Expectations
Rarity stared at the door to the unfamiliar building and gulped. Am I really doing this? The unicorn thought to herself. She turned to Applejack, whom was beaming with anticipation. Rarity felt her smirk shift into weak little smile. ‘No, I must. For my darling. For Applejack.’
Applejack grabbed the door and held it open. “After you, madam,” Applejack drawled with a tip of her hat.
Rarity advanced slowly with the pangs of both apprehension and hunger in her stomach. She turned once more to read the large sign advertising the business that she was about to enter: BIG HAL HORSESHOE’S COUNTRY DINER. She sighed and hoped that Celestia, or in this case Big Hal Horseshoe, would have mercy on her soul.
The apprehensive seamstress observed the partially occupied premises and could already tell that this lunch was not going to do her stomach any favors (or her reputation for that matter); the walls were lined with cheap, fake wood paneling, the floor a matted, stained beige carpet, the tables and chairs no more than industrial spools and other mismatched, repurposed factory and construction materials. Rarity felt her nose wrinkle with as the scents of cornbread and heated gravy wafted past her muzzle.
“Mmm-mmm,” Applejack exclaimed, “you smell that, Rare? That’s the smell of a meal that’ll stick to your ribs.”
“Uh-huh,” Rarity weakly replied. “Applejack, darling,” Rarity began after taking a closer look around, “ where is the host?”
Applejack waved her hoof dismissively, “Aw, they don’t bother with none o’ that here, Sugarcube. Ya just take a seat wherever. Now lessee if we cain’t find a good spot.”
Applejack was so concerned with finding a ‘good spot’ that she failed to notice Rarity’s right eye began to twitch.
“There’s one! Right by the kitchen, that way we can see our food gettin’ made firsthoof!”
The two mares moved toward the back of the restaurant where a plump yet sturdy brown stallion with balding black mane could be seen slaving over a cast iron skillet on a roaring flame through a grime-encrusted order window covered with white slips.
“Applejack, izzat you?” the stallion called out to the pair of diners.
“Howdy Big Hal!” Applejack practically shouted despite only being about 4 meters away, ”Hope yer ready for a real appetite in there!”
Applejack chuckled and her advance slowed to a stop as she gestured toward a table that looked just as equally shabby as all the rest in the establishment. Rarity sighed as she halfheartedly took her place on an old metal wash bin repurposed for seating. In the center of the makeshift table there sat a metal support holding up two red paper menus. Rarity levitated one to herself and began examining her options.
An older looking mauve mare with her chestnut mane tied into a sloppy bun made her way over to the couple.
“Hey there Applejack,” the waitress drawled; while her accent was no where near as pronounced as Applejack’s, it was definitely there, “who’s this pretty little thang?”
“Verna, this here is Rarity. She’s my, uh, well that is to say….”
“Why Miss Applejack, you have a sweetheart! Don’t that just beat all?”
Applejack and Rarity looked at each and then abruptly looked in separate directions, blushing slightly. Applejack was the first to recover and speak.
“Yeah, we’ve been together fer a few weeks now and Ah just wanted to share a little bit more of my life with somepony so special to me.”
“That’s right nice of ya, hun. Now what can I get for you two pretty gals ta drink?” the waitress asked, pulling a pen and small notepad from her apron.
“Ah’ll take an iced tea. Rarity?”
“Iced tea sounds delightful.”
“Two fresh iced teas, comin’ up! Oh,” the waitress practically gasped, “I almost forgot ta ask, but did y’all wanna order now, or didya need a few more minutes?”
Applejack nodded and Verna shifted her attention to the white unicorn.
“I do believe I’ll need just a few more minutes to decide,” Rarity said sheepishly, not wanting to fully admit just how out of her comfort zone she felt.
“Alright then. I’ll be right back with two fresh sweet iced teas," Verna said, moving as an experienced waitress can.
“So what are ya thinkin’ of getting?”
“Hmm, I’m not quite sure. What do you normally get, darling?”
“Usually Ah just get whatever Hal’s lunch special is.”
"Do you happen to know what the special is today?"
"Well, today’s Thursday right? Usually the Thursday special is somethin’ with fried okra.”
“Fried okra?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Applejack nodded for emphasis, “somethin’ like a fried okra salad or a hay burger with fried okra.”
“I see,” Rarity turned her attention back to the menu for a few moments before their drinks arrived.
“Y’all about done decidin’ on some grub?” Verna questioned.
“Ah know what Ah want; Ah’ll take the lunch special. Rarity?”
“Ah, yes,” Rarity cleared her throat, “what is today’s special?”
“Today’s special is fried okra and smothered hay fries along with our signature cornbread muffins with a side'a country gravy.”
Rarity jumped in her seat. “I beg your pardon, but did you say SMOTHERED hay fries?”
Verna proudly nodded,“Mmm-hmm, hay fries covered in cheese with a spicy mayo drizzle.”
“I see..” Rarity trailed off as she observed Applejack’s hopeful expression and made her decision, “...I suppose one fried food meal wouldn’t exactly kill me. I will also take the special.”
Verna nodded once more, scribbling quickly in her notepad. “Alright y’all, I’ll be back in two shake of a lamb’s tail with them plates, ya hear?” And with that, the waitress was gone.
“Whadaya think of the place so far, Rare?”
“Well Applejack,” Rarity began, feeling more at ease to speak her mind without a third party present, “it certainly isn’t the type of place that I’d normally find myself waltzing into, but I must admit that it isn’t exactly what I was expecting either.”
Applejack’s expression went from receptive to puzzled, “What do ya mean by that?”
“This place may look a bit..unkempt, and the menu selection may seem a bit... hearty, I can tell that the employees and customers really do enjoy this restaurant. That type of pride in a place so, erm, humble is quite refreshing to see,” Rarity looked across the table into two green pools of genuine affection and felt her face begin to flush again, “Thank you for bringing me here and sharing more of your world with me, Applejack.”
“Sure thing, sugarcube. ‘N just wait until you taste the food!”
Rarity nodded as she finally took a sip from her glass of iced tea and almost spit it back out; it was so sweet she may as well have been drinking maple syrup on the rocks.
Next prompt: Son