Baby Hotline

by sweetnothings

Chapter 1: Hold Me Close To You

"It's positive!" Pinkie Pie hollered with joy, holding the pregnancy test in her right hoof, up in the air. She looked thrilled, even more thrilled than having 100 birthdays in a row. Cheese Sandwich gasped in surprise, scooped up his dear wife in his arms and hugged her tight.

"We're gonna be parents! I can't believe it!" He laughed, and tears of joy trickled from his eyes. Pinkie began to tear up too, a tear running down the curve of her grin.

"I'm so happy! I just want to keep smiling forever! I'm gonna be a mom! You're gonna be a dad!" The giggly ponies shared a joyous moment together in the bathroom of Sugarcube Corner's second floor.

They have been married for a few months now, still living at Sugarcube Corner in Ponyville. Mr. and Mrs. Cake loved Pinkie Pie like a daughter, but they knew Sugarcube Corner couldn't house more than four ponies. They supported Pinkie and Cheese, of course, but they had to start thinking of their own children. Mrs. Cake proposed the idea that Pinkie and Cheese find a house of their own, since they were going to be a family. The couple agreed, bobbling their heads. They found a home in Ponyville, big enough to start a family, but not too big, either. With the help of Applejack, the three ponies renovated the house to their liking... which meant bright colors and candy shaped architecture. It's everything they could have ever wanted in a house to share, it was full of energy, and perfect for a foal. Pinkie and Cheese were ready for a family, and happier than ever.

Two months into the pregnancy, the thick curls in Pinkie Pie's mane began to deflate. She was still the old Pinkie Pie for sure, she didn't stop her party planning business just yet for maternity leave. But Cheese Sandwich noticed something wasn't quite right. Even though he was one of the most energetic and positive stallions ever to exist, he wasn't ignorant of others' feelings. Pinkie Pie didn't burst into giggles as much as she used to at her pancakes having a blueberry smile and whipped cream mustache. She started to sleep longer than usual.

Cheese Sandwich visited her in bed one day. It was 10 AM, two hours past the time Pinkie usually woke up.

"Hey there mama bear!" Cheese entered the room with a wooden tray holding a tall glass of strawberry surprise milkshake, with whipped cream and sprinkles, complete with a cherry on top. Pinkie Pie rolled over to face Cheese in bed. Her eyes looked a little sunken, her mane was frizzy, but not Pinkie frizzy. It lost its volume.

"Oh, morning..." She smiled at her husband, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes. She saw the milkshake on the tray, and even though she smiled, she could tell she didn't have much of an appetite.

"Aw, that's super mega nice of you, but my tongue doesn't want a milkshake right now..." There was some despair in the smile she presented, as if she felt bad for not accepting it. Cheese looked at her, to the milkshake.

"Oh, that's okay! Sometimes I don't want a particular food either." That being said, Cheese swooped the glass into his hoof and drank the milkshake in a few quick gulps. Pinkie let out the smallest laugh.

“Soooo, how are you feeling? Any foal kicks yet?” Cheese batted his eyes as he grinned. Pinkie gave an awkward smile.

“I don’t think it exaaaactly works like that... I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. To see if the foal is growing healthily.” She crawled back under the covers.

“Oh, right! I’ll just let you sleep. I know you’re tired from being up late.” Cheese backed up through the door with the empty glass on the tray, smiled once again, and left his wife to rest again.

Pinkie didn’t stop sleeping for the most part. This continued for weeks, months. She got more irritable, didn’t smile as much as she used to, her mane now was thin and wavy. It was 6 months into the pregnancy now. Pinkie started to show, and the symptoms only got worse. Besides the irritability, she had a rollercoaster of an appetite, being unable to eat breakfast, then gorging on potato chips and nearly a whole cheesecake from the display at Sugarcube Corner. The headaches were excruciating. That cheesecake and chips would eventually come up later in the bathroom. Sometimes she would start crying, and she didn’t know why. She just started weeping. It wasn’t Pinkie Pie. Cheese grew more worrisome as time went on, even though Pinkie assured him she was okay. He gave her all the hugs and cups of tea he could. They attended a Lamaze class too, but it was more of Cheese doing his part. Pinkie just couldn’t get herself to do it. Despite all of the mental issues, the foal was developing great, as their obstetrician Doctor Celia Care said.

“Your little girl is developing great. There you can see her little legs.” Celia pointed to the screen of the ultrasound monitor. A blurry, but noticeable foal was able to be seen in the black void. Pinkie laid down on the exam bed with no expression. Cheese looked at the screen in awe.

