I still remember the moment when my entire body went numb in disbelief. The moment when, for the first time, I just refused to understand something. How hard it was for me to just accept things the way they were. Do you know what it feels like to be told, that your closest, most beloved person to you is inevitably going to pass in only two days? Sorry, unfair question. Let me give you some insight, let me give you an answer.
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"And, um...again, how much is this necklace?" The soft voice repeated.
"This aquamarine one? 1200 bits, ma'am"
"Oh...Can I try it on, just once...please?" The pony requested, with begging eyes. It was way too pricey for her right now.
"Absolutely, there is a mirror right beside you, you'll look great." The stallion behind the counter reached and gave the necklace to the yellow pony. She nodded in thanks, wrapping the smooth, silver chain around her neck. The gemstone lie just on her upper chest, she likes how it really matched her eyes.
"He's right, it really does look great on you..." A voice spoke up from the small bunch of ponies in the shop. Though it wasn't a pony that spoke the words.
"Oh? You really think so? Thank you.... um, sir" Fluttershy replied, covering her face in agony for coming on so strong.
"Don't be like that, if you hid your face, how would the gem match your beautiful eyes?" The human said, moving the thin, albeit silky hair away. Fluttershy's face erupted with crimson. She was at a loss of words.
"Hello, by the way, you can call me..."
-----
"Calvin, me and Nurse Redheart would like to speak to you outside, if you will?" The caramel-brown unicorn gestures with his hoof.
"What's up, Doc? Any good news? Or just news..." Calvin asked, slowly shutting the door behind him. Doc and Redheart looked really unnerved, or at least, uncomfortable. Calvin noticed this quickly and addressed it hastily. "What's going on? Can someone please speak to me?"
The Doc cleared his throat, lifting up his clipboard magically. "Calvin, me and Nurse Redheart are so very heavyhearted to inform you that, your dearest Fluttershy here has become afflicted with a....um" The Doc, took a deep breath and re-adjusted his glasses. It seemed he also began to sweat in either fear or something else, but Calvin noticed.
"Afflicted with what? Dammit Doc, please spit it out...I need to know what's wrong with Fluttershy" Calvin clenched the door's handle he was still holding.
"Terminal Illness..." Redheart spat, almost like a reflex. Calvin's death grip on the door handle completely dissipated, he felt his heart skip a beat, or two, even three.
The two ponies in front of him watched him slowly fall apart, until he only mustered up the strength to only speak. Calvin sat on the floor and leaned against the door.
"How long do we have?" He muttered.
The two looked at each other and looked down at Calvin.
"Two days, Calvin." Doc said. There was an agonizing silence between the three for a few moments.
"Thank you, to both of you, can I get some time alone, please?"
"Of course, Calvin." The two ponies said in unison, as well as walking away the same.
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"And do you remember the time Angel finished that salad you made him really sloppily, and after he-"
"Had two pieces of lettuce above his lip so it looked like a mustache! And we never told him about it!"
"Yes!!"
Fluttershy and Calvin sat on room fifty-seven's hospital bed. Laughing about hilarious moments and reminded each other how much they love one another. They sat laughing about Angel's mustache moment for a long two minutes. The two lay on the bed, snuggled close to each other, breathing heavily from laughing too hard. It had been six hours since the grieving news was dropped onto the couple, and they promised they'd get through it together. Fluttershy and Calvin has been though hard times, they've experienced a lot of pain and anguish, but they always did it together. Even when they'd go shopping, or cook food, or read a book, they'd do it together.
"I love you, so much. Fluttershy."
"And I love you twice more than that, Calvin James Tennerfield." Fluttershy always loved his full name.
"What! Impossible! You cannot surpass my level of affection!" Calvin sat up and raised his arms. He wiggled his fingers and blew a raspberry into the air. Fluttershy began to laugh at his silly antics, but she never knew what was really in store. Calvin dropped his arms suddenly and tickled Fluttershy, her eyes expanded in size and she tried to free herself from Calvin's grasp.
"I've got you now! Honey! Prepare to endure a tirade of tickles!" He shouted, laughing along with her. She twisted and turned as she hollered and snorted, hopefully the patients next door aren't too annoyed. Fluttershy couldn't muster up the words to say 'uncle' or 'stop', she just kept laughing. Tears were streaming down her face so much Calvin swore the pillow has turned a darker shade due to wet marks. After about a minute Calvin ceased his attack, Fluttershy still emitting spread out giggles. A common after-effect of an unexpected tickle attack.
"Calvin, I think it's about time you-"
"Went home and fed the animals, yes I know..."
The two just looked at each other lovingly, Calvin placed his lips onto Fluttershy's and they enjoyed a passionate kiss for the next few moments. Calvin broke it and looked at the clock across the room.
"I just don't want to leave you, honey" Calvin put on a puppy-dog face and buried his face into her neck. She giggled.
"Calvin, I'll be okay, promise. Plus..." Fluttershy stopped short. Calvin can easily notice hesitance in a person's, or pony's speech.
