how sick her father was, that image of him just wouldn't stop showing his kind gentle smile.
"Please don't die, dad," said Raindrop as she gasped for air. The cold night air was almost painful to breathe in. "If you have to, don't do it yet, just wait a little bit. Just wait for me." She could see the distant light of the hospital in the distance. It was far, but she wouldn't stop running. "I'm coming, daddy."

Raindrop was out of breath when she entered the warm but unwelcome interior of the hospital. She ran past the reception, there was nopony behind the desk. She ran up to a nurse.
"Where is Cloudy Day?"
"Who?"
"My dad! Cloudy! Cloudy Day!"
"I'm sorry, you should ask the pony in the reception- Is that lazy idiot taking a break again? Alright, maybe... Ah, Doctor Heart is currently not doing much important work. He tends to know where everypony is around the hospital, patients too. He's just down this hallway, and then to the left, his name is on his door. You can't miss it," said the nurse. Raindrop thanked her and hurried there. She didn't see anyone from the party, they had either gone home or was in the room that Cloudy was in. She didn't have time to knock on every door looking for them. She hurried further into the hospital, and it didn't take long for her to find the doctor's office. The door was slightly ajar. Raindrop peeked inside, it was oddly dark in there. The only light came from the hallway and a candle on a desk. She could see somepony's silhouette in the candlelight.
"Doctor Heart?"
"Oh, what? I'm sorry, I'm just tired. Hello, young lady," said the doctor. He turned around. It was the same doctor that had been at their house a few days ago. He looked very tired. His eyes in particular expressed complete exhaustion. He went back to sulking, leaning on his desk.
"Hello. I'm, I'm looking for my dad. He's probably here right now, and I was told to go to you," said Raindrop. The otherwise proud doctor seemed so oddly vulnerable, she couldn't help but to speak lightly.
"There's always someone's dad in here. Too often. What's his name?"
"Cloudy Day," said Raindrop. Doctor Heart turned around fully, looking at her.
"You're his daughter?" he said in a shocked tone.
"Yes."
"Sweet Celestia... He has a daughter. That idiot has a daughter."
"What did you call him?"
"I'm sorry, it's just... I thought I had saved him, but I hadn't done anything of value... And he knew about it. I thought I had saved him... He should have told me it was for nothing! At the least, he should have told me what it all was. That sickness is so rare it might as well not exist! If I had known earlier, then... maybe... maybe I could have saved him. He gave everyone false hope! That idiot!"
"Don't call my dad an idiot!"
"As a doctor, giving somepony false hope is the worst mistake you can make. You are always supposed to be strong, always honest. If somepony's dying then you don't say 'let's wait and see'. You say 'he will die'! You don't sugarcoat it! You don't let them wait, expecting something that is inevitably never going to come! I just... I know that every poor pony I've ever had to say that they or someone close to them will die must feel so powerless. This is the first time I've felt just as powerless. This is the first time I've felt this much out of control, maybe if I had known... maybe I could have saved him."  The doctor slumped down on the floor, depressed and powerless. Raindrop stood there silent for a bit, looking at the doctor who tried to be as strong as he still could.
"You know what I heard my dad say? That he was just happy that you managed to get him another day," said Raindrop. The doctor looked up at her.
"I wish I could have saved him. I wished I could have done more. The worst part of it all, is that I first thought about looking into his sickness more, but we weren't on good terms. I decided to wait with it just because I didn't like him. I'm just so afraid that I might have been able to save him if I wasn't such a prideful idiot," said the doctor, staring at Raindrop. "If I somehow made a little girl lose her father, then I don't know what I would do. I'm so sorry." Tears started running down his face. While Raindrop didn't know it, this was the first time this doctor weeped openly in front of another pony. It was the first time, and it would be the last.
"I'm not mad at you. Could you just tell me where my dad is?"
