The Obvious Conclusion

by Jhoira

Lunch. (June 7th, Friday noon.)

The Apple family and Coco sat down to a large lunch set out by Coco. Granny loved having Coco around as it meant she didn't have to make lunch during the busy times. Usually, Applejack took care of lunch but when there were so many chores to do she couldn't spare the time, and it was hard on Granny's old bones to make lunch, but now with such a young mare about almost permanently, it took a load off her. And Granny would be hard pressed to find a mare more to her liking for Applejack. Perhaps one of the Pies would have been a theoretically better match as other farmers but they were all so... Unique. Quite happy, Granny Smith turned her head to Coco. "Tell me, dear, have you put any more thoughts into a date for the wedding?"

The pause in conversation was deafening as everyone stared at Granny Smith. No one had accused Granny Smith of keeping her peace when something bothered her, she had a question so she asked it. Applejack did her best to redirect her grandmother's questions onto herself. "Uh... No, we haven't Granny, we've only been engaged for a few days give us some time!"

Granny rolled her eyes slightly. "What's the point of long engagements Applejack? When I said yes to your Grandfather I got married a week later."

"Well, this is a lot more complicated Granny! We need to send out invitations, get Coco's folks and kin down here, and all. It's not like we can do that in a week."

Granny Smith nodded, seeming to accept the explanation and Applejack sighed in relief believing she'd just bought them some breathing room but... "So sometimes week after next? Surely not more than three weeks, I mean plans can be changed when something important as a wedding is on the list."

Coco has been turning progressively redder during this conversation, biting her lower lip and looking between Applejack and Granny Smith. Applejack sighed in exasperation, she loved her grandmother but she wasn't going to let her demand that Coco change any plans she might have had because of Granny's ideas of a timeline. "Granny look, I appreciate the input but we'll do things in our own time alright? I'm sure Coco will pick a perfectly respectable time! Wontcha sugar cube?"

Coco looked a bit more nervous than Applejack had expected, Coco had gotten used to the family, then the contents of Coco's sentence explained to Applejack why she was so nervous. "Uh... Actually Applejack I would like to have the wedding soon if you're ok with it..." Applejack just stared at the other mare for a few moments as Granny Smith beamed at the young mare her grandfoal had chosen for a mate.

"Ooh! Do I get to be a flowerfilly again?" Applebloom piped in, just making Applejack groan more, really, did she have to come in against Applejack too?

"I... Gimme some help here Big Mac! You see the logic in giving it a bit of time right?"

"Eeenope."

Coco looked actively concerned as Applejack seemed to be so against it. "Uh... Applejack we don't have to... It's just... I'd like to be your wife..."

Applejack groaned and nodded. "Ok Coco, I'll deal with it... I'll make it work somehow"

Coco bit her bottom lip and looked down at her food, but Granny Smith was there to stand up for the shy mare. "What in tarnation are you talkin' about Applejack!? You asked the girl ta marry you and now you're all hemming and hawing over it? That ain't how you were raised! You don't play with a pony's emotions like that!"

Applejack blinked and then her eyes widened in horror. "What? No! NONONO!" She got up quickly and walked over to Coco as the rest of the table watched leerily, even Big Mac and Apple Bloom's gazes had turned disapproving, and Applejack realized how it had all had sounded. She warped her forelegs around Coco from behind and gave her a large, tight hug. "I'm sorry sugar cube I just realized how that sounded if ya couldn't hear my thinkin'. I do want to marry you."

Coco let out a small sigh of relief and the others nodded, Granny Smith a bit more begrudgingly as that issue shouldn't have come up in the first place but if Applejack hadn't meant it and Coco forgave her all was well. Coco smiled. "What was your thoughts then? Because that did sound bad."

Applejack chuckled a little darkly. "Sorry again." She walked back towards her seat, grinning. "I was just thinking about how much work it's gonna be to get all the dresses and such, and get some fancy band, get one fo them arches, get the food and all. It'll be expensive on short notice too, but we'll get it to work, right Big Mac?" Big Mac nodded, he'd back his sister even if it meant that they had to work extra hard to get the extra bits together.

"Eeeeyup."

Coco giggled drawing a frown from Applejack, and she shook her head. "Applejack, I don't care about any of that, I just want to marry you. " Though after a pause she added. "Ok, I do want nice dresses for everyone, but the rest can take a hike as far as I'm concerned."

At that Applejack absolutely beamed, and Granny Smith nodded in approval. "Well, dagnabit if I didn't get engaged to a most practical mare didn't I?" Coco giggled as she started to clear the dishes from hte table. "Well we're gonna have two big pieces of news to tell our friends, hope they don't have heart attacks."

Coco smiled as she took Applejack's plate. "Well, only one for Fluttershy."

Applejack blinked. "What?"

Coco blushed a bit brighter. "Oh... Well, I kind of told her when I took Winona down to see her the other day..."

Applejack scowled at her for a moment, though everyone at the table could tell she didn't mean it. "Well then everyone else will have two surprises, and Fluttershy will have one."