Golden by Cobalt Ravenscroft
As it always was when she came here, it was raining. At least ponies couldn’t see her crying, that wouldn’t be cool.
And at least she wasn’t alone. No, that was wrong, she was never alone, but this time she was joined by a grey mare she loved deeply.
They made it to their destination, most of the journey having been silent, as was fitting. The two mares; one old and white with a faded blue mane, and the other young and grey with a softer blue mane.
“Hi babe,” Vinyl spoke to the stone in front of her, her age not showing in her voice, “it would have been 50 years today, y’know?”
Silence responded, as it had for the past four and a half years.
The younger mare wrapped a hoof around Vinyl’s withers, pulling her close, “It’s okay, mum,” Vinyl’s daughter spoke softly, her own motherly experience showing through her own grief.
“Thanks, Arpeggio,” the aged mare said between sobs.
“Wow, my full name this time, you must be sad,” Arpeggio teased, a habit she picked up from the mare she was embracing.
Vinyl chuckled, thinking before she spoke, a habit her late wife had taught her, “Octi chose it, only seems right to use it around her.”
Silence fell over the mares again. The only sound around them was the pattering of rain on their black umbrella, but neither mare cared at that point. Vinyl was just glad she could spend time with her wife with nopony interrupting her. Arpeggio was glad her mother was smiling; it had been so long since she’d done anything to make her happy.
After what seemed to be the longest time Vinyl had ever been silent, her daughter broke the embrace and spoke up, “Hey, mum,” she started quietly so as not to startle the reminiscing mare, “you’ll never guess what the twins found this morning.”
This got Vinyl’s attention, her grandfoals always managed to do something to brighten her day, “What was it sweetie?” She turned to face her daughter who brought something out of her saddle bags with her rose coloured magic. Floating in front of Vinyl’s bare face was a small plastic case, inside which was a CD.
“Do you remember this one, mum?”
“Of course, Arppy,” Vinyl smiled softly, “it was my first track with our favourite mare. Look babe,” she turned with the disk now in her magic, now facing her wife’s headstone, “our track.”
More silence followed, but Vinyl felt her wife smiling down at her as the clouds began to part above their heads.
“Arpeggio,” Vinyl addressed her daughter, suddenly sounding serious.
“Yes, mother,” she replied, almost hesitantly, “what is it?”
“Just mum with me sweetie,” the older unicorn corrected sweetly, “Do you know your mother’s part?”
This took the younger unicorn by surprise. She had inherited Octavia’s skill with the cello, following in her footsteps as much as she could, even down to learning her own songs, “O-of co-course, mum, why do you ask?” She had an idea, but the very thought made her eyes well up with tears.
“What do you say we play it later? At the party?” the DJ asked.
“M-mum, thank you,” Arpeggio was crying freely now, “I’d be honoured.”
“And it would be an honour for me to play with you too,” Vinyl hugged her daughter tight, “I think I need to remind my friends how cool I still am.”
Arpeggio giggled, her tears of joy slowly tracing along her muzzle as she completed the embrace, “Maybe even get your glasses off the mantle?”
“You bet.”
They held their embrace for some time until the grey mare broke it, “She really loved you, mum,” she said with a half-smile on her face.
“And I never loved anything more, not even my music,” Vinyl was still smiling, but fresh tears were forming in her eyes, “And I made it very clear.”
“And there’s the Vinyl she fell in love with,” her daughter teased.
Vinyl chuckled, the only thing that defined her age, “Come on, let’s let my babe sleep. Bye Octavia, I’ll see you soon.”
“I love you, mother, I’ll come back soon.”