Like A Catchy Song
The moment that buttercup glowed under her chin like the sun shined in the sky, Bright Mac knew what his heart wanted. He knew his heart would forever belong to her. That filly, Pear Butter, was the daughter of Grand Pear of the pear family. The family that had been locking horns with the Apple's since the day they settled and opened their farm. As they grew closer, the two families continued to grow further apart. Every day, the feud between the Pears and the Apples became more of an obstacle in their love story.
When Pear Butter brought the news that they would be moving to Vanhoover, Bright Mac knew it might be the last chance he would ever see her, and the last opportunity to bind their hearts together.
"Mac, where are you taking me at this time of the night? I told you I need to be packin'!" Pear said quietly as she followed her love through the orchard of pear trees on the left, and apple trees on the right.
"Just hang on, it's right up here." Bright Mac replied.
As they neared the edge of the two farms, Bright Mac led her into a clearing. There, buckets of pears and apples lied on either side of them leading up to a pink maned mare holding an open book. Candles were lit while the sun set behind the mountains on the horizon. Burnt Oak, and Pears best friend Chiffon Swirl.
Pear Butter gasped as Bright Mac extended his hoof in presentation. Without wasting any time, Bright Mac removed his hat, and placed it over his heart.
"I don't wanna be apart from you. Ever. I'm not sure what we'll do but..." He paused, "I'm sure of us." Pear Butter's eyes widened as he knelt down on one hoof, and extended his other toward her. "So sure that I'd marry you today."
Pear's hoof covered her mouth as tears formed in her emerald eyes.
"I would too!" Was all she could say as she took Bright Mac's hoof. The pair turned toward Mayor Mare, and approached her.
"I think that's my cue." She started, "We are gathered here today to witness the marrying of Pear Butter, and Bright Mac." Mayor Mare looked toward Bright Mac as he held a seed in his hoof. "Do you, Bright Mac, take Pear Butter as your lawfully wedded wife?" She asked.
"I do." He replied, staring into Pear Butter's eyes. She too, held a single seed in her hoof as Mayor Mare turned to her.
"And do you, Pear Butter, take Bright Mac as your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do." She replied. The two proceeded to dig two holes in the ground between them, and buried the seeds in their hooves. As they took each others hoof, Mayor Mare continued.
"I now pronounce you-"
"What is goin' on?" A voice yelled from the apple trees. "What's with all these here candles?" There stood Granny Smith.
"Pear Butter?" Another voice called from the pear trees, "Wh'are ya? You're supposed to be packin'!" Grand Pear now appeared. He glared down upon Pear Butter and Bright Mac, "What are you two doing?" His voice became low, and stern. Granny Smith, and Grand Pear walked toward Bright Mac and Pear Butter from both sides.
"Ma'! Gran' Pear..." Bright Mac stopped them, "Buttercup and I are in love!"
"What?!" Both Granny, and Grand Pear exclaimed simultaneously.
"And we'll be married as soon as Mayor Mare says-" Pear spoke.
"Oh..." Mayor Mare looked at her book, "I now pronounce you husband and wife!"
The two looked into each others eyes. "Doesn't that feel nice." Pear Butter leaned forward, and met Bright Mac's muzzle for their kiss.
"What are you talkin' about!?" Granny Smith was now between them, hooves extended separating the two. "Married? You two can't be married!"
"Finally, something we can agree on. Pear Butter, enough of this nonsense. We're movin'! And you gotta stick with your family!" Grand Pear scolded, and began to lead Buttercup away.
"But..." She stopped, "The Apples are my family now too." Behind her, Granny Smith overheard her as she was scolding Bright Mac, and looked over her shoulder with wide eyes. Bright Mac walked to her, and stood alongside her to face Grand Pear.
"You can't be serious." He said, "Are you choosin' to be an Apple over being a Pear?" He stomped his hoof.
"A-...Are you makin' me choose?" Buttercups eyes teared up as she stared into her father's eyes. He stepped back with wide eyes.
"Yes." He replied firmly, "I am." His eyes again scowled at them. Buttercup's face tightened as tears now poured from her eyes.
"Then yea..." She replied, "I guess I am." Bright Mac leaned over to comfort her, wrapping a hoof around her.
