//------------------------------// // Chapter 3, Truth. Plane Ride // Story: Welcome To Apple Paradise // by Phantom Writer //------------------------------// Chapter 3, Truth. Plane Ride <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I sat in my office that was in the barn, This had been my place to go to try and think or to try and hide from Amber I was wondering how i was going to be able to survive. My father and i haven't talked since the day i took over this apple farm. I remember the first time i stepped onto this farm, I was nine years old. I just became friends with Amber and we were hanging out here on the farm I remember walking into this office with Amber to meet her grandfather, His name was Mike, He welcome me with open arms and showed us around this amazing farm. He was a cool man, He use to tell me and Amber stories about how this was the first apple farm in these parts. I later moved two weeks after that day, Since that day i loved the idea of owning my own apple farm, I kept in touch with Amber after i moved away As time went on my father kept hounding me about becoming a lawyer, He wouldn't drop it. My older sister bless her heart kept me from running away. As i got older the more studying i did for farming apples, Learning how to take care of them and even how to make great apple pies, Aj showed me her family secrets about making the best apple pies, My father called in a few favors to get me into a college early, I was soon backed up and ready to go I got lucky and was sent to Illinois, There i manged to sneak off to go visit Amber and her grandfather, Who i soon found out had lung cancer, He was dying. I helped Amber through this tough time and tried my best to do what i could to help her grandfather I remember sitting in the hospital with Amber, He asked her to leave so he could talk to me After she left he asked me what i plan on doing with my life. I told him my father is making me become a lawyer, But my real goal was to become an apple farmer He smiled when he heard me say that, What he told me next shocked me, He told me that he was giving me the farm, On one term, If Amber wishes to own the farm again, I would allow her to, I told him i would. A month later he passed away, I was there for his funeral and his will reading, Let's just say when the other family member's beside Amber and James heard i was the knew owner of Apple Paradise, They were freaking out, James and Amber were both happy, I told them they didn't have to call or knock when they came over, I made sure they had keys and told my college that i drop out. My father heard about this and tried everything in his power to keep me in college, But it didn't work I soon started my work here on this farm, I kept it the same as i did but i did change a few things, I allowed horses on to the farm, Those who needed good homes My thoughts were interpreted as i saw Aj in the door way "Morin' Matt" She said with a cheerful smile "How's the eye?" "It's healing" I said looking back at her "I ran in ta ya sister" She said taking a seat in a chair that was facing my desk "She popped in last night" I said "She told me we are leavin' to day" "Yeah... A family reunion came up.... She's here to drag me to Paris and she thought you could tag along" I looked at her as she had a smile on her face "Ah finally get ta meet ya parents" She was way to happy "Finally get ta know more about ya" "What do you mean know more about me?" I said with a shocked look on my face "Ya never tell me about ya folks, Ya never really talk about ya family, So know i get ta know more about ya" I guess it was time to finally tell her the truth about why i don't talk about my family "I guess i should tell you why i don't talk about my family" I looked down at the papers trying to get my words right, I then looked up at Aj "I had a falling out with my father a few years back" "Why did ya have a fallin' out?" "I wanted to run this great farm while my dad wanted me to become a lawyer" I could see she was angry "That ain't right! You chose what ya wanted ta do!" She huffed "He didn't see it that way " I said sitting back in my chair "My step mother is a model" "Ya step mother?" She asked kinda shocked "She replaced my real mother a few years after my real mother died from cancer" I said lifting the golden ring that was hanging around my neck "She gave this to me before she passed away, She wanted me to give it to a lucky girl" I showed her the ring "That's a lovely ring" Aj said looking over it "Yeah, I was only ten when i learned she was fighting with cancer, She died on my birthday" Aj looked back at me as i smiled at the ring "Her last words to me before she passed away was 'Enjoy your birthday, Never hate it' I do just that" I put the ring back around my neck as i looked back at Aj "When i turned sixteen my father found a new love, Her name was star, She was a supermodel and had a great love for my father, I didn't like her at first, But the more i got to know her she became like a mother to me. I may not be speaking with my father but i still speak with my step mother, She told me this is going to be her last year as a model, So she's going to start up her own fashion studio" I pulled out an old photo of my family that i kept in my desk and let her look at it She looked it over and looked back at me "Ya ma is beautiful" She said "Yeah, She was" I then handed one of the newer one's and she looked over it "Ya not in this one" She said looking back at me "That was taken the day i chose to stay here" She handed me the picture and i put them back "He sent to me to tell me that i wasn't family anymore, Or it was Star trying to show off her new dress, I don't know" "So are ya going to go?" Aj asked I pulled out a passport and I.D "If you want to come, You can use these" She took the passport and looked at the photo I.D "Ah look ugly" "Ya don't look ugly" I said "I made sure i got a good picture of you" "Ah still look ugly" She said with a huff I rolled my eyes "If you