//------------------------------//
// Lickety Split Doesn't Give a _____ 
// Story: Silver Spoon on the Moon, and Other Short Stories 
// by ocalhoun 
//------------------------------//

Lickety Split nudged open my office door and peeked inside... without knocking, of course. “Um, you wanted to see me, Ocalhoun?”

“Yes, yes. Please have a seat.”

“Um, sure.” He stepped in, glancing around as he made his way to one of the chairs in front of my desk. The door slowly hissed closed on its own. “What's this about, anyway?”

As soon as the door clicked shut, I let out a deep breath. “Do you know a young mare named Bella Rave?”

His eyes lit up at the name, but he eased down into the seat calmly. “I think I may have met her once or twice.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Right.” Shaking my head, I looked right into his eyes. “And you've kept in touch?”

He shrugged, glancing away. “Not really.”

“So, would it interest you to know that she was pregnant?”

His eyes opened wide, but he didn't move a muscle. He didn't even breathe.

“Well?”

He shook himself. “Oh, well, yeah... um... that's great, right? Um, congratulations, and um... stuff, I guess.”

I stared him down. “And did you know, you're the only stallion she's ever been with without using protection?”

What little that was left of his false smile vanished. He leaned back into the chair. “Hey, I don't know nothin' about that! We didn't even really do it, I mean, that doesn't count! I didn't even come inside, er, I mean, I've never done anything with her!”

“Relax.” I held my hands up. “You're not being punished for anything. This is merely informative.”

“It's just her word against mine, man! You can't prove I did anything to--” He shook his head. “Um, what was that?”

“Yes, this meeting is just to inform you about the situation, so you can take care of any responsibilities you may have incurred.”

He crossed his hooves in front of his wide chest. “She knew what she was getting into. It's not my problem.”

“It's your foal.” I put my hands down on the desk. “It is your problem.”

“So what?” He rolled his eyes. “She only went with me because I was there. She would have jumped on any stallion around. That doesn't mean I'm responsible for it.”

“But it was you, and now she's having a baby.”

“Well good for her.” He blew a wayward hair of his mane away. “Doesn't involve me.”

I just stared at him, arching my eyebrows.

He glared back. “I don't have to take this crap! You know she can't get child support according to Equestrian law – I was drunk, so it's technically a rape! You've got nothin' on me!”

My shoulders slumped. “Lickety, it's not about the law. It's about what's right.”

He shook his head, waving a hoof at me. “You don't own me. Nopony can do that to me. I'm out of here!” He jumped up from the chair.

“Lickety--”

The door slammed as he stormed out. I sighed. It looked like Bella wasn't going to be getting any help from this direction.