"Fine!" Grand Pear quickly turned, and trotted back towards his farm. Buttercup now sobbed audibly as Granny Smith came to her side with empathetic eyes. She placed a hoof on her chin, and brought her up to look at her. Granny Smith smiled.
"You're really leavin' your family just to be with my boy?" She asked. Buttercup looked down and blushed.
"Yes. I am, Granny Smith.
"Well...if that isn't the sweetest thing I ever did saw. I'm sorry you had to go through this darlin'...I guess I'm part to blame for dumpin' fuel on this feud in the first place."
"It's best I just move on. I made my choice, and my heart knows it's the right one." Buttercup turned toward Bright Mac and hugged him. "I love you, Bright Mac."
"I love you too, Buttercup."
"Daw...my little Bright Mac is all grown up." Granny Smith wiped a tear from her eye. "Now get your tails back inside! This don't mean we're gettin' a free day to slack off!"
"Yes Ma'." Bright Mac replied. He followed Granny Smith back to the house alongside his wife.
"And Buttercup," Granny Smith looked behind her, "Welcome to the family darlin'." She smiled and continued to walk.
The next morning, Pear Butter returned to her home on the pear farm to find everything in the house was gone. Everything except her belongings, which were still where she had left them the night before. There was nothing of the pear family left, except for all the trees planted in the ground outside.
Not too long later, she walked into her new home on the apple farm with her belongings. The house smelled of breakfast as Bright Mac came downstairs.
"Did you get to say goodbye?" He asked.
"No..." Buttercup shed a tear, "Everything is gone. Not a trace." Bright Mac brought her into his hooves.
"I'm sorry, dear."
"Don't be. This is a chapter of my life I've been looking forward to ever since our first kiss." The two smiled and kissed each other.
"Come get yer breakfast young'ins!" Granny called from the kitchen. Granny made fresh flapjacks with a side of oats and applesauce. "We got a big day today." Granny began as the newly wedded couple took their seats across from each other. "If you're gonna be part of this family, you're gonna learn the ways of apple buckin', and everything that goes with it."
"I'm looking forward to it, Granny." Buttercup replied.
"Startin' with this!" Granny turned towards her and held out two apples. One was a deep red, the other a soft green. "Try'em. A granny smith, and a big macintosh!"
Buttercup took each of them, and bit into the granny smith. "Sour, with a hint of sweetness to it. My personal favorite." Granny Smith said. Buttercup then bit into the red big macintosh. "The big mac is rather sweet, and tart. By far our best seller."
"I never knew they could be so delicious. Imagine what Chiffon and I could bake with apples. This opens up a whole new world t'me." She said, savoring the flavors.
"Not to mention our own recipes!" Granny exclaimed, "Fritters, pies, ciders, and plenty more!"
After breakfast, Buttercup dug through her belongings in search of something to show Granny and Bright Mac. She gathered them back around the table.
"Bright Mac...I meant to tell you last week about this." She began, "But I've just been so preoccupied what with Pa' packing up 'n what not. In the end I thought I would never get to tell you..."
Bright Mac's eyes widened as Buttercup slid a picture across the table to him. A black and white ultrasound photo from the doctor. Both Bright Mac and Granny Smith's eyes widened.
"You're gonna be a daddy." Buttercup walked over and kissed Bright Mac on the cheek, who couldn't react. He picked up the photo and shed a tear. He quickly turned toward Buttercup and hugged her tight.
"I'm gonna be a father!" He yelled excitedly. "Granny!"
"I'm right here ya loudmouth!" She covered her ears from the yelling, "Congratulations."
Buttercup took another bite out of the red apple as Bright Mac continued to stare at the picture. "The doc said it was a colt." She said, looking at the apple, "And I think I know the perfect name for him." She stared Bright Mac in the eyes as she gave him the red apple.
"Big Macintosh?" He asked. Buttercup nodded, and kissed him on the lips. Bright Mac took the last bite out of the apple, and tossed it into the trash bin. "That's a perfect name. Little Big Macintosh."
The two embraced in a hug as their new lives as husband and wife, and soon to be mother and father began.
"I'm gonna be a grandmare!" Granny Smith exclaimed, joining the two in the hug.
"I love you, Buttercup."
"I love you too, Bright Mac."