As my eyes slowly open to the light of a new day, the sight of my headrest and blankets are the two things I’m greeted to this morning. A small, tired sigh leaves me. This was a sight I had grown used to since I was young. I rub my eyes a bit to rid myself of my sleepiness, as I had a rather unexpected night. Anon just showing up at my doorstep in tears was not something I was expecting.
From what I could manage to get from him, it seems that he broke up with Twilight no more than a few hours before he came to my home. It was difficult to even get that much out of him, seeing as he was a total wreck. He was practically begging for me to let him stay for a few days. Of course, I wasn't going to turn him down in his time of need. He had become a great friend, and I felt honored that he chose to come to me first when he needed somepony most.
I feel so sorry for him. I still remember hearing him crying himself to sleep last night. It broke my heart to hear him. I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to just go into the guestroom, hold him tight, and tell him that everything would be alright. I restrained myself though, as I wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to do as a friend or because of that small voice in the back of my head.
I shake these thoughts away, as it is too early for them anyway. I have to get ready and breakfast isn’t going to make itself. I slowly work my way out of bed, making sure my hind legs are planted firmly on the ground before dropping the rest of the way. So far this was a good day, seeing as I didn't fall down yet. I slowly walk over to my dresser and mirror. I take in my messy appearance before taking hold of my brush and cleaning up my mane a bit. With that morning ritual finished, I show myself out.
I take each step carefully as I head towards the stairs. Each step causes my body to shift awkwardly to one side. Because of this, I usually take the time to correct myself. I wobble a bit on my way to the stairs, but, for the most part, I have a good pace. As I make my way down stairs, taking each step slowly, I can't help but smile. It’s very rare that I get days like this, as I usually fall at least a few times.
I try to limit my flying to outdoors only, seeing as flying indoors is a bit more hazardous. While I still manage to snag a light post or two on my mail route, I tend to have more accidents indoors due to the small size. So I keep my hooves planted firmly on the ground while inside of any shop or home. I reach the bottom level in one piece. It’s definitely a good day today.
I glance over to the clock on the wall near the kitchen and see that it’s almost seven o’clock, plenty of time to work on breakfast. I walk into the kitchen and head over to the cabinets. I smile a bit as I pull out the batter needed for pancakes, gently setting it onto the counter. A large plastic mixing bowl and spoon soon join alongside it as I prepare everything that needs to be mixed.
I learned very early on that anything that can break, will break. So, I try to buy things that are sturdy. I throw everything together and start mixing it up. This was turning out to be a great day. I hadn't spilled the pancake mix nor had I suffered a single fall on my way to the kitchen. I haven't had a day like this in months. I can only hope that my little muffin and Anon are having the same day as I am.
With everything thoroughly mixed, I move a pan over to the stove and gently twist the knob some with my teeth before moving away. It is an older model, and the dial has a nasty tendency to stick at times. Once I get it into position, I use my hoof to twist it the rest of the way. The sound of a ‘click’ could be heard as the flame jumps out. I give a single nod at that as I dial in the correct heat. I was in such a good mood today that I couldn't help but hum to myself as I watch the flames dance.
I feel my ears swivel behind me as they catch the sound of somepony descending the stairs. I turn around and feel my day brighten even more.
“Morning, muffin.” I smile at my daughter.
“Morning, mom.” She says in a groggy tone, obviously tired.
I giggle some at her. “How’d you sleep?”
“Alright I guess. I’m pretty sure I heard some weird noises though.”
I feel my smile drop some. She must have heard Anon.
“Don't worry yourself, sweetheart. It was just Anon. He’s going to be staying with us for awhile.”
She perks up at that. “Really?!”
My smile returns at her enthusiasm. “He is.”
“Can he walk me to school today?” She asks excitedly.
I shake my head. “Maybe tomorrow, Dinky. Anon had a bit of a rough night.”
“Why? Is something wrong?” She asks, concerned.
Oh, my sweet little caring filly. I think proudly.
“He will be fine, Dinky. He just needs some rest.” I reassure her. I turn back and start to pour the mix into the hot pan. “How about you see if he is awake? I’m sure he must be hungry.”
Dinky smiles brightly, giving me a salute before she quickly takes off up the stairs. I’m proud that my little filly cares so much for others, not to mention she is very smart for a filly her age. I feel my smile drop again. I always wanted to send Dinky to that nice private school in Canterlot for unicorns. I-I just can't afford it right now. She is so smart and talented; I can't stand the thought of not giving her the best in life.
