Thankful for Snowdrop
The wind howled and whipped along the side of the house. It was a very cold autumn night. Peter looked up from his book, as another surge struck his bedroom window. “Man, I wonder if it’s going to start snowing?”
The room was silent, lit only with a lantern, which was resting on the end table beside Peter’s bed. He cast out a quiet sigh as he closed his eyes and let his head drift back. “It’s going to be a really cold night.” He set his book down and gave the covers a tug. There was a slight rattle at the window of his Gusty Glade home. The human glanced at the covered window and then at the wall straight across from his bed. “Primrose, my sweet, I hope you’re some place warm tonight.”
The wind whipped again. It began reminding Peter of that fateful night when his spacecraft’s experimental drive malfunctioned and he crashed landed on Equus in the country of Equestria. But he had no idea that he ended up traveling backward in time, over 1,000 years into Equestria’s past.
The window rattled again. This time, Peter gave into curiosity and got up. He walked over to the window and drew back the purple curtain. Casting his gaze into the night sky, he saw it wasn’t snowing and noticed a break in the clouds. The moon peaked through offering its soothing glow. Peter ran a hand through his short blonde hair as he discovered several stars shining around the moon.
He just blinked his gray eyes and stared at the stars as his thoughts turned to Snowdrop. Peter closed his eyes and remembered what she and Primrose had said. He took a deep breath in through his nose and then out his mouth. “Why not?” Turning his ear toward the window, Peter smiled and gave a long listen. “Ah, I think I can hear them twinkling.” He looked back to the break in the clouds. “I wish…ah, it’s foolish.” Peter let out a wry chuckle as he let the curtain fall back. He shivered as he made his way back to bed and covered up again.
* * * * * *
Peter wasn’t the only one having a restless night. A few rooms away, Snowdrop was bundled in her flannel sheet and warm blankets. The wind continued to blow and wail around her window. She tore from her slumber and woke up. “Huh?” She panned her head around and gave a listen. “Just a…bad dream.”
The wind blew again, making Snowdrop pull the blankets up over her nose. “It’s awfully cold tonight. And I keep waking up.” She sighed. “My room seems so empty. I wonder… Maybe I can go see Peter. But, would I be bothering him? I know he said I’d never be a bother, but what if I wake him?” Snowdrop stayed there in her bed and gave the matter some thought, but she wasn’t sure what to do. It didn’t help that her mother was away.
* * * * * *
Peter cast out a troubled sigh as he picked up his book. It was his hopes that like similar nights before, reading would calm his mind and lull him to sleep. But tonight just wasn’t going to be one of those nights. He read to a certain point and furrowed his brow. “What the?” Peter flipped a few pages back and then a few more. Something just didn’t jive with his reading. “This isn’t helping either…when did I breeze past this part?”
He groused as he replaced his bookmark, then shut the book and set it back on the end table. “That was a bust.” Peter turned down the lamp to the point that it was barely giving off any embers of light. He grunted as he turned onto his side and adjusted his covers. The human figured he might as well give sleep another try.
Peter closed his eyes, though he was convinced the sandman had been blown away in the wind. Sleep seemed miles away. Still, as he quieted his mind, Peter almost felt that familiar sensation. That was when he noticed a sound at his door, which hadn’t been shut the whole way.
“Um.”
His eyes reopened. Peter knew that voice all too well. “Snowdrop, is that you?” He sat up and turned up the lamp.
The door opened and confirmed his suspicions. “Yes, it’s me. Um, Peter, are you awake-awake?”
Peter chuckled at the filly. “Yeah, I’m awake.” He sighed. “I just can’t seem to sleep tonight. But, what about you?” Though he knew Snowdrop was blind, Peter still looked her way. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I was.” Her ears drooped and she hung her head. “But, I couldn’t really sleep either. I had strange dreams, and the wind kept waking me.”
The human chuckled. “That makes two of us.”
“Oh.” Snowdrop held up a hoof. She turned her head in the direction of his voice. “Um…Peter?”
“Yes?” He smiled her way, for what it was worth. Though, Peter had heard it said that if you smile sincerely when you talk, it could be noticed in your voice.
“I…I um, c-could I…stay with you tonight?” She kept facing his way, an expression of hopefulness on her face.
Peter kept smiling. “Sure, come on up, Snowdrop. You miss your mom too, don’t you?” He patted the bed.
“Mm-hmm. I miss her, but while I was in my room, I was also missing you.” She paused as she made her way over to the bed. Snowdrop carefully hopped up.
Peter turned back the covers and helped her find her way beside him. “Here, cover up. It’s really cold tonight.”
“Um, thank you.” She smiled his way as she covered up. “But, yeah, I was missing you and mom. I felt lonely in my room. But…I, I know I shouldn’t.”
Peter placed his arm around her. “Aww, it’s okay. We all get lonely now and then, Snowdrop. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Yeah. You’re right. But, I…I just didn’t want to bother you.” Snowdrop sighed.