"He's in room 305. He's resting, on his deathbed. You don't have much time." Raindrop didn't say anything else, she just ran out of the room towards the stairs. She got up to the right floor. She could see the door in the end of the hallway. She was still holding the object from the kitchen close to her while she did her best to run. She finally made it to the door. She hesitated for just a moment, and then opened it. More than a dozen pair of eyes turned towards her as she walked inside the room. So many friends, so much family. None said anything as she walked up to the bed.
"Hey, sweetie," said her father in a weak, but undoubtedly happy tone. Raindrop held the item close to her as she looked at her father. He had never looked more vulnerable or ill. His coat itself seemed to slowly dim in color. His eyes had trouble focusing on his daughter's face. His smile was the most recognizable thing about him.
"Hey dad. I'm here," said Raindrop with a weak voice.
"And I'm glad. Hey, everypony. I'm so happy you are here, but could you please leave the room? I need to talk to my dearest daughter now." He had never sounded so apologetic. He didn't want to hurt their feelings. Nopony objected to it, however. None said a word while they slowly moved out of the room. It was clear nopony said anything because they had already been there for so long, saying everything they needed to. They had said their goodbyes. Raindrop was actually quite happy they left. This moment would be hard enough without a crowd. This was a personal moment. The last one to leave the room was Sunny, who simply kissed her husband one last time. Once the door closed with only the two of them inside, it seemed to get oddly louder. Raindrop could more easily hear her and Cloudy's breath. Her heart pounded inside her chest so loudly.
"Dad, I'm sorry I didn't get here earlier. I was just so scared."
"This can be pretty scary."
"But I brought you something, a present."
"Oh? I'm sorry, I can't quite see it," said Cloudy. he could barely move his head to see what Raindrop was holding. Raindrop brought up the cookie jar to the side of the bed.
"There's one left. I thought you might want it."
"Sorry, sweetie, but I'm not hungry. That's alright though, the cookie is probably stale," said Cloudy and chuckled. His smile made Raindrop smile too. Cloudy put all his effort into moving his head to see her more clearly.
"Raindrop, I do want one gift from you."
"I know, dad."
"Good. Well?"
"I promise I will stay strong," said Raindrop. She realized she was crying, but she wiped the tears from her face and stopped.
"That's my girl."
"I'm just so sad to see you go. Hey, dad?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted us to have a great last week together, but things just didn't go as I wanted."
"You should have told me, I wouldn't have helped Billy. We should have been together this entire week. Just you, mom and me."
"I know, but... I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't strong enough to prepare you for it. I wanted you to be happy, not worry. I wanted you to laugh, not cry. I'm such an idiot. All I could do was taking care of business. I did everything I needed, but not everything I wanted. Still, I've lived a good life. In the end, I have only two regrets."
"What's that?"
"The first one is that I didn't get to spend more time with you, my little Raindrop."	
"And the second one?" asked Raindrop with a slightly trembling voice.
"That I didn't get to... you know what? You should ask your mother about that one."
"I'll miss you, daddy."
"Sweetie. Life is like a cookie jar."
"What?"
"A cookie jar. First you make the batch, everything is so fresh, seems so sweet. The hole jar is full, and there is so much to look forward to. You eat the cookies more and more, there is less and less to look forward to, and the more cookies you eat the less you want to. You have to savor it as much as you can, you can't eat everything too quickly, but on the other hoof, if you keep waiting the cookies will just grow stale and there wasn't a point to it at all. Eventually, you'll be at the last one. You don't want it to end, but you can either take the last cookie and enjoy it, or just wait too long and let it go to waste. I thought I had waited too long with the last one, but you know what? With you here, I did take it, and it was still fresh and great."
"But.. daddy, what do you do when you eat the last cookie?" asked Raindrop. Her face was getting wet from all the tears.
"You make a new batch, of course. Don't forget to share it." He let out a cough, his pillows got slightly stained with blood. "Raindrop, I don't have much time. Come closer." Raindrop did as she was told. With the last of his strength, he reached out his front legs and gave her one last hug. With a body as weak as his, it must have been like moving a mountain.