“Wow, she’s so tiny... like a tiny cantaloupe!” He looked back to his wife, expecting some sort of reaction, but Pinkie kept staring up at the ceiling. He was about to hold her hoof, but Doctor Care beckoned him to step outside of the exam room with her. He followed her out of the room, leaving Pinkie alone. In the hallway, ponies passed by.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed your wife isn’t herself lately...” Doctor Care adjusted the stethoscope around her neck.

”Well, of course! I’m... getting worried. Really worried.”

”Listen, I assure you this will pass. It’s pregnancy depression. A lot of mares gets it with their first foal. I personally did myself, and look at me. Obstetrician of Ponyville Medical Center with a 2 year old filly in the employee break room.” Doctor Care looked proud of her accomplishments as a doctor and mother. “But seriously, I need you to know that this is normal. Just be there for her, okay? Take some time off the factory work. Give her some herbal tea, massage her back or hooves... I know you love her very much. Anypony can see that. There’s some websites out there for husbands dealing with their wives’ pregnancy. You should take a look when you have time. Cheese Sandwich, you’re both a great husband, and will be a great father, okay?” Doctor Care gave an empathetic smile. Cheese Sandwich was looking at the flooring, at his reflection. He sighed, looked up, and faintly smiled.

“Got it... thanks, doc.” They shook hooves and went back into the exam room.

8 1/2 months into the pregnancy, and emotions ran high. Pinkie got snappier. All symptoms worsened. Her mane was perfectly straight, not a curly strand of hair in sight. Cheese himself had trouble sleeping now too. Taking Doctor Care’s advice, he went on the internet to do research on how he should help his wife... but that led to a rabbit hole of foal fatalities and birth defects. In particular, he read that a small percent of first time mothers can die during birth under certain circumstances. The foal could also die during the birth if something goes wrong, if it comes out the wrong way, if the cord is tangled around its neck... this all gave Cheese extreme anxiety. This was just a possibility, right? Doesn’t mean it will happen! But a small percentage is still a percent... no, stop overthinking. But who’s to say it won’t happen? What if Pinkie dies? What if their foal dies? What if they both die and he’s left all alone, and he dies too because of the loneliness? It was all too much for Cheese to deal with.

One day, as the due date grew closer, Pinkie pie waddled to the kitchen counter. Another five minutes, another bowl of mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce. Cheese watched close by.

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” There were bags under his eyes too, and a horrible 5 o’clock shadow. Pinkie whipped her head around to give him a scowl.

“I told you, I’m FINE. I can get my own food.” She snapped, continuing to pour lots of shredded cheese into her bowl. Cheese frowned.

“...how about an apple instead? Applejack brought them this morning... they look great! Healthy fruit for a healthy mama, right?” He held up a shiny red delicious apple in his hoof. Pinkie pie put a spoonful of potato in her mouth.

“No. I’m a grown mare, I can decide what I eat.” She picked up her bowl and slowly walked into the living room. Cheese followed, sadly.

“...Pinkie?” He hesitated to talk but did anyway. She sat down on the couch with a groan and gave him an impatient look. “I know this has been very difficult for you... but I think you need to take it easier now, especially since we’re getting close to the due date.” He rubbed his arm out of anxiety. Pinkie growled and stood up, regretting it as it hurt her back.

“Are you the one with a damn foal in her belly? Are you waking up to pee all hours of the night? Huh?” She got close to his face and looked him in his big, green eyes. “I don’t see you feeling miserable. I want this over with.” Pinkie sat back down. Cheese was about to tear up, but held back.

“...what ever happened to wanting to keep smiling forever? You haven’t smiled in months... you’re... where’s my Pinkie Pie?” He walked over to the couch and cupped Pinkie’s cheek. “My Pinkie Pie never swears out of frustration... or at all, really. You didn’t even attend Gummy’s birthday party... his catfish cake wasn’t like the one you make every year.” Pinkie Pie stared at the TV. Then it all came flooding out. Her brow furrowed, her jaw clenched. She sprang from her seat on the couch, as did Cheese.

“You know what, Cheese? This is fucking hard! I don’t even feel alive! You’ve seen me depressed before, why the hell is this different? I don’t know what to do! I’m not ready to be a mom! I’m not ready!” She hollered, her hooves holding her face, eyes wide and full of tears. Cheese Sandwich was in shock at what just came out of his wife’s mouth. But her emotions weren’t the only thing that came flooding out.

The floor was wet.

Author's Note:

The title of both the story and chapter's are all lyrics from Jack Stauber's Baby Hotline!