“Come on, you could never bother me.” Peter drew her closer to his side. He ran his hand along her fluffy white and pale blue mane. “Even if there may be times when your mother and I are busy.” He paused and kept running his hand along her hair. “I’ll find a way to make time for you, somehow.” Peter let out a heavy sigh. “I know I can’t replace your father, but, like I promised your mother, ‘I’ll always do my best to be there for you.’ ”
Snowdrop leaned against Peter and wrapped a hoof around him. “You’re right, Peter. I should know that by now. But, I never knew my father. A-and, maybe he was never around, because he didn’t want somepony like me.”
“It’s hard to say. But I do know this much. Your mother loves you very much…and, in the…” He stopped to think. “Little over a year I’ve been with your mother.” Peter looked down at Snowdrop and smiled. “I’ve grown really fond of you. I don’t think I can imagine life without either of you.”
“R-really?” Snowdrop leaned just a little harder against Peter. “I mean, I’ve always suspected that, but wasn’t really sure. Though, it’s been my wish, my hope, my dream, and my prayer.” She craned her head up at him. Her arctic blue eyes were glassy.
Peter secured his arm around her and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “Well, you don’t have to wish anymore. Because, like your mother, Snowdrop, I…I love you.” He let out a quiet sigh. “I just wasn’t sure I was ready to say it, till now.”
“Why’s that?” Snowdrop turned her head his way again.
“Because, there’s always a risk when you open your heart to someone. It’s a truly joyous thing, but it can be scary, because there’s always a chance of getting hurt.”
“Oh. Well…” Snowdrop moved to curl up closer to him. “I’ll do my best…to make sure you don’t get hurt. Because I’m glad you’re always around, Peter. I love you, too.” She nuzzled against him. “I image…having someone like you around, it must be like having a father.”
Peter fell silent for a moment. He had to wipe his eyes. Tears had forced their way out and he nearly choked on a sob. Reaching down, Peter pulled Snowdrop into a hug and rested his cheek on her crown, along her mane. “And, through all the ups and downs, scrapes and bruises, I can image somepony like you…as a daughter. It’s a nice feeling, even if it’s scary at times.”
“Yeah. Oh, Peter, I was wondering something. Well, it’s more of a request.” She leaned against him.
“What is it, Snowdrop?” He patted her back.
“I know I’m not really…you’re daughter and that you’re not really my…um, father. But, could I call you ‘father’ anyway…j-just for tonight, please?”
Peter smiled. It had always been his hope to be a parent and to one day know what it would be like to have a son or daughter. Looking at Snowdrop, despite the fact that she wasn’t his, it didn’t matter. He kept his arms around her. “Snowdrop…of course you can. And, I’ll call you, ‘daughter’, just this once.”
Snowdrop placed her small hooves around him as best she could; she was still a filly after all. “Yes, I’d like that, father.”
Peter felt his eyes grow misty again. “So would I, daughter.”
“Mmm…” Snowdrop yawned. “Oh, I feel a little sleepier now.”
Her yawn was infectious and made Peter yawn too. “Yeah, same here. We can lie down and try to go back to sleep.”
“Okay, that sounds good.” Snowdrop yawned again.
The two lied down and Peter pulled up the covers. Snowdrop stayed close to him. “Do you think, mom will be home soon?”
“I hope so.” He yawned again. “She said she wouldn’t be in Cloudsdale for too long. Just a couple days.”
“Well, at least I’m not alone. Till she gets back, I’m glad I have you…father.” She giggled as she shared his warmth, while the wind continued to howl outside.
“And I have you, Snowdrop, daughter.” He chuckled. “And you know something?”
“No, what?”
“It’s almost Thanksgiving, an Earth holiday. A time when my kind, well, those that live in America, give thanks for all the things they’re grateful for.” He kept Snowdrop close.
“Oh, and what are you thankful for?”
“You and your mother…Primrose. I’m glad you two are living with me here in Gusty Glade. And maybe someday I can go to Cloudsdale. But that’s what I’m thankful for.” He kissed her forehead.
“Aww, I’m thankful for you and for mom, too. And it’s nice here in Gusty Glade. And you know, maybe one day you can go to Cloudsdale.”
“It’ll always be my dream. But, you know something else?”
“No, what?” She yawned again.
Peter stifled a yawn and replied, “I’m also grateful that winter is coming. Thanks to you, everypony knows its wonders. And it’s a nice time for nestling under the covers.”
Snowdrop smiled up at him. “Um, when mom gets home. Do you think she’d enjoy nestling under the covers with us?”
He chuckled warmly. “I’m sure she would.” Peter rested his head on his pillow and made sure the lamp was turned low. He yawned again and gave the covers a final tug. “Don’t know about you, but, I’m ready for some…sleep. Yeah.”
“Me too.” Snowdrop let out the tiniest squeaky yawn.
The two closed their eyes and stayed close under the warmth of the flannel sheet and blankets. Soon they both drifted off to sleep, while the wind continued to howl and blow outside.