Right now I can barely even afford what we have. I’ve been working two shifts at the post office since she was born. I tried to look into getting a loan, but I didn't have any credit. I didn't even know what credit was till a few years ago. I want to give my baby the best, but I can't afford it right now. I can feel a few tears build up as I wipe them away. I’ll find a way. Dinky is still too young to go to that school anyways.
“I think he’s still sleeping.” I hear Dinky.
I jump slightly from surprise. I didn't even notice that she was there. I look back and see that she doesn't look too happy right now. I guess she really wanted to wake Anon. I glance over to the pan and then back to Dinky.
“You want to help mommy cook?”
That certainly gets her smiling again.
“Sure!” She says, ecstatic as she comes to my side.
“I know you like to use magic, but that doesn't mean you should be dependant on it. You never know what may happen in the future, and I wouldn't want to see you unable to do something because I didn't teach you something so simple.”
Dinky hung on every word I said. She was always a good foal. I never liked to talk bad about other fillies, but Dinky was leagues above the others. They tended to not listen to adults or were downright cruel. Dinky has always been a well-behaved filly.
“So what do I do?” She asks.
I lean my head to the pan.
“Well, you still aren't big enough to reach, so let me get you a chair.” I say as I grab a nearby chair and set it by the stove. “Hop on up.” She does so. “Now what I want you to do is clamp down on the rubber handle here.” I touch the long rubber hand on the pan. “Then do this.”
I grab the handle, and, with a quick upward flick of my neck, I see the pancake rise from the pan. While one eye is on the pancake, and the other on the pan, I make sure they are lined up as it comes back down and lands with a sizzle, signifying a job well done. I let go of the pan and look over to see Dinky clopping her hooves together.
“That was amazing!” She cheers.
I feel my smile grow wider as I nuzzle her gently.
“Your turn.” I say.
She gets a large smile as she slowly moves towards the pan. I make sure to keep a close eye as she clamps onto the pan tightly. I know the pan may be a little heavy for her, but I watch as she flicks her neck up quickly and the pancake hits the ceiling. We both look to the now stuck pancake as it just stays there, almost like one of those funny pictures you see in the paper.
I look over to Dinky as her eyes start to water and her lip quiver. I quickly nuzzle her.
“It’s alright, Dinky. You did great for a first time!” I try to bring up her spirits.
“Really?” She asks.
I nod. “Of course, you still need more practice. You know, I wasn't that great at it when I started either.” I reassure her.
“It ain't half bad.”
Dinky and I simultaneously give suppressed yelps in response to the new, more masculine voice, that came from behind us. As we both look up, we can see Anon standing there with a half-eaten pancake in hand. I look up and see that the pancake that was on the ceiling is gone. Did he reach up and pull it off? He quickly stuffed the rest of the pancake into his mouth and gave a nod.
“Is it good?” Dinky asks him.
He looks at her with a closed smile and gives her a thumbs up. A gesture that took us awhile to understand, but that simple show of approval made Dinky brighten up even more. So much so that she quickly looks to me with excitement.
“Can I make another?” she asks.
I rock my head back and forth in thought.
“I don't know...” I say as if thinking about it. I look and see her cute, pleading look. “Alright.” I relent.
She lets out a squeal of delight as I gently pour a smaller amount into the pan and let her practice. I look over to Anon and see that he is now seated at the table. His eyes were still red, but he has a genuine smile as he looks at Dinky. His eyes meet mine and I give him a thankful nod for his help; one he returns easily.
We both watch as Dinky kept practicing. Every so often, she would serve us either undercooked or burnt pancakes. Anon and I ate them without a single complaint, letting Dinky know that they were well loved. She was getting the hang of it the more she practiced, and I was sure that she would perfect it in no time at all. She has always been a fast learner.
I look over to the clock and see that it was about time for Dinky to head to school.
“Alright Dinky, time for school.” I announce.
She looks sad until her eyes look over at Anon.
“Hey Anon, do you want to walk me to school?” She importunes, with her puppy dog eyes thrown in.
He chuckles at her. “How can I say no to a face like that?”
Dinky quickly run up to her room to get packed; returning with her saddlebag ready for the day.
“Come on!” Dinky says as she speeds out the door.
Anon chuckles some more as he looks back to me.
“I’ll be back soon.”
I give a nod. “I’ll be here.”
He gives me a smile as he follows after Dinky. I make sure the kitchen is all cleaned up before I take a seat in the living room. I look over to the clock and see that I would need to show up at the post office in a few hours. That is good actually. I want to talk to Anon when he comes back. I want to know if he is alright after his falling-out with Twilight. I know that keeping his emotions all pent up won't be good for him, so maybe by just being there and listening I can get him to talk with me about it.
I just look to the door and silently wait for his return.