"Plus, what. Fluttershy?"
"I don't think you should spend so much time here with me."
"What? That's ridiculous, honey. You know we've only got-"
"Of course I know, but I can't let this hurt more for you. I still have to care for you, even in my last moments."
Calvin didn't know what to say. He smiled at Fluttershy and placed a small kiss on her forehead. Besides, Calvin knew he would-
"You'll see me tomorrow for sure, I promise. And you know me, Calvin."
"You never break promises. Goodbye, honey"
"Bye"
-----
Finally, after all this saving and working around economic issues. Calvin has saved enough money from doing random jobs he agreed to do from the town hall's board. It has been forever since he's made such a huge purchase like this, and it's completely worth it. Calvin strolled into the same jewelry shop he and Fluttershy met in.
"Wow! Hey mister, it's been forever since I've seen you!" The stallion behind the counter called out, waving a hoof.
"Yes! Hello! I've come to get something that I've had my eye on for a long time"
"Oh? Was it maybe the necklace that you and that yellow pony adored so much? That was such a sweet moment, you know"
"Yeah, we actually got together not long after that, too" Calvin rubbed the back of his head.
"Congratulations! Where is the little lady, huh?"
"Oh, um, she's just a little under the weather, so I'm getting this for her to cheer her up back to full health, y'know?" Calvin wished so damn hard that this was the case.
"Ah, quite the good partner you are."
The stallion moved to the back room, and stayed there for a few minutes. Then he came out with a case that, inside it, had a white pillow that held the necklace. He placed it onto the countertop.
"Let's see, do you remember how much it was, big guy?" The stallion asked. Of course Calvin knew, he's kept it in his mind the first time he saw it.
"Absolutely, 1200 bits."
Calvin pulled out the correct amount, the stallion smiled and accepted them. Calvin picked up the box and he felt like a weight was finally off of his chest, like an achievement was finally reached in his life.
"You have a good day sir, I know she'll love that necklace there. Tell her I said to get well soon!"
Calvin waved goodbye, and walked back to the hospital.
-----
Calvin walked into the hospital, greeting the lovely lady at the front desk. He then told her who he was coming to visit and she handed him a blue sticker with the word "VISITOR" on it. To be silly, something Fluttershy loved seeing him be, he put the sticker on his forehead. which later he'd soon to regret since he'd have to rip it off in pure agony, hey, then he'd have a reason to always be in the hospital huh? Sticker damage?
He reached room fifty-seven and knocked softly. He then opened the door slowly and whispered Fluttershy's name, smiling. He walked all the way in and approached the foot of the bed.
"Damn, she's asleep." Calvin visibly sunk and placed the necklace's box on the nightstand, in front of the lamp. He then took a pen and a sheet of paper and wrote a note to Fluttershy.
Dear Fluttershy
I do hope you absolutely love this gift for you, I cannot wait to see your reaction! I will be on a walk. So you may read this while I'm not in the room! :)With Love, Calvin
"That's good enough" Calvin whispered to himself. He then walked out of the silent room and left the hospital.
-----
"Damn, this muffin is so good!" Calvin shouted out loud. He'd just began to go back to see Fluttershy again. Calvin had stopped by multiple places, mainly to mingle, but he was persuaded to buy a delicious muffin. Totally worth the buy. It didn't take him long to finish it and it didn't take him long to return to the door of room fifty-seven. He took a deep breath and thought about how he had one more day after this. He assumed Fluttershy was awake, so he bursted in with no warning.
"Surprise! Flutter-"
Fluttershy did not even react in any way to this. Calvin got really nervous, he walked over to the bed. Fluttershy would have heard this shouting if she was asleep. He saw that the box to the necklace was opened, and the necklace was around Fluttershy's neck. He was so relieved to see that she saw it. But this whole situation was still odd.
"Fluttershy? Wake up."
Calvin lightly shook her shoulder. The note he'd left behind was on her chest, there were tear stains all over it.
"Oh my god, Fluttershy..." Calvin muttered, shaking her harder this time.
"Fluttershy! Fluttershy? Fluttershy!?" He began to sweat, and some tears were inching their way out of his eyes. "Dammit! Honey! Wake the hell up! No, no ,no!" He was crying out loud now, he was clenching the bedsheets in fear.
"Calvin? What's going on in here?" The Doc walked into the room. It was so full of negative energy, The Doc flinched. Calvin just lay there, his head on Fluttershy's stomach. He was banging on the mattress like a punching bag.
"Please Calvin, calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down!? You told me I have two days! And look at her! You are telling me to calm down!?" Calvin snapped at The Doc. Nurses rushed in to subdue him in his rage. They showered him with reassuring words, and it took forever to work.
-----
As more people came in to move the body a little while later, Calvin watched in the corner of the room. He held the necklace in his hand, and the damp note.
"Dammit, Fluttershy. You broke your very first promise..."