"I love you, father."
"I love you too, daughter." Raindrop didn't do anything else but to embrace her father and let him kiss her on her forehead. They hugged, not saying anything more, it wasn't needed. Well, he did say one more thing. "Oh, and a third regret: I really wished I could have kept my hair." So typical of him, making her laugh, even when she was crying.

It didn't take long, making Raindrop wished it had, but eventually something in the room just changed. It was weird. A second ago, there had been two ponies in that room. Now she was the only one there. She moved the body back into the bed, making it look dignified. It just looked peaceful. His smile was still there, looking content. His eyes were closed, never to open again. Raindrop dried her tears and slowly walked out of the room. All of his family and friends looked at her when she got out and closed the door.
"He's moved on," said Raindrop, making sure her voice sounded strong. Tripper burst out weeping. Sunny looked away, not wishing for anyone to see her tears.
"So, um, this is probably not a good time to say this, but should we do like he said and start preparing the funeral?" asked Raindrop's uncle.
"The party. He wanted ponies to be happy, not cry. We'll be doing all the crying today, and soon we'll laugh again," said Tripper, through a face of tears and snot, after all, when you cried like him or any of them, you didn't look dignified.
"You go ahead and plan the party. I want to be with my daughter," said Sunny.
"Alright, let's go, everyone. Let's have some tea," said Raindrop's grandfather, on her mother's side. Cloudy's father wasn't there.
"Still a bit shaken up?" asked Cloudy's brother, with a smile. Like Cloudy, his brother had a tendency to smile too, but more confidently, almost like an adventurer. His tears didn't do anything to stop his smirk.
"I can't believe he had the guts to say that to me when on his deathbed," said the grandfather. Ponies slowly left the hallway. There was only four left in the end. Raindrop, Sunny, Billy and Mr. Folds.
"If you ever need any help, my family will be there. That's a promise, Sunny," said Mr. Folds.
"Thanks, Booker," said Sunny.
"Hey, Billy. Want to share this cookie?" asked Raindrop. She picked up the last cookie. Billy didn't say anything, he just used his horn to split it in two, perfectly along the middle. Billy took the first bite.
"Is it stale?" asked Raindrop.
"Nope, it's super tasty," said Billy.
"Billy, Booker, could you two give us some privacy? I need to speak with my daughter," said Sunny. They didn't object, they just left.
"I'll see you in school soon, right?"
"Tomorrow," said Raindrop and nodded. She walked over to her mother and sat down next to her.
"Hey, sweetie," said Sunny.
"Hey, mom."
"It won't be the same without him."
"I know."
"I'll do my best to take better care of you. I know he did the most of that. I'm sorry."
"I know. It's alright."
"I miss him so much already." Tears started running down her face.
"Me too." Raindrop didn't really cry. She couldn't cry anymore, and she didn't want to. "Mom... dad said he had a regret. He said you would know."
"Regret? Oh, right. Of course. When he was in the hospital the last time, he told me that he knew he would die. I told him something that I've known for a couple of weeks now. He was both happy and sad when I told him. It will be hard without him, but I think we can do it together. He so wanted to be here for it, just like he was for you."
"What is it?"
"Raindrop, you're going to have a little brother or sister." Raindrop didn't say anything for a little while, she just ate her piece of the last cookie. Then she looked up at her mother's tired face.
"That's great." Then they shared a hug. Raindrop knew things would be hard, but she also knew she would stay strong. She would go to school the next day. She would enjoy her life. She would help her mother. She would take care of her coming sibling. She would do like her father wanted. She would enjoy her life to the fullest. But this day, from dawn to dusk, she, her mother, and those close to the late Cloudy Day, would mourn. It had affected her immensely, but she knew in her heart that the wounds would heal in time. She would be able to laugh from the bottom of her heart soon enough, just like her father would have wanted. Raindrop fell asleep, leaning on her mother. They would probably lean against each other a lot in the future. And Raindrop was fine with that.