hate the photo, You can just stay here" Her eyes went wide as she held the passport in her hands "NO! I like it!" She said with a smile I chuckled as i sat back on my chair "I manged to change our flight to tonight, So that gives you time to pack for a two week trip" She looked at me with a smile "Ya gonna let me go?" "I can't leave you here with Amber, God knows what you might do to her" I said with a smile "Ah know she's ya friend and all but she's crazier then Pinkie is" "She can get out of line" I heard the barn door open "I think my sister found us" Soon enough my sister came walking into my small office "Their you two are, We need to get going" "I booked us a later flight, This will give Aj here some much time to pack" She blinked a few times then nodded "Alright, Then i'm going to pick some apples" She then took off Aj looked back me "Well.. I'm gonna pack now" She said getting up "I left a bag next to your door" "Thanks" She said with a smile as she left the office I got up from my chair and went to go look for Mary, She hasn't been here before so she could easily get lost I manged to find Mary at the spot were me and Aj hang out at "I see you found the best part of Apple Paradise" I said walking up to her "This is the best part of Apple Paradise?" Mary asked "Yup, See those hills?" I asked pointing to them, She nodded "When the sun it's them just right you have the most beautiful sun set in the world" She looked at me "So this is yours and Aj's special spot?" I chuckled "No, This is where i come to relax" If i told her the truth she wouldn't stop teasing me about it "This is also the best place to pick apples" I said taking an apple and taking a bite She picked an apple and took a bite, Her eyes went wide "Told you they are the best" I said with a smile She smiled back "So tell me" She said walking up to me "Why haven't you called me?" "Why haven't you called me?" I said crossing my arms "I have text you, Called, Heck i tried visiting you in Landon when i was there" It was my turn to grin "But then again it's hard to keep a secret marriage under wraps" Her jaw dropped "H-How did you know that?" "Have you forgotten, I am the master of finding out the truth" I said taking a bite of my apple She had a frown on her face "How much?" "Huh?" "How much to keep you quite?" I blinked "Your going to pay me to be quite?" "Yes, If dad found out i was married to some regular guy, Dad would flip a brick" She was ready to cry I walked over and gave her a hug "Come on sis, You know me better then that" I could feel her smile as she hugged me back "Thank you Little brother" "Any time Big Sis" She pulled away whipping some left over tears "Mind telling me why you and your husband travel a lot?" I asked "He's a boxer" This made me chuckle "Is he any good? I'm looking for someone to bet on" She cracked a smile "He's trying to become champ" "Must be tough watching him get hurt" "Of course it is, I bet Aj thinks the same" She touched my now blacker eye "This isn't the first time she saw me get into a fight" I said moving her hand away "Some drunk idiot's thought it would be fun to try some of my hard apple cider" "You should have called the cops" "By the time the cops would have gotten here my house would be gone" I said "Besides, I was the one drinking the hard cider after that" I said with a chuckle "Aj even threw in some punches" I could tell she was shocked to hear that "She pouched someone?" "She punched, Kicked, She even knocked some teeth out" I said remembering the guy holding his teeth as they were being taken away by the cops "She doesn't look like a fighter" "She is, Oh before i forget, Watch out for her right hook, One hit with that and your out cold" I said Mary cracked a smile "Something tells me you had first in counter's with her right hook?" The memory came flooding back Three day's After Applejack Was Found I sat in the living room reading the morning paper, I had my cup of coffee in hand as i read what was going on in the world I heard a loud noise come from up stairs, I rushed up the stairs as fast as i could, I ran into Aj's room to see if she was okay, When i opened the door... I saw Aj butt naked, O.o My face was burning red as i saw Aj as i notice three red apples on her side, Cute tattoo i thought. I hurried and shut the door behind me as she yelled at me to shut it I sat there for a second before i felt the door flung open, That's when i felt something very hard hit me in the face. I fell to the ground hard. When i came too i saw Aj's hand wrapped in ice as i sat laid on the couch "W-What happened?" I asked getting up, I then felt my cheek burn as i felt the pain shoot through my body "I knocked you out for peaking' at me" I rubbed my check "I wasn't peaking, I heard a loud noise come from up stairs and thought something happened" Aj rolled her eyes as she made her way back towards the stairs "Ya think i'm gonna buy that!?" She said walking away It took me a long time to convince her i wasn't trying to sneak a peek I came back into reality with a blush on my cheek "It was a miss under standing" I said "Well, I got some apples, I'm going to pack them up and bring them with us" Mary said walking away I stood there for a minute before i made my way back to the house <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> After i made dinner for everyone we soon got our stuff and left for the air port After about two hours of waiting and another hour of being patted down, We finally made it onto our plane I made sure i got us first class so that Aj could enjoy her self, I didn't want her to have to deal with crying baby's I took a seat next to Aj, She got the window seat. I buckled myself in and held onto the seat for dear life "Ya okay?" She asked looking at me "I'm fine" I said not looking at her, I kept my eye on the seat in front of me "Ya sure? Cuz your hand is hurting mine" I looked to see i was squeezing her hand "Oops, Sorry" It took everything in me to let go of her hand "It's alright, Ya sure