//------------------------------// // Melodia's wish // Story: Mother's day // by kurusagi16 //------------------------------// It was spring, whether late or early spring it was hard to tell. Time moved at odd angles within the confines of the hospital. Between coming in and out of operations and sitting alone in her bed, Melodia only had a single window to show her what was going about in the outside world. Even then, she couldn't see much, other than a the sky and some treetops. The Pegasus was quite beautiful, with her long red-violet mane and a coat the color of milk and honey. One could never tell that she had a severe condition from looking at her. But it was true. The mare had a weak heart, and was prone to sudden attacks. The doctors had worked hard to prolong her life, telling her that she was lucky to have lived this long, and to have born a healthy child too. Melodia sat up as the doctor trotted in, his face was hopeful, yet he looked at her with pity. "I have good news Melodia." he said. "There's a way that we just might be able to fix your heart." Melodia's ears perked up, she began to feel hope rising in her chest. "Really? You mean it doctor?" "It requires a little treatment and the administration of and experimental medicine, but if all goes well you should be as healthy as any other pony." Melodia smiled, she'd be able to leave, at long last! But the doctor's hopeful smile faded, becoming much more serious. "There is a catch though. The treatment is very expensive, I've already notified your husband and he says he'll send the money for it as quickly as he can, but even if he can pay for it, there's a high chance that you may not survive the procedure." Melodia looked down at her lap, avoiding the doctor's face. "I'm sorry, but I want you to know of the risks before we go on with it. If you want to wait and think about it, I understand." Melodia shook her head, and said without looking up, "I've waited my whole life doctor, I don't wish to wait any longer." She put a hoof to her chest. Two tears freed themselves from her closed eyelids and fell onto the covers of the bed. "I can feel it you know, my heart dying, withering away within me. Since I was born, my heart was weak and slowly disappearing. My parents thought I wouldn't live to become a mare. I proved them wrong, I escaped death and outlived my parents. It's always been my wish, to live as other ponies, to enjoy the world and everything in it, something that was denied to me when I drew my first breath." "Miss Melodia..." "However, that's not to say that I haven't experienced any joy at all. I had met my husband when he came to visit the patients that no pony cared for, and we fell in love. When I was weak, but well enough to head home, and we were married, and shortly I became pregnant. I had to come back to the hospital, but I got to spend a month outside, much longer than the two or three days I would usually get. I had my darling little filly, and I could never have been happier or prouder. But as you know, I became sick after the labor, and have never left since." "I can understand that you're upset..." "How can you possibly understand doctor?" she asked in a dangerous whisper. "How can you understand what it's like to pray and hope each day that your heart doesn't give out, and you can live to see another day?" The doctor frowned, and took a few steps toward Melodia's bed. "Doctor...can you please....do me this one kindness and grant me my wish?" she asked. "P-pardon?" "I want to leave this place, just for today. Let me go outside. I want to see the sun, feel the wind, I want to experience life one last time before I die. And most importantly, I want to spend the day with my daughter." "Miss Melodia, you know I cannot permit that, it's against hospital regulations." "Who gives a flying feather about hospital regulations? I'm going to die anyway, let me die in peace by granting me what I want." "Miss..." "PLEASE!" Melodia grabbed the doctor by his coat, pulling him closer to her. "I beg of you, let me live!" she sobbed painful. "I-I...I want to live!" The doctor patted her on the back and comforted her with a hug as she cried into his chest. "I'm sorry Melodia, I cannot let you leave in your condition. You'll have to wait until the treatment, after that, then maybe you'll have your wish." Melodia sobbed into her hooves, wanting to be left alone. The doctor closed the door to her room softly. "The poor dear." said Nurse Redheart. "It seems she's all alone. Why aren't her husband and daughter by her side?" "Her husband travels away on business, her works high end jobs in order to pay for his wife's medical bills and treatments. This takes away his time from her but allows her to keep on living. I imagine he'd be a wealthy stallion otherwise if he didn't use the money for her." "What about her daughter? Doesn't she visit?" "She does, from time to time. Her mother actually moved here to Ponyville to make the commute easier on her." "Why doesn't she visit everyday? Doesn't she know that her mother could die any day now?" "...No...she doesn't know." Nurse Redheart was shocked by this. "What?! How can she not know about her own mother's health?" "Because her own parents never told her. As far as she knows, her mother is merely sick with an illness that she hasn't recovered from. If she were to know her mother's condition worsened from giving birth to her, it would break her heart. She might even blame herself for her mother's death." "Melodia, she looks so young for her age, it seems a shame to end her life so early." "Which is why I'm doing everything I can to make sure she doesn't die, not until she's and old mare at a ripe old age. She deserves that much." Nurse Redheart followed the doctor down the hall to help the other patients. Melodia listened carefully, till she was sure they were gone. She threw off the covers of her bed and stood on the cold floor. If the doctor wouldn't give her her wish, she'd have to go and get it herself. But first, she had to get out of the hospital. She drew back the curtains around her bed so no pony would immediately know she was gone. Then she trotted to the window and opened it up. The air outside felt good as it whooshed past her face. She extended her wings, readying them to fly. 'Today's the day that I live.' And like a bird freed from its cage, she was gone.