Short Stories Collection, vol. I

by fallen starr

Family [Slice of Life]

“You’re having a foal?” Pinkie asked.

Mrs. Cake and Mrs. Cake smiled and nodded. She took in their grinning faces and clapped hooves. They were ecstatic. They were going to have a foal of their own to take care of and raise. She should be happy for them.

She wasn’t. The smile on her face stretched into a grin she didn’t feel. She didn’t want them to know how she felt. It didn’t matter that her stomach felt like she had ate fifty cupcakes before lunch again. The way the air suddenly felt too thick to breathe wasn’t an issue. They were happy, so she should be happy.

“Is something wrong, Pinkie?” Mrs. Cake’s smile transformed into a frown. The worried pink eyes searched Pinkie’s blue ones.

Stretching her grin to the breaking point, she shook her head. “Nope. What would be wrong? Foals are tonnes of fun.” She giggled. It was high pitched and different from her other giggles. Mrs. Cake narrowed her eyes. “I mean, they are so cute like this little bunny Fluttershy was showing me earlier and–”

“Pinkie.”

Mrs. Cake always knew when Pinkie wasn’t being truthful. Pinkie’s own mother hadn’t had that ability, but Mrs. Cake did. “It had the most adorable brown eyes. I almost brought it home but I didn’t know if Gummy wanted a b-brother or s-sister.” She stuttered out the last words, her gaze falling to the table.

It wasn’t like this foal was going to be her brother or sister. Both of her sisters were back on the farm. The Cakes were just her employers and landlords. Even if she sometimes forgot it, they weren’t her parents.

Mrs. Cake put her hoof under Pinkie’s chin, raising her head so they could look into each other’s eye. “You don’t want us to have the foal?”

“That would be silly, Mrs. Cake.” Pinkie tried smiling again.

Mrs. Cake sighed and looked to her husband. “Carrot?”

“What?” he asked, looking slightly alarmed. After a look Pinkie couldn’t quite see, he turned to face her. He opened his mouth a couple times, only to shut it again. Had the situation been different, Pinkie would have giggled. Now, she wanted to be anywhere but where she was. “Do you want a cupcake?”

Ignoring Mrs. Cake putting her hoof to her face, Pinkie nodded. “Yeah!”

“I’ll be right back.” Avoiding his wife’s gaze, Carrot walked into the kitchen of the bakery.

Silence stretched between the two ponies left. Pinkie looked anywhere but at Mrs. Cake, while Mrs. Cake looked directly at Pinkie. “Pinkie, look at me.” Slowly, Pinkie complied. “If you want us to have the foal, then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“You aren’t acting like it’s nothing.”

Pinkie stared at Mrs. Cake for a moment. “How am I supposed to tell you? It isn’t like you’re really anything to me, is it? I mean, you aren’t my mom. We aren’t even related. You just let me work and live here. It really doesn’t matter what I think because you’re starting the family you probably wanted before I came and now you’re getting it and I really don’t even matter.” Despite the tears running down her face, Pinkie’s voice was growing stronger. “It isn’t like I don’t already have younger sisters, right? I know I do. I know it doesn’t change anything. But it does, Mrs. Cake. You’re having a foal with Mr. Cake and they are going to be your son or daughter and I…I’m…” Pinkie put her face in her hooves as she leaned against the table. “I’m not,” she said in a whisper.

She wanted to run out of the room. She wanted to take back what she had said, but she couldn’t. So she just hid her face with her hooves and hoped Mrs. Cake would somehow forget everything. Maybe she could talk to Twilight…

She was jerked from her thoughts by a pair of hooves wrapping around her. “Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake said, holding her tight. “I might not have physically given birth to you, but that does not mean you aren’t my daughter.” Mrs. Cake pulled away, though she still kept a hoof wrapped around the other pony. “You always will matter.” Pulling Pinkie closer, Mrs. Cake kissed the top of her head. “And you will always, always, be my daughter.”

The two sat in a small silence. Pinkie had her head on Mrs. Cake’s shoulder and her eyes closed until the door to the kitchen opened. “I have cupcakes!” Mr. Cake announced as he backed into the room. “I got one for everyone. And your favorite Pinkie, dark chocolate with…what happened?”

He looked between the mares, noticing Pinkie’s still wet fur and the expressions they both wore.

“I just hope I get a baby brother,” Pinkie said. “Now, did you remember all six sprinkle colors?”