ya okay?" I looked at her trying my best not to freak out "I'm afraid of flying" This made her laugh "Ya afraid of flyin'!?" I glared at her "What's so funny about be scared to fly?" I asked She laughed so hard she had tears coming out, She whipped them away "Ya fought guys twice your size! Manged to calm a raging bull! And ya manged to stop a bucking horse" "I was in a plane crash a few years back, I was on my way to college and something went wrong with the engine and we went down, The plane bounced around, My belt broke sending me flying into the side of the window knocking me out, When i came too i was in a hospital bed" I closed my eyes as i tried not to freak out "I haven't been on a plane since" I pulled up my sleeve "They told me some of the metal of the plane sliced through my arm, They said i was lucky it didn't leave muscle damaged" Aj looked at me with sorry eyes "I'm.. Sorry.. " "It's alright, You didn't know" I said opening my eyes back up "Is that why ya wear long sleeves?" She asked "Yeah, People tend to ask how i manged to get my scar" I rolled it back down I watched her sit back in her chair trying to get relaxed in her chair, I laid back in my chair closed my eyes shut and fell to sleep I awoke with a thud as i looked to see the plane shaking, I saw Aj holding onto her seat for dear life I notice the rain and the lighting outside the window "I see we hit a nasty storm" She looked at me scared, I placed my hand onto her's "Don't worry, The pilots will get us out of this storm safely" "Shouldn't ah be tellin' you that?" She said, I could tell in her voice that she was scared "You should, But i think i can handle a little storm" I said with a smile "Try and think of something else, It will help you take your mind off this" She closed her eyes trying to take her mind off it "It's not helpin" She said looking at me "Try and picture someone or.. Somepony and try and imagen them with you" She closed her eyes again "Imagen yourself some where you love to go to" I could see a small smile on her face "Now, Just hold onto that" She gave a nod as i sat back in my seat I closed my eyes, My fear of flying came rushing back to me as i felt the plane shake again, I kept myself calm as i tried to picture myself back on the farm, I could see myself relaxing near a tree eating an apple enjoying the beautiful sun set, I soon saw Aj walking up to me with a glass of tea, She took a seat next to me and we both enjoyed the beautiful sun set <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> When we finally landed we made our way out of the plane "Mom is sending a limo" Mary said looking for her bags I rolled my eyes as we grabbed my bags, We followed Mary over to the limo After a very long drive we made it to the house I stepped out to see the giant house in front of us "Wow... This place is big" Aj said looking at the house "This house holds about sixteen rooms, Four kitchens, and two living rooms and one pool" I said grabbing my bags I heard Aj whistle "Y'all really need that many rooms?" "With a family reunion coming up, They should have bought a bigger house" I said walking up to her handing Aj her bag Mary handed her bag to the driver had have him carry her bags while me and Aj carried ours up to the house Mary knocked on the door and the doors opened. My parents stood in the door way My father looked happy to see me, Which is strange since we haven't talk for so long, Mary ran up to dad and hugged him, He hugged her as well, Mary then hugged our step mom My step mom gave her a hug , My Father just looked at me then smiled "I see you made it" He then walked away while my step mother pulled me into a bear hug "I HAVE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" She said My face started to turn blue "C-Can't B-Breath" I said She let me go and notice Aj next to me "You must be Aj! I'm Star!" She said with her famous smile "It's nice ta meet ya too" Aj said with a smile "Well come in come it!" My step mother said allowing us to come in, We followed my mother as we walked inside Aj's jaw dropped as she saw the inside of the house, There was a water fountain inside the house that was made out of gold... Well it was fake gold but it looked real "This place is like a castle" Aj whispered to me "There is some suits of armor in the hallway up stairs" I whisper back My step mother was happy to show off her house to Aj "Since most of our rooms are all booked with family member's, You and Aj can take your old room" My step mother said having us follow her up the stairs to my old room She opened the door "It hasn't been touched since the day you left for college" She said with a smile Aj looked around my room and saw i didn't have much in it, Some poster's of some movies and some model cars, I saw my old computer on the desk near the window "I'll let you two get settled in!" She shut the door leaving us alone "I notice ya father was happy ta see ya" Aj said placing her bag on the bed "Yeah, Something tells me he's up to something" I said looking at an old photo of me and Mary outside of our old house "Which side do ya want?" She asked I looked at her "I'll take the floor, You can have the bed" I walked over and took a pillow and placed it on the floor She walked over and placed the pillow back onto the bed "Ya chose a side and don't give me that 'Ya can sleep on the floor business" She said walking back around and placing her bag on the floor "I'll sleep on the right side" She then smiled "Good" She then placed her bag on the left side of the bed I heard a knock at the door "I know you two want to take a nap since it's eight a clock at night back in the states but were going to have breakfast soon, If you two wish to join us before you two nap that would be nice" My step mother said walking away She looked at me "I could use some breakfast" "I could use some too" I followed her out the door and down stairs "This is going to be a long two weeks" I thought to myself as i saw my father smiled at me To Be Continued