A bond unfixed

by Applefai

First published

a tale of a father's regret about the last time he spoke to his daughter was filled with hate

Grand Pear realizes his worse fear has come to pass and now has to live with regret for the rest of his life......or does he?

Chapter 1

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The last time I spoke to my daughter was at her wedding, I forced her to pick sides out of blind hatred when she made her choice I just bluntly said "fine" if only I knew that was the last time I would ever see her, the last time I would see her face and hear her voice and it was a look and sound of sadness.

After her eloped marriage to Bright Mac I left Ponyville for Vanhoover to start another pear business I had a farm as well as a pear jam store, I along with a few other members of the pear family ran a pretty tight business making about a hundred bits for every ten crates of pear jam sold. We didn't just sell pear jam, but also pear jelly, pear pies, pear marmalade, pretty much every pear based food you could think of.
As the years went by I received many letters from my daughter, but I never read any of them, I didn't even send one back, I just couldn't deal with the fact she married an apple behind my back, if she wanted to reconcile she would have to come to me on her knees.

Over time the pear family moved back to Ponyville and tried to convince me to come with them, told me the feud ain't worth it and that it's time to accept that the pears and apples are one now, but I refused if they wanted to admit defeat and bring dishonor on the pear name then fine.

As time went on I got more and more letters from Pear Butter, but I still would not read them, I would put them away unopened and unread, I would go though life as if I had no daughter and no family. I would work the pear fields and keep up the store when I had the time.

Then one day came when I checked the mailbox and it was empty. I wondered why, had she givin' up? It was about time, but yet I was sad when I haven't got a letter from her in a week, so I decided to read the ones she has sent me telling me about my grandchildren Big Mac, Applejack, and Applebloom, there were some letters that were about her and Bright Mac's honeymoon and how he was the perfect stallion for her.
After reading the letters I realized that my family was right, why should I let a feud keep me from my family? I decided that I would make the return trip to Ponyville in the morning.

That night I had the most horrific dream, I dreamed that my daughter and son-in-law were dead, everypony around were blaming me for not being there, that it should've been me for abandoning my daughter like that. When I awoke I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that it was all a dream.

As I was returning to Ponyville I was thinking how I can make amends to Pear Butter, I could take her to Sugar cube corner and buy her her favorite ice cream or I could take her, Bright Mac, and the grand-kids on a picnic. I can finally present Pear Butter to Bright Mac like I should've done in the first place and finally welcome Bright Mac into the family as a pony that I'm proud to say is my son-in-law.

As I stood on the outskirts of Ponyville I started having second thoughts, what if she didn't forgive me?, what if she never wanted to see me again?, but I thought that would be better than having my dream become reality.

As I made my way though my old town I thought I'd wait in Ponyville Square to surprise Pear Butter, she always loved sitting on the bench and watching the sunset, as I sat there waiting for Pear Butter to appear the time got away from me and minutes turned to hours, I waited there everyday hoping to see Pear Butter or at least Bright Mac, I eventually thought it might be time for me to ask around town as to where their whereabouts were.

I first thought I'd ask Chiffon Swirl, Pear Butter's old friend and she mentioned she got married to Carrot Cake in one of her letters. When I went to see her at Sugar Cube Corner she seemed upset for some reason so I didn't bother asking her where Pear Butter might be, instead I just ordered my favorite sweet, a pear turnover. After I finished I paid the tab and went on my way.

The next pony I tried to get information from was Burnt Oak, after the wedding it seemed he and Pear Butter hung out a bit more and he started a successful businesses selling firewood.
When I found him he also looked distraught so I didn't bother asking about them, I instead asked him how his business was and if I ever needed it, if I could buy some firewood from him to which he nodded yes, it looked as though he was holding back tears I told him I would see him later then went to the only other pony I could ask, Mayor Mare.

I arrived at Mayor Mare's office and she was surprised to see me, I asked her if she knew where Pear Butter and Bright Mac were and upon mentioning their names her demeanor changed and her ears drooped. She told me to follow her to the file room and she'll shed some light on the subject, she took out a file and handed it to me.

When I looked in the file my worse fears have been realized, my heart sank to my stomach and the news hit hard. Pear Butter and Bright Mac were dead.

Mayor Mare told me she was sorry and that she tried to notify me, but couldn't find the right words to tell me and thought that maybe my other family members would've wrote me, but they didn't.

As I sat there crying, I realized she died thinking I didn't love her, my last moments with her was filled with hatred, now I'll never get to apologize to her or Bright Mac.

When I left town hall i was still devastated, but I didn't just mope around, I started a pear jam stand in Ponyville Square along with the other vendors to try and forget the news, but i never could

I ended up seeing Applebloom one day and gave her a free jar of pear jam out of the kindness of my heart.
When I finally got to see all three of my grand-kids, I admitted that I was sorry and I never meant to stay away, that my pride wouldn't let me admit that i was wrong until now. They ended up hugging me and took me to reconcile with Granny Smith.

Upon burying the hatchet, the apple siblings ended up showing us the i intertwined pear and apple trees, when I was looking at it I felt Pear Butter's and Bright Mac's presence, but I still felt they hated me, when we finally got back to the barn, the apple siblings showed me a letter addressed to me that was never sent or opened. They told me the never opened it because of the feud, but also because it was wrong to open a letter with a specified recipient.

I opened the letter with little hesitation, but what I read brought joy and sadness to my heart.
The letter said, "Dear pa, I know you're stuck in your ways and that you probably hate me for what I've done, but Bright Mac and I are really happy together, and I know if you could just see you'll know I've made the right decision. I just want you to know I don't hate you, I still love you everyday I hope you write back, I know deep down inside my heart that you still love me and the rest of the pear family, I hope we can see each other again, but if we don't know that I still love you and I know you still love me, sincerely, your little girl Pear Butter."